Passing on the flush median [NZ traffic]

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ZactheRipper

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#72193 22-Nov-2010 16:31

So today i'm driving on a 50kmh road with a flush median at about 55kmh, driving nice and calmly.

Then this person in a little people carrier decides i'm going too slow and roars up behing me and passes me over the flush median going about 65-70. I flip bird, he does too.

I'm pretty sure this dodgy maneuver is illegal, as it says not too pass using a flush median in the road code, but is this against traffic law or am i the douche bag in this situation?

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BDFL - Memuneh
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Geekzone

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#407781 22-Nov-2010 16:42

It doesn't matter. He was way over the speed limit, so one down already.

richms

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#407784 22-Nov-2010 16:56

They are a dick. You could *555 them for crap like that. Right now I could put something about the usual driving skills of people mover drivers but I will refrain.

Richard rich.ms

wellygary

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#407788 22-Nov-2010 17:10

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/factsheets/52/flush-medians.html

It's an offence to use a flush median to overtake, or to park on one.

pretty clear really

bazzer

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#407968 23-Nov-2010 08:11

How could you be the douche bag?

rscole86

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#407969 23-Nov-2010 08:17

It is an offence to pass, or attempt to pass, anyone on a flush median. There is a $150 fine but no demerit points.

Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 2.7(b):Passing on right
A driver must not pass or attempt to pass on the right of another vehicle moving in the same direction when?
approaching or passing a flush median, unless the driver?
(i)intends to turn right from the road marked with the flush median into another road or vehicle entrance; or
(ii)has turned right onto the road marked with the flush median; or
(iii)can make the entire movement without encroaching on the flush median.

Geese

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#407976 23-Nov-2010 08:31

How about this scenario, as its the only one I come across in my life with flush medians, and it actually occurs often too.

There is a roundabout in town, with a line of parks that literally start straight after coming off one road of round about. Often people stop dead in the middle of the road, and crawl reverse into parks. This creates a hazard as now say me, the following car, is off the circle of the round about - but only a car length away. Traffic on the roundabout now cannot turn off in my direction. Often other drivers don't look that far ahead so they enter the roundabout and then see a car stopped, can't think quick, and stop too - and now they are blocking the roundabout.

I face 2 choices, sit there blocking the road while the driver in front slowly parks, or use the flush median strip to skirt around the outside to stop the roundabout being blocked. So the first option my guess is the legal option, but the second is definitely the safer option for all?

scuwp

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#408007 23-Nov-2010 09:34

IlDuce: How about this scenario, as its the only one I come across in my life with flush medians, and it actually occurs often too.

There is a roundabout in town, with a line of parks that literally start straight after coming off one road of round about. Often people stop dead in the middle of the road, and crawl reverse into parks. This creates a hazard as now say me, the following car, is off the circle of the round about - but only a car length away. Traffic on the roundabout now cannot turn off in my direction. Often other drivers don't look that far ahead so they enter the roundabout and then see a car stopped, can't think quick, and stop too - and now they are blocking the roundabout.

I face 2 choices, sit there blocking the road while the driver in front slowly parks, or use the flush median strip to skirt around the outside to stop the roundabout being blocked. So the first option my guess is the legal option, but the second is definitely the safer option for all?

The law says you cannot pass a car on the flush median that is "...travelling in the same direction...". If the car in front is reversing it is not travelling in the same direction therefore you will be permitted to pass it on the flush median.

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Behodar

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#408052 23-Nov-2010 10:31

wellygary: It's an offence to use a flush median to overtake, or to park on one.

Interesting. I often see one of those "car carrier" trucks parked on the median outside a local car dealership!

richms

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#408092 23-Nov-2010 11:55

Behodar:
wellygary: It's an offence to use a flush median to overtake, or to park on one.

Interesting. I often see one of those "car carrier" trucks parked on the median outside a local car dealership!

They are most likely loading and unloading which is different from parking.

Richard rich.ms

sarg

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#408110 23-Nov-2010 12:40

trucks can not stop on flush median to unload.
Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004
6.7Parking on traffic islands and flush medians
A driver or person in charge of a vehicle must not stop, stand, or park the vehicle on a traffic island or flush median.

that would be an ecumenical matter

ZactheRipper

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#408295 23-Nov-2010 15:08

bazzer: How could you be the douche bag?

I pulled the finger.

Another thing happened today, but this time i was on foot.

Walking
past the KFC and this stupid @$$ hole almost bowled me over coming out of a drive way, seriously,
pedestrians have the right of way on footpaths.

This country is full of complete moron drivers who should have their licenses confiscated and shoved down their throat.

vexxxboy

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#408355 23-Nov-2010 16:12

ZactheRipper:
bazzer: How could you be the douche bag?

I pulled the finger.

Another thing happened today, but this time i was on foot.

Walking
past the KFC and this stupid @$$ hole almost bowled me over coming out of a drive way, seriously,
pedestrians have the right of way on footpaths.

This country is full of complete moron drivers who should have their licenses confiscated and shoved down their throat.

Actually this is a black hole in the law, in Rotorua we have a series of roads and footpaths that cross over each other, where it depends who got there first as what the rules are , is it a road or is it a footpath and it seems to be who got there first has right of way . IE: if the car was on the road first and you kept walking down the footpath and into the cars way you are at fault, but if you were crossing already and the car then hit you the car is at fault . So i would be careful of walking straight out onto driveways etc without looking

Common sense is not as common as you think.

muppet

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#408358 23-Nov-2010 16:15

ZactheRipper: So today i'm driving on a 50kmh road with a flush median at about 55kmh, driving nice and calmly.

Then this person in a little people carrier decides i'm going too slow and roars up behing me and passes me over the flush median going about 65-70. I flip bird, he does too.

I'm pretty sure this dodgy maneuver is illegal, as it says not too pass using a flush median in the road code, but is this against traffic law or am i the douche bag in this situation?

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manta

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#408410 23-Nov-2010 17:18

ZactheRipper: So today i'm driving on a 50kmh road with a flush median at about 55kmh, driving nice and calmly.

Then this person in a little people carrier decides i'm going too slow and roars up behing me and passes me over the flush median going about 65-70. I flip bird, he does too.

I'm pretty sure this dodgy maneuver is illegal, as it says not too pass using a flush median in the road code, but is this against traffic law or am i the douche bag in this situation?

So he might have overtaken you illegally, but flipping the bird? Pathetic.

graemeh

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#408425 23-Nov-2010 17:37

vexxxboy: Actually this is a black hole in the law, in Rotorua we have a series of roads and footpaths that cross over each other, where it depends who got there first as what the rules are , is it a road or is it a footpath and it seems to be who got there first has right of way . IE: if the car was on the road first and you kept walking down the footpath and into the cars way you are at fault, but if you were crossing already and the car then hit you the car is at fault . So i would be careful of walking straight out onto driveways etc without looking

No, it's not a black hole at all. Legally it is either a road or a footpath.

What you're describing is traffic engineers trying to be smart arses and making road that looks like footpath. They do the same thing in Wellington.

I think the theory is that the driver and the pedestrian both become confused and actually start using their brains and common sense. I can't see this ever working

The other related trick I've seen is to make what looks like a pedestrian crossing but isn't. These are usually raised bits of road and have stripes made of cobblestones. They are quite common in Nelson. Legally they are not pedestrian crossings, they are roads.

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