Easter 4km/h tolerance?

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#1277206 4-Apr-2015 19:27

old3eyes: I believe in the US in the quiet time traffic lights go flashing amber which means the normal give way rules apply. Speeds up the flow at say 3.00am in the morning.. Here when the lights go flashing amber no one seems to know what to do but they could always be educated..

Brilliant idea. My issue as a motorcyclist is my bike does not set traffic lights off, so if its a night, or a quiet road, or when I'm unlucky enough to be first in the queue, no matter how long I wait the lights will never I green. Just 3 hours ago I waited 4 full phases of the lights to turn onto Tinakori road until someone pulled up beside me into the going straight lane which then changed them to green!

Aredwood

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#1277209 4-Apr-2015 19:31

old3eyes:
Bung: During periods of light traffic why don't those dedicated turn arrows revert to just greens? In Wgtn I'm sure lights are programmed according to demand. In peak time the arrows are the only way to get through some intersections.

I believe in the US in the quiet time traffic lights go flashing amber which means the normal give way rules apply. Speeds up the flow at say 3.00am in the morning.. Here when the lights go flashing amber no one seems to know what to do but they could always be educated..

Those people who don't know what flashing amber lights mean. Definitely need to do another driving test. It was already in the Road Code approx 15 years ago. When I got my drivers licence. And has probably been there alot longer again.

As for turning right on a red in the USA. That is equivalent to being able to turn left on a red in NZ. Due to everyone driving on the right hand side of the road over there. In Samoa, you are allowed to turn left on a red light over there. (they drive on the left side of the road). This works really well. Except that I ran a couple of red lights back in NZ. Out of habit after arriving back in NZ.

Jase2985

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#1277220 4-Apr-2015 19:55

IlDuce: Brilliant idea. My issue as a motorcyclist is my bike does not set traffic lights off, so if its a night, or a quiet road, or when I'm unlucky enough to be first in the queue, no matter how long I wait the lights will never I green. Just 3 hours ago I waited 4 full phases of the lights to turn onto Tinakori road until someone pulled up beside me into the going straight lane which then changed them to green!

in most cases you will more than likely not have parked over the embedded sensor in the road which tells the lights there is someone waiting for the light.

Geese

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#1277223 4-Apr-2015 19:59

Jase2985: in most cases you will more than likely not have parked over the embedded sensor in the road which tells the lights there is someone waiting for the light.

I always park directly over the cutout line, perhaps its better to sit dead centre of the square rather than on the line? Not sure whats more likely to trigger it to change. Its very annoying.

jeffnz

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#1277224 4-Apr-2015 20:00

TonyR1973:
jeffnz:
TonyR1973:
scuwp:
TonyR1973: It always amuses me the number of people that just blindly do as they're told without ever thinking for themselves.

So I am guessing that puts you in the "the law applies to everyone else but me" category?

No. It puts me in the "use some common sense" category.

that then begs the question 'whose common sense' as not everyone thinks the same you only need to drive for 5 minutes in Auckland rush hour traffic to see that.

Laws are there for a reason to stop people doing their own thing, which we would.

In some cases. But in the case of red arrows, in their absence the give way rule applies. So there's a "law" for it already to satisfy your lust to be controlled.

Stick to facts and don't try and label me because I don't agree with you.

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Jase2985

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#1277226 4-Apr-2015 20:09

IlDuce:
Jase2985: in most cases you will more than likely not have parked over the embedded sensor in the road which tells the lights there is someone waiting for the light.

I always park directly over the cutout line, perhaps its better to sit dead centre of the square rather than on the line? Not sure whats more likely to trigger it to change. Its very annoying.

might be worth a try sitting back further to see how it goes, because some bikes with very little metal in the seem to do alright setting them off

frankv

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#1277227 4-Apr-2015 20:14

KiwiNZ: It always amuses me the number of folks that believe the road laws are optional

I'll bet that *every* time you drive, you break the law.

To be clear... The law requires that you ensure that your car is safe (i.e. up to WoF standards) before driving.

Do you:
* check all the lights and indicators
* check the tyres
* check the that the horn, windscreen wipers and washers all work

If not, then you are breaking the law. Why? Are you one of those people that believes the road laws are optional?

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jeffnz

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#1277231 4-Apr-2015 20:29

frankv:
KiwiNZ: It always amuses me the number of folks that believe the road laws are optional

I'll bet that *every* time you drive, you break the law.

To be clear... The law requires that you ensure that your car is safe (i.e. up to WoF standards) before driving.

Do you:
* check all the lights and indicators
* check the tyres
* check the that the horn, windscreen wipers and washers all work If not, then you are breaking the law. Why? Are you one of those people that believes the road laws are optional?

making some big assumptions aren't you, lets try and stick to the topic instead of the person

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JWR

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#1277320 5-Apr-2015 06:54

KiwiNZ: It always amuses me the number of folks that believe the road laws are optional

To a certain extent they are!

