Demystifying Melbourne City’s Hook Turn for Travellers in Australia
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- Опубліковано 5 жов 2024
- Melbourne is one of a few cities in the world, and the only one in Australia, that uses the Hook Turn at some intersections of the city. It’s intention is to keep intersections free and allow the transit of Melbourne trams through the busy streets. This is intended as a introductory guide only and travellers intending to drive in Melbourne city should satisfy themselves of the road rules before setting out.
Ten years of living in Melbourne, and I learnt today that BICYCLES in Victoria are allowed to make hook turns at ANY INTERSECTION unless with a specific sign otherwise
Wow. Wasn’t aware. Ta
Thanks. Grew up in NSW and lived in Melbourne for nearly 2 years now. I’ve always been too nervous to make a hook turn, but seeing as I’m now working in the city… I have to just get over my fear. This video helps a lot.
So glad to hear. Pls let us know how you go. All the best.
I am a migrant living in Melbourne for a few years and learnt 2 important and unique driving rules like Hook turn where you turn right from left and another one is Trams. If Trams stops so do you and proceed the car slowly only after Tram doors are fully closed . look out for trams when you merging to tram lanes in Melbourne greater areas.
Doing well.
As a Queenslander who doesn't have this rule, I just love visiting Melbourne and pulling up a chair for a 1/2 hour or so on an intersection to watch this sorcery in action. In fact, I'll be there again in 3 weeks time to get my hook turn fix again lol
Moved from Sydney to Geelong...I other day made everyone go crazy when I did normal right turn. Beeping everywhere.
This is confusing. Thanks for doing it.,
the intersection can only take in 2 cars max for doing hook turn. Anyone can explain how does that not cause any congestion from the back or even the cars on the other side doing a hook turn?
Yes. But I guess people avoid taking a right turn at intersections that get blocked. I mean, there’s always alternative routes. I know I avoid busy intersections.
The intersections also change from one cycle to the other quite frequently.
The same way they get blocked behind people turning left when there is a tonne of pedestrians crossing? It's the CBD. Sometimes you'll have to wait multiple cycles.
This is so confusing and stressful
Haha - it can be - but as a Melbourne girl you get used to it
My suggestion, as a Queenslander, is just stand there for a while and simply watch it work - it’s magic.
it actually makes alot of sense. its only used with tram lines going through the intersection and it means you dont have to worry about hitting a tram, getting hit by one, or having one up your ass dinging cos your blocking the tracks.
I always know what to do so I'm not nervous about messing it up. What does scare me however, is that some "foreign" (not-Melbournian) driver, or even just some clueless local moron who doesn't regularly drive into the CBD, doesn't know what's going on as he/she comes up behind me wanting to keep going straight ahead, tries to catch the yellow light before it turns red, and cleans me up as I'm about to perform the Hook. I've witnessed a few incidents (not crashes, but near misses) before. Not that I'm trying to spook anyone out of driving here, but just a heads-up 😉.
@@outandaboutwithdayv I'm also coming from QLD so this is awfully confusing. Question - for the cars that are stacking up behind those making the hook turn, do they have to give way to those going straight from the right? ie. can only 2 cars stack up during the hook turn, with the others staying behind the white line and leaving a gap for cars from the right?
Can a Melbourne person please explain why the car cant just turn right from the middle lane? When other people from sensible cities that don't have hook turns say that you should just use the right lane - we aren't referring to the tram lane, we are are referring to the lane for CARS on the right - which is still left of the tram lane.
There are THREE lanes, not two.
The tram lane on the FAR right, the right lane - for cars (which is left of the tram lane) and the left lane (the supposed hook turn lane).
