I often see people, especially those on motorcycles, cut through the servo to avoid the red light or queue at a roundabout.
What do you guys think?
Are there rules against this?
Do YOU do this?
Poll Question: 'Do you agree with people cutting the servo to avoid the red light?'
I commend you, if the road is free and theres no reason to sit in traffic burning fossil fuel for no reason then dont :)
No
no. i would, but i always think that ill go through the station, sit there waiting for a gap, the light would go green. and all the people who saw me cut through would pass me. then i would think of all the smirks and lols they are giving me as they pass…
to much pressure, cant do it..
Apt username.
My opinion: It's private property, cutting through can only disadvantage the business functioning.
If you really need to, then do it :-). Otherwise the road is your right place.
I think you could be sued, but very unlikely, by property owner if a nuisance, but doubt it would ever be done.
Agree. I have cut through on two occasions, only to be served with papers before exiting. Currently in the High Court, so can't say too much. Don't do it! Not worth it!
I do it all the time, but sometimes the light changes and I have to wait!
I do cut through a servos regularly as the red light is inconvenient for me. Sometimes pedestrians can hold me up further, but I give them plenty of warning by holding the horn before I start to turn in.
LOL
but I give them plenty of warning by holding the horn before I start to turn in.
I find that shifting to neutral and bouncing off the limiter does the trick.
I think you will be a perfect fit to drive in China.. More horn honking there than driving :P
Thought that was India.
Cars should have a horn pedal and a brake button on the steering wheel. Gotta allocate the controls by priority!!
I have seen someone get pulled over for exactly this reason. There's also a service station on a corner near my house that has a "No cutting through" sign.
I work in a servo and i see people doing this quite regularly. Kinda pisses me off when I see them doing it as 9 times out of 10 they are speeding around the pumps which means they most likely won't have enough time to stop if someone walks out in front of them. Which does happen a lot because for some reason everyone's brain switches off when they are getting fuel.
Agree. I've nearly been skittled a few times
by these motorists driving too fast past the pumps. Just arrogant disregard for others.
Pfft, the people buying fuel are just as bad at driving!
So a select few hoons gives everyone who cuts through a bad name?
9 times out of 10 they are speeding around the pumps
.
So a select few hoons gives everyone who cuts through a bad name?
That poor 1 guy out of the 10?
Or maybe they only notice the speeding ones?
Or maybe some of those that they see speeding are paying customers too. I've seen many paying customers come screaming it to a stop, and the speeding out again.
Basically, if people had half a brain, they wouldn't be going fast at all.
My local servo has a HJ built in, lots of paying 'hoons' heading to the drive-through.
Imagine you had your house at that intersection instead of business. Would you like trespassers going through your front yard?
If you are a customer - yes
If you entered by mistake - yes
Trespassing - No
Just follow the rules and wait at the traffic light!
I lived in country town in northern Victoria where people used to cut through the front yard of a house. There was originally a 5 way intersection which included the Murray Valley Highway. Council closed one road. The house on the corner had a drive through driveway for their convenience. After the road closure it became the convenience of a few bogans. They couldn't be bothered to use the road which would have cost them an extra 50 metres.
Anyhow, after a while the people put up gates or a fence to stop the through traffic. They may have even parked their cars on the driveway but the bogans would probably then driven over the lawn to get through.
Wow. That's a bit excessive. There's people like that everywhere.
tire spikes would have solved that issue pretty quickly!
Wolfpack… Mate, you are spelling out in detail what is "common sense". It is a shame these days that it no longer exists and we have to explain it. :-(
Frequent complaints that have arisien since it disappeared..
Why should I use my handbrake?
Why should I leave my car parked in gear or P?
Why can't I exceed the speed limit where and when I want?
It is difficult to keep looking at my speedo when driving. (but I can look at my phone more)
Why do I have to look where I am driving, my text messages are more important to me.
Why can't I damage the property of others when I want to?
What's wrong with doing burn outs where I want to… everyone is impressed by my ability to depress an accelerator… aren't they??
I had an accident and have no insurance because I meant to get it tomorow. How can I get someone else to pay for it?
I had valuables in my place and told others about it and also told them when I was going away. Why won't the police find the thieves for me?
I bought a car because the salesman was really nice. He ripped me off, how can I get somone to do something about it?
Etc….
People are asking a lot more stupid questions nowadays on Ozbargain. All the questions you have stated are spot on! It's common sense. We have to be a bit more careful nowadays especially from drivers like these.
xywolap All these questions you stated should be encorporated in the learner's licence program especially to teach the dumb people that ask these silly questions.
