Traffic problems in Adelaide

[Coorong]

Hey REB, your so right about Brissy. The infastructure is just not their to handle the growth. Get a prang on any freeway and the whole place is shut down, including all arterials.


ONE question though REB, what the hell were you doing on the Ipswich Rd. If you have ever been their, you dont go back, Ever seen the movie Deliverance.... I think they filmed it in Ipswitch.

..... Now squeal like a piiiiigg!

[Ian]

I don't consider myself in the sticks, though if you're in Walkerville I guess you'd think so.

Geez, where I live, Walkerville's nearlly in the sticks

Had to travel to the uppercrust Salisbury area of Paralowie today,
Henley Beach Rd,
Rowells Rd,
Woodville Rd,
Torrens Rd,
Hanson Rd,
Port River Expressway,
Pt Wakefield Rd,
Martins Rd,
Kings Rd,

Took less than 1/2 hr

Even the return trip took about 1/2 hr including stopping for fuel.

You wouldn't travel that far in many Australian City's in that time, let alone larger overseas citys.

We are so bloody lucky, and if we had more drivers that new how to drive in a city, it would be even easier, christ, 50% of Adelaide drivers wouldn't last a week in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane.

[McAlmanac]

Rowells Rd,
Woodville Rd,

You missed out Findon Road in between.

[Wedgie]

There's huge traffic troubles in Adelaide but it has nothing to do with the roads.
95% of Adelaide drivers shouldn't have licenses IMHO.
And travelling down the Southern Expressway most days frustrates me no end, how hard is it to read the signs that say "Keep Left Unless Overtaking".
Deadset most days there's more overtaking done in the left hand lane.
Ive seen cars travel in the right hand land from Reynella to just before the Marion Rd turnoff and then get in the left hand lane
WTF?
Don't even get me started on 4WD drivers or mothers around schools!!

[Ian]

Don't even get me started on 4WD drivers or mothers around schools!!

or Volvo drivers, gotta get myself another "Volvo Aware Rider" sticker for the bike

[Wedgie]

Don't even get me started on 4WD drivers or mothers around schools!!

or Volvo drivers, gotta get myself another "Volvo Aware Rider" sticker for the bike

I used to agree with that but IMHO 4WDs and aqua colour cars (no matter what make) have overtaken them, doesn't seem as many Volvos on the road these days, thank christ!

[ORDoubleBlues]

Something that gets up my goat is at intersections that for whatever reason broaden to three lanes just before the lights (e.g. heading east on Greenhill road at the intersection of Fullarton road) and then narrow back to two lanes immediately after the lights and people will sneak up the inside lane, knowing full well that that lane has to merge anyway.

[Wedgie]

Something that gets up my goat is at intersections that for whatever reason broaden to three lanes just before the lights (e.g. heading east on Greenhill road at the intersection of Fullarton road) and then narrow back to two lanes immediately after the lights and people will sneak up the inside lane, knowing full well that that lane has to merge anyway.

Even more annoying is the people that let them merge!

[Ian]

Those lanes were only put there so motorbikes don't have to split lanes at the lights

[Ian]

Something that gets up my goat is at intersections that for whatever reason broaden to three lanes just before the lights (e.g. heading east on Greenhill road at the intersection of Fullarton road) and then narrow back to two lanes immediately after the lights and people will sneak up the inside lane, knowing full well that that lane has to merge anyway.

Even more annoying is the people that let them merge!

Nah even more annoying is people that don't know the road rules in relation to merging, or just don't care.
It's pretty bloody simple, if both lanes merge into 1, and there is no dotted line for either to cross, the vehicle in front has right of way (not the one behind push the other off the road )
If one lane has a dotted line across the end where the lanes merge, then the vehicle in that lane gives way.

[Ecky]

Something that gets up my goat is at intersections that for whatever reason broaden to three lanes just before the lights (e.g. heading east on Greenhill road at the intersection of Fullarton road) and then narrow back to two lanes immediately after the lights and people will sneak up the inside lane, knowing full well that that lane has to merge anyway.

But those extra lanes serve an important purpose which many people don't seem to understand.

The aim at any traffic lights is to get as many cars through in as short a time as possible (so the other directions don't have to wait as long). By increasing the number of lanes from 2 to 3, this increases the potential rate of cars moving through by 50%, thus increasing the chance that all cars will be able to cross the intersection before the lights turn red.

So the RAA, traffic authorities etc. should be encouraging people to use this left lane more!

And if drivers knew how to merge properly, then it shouldn't be that hard for the left two lanes to join up again after the lights.

[Ian]

......and worse still, the pricks that close up a gap as soon as some one indicates to change lanes, in every other capital city, a space is made for you, if you don't take it, it will close up just as quick, but at least you were given an opportunity to change lanes.

[Ian]

And if drivers knew how to merge properly, then it shouldn't be that hard for the left two lanes to join up again after the lights.

Snap

[ORDoubleBlues]

Something that gets up my goat is at intersections that for whatever reason broaden to three lanes just before the lights (e.g. heading east on Greenhill road at the intersection of Fullarton road) and then narrow back to two lanes immediately after the lights and people will sneak up the inside lane, knowing full well that that lane has to merge anyway.

But those extra lanes serve an important purpose which many people don't seem to understand.

The aim at any traffic lights is to get as many cars through in as short a time as possible (so the other directions don't have to wait as long). By increasing the number of lanes from 2 to 3, this increases the potential rate of cars moving through by 50%, thus increasing the chance that all cars will be able to cross the intersection before the lights turn red.

