Controversial new road rule leaves motorists outraged
The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads has sent users into a state of confusion as they try to figure out whether they know the road rules or not.
It started out with a simple question posted on Facebook and a graphic with three cars parked at a T intersection.
The Department of Transport post asked:
“You know your road rules and now’s your chance to prove it.
“The red, blue and orange cars are parked along the side of the continuing road at this T-intersection. Are all three cars legally parked?”
However, the question left fellow road users baffled.
“Well I always thought it was illegal to park opposite an intersection so I would say all three were parked illegally,” one person wrote.
“Yes, no signage or line marking to say otherwise,” another countered.
One Facebook commenter was quick to say that the blue car will have a bit of trouble getting out.
“They could have given the blue car more room to get out,” they said.
The Department of Transport finally answered the question and revealed the correct answer.
“Yes, all cars are legally parked. A driver is allowed to stop along the continuous side of the continuing road at a T-intersection, provided they comply with any other parking restrictions,” the department wrote.
They also explained that while you can be fined for parking within 10 metres of an intersection, the rule is different if it is along the continuous side of the continuing road.
But people were not happy with the answer.
“The law is poorly designed, does not improve road safety … in fact it compromises road safety,” one person replied.
There are similar rules in place across almost all Australian states.
In NSW, ACT and Western Australia, drivers are allowed to park along the continuous side of the road at a T-intersection without traffic lights.
In Victoria and South Australia, parking on the side of the road across from a T-intersection is also allowed.
Tasmania is where it’s different. Motorists are still allowed to park along a T-intersection, but they must leave a three-metre clearance beside their vehicle to allow room for traffic.