What are Canberra's most annoying driving habits?

gildrsleeve said :

The safest way to deal with tailgaters is to use some basic defensive driving:

1 — Staying in lane, slow down noticeably, but don’t drive below the road’s minimum speed limit (if there is one).

Drive this slow for maybe a minute or two.

2 — Speed up to the speed limit again, staying aware of what the tailgater does.

3a — If the tailgater barrels up behind you once more, then reduce your speed again and STAY at that speed. They will pass you or leave the road sooner or later.

3b — If the tailgater stays back and gives you the room, then they got the message. This is the tailgater who probably doesn’t quite believe they drive too close to others, and who may start creeping too close again — in which case, repeat the treatment, staying slow for a bit longer.

4 — Be ready to change lanes if and when you judge it safer to do that. My experience is, though, that the determined tailgater is already driving too close for me to change safely; I’ve had two tailgaters not wait for me to get fully into my new lane before they high-tail it past me, nearly clipping my car as they go — not the outcome needed! So I don’t do that anymore. (In the last 20 years, I’ve had maybe a dozen tailgaters, all but one in Canberra.).

Its dangerous enough being tailgated without playing “games” like that. Anything can happen if the tailgater is a nutter !! Best is to just touch the brakes a few times – just to activate brake lights, not apply the brakes so the tailgater goes through your boot. They will get the message.

The safest way to deal with tailgaters is to use some basic defensive driving:

1 — Staying in lane, slow down noticeably, but don’t drive below the road’s minimum speed limit (if there is one). Drive this slow for maybe a minute or two.

2 — Speed up to the speed limit again, staying aware of what the tailgater does.

3a — If the tailgater barrels up behind you once more, then reduce your speed again and STAY at that speed. They will pass you or leave the road sooner or later.

3b — If the tailgater stays back and gives you the room, then they got the message. This is the tailgater who probably doesn’t quite believe they drive too close to others, and who may start creeping too close again — in which case, repeat the treatment, staying slow for a bit longer.

4 — Be ready to change lanes if and when you judge it safer to do that. My experience is, though, that the determined tailgater is already driving too close for me to change safely; I’ve had two tailgaters not wait for me to get fully into my new lane before they high-tail it past me, nearly clipping my car as they go — not the outcome needed! So I don’t do that anymore. (In the last 20 years, I’ve had maybe a dozen tailgaters, all but one in Canberra.)

The method works on all roads, but is most necessary on limited-access roads, that is, roads with exit and entry ramps, and overpasses and underpasses instead of level-ground intersections.

Roads that have traffic lights, roundabouts, left-turn lanes, right-turn lanes, stop or give-way signs, plain old-fashioned crossroads, or unregulated T intersections, are all open-access roads, no matter how many traffic lanes there are in each direction. Open access roads like these HAVE NO PASSING LANES, although unusually slow drivers must keep left for as long as they can. (We couldn’t make any legal right turns if the right lanes of these roads were reserved only for passing, right?)

Under no circumstances except emergencies, or when directed to by police officers, may any driver legally drive over the speed limit. Try getting caught for accelerating above the limit just to pass another driver, and see how big the fine is. Seriously, it’s no fun. Only a very laid-back cop would forgive a speeder by giving just a warning.

One of the first things I learned in my driving lessons — lo, these many years ago! — is that the driver in front always controls the driver behind. Of course, that isn’t literally true, but the point is that the tailgater almost always wants to reverse that fact, or at least make you believe the fact is reversed. The thing I like about the defensive-driving method is that even under considerable pressure, I still feel like *I’m* the one in control, which gives me confidence — and that’s important when all I want is to get where I’m going with a minimum of hassle!

bryansworld said :

Paul2913 said :

Fortunately the majority of Canberrans are ignoring the road rules and using their common sense to give way to traffic entering a roundabout from the right.