So the RAA, traffic authorities etc. should be encouraging people to use this left lane more!

And if drivers knew how to merge properly, then it shouldn't be that hard for the left two lanes to join up again after the lights.

That is actually not a bad theory when traffic is not very busy but when it's busy and all three lanes are chocas (due to everyone ducking up the inside) the merging traffic actually slows the speed right down and you'd only get the same number through as if it had been only two lanes in the first place.

[Ian]

Something that gets up my goat is at intersections that for whatever reason broaden to three lanes just before the lights (e.g. heading east on Greenhill road at the intersection of Fullarton road) and then narrow back to two lanes immediately after the lights and people will sneak up the inside lane, knowing full well that that lane has to merge anyway.

But those extra lanes serve an important purpose which many people don't seem to understand.

The aim at any traffic lights is to get as many cars through in as short a time as possible (so the other directions don't have to wait as long). By increasing the number of lanes from 2 to 3, this increases the potential rate of cars moving through by 50%, thus increasing the chance that all cars will be able to cross the intersection before the lights turn red.

So the RAA, traffic authorities etc. should be encouraging people to use this left lane more!

And if drivers knew how to merge properly, then it shouldn't be that hard for the left two lanes to join up again after the lights.

That is actually not a bad theory when traffic is not very busy but when it's busy and all three lanes are chocas (due to everyone ducking up the inside) the merging traffic actually slows the speed right down and you'd only get the same number through as if it had been only two lanes in the first place.

How do you figure that out Einstien, I travel on South Rd every day between Grange Rd and Regency Park, and the traffic gets away a lot better at the corner of Torrens Rd and South Rd where there is one of the left lanes you are talking about.
Example 1: Truck in the centre lane, 5 cars in the left lane, all cars get through in front of the truck before the left lane runs out, result 5 cars from the left lane, plus another 5 behind the truck that would have been another 5 cars back with out the others going down the left lane get through the lights before they go red.
Example 2:Cars in all 3 lanes, 3 lanes of cars take off, 40m past the intersection, they all merge as the law requires, still another 5 cars get through the intersection before the lights go red.
My Theory: Anyone who disaproves of the 3rd lane, has the Adelaide small town syndrome, and can't stand the thought that someone else may have gotten in front of them. This is the same syndrome that makes Adelaide drivers close up a gap as sooon as someone puts their indicator on to change lanes (which also Fu*ks up lane merging).
It's no bloody wonder that the rest of the country think we have the worst drivers in the country, if anyone in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane dove with the "Adelaide small town syndrome", traffic would come to nearlly a stand still.

Another bitch of mine, is traffic merging from a LH turn lane at intersections with a long turn lane and approach the the merge (eg: heading West along Bradman Dve.,turning Left onto Tapleys Hill Rd or approch lanes on Freeways/Expressways.)
I'll use Bradman Dve and Tapleys Hill Rd for an example.
Example 1: The car doing the LH turn doesn't get up to the speed limit (60kmh) and stops in the lane.
Example 2: The car doing the LH turn does get up to the speed limit (60kmh), bit the drivers in the LH lane of Tapleys Hill Rd have "Adelaide small town syndrome" and close the gaps up so there is no where to merge.
Geez, ORdb, you appeared to be an reasonably intelligent person on Friday night, surely you can see the more vehicles that get through an intersection withiut having to stop, has got to meen that the traffic flow is better

[Wedgie]

The 3 lane into 2 theory dies in the arse as the clowns who go in the left hand land usually stop more than 50% of the traffic from turning left making it more congested again.
Don't even get me started about the pricks on West Terrace that have 5 lanes to go straight ahead and you always get the 1 dickhead in the far left hand lane which stops cars from turning left with the green arrow on.
90% of them are just impatient pricks who create more harm than good.

I agree with Ord, its OK if you get a fast starter or 2 but if you don't the bedlem it creates a bit further up the road in most cases more than counteracts it.

Personally I'll use the inside left lane if 1) there's no cars or less than 3 cars in it and am confident I can take off in a hurry and 2) I know it won't obstruct traffic from turning left, unfortunately 90% of drivers don't follow the same guidelines.

PS Ian drives a Magna and we all know what Magna drivers are like, they make Volvo drivers look competent!!

[Punk Rooster]

If traffic is banked up & causes me any more disruptions, on the corner of Marion Rd/Sir Donald Bradman Drive, expect to see Ikea burnt to the ground!

[good ol' red and white]

Expect the roads near Ikea to be congested for at least a couple of weeks (esp. on weekends) until the public have all sampled a taste of Sweden. The short time length that is allotted to the green lights also help to compond the problem, but I have noticed this area of Adelaide build up with congestion over the last 3 months as the new terminal got underway and more and more people have started helping Ikea to prepare for opening.

Is that smoke I smell?

[Ian]

If traffic is banked up & causes me any more disruptions, on the corner of Marion Rd/Sir Donald Bradman Drive, expect to see Ikea burnt to the ground!

We've had their bloody customers parked in front of our house every 2nd day since Saturday, the other days they only made it to the next street, Fu*k, it's worse than when the golf is at Kooyonga, I'm starting to hate Ikea as much as the people that live across the road and used to look out their front windows to an oval.

[ORDoubleBlues]

No worries Ian, maybe if I drove where you did, I might think differently but I can assure you that I am the type that let's people in and it doesn't bother me that someone might get in front of me and FWIW I've never been involved in a traffic accident in 12 years of driving (which I know is still a lot less than some people).
Sorry if this lowers my intelligence.