Little-known road rule with $600 fine shocks Aussie drivers: 'So confusing'
It's a familiar frustration for Aussie drivers — confusing road markings and missing signs that turn everyday parking into a guessing game.
In Melbourne's southeast this week, one local has sparked debate online after spotting a fire hydrant next to a painted parking bay in Mount Waverley, unsure if it's legal to park there.
Beside the hydrant on the street is a triangle pointing toward it, but further to the left is a white parking line. In Victoria, road rules state drivers must leave a one-metre gap from hydrants unless signage allows otherwise. But as the Melburnian pointed out, there was no such signage in the location. "There isn't a signpost, and what's the point of the painted parking line on the left?" they asked.
The lack of a sign — and the presence of a marked bay — left many scratching their heads.
Some argued the space was designed for parking. "Yes, it's ok to park there," a person commented.
"Council won't fine you for parking in a marked bay unless you don't comply with parking signage — seems there is no parking signage here."
That notion prompted another person to respond: "Interesting, because we had a fire hydrant in front of our house and parked there without a problem for over 20 years."
"Why do they make the road rules so confusing?" they asked.
Others warned that fire safety regulations take precedence, urging drivers to steer clear even if the area looks legal. "The hydrant rule definitely supercedes painted car parks," another weighed in. "A parking inspector or firefighter isn't going to care if they come to give you a ticket or have to push your car out of the way with their truck to get a hose connected."
But according to VicRoads, the department in charge of the state's transport department, drivers are not permitted to stop, park, or leave their vehicle within one metre of a fire hydrant, fire hydrant indicator, or fire plug indicator — unless they're operating a public bus, taxi or minibus.
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Importantly, that one-metre rule refers to the horizontal distance between the hydrant and the vehicle on the road, not how far the hydrant sits back from the kerb, which explains the white line on the left.
So unless you're in an exceptionally small car, it's best to steer clear.
Failing to comply can result in a $118 fine, rising to $122 from July 1 due to indexation, or a maximum court-imposed penalty of up to $592 (increasing to $610).
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