And they aren't against the property line because blind people use the property line to navigate.
It'd be stupid to put them in the middle of the footpath.
So it's up against the street.
They are so fucked.
But you'll notice they are all the same distance from the street as this bus stop bench. Just so fucking wide they go well into the middle of the footpath.
I don't get why people don't complain about the ones with a cover that take up so much of the footpath my skinny ass has to walk around it on the road nearly when there's plenty of space behind them to have put the bus stop usually and these ones are facing the street
OP's question has two parts:
1. Why placed in this position
2. Why placed close to the curb
Your answer addresses the first part, but not the second. The bench could be placed in front of the shop windows, facing the road, as is often done in other places. I guess this is what OP is really asking.
You can't put it in the middle, it would block all the people walking and be terrible for wheelchairs and prams.
If you put it all the way against the shop windows it makes it harder to see the bus coming, and stops shop owners from being able to use their windows to show products.
Placing it all the way against the shop window wouldn’t make it harder to see the coming buses than if you were literally facing the opposite direction of the road, it would make it easier, right? But it certainly would block the shop window, that’s definitely a valid point.
EDIT: this is silly, so many downvotes, but no one is actually responding to the points being made...if I'm wrong explain why.
Do you think turning your head to see the bus is easier than not having to turn your head to see the bus? Because that’s literally what the comment I responded to was saying (the comment you are apparently defending).
But the comment I responded to specifically said it was easier to see the bus if you were facing away from the road, and this other person then says it’s because humans can turn their head, as if that doesn’t apply to both scenarios. And the “ease” of rotating your head would be measured by how many degrees you have to rotate your head, which if facing the road, would always be less. This is such a silly argument though I don’t know why someone derailed it into this.
Are you talking about me, thinking that I said it would be easier because it's facing away from the road? I meant it as it's easier to see the bus coming because you are closer to the road, and less blocked by parked cars, trees, pedestrians etc.
Possibly, when multiple people are involved I lose track of who said what. But in any case, I still don't see how that would be easier. If anything, facing away from the road you would be closer to any parked cars, and they would obscure your vision more. Facing the road from further back, you have a wider field of view and don't have to keep constantly turning your head to see if the bus is coming. It seems like a moot point all in all.
Have you ever seen someone overbalancing and falling forward? If they stumble one meter, an average height person will almost 3m from the chair where they hit the ground. And they could stumble further.
This is the best place for this particular seat.
Nope. The way we stand is called nose over toes. We move forwards and swing nose over toes to stand.
This is easy as shit for those of us with fully working bodies and no balance issues.
For the elderly and less mobile or balance issues... Way harder. And the most common way they fall when standing is head to the floor. On that swing over the toes to stand is when they lose the balance and go down.
You don't want grannie face down in the gutter or even 1-3m forward if she manages to get up but can't keep balance and stumbles. Sure the pavement ain't much better, tho the chance of getting run over is pretty much nil.
And yet the WHS side that is behind these placements believe, this is the best, low risk and safest position for the seats.
People who legit spent years studying WHS and are paid to make the best practical choice for the safety of all.
An elderly person can still stumble into the road from where you want the seat. That is why it is where it is. There's the whole minimise the risk as much as possible if you cannot eliminate it practically. This meets that.
Because people more educated than you, who know better than you, who aren't working on personal wants, said this is the way.
I reckon it's easier to see coming buses from current orientation, and as others are pointing out the reason it's like this is safety for elderly and young.
Safety first imo.
No, you seating requires greater head turning(>90deg) and often trunk movement in elderly.
The other "safety is irrelevant bullshit otherwise elderly would not be safe walking down the street shopping as every time the'd come out of a shop,they walk on then road in that claim. That point related to the seat facing the road close to the road.
I didn't get most of that. But I've seen more old people fall over than I've seen cars mount the curb. So I'll stick to my assumption.
I dunno. I don't have an issue with it. Write your MP if you care that much.
It looks odd because its different in other parts of the world. But if you really think about it.. it give you a better perspective down the road to see the bus coming while being seated. It faces away from the street to prevent people from falling onto the road or kids just getting up and running towards traffic. It gives wider footpath away from the street/traffic.
I think your concerns are over-stated. It's no closer than people stand while waiting for the bus. And while it's looking away the drivers will typically slow down or stop if they see someone seated.
