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28 Jan 2012 | Tony Allsop has been a victim of bad signage -- it could happen to you.

A COUPLE OF YEARS ago I was caught speeding through the small NSW township of Woodburn.

The Pacific Highway goes right through this small village, with the Richmond River on one side and a few shops on the other. As you come into town there is a 60km/h sign, so I slowed down and just followed the traffic. Not knowing the area well, I assumed that it was 60km/h all the way through.

FINES WHILE TRAVELLING

When I arrived home two months later, waiting for me was a 10km/h speeding ticket... towing our caravan! Yes, the camera had taken a pic of our vehicle towing our van and speeding. Apparently, I missed seeing the 50km/h sign.

As we were away, I had run out of time to pay, and the fine was $70 with a loss of three points. Ouch. The points hurt, especially as I have not had any kind of infringement since I was a young guy.

It was too late to write an excuse, so I phoned and just payed the bill. When I tell people I copped a speeding ticket towing a caravan, they all jump to the conclusion I was doing over 100km/h or more.

Now, fines and points vary between states. In Qld, for less than 13km/h over the limit the fine is $133 and loss of only one point. 13-20km/h over is $200 and three points; 21-30km/h over is $333 and four points; 31-40km/h over is $466 and six points. Doing more than 40km/h over the speed limit is just plain stupid.

POLICE BLITZ ON ROADWORKS

Currently, Qld police are having a blitz in Mackay on speeding through roadworks. On our travels throughout Australia we often come to roadworks and sometimes, particularly on weekends, these are unattended. The "Slow Down: 60km/h" sign is still displayed, followed by a 40km/h limit, yet there seems to be no reason at the time. This can go on for kilometres.

If you happen to travel at a safe speed of around 70km/h as many do, instead of 60, imagine the grief if there is a copper in an unmarked car somewhere along the way.

I agree completely with the speed restriction signs when work is in progress, but often there is no one there, and no work being carried out, yet if you do exceed the limit, you could get a ticket.

Have you been caught? Share your story below.

WORDS AND PICS Tony Allsop
Written exclusively for Caravan World online
Comments (49)
Comment by Unknown
posted 15 days ago
If an un-authorised person were to remove a roadwork speed restriction sign and another vehicle had a fatal accident in the area, the person removing the sign could be charged with manslaughter. The signs are left in place for a reason .. the road is under repair. We all complain about the terrible state of our roads, but we're not prepared to take a few extra minutes to get to our destination, to allow the repairs to be done.
Comment by Unknown
posted 15 days ago
Be greatfull you are able to drive and stop doing childish pranks that can lead to other people being booked or killed, not everyone is in such a rush as you, go and visit a brain injury unit. I have lost people to car fast drivers or drivers selfish enough to their own thing with out regard to others safety
Comment by Unknown
posted 15 days ago
Speed limits mean just that and are there for our safety. Whether there are workers on site or not obey the signs and we will all be a bit safer. What is it in Australians that they must always be trying to drive to the limit. Slow down and live. If you have not seen the sign it is obvious you are not driving with due attention and should be fined for negligent driving as well as exceeding the speed limit.
The braker
Comment by Unknown
posted 17 days ago
Please find another blog correspondent.
Your headline is "police blitz on speeding through roadworks"
Yet the actual article is based on some incident "a couple of years ago"
Please try to to pick up more current topical information, not "old blog information".
The blog correespondent articles often are outdated, at least make some standards restricting articles to something current within the last 3 months.
Thankyou.
Comment by Unknown
posted 18 days ago
Not removing or 'bagging' roadwork speed limit signs, when:
a. there is no work in progress;
b. no personnel or machinery are present; and
c. the average reasonable motorist can see there are no hazards or genuine reasons to markedly reduce speed,
only encourages a mororist to ignore the signage.
Unfortunately this learned behaviour can spill over into genuine situations and create hazards to others present.
It is encouraging to see some councils and their employees have the sense to at least bag signs at end of work; it's a pity not more follow suit.
I notice with dark and wry humour signs telling me there is a rough surface ahead when the road before the alert sign and after the resumption sign are much worse!
Comment by Unknown
posted 18 days ago
We did a trip from Melbourne to Cairns last year. I cannot remember a town in NSW that did not have a 50kph speed limit. I hate road work speed limits when there are no roadworks in progress.
Comment by Unknown
posted 18 days ago
It is a good habit for us to follow the speed restriction signs even when there appears to be no work going on, it is frustrating but if we forget when they are working and injure or kill someone we would be very upset. The signs around roadworks is for the workers safety, all the other speed limit etc signs are put there for our safety, "Lets protect one another!!"
Comment by Unknown
posted 19 days ago
I will happily slow down when there is workers doing road works or the road is not safe enough but it annoys me when there are no road workers on site and road is completely clear of any obstructions that we cant at least do say 80kms an hour or more if it safe enough. On all our caravan travels the amount of road works that we have had to go through have made getting to our destination so much later than planned and makes for a more tiring trip. We also get sick of doing the speed limit at road works and still have cars stuck to our backsides or over taking us and spraying us in dirt and stones as one semi truck driver did once in Nth Qld. There are some real arogant stupid people on the roads!
Comment by Unknown
posted 19 days ago
What happened to the old flashing amber (yellow) beacons that used to be put up at roadworks in the 70's and 80's. If the beacons were flashing, you slowed down.

