Good drivers

[bogan]

I was pleasantly surprised on my way out to uni this morning when a driver actually did all the right things and noticed me. I was free left turning at some lights onto the left lane of street out to massey, other driver was right turning from lights onto right hand lane (its a two lane each way road) driver was a wee bit in front of me on right hand side so i was about to start moving back to be sure i was out of blind spot in case she was gonna come into my lane, sure enought indicator comes on but heres the amazing thing, she checked her blind spot before moving into the other lane, looked right at me, then waited for me to go past. Im also impressed that she didnt just take the left lane when coming off the lights, as everyone else seems to do that despite it being illegal.

Probly means NZ cagers are pretty piss poor when such a thing impresses me. Also got me thinking, we have the headshakes, pointing and finger tutt-tutting for bad drivers, whats the gesture for good driving? thumbs up :2thumbsup i spose i should have given her, but was a bit stunned and had freezing hands at the time.

Perhaps instead of (or as well as) removing wing mirrors (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=100814&highlight=wing+mirror) we should let good drivers know its appreciated.

[YellowDog]

There are lots of very good and courteous car drivers on the roads.

Some even look over their shoulders when changing lane (not many).

It is just that we generally notice the tunnell visioned inconsiderate idiots a lot more as they are the ones that tend run us off the road.

[Katman]

Every time a car driver on the open road notices you approaching them from behind and moves to the left to give you more room to pass should be acknowledged with a wave of thanks. We need to instill and nurture a more amicable and considerate relationship with all other road users.

[slofox]

I always acknowledge considerate driving - I do see a lot of it actually, believe it or not. I just raise a hand and direct a nod at the driver. I do it in the cage as well...

[sil3nt]

I always move left when a bike approaches from behind on the open road. Even got a wave once!
oh shit did i just make this a waving thread?

[NDORFN]

Every time a car driver on the open road notices you approaching them from behind and moves to the left to give you more room to pass should be acknowledged with a wave of thanks. We need to instill and nurture a more amicable and considerate relationship with all other road users.

I'm down with that.

[MIXONE]

I too always give a wave or thumbs up to courteous drivers on the ride when on my bike or in the car.
I think many of the cars that give you room are riders themselves.

[CookMySock]

[...] we should let good drivers know its appreciated.Absolutely. I find 75% of cars go out of their way to get me past them. The other 25% are away with the fairies.. just like I am sometimes. shrug.


Every time a car driver on the open road notices you approaching them from behind and moves to the left to give you more room to pass should be acknowledged with a wave of thanks.Yeah definitely, as I do. I'm genuinely grateful to these folks.


We need to instill and nurture a more amicable and considerate relationship with all other road users.No WE don't. YOU do so that YOU feel safe. Thats your baggage - not anyone elses. The only way for you to ever feel safe from this, is to confront your own fears, not try to change everyone elses' habits.

Steve

[samgab]

I'm also impressed that she didnt just take the left lane when coming off the lights, as everyone else seems to do that despite it being illegal.

It's nice to hear of a good experience, as opposed to the numerous bad experiences we have so often.
But you hit on a particular bugbear of mine:
Turning right into a 2 lane road straight into the left lane.
OR, turning right from a left-only lane.
Anyone know the intersection when Mt Eden Rd meets New North Rds?
2 lanes, left is left-turn only, right is right-turn only.
Pretty simple right?
Well, not to bus drivers. They shoot up the left lane and then turn right from the left-turn only lane, right into the path of traffic that is turning right from the correct lane, then trying to get into the left lane to turn left into Newton Rd immediately.
There is no bus lane at that part of the road, and I've seen nothing in the road code that stipulates that buses are exempt from the road rules.
I also see buses running the reds at that intersection a lot as well, often nearly hitting pedestrians who are crossing on the green walk signal.

