I found this article as a result of the discussion on this forum http://www.netrider.net.au/forums/showthread.php?t=116059. I hadn’t been aware these changes were coming about. Things just seem to happen in Victoria without any input by the people.
I was driving back from Geelong on Monday using the freeway and noticed some writing in the right lane indicating some form of restriction. There was three lanes. No one was in the right lane. I was in the left lane and a car was further back in the middle lane. I could see a truck approaching that was stuck behind the car in the middle lane. I had my cruise control on and my car was gradually moving further forward. The truck moved into the lane behind me. My cruise control was set to 100kph but I know because of the way most speedometers are set low and I’d just measured my 100kph speed using the speed check, that I was really doing 95kph. So here is a truck that can overtake in the right lane which had no traffic at all, now forced to be stuck behind slower cars in the middle and left lane. I moved into the centre lane enabling the truck to move on and then moved back to the left lane after the truck had moved ahead. The driver showed their appreciation.
I understand there will be reasons for the laws to be changed. But when I see a situation like this it reminds me the government seems to use a sledge hammer to crack a nut. Surely when there is a low volume of traffic and no one is in the right lane, trucks should be able to use the lane for a short period to pass slower moving traffic. I have to add I don’t know any of the specific reasons for the new legislation. It would be interesting to see a list of the reasons for the change in legislation, the options considered and why this was considered the best compromise.
- Kelvin Eldridge
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