Under the Australian FEDERAL Standardised Traffic Act of 2001, to which all States must comply, any speed limit signage should, by law, be placed on a pole (set into the ground) on the left-hand edge of the carriageway, at the correct 2 meter height (where it can be seen by all). The Act also stipulates that ideally, speed limit signs should be installed on BOTH sides of the road, so they are much harder to miss. The end of roadworks should be similarly marked by correctly placed signage clearly displaying the actual resumption speed limit for that section of road, and a sign underneath "END of ROADWORKS".

I believe in fair and just application of the law. The Police should do exactly that. Under Police guidelines and governing statutes, any Police monitoring of speed limits, particularly by speed cameras, requires the Officer to CHECK and DOCUMENT that the correct signage is present BEFORE and AFTER, the speed monitoring session. If the signage is not correct to the Standard laid out in the Traffic Act 2001, any tickets issued are void. There is a valid defense in court if the signs are not correct. This is why I always carry a (cheap) digital camera, with date-and-time stamp, in my vehicle. In court, ask the Police to present the documentation for correct signage, and if they can't, the Magistrate will throw the "ticket" out.

I most definitely do not condone speeding in any circumstance, but there are a high proportion of accidents caused by confusion and indecision, and correct road signage can only help avoid confusion.

Always cruise along, under the speed limit and enjoy the journey stress free!
Comment by Unknown
posted 19 days ago
Obviously many people are angry and frustrated at "road Work' signe left in place when the road workers have finished. But spare a thought for Casino to Lismore commuters two years ago after very heavy rains had damaged parts of the Bruxner Hwy. Some spot spray repairs were done immediately to fill in the potholes but then they erected 'Road Work'signs and 60 kph limits - in January. In October, they announced in the paper that they will be STARTING to do road works on the area soon. Ten months they had those sings there with no intention of doing any road works at that time. Blatant lies.
Comment by Unknown
posted 21 days ago
While travelling through the NT a few years ago we had a tail-gater behind us while on 100kms. He probably thought that if he sat close enough to the back of the van we might speed up. Well he got worse for him because during a long stretch of road works my hubby did the right thing and slowed down to 40kms. After awhile this must have driven he crazy with inpatience as he overtook us while still in the road works zone. On his behave, very, very bad timing for this manouver. He did it right in front of an unmarked police car sitting amongst the work vehicles. It was out after him in a flash. So his impatience cost him dearly and he was later even still to where he was going. Not a lot of sympathy given for that one!
Comment by Unknown
posted 21 days ago
One should always stick to the speed regulations especially on road works, BUT the speed signs should go all the way to the end of the road works and not disappear half way. Drivers need a start and a stop indication.
Comment by Unknown
posted 21 days ago
Road signs in Victoria are controlled by a standard set of rules that governed by Vic Roads.
Road contractors who do not display the signs correctly can have there authorty yo work on roads withdrawn.
However it is up to the road user to obey the road signage at all times it is displayed even if there are no workers on site as there is often other reasons for leving sighns in place.
To see the absoloute stupidity of some drivers become a traffic contoller for a day.
Yes there are to many signs on our roads and if you read every sign you probably are not paying enough attention to the road itself.
I wonder what happened to a that phase common sense
Comment by Unknown
posted 21 days ago
A traffic inspector should decide what the speed limit should be for each type of road works and that he/she should insure that the start and finish of the works should be clearly defined.
Comment by Unknown
posted 21 days ago
Currently the Hume hwy is undergoing some safety barrier work between Wondong and Seymore on the South bound lanes. This morning while travelling along at the posted speed limit of 110km/h the speed suddently droped to 60kp/h. Under the civil contractors federation traffic control courseand also vicroads traffic control course the speed limit for road works is supossed to steped down to the desired speed limit for the road works, I:E 110kp/h then warning sign of 80kp/h then the 80kp/h the 60kph/warning the 60kp/h through the desired road works, once clearing of the road works it is to be increased to 80kp/h then back to the posted speed limit for the road in question, this being the Hume Fwy. All the road work speed limit signs are to be placed some 200meters apart and not right on top of the road works. You should check with the civil contractors federation and lodge a complaint with the local shire or the company doing the road works., Regards Littlewheels.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
three years ago i towed my van to Darwin from gippsland first in SA $500 fine & 3 points for van spare tyre covering a 45deg view of the plate then in Port Augusta $215 fine & 2 points for 67 klm in 60 zone,then you guessed it in Darwin road works doing 60 in 40 zone $180 fine & 2 points so 7 points and over $900 in fines and i never went over 85klm all the way, they are just revenue collectors.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
The same thing happened to me booked for going over 40k's, on a Sunday. No workers on site. If the police are fair dinkum they should be there on normal workdays to protect the workers.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
Please Note! The 40 klm/hr signs are there for a reason to protect the workers, and when there is no work being performed at these road work sites there may be still a hazard for example; barricdes and barriers, road signs, weakened road shoulders, uneven road surfaces etc, etc. The lowered speed limit is there to protect you the driver as well and to stop you losing control of your vehicle if the road condition has changed. I understand that there are few slack road work supervisors who are too lazy to remove or cover up 40 klm road signs when a hazard no longer exist. I could go on and on but I won't...just obey the sign and you won't receive a fine.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
speed limit signs are left out at roadworks sites if it is deemed be unsafe for the normal speed limit. since the floods last year, lots of roads are in bad repair and need to be fixed so road works will be a normal thing for a long time yet.recently two trucks collided near gladstone qld, one travelling too fast at roadworks, the backed up traffic and a car rear-ended by a truck , one death, short time after a caravaner rear ended a truck, all three accidents within 2km all cuased by exceeding signed speed limits.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