Imagine if I was sitting stationary at a road entering a roundabout and I decided to move onto the roundabout even though I knew a car, travelling at ~50km/h, was about to enter the roundabout to my right a second after me. There is no way I could accelerate quickly enough to move out of the other vehicle’s way, I’d end up pulling out in front of that vehicle cutting it off and creating a hazardous situation.

The road rules aren’t perfect and unfortunately the “give way to traffic entering from the right of a roundabout” rule has been removed from the road rules – this is a serious safety concern. For those people who think they don’t need to give way to traffic entering from the right, please apply some common sense to the situation.

Wouldn’t a better solution be for cars to slow down as they approach roundabouts? Then we wouldn’t have these clowns speeding in from the right.

And the roundabouts could actually function as intended.

What about people who don’t understand the road rules of roundabouts and seem to think there is a rule that states “you must give way to vehicles on your right”. Sorry, there is only one rule in the book, and it states “you must give way to vehicles already circulating in the roundabout” – most times that might mean giving way to vehicles on your right as that’s the direction they are generally approaching from, but it also means vehicles ahead of you, including vehicles on your left that may enter the roundabout before you, but could be moving slower. Those who think there is a rule for roundabouts that says “give way to the right” are usually those who blitz through at unsafe speeds expecting vehicles ahead of them to give way to them, and in many cases: probably can’t even remain wholly within their lane through the roundabout (those lines weren’t originally intended just for decoration, though many around Canberra’s roundabouts have worn off by being transgressed so frequently).

wantok said :

Definitely tailgating. The most dangerous (and, for many, stress-inducing) of all the above.

I deliberately slow down 5kph or so if someone tailgates me.

Yes, tailgating is dangerous. I had a car written off by someone driving too close. The car in front stopped suddenly to turn right (but in the centre lane, not in the right, right-hand turn lane) and I managed to stop and avoid them, but the car behind, driving too close ran up my car’s back side and wrote it off. Many people appear to have no idea they drive too close. Sometimes I flick my brake lights, but his rarely gets the message out. Although I did have one small truck go in panic mode behind me when I once did this. They swerved all over the road. Their driving too close was getting dangerous and I needed to do a right turn soon, and where they were driving it would have been impossible with them there. I was not under the speed limit.

Definitely tailgating. The most dangerous (and, for many, stress-inducing) of all the above.

I deliberately slow down 5kph or so if someone tailgates me.

My complaint is with the ACT road planning people. Whoever came up with that Barton Highway roundabout is a moron. Why not simply install proper traffic lights like up the road on the way to Yass?

Also, why are they removing slip lanes and turning them into places where you have to stop and then accelerate like crazy to get going, like Coulter Drive heading left onto Belconnen Way going to Civic… Not efficient motoring.

wildturkeycanoe said :

bryansworld said :

Distaste for the people driving cars who think it’s ok to overtake a cyclist while staying in their lane. Lazy and dangerous.

The term “lazy and dangerous” would be better attached to the cyclist/s who is riding 50km/h slower than the traffic whilst riding in the path of the cars instead of in their allocated bicycle lane directly to the left of the road, or in some cases separated from the road entirely. Laziness because they couldn’t be bothered taking the extra few seconds to meander a path that may take slightly longer than the roadway or because they couldn’t be bothered slowing down and going around pedestrians on the shared cycle path. Dangerous, because instead of weighing up the risks of being hit from behind by a large, fast moving vehicle and acting appropriately to protect themselves, they instead tempt fate by risking their life in the flow of traffic because it is their “right” to do so. We all have rights, but putting your legal justifications for doing something before common sense and self preservation is pure idiocy, especially when alternatives to dangerous situations have been provided, fully funded by the tax payer. Do pedestrians walk on the road instead of footpaths simply because they have right of way? No, they have more brains than that. What is the excuse of cyclists apart from there being too many potholes, bits of sticks, broken glass, pedestrians, dogs on leashes, kids on leashes, not being wide enough, direct enough, fast enough, flat enough and any other reason that the non-gold plated paths are unsatisfactory?
Cars can not overtake cyclists legally if the lane is not wide enough to allow the required distance, nor can they do so if traffic is bumper to bumper in the oncoming lane. So what can a driver do but drive well below the limit until the cyclist decides to go back into the bicycle lane or turn off a side street? If riders choose to take roads because they are more direct or faster than the paths allocated to them, why can’t they see the issue they are causing drivers who have no alternative but to use the same roads? Selfishness, self importance and self entitlement is why.