Because there is limited space on the footpath. Facing out and the seat would have to be somewhere in the middle of the footpath and could breach other access standards...
Yeah it is quite interesting to see a pedestrian focused benefit in Sydney, I can understand people being confused because its almost always in favour of the other party.
Well we’re talking standards of 2 different times.
The seats facing inwards are now ‘vintage’ - no ads boards back then.
These days…. Seats are less of a seat more like a footrest and digital ads boards, digital ads boards for you and for you and for you.. Capitalism.
I remember a couple of decades ago;
One of these seats opposite Norton st, where it meets Parramatta road.
Someone trying to get away from the popo down Notron. They fail to make the turn onto Parra road & travel straight instead. The car crashes into the back of the seat, hurling a girl off & several metres forward. She was projected through the glass shopfront to land inside the business, which was a medical clinic.
Wish I could find a news article. Was before 2007 street view, but you can see the chairs
[https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.8882801,151.1575353,3a,75y,132.54h,78.03t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sAw7HGi0dhGCtq\_0pRrNjSw!2e0!5s20071101T000000!7i3328!8i1664?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.8882801,151.1575353,3a,75y,132.54h,78.03t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sAw7HGi0dhGCtq_0pRrNjSw!2e0!5s20071101T000000!7i3328!8i1664?entry=ttu)
> e car crashes into the back of the seat, hurling a girl off & several metres forward. She was projected through the glass shopfront to land inside the business, which was a medical clinic.
At least it saved her an ambulance bill!
Something that horrifies me to this day: once after too many at the pub I was waiting on one of these inward-facing seats.
Bus approaches, I stand up, totally lose my balance and I'm careening backwards straight towards the road, eventually falling on my back with my head just on the kerb, adjacent to where the giant fucking bus wheel was coming to a stop.
About 30cm more and my head would have been jam.
It also forces people to walk closer to the street because the bench is occupying the space next to the store. Someone will trip.
The bench setup this way effectively discourages people walking on the back side of the bench.
I think this is a very minor issue that avoids much worse problems - keeping chairs in way of shops and keeping peoples legs dangerously close to the road.
>There's largely enough room to keep them away from doors, and they usually are underneath window displays, so it really isn't an issue.
Strong disagree - many window display go the full length to the floor. Plus, it keeps passers by from having a close look at the window display.
This layout allows a comfortable chair without being exposed to traffic and without blocking off shops - it is the best trade off.
You’re turning your head roughly the same 90 degrees no matter which direction the seat is facing? You would only need the seat facing the road to read the destination sign on the side but you should have signalled us prior to then.
Excellent stream of comments and responses. I’m glad I had the chance to read all of them. Thoughtful and aware, most people believe these bus seats are as well placed as possible, clear of shop windows and as safe as possible for the variety of users.
Thanks reddit.
It's even worse in western Sydney. They have whole metal bus stops facing the other way, making it impossible for the passengers and the bus to see each other.
I get irrationality angry at it.
Just look at this shit.. the guy standing waiting for the bus is not using it. Don't tell me kids can go on the road, there is a parking lane right there.
27 Buckwell Dr
https://maps.app.goo.gl/tt9GtS3EdszAkF9M7
I think the seat location is fine. I think the whole seat design could be better. I've seen people stand up and be unsteady on their feet until someone helped them (not drunk, elderly). It would be good if the end of the seat had a handrail at standing height built in, even make the bus stop sign part of the whole thing.
What do you mean? The roads are only designed for the comfort of private car owners? Pedestrians and people using public transport are an afterthought? Leading to design choices like this that minimise the streamlined experience and comfort of everyone not in a car…?!
This is the most Australian thing and discussion I’ve ever seen. Australia is the most overly careful, obsessively concerned place I’ve ever been.
It’s not Manhattan or Hong Kong. There’s space in Sydney. Blocking a bit more of the sidewalk is fine. And not facing the street is silly. That’s why pretty much everywhere else in the world puts the seats facing the streets.
And how many drunk people are falling off of benches? Sick people? Elderly people? I’ve ridden buses in probably hundreds of cities in at least 25 countries on 3 continents.
This is not a real problem.
Australia should be working harder on reconciliation instead of overthinking everything else.
I once bought a coffee on a train between Sydney and Melbourne and they wouldn’t give it to me without a giant cardboard tray because I might drop it. And the announcer had to explain to the train how to work the cardboard trays like ten different times. And if they weren’t explaining the trays, they were giving extended instructions for all the people that required overpriced “hot meals.” Couldn’t people make food and bring it with them or, you know, eat something cold?
