Got pulled over today, I was in the middle lane and merged left across the solid line to turn left at the lights. This is a 70km zone, cars are wizzing by constantly, it's not possible to slow to a crawl from 70 holding up traffic and safely merge with only 2 car length of distance.
The copper was nice enough and gave a warning, upon asking how I could have merged otherwise he said to go down a block and loop back. I mean, fine… alas this seems very poorly designed, no?
EVERYONE crosses the solid line
I drive past it heaps too. Not "everyone", just the numpties. It is poorly designed but it's like that for a reason. It is there to prevent cars from cutting off cars in the left lane and causing traffic hazards. It is a rather simple matter of driving around but people are lazy.
Well, I'm one of the cars shooting down from the overpass, and I've got to tell ya, there's PLENTY of numpties XD. Still stand by my statement that they should disallow all left turns onto Morrison at that intersection or put up a dividing kerb to completely prevent the merge.
dividing kerb to completely prevent the merge
I think this is the sensible solution. Especially since cars essentially get brake checked.
There's even worse design on Sydney roads - looking at you, Parramatta Road. Just drove past Ashfield Park when a bus was pulled over and cars get banked up except the lane going into the new tunnel.
I use to live around there towards the other end of Morrison road and I really think that whole place is a traffic nightmare.
We never needed to turn left where you did (at least not when I remember - We'd always go down Victoria road and joint Morrison road towards the end of the Gladesville shops) but turning right coming from the other side was incredibly dumb in that you needed to turn left first and then do a U-turn at the round about before finally getting onto Morrison road.
When they build an overpass like that, there's so much opportunity for clever road design choices - none of which seemed to have been made there.
They should have 3 or 4 lanes per side under the bridge rather than having it as a choke point. Idiotic government decisions as usual.
Traffic fines = Revenue collection
Don't expect fairness, logic or reasoning.
Money talks.
Except for the small fact that the traffic cop warned him rather than issue a fine.
Which ratifies the fact fines are for revenue only and not to solve or prevent injury.
The OP was questioning the "logic" (I mean, fine… alas this seems very poorly designed, no?) of the regulation in that particular location hence my assertion traffic fines have virtually none.
I should have been a psychiatrist, I reckon :)
It's always curious to observe how we, humans, tend to search for excuses for our varied situations. I think that might be the number one survival instinct that helped us the most, throughout time!
I suspect the cop checked OP's ozbargain forum history after they pulled them over. Felt sorry for them and let them get on with their day.
A few thoughts on driving there as a local:
The intersection has inconsistent signage and lane markings and has changed over time as one noted above.
About 100m north (behind OP) the intersection, there is a sign that says you cannot turn left onto Morrison Road. https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.81648,151.1027172,3a,75y,16…
However, there is no sign at the intersection itself indicating that there is a no left turn at this location.
The lines have changed over time from a solid line about 10 years ago to a dotted line right now.
The speed limit at this location is in fact 60 km/h, and not 70 (it changes to 70 further down the hill, around the Junction St intersection)
Google Maps also recommends turning left from Devlin /Church Street into Morrison Road.
Personally, given the road markings and signage, I would not turn left at this location as there is far too much ambiguity on the line markings and signage on the legality / ability of one to turn left at this light. There are two other left turns onto minor side streets further up that can allow you to loop back onto Morrison Road however.
The fact that OP thinks it's a 70 zone when it's a 60 zone is telling
I travel that road every day for work, the reason for the unbroken line is because that left most lane is coming downhill off victoria road / major intersection and to not cause accidents cars on homebush bay drive, usually anyone needing to turn left will just slow down and get onto the left lane or they do have the option to go further down. There is also a red light camera on that traffic light.
100% that design is not to code.
Would fall over in court in a second just by reading the local standards/NSW Mainroads Specifications.
But as @zythyx has said there was a no left turn sign on the bridge prior.
Continuous lines on roadways: Mostly ignored. Should be more bookings for crossing over them.
They are like that for a reason, not to use up the paint.
Be grateful you did cause a crash, and even more grateful a Warning only was issued.
Do you know this road, do you travel it often? How did you get into this situation unprepared?
Std Road Rule for decades. I won't even cut or straight line a corner or bend, lest I become a lazy driver and make it habitual.
Almost every or controlled multi lane intersection in the country has solid lines prior to the intersection. Do you remember Solid Line Rules?
If you are turning… you should drive accordingly into the correct lane before hand. I see a No Left Turn sign anyhow.
