Do you obey Roadwork speed limits?

[axe]

Prompted by my experience driving the M1 roadworks near Wyong every day of the week i'm interested to know what other people do when they come to road works.

Every day when i'm on the road about 50% of vehicles are doing well (20+) over the roadwork limits. I usually set my cruise control to the limit (+ a couple of km to account for the error) and just relax for the 10km but a lot of people don't seem to slow down or only slow a few km/h.

What do you do when you come to a road work zone?

[simon varley]

if there are workers on site, then yes 100%. in the middle of the night on a PH when they haven't bothered to take the signs down then possibly not. And I think that's the issue here that so often there is no reason that people ignore it.

[roKWiz]

always drive at the posted roadworks limit.

[Big_Daz]

If their are people working, I slow down to whatever the limit in the Roadworks is (normally 40km/h)...

[Mercury Bullet]

Yep.

I'm yet to see a Victorian slow down though.
I think it's a state sport, same as never waiting for the lights to stop flashing at railway crossings.

[M&Ms]

I drive at my usual tolerance. If speed zone is 70 or under, I sit at an indicated 5-10 over, if speed zone is 80 or over, I sit around 10 over. If the speed zone is 100 or over, I might nudge 15 over. Never been bothered, and passed numerous cops in the process. If only the cops came out and said we're not going to ping anyone going 10 over, then traffic might actually flow a bit better and driver's would stress a little less on the roads (and you'll see less brake lights on long, straight motorways).

Drove the M1 roadworks the other week, sat at 90 in the 80 zone. If there were cops around, they'd be pulling over those that were still overtaking me at 110 or tailgating others (or so I hope).

[ebv8]

this gets my goat when drivers will do 95 in a 100 zone while in the right lane so its painfull to overtake then when its an 80km roadwork zone they will still do 95 and go straight past me...then i have to do it all again

there is one near me now in a 100 zone, its an 80 construction zone and it just means people go from 115 to 105 so they do slow down a bit but not much...traffic it pretty heavy so you just go with it

[ford71V8]

After a race weekend I treat them like a pit entry / exit

[Seasoned One]

I find that everyone passes me when i do speed limit through road works, which as a previous poster said, frustrates them when everyone doing under the limit under normal circumstances passes me back , usually showering you with stones etc, then catch them up hogging right lane doing under limit a few ks further along..... Also, find it frustrating when there is no one actually working and signs still up, but the powers that be obviously have their reasons..... maybe?

[Vesper Martini]

The Monash Freeway in Vic has had 80kph limits for a long time now on the widening project.
the Majority of the time there is no workers in sight and we are talking about a freeway 4 lanes in each direction.

I like many was doing 90 the other day in the Right hand lane, passing a few cars doing 80
When a guy in a white sprint passes on one of the middle lanes doing about 100.
hes tooting and flapping his arm out the window for people to move left..

[aussiblue]

Yes; always

[ronwest]

I go with traffic flow but I don't jump from one lane to another hoping to get 50 metres ahead.

If just me and there's workers around always at posted limit.

If just me and no-one around usually over by whatever I reckon is a fair thing.

[b0son]

I find it absurd that they have limits of 40 or less when the workers are behind concrete barriers. We happily drive at the posted limit alongside footpaths/pedestrians, but as soon as someone dons a fluroro vest, they turn into sacred cows.

[TICKFORD220]

At night when no road workers are present I do the usual speed limit,but otherwise I do the 40 posted speed.

[NX74205]

Slow to new limit if there are workers or if there is a traffic hazard (e.g., dug up road yet to be resealed), and accelerate once clear regardless of "End Roadwork" sign.

[commodorenutt]

One thing that many people don't understand, is there are rules in place for minimum lane widths to go with the speed limits.

No matter how well barricaded the workers are, and even if they're on the other shoulder beyond the opposing carriageway, if the lanes are narrowed, the speed limit will be dropped to the regulations for that lane width (or less if there's active work).

This is often why long stretches of widening are at 80km/h, even when the barricades have just been cleared (and hence no workrs) - because until the new lane lines are marked out at their wider spacing, the lower limit still applies.

Some sites are now putting "narrow lanes" signs under the roadworks speed limit sign to try and educate drivers about this.

[blueoval]

The word "workers" must be in jest when it comes to council employees on site surely

Back on topic, I slow down to avoid a fine. Not due to other so called 'safety' measures. There's one thing I hate more than lazy people and that's voluntarily giving over your hard earned to the government.

[Maka]

Yep i slow down to the R/W's new posted limit just in case, i want to keep my gold license lol.

cheers, Maka

[Ross 1]

I drive at the posted speed through roadworks, the workers want to go home in one piece at the end of a shift.

[Adamz Ghia]

California has a great system, during work hours the speed limit is equivalent to 60km/h, but when the workers aren’t there it goes back up to 90km/h.

