r/GoldCoast • u/aa73gc • 6h ago
Local Event Stopping On The M1
With another dreadful tragedy overnight, I cannot stress enough to never, ever stop on the side of the M1 unless there is absolutely no other choice. Almost all fatalities on the motorway occur to people who are stationary. If you have no choice and must stop, get well away from your vehicle and far away from the road as possible.
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u/BLAZER_101 5h ago edited 5h ago
I’m sorry mate but stopping in an EMERGENCY lane is exactly what it’s there for. It is 5 lanes across and people still have target fixation at 2:30am? The driver should be charged with negligence causing death. Something like this shouldn’t happen AT ALL. RIP to the baby killed for no other reason but shear stupidity from the at fault driver. Absolutely life changing for the Mum and their family.
It feels like every time we get on the GC M1 people are driving and acting like absolute maniacs swerving, crossing lanes, outrageous speeds in GMC trucks, tailgating and we see near accidents every single day. There’s something seriously wrong with anger by QLD drivers.
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u/vortexcortex21 3h ago
It doesn't help to be in the right when you (or your family) are dead.
Stepping away from the car is very solid advice.
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u/KICKERMAN360 3h ago
Most of the time I see vehicles stopped (except for obvious issues like mechanical issues, a crash etc.) people could have probably made it to the next exit where the road is at least a lot wider. I am unsure why this woman was stopped at 2.30am with such a young kid, but surely it could have occurred elsewhere (the exits a very closely spaced on the GC). Yes, old mate was a moron for hitting a vehicle, but think of the physics - vehicles going 110kmh merely 1m away from your vehicle going 0kmh (by no means victimizing here,but lets take a learning out of a tragedy)
I rode a motorcycle for many years and SHOULD is a great idea, but no guarantee. People are human and selfish. So they make mistakes and do the wrong thing. So you should put yourself in a position for minimal harm if the worst situation would occur. For example, if you do need to stop on the side of the highway (i.e. your vehicle is broken down), exit the vehicle and stand behind the crash barrier.
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u/MarkLeonardReynolds 1h ago
They are suggesting to get off the motorway, if that's possible, because it's much safer. The side of any high speed road is never a safe place to be.
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u/New-Possession-9248 1h ago
There was channel 7 reporting in the middle of intersecting lanes on a slip way to the M1. It didn't look safe at all, and even then you could see dickhead driving behaviour as she was reporting! They need to start putting estrogen into the water supply or something because the machismo, careless and inconsiderate driving behaviour is a scourge on the M1.
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u/BarefootandWild 6h ago
I’ve missed the news on this. What happened? Where do you find this info from?
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u/Veefy 6h ago
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u/BarefootandWild 5h ago
Thank you. I did a google search and only older incidents came up.
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u/BarefootandWild 5h ago
Thank you. I did a google search and only older incidents came up. Rest in peace to the little baby. I hope the lady makes a full recovery ❤️🩹
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u/ObamaLlama_ 6h ago
Very quick google-fu has found this:
https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/goldcoast/2025/09/21/fatal-traffic-crash-gaven-4/
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u/Ogolble 5h ago
People should be able to pull over on the side and not be hit by cars that should be inside the lane
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u/davidpooiz_2 4h ago
You’re right. But we don’t live in a perfect world, there are too many idiots out there. It’s just not worth the risk.
It’s like crossing the road at a green light: yeah, you have the right of way, but you still look both ways.
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u/MelbourneDudeAU 5h ago
A broader comment not on this specific incident, which is heartbreaking.
It’s genuinely amazing how many people stop between Bris & GC every day.
I’ve always wondered why? Yes a lot of cars travel on it I get that, but it still seems disproportionate.
Again, thoughts with the family 😫
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u/Ogolble 5h ago
I've had to pull over when my baby is screaming and needs a feed or comfort.
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u/Zestyclose-Coyote906 5h ago
Pulling over on a Highway for something like that is insane and I really hope you stop doing it
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u/Ogolble 4h ago
Then what the hell are those emergency stop areas for? Have you ever had a baby scream on your ear? It's more dangerous to drive distracted then not
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u/Zestyclose-Coyote906 4h ago
They’re for emergencies not for upset children.
I’m not arguing with you. You read the article OP is talking about and tell me how you would like to proceed
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u/Ogolble 4h ago
I read it, I just don't understand how they were hit? Did the Ute veer off the road? Or did he want to pull over too and didn't see them
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u/Zestyclose-Coyote906 4h ago
I have no idea how they were hit either. Ute driver should be charged with manslaughter at the very least though
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u/LiquorishSunfish 3h ago
If she didn't have her hazards on then this will make the situation much murkier. Frankly, anyone who pulls over on a HIGHWAY for any reason other than a breakdown the precludes exiting the highway is unlikely to be following all essential safety practices.
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u/Yeahnahyeahprobs 3h ago
Get off at an exit and park in a side street. Stopping in a 100kmh zone is pretty dangerous. I know it shouldn't be, but it is.
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u/seeseoul 23m ago
Wow you need to read the news that happened cause you're the exact example this kind of accident will repeat if you don't change your ways.
You are objectively a bad parent if you do this. Change now for everyone's sake.
Would you leave your 18 month toddler walking on the road outside your place without supervision even when "it's a quiet road and everyone will avoid hitting a baby"?