A few years back I was fined for the exact same reason as a previous,COMMENT BY UNKNOWN, near Kew N.S.W. and decided to go to court and won because, (a) it was 3AM (b)No-one was working at that time (c) the speed reduction signs were inappropiately set at this time.I was told though "Slow Down" just in case. S.C.R.Qld.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
Watch out for the radar happy cop in Julia Creek, QLD, where the speed limit through town is 40,with no roadworks!
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
Travelling on the highways is a privelege. Griping about speed signs is your problem. Keep your eyes open, be alert for workers on the job and if necessary not on the job. Get used to it, it is all about safety for everybody. The floods in several states last year will have road works going on for months and in some cases years. Last year it was a privelege for me to drive in these areas and see the extensive road works and innovation for preventing flooding, especially the mountainous areas, from the road being flooded again.
We have had two deep shoulder cuts right on the edge of the bitumen in our area, and I would not like to get off any one of them, whether works are in progress, or workmen not being in attendance. Get over it and learn to drive safely.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
My daughter was fined for the same imfringement twice. First she was caught by a camera and 5 minutes later an unmarked police car caught her and gave her a ticket for the same thing. At the time, she was the last in a long line of traffic doing 100km per hour (the usual speed in that area) when there were roadwork signs (with no roadwork happening that day) restricting the speed to 80kph. Unfortuantely this led to a loss of licence for her as she was a P Plater at the time. How unfair. She was not driving dangerously and was not the only car offending. The policeman who pulled her over said words to the effect that she was unlucky as she just happened to be the one of the many offenders he chose. (Maybe the P Plate helped him decide!)I can understand that speeding is not acceptible at any time and I think that if you speed, no matter what the circumstances, you should cop a fine. But to lose your licence in this manner is unfair. There needs to be some leeway in these types of cases. The whole family was punished also because we had to drive her to work (no public transport to where she worked) and pick her up daily.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
I am happy to comply with the speed zones wherever they are but also feel the frustration others have commented on regarding incorrect signage and signage left out when not required. We have all experenced it. Road crews must be held responsible. I also feel that reducing the limit to 40kph on open highway, when constructing roadside barriers on the shoulder of the road is just plain dangerous. Shut off one lane for the trucks that need access to the area but leave the limit at a reasonable 60kph
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
Not sure I would take signs away, with my luck I would probably get caught & cop a worse fine. By the time you get the speeding fine, it is hard to prove that the 'end of roadworks' sign wasn't showing, so it would be hard to dispute. They have you by the short & curlies no matter what. I guess just like everyone else, I would like the 40 signs covered up when there is no work going on, with exception of when there are other dangers.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
That is a good idea. Where there are no workers stop and remove the sign. Just don't get cxaught doing it
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
It is 50klms all through Woodburn now 40klms in school time as you pass the school and the camera is cleary marked as you approach or leave Woodburn any one getting caught it is their own fault. I travel that road a lot as my husband has doctor appointments in Lismore & Ballina & we are from Maclean.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
As a frequent traveler on national roads it is often difficult to correctly identify many traffic signs (although I am an off road driver trainer holding a full traffic controller qualification). It is also frustrating when towing a van or trailer keeping below a 50 kph restriction as low gears and high revs are required which creates a surge effect on manual vehicles particularly fitted with a turbo. Notwithstanding these difficulties it is imperative that the safety of road workers, pedestrians and other drivers be maintained and restrictions observed. Many times when limits are posted and no workers are present there may be a physical condition not readily apparent that makes the area unsafe to drive any faster than a posted restriction.
As it is an offence for a traffic control to be left in place after a hazard has been removed, the RTA inspectors will penalize any contractor leaving unnecessary signs in situ after hazard is removed.
In short don't get mad about it, relax and take comfort in the fact you just may save someone's life.
Col O'Neill
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
I have been traveling from Bendigo to Wagga Wagga for the last few years to work and north of Echuca through Deniliquin, Conargo, Jerilderie and beyond there have been roadworks here and there for years. I usually travel back on Sunday and the road signs are still up yet there are those who overtake me through these work sites and continue on at normal speed and a few beyond it, and blast their horn at me as they overtake and even resort to giving me the bird salute as they go past. This applies to trucks cars etc.Sorry mate but if it says 40 60 80 then that's your limit.I almost witnessed a head on between a water truck and a car one trip as he was wetting down a very dry and dusty stretch of roadwork.So to you who pulls down the signs wake up sport some ones life could be at stake possibly yours!!!
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
I agree that the signage at roadworks can be very poor, and often there is no work on progess, sometimes the contractors cover the signs, others not. I generally slow down to something near the limit- right on the limit if there are workers actually in place. Once, I kept to the limit (60km/hr) in an area where gravel had just been laid onto hot tar- the contractors hadn't rolled it and had left. A totally brainless idiot in a Jaguar overtook me- spraying my (borrowed) car with gravel.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
If the "End Roadworks" sign is not displayed at the completion of the road works the area is not a valid speed restriction zone.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
I agree with Tony, there are lots of places where speed signs are hidden behind trees or other signs, or simply placed in a bad spot and I have missed them because of it.