[Giant Cranium]

Originally Posted by b0son

I find it absurd that they have limits of 40 or less when the workers are behind concrete barriers. We happily drive at the posted limit alongside footpaths/pedestrians, but as soon as someone dons a fluroro vest, they turn into sacred cows.

im really struggling to think of some footpaths beside some 100k zones. the barriers also arent anchored like the permanent ones.

try working beside a rd with traffic flying past, really fun when you can't see traffic coz your head is down working but you can hear cars going past 700mm away

[commodorenutt]

Originally Posted by Giant Cranium

try working beside a rd with traffic flying past, really fun when you can't see traffic coz your head is down working but you can hear cars going past 700mm away

Exactly, 60km/h past me when I'm whipper-snippering the edges.

Then some P-plate moron thinks it's fun to swerve at you - despite being up on the footpath. Best part was watching his d-head mate hanging out the back window whack his arm on the pole - the bloodcurdling scream all the way down the street told me that was more than a bruise.

I reckon roadworkers would cop it all the time. I've seen maccas drinks chucked at lollipop people too. Nasty.

[redxm]

Originally Posted by Giant Cranium

im really struggling to think of some footpaths beside some 100k zones. the barriers also arent anchored like the permanent ones.

try working beside a rd with traffic flying past, really fun when you can't see traffic coz your head is down working but you can hear cars going past 700mm away

^^^ This man knows

[snap0964]

AFAIK too if they haven't placed a normal speed limit sign to observe after the roadworks for that road (a lot of times they don't), you are bound to not exceed the work area speed limit til you pass the usual speed limit sign for that road, and that can be kms down the road.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Giant Cranium]

Originally Posted by commodorenutt

Exactly, 60km/h past me when I'm whipper-snippering the edges.



Then some P-plate moron thinks it's fun to swerve at you - despite being up on the footpath. Best part was watching his d-head mate hanging out the back window whack his arm on the pole - the bloodcurdling scream all the way down the street told me that was more than a bruise.



I reckon roadworkers would cop it all the time. I've seen maccas drinks chucked at lollipop people too. Nasty.

Interesting fact on the old lollipop bird.

They are now almost entirely female as they have found that men will sit there and wait when there is a lady there but if it’s a bloke blokes will get up them and ignore them.

When I did my traffic control course I was one of 2 bloke in a class of 30 Irish birds. (That’s another tip if for the yong blokes)

[roddy1960]

Voted the top one because it was the closest choice for me of the bunch. Unfortunately most if not all will gradually sneak up over the limit here and there if it's a longish work section . I think basically most of us with any brains try our best to obey the speed displayed even if no one around. Ya just never know who might appear from nowhere if you're speeding.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by snap0964

AFAIK too if they haven't placed a normal speed limit sign to observe after the roadworks for that road (a lot of times they don't), you are bound to not exceed the work area speed limit til you pass the usual speed limit sign for that road, and that can be kms down the road.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

You forgot to mention where you are.

But in NSW it's until you get past the 'End Road Works ' sign.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by axe

Prompted by my experience driving the M1 roadworks near Wyong every day of the week i'm interested to know what other people do when they come to road works.

Every day when i'm on the road about 50% of vehicles are doing well (20+) over the roadwork limits. I usually set my cruise control to the limit (+ a couple of km to account for the error) and just relax for the 10km but a lot of people don't seem to slow down or only slow a few km/h.

What do you do when you come to a road work zone?

If there are people there working then I'll slow down, if not its fair game.

We've got this road work zone going on at the moment with 40km/h signs out - they've just scraped the grass on the side of the road preparing to make overtaking lanes, bollards on the dirt.

The only time that needs to be 40 is when there are people working there.

I overtook someone at 100km/h through there at about 1AM and they started flashing and carrying on - get fkd mate its 1AM, the road is fine and the only people on the road are me and you there is no need to go 40 in a 100 zone.

Same thing with the Tullamarine Freeway its 6 lanes wide now in some points, and they dropped the speed limit from 100 to 80.

So I still go 100, theres no speed cameras.

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by blueoval

The word "workers" must be in jest when it comes to council employees on site surely

Back on topic, I slow down to avoid a fine. Not due to other so called 'safety' measures. There's one thing I hate more than lazy people and that's voluntarily giving over your hard earned to the government.

^^^^ you can pick the Johnny punch clock office workers with comments like these.
What happened to just accepting the rules, slowing down and extending some common courtesy to the people working on your roads? If anyone thinks they can do better, hang up your pink business shirt with matching tie and sign up to your local civil construction company.

[flightstrike]

Thought I was the only one who obeyed the restrictions. Drives me insane that I’m the only one in Perth who seems to actually drive on the freeway(s) at the posted limit, but when it’s a construction zone, the whole herd goes straight past me. Mind boggling.....