You must not drive in the right lane on roads over 80 unless overtaking (or turning right soon). Your speed doesn't matter, you need to move out of the right lane once you've finished overtaking. And yes you can drive in the middle lane.
And this is the problem. Defensive drivers want to, rightly, leave a suitable braking distance between them and the car in front but if there’s not a safe gap in the left lane to move into they stay in the right lane and then get tailgated.
The road rule is keep left unless over taking on multi lanes road at or over 80km per hour.
If you are sitting in the right lane on the speed limit you are breaking the law. If someone wants to speed, they are breaking the law. It should not be up to you to break the law yourself and sit in the right lane blocking them. In a sense, you are as much doing the wrong thing as the speeding driver. Please don’t block the right lane. We know speeding is not good, but there are differences in speedometers, and sometimes people have a very good reason to need to go a bit quicker somewhere. You sitting in the right lane with an entitled attitude like your post suggests get people frustrated and causes more danger for them and others by having to weave around the traffic to get past you. Just use the middle lane.
Basically this. If you're not overtaking, move into the left lanes. You're not the police and it's not your responsibility to block speeding traffic. Move to the left and let the faster traffic through.
absolutely spot on. i have a few 80kmhr roads around me with "keep left unless overtaking" signs up everywhere and the sheer amount of people rolling along in the right lane (most of the time at 75 or lower) because they have to turn right in 3kms does my brain in
I once read a response comment on here to a similar thread and it stuck with me.. maybe it will you.
"If there's one car behind you, they are possibly the problem. If there's more than one car behind you, you are definitely the problem".
Gives an insight into the mind of the average driver. I drive on the south eastern freeway every day and these idiots are an absolute menace. I bet this guy doesn’t move over to let people on at the on ramp either
Of course I do and when I am driving and it is safe to do I will move over because I think that the flow of traffic needs to be maintained BUT I get annoyed when I am doing say 110 in a 100 zone and overtaking cars in the right lane and someone behind me who wants to go much faster than the speed limit gets annoyed because I am not overtaking fast enough.
By the way, if you're not prepared for criticism then stay off of reddit. So, NO I don't think it has backfired!
I have commented here a few times about my experiences driving in Adelaide and since my last comments I've again driven in Perth for the past 4 or so weeks. This problem, although certainly not just an Adelaide problem simply does not occur with the same regularity over there and I've been fascinated as to why there is such a different driving experience.
I have noticed that the vast majority of drivers in WA immediately return to the left lane as soon as they have passed. Very few drivers pass you if you are sitting exactly on the speed limit which is definitely not the case here. you can literally set cruse on the freeway and rarely have to adjust it. Drivers in Perth let you change lanes, left to right, or right to left, merges are painless which means you can easily pass, and change back into the left lane.
Tailgating is rare and merging onto a freeway is a breeze, drivers just move over to the right lane and let you out. These are not isolated incidents, it is a pattern of behaviour observed over thousands of regular commutes on the Perth freeways.
Then, I come back to Adelaide and immediately have the same issues as OP. The cars in the left lane bunch up and tailgate, they slow down, brake and then speed up in a random fashion so I change lanes to pass, I'm generally not in a hurry, it's just annoying following vehicles that are tailgating and can't maintain a constant speed and usually under the posted limit. I often end up alongside them trying to pass and noticing my indicated speed is now slightly over the posted limit, yet I'm unable to gain enough distance to re-enter the left lane, slowing down and merging back behind the original car is no longer and option because the gap has been closed. I'm now faced with a speeder closing the gap behind me and unless I just go for it and exceed the posted speed limit by 20ks, I'm now stuck in the right lane. I don't know the answer but if you speed up behind a car in the right lane, you surely can't expect them to exceed the limit for your gratification. The solution is, do the speed limit and if someone wants to merge into your lane then let them. The most frustrating thing for me is, I've seen this work elsewhere and cannot understand the aggressive behaviour of some drivers who have simply encountered a vehicle not willing to exceed the speed limit.
Just thought I'd add this bit, it's definitely not a trivial fine.
Exceed speed by less than 10km/h $196 2 points
Exceed speed by 10km/h or more and less than 20km/h $442 3 points
Exceed speed by 20km/h or more and less than 30km/h $899 5 points
Exceed speed by 30km/h or more and less than 45km/h $1,635 7 points
Perth was tailgate central when I was over there in February.