Most roads don’t have cycle lanes beside them. When driving I prefer to be a safe driver and share. I wait until it is safe to pass and do so only then. I have never had to wait too long. Thinking you do is more about attitude. I have also both driven and ridden in Europe, and there most drivers have a far different attitude than you and others like you do. They are much more willing to wait patiently until it is safe to pass. I took this way of sharing aboard and I do the same. It seemed a much more grown up attitude.

bryansworld said :

Distaste for the people driving cars who think it’s ok to overtake a cyclist while staying in their lane. Lazy and dangerous.

The term “lazy and dangerous” would be better attached to the cyclist/s who is riding 50km/h slower than the traffic whilst riding in the path of the cars instead of in their allocated bicycle lane directly to the left of the road, or in some cases separated from the road entirely. Laziness because they couldn’t be bothered taking the extra few seconds to meander a path that may take slightly longer than the roadway or because they couldn’t be bothered slowing down and going around pedestrians on the shared cycle path. Dangerous, because instead of weighing up the risks of being hit from behind by a large, fast moving vehicle and acting appropriately to protect themselves, they instead tempt fate by risking their life in the flow of traffic because it is their “right” to do so. We all have rights, but putting your legal justifications for doing something before common sense and self preservation is pure idiocy, especially when alternatives to dangerous situations have been provided, fully funded by the tax payer. Do pedestrians walk on the road instead of footpaths simply because they have right of way? No, they have more brains than that. What is the excuse of cyclists apart from there being too many potholes, bits of sticks, broken glass, pedestrians, dogs on leashes, kids on leashes, not being wide enough, direct enough, fast enough, flat enough and any other reason that the non-gold plated paths are unsatisfactory?
Cars can not overtake cyclists legally if the lane is not wide enough to allow the required distance, nor can they do so if traffic is bumper to bumper in the oncoming lane. So what can a driver do but drive well below the limit until the cyclist decides to go back into the bicycle lane or turn off a side street? If riders choose to take roads because they are more direct or faster than the paths allocated to them, why can’t they see the issue they are causing drivers who have no alternative but to use the same roads? Selfishness, self importance and self entitlement is why.

G-Fresh said :

Distaste for cyclists.

Distaste for the people driving cars who think it’s ok to overtake a cyclist while staying in their lane. Lazy and dangerous.

Maya123 said :

Paul2913 said :

bryansworld said :

Wouldn’t a better solution be for cars to slow down as they approach roundabouts? Then we wouldn’t have these clowns speeding in from the right.

Cars approaching a roundabout at 50Km/h is perfectly normal especially on 80Km/h roads. The cars will normally slow down as they travel around the roundabout, the degree to which they need to slow down is dependent upon the size of the roundabout.

Drivers need to be able to judge the speed of the oncoming traffic to determine whether they have enough time to safely cross in front of it. Assuming a car will slow to a certain speed as they go around the roundabout is foolhardy.

My dislike is cars that approach roundabouts at speed; not showing any indication that they are planning to stop, or even noticed you approaching. They slow the approaching traffic on the roundabout, as traffic on the roundabout slows, not knowing if the fast approaching car is going to stop and give way, or cause an accident, and they slow themselves because of their behaviour. Likely they are trying to zip quickly onto the roundabout, but their driving behaviour gets the opposite result than what they appear to want.