So why can't cars turn right from the RIGHT car lane (which is still to the left of the tram lane) and then use the left lane as the straight ahead lane?
agree... this is insanity
Because
a) drivers would have to give way to trams going straight ahead at the same time on their right, which is a really common cause of accidents in places elsewhere in the city that hook turns aren't mandatory (such as at u-turns)
b) If they can't make it all the way through an intersection before the light changes, they will block trams in all directions
@@ColeMaguire okay, but hook turns are virtually non-existent anywhere else in the world that has extensive tram networks. So why can they function well without them but Melbourne is incapable of functioning without hook turns?
@@AndoCommando1000 Hook turns are more efficient, reduce delays for trams and prevent accidents with trams, but the biggest reason they aren't more widespread is probably just that they're unintuitive, and really hard to retrofit into an existing intersection, even if they could work better.
Having said that there are one or two more cities with hook turns for cars in places (like Beijing) and they're mandatory for cyclists in a couple countries, like Denmark and Japan.
hookturns are the most filthiest road law in Australia
Cheers Skippy. Not sure I agree but…
I love doing them. They might be filthy but they work!
Stupidest road rule ever
better than turning the corner regularly and getting T-boned by a 60 ton tram like that car did today on Collins St
well, it isn’t in Australia. it’s only in Melbourne, Victoria
We have this in my country but without the road sign and red lights, just use ur intuition 😂
Where is that may I ask. Interesting. Thanks
😂😂
This is the most insane local custom I’ve ever seen. What are the rates of accidents? I feel like I almost saw 2 happen 😂
How ridiculous. The vid is perfect to outline it because at the beginning, you can see another car going the opposite way wanting to do the same thing but panicked and turned left because the two cars the camera was focused in was approaching them.
May seem ridiculous but it works for a busy city with trams.
@@outandaboutwithdayv I think more logical things would work as well...
@@outandaboutwithdayv its not, there's no reason for the box whatsoever. Only 2 cars can turn right in your video, that means other cars behind them who also want to run right gets queued up, thus impeding cars turning left.
Imagine only 6 cars want to turn right and 50 want to turn left, they all have to wait for 3 light cycles. Without the box, cars turning right use the right lane, and turn when safe to do so because they have line of sight, cars going straight can use either depending on traffic, and left lane will quickly clear once pedestrian crossing is clear so cars going straight can use it.
The only thing hook turns achieve is prioritising cars going straight. Its ludicrous and you only accept it because "it's there". Go to the intersection and have a think about what I wrote.
Thank you ❤
hi. how many cars can wait in the left side while waiting for the right side green light? thank you
It's so counter intuitive. I'm glad it's only used in Melbourne.
Melbournes certainly uses it - but I understand Queensland has provision for it in its road rules (just not used - yet).
more confusion and the fact is you only get these in the CBD and no where else from my experience.
hey mate so what happens if say 10 cars want to turn right? that area to the left of the road has enough space for 2 cars max, does that mean the other cars just have to wait in the right lane and block traffic? and if so, who has right of way, the people on the left waiting to go straight or the people in the right line wanting to turn right? hope i made sense?
Yes. Just like intersections everywhere. Or I suppose they could avoid that intersection or go on to the next.
you dont wait in the right lane at all waiting to turn right, if you're crossing a tram rail. the people who want to go straight pass on the right, which is pretty universal rule anywhere.
@@outandaboutwithdayvNot everywhere. From where I am from, Indonesia, if you want to turn right, you stay at the right lane. If you want to turn left or go straight, you stay at the left lane. That's much simpler and can accomodate more people that want to turn.
@@CreativeEntertaiment They can’t stay in the right lane because trams go straight through on the right.
@@outandaboutwithdayv They could have made the green lights turn on in different times for the cars and the trams.
That has no logic, traffic turning right should be in the right lane, traffic going straight or left in the left lane, the hook turn thing just not right as it's blocking the waiting traffic to your left
A few weeks ago, I realized that traffic laws are not the same from state to state~
Yes. As one gets out and about you’ll see all sorts of idiosyncrasies. Like turning left at a set of lights that are red (please don’t do it unless you know you can). This is Federalism at work with each state taking what they want from each - and perhaps not taking some. Drive safe. Dayv
This is just crazy, but it actually does make sense. Hell no they'd never implement it in North American roads because people WILL die because even basic intersections is too much for some drivers to understand.
