Lake Burley Griffin traffic rules

Gordon Marcks, Head Rowing Coach at ACTAS, has some comments on safe winter rowing on Lake Burley Griffin: With our return to the water, also comes the reminder about adherence to the traffic rules and the need to do your best to minimise any risk to yourself as well as others. The traffic rules are well documented, publicised and accepted and anyone who chooses to cut-corners exposes themselves to being held liable for any damage or injury in the advent of an accident. If an athlete is negligent they can expect to be held personally responsible and may find that [their Club's] insurance will not be used to pay for the damage. Some areas of particular concern are:

• The turn around in East Basin and Scrivener Dam,
• The long stretch between Museum Point and Spinnaker Island,
• The turn in front of Black Mtn Rowing Club going towards the course,
• The start and finish lines on the course and
• The area directly in front of the AIS.

Great care needs to be taken in these areas, and even if you are on the correct sidebe vigilant and on the look out at all times for other rowers who may have inadvertently found themselves in the wrong. There have been a few near misses where everyone thinks they are in the right. "Please report ALL collisions and even near misses as soon as possible directly to [your club] so that [they] can follow them up, hopefully making the lake a safer place for everyone." Note that lake traffic maps are available through the ACTRA Info link on the index to your left. We are currently negotiating with the Water Police and NCA to place a new turning buoy near Black Mountain.

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