If you do not or can not, or your navigator, or GPS whatever failed to tell you to turn in time, go further and then around.
The solid lines are there for a reason. Part of Road Safety, Road Rules and good Road Manners.
You may know what you are doing, but others may not, especially at your stated 70kph zone.
Not all intersections are perfect, or even best case scenario and I can see an ramped entry prior to the intersection, I would be as weary as all hell turning there if I was not familiar. Although if familiar I would definitely be in the Left Lane and would have known of the No Left Turn Sign.
But, I was not there, I am not familiar and it is easy in hindsight to see this now.
As for you, at least this time you and everyone else went home to their families, so all good.
More likely his Sat Nav suggested he should take the left.
Google map said so, yes yes I know that's a rubbish execuse, never had to turn left there (one time picking up something from FB marketplace) before. I do travel down the main road plenty but have never needed to merge so soon.
I saw a gap to merge and I took it ahead of the turn according to traffic condition and didn't think much of it, did think it was bit strange the road markings to allow a legal merge at the time, and come to think of it that no left turn much further back looks bit familiar and it must've just been a road in the backyard kind of thing and totally didn't register, would most likely have been more observant on roads much less travelled.
And yes, highsight and all.
Cheers mate
You are not allowed to make left turn at that intersection.
At least you got a warning, Currently we are waiting Revenue NSW to review penalty notice for my family member.
Done U turn on green light, no oncoming traffic ( was returning from night shift, realised missed something so U turned), Cop stops, asks for driving licence, notices nil driving offences for past 10 years but says he cannot do anything but fines $302 and advises to go to court as there is a clean record on the driver.
After few days received a fine with different name, but the car Rego is correct. Check service NSW and Revenue NSW records, nil records found. Called Revenue NSW, nil records on the driver's account, they asked to send the letter back to them.
Since, the car Rego is correct, applied for a leniency stating- Might have been addressed to me as i was the one stopped by the cop, have 10 yrs plus clean driving record and asked for leniency. Waiting for their response, currently pending for review.
Any thoughts, we can get away with this fine given 10 yrs plus clean driving record.
You can't do U-turns at green lights unless signposted; this isn't Victoria
They should install solid concrete bollards between the middle lane and the left lane. Make the message clear.
You can see how often people drive over the line by the amount of wear on it in the Google Maps street view.
Given the fact you missed both the "no left turn at Morrison" sign coming out from under the bridge, and the fact that it's actually 60 along there not 70, which is shown just before going under the bridge, you should consider yourself lucky you only got a warning
My uncle lives off Morrison Road and as far as I can remember (nearly 25yrs) you could not turn Left at Morrison Rd from Church Street.
The issue here is lack of Liaison between two Govt Department. Transport for NSW and contractor who carried out job for digging and repairing the induction traffic loop/Raised Reflective Pavement Markers (RRPM)
If you look closely at the Google Map Arp 2008 the Solid White Line extents up to the junction
It says true (Solid White Line) until Nov 2017
Around Nov 2018 we can see, the contractors have done work at that junction either repairing or upgrading induction traffic loop, they do the right thing by stencilling solid line along with installing correct RRPM and left so the department who does road marking can finish the job. Please keep in mind RRPM as I think it played major part to the confusion.
Line marking
But looks like that department at Transport NSW never attended to that job for few years and as you can see the faint solid line totally wiped off in Sep 2019
This was the case until probably Nov 2020 where you can see Soil White Line is painted at that junction
For some reason either due to wear and tear in April 2022 one of the Red RRPM goes missing
Now comes the weird part, whoever came to replace the missing red RRPM did the job, but then decided to change the Solid White Line to Broken White Line as off Sep 2023
We can’t be sure if the contractor who replaced the missing red RRPM did change the Solid White Line to Broken White Line, it’s a mystery that can be answered only by those who carried out this work.
Seems like they're trying everything to improve an accident hotspot with limited options.
It's weird that the two blocks have been vacant for a decade, and they appear to form a crude escape ramp.
I'm just gonna put this notorious section here, for the rush hour drivers of Kwinana to Mitchel Freeway in WA.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QCtcnqm5qxZUGG3Z9
You know what's happening if you're on that side.
Hahahaha I drive past this intersection on a weekly basis. EVERYONE crosses the solid line. Have to agree with you on this one. It's just poorly-designed, and for a copper to pull you over for that, when just about every person who needs to turn left, does it… Honestly, it would be safer to remove left turns into that street, given the overpass traffic that comes shooting down.