While every driver is more than familiar with Australian road rules, have you actually ever read them all, in the official documentation?
I know I haven’t, and I would say I put a lot of trust in those who taught me to drive that they were telling me the correct thing (which they did, of course). Times have changed though; it’s a modern world and you no longer see a horse and cart go across the Sydney Harbour Bridge or pull up next to you at a set of traffic lights.
But that doesn’t mean road rules from yesteryear were automatically written out of the State laws we abide by today. Here are the five strangest road rules that are still around today from across the country.
No splashing mud on bus queues
There’s nothing worse than getting drenched by cars as you wait for the bus on a rainy day – and in New South Wales it’s still a road rule to obey. While it might seem odd, the law states drivers can not deliberately drive through puddles or roadside mud and spray those waiting for a bus.
But if you’re not waiting for a bus? Prepare to get muddy.
This road rule also specifies mud as the ‘no splashing’ substance, meaning rainwater seems to be okay to splash someone with. Weird.
Don’t wave (out the window)
When I was growing up, anytime we would leave my grandparent’s house, my Poppy would stand at the end of the driveway and wave to us until we were out of sight. So sweet, right?
Wrong. Apparently, it was illegal. Not for my Poppy, but for me and my siblings who would wind the windows down and wave out the window. In New South Wales, it is an offence for drivers and passengers to wave at someone if any part of their body goes outside their window.
Luckily, my parents never got pulled over for this road rule, and luckily still, no one lost a hand or arm due to other cars, cyclists, or buses, which can go past you, when you least expect.
‘Restive’ horses have right of way
To be honest, this seems like a very Queensland rule that’s still in the books, although I’m not sure how many horses you see go across the Story Bridge or down at the South Bank Parklands.
Firstly, when they say ‘restive’, they’re not giving you advice on how to avoid a horse resting in the middle of the road. Instead, a re-definition of the law clarifies that you “Give way to horses that may be agitated and unable to stay still if your car noise makes them panic”. This is why you clarify road laws in the modern world.
Swings and Roundabouts
Traffic sign roundabout left in Australia
Ah, Canberra. What to say about our Nation’s Capital? Well, they love a roundabout or two…
Having lived in the ACT twice, the Bush Capital’s love of a roundabout never ceases to amaze me. One wrong lane and it’s all over. You’re stuck going around in the opposite direction you intended.
So, it’s no surprise there’s the odd rule or two about how to manoeuvre a roundabout. Of course, you have your standard, relatively polite road rules, like giving way to any car already in the roundabout, don’t just push in (although not sure how many people actually comply with this rule – sorry ACT drivers!)
But there is one less obvious rule of Canberra roundabouts – even if you plan to go straight ahead through the same road after the roundabout, you must indicate left as you exit. If you’re from out of town, this one might be strange, but it will prevent a fine!
Western Australia and… *checks notes* potatoes
WA. The wild west of Australia. The toughest State when it comes to hard border closures with the rest of the country during the COVID-19 pandemic and the toughest when it comes to potatoes on their roads. That’s right. Potatoes.
According to WA road laws, you can’t transport over 50kg of potatoes in your car unless you’re a member of a “Potato Corporation”. And how do you become a member of such a prestigious corporation? Totally unsure. No idea.
This law came to be thanks to the Great Depression and World War II to help regulate food. Now would be the time to make a joke about WA being so behind and wondering if they have heard the news the war and Great Depression is over but… I’ll resist as the fines you could cop are no joke at all.
A first time offence comes with a $2,000 fine. But if you’re a potato rebel and have hundreds of kilos of potatoes to transport? Get ready to pay $5,000!
That’s a whole lotta mash… potato.
Keyword: The strangest Aussie road rules revealed