Speed limits all over the place around the airport

“I think you’ll find that’s complete bull. The majority of ACT drivers adhere to the speed limit, exemplified by the % that actually get fined for not doing so. If most ignored them then statistically 51% of more would be fined each year, which doesn’t happen.”

Really vg? Are we talking about the same city? From my own observations, a large majority of people exceed the speed limit (by around 5-15 km/h) on certain roads, at particular times during the day. This certainly doesn’t mean everyone all the time, and it depends on the road in question.

I’m well aware that the faster you go, the more severe the impact (in the event of an accident). However that being said, compared to similar roads in NSW, some of the speed limits in the ACT are unsuitable for the road conditions and/or inconsistent (in my opinion).

VG, when you drive around in your own car, out of uniform, do you really think that the majority of Canberrans don’t speed? Do they almost all stick to 80km/h in the 80 zones?

I’m simply asserting that this is not the case based on my own daily commute.

Could you comment on the differences on how many drivers you witness speeding (even 5km/h over the limit) when driving the cop-mobile versus your own car?

“I suspect that during the times you have been driving around in your blue uniform, you have been witnessing the observer-expectancy effect.”

What are you talking about?

I often drive around in my own car, as I have since about 1984 in Canberra

Au contraire Troll Sniffer. I just appreciate that laws and similiar are designed to constrain the idiocy of people such as yourself.

I can guarantee I’m also far more highly trained a driver than you

Very true in my observation, GG. When doing the speed limit, I am tailgated. If cops suddenly appear, the tailgating suddenly ceases. If tailgater gets a chance to overtake, they disappear into the distance. They are clearly speeding (not that I care and I’m glad they’ve gone).

Those security guard people who drive around in cars with AFP plastered all over them are useful in that regard. People stop tailgating when they see them.

That’s right troll-sniffer, being an intellectual rebel is all about whining about speed limits.

Those of us who manage to drive within the speed limits are just so many blind human worms in the manure of life that thrusts forth such blossoming intellectual flowers as yourself.

It’s only your wonderfully mental freedom that gives my life any meaning.

This or you’re just a pretentious wanker attempting to justify your own indignant self-righteousness through gratuitous displays of conspicuous stupidity.

Actually, I’ll retract my smart-assery about the observer-expectancy effect. It’s simply that people tend to be more careful to do the right thing when they know the cops are around.

@vg #24: My experience in enforcing speed limits is irrelevant. I drive Hindmarsh Drv, Adelaide Ave and Monaro Hwy most days. Unless there is a speed camera around, Adelaide Ave and Hindmarsh Drv (over the hill) is 85km/h in the left lane 90-95km/h in the right. Monaro Hwy traffic exceeds the speed limit by a similar percentage.

Please not, I’m not passing judgment here. I’m simply saying that the majority of ACT drivers do not adhere to the speed limit.

I suspect that during the times you have been driving around in your blue uniform, you have been witnessing the observer-expectancy effect.

I am actually quite jealous in some ways of people like Jim Jones, T1G3R, vg. To be able to lead your life as a sheep, as part of a bleating flock, slavishly following ‘orders’ from above because they “must make sense or they wouldn’t be laws would they”. Never thinking a little deeply and laterally that perhaps the ‘experts’ haven’t actually got it right, that there’s something they’re missing from human behaviour and psychology, that the system as it stands is proving ineffective beyond a certain point that we appear to have reached.

Then again, I’m not really jealous, I like to think freely and outside the narrow confines of whatever the governement decides I should accept as gospel. All you sheep just keep on grazing the paddocks of mediocrity, if that’s your style good luck to you.

If you find speed limit signs confusing, then you should not be driving, you should be licking windows at the back of the bus.

I have to disagree with the whole thing. The sign posts are set by the conditions of the road and if its built up or not. It makes sense to me, I drive around there everyday and don’t have a problem with it. It really cant be that hard. I reckon the more you complain they’ll eventually just make everything a sign speed limit of like 60!

“Have to disagree there vg – try driving up Adelaide Ave any weekday morning when the cameras aren’t out. Practically noone does 80km/h. Same goes for Hindmarsh Drv, especially uphill.”

And your experience in enforcing the speed limits of the ACT?

The road through Campbell used to be 80 km/hr. Then some ADFA cadets crossing the road to get to/from their sports oval failed to do it without being hit by a car, and that is when the limit changed to 60. You’ll notice it goes to 80 once you have passed ADFA (heading East).

I do 70 around the airport, it seems the safest thing to do. The number of speed limit signs between the new road there and Queanbeyan is amazing. The stretch of 100 gets smaller and smaller. If you are trying to travel from Queanbeyan to Canberra along that in the morning, however, you are most likely to be sitting at a standstill looking at the 100 km/hr sign. The new traffic lights at Fairbairn, plus rat-runners coming in from the Oaks Estate Road, have that road backing up well into town along Yass Road.

