Truck bowls over traffic light post

By Brendan Rees

A truck driver who drastically misjudged a corner in Docklands has bowled over a traffic light post.

According to police, the truck was traveling along Bourke St when it mounted the curb as it tried to turn into Collins St about 10.30pm on November 19.

Luckily no one was injured, and police are investigating the incident.

Witness Ajay Viswanath said he was sitting on his balcony on Bourke St when he heard braking noises.

He said the driver of the truck, believed to have been towing a trailer, got out of his cabin and began speaking to someone, presumably to seek help with directions.

“He went on to turn the truck towards Collins St [left from Bourke St] and I saw the second trailer knocking off the traffic signal post on the Bourke St as it got on the foot path and I heard a few other knocking noises too which must have been bins and posts,” he said.

“I could see the post fall with the full force [of the truck]. If someone was standing there they would’ve definitely been hurt.”

“I think his wheel got stuck or something, so he was there for two minutes, I think he reversed and tried to squeeze in and get out of the place.”

Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said it wasn’t so much that safety was an issue as for the loud noise “that constantly wakes you up before the 7am legal start time”.

“They have unfortunately mixed commercial with residential which is a disastrous idea and spoiled Docklands forever because you are paying millions of dollars for apartments/ properties that constantly have construction noise, and construction trucks which in turn cause lots of damage to our streets like the incident in question,” the resident said.

The Docklands Residents’ Group expressed concerns of construction trucks using Harbour Esplanade as a shortcut with “multiple close calls” at pedestrian crossings •

Caption: A traffic light post was bowled over at the corner of Collins and Bourke streets. Picture: Facebook.