Shire Novice Causes Peak Hour Chaos by Sitting in Left Lane at Taren Point Lights: Locals Outraged

Riley Corbett | Crimes Reporter | Sutherland Shire Gazette

11 April 2025

TAREN POINT — Traffic came to a screeching halt and at least six iced lattes were spilled in frustration on Thursday morning when a driver unfamiliar with local etiquette dared to sit in the left lane while going straight through the notorious Parraweena Rd and Taren Point Rd intersection.

The rookie error blocked an entire queue of city-bound commuters attempting to turn left — an act widely considered in the Shire as a cardinal sin, right up there with incorrectly front to kerb at Shelly Beach.

“You never sit in the left lane unless you're turning left. Everyone knows that — or should,” said tradie Paulie “Chainsaw” Deluca, who was forced to wait through four light cycles behind the offending hatchback. “My work ute nearly melted. Absolute chaos.”

The unwritten but strictly observed Shire Rule has existed since the invention of traffic itself, passed down from generation to generation via passive-aggressive beeps and the occasional death stare.

Witnesses say the driver, believed to be new to the area, was spotted nervously consulting Google Maps and wearing a Mona Vale surf club cap. “Out-of-towner,” one commuter muttered grimly.

Following hundred’s of Snap Send Solves submitted over recent weeks, local authorities have considered installing signage to clarify the intersection’s unspoken laws, but Council says it’s “a cultural thing” best learned the hard way.

The driver has reportedly been offered counselling, a crash course in Shire etiquette, and a mandatory week observing peak hour from the Five Ways Miranda.