Courteous and safety conscious truckies face fines for trying to reduce the number of head-on collisions on the highways.
On my trip throughout Queensland early in the new year, Spy came across three such truckies who were doing what most of us would consider the right thing.
But as I found out later, being courteous to others can cost you if the cops witness such an incident.
I was behind these road trains on various roads and the drivers put their indicators on to advise me it was safe to overtake them.
If you get behind one of these long road trains it can almost be impossible to see ahead of them if you want to pass.
Anyway Spy snapped picturess of each truck through the windscreen as I sat in the passenger seat of my vehicle as the trouble and strife drove.
Up the highway I saw one of them parked at a rest area and told him I had intended to use a pic along with words praising him in a future Spy column.
“Don’t do that please as it is illegal in this state to indicate that you can overtake,” he said. Obviously I abided by his request and won’t identify him.
On my return home I contacted the police media section to glean if there was a fine for such an action and if so, asked what was the amount in dollars?
“You should contact Main Roads and Transport for that information,” a spokesman said.
Which I did and a reply was duly forthcoming: “We acknowledge some drivers use the vehicle’s right indicator to signal to following vehicles it is safe to overtake. However, the Queensland Road Rules prohibits a driver from using the vehicle’s indicator lights except when changing direction or as part of the vehicle’s hazard warning lights. This is to ensure other drivers do not mistake or misinterpret the use of indicator lights,” a TMR spokesman said.
He further advised that such an infringement would result in an on-the-spot fine of $55.
“While TMR administers the road rules, the Queensland Police Service is responsible for their enforcement. As such, the interpretation of this road rule is at the discretion of an intercepting police officer,” the TMR spokesman said.
The chances of being caught and infringed is minimal, as is the fine. And Spy has no doubt our mates on the highways will continue to risk a ticket.