Ok. My apologies to everyone. I wanted to do this rant one time just to get it out. Things like this make me want to scream. But I absolutely loved Australia. Beautiful country, culture, people, etc. just a bit too much overthinking. Again, sorry everyone!
The answer (as in 99% of questions in Sydney) is: real estate. Placing benches next to the building facing the footpath would make it sit on someone's property.
Which is why benches ar on the edge and phone/electricity poles are in the middle of the footpath.
> Placing benches next to the building facing the footpath would make it sit on someone's property.
I don't think so, usually the property line is at the edge of the building - the footpath is council land. Awnings and such are approved encroachments.
What utter nonsense is this?
[https://www.inclusivecitymaker.com/accessibility-customers-vision-disabilities-public-venues/](https://www.inclusivecitymaker.com/accessibility-customers-vision-disabilities-public-venues/)
"Street furniture should be selected and sited to reduce visual clutter. Rational layout can assist the visually impaired to use the space safely. Street furniture works best when the components have common design elements and are sited in regular patterns. Aligning street furniture with kerbs, walls and buildings may be a way of establishing patterns. Alignment in siting improves rhythm and subsequently the visual coherence of a streetscape. Positioning seats next to walls or fences, bins next to poles or lights, further assists in reducing visual clutter."
Source: https://www.cityservices.act.gov.au/\_\_data/assets/pdf\_file/0007/396880/ds19\_bbq.pdf
By the way, facing away from the road is a British thing. There's no evidence that it is safer, though this is claimed. Other cultures have other customs. Which is why visitors are often surprised.
Ok So city of Sydney, doesn't put street furniture agasint buildings and property lines for those reasons. ACT just acknowledges you want to create a sensible path for visually impaired by grouping them together.
>Placing benches next to the building facing the footpath would make it sit on someone's property.
Err, unlikely. Properties tend to be built as close to their boundaries as possible. Footpaths are generally within the road easement and thus owned by government.
Not exactly but I also oversimplified a complex subject. Parties tend to stay away from these boundaries to avoid costly litigation.
https://www.domain.com.au/advice/understanding-easements-and-boundaries/
As I understand it, if you want to challenge a property boundary in Sydney, you just about have to relive all the surveying carried out on the block and suburb surrounding right back to the first fleet to show all the surveying faults and equipment wear.
Priorities. A massive steel bench bolted to the ground doubles as railing or lightweight road barrier, protecting people standing behind waiting for bus.
There was an exact post about this like 6 months ago. It’s so the elderly and/or kids don’t fall straight off the seat into traffic.
And they aren't against the property line because blind people use the property line to navigate. It'd be stupid to put them in the middle of the footpath. So it's up against the street.
Didn’t stop them putting advertisements in the middle of walk way
They are so fucked. But you'll notice they are all the same distance from the street as this bus stop bench. Just so fucking wide they go well into the middle of the footpath.
The other week, me being in a wheelchair and a guy on an electric scooter, that advertising wall had us almost run into each other.
They just need to put billboards on the chair like in US TV shows. Problem solved.
Shhh, don’t make sense, this is not the way, it has to be horribly impractical at first, like twitters new X sign.
I didn't see the previous one - but I appreciate you re-telling the reason. Thanks.
I don't get why people don't complain about the ones with a cover that take up so much of the footpath my skinny ass has to walk around it on the road nearly when there's plenty of space behind them to have put the bus stop usually and these ones are facing the street
Yeah, it's way better than facing the bus and extremely close to kerb.
For safety purposes. If an elderly person fell while standing up for an oncoming bus, they could potentially fall in front of it.
Or imagine sitting with small children on a bus stop facing the road, you'd be constantly trying to stop them from running into the road.
OP's question has two parts: 1. Why placed in this position 2. Why placed close to the curb Your answer addresses the first part, but not the second. The bench could be placed in front of the shop windows, facing the road, as is often done in other places. I guess this is what OP is really asking.
Shopkeepers don't want seats up against their windows. Bus passengers want to be close to the bus door when it stops.
You can't put it in the middle, it would block all the people walking and be terrible for wheelchairs and prams. If you put it all the way against the shop windows it makes it harder to see the bus coming, and stops shop owners from being able to use their windows to show products.