Agreed, if there’s someone on the roundabout or about to enter the roundabout from the right you need to slow down on approach and probably stop (depending upon the situation)… I hope you weren’t getting the impression that I hurtle through busy roundabouts :-).

Today, as the rain started to pour, I had something happen that has never happened to me before. I was the fourth car at the lights, turning right. The lights went green and the first two cars took off. The one in front of me started moving at a crawl, which is understandable as it was wet and slippery. We both entered the intersection, going so slow I wondered if their car had some mechanical problem. By the time we got half way through the intersection the amber lit up. The driver was so slow, the light had turned red before we’d even got to the traffic island on the street we were entering. I have never seen a car move so slow. As I overtook it, peering through the window I spied the driver, who looked calm and not at all worried about the fact they were holding up traffic behind them.
Every time I go out on the roads, I am 99% certain to see at least one driver with a mobile phone to their ear and if I am going down the three lane section of Parkes Way, there will be cars in the far right hand lane with no vehicles anywhere near them. These are my biggest pet hates. I also have noticed a whole heap of P-platers who really needed another 12 months on their learners. Parking a small hatchback into a Westfield park does not require a three point turn.

Roksteddy said :

JC said :

Wow you really need to read the actual road rules, not the handbook!

There is no give way to the right rule.

This time from the actual rules:

“If the driver is going straight ahead, the driver must give way to any vehicle approaching from the right, unless a stop sign, stop line, give way sign or give way line applies to the driver of the approaching vehicle.”

There is more but it is similar to the handbook.

Which would be a situation where one would give way to the vehicles approaching from the right. As I mentioned

That is different to there being a give way to the right rule which is what many believe.

I am splitting hairs, but there is a subtle difference.

JC said :

Wow you really need to read the actual road rules, not the handbook!

There is no give way to the right rule.

This time from the actual rules:

“If the driver is going straight ahead, the driver must give way to any vehicle approaching from the right, unless a stop sign, stop line, give way sign or give way line applies to the driver of the approaching vehicle.”

There is more but it is similar to the handbook.

Roksteddy said :

JC said :

And I think you will find give way to the right never existed in roundabout rules, just like it doesn’t and hasn’t existed in standard intersection giveway rules either. It is just one of those things many just wrongly assume, so has become the norm rather than the actual rule.

Wow. You REALLY need to read the ACT Road Rules Handbook!
“Give way to the right
When signals are flashing or are ‘out’ the give way to the right rule applies at
intersections, ie give way to all vehicles on your right.
For a T junction, traffic on the terminating street gives way to all traffic on the continuing street when signals are malfunctioning.
Give way to the right also applies at any uncontrolled intersection, or when exiting a slip lane while turning left.
Stop and Give Way signs also require drivers to give way to the right, and also give way to all other approaching traffic.”

“The law says you must give way to:
• a vehicle on your right at an uncontrolled intersection (diagram 9);”

“Giving way at an intersection (except a T-intersection or roundabout)
If the driver is going straight ahead, the driver must give way to any vehicle approaching from the right, unless a stop sign, stop line, give way sign or
give way line applies to the driver of the approaching vehicle.”

Wow you really need to read the actual road rules, not the handbook!

There is no give way to the right rule.

There are situations where one gives way to the right, that doesn’t however mean there is a give way to the right rule which was my point.

I once heard a top cop who used to participate in a local afternoon radio show say that the speed limit on roundabouts was the same as the approaching road – so if it’s 80 leading up to the roundabout, it can be 80 on the roundabout. Commonsense dictates you’d slow down, even if it’s just to have a proper look before carrying on.

One annoying thing I see frequently is the Tuggeranong Parkway Centipede.

For some reason there will be a car in the left lane doing about 80 in the 100 zone.

A car that catches it, instead of overtaking, slows down and sits behind it. A second car does the same thing, then a third and so one.

Eventually the chain gets so long that people wanting to exit left aren’t game to overtake as they may not make it around in time, so they just join on to the end.