<iframe width="425" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=12,327.82,,0,11.4&amp;cbll=-36.865466,174.760904&amp;panoid=&amp;v=1&amp;hl=en&amp;gl="></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=embed&amp;hl=en&amp;q=1+Mt+Eden+Rd,+Eden+T errace,+Auckland+1023,+New+Zealand&amp;sll=-36.946068,174.790399&amp;sspn=0.009072,0.019312&amp;ie=UTF 8&amp;cd=1&amp;geocode=FTx7zf0d9KJqCg&amp;split=0&amp;ll=-36.854969,174.764929&amp;spn=0.009081,0.027466&amp;z=14&amp;iw loc=A&amp;layer=c&amp;cbll=-36.865466,174.760904&amp;panoid=tO0hcAblXO9XPgqoLMnh_A &amp;cbp=12,327.82,,0,11.4" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>

[bogan]

It's nice to hear of a good experience, as opposed to the numerous bad experiences we have so often.
But you hit on a particular bugbear of mine:
Turning right into a 2 lane road straight into the left lane.
OR, turning right from a left-only lane.
Anyone know the intersection when Mt Eden Rd meets New North Rds?
2 lanes, left is left-turn only, right is right-turn only.
Pretty simple right?


havent had the right turn from left lane happen to me, but taking the left lane from a right turn pisses me right off. Here in palmy (no doubt prolly everwhere else too) we even get pricks thatll be on the horn if you claim the left lane while they are trying to illegally turn into it, obviously dont know the road rules and i should probably stop and educate them, but am yet to find a suitable oppourtunity.

[samgab]

we even get pricks thatll be on the horn if you claim the left lane while they are trying to illegally turn into it, obviously dont know the road rules

Yeah, I've had that too. Also at roundabouts where there are 2 lanes all the way around, so turning left you can execute the whole maneuver in the left lane of the roundabout, but another car coming from the right in the right lane freaks out because they're drifting over into that lane without indicating... I dunno. :oi-grr:

[tigertim20]

I was pleasantly surprised on my way out to uni this morning when a driver actually did all the right things and noticed me. I was free left turning at some lights onto the left lane of street out to massey, other driver was right turning from lights onto right hand lane (its a two lane each way road) driver was a wee bit in front of me on right hand side so i was about to start moving back to be sure i was out of blind spot in case she was gonna come into my lane, sure enought indicator comes on but heres the amazing thing, she checked her blind spot before moving into the other lane, looked right at me, then waited for me to go past. Im also impressed that she didnt just take the left lane when coming off the lights, as everyone else seems to do that despite it being illegal.

Probly means NZ cagers are pretty piss poor when such a thing impresses me. Also got me thinking, we have the headshakes, pointing and finger tutt-tutting for bad drivers, whats the gesture for good driving? thumbs up :2thumbsup i spose i should have given her, but was a bit stunned and had freezing hands at the time.

Perhaps instead of (or as well as) removing wing mirrors (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=100814&highlight=wing+mirror) we should let good drivers know its appreciated.

How about a happy compromise then, every time a cager fucks you off, kick his mirror off, then come back and pick it up. Carry all detached mirrors as a token of your mirror-kicking-prowess. When a cage does something good, we catch them at the next lights, and allow them to pick one of our mirror trophies to keep. Like getting a little sticker on the sticker chart at school, except better! eh? eh? eh?

[Skuzzlebutt]

Actually mate, if you look a bit closer you'll see a sign that says buses only may turn right from the left lane.

Before I got my bike and moved to Whangaparaoa I used to ride the bus to work through this intersection every day. Used to see many drivers getting riled up at the bus drivers when in fact it was them not noticing the signs to begin with which was causing all the trouble.

:)


It's nice to hear of a good experience, as opposed to the numerous bad experiences we have so often.
But you hit on a particular bugbear of mine:
Turning right into a 2 lane road straight into the left lane.
OR, turning right from a left-only lane.
Anyone know the intersection when Mt Eden Rd meets New North Rds?
2 lanes, left is left-turn only, right is right-turn only.
Pretty simple right?
Well, not to bus drivers. They shoot up the left lane and then turn right from the left-turn only lane, right into the path of traffic that is turning right from the correct lane, then trying to get into the left lane to turn left into Newton Rd immediately.
There is no bus lane at that part of the road, and I've seen nothing in the road code that stipulates that buses are exempt from the road rules.
I also see buses running the reds at that intersection a lot as well, often nearly hitting pedestrians who are crossing on the green walk signal.