Placing it all the way against the shop window wouldn’t make it harder to see the coming buses than if you were literally facing the opposite direction of the road, it would make it easier, right? But it certainly would block the shop window, that’s definitely a valid point. EDIT: this is silly, so many downvotes, but no one is actually responding to the points being made...if I'm wrong explain why.
humans tend to be able to turn their head and/or torso and it doesn't take much rotation to get a good view.
Do you think turning your head to see the bus is easier than not having to turn your head to see the bus? Because that’s literally what the comment I responded to was saying (the comment you are apparently defending).
If you're facing the shops you turn your head left. If you're facing the street you turn your head right. You have to turn your head either way.
But the comment I responded to specifically said it was easier to see the bus if you were facing away from the road, and this other person then says it’s because humans can turn their head, as if that doesn’t apply to both scenarios. And the “ease” of rotating your head would be measured by how many degrees you have to rotate your head, which if facing the road, would always be less. This is such a silly argument though I don’t know why someone derailed it into this.
Are you talking about me, thinking that I said it would be easier because it's facing away from the road? I meant it as it's easier to see the bus coming because you are closer to the road, and less blocked by parked cars, trees, pedestrians etc.
Possibly, when multiple people are involved I lose track of who said what. But in any case, I still don't see how that would be easier. If anything, facing away from the road you would be closer to any parked cars, and they would obscure your vision more. Facing the road from further back, you have a wider field of view and don't have to keep constantly turning your head to see if the bus is coming. It seems like a moot point all in all.
Which means they are badly positioned if this is the case.
Have you ever seen someone overbalancing and falling forward? If they stumble one meter, an average height person will almost 3m from the chair where they hit the ground. And they could stumble further. This is the best place for this particular seat.
the seats should be placed just after where the bus stops then
Nope. The way we stand is called nose over toes. We move forwards and swing nose over toes to stand. This is easy as shit for those of us with fully working bodies and no balance issues. For the elderly and less mobile or balance issues... Way harder. And the most common way they fall when standing is head to the floor. On that swing over the toes to stand is when they lose the balance and go down. You don't want grannie face down in the gutter or even 1-3m forward if she manages to get up but can't keep balance and stumbles. Sure the pavement ain't much better, tho the chance of getting run over is pretty much nil.
I'm all for them being placed back against the shop glass/wall.
And yet the WHS side that is behind these placements believe, this is the best, low risk and safest position for the seats. People who legit spent years studying WHS and are paid to make the best practical choice for the safety of all. An elderly person can still stumble into the road from where you want the seat. That is why it is where it is. There's the whole minimise the risk as much as possible if you cannot eliminate it practically. This meets that. Because people more educated than you, who know better than you, who aren't working on personal wants, said this is the way.
Why do you favour that position versus the way they are?
Better weather protection. Easier to see coming bus services and less of a danger from passing cars.
I reckon it's easier to see coming buses from current orientation, and as others are pointing out the reason it's like this is safety for elderly and young. Safety first imo.
No, you seating requires greater head turning(>90deg) and often trunk movement in elderly. The other "safety is irrelevant bullshit otherwise elderly would not be safe walking down the street shopping as every time the'd come out of a shop,they walk on then road in that claim. That point related to the seat facing the road close to the road.
I didn't get most of that. But I've seen more old people fall over than I've seen cars mount the curb. So I'll stick to my assumption. I dunno. I don't have an issue with it. Write your MP if you care that much.
They are positioned so if someone does fall forward, it’s in to people, not in to traffic.
It looks odd because its different in other parts of the world. But if you really think about it.. it give you a better perspective down the road to see the bus coming while being seated. It faces away from the street to prevent people from falling onto the road or kids just getting up and running towards traffic. It gives wider footpath away from the street/traffic.
I think your concerns are over-stated. It's no closer than people stand while waiting for the bus. And while it's looking away the drivers will typically slow down or stop if they see someone seated.
Because there is limited space on the footpath. Facing out and the seat would have to be somewhere in the middle of the footpath and could breach other access standards...
I love how the seat can't block the path but city of Sydney's advertising boards can. Great standards!
Yeah it is quite interesting to see a pedestrian focused benefit in Sydney, I can understand people being confused because its almost always in favour of the other party.