Soon there is a great chain of 30 or more cars all doing around 8o, and trundling up hill and down dale like a centipede on holidays.

And then to add even more fun, the lead car will see a fixed speed camera and instead of realising they are already 20kph below the speed limit, will panic and slow down even more.

Paul2913 said :

bryansworld said :

Wouldn’t a better solution be for cars to slow down as they approach roundabouts? Then we wouldn’t have these clowns speeding in from the right.

Cars approaching a roundabout at 50Km/h is perfectly normal especially on 80Km/h roads. The cars will normally slow down as they travel around the roundabout, the degree to which they need to slow down is dependent upon the size of the roundabout.

Drivers need to be able to judge the speed of the oncoming traffic to determine whether they have enough time to safely cross in front of it. Assuming a car will slow to a certain speed as they go around the roundabout is foolhardy.

My dislike is cars that approach roundabouts at speed; not showing any indication that they are planning to stop, or even noticed you approaching. They slow the approaching traffic on the roundabout, as traffic on the roundabout slows, not knowing if the fast approaching car is going to stop and give way, or cause an accident, and they slow themselves because of their behaviour. Likely they are trying to zip quickly onto the roundabout, but their driving behaviour gets the opposite result than what they appear to want.

Distaste for cyclists.

I reckon there’s no such thing as drivers in one place being any better or worse than drivers in another place. However, driver behaviour is a function of the roads and conditions you are used to. We generally have outstanding roads here, which means everyone speeds all the time – and everyone is impatient because we’re not used to waiting in traffic.

Having said that – my pet hates are people who use roundabouts as overtaking lanes and the Last Minute Dashers. The Last Minute Dasher will accelerate while all other merging cars are braking, in the hope they gain a place or two. The Last Minute Dasher has a “me first” approach to driving and will always strive to overtake as many cars as possible while pushing into queues at the last second.

JC said :

And I think you will find give way to the right never existed in roundabout rules, just like it doesn’t and hasn’t existed in standard intersection giveway rules either. It is just one of those things many just wrongly assume, so has become the norm rather than the actual rule.

Wow. You REALLY need to read the ACT Road Rules Handbook!
“Give way to the right
When signals are flashing or are ‘out’ the give way to the right rule applies at
intersections, ie give way to all vehicles on your right.
For a T junction, traffic on the terminating street gives way to all traffic on the continuing street when signals are malfunctioning.
Give way to the right also applies at any uncontrolled intersection, or when exiting a slip lane while turning left.
Stop and Give Way signs also require drivers to give way to the right, and also give way to all other approaching traffic.”

“The law says you must give way to:
• a vehicle on your right at an uncontrolled intersection (diagram 9);”

“Giving way at an intersection (except a T-intersection or roundabout)
If the driver is going straight ahead, the driver must give way to any vehicle approaching from the right, unless a stop sign, stop line, give way sign or
give way line applies to the driver of the approaching vehicle.”

bryansworld said :

Wouldn’t a better solution be for cars to slow down as they approach roundabouts? Then we wouldn’t have these clowns speeding in from the right.

Cars approaching a roundabout at 50Km/h is perfectly normal especially on 80Km/h roads. The cars will normally slow down as they travel around the roundabout, the degree to which they need to slow down is dependent upon the size of the roundabout.

Drivers need to be able to judge the speed of the oncoming traffic to determine whether they have enough time to safely cross in front of it. Assuming a car will slow to a certain speed as they go around the roundabout is foolhardy.

Paul2913 said :

Fortunately the majority of Canberrans are ignoring the road rules and using their common sense to give way to traffic entering a roundabout from the right.

Imagine if I was sitting stationary at a road entering a roundabout and I decided to move onto the roundabout even though I knew a car, travelling at ~50km/h, was about to enter the roundabout to my right a second after me. There is no way I could accelerate quickly enough to move out of the other vehicle’s way, I’d end up pulling out in front of that vehicle cutting it off and creating a hazardous situation.

