Vague parking signage at a Melbourne town centre has sparked confusion with many shoppers left scratching their heads at its possible meaning.
Australia Automobile Association Managing Director Michael Bradley says Australia has a road toll problem which is “going in the wrong direction”.
Mr Bradley joined Sky News Australia to discuss the push for transparency on road data as well as the new vehicle efficiency standards.
“To understand it, the data we need is collected by state governments, it’s not released by them, it’s not shared with anyone, we can’t compare what’s happening in different jurisdictions,” he said.
“We can’t talk to you about the quality of their road network, we can’t talk to you about the causes of the crashes that killed 1,286 people last year, we can’t talk to you about which law enforcement regime or which road rules are working, and which ones aren’t.
“All of this is collected, none of this is shared.”
The signage, appearing this week at Harpley Town Centre in Wyndham Vale, shows the universal symbols for a male and female with nothing else to signify who the parking is for.
Shoppers shared their thoughts to 7NEWS about what the meaning could be, with answers ranging dramatically.
There were many who believed it meant there had to be more than one person in the car.
The signage which appeared this week has left many scratching their heads. Picture: 7NEWS.
“We saw that and thought, well, it’s two people, two people in the car – that’s ours,” said an elderly man.
One individual who went to the centre with his family also thought it was to do with the amount of people.
“I’ve got my partner with me and bubs in the back so I assumed it’s got two people there, then we’re sort of in that category, I guess,” he said.
Meanwhile others thought it meant shoppers without children.
“I would say that would have to be a man and woman in a car, and no kids,” said one woman.
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Another man said he had been discussing it with others and had “no idea”.
Centre manager Ian Mackenzie revealed the parking bays were intended for seniors but the signage does not include a walking stick so as to avoid causing offence.
“Not all elderly people have walking sticks, and some people might be offended,” he said.
The centre is adding more signs with extra details to prevent further confusion.