I have driven over 3 million kilometres, mostly behind the wheel of a semi, and only collected a few speeding and over weight fines over the years, they need to make sure that all signs are visable to all road users.

I also get very annoyed at driving through road works at 40 kilometres per hour when there is no-one working on the roadworks, (I was fined for going through Tully, NQ many years ago at 2.30am in the morning where the speed limit was reduced for road works, and no-one working on the road) and what annoys me even more is that quite often there is no sign advising you that you are at the end of the restricted speed area.

I retired a couple of years ago and am now a happy grey nomad pulling a caravn up and down the highways.
John Matheson - Qld
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
I was ‘done’ in WA a few years ago when driving through road works at 70. I saw the usual “Slow Down” signs and was waiting on the 40 sign to appear, in the meantime because it looked like roadworks, luckily I had slowed from 90 to 60-65. Just over the crest of a hill on the supposed roadworks, was parked a traffic cop and of course, I got pulled over. My argument that I did not see any 40 sign was of no affect other than I got done for doing 10 over and not the 20. On going back to check the sign (which I had not seen) I found that the sign had fallen off the post, was on the ground and propped up sideways against the post. I paid the fine and sent a pox on the WA police and RTA. Had I a camera with me I would have snapped the scene and objected.
My pet hate is where a 40 sign is displayed in roadworks that have not been active for some time (but barriers etc in place) and the road is still safe to travel at the normal speed. Last year some finished roadworks (apart from a very small amount of cleaning up) between Geurie and Dubbo (NSW) were left with the 40 sign in place for 3 weeks with not activity at the scene and all the equipment removed. The RTA returned, still did not do the cleaning up and took way the signs. Similarly, I have seen roadworks closed down over major holiday periods and where the equipment has been moved from the immediate scene but the 40 sign left in place. The road was quiet capable of handling 60-80 speeds and should have been upgraded to that for the holiday period in order to assist traffic flows.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
Its just something we have to deal with..We dont like it but there aint nothing that can or will be done about it...All we can do is grin and bear it cause we certainly cant beat it......
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
If I have to obey the law and keep to speed limits, so should every one else. The government has to have money so the more they get from speeding the less they have to put taxes up.
Keep speeding so I won't have to pay as much.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
I claim that the restrictions should not apply ouitside working timeand covered up as they used to be so either it is revenue raising or the workers are too lazy to cover them
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
The Government Road authorities need to audit road work sites for appropriate signage.Many areas that I have travelled have confusing and inappropriate signs. If all road work sites were audited and contractors fined thousands of dollars for leaving signs displayed when no work is being conducted or having confusing and inappropriate signs displayed maybe the contractors would lift there game, the goverment would still get its revenue the workers would be safe and the motorist not slugged in the name of so called road safety.Robert J F
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
I seem to recall hearing in Vic road contractors must take down speed signs if no work is being carried out and if they miss taking and sign down they are put on notice and if they are repeat offenders they may loose their contract. Someone in the know maybe able to confirm this!
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
The comment of removing speed signs when no work is being done is irresonsible. The road surface may be torn up or the edges soft or any of a number of other reasons.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
