Photo of man's roadside act in front of speed camera highlights Aussie divide
It's not the first time someone has taken it upon themselves to warn drivers of a nearby speed camera – something that would redundant in one Aussie state.
The last thing drivers want is a nasty surprise, and on the weekend a lone roadside figure did his bit to help out, appearing to stand out in the sun with a handwritten sign to warn motorists they were approaching a speed camera. And while the heads-up was appreciated by many after an image of his effort was shared online, others were far less impressed.
On Sunday, the man was spotted with a sombre expression while donning a fluorescent top to ensure his message wasn't missed. The words 'Beware Camera' were painted on the sign that he stretched above his head near a busy intersection on the Princes Highway in Melbourne's southwest, according to local news service Wyndham TV.
Aussies loved the man's dedication, describing him as "a good citizen" and a "legend" — joking they would happily buy him a beer for his good deed. However, others questioned why he was interfering with road safety measures and asked why he didn't have "better things to do with his time".
"Motorists need to take responsibility for not speeding," one critic said.
Speed camera warnings have long been controversial
There is no specific rule about warning drivers of a speed camera ahead in Victoria, so the man's actions appeared to be within the law. Police officers themselves have notified drivers of speed cameras in recent years during industrial action over long-running pay disputes.
And it's certainly not the first time Aussies have taken it upon themselves to warn drivers of speed cameras, with a 17-year-old boy attaching a handwritten sign to his dirt bike along a road on the NSW Central Coast in 2022. A similar sight was spotted the year before with a sign perched on a chair by a road on the outskirts of Sydney.
While fixed speed cameras in NSW have had warning signs for many years, the state recently introduced mandated warnings signs for mobile speed cameras at the start of last year — making it the most visible and transparent speed camera program in the world.
However it has been a controversial move which many road safety advocates have condemned for being counterproductive to increasing road safety.
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