23 January 2009

The corner of Doonkuna and Donaldson Streets

| johnboy
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So here’s a question for our resident panel of traffic experts.

What do these funny painted pseudo islands in Braddon actually mean?

There are no signs saying “No Right Turn” and many people continue to turn right at this intersection as the whim takes them.

So is it just a gentle hint? Or is it meant to be a left turn only intersection?

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I spoke to an ex-copper mate of mine and he suggests that it is there to prevent two cars lining up side by side at the intersection. Two cars side by side obscures the view of each of the drivers trying to exit the intersection. And yes he agrees that you would be booked for driving over the unbroken line. A copper could raise a bit of revenue for Stanhope if he kept an eye on this intersection for a few hours.

you’re just not supposed to drive over the painted island.

yes, this is the point. you are not permitted to cross any unbroken lane line (like the ones that extend beyond where you merge with some major arterial routes around the city), so you shouldn’t drive upon this painted island. it is indeed intended to make you exercise caution and slow down for this intersection but otherwise remains silent on which way you may proceed therefrom.

Madman said :

monomania said :

Crossing unbroken white lines twice on a long weekend. How many points?

None – only applies to seatbelt and speeding offenses…

Aren’t they adding a point for each other offence? I suppose they could get you for dangerous driving 3 + 1 points.

The road rules say “never cross an unbroken white line at an intersection”.
I was once fined $75 dollars for not having that years rego sticker
and $75 dollars for having an out of date rego sticker.

monomania said :

Crossing unbroken white lines twice on a long weekend. How many points?

None – only applies to seatbelt and speeding offenses…

Oh and another thing re demerit points, I am pretty sure you are actually permitted to drive over single unbroken white lines, it is only double unbroken that is an offence. Maybe some investigation for some nerd may need to be had.

I think post #9 has it right as there are a number of intersections around Canberra that have the concrete versions (aimed to slow traffic) but still allow for all movements. They are also used for roads that cross the large median roads like Canberra Ave presumably to slow traffic and to try and prevent vehicles from turning up the wrong carriageway. I also agree with Granny in post #7 that markings and signage need to be standard, although I have come to realise that both line markings and signage in Canberra are not standard at all –which is weird given it is the only place pretty much in Australia that has no council bastardisation of state/territory rules.

Anyway, speaking of weird-ass markings, I will try and take a photo, but wtf with the line markings along Athlon Dr between Beasley St and Sulwood Dr. The line style is thick long lines, almost identical to those used in NSW for dividing four-laned roads down the middle but it is used on this stretch of road –and nowhere else used in this way in the ACT– to divide two lanes of traffic same direction? It is also one of the few places in Canberra that separate same direction traffic without the raised white bumps. Canberra planned? Good in theory but not in practice!

Bus route 7 drives straight ahead over a set of these near Rugby League Park. I wonder if the demerit points could cost a bus driver his license in a single day or if it could take two days on that route to lose a license…

Felix the Cat8:25 pm 23 Jan 09

Doctor Evil said :

It is actually part of the governments NO WASTE(on roads,health etc)BY 2010 strategy which requires that all maintenance can now only be done using leftover paint.

Only a matter of time before you see new roads which are just dirt painted black.

Kate started this trend years ago by painting the grass green at Bruce Stadium.

GottaLoveCanberra7:40 pm 23 Jan 09

I was always under the impression that even if there is no sign if the road is marked then you still have to obey the rules.

It is a poor version of a “S lane”. If you drive over it you are knicked.

It is actually part of the governments NO WASTE(on roads,health etc)BY 2010 strategy which requires that all maintenance can now only be done using leftover paint.

Only a matter of time before you see new roads which are just dirt painted black.

ABC129 said :

I thought they were there to act as a visual barrier, but not an actual one. The idea being that people would realise that it was an intersection rather than just rolling through like it was a straight bit of road.
Either way, they’re annoying. They used to have a concrete version of this on the intersection of Dudley st and Cotter Rd until people complained about it and they put in traffic lights.

That makes sense to me because there is no reason that you shouldn’t turn right or go straight ahead at that intersection – you have clear vision both ways and it’s not dangerous in any other sense.

Maybe they’re to discourage people from coming up alongside someone already turning? As a small car owner I know it can be pretty frustrating to have someone pull up beside me and block my view of the oncoming traffic.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy3:35 pm 23 Jan 09

It means don’t speed or your car will spear off into someone’s garden, burst into flames, and you, your family, the owner of the garden, their family, their mother’s brother’s roomate and her kindy teacher will all be killed.

I thought they were there to act as a visual barrier, but not an actual one. The idea being that people would realise that it was an intersection rather than just rolling through like it was a straight bit of road.
Either way, they’re annoying. They used to have a concrete version of this on the intersection of Dudley st and Cotter Rd until people complained about it and they put in traffic lights.

Crossing unbroken white lines twice on a long weekend. How many points?

Aahhh… nothing says dignified banter like translated rap…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6H0i1RAdHk

Bicycle safety zones?

They’re all through Griffith as well.

They are burnout pads.

Fo shizzle kizzle my nizzle.

Just wanted to say that 🙂

(Translated that says “Kizzle, my dear freind, I hear what you are saying, and I wholeheartedly agree”)

Anyway – I always thought that they were weird, Mrs Danman and I have asked eachother what the deal is with this intersection. We usually just drive over the top of them, as do most people we observe.

However, who ever is passenger at the time holds full rights to say “You just failed your P’s test”

🙂

They are burnout pads.

neanderthalsis2:28 pm 23 Jan 09

If it was supposed to indicate “no right turn:, wouldn’t a simple sign saying “no right turn” suffice as it does everywhere else?

I dislike the idea of having our road signage devised by a cryptologist.

As aussiegal suggested, email the RTA and see if anyone there knows.

I would guess it’s an attempt for no right turns, maybe on a ACT Govt minimalistic approach? It’s not valid without the signs anyway.

Can we subit it to the RTA for an answer?

Samuel Gordon-Stewart1:53 pm 23 Jan 09

I asked a driving instructor once, he said that they were put in place to get people to slow down at that intersection. As there are no signs preventing turns, you can go whichever way you want, you’re just not supposed to drive over the painted island.

Deckard said :

Segway refuge?

Sounds like a good song.
It’s where all the Segway’s go to get away from their abusive riders.

It’s a bit of a worry that nobody seems to know what they mean.

The whole idea of traffic rules is that there is an agreed-upon code of conduct. If people don’t understand the road markings then surely chaos will ensue. It’s actually dangerous.

Whether it’s the administrators’ fault or our own fault, the result will be equally disastrous. It is in the interests of community safety that this sort of information be broadly disseminated.

Segway refuge?

Pedestrian refuge.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy1:30 pm 23 Jan 09

Implication is left turn only, but without signposting it effectively means go left, right or straight ahead, but drive around the unbroken lines.

Actually, lobster may have a valid point.

If the gub’mint decides to implement it’s own forms of traffic control without actually bothering to notify the public, are we liable if we don’t do what the gub’mint wants us to do there? We’re not psychic, after all, and there was certainly no such thing as these pseudo-islands when I went for my license.

I thought it was meant to suggest no straight ahead as well. I used to go straight ahead through it though when I did deliveries in the area as there was no sign.
Honest officer, I didn’t know.

Looks like some kind of funky sundial

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