Navigating the roads of Australia can sometimes feel like a game of Monopoly, with various rules and restrictions that can catch even the most cautious of drivers off guard. But for one Sydney motorist, a seemingly innocuous drive down a local street turned into a costly lesson, as they were hit with a $272 on-the-spot fine for a mistake that many might find ‘a bit pathetic.’
The driver’s misfortune unfolded on Lismore Street in Hoxton Park, a suburb in Sydney’s south-west, which has become infamous for its ‘rat run’ street restricting access to non-residents.
The unsuspecting driver, who shared their experience on social media, was stopped by an undercover officer while navigating through the controversial street. The officer inquired if the driver was a local resident and upon checking the licence, issued the fine for disobeying traffic signs. The signs clearly state that turning into Lismore Street is prohibited, except for buses and local residents.
These limitations were introduced last year after residents raised concerns about the high volume of non-local traffic using their street as a shortcut, leading to noise and safety issues in what is predominantly a family area.
According to a Liverpool City Council spokesman, the main roads and public infrastructure in the area have not kept up with development, leading to congestion and safety concerns.
Before the restrictions, residents faced up to 30-minute delays just to exit their driveways, and the street was so clogged that it became unsafe for both residents and pedestrians. To address this, the council is introducing special windscreen permits for parents dropping off children at Good Shepherd Catholic School, ensuring they won’t be penalised by local police.
The decision to close the street to non-residents was made after numerous complaints and a review by experts, highlighting the street’s incapacity to handle the 42,000 cars using it weekly, far exceeding its maximum capacity of 14,000.
Despite the clear safety benefits, the move has been met with opposition from some who find the fines unfair and the restrictions inconvenient.
One Western Sydney woman described the enforcement as ‘pathetic,’ while another man lamented that the closure has significantly increased his travel time for dropping off his children.
The debate continues online, with some advocating for the street to remain open to the public, while others support the restrictions and urge drivers to respect the local community’s safety.
As we navigate the complexities of suburban traffic management, this incident serves as a stark reminder to all drivers: always be aware of local traffic regulations and ensure your licence details are up to date to avoid hefty fines.
What are your thoughts on the balance between convenience and community safety? Share your experiences and opinions with the YourLifeChoices community in the comments below.
Also read: Are you unknowingly breaking this road rule? This could land you a $410 fine
Let me get this right.
The sign said NO ENTRY EXCEPT FOR BUSES AND LOCALS.
Easy enough to understand – Why enter?
Because she feels entitled enough to not abide by signs.
One of the reasons the USA doesn’t have “rat runners” is because most of their back streets have Stop signs in all directions, so drivers stick to the main roads. We could take that on, but of course the public would whinge about that too.
Legally, this restriction doesn’t sit well. Unless it is a private road through private property, I do not think that such a restriction has any legal value.
Any traveller can legally traverse any public roads if engaged in lawful travel. Visiting a friend or business in the area is not restricted and nor would, for example, checking a property listed “For Sale”.
Poor Council planning in the past has created a problem that makes this “rat run” a preferable choice of route. Clear up the better routes to make them simpler and quicker to use.
If you do not abide by local laws, DO NOT complain when you get a fine. The whingers would complain if it related to their street.
What happens for police, fire dept.,ambulance, doctors, carers, post man, garbage collection,
energex, trade people, real estate, etc,etc,etc??
I wouldn’t call this a ‘tiny mistake’ – the driver flagrantly disobeyed a traffic sign.
Going by the logic of some people even visitors to these places should all be booked because they are not locals or bus drivers no exceptions
Obviously like any rule that going to be broken – Pre Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance- as Couldabeen stated – have your excuse/reason ready.
It’s like the COVID lockdowns- as long as you were exercising or going to the shop for essential food or delivering essential food to a friend or relative- then you could go out and if you passed the coffee shop along the route that you walked – good onya- grab a coffee – it just meant you shopped for groceries every day instead of weekly
Yes. I get the idea of public road vs private road and I get the issue of most Aussie drivers love V8 and flooring it and don’t like to drive to the conditions and don’t slow for pedestrians. One test is – it’s poring down rain – how many drivers recognise that they are sheltered inside a car and will NOT (morally) give way to a pedestrian getting soaked – because that means slowing down or stopping briefly.
Then to add this to foreign drivers- well don’t get me started here
Back to inclement weather- no headlights on – no idea
Now 30kph limits are being considered in one state
There’s a court in Wodonga that’s 40kph 24/7. I have a friend that lives there, and she’s always saying that some cars go roaring by, oblivious to the speed limit.
There’s no excuse for disobeying any signs. If they are, then the driver should ‘cop the fine’ and put up with the expense.