I work as a traffic controller, some speeds do not need to be reduced to 40km/h if the workers are 1.5mtrs away from live traffic. Also in long roadworks they should display another repeater sign with speed limit, I understand people getting frustrated, because so do I, if the work is not carried out in the area, speed should be brought back up to 60.
Obvioulsy you were driving through town that has the speed limit of 50km/h like suburban streets.
I have seen many roadwork set up's with signs that are purely wrong, no wonder society in general get confused when they dont display the correct signage, especially if its a long term project.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
By removing signs you are breaking the law and if you get caught you may even do jail time.Nobody is going to wake up just because some foolish person takes signs down. Having said that, yes I agree that too many variable spped signs and you get confused and forget what is what when it goes 100 to 60 to 40 to 80 to 100 to 40 to 60 to 70 to 80 and so on.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
Those that leave speed limit signs when no work is being done should cop a fine. That would fix the problem !
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
Having a GPS in the vehicle helps. A warning sound alerts the driver at any change in speed restrictions. We have traveled on many country roads and sometimes unaware there is a change, but the GPS gives us a warning. This also helps driving through the cities, where the speed limits change constantly. I'm not sure why the road rules are not the same all over Australia. I think it would make the roads safer.
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
Not removing or 'bagging' roadwork speed limit signs, when:
a. there is no work in progress;
b. no personnel or machinery are present; and
c. the average reasonable motorist can see there are no hazards or genuine reasons to markedly reduce speed,
only encourages a mororist to ignore the signage.
Unfortunately this learned behaviour can spill over into genuine situations and create hazards to others present.
It is encouraging to see some councils and their employees have the sense to at least bag signs at end of work; it's a pity not more follow suit.
I notice with dark and wry humour signs telling me there is a rough surface ahead when the road before the alert sign and after the resumption sign are much worse!
Comment by Unknown
posted 22 days ago
I got "caught" at the same speed camera in Woodburn a few years back. It was abut 1 AM and I was doing just over 60 completely forgetting about the speed camera at the end of Woodburn. IT was Easter so I got double demerit points. :(
Comment by Unknown
posted 24 days ago
My husband works as a traffic controller. He agrees that there is many times that other companies keep their signs up for pure lazyness. Other times ther is a reason, soft sides on the road or something patruding. Sometimes we can't see the reason.
Personally I think that the police should be patrolling when the men work with their signage clear. My husband was nilly ran over last year working on a bend stopping traffic for power wine works. They where restricted to sharing one side of the road. When a TRUCK decided to disobey the road signs and keep going at 80KM/H rather than the 40KM/H as the speed was during the works. He jumped out of the way when the truck was jack knifeing! And its not just trucks. Its regular people out there that dont slow down! Your putting our fathers/husbands at risk... please slow down.
Comment by Unknown
posted 24 days ago
to bad so sad ,do the crime to the time ,if you do not ,keep on top of the signs may be you should not be in control of a car and caravan ,safer for you and the others out on the road,,,
Comment by Unknown
posted 24 days ago
It is the same Australia wide. It is also annoying when they put up the speed restriction signs before they put the end of speed zone signs up meaning you are technically limited to a slow speed for miles until a 'normal' speed sign comes along.
Comment by Unknown
posted 26 days ago
i personally stop and remove speed limits from road work signs where there is no roadwork.. when enough of their signs have been thrown away they will wake up

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Thursday, 23 February 2012