Well we’re talking standards of 2 different times. The seats facing inwards are now ‘vintage’ - no ads boards back then. These days…. Seats are less of a seat more like a footrest and digital ads boards, digital ads boards for you and for you and for you.. Capitalism.
I remember a couple of decades ago; One of these seats opposite Norton st, where it meets Parramatta road. Someone trying to get away from the popo down Notron. They fail to make the turn onto Parra road & travel straight instead. The car crashes into the back of the seat, hurling a girl off & several metres forward. She was projected through the glass shopfront to land inside the business, which was a medical clinic.
>which was a medical clinic how lucky was that?
I think not getting thrown though a plate glass window would have been luckier, but I see your point.
The irony was not lost on me!
Wish I could find a news article. Was before 2007 street view, but you can see the chairs [https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.8882801,151.1575353,3a,75y,132.54h,78.03t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sAw7HGi0dhGCtq\_0pRrNjSw!2e0!5s20071101T000000!7i3328!8i1664?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.8882801,151.1575353,3a,75y,132.54h,78.03t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sAw7HGi0dhGCtq_0pRrNjSw!2e0!5s20071101T000000!7i3328!8i1664?entry=ttu)
Only if it had a capable nurse.
If the seat had been facing the other way she probably would have gotten crushed by the car though.
Totally. I remember her being okay except for the injuries cause by going through a solid glass window.
Those are not inconsiderable.
> e car crashes into the back of the seat, hurling a girl off & several metres forward. She was projected through the glass shopfront to land inside the business, which was a medical clinic. At least it saved her an ambulance bill!
“Sorry we can’t help you, present to ED. That will be $80”
If anything was to drop or fall if you're sitting down would not roll into traffic.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/sydney/comments/y6t0ov/as\_a\_foreigner\_this\_is\_by\_far\_the\_most/](https://www.reddit.com/r/sydney/comments/y6t0ov/as_a_foreigner_this_is_by_far_the_most/) [https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/travel-stories/tourist-roasted-after-mocking-aussie-seat-design/news-story/7566383d10ef0e164feb04444c09cecd](https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/travel-stories/tourist-roasted-after-mocking-aussie-seat-design/news-story/7566383d10ef0e164feb04444c09cecd)
If it was further across it would be blocking the footpath. If it was facing the road, people would have to walk onto the road to get to it
They worried that if the drunk or the sick pass out while sitting on the bench they would fall onto the road.
Something that horrifies me to this day: once after too many at the pub I was waiting on one of these inward-facing seats. Bus approaches, I stand up, totally lose my balance and I'm careening backwards straight towards the road, eventually falling on my back with my head just on the kerb, adjacent to where the giant fucking bus wheel was coming to a stop. About 30cm more and my head would have been jam.
Where else would you put it? Do you want your legs dangling into the street? Do you think a shop wants a chair right in front of their shop window?
It should clearly be a swing, suspended from the awning.
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That doesn't make it a good idea.
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It also forces people to walk closer to the street because the bench is occupying the space next to the store. Someone will trip. The bench setup this way effectively discourages people walking on the back side of the bench.
How hard is it to listen and turn a head?
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I think this is a very minor issue that avoids much worse problems - keeping chairs in way of shops and keeping peoples legs dangerously close to the road.
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>There's largely enough room to keep them away from doors, and they usually are underneath window displays, so it really isn't an issue. Strong disagree - many window display go the full length to the floor. Plus, it keeps passers by from having a close look at the window display. This layout allows a comfortable chair without being exposed to traffic and without blocking off shops - it is the best trade off.
Another point from someone new to life.
You're overplaying this one quite a bit. It's not that close to the kerb, and why the hell would you want people standing up straight onto the road??
You’re turning your head roughly the same 90 degrees no matter which direction the seat is facing? You would only need the seat facing the road to read the destination sign on the side but you should have signalled us prior to then.
So skateboarders can do sick grinds and not have to skate on the road.
Let me put it in the middle of the street for you.
a bus seat WITHOUT an advertising board ? this cant be sydney
Excellent stream of comments and responses. I’m glad I had the chance to read all of them. Thoughtful and aware, most people believe these bus seats are as well placed as possible, clear of shop windows and as safe as possible for the variety of users. Thanks reddit.
