Trucks to be banned from right lanes on Freeways from mid year.

[4Vman]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/tru...-1225836456458

[MickyB]

Great news

[joolz]

Just saw this myself, they could have done this years ago on citylink as they slow down to 20km/h exiting the tunnels in the right lane. It may have saved some lives if done earlier but instead they just reduce the speed limit at certain times causing a massive bottle neck and ask to avoid lane changes... I see they also have slapped on a huge fine if a truck touches the right lane... More revenue as always...

[kezzer]

Thankyou!!!!

[Yellow_Festiva]

To what extent has this been thought through? Multi lanes meaning 2 or more? So if a truck is behind a caravan getting towed sitting on 80 on a 100km/h road it will be illegal for them to overtake?

[vztrt]

Never really saw this as an issue, very rarely have I seen this....now motorists driving 80 in the right lane on the freeway is increasing.

[RG]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

To what extent has this been thought through? Multi lanes meaning 2 or more? So if a truck is behind a caravan getting towed sitting on 80 on a 100km/h road it will be illegal for them to overtake?

It's only for the major arterials which are 4 lanes or more.

[Mr Brooksy]

Good news for you guys down South. I heard about that in WA years ago, and thought it was a great idea for 3 lanes. Not sure I'd be too happy if I was a truckie having to crawl around in the left lane on two laned roads though... Im sure that will put lots more pressure on truckies to deliver in the same time frame while being stuck behind other trucks and slow moving vehicles.

Not sure there's a win/win situation though...

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by RG

It's only for the major arterials which are 4 lanes or more.

Well that's fair enough then. Am not familiar with the roads quoted in the article.

[burnz]

nothing will get deliverd on time now.
putting up with slow cars looking for exit's, learners, caravans, old fart's.

[cosmo20btt]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Never really saw this as an issue, very rarely have I seen this....now motorists driving 80 in the right lane on the freeway is increasing.

Is it because there afraid their going to get pinged for going close to the speed limit?

[tranquilized]

so far its only 3 or more lane freeways for which this rule applies, and its about time. Just this weekend I was driving with my mate from Geelong to Melbourne, and as we watched a truck crawl past a car in the far right lane I commented on how it should be illegal for them to go near that lane. Next it should be made illegal for anyone to undertake - lets get some euro style freeway etiquette happening!

I'm dont think the rule should be introduced two lane roads though, like the ring road which is being considered.

[Kamshaaft]

Well, it IS also against the law to hold up other traffic as far as I know. Not that I've ever seen it enforced outside of very extreme cases (like a guy I know who was doing about 40 on the freeway, just cruising along at what I would call an unbearabley slow pace. Hell, 90 in a 110 is unbearable).

[Polyal]

No doubt there are times when a truck HAS to be in the right lane. But the freeway noted in the article is notorious for it.

But as noted above, what is worse is 3 cars wide all at the same point blocking every lane doing 80-90; that is freakin annoying.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by tranquilized

Next it should be made illegal for anyone to undertake -

what is undertaking?? passing another car, on a multi lane road, on the left or right is called overtaking and is perfectly legal. the only time it isn't is when it isn't a multilane road.

undertaking refers to the removal of dead bodies, no?

[RG]

Originally Posted by prydey

what is undertaking?? passing another car, on a multi lane road, on the left or right is called overtaking and is perfectly legal. the only time it isn't is when it isn't a multilane road.

undertaking refers to the removal of dead bodies, no?

Actually undertaking is a correct term. Passing a car on the left is illegal.

[LTDHO]

I feel that it should apply to all roads with 2 lanes or more. It should apply to all vehicles which have 4 wheels on a rear axle.

However in supporting 'truckies' more should be done about those sedan/ute/van drivers who undercut/undertake turning trucks or pull into braking space.

It should be fair on both drivers!

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by RG

Actually undertaking is a correct term. Passing a car on the left is illegal.

REALLY?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I dont recall that one being in the book. Any links?

Im sorry but in Vic you know the quickest lane is the left one. What if someone refuses to move out of the left side, naturally im going around!

[|||]

great news. now apply it to caravans and people over 65 and we'll be golden

[Wretched]

about time. woohoo.

