Getting the hang - and the 'hook' - of driving in Melbourne

What is wrong with this picture?

Other than the fact that both the gray car and the tram are on the wrong side of the street?

(This is in Australia, where they do drive on the left.)

Well, doesn't it look as if said gray car is trying to make that right turn from the left lane, having narrowly missed being T-boned by said tram?

But if you can spot the black-on-white traffic sign in the upper left-hand corner of the picture, you'll see that's what you are supposed to do.

(If you can't read it, it says, 'Right Turn from Left Only'.)

This is called a 'hook' turn, and both from my own personal experience and from information gleaned from the locals, it's a Melbourne exclusive.

But only within the 'CBD' - 'Central Business District' - and only at certain major intersections, not all of them.

Confusing?

Sure looks that way, especially if you're an out-of-towner.

And doubly especially if you're a visitor from a 'drive-on-the-right' country, where right turns (equivalent to our lefts) are already fraught.

Apparently, this system was introduced to accommodate those trams, so their progress would not be impeded by cars trying to turn right from the centre lane where the trams travel.

Cheaper and more space-efficient, I guess, than building a separate right-of-way for the trams.

Still, wouldn't it make you want to take a taxi?

Comments

[Larry]

Central Melbourne doesn't have built separate ROWs but cars aren't allowed to drive on the tracks either. The benefit of hook turns in that situation is also that throughgoing traffic doesn't have to deal with the right-turning vehicles and can keep going without obstruction.

There are several places around the world that don't have streetcars but allow hook turns for cars or buses or (motor)cyclists. It seems to keep things moving where turns on red are not permitted.

[Larry]

Toronto has two intersections where an 'indirect left turn' is suggested for cyclists. For cars, the closest thing to a hook is at eastbound Dupont at Avenue, where drivers are instructed to make a left turn from the rightmost lane IF they intend to turn right again once they are on Avenue.