Features
It's a sign - you're lost
Kathy Sundstrom 10th February 2010
Cabbie Tom McCallum is angry about road signs that are unreadable.
TAXI driver Tom McCallum has some advice for tourists planning to drive around the Sunshine Coast – pack a GPS.
Mr McCallum, who has lived in the region for more than 30 years and has worked as a taxi driver for three years, still finds it tough navigating streets with road signs hidden behind overgrown trees and confusing road networks sending people on longer, busier routes.
“It’s hard to find places and streets on the Sunshine Coast, especially when it’s dark,” Mr McCallum said.
“Even in the daytime it is difficult. As many as 25% of the street signs are blocked by overgrown trees.”
It is not just residential street signs like those off Jingellic Drive in Buderim Meadows that are blocked by trees. Signs on major roads are a problem, too.
“Take the turnoff to Eumundi along the Sunshine Motorway, near Eumarella Road. That has had a branch blocking the Eumundi sign for ages,” Mr McCallum said.
“What’s the point of having signs if you can’t read them?”
Mr McCallum has a simple solution – council workers should trim the overgrown trees when they see them.
Mr McCallum also felt sorry for visitors trying to make sense of some road networks which sent them on longer, slower routes or confused them altogether.
Someone trying to get on the Sunshine Motorway to Noosa from Brisbane Road in Mooloolaba would probably end up on the Bruce Highway going to Gympie before working out they needed to turn off through Mountain Creek.
Or travellers trying to get to Coolum from Noosa would miss the shortest and quickest route off the Peregian roundabout, which leads to Coolum along David Low Way, past the high school.
“That sign only says ‘Peregian’. The turnoff to Coolum is indicated at the next roundabout at the state school which is a nightmare (at peak times),” Mr McCallum said.
He claimed some road signs also needed updating.
“The airport turnoff along the Sunshine Motorway (travelling south from Noosa) is still at Coolum, directing people past the state school,” Mr McCallum said.
Minutes could be saved by travelling further along the motorway and taking the new off-ramp which leads almost straight to the airport.
Mr McCallum said he was amazed there were in fact so few accidents as large trees on many traffic islands blocked the view of oncoming traffic.
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Recent comments on this article
And how many visitors, coming in from Bli Bli , have turned left at the Pacific Paradise roundabout for Noosa, missed the sign for Noosa, never mind the "little" turn off, and finished up heading for Coolum via David Low Way
As for finding your way ro Noosa Hospital, the signage is atrocious, there are signs at two roundabouts, then you are on your own. I headed for Cooroy TWICE before I was forced to ask a local.
And Pacific Paradise doesn't exist on the Motorway, you can go to Twin Waters and Mudgimba, Marcoola even the Airport, but not Pacific Paradise.
He looks like a sunny one. Most people have trouble getting around anywhere in the dark, with signs and street numbers missing. Roma is quite good, but I am not sure how much work they have for cabbies after dark out there.
Signage on the coast is terrible. My biggest nemesis is the street sign nicely covered by tree foliage so you can't read it...plenty of them around.
The coast is littered with poor signage, bad placement, signs obscured by trees, etc.... I would hate to be a visitor trying to find my away around the place. However the most dangerous ones are the unmaintained roadworks signs that leave drivers in total confusion as to whether roadworks are really in existence and as such they often just get ignored. I always try to strictly obey these signs but it gets very annoying when you realise the road works have been abandoned and there is no reason for the speed reduction and you have other frustrated motorists turned aggressive tailgators almost pushing you off the road. I don't know if signage is the responsibility of the council or main roads but they need to take some responisbility for this mess.
"Get council workers to trim overgrown trees when they see them" Thats the best joke i've heard for a while.
Has anyone ever seen the council do anything in the community without someone first having to filing a complaint?
Lived on the Coast for 30 years and still can't find his way around? Note to self - do not get into Tom's cab.
Should he be parked where he is?
He's in the right job if he can't find his way around.
In response to Ernie 61 - I agree entirely with you about the road works signage. I just wonder that if and when I get a speeding ticket in one of these numerous areas which I travel daily if a good solicitor will be able to get me off it. I too have slowed the speed on their signage but there is no work happening, the road is fine, but still the damned signs are out there.
Good excuse for taking the longest route.
note to ClarkKent, Tom was highlighting it is difiicult to find your way around even if you've lived here for years. It was not about HIM - he can obviously get around or he wouldn't be doing what he does - it is about the road signs and the headaches they cause.
Let's hope management haul him over the coals for this. If he has a gripe ( which does seems reasonable) then there is no need for him to drag Sunshine Coast Cabs into it. We quickly see some discrediting comments for what reason-his desire for some limelight.
New Dixon Road Roundabout - there is a wildlife "prison" adjacent to this new roundabout - you know, the one with the chain wire fence surrounding it and it has a sheet of tin at the top of the fence to stop the non-existent koalas from climbing out. Well I dont know if anyone else in a 4WD or truck has the same problem, but the addition of the tin to the top of the fence prevents you seeing any traffic on your right coming onto the roundabout. So it is both stupid and unsafe? And when there is an accident the council will need to show it is not obstructing the view of drivers?
while we're on signage, has anyone noticed the gradiant warning signs around the coast. eg, Pacific Terrace, Alex, where, as you approach a steep gradiant, we're advised by a yellow sign with a % on it.
I've always wondered what this means.
Is it SCRC advising us of the expected percentage increase in our next rates bill? Is it K Dudd advising us of his plans for a percentage increase in the GST?
When I went to school, these gradiants were measured in degrees (ie, 10°).
When did this change? Or are we just getting dumber?
I don't understand why Main Roads hasn't given more thought to the new Kawana Way link (linking Lake Kawana Boulevard, Kawana Way, Creekside Bvd and the new Corbould Way) signage indicating where you can access buy using the new link.
Surely there should be a sign on the new roundabout at Birtinya (near Spotlight) so that when one travels west from the Nicklin Way down Lake Kawana Boulevard that at the new roundabout turning left will take them to Courbould Park/Caloundra Rd/Bruce Hwy or that turning right will take then to Sunshine Motorway/Buderim/Mooloolaba
It astounds me.
Yep. If you want to go north on the Motorway from Mooloolaba it's convoluted: turn right from Brisbane Road onto the Motorway, then 500 metres later take the Mountain Creek exit, OFF THE MOTORWAY. Turn right at the roundabout and under the Motorway, then take the slip lane left at the next set of lights on the corner of Karawatha Drive and Prelude Drive. 20 metres after that, you then immediately turn left again onto the semi-circular on-ramp to the Motorway, this time heading east. Bear with me. Stay in that lane because you're about to leave the Motorway again, only this time it's onto a slip lane that curves around to the left and onto the Motorway (yep, the Motorway) northbound. Phew. Don't worry about the signs.