SA: new speed limit for passing emergency services vehicles

[busdriver]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-10/n ... atenews_sa

As next month in South Australia, you'll slow down to 25kmh when passing a emergency services vehicle when the red and blue are flashing.

[Hardy]

Road Safety Minister Tony Piccolo said

"When you see a stationary emergency vehicle with red or blue flashing lights, you must slow down to at least 25km per hour."

Then 40kmh would be ok?? Or maybe he means slow to at the most 25kmh?

Reminds me of the height clearance sign at Barristers Chambers car park in Lonsdale St:
"minimum clearance 2.2m" when clearly they are talking about the maximum clearance.

[rustyone]

man if every one follows this rule imagine all the other accidents it will generate.

[Gravy]

When there is a worksite speed limit reduction to 40km/h on an otherwise 100km/h road, the reduction has to be stepped down, i.e. 100 - 60 - 40km/h. This makes sense, because you don't want someone jumping on the brakes too hard in a line of traffic if it can be avoided. When you're travelling at 100km/h, by the time you can read a 40km/h sign it's generally too late to slow to 40km/h as you pass the sign.

Imagine dropping from 100km/h to 25km/h without warning! It isn't just about fender-benders from the following car, either: imagine you're towing a trailer on a country road at 100km/h and you crest over a hill and find an emergency vehicle on the side of the road. You jump on the brakes - damn hard - to get down to 25km/h as you pass the vehicle and you end up jackknifing the trailer and causing a big crash. If there are roadworks on the other side of the crest, there are plenty of warning sign prior to it so you don't get a surprise.

This new rule seems short sighted to me. I appreciate what the government is trying to achieve - the safety of emergency service personnel is very important - but I think this a stupid way to go about it. Most drivers slow down past a police car anyway. Has there been a recent spate of emergency services people being killed by passing cars that has necessitated this?

[Chef]

Most drivers slow down past a police car anyway.

Not standing out on the road they dont!!

One would hope, yes "hope" that as they see the lights in the distance, they would start to reduce speed so when they pass, they are at reduced speed. But who am I kidding, motorists exist in their own bubble

[busdriver]

This new rule seems short sighted to me. I appreciate what the government is trying to achieve - the safety of emergency service personnel is very important - but I think this a stupid way to go about it. Most drivers slow down past a police car anyway. Has there been a recent spate of emergency services people being killed by passing cars that has necessitated this?

Not that I am aware of, or even being injured.

My main concern is that interstate motorists won't be aware of this rule, at the moment there are currently no signs at any border crossing into South Australia or at the Airport advising motorists they required to slow to 40kph when passing a emergency services vehicle when the light are flashings in SA.

[Gravy]

Not standing out on the road they dont!!

One would hope, yes "hope" that as they see the lights in the distance, they would start to reduce speed so when they pass, they are at reduced speed. But who am I kidding, motorists exist in their own bubble

Fair enough - I'll defer to your experience on this one. I suppose my main point was that this is a solution to the problem that doesn't exist and that it may actually cause a whole new problem.

My main concern is that interstate motorists won't be aware of this rule, at the moment there are currently no signs at any border crossing into South Australia or at the Airport advising motorists they required to slow to 40kph when passing a emergency services vehicle when the light are flashings in SA.

It's the driver's responsibility to read up on the differences, but that's not to say that this process couldn't be made easier. Interstate driver pamphlets at hire car outlets, for example. There are other rules that vary between the states such as the default position on U-turns at traffic lights (in some states it's banned unless permitted by a sign, others permitted unless banned by a sign), so signage is impractical.

I'm not saying that Victoria has it all correct and that other states should fall into line with us. There are some rules/practices that I think we could adopt from other states. I'm just allergic to stupid solutions to non-existent problems wherever they're from. NSW learners restricted to 80km/h, SA 25km/h limit passing emergency vehicles, motorcycle lobby's opposition to wire rope barriers, VIC ban on empty bike carriers, et cetera.

[allde]

Query, If I go passed one of these scenarios in South Australia, say going 40kph in a So called 25Kph zone, return back to victoria will the fine follow me back when I'm in my own State?
What I'm trying to say, that infraction doesn't exist in Victorian Road laws so am I still obliged to pay it?
It's a State fine correct, not a Federal Fine.

[Hardy]

Yes you are obliged to pay it, but they might have to extradite you to SA if they want to enforce the penalty.
Plus VicRoads will record 3 demerit points against you in Victoria if you get a speeding ticket of 10kmh over the speed limit in SA.

[Slattery]

This would be interesting on the Monash Freeway.

[busdriver]

This would be interesting on the Monash Freeway.

It was also be interesting if you had semi on your tail as well!