<iframe width="425" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=12,327.82,,0,11.4&amp;cbll=-36.865466,174.760904&amp;panoid=&amp;v=1&amp;hl=en&amp;gl="></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=embed&amp;hl=en&amp;q=1+Mt+Eden+Rd,+Eden+T errace,+Auckland+1023,+New+Zealand&amp;sll=-36.946068,174.790399&amp;sspn=0.009072,0.019312&amp;ie=UTF 8&amp;cd=1&amp;geocode=FTx7zf0d9KJqCg&amp;split=0&amp;ll=-36.854969,174.764929&amp;spn=0.009081,0.027466&amp;z=14&amp;iw loc=A&amp;layer=c&amp;cbll=-36.865466,174.760904&amp;panoid=tO0hcAblXO9XPgqoLMnh_A &amp;cbp=12,327.82,,0,11.4" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>

[YellowDog]

It's nice to hear of a good experience, as opposed to the numerous bad experiences we have so often.
But you hit on a particular bugbear of mine:
Turning right into a 2 lane road straight into the left lane.
OR, turning right from a left-only lane.
Anyone know the intersection when Mt Eden Rd meets New North Rds?
2 lanes, left is left-turn only, right is right-turn only.
Pretty simple right?
Well, not to bus drivers. They shoot up the left lane and then turn right from the left-turn only lane, right into the path of traffic that is turning right from the correct lane, then trying to get into the left lane to turn left into Newton Rd immediately.
There is no bus lane at that part of the road, and I've seen nothing in the road code that stipulates that buses are exempt from the road rules.
I also see buses running the reds at that intersection a lot as well, often nearly hitting pedestrians who are crossing on the green walk signal.

<iframe width="425" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=12,327.82,,0,11.4&amp;cbll=-36.865466,174.760904&amp;panoid=&amp;v=1&amp;hl=en&amp;gl="></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=embed&amp;hl=en&amp;q=1+Mt+Eden+Rd,+Eden+T errace,+Auckland+1023,+New+Zealand&amp;sll=-36.946068,174.790399&amp;sspn=0.009072,0.019312&amp;ie=UTF 8&amp;cd=1&amp;geocode=FTx7zf0d9KJqCg&amp;split=0&amp;ll=-36.854969,174.764929&amp;spn=0.009081,0.027466&amp;z=14&amp;iw loc=A&amp;layer=c&amp;cbll=-36.865466,174.760904&amp;panoid=tO0hcAblXO9XPgqoLMnh_A &amp;cbp=12,327.82,,0,11.4" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>
I know where you are. Yes it is quite annoying however bus drivers have a tough enough job and making up the road rules as they go along is just one of the weapons in their armoury.

The other weapon is made of metal, weighs about 6 tonnes, and will crush you and your bike to a pulp if you don't get out of the 'kin way.

[samgab]

Actually mate, if you look a bit closer you'll see a sign that says buses only may turn right from the left lane.

I looked for such a sign, there didn't seem to be one there. Not that I could see. Just big left turn arrows on the road. I'll take another careful look next time through. Maybe it was obscured by the bus/es in the left lane?
Where is the sign mounted?

The other problem is the buses stop there in the left lane at the red light, blocking the left turn to all the cars trying to turn left on the green turning arrow.

[klingon]

...Anyone know the intersection when Mt Eden Rd meets New North Rds?
2 lanes, left is left-turn only, right is right-turn only.
Pretty simple right?
Well, not to bus drivers. They shoot up the left lane and then turn right from the left-turn only lane, right into the path of traffic that is turning right from the correct lane, then trying to get into the left lane to turn left into Newton Rd immediately.
There is no bus lane at that part of the road, and I've seen nothing in the road code that stipulates that buses are exempt from the road rules...


Actually, you'll find that there is a sign at that intersection specifically saying something like "buses only may turn right from left lane."