Traffic arbitrage.
I find driving along the footpath much faster. The annoying pedestrians do jump out of the way very quickly as well. The strollers not so much, but that's why I have a bullbar.
Yes… I saw a couple of 4wd's drive up on the footpath to avoid traffic lights recently. They didn't slow down much either. Queue was 3 cars!
Why didn't I think of doing this too? Think of the seconds and minutes i could save!! LOL
If you really want to save time, you might as well take a left turn on a red signal. Just like they do in the USA (right turn on red) where safe.
Or convince the Australian authorities to implement this.
There's actually some intersections that explicitly allow this in Brisbane. Might be part of a trial. The problem is there isn't adequate visibility at many intersections, especially in areas with winding roads and higher speed limits.
Yep happening in some select intersections in QLD/NSW. Left turn on red.
I once saw a car do a right hand turn at an intersection through the servo travelling at approx 70Km/h. Approaching the intersection they never even slowed down, just quickly turned into one driveway and out the other. One of the weirdest things I have seen on the roads.
Dont see anything wrong with it….would you rather have them run the red light?? As long as they are not speeding through the servo it is fine in my book.
Interested in knowing whether this is legal or not
Why would it be illegal?
I do this whenever I need to. If you don't value your time as much as I value mine, then that's your problem.
Cue the negs from all the Sunday drivers.
@nurries: What additional risks have you considered?
Are you insured on private land?
How many times before one day you
- slide on spilt oil and crash
- hit some idiot running between the pumps?
- hit a pump
- hit an upright holding the awning up
- hit a police officer
- hit a bikie (with other bikies around to see your meeting)
Perhaps the time at the light can be used to do a puzzle or find something more interesting to listen to/learn about
We don't speed through the service station! Assuming neither do you when you fill up petrol, so you can ask yourself the same questions next time ya go for a fill :P
Perhaps the time at the light can be used to do a puzzle or find something more interesting to listen to/learn about
Username has never checked out more :')
@Rocket-Man
Not to mention even the non-average ricer, for whom crashing only requires a built-up area, a crowd, lane restrictors, or twisty turns. Especially if only piloting a wannabe GTR, or even a real one with all the 'safety features'. Eg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE3h6VnhndI
There's a nut behind every wheel after all.
All those risks apply when you drive in to buy fuel as well…. Your point?
@JimmyF: Just that you increase the risk, and should anything go wrong, in court the outcome will be worse as you had no legitimate reason to even be there endangering the plaintiff/s, victim/s, etc.
Not to mention no insurance on private property.
@zerovelocity: hahaha Where do you get this from?
no insurance on private property.
Your car SHOULD have insurance, the servo has insurance. Your cars insurance doesn't stop when you leave the road.
If this is such a danger, maybe cars should be banned fullstop!
@JimmyF: Banning stuff is a little extreme.
This topic is about driving through a servo to avoid a road delay. The risk is the risk, all risks need to be objectively weighed against the benefit of taking them. However people perceive risk differently, and are affected by personal experience. Few of us have seen anyone killed or even injured on a forecourt, but it happens regularly. These, let alone catastrophic things like explosions/awnings falling, etc… simply don't even enter our minds in the millisecs we take deciding about taking a short-cut.
The moment you see such an accident happen is the precise moment you become able to consider the risk of it happening next time.
That's all I want to point out.
@zerovelocity: I get your point, but more people drive into a servo to get fuel/food an hour, than people who 'cut through' in a day. So based on the risks you present, then we should be closing down all fuel stations as they are a high risk!
More people are killed by cars in a single hour in Australia, than are killed in a year at servos.
Sadly there are idiots everywhere on the road who speed, do crazy things. The only logical solution is to ban cars!
@JimmyF: Banning is no solution, but teaching is (one). The reasoning about having a license is another.
If you think those risks require drastic action, save yourself and avoid driving through servos. A less drastic approach is to so with more care than you might otherwise.
Many lessons in life serve to make us think twice next time. No need to give our property to the over-arching rulers because a few idiots occasionally make mistakes. Evolution is just life and it comes to get us all at some point. How long you choose to wait for the Reaper is entirely your decision.
I dont see the problem?
Do it if you like. Dont if you feel guilty.
Police cannot book you for this
Actually they can.
Under which rule?
