A confrontation between a motorcyclist and a woman at a tram stop has sparked heated debate among Australians.
Footage shared on social media showed a motorcyclist who stopped next to a tram in Melbourne’s city centre but then tried to move forward despite a green light when he noticed the tram doors were “still closed”.
However, commuters began crossing the street towards the tram, forcing the passenger to stop.
A woman who was crossing the street stopped in front of the motorcyclist and waved her hand. She gestured for the man to stand still while she crossed and asked him, “What are you doing?”
The motorcyclist responded with profanities and asked: “What the fuck?”
Then his 2024 Yamaha R7 accelerated and he pulled away behind her through the green light.
“Don’t block the roads, ma’am,” he later added in commentary on the video.
The brief interaction sparked hundreds of comments online after being shared hundreds of times.
Many commentators sided with the woman in the right-of-way dispute.
One commentator said the passenger might have been at fault for the tram stopping, but it was difficult to tell because the tram’s stop signs were not visible.
However, many came to Karen’s defense.
“Karen is right. All vehicles must stop until the tram signals are turned off,” wrote one viewer.
“In this case the motorcyclist is Karen,” said another.
Some seemed to find it difficult to understand the rules regarding tram stops on Melbourne’s roads.
“I actually have no knowledge of traffic rules around trams, and I get stressed every time I drive near the city… I go there about once every five years,” one user wrote.
“This seems like a really bad design for a transportation system,” said another.
However, the rules regarding trams and stops were provided by numerous commentators.
“The general rule is that if a tram stops, you must stop to let passengers board or alight,” wrote one Melbourne resident.
VicRoads states that “when a tram stops, you stop”, with the expectation that all vehicles allow pedestrians to pass and board the tram.
‘At highway stops you have to stand behind the tram until the doors close and pedestrians have finished crossing.
‘Once the tram doors have closed and all pedestrians have left the road, the tram may be overtaken. It is not permitted to travel faster than 10 km/h when overtaking a stopped tram with its doors closed.’
Drivers who fail to stop for trams in Victoria can face on-the-spot fines of $462.