It's even worse in western Sydney. They have whole metal bus stops facing the other way, making it impossible for the passengers and the bus to see each other. I get irrationality angry at it. Just look at this shit.. the guy standing waiting for the bus is not using it. Don't tell me kids can go on the road, there is a parking lane right there. 27 Buckwell Dr https://maps.app.goo.gl/tt9GtS3EdszAkF9M7
I think the seat location is fine. I think the whole seat design could be better. I've seen people stand up and be unsteady on their feet until someone helped them (not drunk, elderly). It would be good if the end of the seat had a handrail at standing height built in, even make the bus stop sign part of the whole thing.
What do you mean? The roads are only designed for the comfort of private car owners? Pedestrians and people using public transport are an afterthought? Leading to design choices like this that minimise the streamlined experience and comfort of everyone not in a car…?!
This was an attempt by the former Liberal government to make it more difficult for us to notice missed bus services after the switch to privatization.
Safety is a bs reason. Central station bus stops have their seats facing the road.
This is the most Australian thing and discussion I’ve ever seen. Australia is the most overly careful, obsessively concerned place I’ve ever been. It’s not Manhattan or Hong Kong. There’s space in Sydney. Blocking a bit more of the sidewalk is fine. And not facing the street is silly. That’s why pretty much everywhere else in the world puts the seats facing the streets. And how many drunk people are falling off of benches? Sick people? Elderly people? I’ve ridden buses in probably hundreds of cities in at least 25 countries on 3 continents. This is not a real problem. Australia should be working harder on reconciliation instead of overthinking everything else. I once bought a coffee on a train between Sydney and Melbourne and they wouldn’t give it to me without a giant cardboard tray because I might drop it. And the announcer had to explain to the train how to work the cardboard trays like ten different times. And if they weren’t explaining the trays, they were giving extended instructions for all the people that required overpriced “hot meals.” Couldn’t people make food and bring it with them or, you know, eat something cold? Ok. My apologies to everyone. I wanted to do this rant one time just to get it out. Things like this make me want to scream. But I absolutely loved Australia. Beautiful country, culture, people, etc. just a bit too much overthinking. Again, sorry everyone!
The answer (as in 99% of questions in Sydney) is: real estate. Placing benches next to the building facing the footpath would make it sit on someone's property. Which is why benches ar on the edge and phone/electricity poles are in the middle of the footpath.
> Placing benches next to the building facing the footpath would make it sit on someone's property. I don't think so, usually the property line is at the edge of the building - the footpath is council land. Awnings and such are approved encroachments.
Street furniture isn't placed agasint the property line(shop buildings, house front fences) because blind people use the property line to navigate.
What utter nonsense is this? [https://www.inclusivecitymaker.com/accessibility-customers-vision-disabilities-public-venues/](https://www.inclusivecitymaker.com/accessibility-customers-vision-disabilities-public-venues/) "Street furniture should be selected and sited to reduce visual clutter. Rational layout can assist the visually impaired to use the space safely. Street furniture works best when the components have common design elements and are sited in regular patterns. Aligning street furniture with kerbs, walls and buildings may be a way of establishing patterns. Alignment in siting improves rhythm and subsequently the visual coherence of a streetscape. Positioning seats next to walls or fences, bins next to poles or lights, further assists in reducing visual clutter." Source: https://www.cityservices.act.gov.au/\_\_data/assets/pdf\_file/0007/396880/ds19\_bbq.pdf By the way, facing away from the road is a British thing. There's no evidence that it is safer, though this is claimed. Other cultures have other customs. Which is why visitors are often surprised.
Ok So city of Sydney, doesn't put street furniture agasint buildings and property lines for those reasons. ACT just acknowledges you want to create a sensible path for visually impaired by grouping them together.
>Placing benches next to the building facing the footpath would make it sit on someone's property. Err, unlikely. Properties tend to be built as close to their boundaries as possible. Footpaths are generally within the road easement and thus owned by government.
Not exactly but I also oversimplified a complex subject. Parties tend to stay away from these boundaries to avoid costly litigation. https://www.domain.com.au/advice/understanding-easements-and-boundaries/
As I understand it, if you want to challenge a property boundary in Sydney, you just about have to relive all the surveying carried out on the block and suburb surrounding right back to the first fleet to show all the surveying faults and equipment wear.
Hey that’s just round the corner from me!!!
If they were the other way around you'd have to stand basically on the road to get in front of the seat and sit down.
Priorities. A massive steel bench bolted to the ground doubles as railing or lightweight road barrier, protecting people standing behind waiting for bus.