The road rules aren’t perfect and unfortunately the “give way to traffic entering from the right of a roundabout” rule has been removed from the road rules – this is a serious safety concern. For those people who think they don’t need to give way to traffic entering from the right, please apply some common sense to the situation.

Must admit I do give way to my right at roundabouts only because I know hardly anyone knows the real rules and I put self my own self preservation first. I do also abide by the rules to give way to those inside the roundabout too which may include vehicles on my left who may have entered before me.

And I think you will find give way to the right never existed in roundabout rules, just like it doesn’t and hasn’t existed in standard intersection giveway rules either. It is just one of those things many just wrongly assume, so has become the norm rather than the actual rule.

You might find the ‘creepers at the lights’ includes manual car drivers who can’t be bothered stopping, and shifting up through first. cos its convenient to roll on in, and perfectly legal.

consideration for other road users (of all sorts) is kinda lacking around here.

Paul2913 said :

Fortunately the majority of Canberrans are ignoring the road rules and using their common sense to give way to traffic entering a roundabout from the right.

Imagine if I was sitting stationary at a road entering a roundabout and I decided to move onto the roundabout even though I knew a car, travelling at ~50km/h, was about to enter the roundabout to my right a second after me. There is no way I could accelerate quickly enough to move out of the other vehicle’s way, I’d end up pulling out in front of that vehicle cutting it off and creating a hazardous situation.

The road rules aren’t perfect and unfortunately the “give way to traffic entering from the right of a roundabout” rule has been removed from the road rules – this is a serious safety concern. For those people who think they don’t need to give way to traffic entering from the right, please apply some common sense to the situation.

And isn’t the person entering the roundabout at 50km/h and expecting people to give way the one who is short of common sense? There’s your person creating the hazard, not the ones who have stopped at the roundabout and are waiting to enter.

Paul2913 said :

Fortunately the majority of Canberrans are ignoring the road rules and using their common sense to give way to traffic entering a roundabout from the right.

Imagine if I was sitting stationary at a road entering a roundabout and I decided to move onto the roundabout even though I knew a car, travelling at ~50km/h, was about to enter the roundabout to my right a second after me. There is no way I could accelerate quickly enough to move out of the other vehicle’s way, I’d end up pulling out in front of that vehicle cutting it off and creating a hazardous situation.

The road rules aren’t perfect and unfortunately the “give way to traffic entering from the right of a roundabout” rule has been removed from the road rules – this is a serious safety concern. For those people who think they don’t need to give way to traffic entering from the right, please apply some common sense to the situation.

Wouldn’t a better solution be for cars to slow down as they approach roundabouts? Then we wouldn’t have these clowns speeding in from the right.

Fortunately the majority of Canberrans are ignoring the road rules and using their common sense to give way to traffic entering a roundabout from the right.

Imagine if I was sitting stationary at a road entering a roundabout and I decided to move onto the roundabout even though I knew a car, travelling at ~50km/h, was about to enter the roundabout to my right a second after me. There is no way I could accelerate quickly enough to move out of the other vehicle’s way, I’d end up pulling out in front of that vehicle cutting it off and creating a hazardous situation.

The road rules aren’t perfect and unfortunately the “give way to traffic entering from the right of a roundabout” rule has been removed from the road rules – this is a serious safety concern. For those people who think they don’t need to give way to traffic entering from the right, please apply some common sense to the situation.

While I am thinking about the quirks of ACT drivers – the ones who enter a left turn slip lane at an intersection and drive to end of the merge line only then to stop and look. They should stop or slow just after the turn, use their mirrors to gauge traffic coming up from behind and then use the remainder of the slip lane to accelerate up to merge speed.

How many times have you and other drivers behind you had to stop and wait for a stationary car at the end of the slip lane to make their move from a standing start?

An extension of right lane squatting, especially on dual lane major roads or highways.