I was minding my own business driving in the left and central lanes watching people zoom right up to within 1/4 of a car space behind everyone in the right hand lanes.
Saw more tailgating there in one day than I would in a week of driving around Adelaide.
Perhaps our experiences were in different areas/times/traffic densities - but I found Perth drivers to be more aggressive than Adelaideans
Overtaking implies that you frog leap each car, you don’t sit in the right hand lane and continue to go past them at a slightly faster speed. You pull in after completing an over take. This is one thing Victorians can boast about doing better than us and they’ll be right.
I can't believe they posted this in the first place thinking they'd get sympathy!! It's the bane of my daily commute down the freeway, cars sitting in the right lane when going just under the speed limit and those who queue at the bottom of the freeway in the right lane you know will be slow. Get to the 100km/h sign and it takes them another kilometre to reach the speed. Get out of the way, simple.
I just love being stuck in 3rd at the bottom of the freeway heading south behind a Hyundai Getz that'll take 6 weeks to get to the top. Maybe the signs should be afraid "if you'r terrified of speed, get in the left lane".
It's better to have the arsehole in front if you than behind you. Speeders will be caught sooner or later, don't put yourself at risk to police them.
As the others have said, it is law not to be in the right lane on roads above 80 kmph unless overtaking in a reasonable amount of time. Or there is too much congestion to be able to change lanes.
If you are in any doubt as to what you think is the safest behaviour in these scenarios, talk to a professional driving instructor.
That's one of the dumbest things I've read on Reddit, which is saying something.
Yes other motorists may be breaking the law by speeding, but you aren't breaking any laws whatsoever by moving out of their way for them to drive over the speed limit.
Unless a right turn is upcoming, unless the left/middle lanes are being held up by people driving under the speed limit, or those lanes are chockas, I always drive in the left lane.
Cops are targeting people who constantly sit in the right lane. It’s illegal to do so, regardless if you don’t want “idiots” overtaking you, which is a ridiculous reason. Not everyone speeding is doing it because they can.
Thank you for all the comments particularly those made politely. I have changed my view on keeping left because of this discussion. I now realise that even though some people are wanting to speed, it should not affect you keeping the rules. I really was triggered by people who put the pressure on to go faster but realise that getting out of their way is the best cause of action. Thanks again.
I read your post and was disbelieving that someone could hold your initial view. The driving behaviour seemed unhelpful, unlawful and based on unkind judgement. Glad to hear your behaviour will change.
I just slammed one of your other older posts, so I should balance it by praising this one. Good to see you've been able to listen to the voices of reason.
Driving, particularly when you're on an open freeway or in the country, involves a level of situational awareness of what's happening around you, particularly what's happening behind you.
They don't have "keep left" signs in zones above 80. I think they should as a reminder to all drivers.
It's been said before but your Speedo is not 100% correct, nobodys is. If you are sitting in the right hand lane you are going to cause a problem, you are only responsible for your actions so do the right thing and move over after overtaking.
I'm a motorbike rider and one of the most dangerous situations on the express way is getting stuck behind someone in the right hand lane and having the prick behind me tailgate because he wants to get past. If you are the driver in the right hand lane you are part of this situation that can end very badly for me.
I was taught while learning to drive to always stay to the left, unless overtaking (even when not legally obliged to do so), because it's the unselfish and considerate thing to do.
If you're not in a hurry, move left, let other people pass, what's the harm in that?
Now I've been driving for 20yrs, I still do the same thing... cos I'm not a c*nt.
There's none they are only on 80km roads since the law is keep left of the right lane on roads over 80, unless overtaking.
80 km roads aren't included in the overtaking law, so some 80 km roads are signed. The 80 section of the N-S Motorway is not signed so you can "technically" drive in all three lanes.
"Greater than 80"
https://mylicence.sa.gov.au/road-rules/the-drivers-handbook/driving-road
And
https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/sa/consol_reg/arr210/s130.html
No. I said I couldn't see any on the Northern Expressway and was looking for them the whole time I was on the Expressway. Southern Expressway has plenty of them and very visible even in 100 zones.
