The ACT’s highest risk drivers maybe getting home earlier in the future reports ABC News.
Road crash statistics show in 2012, learner and P-plate drivers were involved in 22 per cent of all casualty crashes – even though they make up just 7 per cent of all ACT licence holders.
Inexperience is considered a significant factor in [...]

This also in from SheepGroper:
There are now two signs at the entrance to Murulla Lane to warn pedestrians and other traffic that the builders gutting 16-18 Mort St sometimes block off their end of the lane completely, forcing vehicles to exit via the entrance. It’s interesting watching a large truck backing out of the entrance, [...]

It’s the competition that was made for us Rioters!
Vote for the worst section of road in the ACT, and you might win an iPad.
Since NRMA’s first Seeing Red on Roads campaign in 2011, governments have committed over $1.8 billion to fix the Pacific Highway and $240 million to fix the Princes Highway.
The NSW Government has [...]

Good news everybody!
Parkes Way should become a little less congested from today with a new lane opening up between Clunies Ross Street bridge and Glenloch Station.
The additional lane was constructed as part of the $14.7 million Parkes Way widening project which will increase the capacity of Parkes Way between Glenloch Interchange and Edinburgh Avenue.
Cyclists will [...]

Seriously, it’s been what, 2 years, 3 years and already huge pot holes are appearing, long rumble lines where the bitumen is falling apart, patching needed in so many places, bouncy uneveness …
What is happening to road making in Canberra?  The Baldwin Dr/Maribynong Ave intersection cost a bomb to be made worse by the most stupidly designed traffic island in history, [...]

ACT Policing is now targeting road safety amongst heavy vehicle drivers and transport companies as part of Operation AUSTRANS.
The operation is a joint effort across national police, transport and safety agencies which began yesterday (May 20) and will finish on June 16 2013.
Traffic Operations Sergeant Rod Anderson explained that although police include heavy vehicle drivers [...]

Rioters
Anyone know what the deal is with Gungahlin Drive between Well Station Drive and Sandford Street citybound? There’s been a few mornings this week where its gotten to be like there is a bottleneck like there was when the GDE was one lane – only once you crawl to the lights at Sandford Street, [...]

Many coveted it, our own Johnboy included, but only one lucky Canberran could win the C100 number plate. That lucky Canberran happens to be Stefan Jeremenko.
Mr Jeremenko placed the winning bid of $9350 as the online auction went into ‘sniper time’ for ten minutes after the scheduled closing time of 4pm yesterday (Monday).
Bidding went [...]

The Herald Sun reports on the local police just happening to catch the high flying Lass from Wycheproof Peta Credlin for a low range DUI.
Mr Abbott’s office earlier confirmed Peta Credlin was caught outside her home with a ”low-range reading” after returning from a dinner in the capital last week.
ACT Police have since confirmed a [...]

There are plenty of road surfaces appearing on the Southside (e.g. Gowrie, Fadden, Chisholm) with the new, cheap, loose gravel on tar method of re-surfacing.
This is a noisy surface that increases tyre road noise, produces a poor ride especially with firm sports suspension and this is a surface that leaves loose gravel for weeks/months. [...]

ACT Policing is seeking witnesses after a car arson in Tharwa damaged important road infrastructure for local residents on Friday night (May 17).
Around 11.30pm a light blue 1991 Mitsubishi Magna station wagon (New South Wales registration WPB 384) was driven onto the Gudgenby River bridge along Smiths Road in Tharwa and deliberately lit. The vehicle [...]

This just in…
It’s about time we lobby the ACT Government to widen our bike paths!! How can we be expected to fit our cars in these piddling ½ sized lanes? In peak times there is an obvious need for the average motorist to bypass the law abiding losers waiting patiently for a variety of reasons, [...]

On the Action Bus website they have pdf timetables for their bus routes that includes times when Easy Access buses will be running. Easy Access is essentially a nice way of saying a new bus will be running on a route at a certain time rather than the dinosaur orange buses.
In theory this helps people [...]

Browsing through the Federal Budget papers I came across this item, which left me scratching my head:
‘$300,000 for Ramp Metering on the Tuggeranong Parkway/Cotter Rd interchange’
Like 99.9% of the population, I had no idea what ramp metering was, let alone why the Commonwealth would pay for it or why it was needed at the Cotter [...]

Shane Rattenbury has announced some numbers about the Centenary bus loop. Supposedly 37,957 passengers have ridden the bus in its first 100 days of service. That seems like quite a lot of people.
“The Centenary Loop bus has been popular in its first 100 days of service with an average of 379 passengers per day,” Mr [...]

Tim has sent this in with a question:
Are roadworkers completely stupid?!
Got an image of Canberra you want to share with the world? Email it in to images@the-riotact.com .