Your car is travelling at 100kph (with/without cruise control) and you are overtaken by a driver using cruise control set at 101 kph. After closing to within a few meters they take 5 minutes to move out into the right lane , spend 5 minutes alongside while often wandering within their lane, and then another 5 minutes moving back into the left lane when only only 10 meters in front. They then slowly move away over another 5 minutes.

This type of close proximity driving over extended periods is incredibly dangerous when the passing driver could just use a little accelerator to move past, draw well clear and when far enough in front, change lanes to settle back to cruise mode. In addition, I often see drivers pass me or other cars like this and then for some unknown reason slow down once in front.

I usually end up braking to let them pass safely and to increase the front or side buffer zones to something more than a couple of meters.

Madam Cholet said :

Agree with the roundabout comments – it’s not ‘give way to the right’, but ‘give way to traffic already on the roundabout’, which yes, adds up to same in effect, but is the correct road rule as written. And let’s face it, everyone familiar with their local roundabouts knows which ones they need to stop at because dick heads from the other directions just keep going – the one I’m thinking of is at the bottom of Outtrim and Johnson drive, where those coming down Johnson Drive always just keep going at 80.

The other thing I take a bit of an issue with is the merge lane comment. I agree that it’s very tedious and dangerous being behind someone doing 60 when trying to merge into traffic already at 80 or more, but I believe the actual rule is also that if you reach the end of the merge and you haven’t gotten in due to the traffic being heavy or your own dull wittedness, then you do actually have to stop. The other traffic already in the lane you are trying to merge with has no formal obligation to let you in – although we all do understand it’s courteous and the right thing to do to maybe slow a little or pull over to let merging traffic in.

And right lane squatters are only breaking the law if the speed limit is 80 or over. I once had a lady on a 60kph road tell me to ‘get out of the fast lane’. This was driving past Canberra hospital, where apparently she wanted to motor off at her own chosen speed. I was doing the speed limit and watching the traffic. She was trying to speed and not watching the traffic and as a consequence actually fell behind while I, at the speed limit continued on quite nicely.

The problem I have with tailgaters is that they don’t realise how dangerous they are, especially those ones who look to overtake on the left as soon as a spot opens up – which is exactly what the ‘tailgaitee’ wants to do rather than be intimidated by some eejit. I’d rather they went further up the road to cut their life short than stayed anywhere near me.

Actually the keep left law is over 80km/h not 80 and over. Though in QLD it is 90 and over which interestingly gives the same effect as the other states just maybe written a little more logically.

And give way to right at roundabouts does not give the same effect as give way to all already on it. Not by a long shot.

As for my personal pet hate it is use of fog lights when it isn’t foggy or reduced visibility. Fog lights especially on higher veichles can have the same blinding effect on other drivers as using high beam. Yet night in and out every 2nd car these days seems to have them on. And no not confusing them with running lights that most new cars have these days.

Very clever to write an article on annoying driving habits. I would like to contribute a few that the author missed such as driving with stereo headphones covering any chance of hearing any external noise such as emergency vehicle sirens, extremely loud doof doof music being played and chronic nose picking. I would also add driving a Toyota Kluger – I have never seen one driven well.
Now if the author’s intention was to write about dangerous driving my list would also include red light running, corner cutting, speeding in school and residential zones, late braking, mobile phone use, poor road positioning and very poor steering wheel control (does anyone remember quarter to three position?).
What we forget is that 3 people receive medical treatment each day as a result of car crashes (not accidents) and 10 people die each year. There has been no real change in this trend for quite a while.

Agree with the roundabout comments – it’s not ‘give way to the right’, but ‘give way to traffic already on the roundabout’, which yes, adds up to same in effect, but is the correct road rule as written. And let’s face it, everyone familiar with their local roundabouts knows which ones they need to stop at because dick heads from the other directions just keep going – the one I’m thinking of is at the bottom of Outtrim and Johnson drive, where those coming down Johnson Drive always just keep going at 80.