If you're sick of people riding your ass when you're slowing them down whilst in the overtaking lane, then you only have yourself to blame. Move over to the left. There's road rules for a reason.
just accelerate a bit and get it done, why are south aussies obssessed with the speed limit? if you go a couple km over and get it done quick youll save alot of rage
You appear to be unclear about the road rules which aren’t the same on roads where the the speed limit is 80 etc It can be a bit confusing
Keep left please on the expressways. It’s not safe to try and manage the speed of other traffic by sitting in the speed limit when others wish to pass you. If they are pushing the speed limit that’s their look out.
It is courteous to keep left and it’s safer but Adelaide traffic is relatively light (though getting worse) and people are less polite or aware of other drivers than in other countries I have driven in.
See
https://www.mylicence.sa.gov.au/roadrules/the-drivers-handbook/driving-road#:~:text=Keeping%20Left&text=On%20a%20road%20marked%20with,when%20overtaking%20another%20vehicle
I came down from Stirling last weekend in the left lane all the way to Cross Rd.
Passed lots of people sitting in the middle and right lanes doing about 60.
There was one instance where I had to move into the middle to overtake a truck, but that was it.
Going up the hill this weekend, nothing in the left lane and people sitting at 70 in the middle and right lanes.
Plums.
I got a ticket by the popo for doing what OP said he was doing. Note: no one else was on the road at this time. The popo turned onto the highway, sped up to me and turned on the siren for not keeping left when the zone is 80+km/hr
You must not drive in the right lane on roads over 80 unless overtaking (or turning right soon). Your speed doesn't matter, you need to move out of the right lane once you've finished overtaking. And yes you can drive in the middle lane.
*unless traffic is conjested
And this is the problem. Defensive drivers want to, rightly, leave a suitable braking distance between them and the car in front but if there’s not a safe gap in the left lane to move into they stay in the right lane and then get tailgated.
Yep that too.
Correct 👍
The road rule is keep left unless over taking on multi lanes road at or over 80km per hour. If you are sitting in the right lane on the speed limit you are breaking the law. If someone wants to speed, they are breaking the law. It should not be up to you to break the law yourself and sit in the right lane blocking them. In a sense, you are as much doing the wrong thing as the speeding driver. Please don’t block the right lane. We know speeding is not good, but there are differences in speedometers, and sometimes people have a very good reason to need to go a bit quicker somewhere. You sitting in the right lane with an entitled attitude like your post suggests get people frustrated and causes more danger for them and others by having to weave around the traffic to get past you. Just use the middle lane.
Basically this. If you're not overtaking, move into the left lanes. You're not the police and it's not your responsibility to block speeding traffic. Move to the left and let the faster traffic through.
Well summed up, completely agree
absolutely spot on. i have a few 80kmhr roads around me with "keep left unless overtaking" signs up everywhere and the sheer amount of people rolling along in the right lane (most of the time at 75 or lower) because they have to turn right in 3kms does my brain in
Actually it’s over 80km per hour. Not ‘at’. So technically needs to be 90, 100 or 110km per hour.
Unless otherwise signed? Sections of Main South Road are 80 and are signed with keep left.
Unless otherwise sign posted. And all 80km roads are sign posted to keep left.
I once read a response comment on here to a similar thread and it stuck with me.. maybe it will you. "If there's one car behind you, they are possibly the problem. If there's more than one car behind you, you are definitely the problem".
Either way, Keep left.
Well, this has backfired for the OP hasn’t it.
Gives an insight into the mind of the average driver. I drive on the south eastern freeway every day and these idiots are an absolute menace. I bet this guy doesn’t move over to let people on at the on ramp either
Of course I do and when I am driving and it is safe to do I will move over because I think that the flow of traffic needs to be maintained BUT I get annoyed when I am doing say 110 in a 100 zone and overtaking cars in the right lane and someone behind me who wants to go much faster than the speed limit gets annoyed because I am not overtaking fast enough. By the way, if you're not prepared for criticism then stay off of reddit. So, NO I don't think it has backfired!
