Give way rule change - the results

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gzt

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#103337 5-Jun-2012 05:26

Despite my predictions of certain doom - I have not seen the levels of problems I expected.

Drivers who do not understand the new rules appear to err on the side of caution, and wait to turn left. If I'm waiting to turn right I often have to wave to left waiters to indicate they have the right of way. This is getting a bit tedious but hardly dangerous.

It is a bit concerning there are large numbers of people not getting exactly how the new rule works for a free left turn but at least (it appears to me) the same people are not applying the previous rule when turning right.

Is more promotion of the new rule needed? How has the change been for you?

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#635769 5-Jun-2012 05:58

I havent had a problem yet. Noone has tried to cut me off and i dont think i have made any errors yet. Quite surprised.

riahon

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#635771 5-Jun-2012 06:13

Since the rule change I have had only had one incident, yesterday, where the left turning driver waited for me. I waved them on and you could see the light go on inside when she realised and waved back in acknowledgement. I have found the change so much simpler.

nzkiwiman

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#635827 5-Jun-2012 09:18

I have made one mistake since the rule change, and it corresponded to a change in the signs that was not marked.

Coming from Green Island turning near the Commercial Pub the right turning traffic had to wait for through traffic coming from Brighton/Landfill area but had the right of way over the left turning traffic as they had a give way.

Around the time of the road change they removed that give way without any indication from the Green Island side that it had been removed. I turned and got tooted on by someone in that left turn bay.

Otherwise all good locally..

ankit816

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#635831 5-Jun-2012 09:27

I have had quite a few from others:

1. A LEFT turning school bus driver was giving me way, while acc. to new rules he should have right of way.

2. 2-3 times a right turning car tried to cut me while I was turning left (my right of way acc to new rules)

I expected a lot more chaos then this, so all in all a decent change but I would appreciate more public awareness campaigns, I think the change notifications have disappeared suddenly and some people still need to be reminded!

Ankit

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#635839 5-Jun-2012 09:32

The only mild confusion I had, was where there was a single give-way sign, which effectively reverses the rule (ie, you must give way to right hand turning traffic coming from the other direction both wanting to turn into the same street).

I didn't notice the give way sign, I stopped anyway because the other cars were certainly not stopping :)

Other than that, its been just fine. Haven't witnessed anyone making a mistake.

myopinion

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#635847 5-Jun-2012 09:42

I have found that one intersection I used to go through on my way home from work, is now almost impossible to get out of. I am trying to turn right at the top of a T intersection. The problem occurs because the left turning traffic into the road I'm on now has right of way which means right turning traffic builds up, blocking my right turn. I just go another way now.

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qwerty7

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#635848 5-Jun-2012 09:43

I will admit that i stuffed it up once. A few weeks after the change i guess i was starting to relax (before the change i read into more than anyone else and was worried about the 'idiots' who wouldn't understand it so sort of contradicted myself). I had just been for a run and was holding a conversation thinking about other things. What put me off was the other car stopped and gave way to me. I realized as i was taking off, but they thought i had right of way anyway.

qwerty7

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#635849 5-Jun-2012 09:44

myopinion: I have found that one intersection I used to go through on my way home from work, is now almost impossible to get out of. I am trying to turn right at the top of a T intersection. The problem occurs because the left turning traffic into the road I'm on now has right of way which means right turning traffic builds up, blocking my right turn. I just go another way now.

I wondered about that rule change. The old way seems to make more sense.

martyyn

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#635854 5-Jun-2012 09:50

Ive actually found it harder than I expected.

I was born and grew up in England but learned to drive in New Zealand. Ive since spent years driving around Europe and have driven RHD cars on the left of the road, LHD drive cars on the right, I can memorise directions from one look at a map, can still find the house I grew up in over 35 years ago and can still drive from one side of London to other, in peak traffic, without a map.

But driving in New Zealand has always meant Ive had to resist the urge to turn left and give way to the right turning traffic. Now NZ is the same as everywhere else and for the life of me I cant get out of the habit.

I havent yet been sat there waiting for someone when Ive had right of way. But each time I get to an intersection I have to consciously allow myself to act on instinct rather than tell myself to resist it and wait for everyone else!

floydbloke

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#635875 5-Jun-2012 10:15

One part of the new rules hasn?t been made very clear in my opinion.

In the image above, there are some traffic islands at the Postgate Drive / Omapere St intersection. It is my understanding that a vehicle coming from the south, turning left from Postgate drive into Omapere St. has to give to a car coming from the north turning right into Omapere St, because they are ?merging? with the traffic already on Omapere St.

What do others think is right?

Sometimes I use big words I don't always fully understand in an effort to make myself sound more photosynthesis.

MikeB4

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#635880 5-Jun-2012 10:18

I would say the Round about Rule applies and the car entering from the North gives way to the car at their right

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

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scuwp

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#635900 5-Jun-2012 10:35

Looks like there may be a give way sign before entering onto Omapere St from the slip lane? If so then that car must give way.

As for general comment haven't found to many issues. I have made one stuff up when driving on auto pilot, 25+ years of driving a certain way is hard to get out of your subconscious.

Everyone still seems to be a bit cautious so that's good.

Only other comment is that some of the traffic flows have changed around, people have found new ways to avoid being stuck for ages not being able to turn right.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

Oblivian

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#635927 5-Jun-2012 11:10

I've seen the number of redlight runners turning right raise tenfold.

Mainly multi lane roads where there is no right turn signal to let them go any other time, of course all the lefties bust a nut to try and race around on green/yellow/red leaving the right handers stranded in the middle and no option but to run the red infront of straight-ahead traffic trying to take off.

scuwp

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#635935 5-Jun-2012 11:23

Oblivian: I've seen the number of redlight runners turning right raise tenfold.

Mainly multi lane roads where there is no right turn signal to let them go any other time, of course all the lefties bust a nut to try and race around on green/yellow/red leaving the right handers stranded in the middle and no option but to run the red infront of straight-ahead traffic trying to take off.

It's only illegal to 'enter' an intersection on a red light. If you are already in the intersection when the light turns red you are legally able to continue making your turn.

But yes, the change has certainly made me think about alternative ways to avoid being stuck in a forever static right turn lane. Thank goodness some straight through approaching drivers are courteous enough to deliberately leave a big enough gap for a couple to turn.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

edge

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#635936 5-Jun-2012 11:23

floydbloke: One part of the new rules hasn?t been made very clear in my opinion.

In the image above, there are some traffic islands at the Postgate Drive / Omapere St intersection. It is my understanding that a vehicle coming from the south, turning left from Postgate drive into Omapere St. has to give to a car coming from the north turning right into Omapere St, because they are ?merging? with the traffic already on Omapere St.

What do others think is right?

Interesting! The islands are very small and looking at it using streetview I would say that it is just a "normal" intersection and the person turning right into Omapere would have to give way to the person "slipping" left into Omapere. So - already a difference of opinion as to how wide the difinition of "intersection" is.

There is another one that I face occasionally:

Heading south on motorway, if you take the slip road to get to Churton Park (via Westchester Drive), you come to a stop sign. Turning right to go to Churton Park, there are cars coming east up Westchester who turn right to head south down on ramp into Wgtn. I figure that once you have stopped and proceeded safely on Westchester heading east, then those turning right onto on-ramp from Westchester should give way? Same argument as yours, but distance is greater and I don't treat it as one intersection. Room for differing opinions here as well?

"It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of what he was never reasoned into."
— most commonly attributed to Jonathan Swift, author/theologian

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