Driving with the flow of traffic?

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#3188819 31-Jan-2024 12:57

eracode:

I’m keen to know which, if any, iPhone GPS apps show speed in NZ. Google Maps doesn’t.

I use "Speedometer" by Baulin Roman. It's simple and free.

My car consistently reads 2 km/h high, so that's nice and easy to remember.

dfnt

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#3188823 31-Jan-2024 13:32

I like how the OP hasn't engaged in this post yet its 5 pages

Then they post the identical question here https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/1aekt9d/driving_with_the_flow_of_traffic/

floydbloke

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#3188828 31-Jan-2024 13:57

dfnt: I like how the OP hasn't engaged in this post yet its 5 pages Then they post the identical question here https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/1aekt9d/driving_with_the_flow_of_traffic/

Maybe they didn't like the 'stick to the speed-limit' answer.

'Flow of traffic' does have some merit though.

We commute in to Wellington by car from Porirua at 06:30 in the morning and from the SH1/SH59 there are the variable speed-limit signs.

Rather than conditions, the speed these are set to appear to be at the whim of the mood and zeal of the JTOC agent on duty at the time.

They're frequently at 80 when it's clear with light traffic and often have been left at a 100 when it's p*ssin' with rain.

Traffic does seem to regulate itself quite well that time of day though, accidents are few and far between. I'm guessing most are regulars and it will flow at 95-100 when conditions allow despite the 80km/h limit. Similarly when conditions worsen most drivers are sensible and the general speed drops accordingly.

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Ge0rge

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#3188835 31-Jan-2024 14:22

I feel like you're missing the point of the variable speed signs.

If there is congestion beginning to build several kilometres ahead of you, by dropping your speed a reasonable distance back, it helps alleviate the pressure and, by the time you get there, it's gone.

But go ahead, ignore the legal speed limit because the road immediately ahead of you is clear, and speed your way to congestion...

tweake

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#3188880 31-Jan-2024 16:45

Linux:

@raytaylor what is a long distance lane? passing traffic uses the right lane and that is it you must keep left

what is the "fast lane"?

interestingly enough what are the lanes signposted as. typically the right hand lane is signposted as the through lane eg sh1. other lanes will have other destinations.

however most of nz motorway is only 2 lane per side. very little of it is 4 lane.

Oblivian

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#3188897 31-Jan-2024 18:11

SomeoneSomewhere:
Oblivian: Except when it is.
Approximately twice every day when all are congested.

That's not the excuse in use; it's that the left lane is congested.

And if you've got a ten second following distance, maybe you should reconsider whether the left lane is as congested as you think it is.

The only thing uncovered is my inability to hit the quote button previously

I was responding to:

"But it doesn't mean that "I'm doing the limit" is a valid reason to sit in the right hand lane. "

It totally is. A few times a day in many places.

It's in ink that it is not 100% of the time rule. there are exemptions in the same context for a reason.

But humans sure sems to not acknowledge the exemptions to work in their favour. And it must be 100% of the time, Ensuring noone messes with their glued to the gas pedal foot and steering wheel seemingly stuck to the centre regardless of the conditions.

LittleGreyCat

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#3189078 1-Feb-2024 08:20

UK is/was different.

I remember Enoch Powell (remember him) was convicted of obstruction for driving in the outside lane of a motorway at the 70mph speed limit.

Hid defence was "I was driving at the speed limit so they had no right to want to overtake." or similar.

He was told that it was not up to him to police other drivers by deliberately obstructing them.

He was, effectively, driving dangerously which was a worse offence than driving a few mph over the speed limit.

This seems eminently sensible to me, in the UK.

Keeping as far left as is safe can avoid other drivers taking unnecessary risks.

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BlakJak

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#3189907 3-Feb-2024 14:09

floydbloke:
dfnt: I like how the OP hasn't engaged in this post yet its 5 pages Then they post the identical question here https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/1aekt9d/driving_with_the_flow_of_traffic/

Maybe they didn't like the 'stick to the speed-limit' answer.

'Flow of traffic' does have some merit though.

We commute in to Wellington by car from Porirua at 06:30 in the morning and from the SH1/SH59 there are the variable speed-limit signs.

Rather than conditions, the speed these are set to appear to be at the whim of the mood and zeal of the JTOC agent on duty at the time.

They're frequently at 80 when it's clear with light traffic and often have been left at a 100 when it's p*ssin' with rain.