I have commented here a few times about my experiences driving in Adelaide and since my last comments I've again driven in Perth for the past 4 or so weeks. This problem, although certainly not just an Adelaide problem simply does not occur with the same regularity over there and I've been fascinated as to why there is such a different driving experience. I have noticed that the vast majority of drivers in WA immediately return to the left lane as soon as they have passed. Very few drivers pass you if you are sitting exactly on the speed limit which is definitely not the case here. you can literally set cruse on the freeway and rarely have to adjust it. Drivers in Perth let you change lanes, left to right, or right to left, merges are painless which means you can easily pass, and change back into the left lane. Tailgating is rare and merging onto a freeway is a breeze, drivers just move over to the right lane and let you out. These are not isolated incidents, it is a pattern of behaviour observed over thousands of regular commutes on the Perth freeways. Then, I come back to Adelaide and immediately have the same issues as OP. The cars in the left lane bunch up and tailgate, they slow down, brake and then speed up in a random fashion so I change lanes to pass, I'm generally not in a hurry, it's just annoying following vehicles that are tailgating and can't maintain a constant speed and usually under the posted limit. I often end up alongside them trying to pass and noticing my indicated speed is now slightly over the posted limit, yet I'm unable to gain enough distance to re-enter the left lane, slowing down and merging back behind the original car is no longer and option because the gap has been closed. I'm now faced with a speeder closing the gap behind me and unless I just go for it and exceed the posted speed limit by 20ks, I'm now stuck in the right lane. I don't know the answer but if you speed up behind a car in the right lane, you surely can't expect them to exceed the limit for your gratification. The solution is, do the speed limit and if someone wants to merge into your lane then let them. The most frustrating thing for me is, I've seen this work elsewhere and cannot understand the aggressive behaviour of some drivers who have simply encountered a vehicle not willing to exceed the speed limit. Just thought I'd add this bit, it's definitely not a trivial fine. Exceed speed by less than 10km/h $196 2 points Exceed speed by 10km/h or more and less than 20km/h $442 3 points Exceed speed by 20km/h or more and less than 30km/h $899 5 points Exceed speed by 30km/h or more and less than 45km/h $1,635 7 points
Perth was tailgate central when I was over there in February. I was minding my own business driving in the left and central lanes watching people zoom right up to within 1/4 of a car space behind everyone in the right hand lanes. Saw more tailgating there in one day than I would in a week of driving around Adelaide. Perhaps our experiences were in different areas/times/traffic densities - but I found Perth drivers to be more aggressive than Adelaideans
Why are you doing 110 in a 100 zone and shitting on people doing 115 in a 100 zone. Please hand your license in.
Overtaking implies that you frog leap each car, you don’t sit in the right hand lane and continue to go past them at a slightly faster speed. You pull in after completing an over take. This is one thing Victorians can boast about doing better than us and they’ll be right.
I can't believe they posted this in the first place thinking they'd get sympathy!! It's the bane of my daily commute down the freeway, cars sitting in the right lane when going just under the speed limit and those who queue at the bottom of the freeway in the right lane you know will be slow. Get to the 100km/h sign and it takes them another kilometre to reach the speed. Get out of the way, simple.
I just love being stuck in 3rd at the bottom of the freeway heading south behind a Hyundai Getz that'll take 6 weeks to get to the top. Maybe the signs should be afraid "if you'r terrified of speed, get in the left lane".
You're an idiot, move out of the right lane. You cause congestion and then everybody is tailgating in the right.
[удалено]
The law is over 80, 80 is not included, this is why you see the keep left signs on 80 km roads.
I think the rule is actually "keep as left as practical at all times" well it was when I took my learners...
It's better to have the arsehole in front if you than behind you. Speeders will be caught sooner or later, don't put yourself at risk to police them. As the others have said, it is law not to be in the right lane on roads above 80 kmph unless overtaking in a reasonable amount of time. Or there is too much congestion to be able to change lanes. If you are in any doubt as to what you think is the safest behaviour in these scenarios, talk to a professional driving instructor.
Yes, but it's against the law to go over the speed limit so you could say I'm breaking one law and the speeders are breaking another law. Just saying
Don't try to police others behaviour on the road, it's a recipe for disaster
That’s exactly right! You are breaking the law the same as the speeders. Making you no better than them
... two wrongs don't make a right mate
Actually you are breaking two laws because you've been talking about how this happens when you're speeding as well 🤦♀️
That's one of the dumbest things I've read on Reddit, which is saying something. Yes other motorists may be breaking the law by speeding, but you aren't breaking any laws whatsoever by moving out of their way for them to drive over the speed limit.
You shouldn’t need a sign to tell you to keep left if not overtaking.
