just in....Did you know you could be fined more than $300 and lose points if you stop alongside a kerb with a yellow line?
A National Road Rule allowing yellow lines to replace No Stopping signs was adopted in New South Wales last year, and since then motorists have been getting fined for a road rule they probably weren’t even aware of.
In November 2012 the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) advised Councils that a continuous yellow line painted on the edge of a road can be used either instead of – or to reinforce – No Stopping signs. So far, there has been little publicity from the RMS to advise motorists of the meaning of the new yellow lines, the rules about it and the subsequent fines that apply.
We’ve done some investigating of our own and found that disobeying the not-so-new No Stopping restrictions – whether it’s the yellow lines, No Stopping signs or both – can result in a fine of $236, or $304 and two demerit points in a school zone. Currently, we are aware that Warringah and Wollongong Councils have started using yellow lines without No Stopping signs, and other Councils will soon follow suit.
You may be aware of this road rule if you a) read the latest
Road Users’ Handbook; page 107 b) read the technical-heavy information from the RMS in its
Delineation Section 13 pamphlet, or C) were fined.
We’ve got a hunch that many motorists have no idea about this.
In the Road Users’ Handbook, this rule is described as:
Kerb lines
Yellow lines painted near the edge of the road show that there are stopping restrictions and tell you what rules apply to that particular section of road.
Broken yellow kerb line
A broken yellow kerb line is a CLEARWAY line. You must not stop at the edge of the road between the hours shown on the sign except in a medical or similar emergency. Buses, taxis and hire cars may only stop to pick up or set down passengers.
Unbroken (CONTINUOUS) yellow kerb line
An unbroken yellow kerb line is a NO STOPPING line. You must not stop for any reason except a medical or similar emergency
Source:
http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/licensing/downloads/road_users_handbook.pdf 
The reasoning behind this road rule is that a yellow line would help reduce the ever-increasing number of signs and other distractions on our roads and can reduce maintenance costs. In our NRMA decongestion strategy, we recommended reducing the number of traffic signs motorists have to decode daily, and the RMS replacing a No stopping sign with a yellow line does in some ways support this.
However, road users must be made aware of the new rule and understand the changes.
We think this change needs to be clearly communicated to motorists and we would love to hear your views.
Let us know or on our
Facebook NRMA /
Twitter NRMA because we’ll be sending your comments through to the RMS in hopes they promote this road rule and future ones better