I have no idea of the rule. I just know my friend was fined for doing this a few years back.
yeah under what rule?
Only do this usually late at night when there is not much traffic.
So late at night when the lights cycle pretty quick anyhow? :/
I worked at a servo for a few years. One night saw a guy cut through and hit an old lady as she was crossing the forecourt. It was awful. She was crying and there a fair bit of blood. I heard later she almost died while being operated on. Since then I never cut through the servo, too much going on, too many places for someone to be hidden.
That sounds awful :(
This
I feel very sorry for that lady. But just like when you drive anywhere else, you just need to exercise caution especially when it's a shared traffic area.
Cutting through a petrol stations or not, irresponsible driving is bound to lead to accidents with someone/something.
I personally don't do cut through a petrol station to avoid a light. I hate seeing people do it, but the government hasn't been that determined to crack down on it. I've yet to see any law that even specifically outlaws it in nsw. Please prove me wrong.
Spoke with a traffic cop from WA who I game with about this - not illegal.
Perhaps if I was driving to an emergency.
They've done many comparisons on TV driving aggressively, changing lanes, speeding up quickly, cutting corners like this vs driving in a calm, peaceful and courteous manner.
The results always show you'll get to wherever you're going literally seconds quicker (not even a minute saved on your average trip) and have elevated stress levels (and petrol bills) as a result - not to mention risk associated with hitting a person / car unexpectedly backing out or whatever.
It's just not worth the stress/hassle/risk surely?
'Especially motorcycles'…. This is - to be frank complete rubbish and just an opportunity to have a go at motorcyclists. When the lights red, that means there are cars coming either straight or turning. For a motorcyclist it makes more sense to filter to the front of the red light and be the first round the corner once green. Additionally this avoids the petrol station concrete which is often slick with spilled deisel and leaked oil.
It makes sense for car drivers as they can skip past a few cars. Don't just have a go at motorcyclusts to pad your story out. It's hard enough being killed daily on the road by stupid car drivers let alone on internet forums by keyboard heroes.
It's hard enough being killed daily on the road
How many times have you re-spawned?
Chill bro… I'm a motorcyclist and my jimmies are distinctly un-rustled by that comment…
Everybody knows it's always the bogan in the clapped out Magna / Commodore who does stuff like this.. ;D
While I have not cut through a servo for years, for many of the reasons pointed out above, lane filtering for motorbikes through moving traffic is just ludicrous and should if ever only be while vehicles are stationary at red lights and if at all..,
and regardless of either coming up to traffic lights or just slow traffic along dual lane roads, to many vehicles changing lanes and the last thing you need is a bike out of nowhere while it speeds between 2 vehicles that are doing anywhere between 0 and 40kph (road dependant).
Or even slowly squeezing between vehicles and clipping a cars mirror giving the bike the death wobbles and either the rider saves it or not.. this happened to one of the women at my work, the rider just sped off leaving her wit ha damaged vehicle and no recourse. a bit of topic I know, but..
I think the thing that annoys me most about this idea is that these people probably think they're smarter and more important than everyone else on the road. They are essentially cutting a queue while others wait patiently. They wouldn't do it while queuing on foot, but once they're behind the wheel they develop a superiority complex. News flash: most people think they're above-average drivers; cutting corners doesn't prove anything.
You must be new… everyone thinks they are smarter and more important than everyone else, on the roads, at the supermarket, any queue and anyone on the internet!
Cutting through the servo:
"Wow, cheap petrol, I'll buy some! What a bargain!" - turns into servo
"Oops, just remembered I get paid next week" - exits the servo
Driving in the right lane:
"I think I need to turn right in 350 meters" - moves into the right lane
"Oops, it must be the next one" - stays in the right lane
"Oops, it must be the next one" - stays in the right lane
"Oops, it must be the next one" - stays in the right lane
In my opinion, cutting through the servo to skip the lights is akin to walking into a restaurant to take a dump and leaving before ordering.
There are no rules against it but rules =/= manners.
Lol. Agreed.
Although i still don't know if cutting through is illegal or not.
Only people annoyed by this are the people waiting at the lights who didn't think of it themselves
Lol.
Here's someone who believe s/he's smarter than most others on the road.
I don't know whether you're smarter or not. But i can confirm I've worked out the option is there since i started driving as a L plater but decided not to mainly out of courtesy and avoid unwanted attention as it's simply not the norm.
lol
4 people are still waiting at the lights confirmed
No. I don't need to, I'm rarely late because I leave enough time to get to where I need to go. When I see people take odd shortcuts like this I assume they're disorganised.
