It’s always too hard as a driver or pedestrian to see clearly the path ahead when a large high vehicle parks in the spots right next to a crossing. I think that this should be made a space only available for normal sized cars. Safety is the paramount issue here.
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ive notice that to but I think there should be no parking for anyone close to a crosswalk
a small sedan will still hide any little kid trying to cross the road
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If they have to make it a parking space I think that it should be for motorbikes only.
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Yes, having clear visibility is better for everyone!
My understanding is that parking is prohibited within a certain distance of a pedestrian crossing. I looked it up for you: http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/safety-rules/road-rules/parking.html
Of course these rules may vary state to state. And come to think of it, there are designated car parking spots near some crossings.
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I use a mobility scooter to get around with, it puts me at a similar level to a young child. There are some crossings that allow parking too close to the crossing to allow me to see cars approaching from the other side of the road. Allowing a greater distance from the crossing for parking would be a lot safer.
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@rimian, agree.
Queensland has similar rules. If those who park near crossing abide by the rules, there is no line of sight problems for someone crossing at a zebra crossing. The possible issue is that many drivers don’t know the rules and think they can park up to the white line markings.
Maybe if @wombats-hollow has a particular concern with a crossing in their area (vehicles being parked within the nominated distances), they could raise it with their local police.
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Unfortunately it’s not just my area. It’s like that in just about every shopping centre I’ve been to.
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Yes they do block the view of other drivers in a lot of situations, like overtaking and of course when parked close to pedestrian crossings. They are also heavy, too large for the lanes, hard to park, use excess fuel, cost more to register, cost more to run, cost more to maintain and handle poorly. They carry about 300 excess KG’s of diff, transfer case and drive shaft that are rarely if ever used. Like how many people actually use 4WD in 99.999% of driving.
Their popularity is due to marketing. They have been pushed very hard by auto manufacturers looking for greater profits. Just look at the prices of 4WD Vs 2WD. I don’t believe in bans by a decent chunk of 'silliness’tax should be applied to them. The money collected could be used to subsidise small and clean energy cars
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Get onto your local member. If enough people do that ,we might get a result.
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Agreed.
Small vehicles or bikes should also be the only vehicles that park near intersections for the same reason.
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so - what is the definition of a “small car” ? to me, the size is irrelevant. park or don’t park, same rule should apply to all.
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Perhaps instead of stigmatising certain classes of vehicles, we look at the core issue.
The Australian Road Rules, to which all states should abide, has a slab on restrictions on stopping and parking near intersections, crossing, and roundabouts. [Have a look at “National Transport Commission (Road Transport Legislation - Australian Road Rules) Regulations 2006, Part 12, Restrictions on stopping and parking” (https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2006L00240)]
Ausroads is the peak organisation of Australasian road transport and traffic agencies. Austroads publishes a range of Guides which cover the design, construction, maintenance and operation of the road network in Australia and New Zealand. All road agencies across Australasia have adopted the Austroads Guides. “The Austroads Guide to Road Design, Guide to Road Design Part 4: Intersections and Crossings – General” is it should be specified that road users’ vision is to be unobstructed at critical points such as pedestrian crossings, intersections, light & heavy rail crossings, roundabouts, etc.
Road design is up to Federal Government, State Government, or Councils, depending on who has control & responsibility for a particular road. Then it it down to the ‘engineers’ who do the actual planning.
So you see, there are already appropriate controls in place relating this issue.
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Unfortunately the rules/laws may be written but application is lacking. On a highway near our house the posted speed limit is 100 kmh yet frequently cars and motorbikes exceed these limits and do so with Police on the road at the time. So we have a rule/law but the application by the authorities with the power to uphold these rules/laws fails.
It is the same for crossings there is the rule/law but implementation of the rule/law fails when parking spaces are made that are only about 1.8 metres from the crossing, and if you note many of the rules also state you can’t park within such a distance unless it is signed differently and that is the way out they use to make them so close to crossings.
Why do they put them so close? It is to increase the number of cars they can park in a given kilometre of roadway. I know of at least 6 that are like this and if a higher vehicle such as a 4 WD, SUV, Van or light truck park in them a pedestrian is already almost 2 metres onto the road before they can see an approaching vehicle on their side or the vehicle can see the pedestrian. It has lead to some close shaves as some are on heavily trafficked roads. If you multiply the number of higher vehicles parked consecutively then the lack of vision increases.
Yes we can complain and often do but it comes down to what the relevant authorities are willing to do to rectify the situation once it is in place and often this requires a number of fatalities before they will take action, which is not good enough but is the way they determine cost effectiveness. Sometimes they have moved the crossing to an intersection because they can’t put parking spaces right on corners and they don’t want to inconvenience the motorists by removing the existing spaces. So yes if spaces close to a crossing were forbidden to higher vehicles then some of the danger could be reduced.
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SUV’s, Four Wheel Drives and vans should be allocated a designated area in the shopping centre carpark. It is impossible for any driver of a regular car to see through or around them when they attempt to reverse out of a car space.
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Fully agree. From a safety point of view the large 4wd & vans parked in the shopping bays create a danger by block the vision. This can easily be eliminated by having designated areas.
They are also are danger at a T intersection if you are turning left and they are turning right. Generally the driver in the larger vehicle on your right will stop close to the road and completely block your vision of the vehicles traveling along the road. Unfortunately there doesn’t appear to be an easy solution to this problem other than driver courtesy.
I’d like to make an addendum to this post. Only small cars or motorbikes/scooters should be allowed to park there, further, they also should only be allowed to park on street corners. Trying to crane my head around great big four wheel drives parked on a corner to see if traffic is coming down a main road is disconcerting.
Be that as it may, some owner/drivers of said four wheel drives will still park in small car only spaces. As is evidenced by myself recently in a multi-story car parking facility where there is a row specifically for little cars.
It’s the same thing as non-disabled people parking in disabled zones. Shouldn’t happen, but it does.
However, I digress. I agree that this should be mandatory for all Australian crosswalks and street corners.
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Four wheel drives are the most sold vehicle in Australia.Personally i would prefer them to be the bottom of the list.Horrible vehicles
A lot of interesting views on this topic. Let’s not go on about different vehicles as this is can be a be very bias view depending on ‘personal’ likes/dislikes.
As the fact is, the rules/laws are in place and need to be applied by the relevant authority.
I have witnessed as a driver of several different vehicles, cycles and as a pedestrian the major issue of these uncontrolled crossings is the person often just steps out with little or no caution because the are under the illusion that a vehicle will and must stop on a dime.
I have drummed into my children that they must be sure the driver/rider has seen them and is slowing or stopped before they cross. If vehicles are parked close to a crossing and you cannot see the road clearly then move off the pavement, while still having the ‘protection’ the parked vehicle and get a better view. Don’t just strut out and expect the vehicle to stop. If they don’t see you, you are very likely to die and I will be irrelevant who did what. Ultimately the person crossing the road is the on who will come off worse. So stop and think a little please.
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Here, here I agree.
Just because you have right of way why risk your life enforcing it.
Be vigilant.
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