Just so simple.. First clip shows a car on the far side of the intersection completely blow his chance to turn right and give up and turn left.
But to be honest it works pretty well. A tram with 50+people on it gets priority over a car with usually one person and most people know not to bother driving in the city. The trams are free in the CBD. just park on the outskirts and tram in if you are able.
Also. good idea to do a head check for red light runners before turning right.
Ha ha. I didn’t notice the car on the far side do that. Cheers
Was he supposed to be waiting more forward? Looks like if he tried to turn from that position then he'd collide with the traffic since he wouldn't have time to pull out in front of them.
@@ScottJohnCaile There are lane markings that basically block the crosstraffic from moving like you see at the start of the clip where the Camry (who hasn't moved up all the way to the line). Old mate on the farside should have followed the van that you see as the camera pans. You need a certain confidence but also the traffic moves so slow. You can always tell who the tourists are and give them a bit of space.
@@ScottJohnCaile He could have been a little further forward, but generally the cars to their left allow them to peel off in front.
So wrong to even come up with this idea. If there's people on left waiting to do a hook turn they'll be blocking off people wanting to turn left. Why can't they just do a normal right turn at lights like everyone else. Lol.
It’s because the trams come through on the right. By holding in front of the cars coming from the right they’re ready to go when the lights change.
Even outside of Melbourne people get stuck behind cars waiting to turn at a controlled intersection.
Just stand and watch - it’s good fun.
Thanks
People in Melbourne understand that you can't expect the left turn lane to be free 🤣
Why though? Are people so stupid that they can’t just look before turning right and hitting a bloody tram?
hi thank you for the video. So is there a seperate light for hook turn or just look at the light the car is driving into? Is there a specific hook turn box marking on the road, or just simply moving forward a little bit next to the pedestrian crossing? How many cars allowed waiting there? I am really nervous about driving in Melbourne next week 😂
You may look onto the signal on your right side and number of cars really depend on the spot judgement if it's too full it's better to remain in the lane behind as there will be a lane for left turn so you don't worry.
If it overwhels you just keep going straight and make next two turns
Yes there is a box where you actually wait for signal on your right to turn green but make sure to check behind for late yellow runners.
How dumb is that never in any other country that I have driven in and that's the US most of Europe England Ireland Scotland and Wales south Africa Russia, I have never seen this ridiculous turn. Its clearly insane
It works.
would you prefer turning right normally and getting T-boned by a tram in the process of doing so?
Can I make U turn on hook turn intersection?
I would guess the official answer would be - only if signposted.
In any case there’d be cars and trams coming towards you.
And the cars behind are keen to get going.
Just go around the block.
No.
it's FARRKING ridiculous. Just insane.
It seems to work for them.
Other cities used to have them and it’s still in Qld legislation. Not all intersections in Melbourne have them either.
@heath gallagher ok
This is the most inefficient type of intersection I've ever seen.
Ok… but it works.
it's actually more efficient. and just today a car crashed into a tram on Collins St because it was doing a regular turn instead of a hook turn
@@TheLostProbe Oh no. I hope all are ok. The city signs say a tram weighs the equivalent of 30 rhinos.
@@outandaboutwithdayv everyone's okay, but the vehicles aren't. the BMW's got a huge indentation on the right side from where it got T-boned, and the tram's bumper has come off and a bit of the front cab and underlying frame is a bit wonky
@@TheLostProbe Thanks for that. BMW hey…
This is confusing as hell.
It helps if you’re there and take time to watch.
One word. IDIOCY.
But it works.
Yet, it works.
The hook turn is the dumbest road rule ever.
Ok
还真是不看不知道啊，I didn't know that before
Come because of far pizza movie lmao