Traffic does seem to regulate itself quite well that time of day though, accidents are few and far between. I'm guessing most are regulars and it will flow at 95-100 when conditions allow despite the 80km/h limit. Similarly when conditions worsen most drivers are sensible and the general speed drops accordingly.

What Ge0rge said. Also the speed limit is not a target, so when the weather is crap you shouldn't be doing 100kmh just because the VSL says you can.

WTOC (Wellington TOC; JTOC is in Auckland and doesn't run Wellington) have visibility over the whole network and will be setting speed limits based on factors beyond your horizon... and the VSL is a legal limit you are required to comply with so basically, I hope you're complying regardless of your personal feelings on the matter.

Flow-of-Traffic works fine at your own risk... if you're exceeding the limit then you should be prepared to wear the consequences of that if enforcement occurs. Police generally disregard the 'tolerance' but absolutely have the right not to. Knowing the accuracy of your speedo can help you understand your true speed and thus the risk you're taking on.

At the end of the day 'drive to the conditions' means considering the weather, visibility, traction, other motorists, lighting conditions, ... all of it.

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BlakJak

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#3189908 3-Feb-2024 14:11

LittleGreyCat:
UK is/was different.

I remember Enoch Powell (remember him) was convicted of obstruction for driving in the outside lane of a motorway at the 70mph speed limit.

Hid defence was "I was driving at the speed limit so they had no right to want to overtake." or similar.

He was told that it was not up to him to police other drivers by deliberately obstructing them.

He was, effectively, driving dangerously which was a worse offence than driving a few mph over the speed limit.

This seems eminently sensible to me, in the UK.

Keeping as far left as is safe can avoid other drivers taking unnecessary risks.

Yup, except of course for the UK 'keep left' requirement which means that even at the speed limit, you have no legal right to sit in the outside lane if you're not overtaking.

Police in NZ have ticketed dawdling drivers before. I wish they'd do it more often.

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tweake

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#3189962 3-Feb-2024 15:43

BlakJak: Police in NZ have ticketed dawdling drivers before. I wish they'd do it more often.

police don't enforce half if not most of the rules to start with. tailgating, which is cause of about 30% of auckland car accidents, is rarely ever enforced. its to expensive to enforce the rules as the govt has never properly funded them.

Jase2985

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#3189968 3-Feb-2024 16:16

tweake:

BlakJak: Police in NZ have ticketed dawdling drivers before. I wish they'd do it more often.

police don't enforce half if not most of the rules to start with. tailgating, which is cause of about 30% of auckland car accidents, is rarely ever enforced. its to expensive to enforce the rules as the govt has never properly funded them.

yep

you could have the police sit there and watch 30 mins of NZTA camera and find a dozen or so incidents that would be ticketable. But unfortunately that not how it works (it should be). Send the ticket to the legal owner of the car and have them sort out who was driving to get it removed from their name.

With todays technology, you should be able to police alot of that stuff from afar.

tweake

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#3189969 3-Feb-2024 16:33

Jase2985:

you could have the police sit there and watch 30 mins of NZTA camera and find a dozen or so incidents that would be ticketable.

that would also mean pulling police off other more important things. this is why the old "focus on...." and "get tough on crime" is so laughable.

Jase2985

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#3189970 3-Feb-2024 16:38

How hard is it to give someone the skills and qualification to be able to issue a ticket? Auckland transport seem to be able to do it pretty easily.

Then it doesn't need to be an officer.

BlakJak

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#3189971 3-Feb-2024 16:42

There's limits on what AT can do under traffic bylaws and what a Constable, or an Authorised Officer (non-sworn but delegated powers for some situations) can do. They did employ non-sworn Authorised Officers as Motorway Support Officers in NZ a while back but they seem to have all disappeared.

It's not just 'ticket issuing' from a policing perspective. It's the ability to use discretion, the ability to handle escalating incidents or offenders who turn violent, the ability to handle the bureaucracy that comes afterward (court).

Otherwise you're basically talking about the Traffic Safety Service i.e. the Ministry of Transport's capability that was merged with Police in the 90's.

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tweake

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#3189974 3-Feb-2024 17:21

Jase2985:

How hard is it to give someone the skills and qualification to be able to issue a ticket? Auckland transport seem to be able to do it pretty easily.

Then it doesn't need to be an officer.

its not just having the officers. its having all the other resources that go with it. this is why "we need more police" thing is a bit of a laugh. no point having officers who can't do anything because there is not enough cars, fuel, equipment, training etc.

problem is no one wants to pay for it and govt wants to cut costs and not be seen as the bad guy and raise taxes.

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