Muppets on the road

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#1012995 26-Mar-2014 10:40

Klipspringer:
KiwiNZ:
Klipspringer:
vexxxboy:

you obviously have never been between Cambridge and Hamilton, straight flat 100km roads and then every now and then a passing lane where every one that was doing 80km suddenly speeds up to 110 and you have to do 120 to get pass them because if you dont the passing lane ends and within seconds they are doing 80 again.

My pet hate is where two lanes merge into one and traffic is backed up, the left lane backed up the most, the right lane partially clear...

Drivers in the left hand lane pull dangerously into the center of both lanes when they see you coming past in the right towards the merge. Or they just pull out into the right lane, and drive extemely slowly. To them they have this mentality that they were "here first". And you have no right to overtake.

This mostly happens in the Kapiti Coast. But I have seen it a number of times elsewhere in NZ too.

That happens so often at the Poplar Ave merge going north and the McKays merge going south.

It use to be its worst on SH1 between Paraparaumu and Waikanae. There was a two lane stretch just before reaching the merge in waikanae. If you were ever caught in that traffic, dont dare ride in the right hand lane. The drivers in the left don't like it. Thank goodness they have now made it a single lane.

Roll on Kapiti Express way and Transmission Gully

MikeB4

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#1012996 26-Mar-2014 10:42

And the there are Horse Boxes.........aaaaaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhhhh they will go for hundreds of KM's and never pull over

Klipspringer

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#1012997 26-Mar-2014 10:44

KiwiNZ:
Roll on Kapiti Express way and Transmission Gully

You need to see all the work going on at Poplar Avenue. I drive past it every day.

Klipspringer

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#1013001 26-Mar-2014 10:46

KiwiNZ: And the there are Horse Boxes.........aaaaaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhhhh they will go for hundreds of KM's and never pull over

And campervans ....

surfisup1000

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#1013022 26-Mar-2014 11:02

KiwiNZ:
Klipspringer:
KiwiNZ:
Klipspringer:
vexxxboy:

you obviously have never been between Cambridge and Hamilton, straight flat 100km roads and then every now and then a passing lane where every one that was doing 80km suddenly speeds up to 110 and you have to do 120 to get pass them because if you dont the passing lane ends and within seconds they are doing 80 again.

My pet hate is where two lanes merge into one and traffic is backed up, the left lane backed up the most, the right lane partially clear...

Drivers in the left hand lane pull dangerously into the center of both lanes when they see you coming past in the right towards the merge. Or they just pull out into the right lane, and drive extemely slowly. To them they have this mentality that they were "here first". And you have no right to overtake.

This mostly happens in the Kapiti Coast. But I have seen it a number of times elsewhere in NZ too.

That happens so often at the Poplar Ave merge going north and the McKays merge going south.

It use to be its worst on SH1 between Paraparaumu and Waikanae. There was a two lane stretch just before reaching the merge in waikanae. If you were ever caught in that traffic, dont dare ride in the right hand lane. The drivers in the left don't like it. Thank goodness they have now made it a single lane.

Roll on Kapiti Express way and Transmission Gully

That part between Cambridge and Hamilton -- extend it from Hamilton - Karapiro . Especially around karapiro it is highly noticeable where slow drivers speed up on the passing lanes. And, Mr. Plod loves this section of road as 9 times out of 10 I see them sitting at the end of a passing lane waiting to ping you.

There is a psychological effect that when a road widens (like it does with passing lanes) the speed feels slower so slow drivers increase their speed to compensate.

Transit should erect signs before passing lanes reminding slow drivers to let faster drivers pass. You shouldn't need signs but many drivers need reminding.

surfisup1000

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#1013028 26-Mar-2014 11:15

My favourite, applies today just as much as in the 1960's ...

Klipspringer

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#1013058 26-Mar-2014 11:40

surfisup1000: My favourite, applies today just as much as in the 1960's ...

Brilliant

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jarledb

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#1013141 26-Mar-2014 13:21

vexxxboy:
you obviously have never been between Cambridge and Hamilton, straight flat 100km roads and then every now and then a passing lane where every one that was doing 80km suddenly speeds up to 110 and you have to do 120 to get pass them because if you dont the passing lane ends and within seconds they are doing 80 again.

Everywhere in NZ where there are passing lanes this seems to happen. I have been traveling a fair bit up and down the north island now and it never fails to happen.

Some muppet is driving around 80 in the 100 zone until the passing lane, then they are up around 110, and then when the passing lane ends they are back down on 80.

Sometimes it feels like they will max out their car to avoid having someone overtake them, they are first in line I have you know.

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surfisup1000

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#1013144 26-Mar-2014 13:26

jarledb:
vexxxboy:
you obviously have never been between Cambridge and Hamilton, straight flat 100km roads and then every now and then a passing lane where every one that was doing 80km suddenly speeds up to 110 and you have to do 120 to get pass them because if you dont the passing lane ends and within seconds they are doing 80 again.

Everywhere in NZ where there are passing lanes this seems to happen. I have been traveling a fair bit up and down the north island now and it never fails to happen.

Some muppet is driving around 80 in the 100 zone until the passing lane, then they are up around 110, and then when the passing lane ends they are back down on 80.

Sometimes it feels like they will max out their car to avoid having someone overtake them, they are first in line I have you know.

As i said , there is a psychological effect where a wider road makes you it feel like you are going slower....