Road laws are supposed to enhance safety. But, they shouldn't be absolute.

I will give an example. A couple of weeks ago I had to avoid a LandCruiser that pulled out on me (side road) in 100km/h zone. Missed by about 2-3 metres.

I did a quick flick to the right, crossed the double yellow (no passing lines) - no oncoming cars. I did break the law.

Road laws aren't like don't steal, murder etc..

When, I am driving, I care (somewhat) about getting caught for (minor) speeding offences that don't affect my safety.

But, I mainly worry about not getting in an accident.

frankv

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#1277329 5-Apr-2015 07:46

jeffnz:
frankv:
KiwiNZ: It always amuses me the number of folks that believe the road laws are optional

I'll bet that *every* time you drive, you break the law.

To be clear... The law requires that you ensure that your car is safe (i.e. up to WoF standards) before driving.

Do you:
* check all the lights and indicators
* check the tyres
* check the that the horn, windscreen wipers and washers all work If not, then you are breaking the law. Why? Are you one of those people that believes the road laws are optional?

making some big assumptions aren't you, lets try and stick to the topic instead of the person

You're quite right... this applies to every driver on the road, not just KiwiNZ.

I'm sure that *no-one* checks that the horn, windscreen wipers and washers all work before driving. Everyone is a lawbreaker. Everyone believes that at least this road law is optional.

Mark

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#1277338 5-Apr-2015 09:01

IlDuce:
Jase2985: in most cases you will more than likely not have parked over the embedded sensor in the road which tells the lights there is someone waiting for the light.

I always park directly over the cutout line, perhaps its better to sit dead centre of the square rather than on the line? Not sure whats more likely to trigger it to change. Its very annoying.

If you have a big old speaker you can sacrifice, pull the magnet out of it and stick it to the underside of your bike, the sensors in the road are induction loops and the magnet gives your bike more presence :-)

Mark

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#1277340 5-Apr-2015 09:07

People are forgetting that a lot of the new lights going in are there to assist drivers not hinder them .. but they have to cater for the lowest common denominator, so while some people believe they know how to handle every situation there are maybe 10 others who don't. Tough luck for those who might know better but it's no excuse for them to jump the lights
If you get ticketed contest it and try using "But I know what I'm doing!" as the excuse in court and see what happens :-)

jeffnz

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#1277352 5-Apr-2015 09:18

frankv:
jeffnz:
frankv:
KiwiNZ: It always amuses me the number of folks that believe the road laws are optional

I'll bet that *every* time you drive, you break the law.

To be clear... The law requires that you ensure that your car is safe (i.e. up to WoF standards) before driving.

Do you:
* check all the lights and indicators
* check the tyres
* check the that the horn, windscreen wipers and washers all work If not, then you are breaking the law. Why? Are you one of those people that believes the road laws are optional?

making some big assumptions aren't you, lets try and stick to the topic instead of the person

You're quite right... this applies to every driver on the road, not just KiwiNZ.

I'm sure that *no-one* checks that the horn, windscreen wipers and washers all work before driving. Everyone is a lawbreaker. Everyone believes that at least this road law is optional.

I don't believe the "optional" is the issue more that we don't won't to take ownership once we get caught. The justifications people go through when you point out they went through a red light are just about guessable:

- It wasn't red it was orange.
- Its ok it was safe.
- I'm in a hurry
- The lights aren't working properly.
- Everyone else does it.

the list goes on but it seems human nature, in most, to try and justify why they did it when trying to convince themselves its ok.

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frankv

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#1277372 5-Apr-2015 10:43

jeffnz:

I don't believe the "optional" is the issue more that we don't won't to take ownership once we get caught.

[snip]

the list goes on but it seems human nature, in most, to try and justify why they did it when trying to convince themselves its ok.

This applies to every transgression from tax fraud to diet failures to marital infidelities to queue jumping. Red lights are no different.

My point, though, was that *everyone* chooses what laws to obey and what laws they think are inappropriate. And there are many laws that are silly in some circumstances.

Getting huffy and holier-than-thou when someone breaks a law is silly at best and hypocritical at worst.

As per Douglas Bader: "Rules are for the guidance of the wise and obedience of the foolish".

jeffnz

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#1277376 5-Apr-2015 10:50

I recall a study done a while back on why people break rules but couldn't find it but did find this on Psychology Today, a biggish read but some interesting theories on reasoning and the rewards. Not exactly on topic but I always wonder why so many find it hard to conform to rules that are set and are, mostly, there to protect us. I'm not saying we should all comply without question but in a lot of situtaions, like speed limits, I hardly see that the effects of conforming are detrimental to you.

I used to speed a lot but as I got older I found that I didn't actually get to where I wanted any quicker and that what i enjoyed was breaking the rules, dominating drivers that dared slow me down and the thrill of it all, hardly reason to. Yes it is an age thing also and one of the things about getting older I don't actually mind hence the frustration with these types of threads that are really a nothing.

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