The baffling sights seen on Warwick roads

THE one traffic offence former policeman Andrew Gale continually sees on our roads - and is gobsmacked by.

RAGING: Warwick drivers sometimes struggle with the basic road rules. Picture: Warren Lynam

I DO a lot of driving around the region, doing driving lessons.

When I do, I see people committing traffic offences pretty regularly.

I tend to point these things out to my learners when I see them and we use it as an example of what to not do.

I've often had those ask me if I wish I was still a copper so I could book them?

I say "No, I'm sure a police officer will come across them another day and they'll get a ticket." I've done my share.

I see those things naturally. I think I always will.

Having done almost 20 years in a patrol car enforcing the law means I just notice them when they happen in front of me.

One traffic offence I see people committing regularly that I just cannot understand is disobeying directional signs.

No right turn, left turn, or those big arrows painted on the road surface.

I get that sometimes our concentration may wane, and we might creep over the speed limit, or maybe roll through a stop sign unintentionally, but to disobey a sign or a road marking in my opinion, just shows an intent to disobey our laws.

There are a number of intersections here in Warwick, particularly those that cross our main highways that have these signs.

There's a left turn only at the end of my street, a number at the ends of avenues and the latest one, somewhat controversially, on Albert St, to manage traffic flows coming from a major new retailer.

The people in charge of making the decisions to change the traffic flow make them for good reasons.

Improving safety at that intersection being the most important one.

Driving around our town I regularly see drivers making the choice to disobey these signs.

I shake my head at the risk they take.

Last week I even had someone force their way into my lane from another lane with a directional arrow, and then yell abuse out the window at me because I beeped my horn when he almost drove into me.

The council animal control officer was behind me when that happened, and we had a bit of a chuckle about it when we both pulled up at the red light at the next intersection.

Crossing a four-lane road is risky and turning right at those intersections is even riskier.

There are so many factors to take into account and in my experience, the longer that people get "stuck" at those intersections the chances of them choosing to take a risk to cross the intersection increases greatly.

I'd say proportional to the amount of time they have had to wait.

Another option to make these intersections safer is to install traffic lights.

But don't you think we have enough already in our town?

It's far easier to just plan ahead a little bit and use the traffic lights if they are at the next intersection?

Certainly, better than running the risk or getting fined.

I'm sure plenty of people end up in the wrong lane or at a no right turn intersection by "accident".

If this happens, just follow the arrows or signs, go the way they direct you to and then just go to the next street or intersection.

Going around the block and then choosing the correct lane or route is once again, far easier than risking a prang or ticket.

Speaking of tickets, the fine for disobeying a left turn only sign is currently $106 and 3 demerit points.

With five kids still at home and three cars under restoration in the shed, I'd rather spend my money on car parts any day.

Oops! I meant new shoes for the kids!

Originally published as The baffling sights seen on Warwick roads