The Greens’ Shane Rattenbury has introduced a bill to get a straight published price on petrol station price boards:
“The Fair Trading (Fuel Prices) Amendment Bill 2013 will ensure that petrol stations display the fuel price that is available to all consumers and not the price available to consumers who have already shopped with the retailer [...]

Member for Brindabella Zed Seselja has moved a motion that will hopefully help the parking situation in Erindale around the Group Centre.
He also has gifted me with the funniest press release I’ve read this week.
Here’s an excerpt:
ZED FIGHTS FOR EASIER PARKING AT ERINDALE
Member for Brindabella Zed Seselja moved a motion in the ACT Legislative Assembly [...]

The latest road safety campaign from ACT Policing has gained the support of the Motorcycle Riders Association ACT.
Both organisations are encouraging people on the road to be aware of their surroundings and considerate of others, which ideally should go without saying but sadly things don’t always work that way.
Each year an average of 13 people [...]

It’s been talked about for years, and announced in last night’s budget. Pay parking in the parliamentary triangle is coming.
This will mean the more important departments lose the perk of free parking, but at least some rationalism will come into the parking which will mean visitors can get a spot (even if they have to [...]

Simon Corbell is letting people know Kmart Tyre & Auto Service (KTAS) have been missing some steps:
Kmart, on behalf of its business Kmart Tyre & Auto Service (KTAS), has provided the Commissioner for Fair Trading with court enforceable undertakings under the Australian Consumer Law (the ACL) after the Office of Regulatory Services (ORS) expressed concern [...]

Astonishing service from our friends at Territory and Municipal Services. I posted the following request via the excellent CanberraConnect website on Monday last, 6 May:
Subject: Potentially fatal pigeons under Drakeford Drive
Dear TAMS,
I was wondering whether you could install anti-pigeon-roosting spikes above the bike path in the Drakeford underpass (near Athllon Drive intersection – see map). [...]

Mayor Rattenbury has penned a plea for motorists and cyclists to leave off all the hating:
There is a rumbling debate in Canberra about the rights and responsibilities of cyclists, pedestrians and car drivers. Many people take sides with one of these groups, depending on their personal perspective. As someone who drives, rides and walks [...]

TAMS have announced some much needed changes to the operations of MyWay after an external review pointed out that things could probably be done a bit better.
Changes include more places to pay for the cards and making it simpler for concession travelers to pay correct fares.
Apparently this will also be cheaper for the government, so [...]

Simon Corbell has made it known we’re joining in a national campaign to make sure the displayed petrol prices are actually available to motorists (rather than just the lucky ones with the applicable shopper docket):
“At the July 2012 Consumer Affairs Forum (CAF), Ministers agreed to consider a national approach to the display of price information [...]

ACT Greens Member for Molonglo, Shane Rattenbury, is calling for an inquiry to investigate the the way the ACT deals with vulnerable road users.
“The term ‘vulnerable road users’ refers to people who are most at risk in traffic, and who are the weaker party in a collision. Essentially this means road users who are not [...]

Simon Corbell is legislating again this time to create a cottage industry of cars held in family members names by recidivist drink drivers:
Repeat and high range drink drivers will have interlock systems fitted to their vehicles, stopping them from getting behind the wheel when drunk, thanks to measures undertaken by ACT Attorney-General, Simon Corbell, today.
The [...]

The ACT already has the highest TPI in Australia, and it is blindingly obvious that this system has the interests of the NRMA and the local legal fraternity as it’s primary beneficiaries.
The wretched Smyth has ensured that the local ambulance chasing legal creatures have free reign in screwing the absolute maximum premium from unfortunate third [...]

Helmets make sense in extreme cycling conditions… such as mountain biking or high speed road cycling. On paved paths away from motor traffic, it’s arguable that a casual cyclist pottering along at 15km/h is unlikely to receive much of a benefit from wearing a helmet should they come off. That’s certainly the way [...]

Andrew Barr has announced that disability taxi vouchers are moving up the tech tree to a smartcard based system. And of course Cabcharge will run it:
Cabcharge has been chosen as the successful tenderer for the new ACT Taxi Subsidy Scheme Smartcard.
The new smartcard will replace the current paper-based vouchers, and will make using [...]

Member for Brindabella Andrew Wall has called upon the Government to crack down on reckless driving in the South of Canberra.
Called upon is code for “I’ve got no answers, but I’m employed to point fingers at the current government and by howdy I’m going to!”
“There are numerous examples of burnouts and other reckless behaviour [...]

Last month Simon Corbell promised us pedal assisted electric bicycles capable of maintaining 25kmph.
Today he’s announced the required legislation has passed:
Pedalecs have a maximum continuous power rating of 250 watts, compared with electric bicycles currently able to be used, with a maximum peak power of 200 watts. They also have additional safety and design requirements [...]