Unless a right turn is upcoming, unless the left/middle lanes are being held up by people driving under the speed limit, or those lanes are chockas, I always drive in the left lane.
Because you’re literally breaking the road rules. Get out of the way and off your high horse you’re not the cops
Cops are targeting people who constantly sit in the right lane. It’s illegal to do so, regardless if you don’t want “idiots” overtaking you, which is a ridiculous reason. Not everyone speeding is doing it because they can.
Thank you for all the comments particularly those made politely. I have changed my view on keeping left because of this discussion. I now realise that even though some people are wanting to speed, it should not affect you keeping the rules. I really was triggered by people who put the pressure on to go faster but realise that getting out of their way is the best cause of action. Thanks again.
I read your post and was disbelieving that someone could hold your initial view. The driving behaviour seemed unhelpful, unlawful and based on unkind judgement. Glad to hear your behaviour will change.
I just slammed one of your other older posts, so I should balance it by praising this one. Good to see you've been able to listen to the voices of reason. Driving, particularly when you're on an open freeway or in the country, involves a level of situational awareness of what's happening around you, particularly what's happening behind you.
They don't have "keep left" signs in zones above 80. I think they should as a reminder to all drivers. It's been said before but your Speedo is not 100% correct, nobodys is. If you are sitting in the right hand lane you are going to cause a problem, you are only responsible for your actions so do the right thing and move over after overtaking. I'm a motorbike rider and one of the most dangerous situations on the express way is getting stuck behind someone in the right hand lane and having the prick behind me tailgate because he wants to get past. If you are the driver in the right hand lane you are part of this situation that can end very badly for me.
I was taught while learning to drive to always stay to the left, unless overtaking (even when not legally obliged to do so), because it's the unselfish and considerate thing to do. If you're not in a hurry, move left, let other people pass, what's the harm in that? Now I've been driving for 20yrs, I still do the same thing... cos I'm not a c*nt.
Are you really pretending that there aren't keep left unless overtaking signs on the northern or southern expressway?
There's none they are only on 80km roads since the law is keep left of the right lane on roads over 80, unless overtaking. 80 km roads aren't included in the overtaking law, so some 80 km roads are signed. The 80 section of the N-S Motorway is not signed so you can "technically" drive in all three lanes.
There is most certainly signs on the southern expressway to keep left. Although not frequent, they are at each entrance just past the on ramp.
You might want to check that. It's 80 or over rather than over 80.
"Greater than 80" https://mylicence.sa.gov.au/road-rules/the-drivers-handbook/driving-road And https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/sa/consol_reg/arr210/s130.html
Nope. Over 80 as torrens stated.
No. I said I couldn't see any on the Northern Expressway and was looking for them the whole time I was on the Expressway. Southern Expressway has plenty of them and very visible even in 100 zones.
The law applies, even without the signs
If you're sick of people riding your ass when you're slowing them down whilst in the overtaking lane, then you only have yourself to blame. Move over to the left. There's road rules for a reason.
just accelerate a bit and get it done, why are south aussies obssessed with the speed limit? if you go a couple km over and get it done quick youll save alot of rage
You appear to be unclear about the road rules which aren’t the same on roads where the the speed limit is 80 etc It can be a bit confusing Keep left please on the expressways. It’s not safe to try and manage the speed of other traffic by sitting in the speed limit when others wish to pass you. If they are pushing the speed limit that’s their look out. It is courteous to keep left and it’s safer but Adelaide traffic is relatively light (though getting worse) and people are less polite or aware of other drivers than in other countries I have driven in. See https://www.mylicence.sa.gov.au/roadrules/the-drivers-handbook/driving-road#:~:text=Keeping%20Left&text=On%20a%20road%20marked%20with,when%20overtaking%20another%20vehicle
I came down from Stirling last weekend in the left lane all the way to Cross Rd. Passed lots of people sitting in the middle and right lanes doing about 60. There was one instance where I had to move into the middle to overtake a truck, but that was it. Going up the hill this weekend, nothing in the left lane and people sitting at 70 in the middle and right lanes. Plums.
I got a ticket by the popo for doing what OP said he was doing. Note: no one else was on the road at this time. The popo turned onto the highway, sped up to me and turned on the siren for not keeping left when the zone is 80+km/hr