The competance of the ACT roads people is highlighted by how often they have to re-do roadwork. Surface patchings, repeat offender pot holes, intersections that have to be re-engineered after major work, roads that have to be done again (Gungalin Drive) because the design doesn’t work, road work that results in traffic snarls and block-ups.

They seem to get it wrong more often than get it right.

ps: allows a driver to concentrate on the road rather than the signs

I like the trials being run in Europe…removal of all signs…replaced by “Drive Safely”

“I think you’ll find that’s complete bull. The majority of ACT drivers adhere to the speed limit, exemplified by the % that actually get fined for not doing so. If most ignored them then statistically 51% of more would be fined each year, which doesn’t happen.”

Have to disagree there vg – try driving up Adelaide Ave any weekday morning when the cameras aren’t out. Practically noone does 80km/h. Same goes for Hindmarsh Drv, especially uphill.

As has been pointed out, a review to apply some common sense would go a long way. Simply because people don’t get fined doesn’t mean they don’t speed.

I will vote for, and do my best to garner votes for, and spread the word, for any candidate for any party in the next ACT election who, as part of their platform, promises to push for:

A much simplified set of speed limits in the ACT, ie 50km/hr in suburban streets, 70km/hr or 80km/hr on non-residential with 80km/hr as the default, 100km/hr on designated roads.

In general one speed limit per length of road until an obvious change occurs. If this means a lower limit so be it, the time won’t be much longer but the frustration and stress will be much much lower.

An inquiry into why Australian motorists are deemed to be too stupid to be allowed to have traffic lights in many areas only operating when they are needed, ie for about 5 hours per day, and why the proven practice employed in most countries of having flashing orange or even better reversion to stop signs is not seen as suitable for our roads.

The candidate could have an ideology of legalising pedophilia and support nuclear warfare, and if the above policies were part of his or her platform, he or she would still get my vote and support.

+1 to different speed signs close together. Check out Yamba Dr between Bateson Rd and Hindmarsh Dr, Tuggeranong bound. Just after you pass through the lights at Bateson/Yamba, there’s a 60 sign on one side of the road, and an 80 sign on the other side no more than 100m further along!

Sgt Bungers I add to your complaint the general habit road wankers have of putting different speed limit signs so close together. These idiots post 60 signs with 40 signs like 20 metres later. How the hell are we expected to abide by the “speed limit” if you put different speed signs everywhere like this??

Give them the kick up the arse they deserve, Sgt Bungers!!!

Gee. I thought the Airport precinct was Snow’s responsibility.

“Majura Road – It changes from 90 to 80, North Bound approaching the Federal Highway. The road gets wider and smoother in the 80 zone? Do most people slow down to 80? 3 guesses. And now I await the flak from road safety experts.”

I have to totally agree with this. I find it strange that the 90 zone of Majura road is good enough for that speed, but as soon as it turns into Horse Park drive where it is smoother and wider, it drops to 80kph.

“I think you’ll find that most drivers ignore the speed limits around the ACT, when they are illogical or overzealous”

I think you’ll find that’s complete bull. The majority of ACT drivers adhere to the speed limit, exemplified by the % that actually get fined for not doing so. If most ignored them then statistically 51% of more would be fined each year, which doesn’t happen.

I have relations who have been driving in the ACT since the early 60s and have never been fined for speeding, and none of them drive like ‘nannas’. If you are getting booked for speeding in this town more often than not its through your own inattention, ignorance or stupidity

Dragon is right: “I think you’ll find that most drivers ignore the speed limits around the ACT, when they are illogical or overzealous.”

I think both the ACT roads and traffic management authorities and ACT drivers need criticising.

Anyone who drives on ACT roads knows that most ACT drivers ignore the speed limits, particularly road project/construction areas signed 40 km/h. And where the signed speed limits are logical and appropriate, drivers tend to go 5-10+ km/h over. AND, drivers who follow the rules are subject to aggressive behaviour.

As a rule, I have always followed speed limits. But since moving to Canberra from Melbourne, I’ve found I now more frequently use ‘common sense’ to determine what speed I should go – because the speed limits the authorities here set often can’t be relied on as sensible and logical guides. As a result, driving here requires more greater focus and alertness, and I think it’s no wonder that drivers here tend to display more aggro. And that’s not to mention drivers’ inconsistent approaches to indicating, merging and what have you – I diverge, I could go on here…

One of the best examples of ACT authorities setting an inappropriate speed limit and drivers subsequently ignoring it is around the new Russell flyover. The percentage of drivers who follow the 40 km/h speed limit here would be minuscule.

As I see it, there’s incompetence on both the government and drivers’ behalf.

I think, one, ACT drivers must cut the idiotic agro towards drivers who obey the rules, particularly speed limits (regardless of if you think they’re inappropriate). And two, the ACT authorities need to be take more care in setting fitting speed limits so that drivers become less inclined to ignore them because they’re beyond common sense.

