40 km/h past emergency services vehicles ???

[GT 8888]

Saw an “interesting” thing on the weekend.

Driving down Anzac Hwy in Adelaide ( 3 lane 60km/h speed limit), there was a RBT set up. Nothing unusual about that. Police had about 5 cars there and were pulling in traffic from all lanes.

I don’t know about other states, but in SA when you drive past an emergency services vehicle with its lights flashing you need to reduce your speed to 40km/h. Sure enough , standing on the medium strip was another policeman with his radar gun catching people that had been “waved” on by the RBT but were doing over 40 km/h.

I can understand this law especially when an accident has occurred, however I must admit I thought it was a bit over the top. Was interested in other members thoughts.

I find this law a little ambiguous. I used to live at Mt Barker, which is about 30k’s out of Adelaide. The South Eastern Freeway has a speed limit of 110 km/h. At night time the police quite often had pulled over speeding motorists and therefore had their lights flashing. Does this mean that I have to slow down to 40 km/h when I go past them ?

Cheers

Brad

[AWD Chaser]

Ever got out of your car on the side of the highway, and a truck or bus WOOSHES by doing 110? Not a nice feeling, esp for emergency workers... or cops on patrol...

But that above situation sux....

[AnthonyQLD]

Im not aware of any such law in QLD

[merlin]

I was not aware of this law? I have overtaken emergency vehicles before with their lights on, if they are going too slow.

[falcon91]

I assume it's to do with not bowling over policeman that are doing their job. If they don't get you for DUI, they nab you for speeding. Double the revenue.

[LukeyBAXR6]

I was aware of this law in South Australia, well atleast im quite sure it's a law. I always slow down when there's an emergancy vehicle, to around 40. It's not so much because of the law, but i've seen what can happen when people go past too fast.

Could on be another one of those laws in SA and not in some other states?

[Walkinshaw]

Alot of the RBT's have a variable message sign on the 1st cop car Saying 40kmh.

[BA_Turbs]

It is almost signed off on in Victoria too. Possibly due to the policeman getting killed outside Benalla last year when he had a car pulled over?

[XplosiveR6]

I would think it would be much safer for the the police to escort the person they are pulling over to the nearest off-ramp and off the freeway, to be away from danger. pulling over someone on the freeway is just plain dangerous.

[LethalLeigh]

That's definitely the law in SA. It's a bit rich having a laser waiting though because the actual 'speed zones' would be very subjective with an absence of signage.

[VSSII]

This is law in a great deal of the U.S. of A. Mainly because so many people were getting hit. I'm sure everyone's seen the email of the HWP copper talking to the driver he stopped about the dangers of standing on the road and then some fool wipes his cruiser out at about 50mph. Most drivers don't look 10ft past the end of their bonnet. 40kph is pretty extreme. I'd be happy if they just knew there were people on the road. But with the standard of drivers I guess this is the only way to ensure drivers are aware.

[outback_ute]

Another factor in addition to the safety of the people on the road (as per roadworks) is that often there is "stuff" happening where emergency vehicles congregate, eg accident scenes. It is not a bad idea to be wary. I can see this causing a few extra rear-end accidents amongst the rubber neckers though.

Originally Posted by merlin

I have overtaken emergency vehicles before with their lights on, if they are going too slow.

Oh well done, that will help them get to that emergency situation faster...

[JADED6]

Originally Posted by GT 8888

I used to live at Mt Barker, which is about 30k’s out of Adelaide. The South Eastern Freeway has a speed limit of 110 km/h. At night time the police quite often had pulled over speeding motorists and therefore had their lights flashing. Does this mean that I have to slow down to 40 km/h when I go past them ?Brad

Hey, I'd see that as a chance to accelerate from 40 to 110 again. Lovely.
Sitting on 100 or 110 gets a bit boring after a while.

This is the first I've heard of them enforcing that law. So many people I know just don't know about it. I always slow down and cars fly past me, likely thinking I'm just having a look at what's going on.

[Lightning Strike GT]

Originally Posted by AnthonyQLD

Im not aware of any such law in QLD

It is natural for the dumb inbreads in Brisbane to slow down to 20 to have a gawk at the accident and the pretty flashing lights across the other side of the M1
There should be a LAW TO BAN THAT on the opposide of the motorway it is friggen dangerous. :

[merlin]

Originally Posted by outback_ute

Oh well done, that will help them get to that emergency situation faster...

Well what would you do? Two occasions this has happened, both on the M4, clear road light traffic, ambo in the left lane with lights on doing 110, I go past him at 115-120. I am unaware if they are allowed to exceed 110 which is possibly the case here? Still interested to know if the 40km/h law applies to NSW?

[triple8nitro]

Or ACT ?
Thanks for any help!!!

[thefargo]

yeah I'm sure it is a law here in SA, although I sometimes wonder about a definition of emergency vehicle. tow trucks and RAA vehicles have flashing lights so do those vehicles that repair broken down buses, and I'm not sure about the 40km/hr thing there. Still I guess I can do 40 everywhere, at least then I won't get it wrong, nor need to change gears...ever!