"
Elements (or a lack of elements) along the roadside also contribute to the perceived width of the road and can even affect the speed at which motorists travel. With all else being equal, the wider the perceived road, the faster motorists will travel. Along with horizontal and vertical alinement, crosssection elements, and other elements, such as vegetation along the roadway, buildings close to the road, onstreet parking, and even noise walls, may contribute to reducing the perceived width and speed of the road. Considering these elements is important in designing a facility that is compatible with its surroundings.
"

So, as soon as a slow driver hits the wider passing lane they generally unintentionally increase their speed.

Buzz Bumble

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#1013146 26-Mar-2014 13:30

vexxxboy: you obviously have never been between Cambridge and Hamilton, straight flat 100km roads and then every now and then a passing lane where every one that was doing 80km suddenly speeds up to 110 and you have to do 120 to get pass them because if you dont the passing lane ends and within seconds they are doing 80 again.

When I said narrow, I also meant where there is only a single lane in each direction. For many people it feels unsafe driving at 100km/h+ with the only thing separating you from the cars coming the other way is a painted line down the middle of the road and a couple of feet. When you get to the "passing lane" the road is obviously wider and there is an extra lane between the two directions (for those in the left lane), so it feels safer and they can drive faster.

It ain't rocket science. Just common sense and New Zealand's incredibly bad and ancient road design. :-\

Again, the "passing lanes" are not there for speed freaks to zoom past the other cars. They are there so cars can pass slower heavy vehicles like trucks, busses, car towing boats / caravans, etc. Some of these vehicles are not allowed to drive at 100km/h in some places.

TinyTim

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#1013153 26-Mar-2014 13:38

Klipspringer:

My pet hate is where two lanes merge into one and traffic is backed up, the left lane backed up the most, the right lane partially clear...

Drivers in the left hand lane pull dangerously into the center of both lanes when they see you coming past in the right towards the merge. Or they just pull out into the right lane, and drive extemely slowly. To them they have this mentality that they were "here first". And you have no right to overtake.

Well, it is the merging that slows down the traffic. If the traffic doesn't have to merge because it's already in one lane, then it doesn't have to slow down. Happens a lot heading south into the Terrace Tunnel. Everyone's driving happily down the left lane (*) onto the one-lane stretch, then a few cars come along in the right hand lane and bam! everyone has to slow down.

(Not that driving down the centre of two lanes would help. Never seen that before!)

(*) and these people have been driving in the same lane since Nauranga -- i.e. driving in the middle of three lanes for about 5km, even when the left lane is clear.

MikeB4

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#1013163 26-Mar-2014 13:52

Buzz Bumble:
vexxxboy: you obviously have never been between Cambridge and Hamilton, straight flat 100km roads and then every now and then a passing lane where every one that was doing 80km suddenly speeds up to 110 and you have to do 120 to get pass them because if you dont the passing lane ends and within seconds they are doing 80 again.

When I said narrow, I also meant where there is only a single lane in each direction. For many people it feels unsafe driving at 100km/h+ with the only thing separating you from the cars coming the other way is a painted line down the middle of the road and a couple of feet. When you get to the "passing lane" the road is obviously wider and there is an extra lane between the two directions (for those in the left lane), so it feels safer and they can drive faster.

It ain't rocket science. Just common sense and New Zealand's incredibly bad and ancient road design. :-\

Again, the "passing lanes" are not there for speed freaks to zoom past the other cars. They are there so cars can pass slower heavy vehicles like trucks, busses, car towing boats / caravans, etc. Some of these vehicles are not allowed to drive at 100km/h in some places.

passing lanes are simply that passing lanes. Of course the legal maximum still applies. However any that deliberatley speeds when entering a dual road and then slows down again after is just as big a menace as the speeding driver.

I am quite understand why some drivers maybe nervous when on the open road and wish to drive under the speed limit, but that must pull over at the earliest safe place to allow traffic travelling faster to pass safely.

BTW our road designs are not that different to those found around the World. Are you prepared to pay three times the current road user charges to have more dual carriageways ?

I owned a boat for many years and would always pull over where possible to allow other road users to pass.

floydbloke

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#1013236 26-Mar-2014 15:34

surfisup1000:
jarledb:
vexxxboy:
...

...

As i said , there is a psychological effect where a wider road makes you it feel like you are going slower....

...

So, as soon as a slow driver hits the wider passing lane they generally unintentionally increase their speed.

One could argue that therefore , if they don't know how fast they're going, they are not fully in control of their vehicle, so shouldn't be driving on a public road.

Did Eric Clapton really think she looked wonderful...or was it after the 15th outfit she tried on and he just wanted to get to the party and get a drink?

floydbloke

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#1013241 26-Mar-2014 15:41

JimmyCorrigan:
thecatsgoolies: ...

The Restricted License test is very strict now. My wife recently passed the test (after holding her learners for 10+ years, long story), and without professional lessons there is no way she would have passed.

I have been driving for 20+ years and if she had sat it based purely on my advice/understanding there would have been multiple points of failure. They are very pedantic about what they want to see and tiny 'errors' will result in automatic failure of the test.

So, while this is encouraging for the future, it obviously has little impact on the 99% of existing drivers!

All in all I'd hope that stricter testing results in safer drivers on our road. But does it also mean that we will end up with more unlicensed people out there driving?
Not sure how big a problem this is at the moment. It appears fairly rife watching crud like Motorway patrol, but then again they're not going to show a boring segment with conformist people who have been pulled over.

Did Eric Clapton really think she looked wonderful...or was it after the 15th outfit she tried on and he just wanted to get to the party and get a drink?

freitasm

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#1013266 26-Mar-2014 16:13

New Zealand's Top 100 Hig Risk Intersections (PDF) released today.

Wellington, Couternay Pl and Taranaki: really? They have traffic lights there. Muppets will be muppets.

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