[4Vman]

I think there has been allot of complaints from drivers that sit ON the speed limit and get tailgated and intimidated to move left from speeding trucks.....
This new rule will only shift the problem into the centre/left lanes now...

[Agent86]

Originally Posted by tranquilized

so far its only 3 or more lane freeways for which this rule applies, and its about time. Just this weekend I was driving with my mate from Geelong to Melbourne, and as we watched a truck crawl past a car in the far right lane I commented on how it should be illegal for them to go near that lane. Next it should be made illegal for anyone to undertake - lets get some euro style freeway etiquette happening!

I'm dont think the rule should be introduced two lane roads though, like the ring road which is being considered.

Truck inching past traffic..

Have you considered the fact that we are speed limited?

if you want to travel faster than the speed limit, do so at your own leisure/risk once te way clears up.

Dont enact MORE rules against us.

Everyone has stories of bad truck drivers, Even I do.
But every truckie will have, weekly, many stories of bad car drivers.

The solution is not legislation, on top of the reems od crap that we already have, but in Driver education and ACTUAL ENFORCEMENT against bad driving.

Too many times have i seen car drivers cut me off/ undertake as im turning ( two laws broken there ) and only have ingnorance from police officers.

Insted of jumping on the hate trucks bandwagon, objectivley research whats going on.

There are times where my only effective lane of transit is the far right hand lane. Why should i be banned from it cause some group of old geezers are afraid of that big truck behind them scaring them because they are sittin on 90 in a 100 zone, thus blocking higher speed transit

[The Snout]

My only concern is some drivers might drive in the right lanes now at any speed by default because 'Those left lanes are always full of trucks...' .

[tranquilized]

Well thats kinda my point. At the moment its free for all - trucks in the right lane, cars overtaking on all sides. In Europe, all the trucks and slow cars sit in the far right lane, venturing into the middle lane to overtake only. The inside lane (their left, our right) is strictly reserved for faster traffic. It works brilliantly as everyone sticks to the rules. I'd love to see more of that attitude here, would make for a more relaxed drive.

Is it actually illegal to undertake (or overtake on the left, whatever you want to call it) in Victoria now? If so its a rule thats never enforced.

[RG]

Originally Posted by Polyal

REALLY?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I dont recall that one being in the book. Any links?

Im sorry but in Vic you know the quickest lane is the left one. What if someone refuses to move out of the left side, naturally im going around!

All true and it is something that I do regularly, still illegal though.

[Powdered Toast Man]

Honestly I've never had any issues with trucks hogging the right lane. I very rarely use a multi lane road larger than 2 lanes anyway.

I am definitley against introducing an undertaking law. Too many right lane hoggers in Vic for that. The correct freeway etiquette would need to be followed first. Unfortunately we aren't europe so it doesn't work that way here.

[tranquilized]

Originally Posted by Agent86

Truck inching past traffic..

Have you considered the fact that we are speed limited?

if you want to travel faster than the speed limit, do so at your own leisure/risk once te way clears up.

Dont enact MORE rules against us.

Everyone has stories of bad truck drivers, Even I do.
But every truckie will have, weekly, many stories of bad car drivers.

The solution is not legislation, on top of the reems od crap that we already have, but in Driver education and ACTUAL ENFORCEMENT against bad driving.

Too many times have i seen car drivers cut me off/ undertake as im turning ( two laws broken there ) and only have ingnorance from police officers.

Insted of jumping on the hate trucks bandwagon, objectivley research whats going on.

There are times where my only effective lane of transit is the far right hand lane. Why should i be banned from it cause some group of old geezers are afraid of that big truck behind them scaring them because they are sittin on 90 in a 100 zone, thus blocking higher speed transit

You make some good points, especially enforcement against bad driving, although to achieve that we'd need to double police presence on the roads cause theres a damn lot of bad driving. Also the fact that this is just another rule in a nanny-state country already way too full of them, but on this rare occasion, I think its a good one.

It may suck for the truckies now, hopefully its a step towards better freeway etiquette under which all drivers will be better off.

[yueses]

Every day of the week I make 4 return trips from Springvale to Laverton via the Monash/ Westgate Freeways and when heading from Springvale into the city I ALWAYS use the righthand lane.