[Penelope Pitstop]

As the partner of a Paramedic I think that slowing down to 40 around emergency vehicles with sirens flashing should become the law throughout the nation. I would be most happy to see the law introduced in Qld. Emergency Services personnel risk their lives every day to save ours and if motorists slowing down to 40 makes their job that fraction of a bit easier than it is not a big ask... especially considering what they have to put up with from the general public on a daily basis.

I guess some people only find respect for the Emergency Services after they have had to utilise their services.

The police had ever right to pull their radar gun out and bust people disobeying the law… maybe those people that were speeding past will learn a lesson and next time they will slow down.

Originally Posted by merlin

I have overtaken emergency vehicles before with their lights on, if they are going too slow.

That is just disgusting… there is no reason EVER to overtake an Ambulance or any other Emergency Services vehicle under lights and sirens. If the Ambulance was “only” doing 110km/hr then that is because that was the safest and fastest speed to be travelling at, clearly if you are overtaking them then you are not driving safely and are being irresponsilbe. I only hope that one day you will not require a Paramedic to have the miserable job of scraping you off a motorway.

[XBCoupeGuy]

It's also law (here in SA) that you must do 25kms an hour when passing a school bus that is picking up or letting off passenger.

I think they have flashing lights on them which are supposed to warn you.

I'm not sure if this applies to all other buses too, but I have a feeling it does.

[Ozfords]

That's a pretty handy, them South Aussies have hatched a good plan, in a way.

I can understand the pain that can be inflicted, but standing on the side of a 70km/h road at a Motor Vehicle Collision with a bright Police vest on, and tow trucks Police cars and Ambulance with flashing lights, some might have gotten the idea to slow down, nope. The amount of idiots that jump on the anchors when they see broken glass and plastic on the road and veer towards you is insane.

So if you're driving past me at speed and don't heed my hand signals to slow down at a crash scene, then you'll see the back of my hand. I don't understand why people don't slow down when you can clearly see flashing red and blue lights. Just like I don't understand people that think emergency vehicles should drive around them, instead of making a clear path for them.

[merlin]

Originally Posted by Penelope Pitstop

That is just disgusting… there is no reason EVER to overtake an Ambulance or any other Emergency Services vehicle under lights and sirens. If the Ambulance was “only” doing 110km/hr then that is because that was the safest and fastest speed to be travelling at, clearly if you are overtaking them then you are not driving safely and are being irresponsilbe. I only hope that one day you will not require a Paramedic to have the miserable job of scraping you off a motorway.

I do hope you actually read my post above - i.e. clear three lane motorway, light traffic, perfect weather...ambo doing 110....please tell me again how it was so irressponsible and such a disgusting maneouver to ovetake at the death defying speed of 115 (I'm pretty sure my car did not disintegrate 5km/h over the speed limit as bracks would have you believe). There is no way I am going to sit behind an ambo for a good 50km up the mountains when I can just go past him a whole two lanes away and be on my way - maybe you should just leave emotion out of it :

[SB076]

I was unaware of any law, but out of courtesy I try to get out of the way for any emergency vehicles and if they are at the side of the road I try and give them plenty of room and slow up accodingly (not slow or stop to look) but you never know when they will take off again.

What really bugs me is the number of people that sit in the outside lane on a freeway with an Ambulance right behind them with lights and siren and they still dont get out of the way.

[WASP]

Originally Posted by GT 8888

The South Eastern Freeway has a speed limit of 110 km/h. At night time the police quite often had pulled over speeding motorists and therefore had their lights flashing. Does this mean that I have to slow down to 40 km/h when I go past them ?

On the way to Ceduna out in the middle of nowhere I cam across a police officer that had pulled over another car parked on the side of the road. At the time to be honest I was not aware that I had to slow down to 40km/h. I went past them (I was doing around 80). The officer in question was quite upset and chased me down and pulled me over. He was not a happy camper but only gave me a warning as I appeared to convince him of my genuine ignorance.: Initially I was annoyed of what I thought was a stupid rule, but it was more the fact that I have been driving for xx years and never realised that law existed in the first place. Personally I have no issue what so ever with rule itself..now, but I think better awareness of it should be considered nationally.

On the motorway you are still required to slow down, but I am unaware if that is only if you are in the far left hand lane or not. If' there is more than a single lane I would have thought cars in the far lane would ok to travel at the designated speed limit, but don't take my word on that, check it out first.

Colville

[Penelope Pitstop]

Originally Posted by merlin

I do hope you actually read my post above - i.e. clear three lane motorway, light traffic, perfect weather...ambo doing 110....please tell me again how it was so irressponsible and such a disgusting maneouver to ovetake at the death defying speed of 115 (I'm pretty sure my car did not disintegrate 5km/h over the speed limit as bracks would have you believe). There is no way I am going to sit behind an ambo for a good 50km up the mountains when I can just go past him a whole two lanes away and be on my way - maybe you should just leave emotion out of it :

So exactly what is the posted speed limit in this area?