Why hook turns are a ‘unique’ Melbourne driving rule

An American living Down Under has shared his dismay at a “unique” Melbourne driving rule that has been labelled “stupid” by Aussies.

Road rules can be confusing enough, let alone when you’re in a totally different country to where you learnt to drive.

But one American man living in Melbourne has uncovered a unique rule that only applies in Victoria’s capital city, revealing it is so confusing he hates doing it.

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American man Adam Foskey has uncovered a unique road rule in Melbourne. Picture: TikTok/amfoskey

What is a ‘hook turn’?

The “hook turn” rule is a road rule only found in Melbourne due to its “unique driving situations”, Vic Roads states.

It is performed differently to a right turn in that you make it from the left hand lane and is signposted at intersections where it is necessary.

Drivers are required to wait on the far left side, while avoiding pedestrian crossings, until the traffic lights on the road you want to enter turn green. You’re then permitted to turn right and continue ahead.

This is how a hook turn is performed. Picture: Vic Roads

Why does Melbourne have hook turns?

Despite being painfully familiar to Melburnians, Georgia-born Adam Foskey describes it as “confusing”, stating he doesn’t like driving through them.

Hook turns were created to keep tram lines free. At a normal right turn, traffic can be held up by a car waiting to turn right. In Melbourne, a city where trams are the main form of public transport, hook turns prevent this from happening.
Despite being a solution to the tram problem, the driving rule has previously been described as “stupid” by senior politicians.

Hook turns have previously been described as ‘stupid’ and Adam isn’t a fan either. Picture: TikTok/amfoskey

TikTok users agreed with that sentiment, though many Australians stated they had “never heard of” a hook turn either.

“Lived in Australia all my life and have never heard of or done a hook turn,” one wrote.

“Everyone outside Melbourne is confused by hook turns too,” another said.

Meanwhile one claimed hook turns were “dangerous” because of how confusing they are to do.

Other countries and cities with hook turns

Melbourne is not the only city in the world to have the unique driving rule, with cities in China, Japan, Taiwan, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands using it.

More confusing Australian discoveries

The driving rule wasn’t the only discovery Adam had “never heard of” before he moved Down Under, listing fairy bread, quokkas and the bottle-o in the same video – all of which were things he loved.

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