I understand alot of people must hate it and dont get why so many trucks use it, but look at it from OUR point of view.. we drive trucks usually weighing around 42tonne for a single trailer semi, when loaded, which weighs around 15-18 times as much as a standard sedan, cars speed and merge in and out from the left lane, if we sit in the middle cars speed past on the right, merge infront and keep merging left to exit the freeway just so they beat the truck.. its like a game.. if we sit in the right lane its the safest for us and we get left alone by motorists, no one on the right side and no one to cut us off.. the only cars that usually merge in are those who are speeding and they dont hold us up anyways.. if we sit in the middle or left lanes doing 100km/h.. which the truck limits out at and will not go any faster, there is always some drongo sitting on 95/97/98km/h and we end up getting close, we can back off and slow down to 95 too sure, but then more and more cars just keep passing on the right and merging in, then slow down even more. As a semi driver I can assure you the right lane is the least stressful one to be in and we get left alone, literally.

I have also done some long distance work to Bendigo, the speed limit is 110km/h once you get past Calder Park.. you would not believe how many cars will pass a semi in the right lane at 110/115km/h- merge infront and then slow down to 100/97km/h just because they have passed the big truck and can now see nothing infront but the open road, as a result we have to slow down, if you go to pass them as soon as the front of the truck passes their drivers door they realise the "big" thing is going to be infront again and they speed up, we merge back in behind them and 5mins later they slow down again. having a top speed of 100km/h should mean cars should pass you alot, but keep going and travelling at 110, not merge infront and then we have to sit behind them staring at their license plate or whatever because they are too scared to drive at 110.. this situation happens over and over, no matter if your on Dandenong Road, the monash, eastlink, hell any road whatsoever.

From a truck drivers point of view, the right lane should be for TRUCKS ONLY.. take the monash inbound.. ANY semi heading inbound will NOT exit the freeway after Warrigal Road until the tunnel- petrol tankers and overheight trucks must exit at batman ave and not go through the tunnel, so all semis WILL not need to exit at burke/ Toorak/ yarra boulevard etc so we should be the only one's allowed in the right lane in that section for OUR safety and to keep us away from impatient motorists and those too scared to drive at the posted speed limit. let cars swap and change lanes non stop like they do but give those of us who will sit in the same lane for the whole distance unless we're stuck behind a car doing 80 in a 100 zone or whatever have a clear run into the city, it makes perfect sense to me.

I also can say when I'm driving my car I dont like to be stuck behind a slow truck- but try to look at it from their point of view, their vehicle is 15-18times heavier than yours, takes over twice the distance to stop as your car and accelerates nowhere near as quick as your car does either, so try to give them a break and understand that although they may be exiting the Burnley tunnel at 50km/h when the limit is 80km/h.. the truck is so heavy no matter what gear your in you can't get it to move any quicker.. of course in such an example they should not be in the right lane i agree with that completely.. but if doing the posted limit and its safer for them to be away from merging and exiting cars then so be it.

I'd say 90% of the hoons are the longhaul- interstate truckies who are just impatient and just want to get out of major cities and back onto long highways, those of us who just do local around town work aren't in a rush or aggressive..

.. I can honestly and proudly say I am not one of the hoons who enjoys terrorizing other motorists and while driving such a heavy truck, especially in the rain, for me the righthand lane is the safest and most stress free lane to be in as a semi driver.. before semi's when I used to drive heavy rigid's, i'd rarely ever use the right lane unless it was necessary.

Just remember the world doesnt revolve around you in your 1.6 tonne car....

[GREGXR8]

Would'nt it make more sense to enforce the keep left unless overtaking? I drive a semi, its limited to 100 and i find i get as many cars as trucks in the right lane that slow me down. Took a load to Traralgon this morning and had a few cars in the 110 zone sitting on about 80 in the right lane. City link tunnels and the west gate bridge used to have signs telling trucks to use left lanes only.

[Boosh Brus]

I have never seen trucks in the right lane to be a problem.

Originally Posted by GREGXR8

Would'nt it make more sense to enforce the keep left unless overtaking?

Thats just crazy talk.