The other thing I take a bit of an issue with is the merge lane comment. I agree that it’s very tedious and dangerous being behind someone doing 60 when trying to merge into traffic already at 80 or more, but I believe the actual rule is also that if you reach the end of the merge and you haven’t gotten in due to the traffic being heavy or your own dull wittedness, then you do actually have to stop. The other traffic already in the lane you are trying to merge with has no formal obligation to let you in – although we all do understand it’s courteous and the right thing to do to maybe slow a little or pull over to let merging traffic in.

And right lane squatters are only breaking the law if the speed limit is 80 or over. I once had a lady on a 60kph road tell me to ‘get out of the fast lane’. This was driving past Canberra hospital, where apparently she wanted to motor off at her own chosen speed. I was doing the speed limit and watching the traffic. She was trying to speed and not watching the traffic and as a consequence actually fell behind while I, at the speed limit continued on quite nicely.

The problem I have with tailgaters is that they don’t realise how dangerous they are, especially those ones who look to overtake on the left as soon as a spot opens up – which is exactly what the ‘tailgaitee’ wants to do rather than be intimidated by some eejit. I’d rather they went further up the road to cut their life short than stayed anywhere near me.

One more, stop signs mean STOP. Every car must come to a complete stop at the line before proceeding. You don’t roll through the sign of you think nothing is coming. Also, if the car in front stops, you still need to stop at the line too. You don’t get credit for stopping behind them.

People who wrongly think they need to give way to the right at roundbouts need to give their licence back. Traffic banks up behind them while they sit waiting for the car approaching 50-100m away to pass, or to turn left. You only give way to cars in the roundabout. Yes this does sometimes mean you will give way to the cars coming from the right as they can enter first.

People who do not understand you must give way to all lanes of traffic not just the one you’re turning into. Heaps of pictures in the licence handbook goes out the window when people drive.

The people who don’t use merging lanes to get up to speed of the road they’re entering to safely and cleanly merge.

The people who merge onto a road and don’t understand that you give way to the car on the road you’re entering. The car on the road you’re entering should not need to brake or change lanes to avoid you. Enter behind the car you are approaching on the ramp not ahead.

The people turning up ahead so feel the need to travel at 20kph lower than the speed limit for the next 2km. The slip lane is there for you to brake just prior or as you enter the turning lane and put your car entirely into the lane, not partly.

Form one lane. The car in front has right of way, does not mean of the traffic is slow you speed up to zoom past 3 carsand get in front with 0.001 to spare, making the other 3 cars jump on the brakes.

The 2 second gap you see between the cars in the next lane is not the space for you to just indicate and immediately change lanes into. Get in the lane you need to be in early. You’re just a dick if you try to bypass the line of traffic waiting to turn by cutting in.

I could keep going for hours..

There is no rule about giving my way to the right on roundabouts. The only rule is to give way to traffic already on the roundabout. People entering roundabouts at high speed expecting others to give way are a serious problem. They should be giving way to traffic that reached the roundabout first.

I’ve lived in a number of cities around Australia and if there is a constant, it’s that the residents of any particular city will claim those residents to be the worst in Australia (barring themselves of course).

One thing you got wrong. It’s give way to vehicles already on the roundabout, not give way to the right (although in many cases it will equate to this).

You left out:
Phone users. As a motorcycle rider, it is a rare commute when a driver with a phone in their hand doesn’t move across on me. What gets me is when I hit the horn, they just keep coming.

Battery savers. Breaking news: using your headlights won’t kill your battery. The number of drivers that won’t turn on their headlights until it is pitch dark is astounding. When it is twilight or in gloomy conditions turning on your headlights won’t help you see the road any better. But in those low-contrast situations, it does help you be seen. And if you’re looking through a wet motorcycle helmet visor a grey/silver/black car is almost invisible. TURN ON YOUR LIGHTS!
Tip: many modern cars have automatic lights-off. Just leave your lights on all the time! That’s what I do.