Lastly, I call for a dialogue on improving driving on ACT roads!!!

Macarthur Ave where it changes from 80 to 60 with the speed sign tucked in near the roundabout is a speed change that many don’t notice also – and the police catch quite a few…yours truly included.

All of the speed limits could do with an audit.

There is a lot of inconsistency with speed limits as the OP says.

My bug bear is Fairbairn Ave. It goes along behind Campbell at 60km which is unnecessary as it’s not residential or even remotely pedestrian. It has a bus stop, but its set back from the road and access to the bus stop is from behind rather than the road side. It’s one of those roads that it is actually really difficult to maintain the correct speed on and most people do at least 70. It should be 70. 60 on this road just feels like you are crawling along – not that I speed, but sometimes you just have to be more realistic.

Also needs to be some attention paid to removing road work signs when the need to reduce speed is over or not necessary.

I wish they would mark speed changes actually ON the road as they do in NSW.

Obviously, turning from a suburban street onto a main road the speed will change, but I am more talking about speed limit changes for traffic continuing on the same road – eg Canberra Ave between Manuka and Queanbeyan, Hindmarsh Drive change to 60 in the vicinity of Woden, Parkes Way change from 90 to 80 near New Acton.

“The ACT Government has the most speed cameras in the country per capita on our roads, we are more policed than any other people when it comes to the speed limit.”

Sgt.Bungers, you obviously haven’t been to Melbourne?!!

This is something I’ve been thinking about recently too, but more in relation to 50km/h zones. I can really see on rhyme or reason as to how the decision is made when it comes to deciding whether a road will have a 50 km/h or 60 km/h limit. Just in my area alone, you can drive down Southern Cross Drive towards Kippax, then you have the options to:

* Turn left into Starke St – 60km/h, quite a wide road, residential and business along it;
* Turn left into Beaurepaire Cres – 50km/h, quite a wide road, residential and business along it, no longer has a school on it;
* Turn right onto O’Reilly St, then left or right onto Osbourne Drive – 60 km/h on both, lots of residential on both sides of the road, intersections on the crests of hills, some corners with not very good visibility;
* Turn left onto Spofforth St – 50km/h, big, straight wide road, residential on one side only, with the golf course on the other, houses well set back from the road.

And the white van is often seen on Spofforth, likely the safest piece of road out of any of the above. I’d love to know the last time there was an accident on that road…

“Also, the intelligent people of the ACT Government have replaced the 90km/h speed limit signs between DFO and Queanbeyan westbound with 80km/h signs, when there is no need for a reduced speed limit – in fact there is no reason it cannot be 100km/h.”

Except for the fact there’s a set of traffic lights there, but let’s not let road design standards get in the way of a good rant.

Yes, this sort of thing has been getting right on my tits lately, too. Is it getting worse?? I have no problem with speed cameras and so forth, but inconsistent, badly signposted and illogical changes in speed limits make it extremely difficult for a driver to maintain the legal speed. I’ve never been booked for speeding, and I’d like to keep it that way!

Wow, a cogent and concise set of suggestions.

I had to do a Sydney daytrip just before Christmas. Was the first time I’ve driven out that way for some time. The signs that jerked me around were those intended to show the short-term parking entrance. After dutifully doing two loops of the new Virgin terminal, I ignored the signs and went with gut feel. Result: parked in 60 seconds!

Back to the op and noting that the same missive went to some Ministerial types… you may want to enter your suggestions at https://www.contact.act.gov.au/app/ask. You’ll always get scintillating and incisive commentary at Riot Act. And a Minister may commission an audit of sorts. But you may get some quick roadsign changes from the dutiful functionaries at act.gov.au.

I think you’ll find that most drivers ignore the speed limits around the ACT, when they are illogical or overzealous. The inconsistent speed limits that you mention are prime examples. What about the extended 80 zone northbound on the Monaro Highway (the opposite side of the Gaol)? It used to be 100 km/h until the gaol was built, and I suppose the justification is the merging lane for those exiting the gaol?

Of course, being incompetent Canberrans who have never merged onto the Hume Highway with a speed limit of 110, 80 is necessary for those 5 people who will use that merging lane on any given day. And the white van which regularly sits in that zone is definitely there for safety (cough cough) purposes.

Majura Road – It changes from 90 to 80, North Bound approaching the Federal Highway. The road gets wider and smoother in the 80 zone? Do most people slow down to 80? 3 guesses. And now I await the flak from road safety experts.

Reminds me of this:

http://the-riotact.com/roadworks-signs-ummmm-ok-then/25188

80 then the road work ends 20 meters down the road.

Also, the intelligent people of the ACT Government have replaced the 90km/h speed limit signs between DFO and Queanbeyan westbound with 80km/h signs, when there is no need for a reduced speed limit – in fact there is no reason it cannot be 100km/h.

I am just waiting to see the white van there. They will catch 8 out of 10 cars exceeding the reduced speed limit.

Got bit by double demerits did we?