It's a dick move and I wouldn't do it myself, just last week I saw 2 cars try and race each other through a servo to avoid a red arrow, only to meet them at the next set of lights 200m down the road.
Completely legal. Just like constantly swearing in Australia, should you do it or not is up to u.
If I was late and needed to be somewhere important then I'd do it but 99% of the time I wouldn't be a prick, just wait my turn in line.
I never do it personally and since it involves crossing two footpaths (as you enter and exit the servo without stopping) there should be a law against it, even if it might be trivial to enforce.
So you want a law against crossing two footpaths now? Hmmmmm
I never said that. Cutting through private property to skip traffic lights usually involves driving up and down footpath ramps, so if everybody does it then you end up with alot of cars in pedestrian zones, which is dangerous and unnecessary.
Well you kind of did say that
I never do it personally and since it involves crossing two footpaths (as you enter and exit the servo without stopping) there should be a law against it, even if it might be trivial to enforce.
you end up with alot of cars in pedestrian zones, which is dangerous and unnecessary.
You end up with a hell of a lot more cars in this zone buying petrol or products from the servo compared to the ones that cut through.
You might get 1 in 100 cars entering the servo, cutting through.
@JimmyF: Are you aware of the concept of context?
Obviously I'm posting in response to "Going through The Servo at an Intersection to Avoid The Red Light. Yes or No?" not about crossing footpaths in general, which is fine in the right circumstances (e.g. accessing servo, carpark etc.)
Hey Darwin. Here is one you missed, papachris.
I personally disagree with anyone doing this. I never do this either.
I have a close mate who would do this type of things anyday. His argument was that there is no rules to stop it.
My say on this one is that if every human being is doing things that are not stopped by law, this world will soon become unlivable. I am from a South Asian country once had very good people and care about the environment other human beings, etc. However in last decade of me living there saw those values slowly going down. So I left the country 15 yrs back and finally settled in here. Even today I know as a fact in my own country it's only 2% of the population who made it worst for the rest. It was negligible 2-3 decades back but later become significant. Law can't fix everything. That's why education is there for.
I see similar trend even in Australia. Again negligible at this stage. Hope people will grow more common sense and learn to share the planet with other human beings than cutting corners and taking advantages where possible. IMO
I've done this every now and again because the road I want to turn into is not busy at all. Everyone is usually going straight or turning.
If the thread is about people queuing properly then yes I hate people who turn into side roads or lanes which are knowingly going to end so they can merge sooner infront. The turn into the Swan St bridge is my pet peeve; so many people into the Toll lane then merge after the turn.
Annoys me more when pushbike riders at lights go from been a vehicle to a pedestrian depending on what light will get them through.
You wanna cross with pedestrians ride on a path, you wanna be a big boy and ride on the road than wait.
As long as they're not running into pedestrians, what's wrong with that? They're allowed to be on the footpath and road (at least in QLD). How does it affect you?
They are allowed on the footpath and road in WA too. It affects his mood
subconsciously im probably annoyed because they can. I know been in a car i will beat them anywhere but…
Probably a little bit of pettiness because they dont dismount to cross so they are technically violating the road rules.
And overall i am not that inpressed sharing the roads with bikes. I think its a safety issue and they dont contribute like motorists with fuel/rego and licencing requirements.
and they dont contribute like motorists with fuel/rego and licencing requirements.
Hmm, I have a feeling lots of cyclists also own cars, so they also pay rego but don't use the roads as much as non-cycling car drivers. That means they're effectively subsidizing your road use. Shouldn't you thank them instead? :)
@eug: One lot of rego for 2 "vehicle's" I pay rego for both my car and my motorbike, if they want to ride it on the road I see no reason why they shouldn't pay another registration fee for it as well or keep to the footpath without rego.
Sad, sad world if OZB reflected the general consensus of people who voted no. I guess some people love traffic and waiting…
Can someone give me more tips like this one?
cut through the servo to avoid the red light or queue at a roundabout
270 degree turns at roundabouts from the right lane to go left if it is banked up
Take your plates off before you go through tolls then you'll never have to pay :D
But what about the e-tag? :D Well what you have said might be illegal, but two mentioned above are legit. I have heard that you can take the back plate off with screws and if you get caught, you could just tell that it fell off and you were going to fix it once you get home.
The intersection of Boundary St and Pacific Hwy in Roseville comes to mind.