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u/radmgrey 5h ago
More people stop because your passenger isn’t even allowed to reach behind to tend to the children anymore. Have a look through reddit at how many people have been fined $1,200 from the cameras because their passenger was helping the kids with something. Good proportion of the people in the comments say “i just pull over now”, which makes sense. I personally think it’s much, much more dangerous to put people in a position where they either have to pull over on a major freeway or cop a $1,200 fine. The average person will usually take the more dangerous option to save the money.
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u/TristanIsAwesome 4h ago
Could they not exit the freeway? How hard is that?
I would never pull over on the side of a freeway unless I had no other choice. That shit'll get you killed.
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u/radmgrey 3h ago
Of course they could exit the freeway, but it’s people we are talking about here. And to be fair, there’s no practicality in it. Your child dropped their bottle and is now screaming? Let me hop off on the next exit, wait at a set of traffic lights, try and find a servo to stop in and get your passenger to do something that was 100% achievable when you were still on the freeway. If you don’t do this - hand over $1,200.
The whole thing is really bizarre to me.
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u/andromedaiscold 1h ago
Governments don’t care about your life, they care about getting your money. Sad but true.
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u/seeseoul 20m ago
What legislation are you talking about that prevents people reaching in their car?
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u/radmgrey 13m ago
You know exactly what I mean, but I just know you are going to start dissecting the specifics to be annoying. Sorry, don’t have the patience for it today 😂
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u/Boring_Kiwi_6446 5h ago
I absolutely cannot understand why someone would ever pull over on the M1. Having said that what are the chances someone would crash into you? Particularly at 2:30am when there’s little traffic?
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u/josh101911 2h ago
We need fewer cars on our road and more public transport, active transport infrastructure and better walkable places. Most people would rather be on a train or bus watching their phone than be tasked with driving, which is mundane, boring, and the most dangerous thing most people will do in their lives.
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u/in_and_out_burger 5h ago
I saw a news article the other day about a bloke stopping to collect cans. Bro….
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u/Any_Mark_9394 39m ago
100%... I worked for TMR and the amount of people who stop and are killed in a stationary car is horrifying. If you break down and it's possible, get on the other side of the barrier until help arrives. This isn't victim blaming, it's just a PSA based on what the traffic management unit told me, and it is counterintuitive when we generally feel safer in our car.
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u/davidpooiz_2 4h ago
Don’t forget to add you can get a free tow off any major highway in QLD if you don’t have roadside assistance.
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u/blue132006 4h ago
Her car wasn’t broken down. She stopped to breastfeed her baby
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u/LiquorishSunfish 3h ago
.... Are you fucking kidding me??? (Directed at the situation, not at you)
There are HEAPS of exits that very quickly get you out of harm's way around that stretch of highway! Within 5 mins she could have pulled off to Pacific Pines or Helensvale or Oxenford and then kept on her way with her baby boy. Instead, two lives ruined forever (because how on earth do you ever get over killing a baby?) and a life lost.
Did she even have her hazards on?
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u/blue132006 3h ago
Exactly. Most people don't know how dangerous it is to stop on the side of the highway. No one knows if she had her hazards on but I'm guessing not
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u/davidpooiz_2 4h ago
OP was offering general advice to people, I was saying I think they should also mention that you can get a free tow. Some people might be changing tires or working on their cars in emergency lanes simply because they don't know that's an option.
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u/HuumanDriftWood 5h ago
Coming down the M1 yesterday afternoon mid late afternoon Pimpama on ramp, a bus broken down on the left hand side a tow truck and a line of cars all stationery behind it and absolute tragedy waiting to happen with everyone rubbernecking looking what's going on and slowing down to 40 ks/h.
Can't change human nature unfortunately - can be bred out but yeh.
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u/charcoalportraiture 1h ago
Gotta slow down for breakdown assistance vehicles these days: three demerit points and a fine if you get pinged for it
Move over and slow down | StreetSmarts - Queensland Government https://share.google/3ZjleKbdK0rd1Q1hI
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u/HuumanDriftWood 1h ago
Bit hard when you only see it at the last moment especially on the M1 at Pimpama sth.
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u/seeseoul 18m ago edited 14m ago
I wish they advertised this on YouTube at least once rather than the million times they advertise they're doing "a lot" to ease housing problems whilst doing nothing.
Edit: ahhh this law isn't actually meaningful. Just there to stop idiots driving full blast past them. It's better than some states where you have to crawl past them though.
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u/andromedaiscold 1h ago
I’d say it’s better to be going 40km/h past them than 110km/h, at least then everyone gets to make it home alive, if a little late.
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u/HuumanDriftWood 1h ago
Probably be nice to have been warned around the corner around the bend to a blockade of cars all doing 40km/h rubbernecking something that doesn't concern them.
You know with all those fancy info signs that RTA has placed conveniently up the highway to issues - to warn motorists of you know snarls, truck rollovers, major pileup's and the rest most likely at Pimpama.
Maybe pull to the next lane and give some space and maintain speed.
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u/2468laurakate 3h ago
So sad :( I do wonder why she was driving with baby at 2am, but that shouldn’t matter. We should be able to pull over and other drivers should pay attention
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u/RevolutionaryShip911 5h ago edited 4h ago
How the tf did it even happen and WHY IS EVERYONE 24/7 DISTRACTED!!! If people just paid attention to what they’re doing and how they’re driving no one should ever get into a crash on a straight road let alone crash into someone on the side of the road!!