So in fact if you are turning right from the right lane, then drift over into the left lane so you can go into Newton Road, you are committing exactly the offence the original poster spoke about! :pinch:

If you turn right from the right lane, you must remain in the right lane for that manoevre. Then do a whole seperate lane change to move into the left lane - making sure you give way to any vehicle already in the left lane of course!

No wonder they toot at you! :lol:

[Harvd]

How about a happy compromise then, every time a cager fucks you off, kick his mirror off, then come back and pick it up. Carry all detached mirrors as a token of your mirror-kicking-prowess. When a cage does something good, we catch them at the next lights, and allow them to pick one of our mirror trophies to keep. Like getting a little sticker on the sticker chart at school, except better! eh? eh? eh?

this has some serious merit, i mean not in the real world, but in a funny i-can-see-it-in-my-head world

Nice thinking!

[samgab]

Actually, you'll find that there is a sign at that intersection specifically saying something like "buses only may turn right from left lane."

So in fact if you are turning right from the right lane, then drift over into the left lane so you can go into Newton Road, you are committing exactly the offence the original poster spoke about! :pinch:

If you turn right from the right lane, you must remain in the right lane for that manoevre. Then do a whole seperate lane change to move into the left lane - making sure you give way to any vehicle already in the left lane of course!

No wonder they toot at you! :lol:

Thank you.
Although I sounded like I'm personally involved in incidents at the intersection I described, I'm just observing other vehicles. I, of course, always follow all road rules, and turn right into the furthermost right lane, then indicate for more than 3 seconds before moving safely into the left lane, whilst giving way to all other traffic. :D

And how about the buses running through the red lights when going straight on New North... Is there a sign that allows them to do that too? ;)

[klingon]

Thank you.
Although I sounded like I'm personally involved in incidents at the intersection I described, I'm just observing other vehicles. I, of course, always follow all road rules, and turn right into the furthermost right lane, then indicate for more than 3 seconds before moving safely into the left lane, whilst giving way to all other traffic. :D

:D Of course! Contrary to popular opinion, all bikers are good, law abiding citizens! :D

[musicman]

I looked for such a sign, there didn't seem to be one there. Not that I could see. Just big left turn arrows on the road. I'll take another careful look next time through. Maybe it was obscured by the bus/es in the left lane?
Where is the sign mounted?


Here is the sign people speak of.
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[samgab]

Here is the sign people speak of.

Cheers! Streetview is so cool. I can't read it there, but will have a look next time I go through. And yes, the location of that sign is exactly where it would be blocked by any bus sitting at those lights. No wonder those other motorists were unaware of its existence. Good to know though. :2thumbsup

[bogan]

Actually, you'll find that there is a sign at that intersection specifically saying something like "buses only may turn right from left lane."

So in fact if you are turning right from the right lane, then drift over into the left lane so you can go into Newton Road, you are committing exactly the offence the original poster spoke about! :pinch:

If you turn right from the right lane, you must remain in the right lane for that manoevre. Then do a whole seperate lane change to move into the left lane - making sure you give way to any vehicle already in the left lane of course!

No wonder they toot at you! :lol:

ahhh, that makes it far less prone to killing, i thort there was only one lane that was being turned into, and the buses were just blatantly cutting everyone else off.

[bogan]

How about a happy compromise then, every time a cager fucks you off, kick his mirror off, then come back and pick it up. Carry all detached mirrors as a token of your mirror-kicking-prowess. When a cage does something good, we catch them at the next lights, and allow them to pick one of our mirror trophies to keep. Like getting a little sticker on the sticker chart at school, except better! eh? eh? eh?

haha, nice. Cept then the worst of the cagers would have no rear view mirrors, making them even worse drivers (thats assuming they use them in the first place).

[sunhuntin]

i usually do a thumbs up, but then i also worry that it might be mis viewed as the bird. so i try and smile and nod at the same time.

we have one of those left turn things near our bridge. vehicles turning right almost always swing into the left lane immediately, which means those who follow the law have a bitch of a time getting into that lane, specially if vehicles from the opposite lights are also turning [they would naturally turn into the left lane.]

[Marmoot]

Every time a car driver on the open road notices you approaching them from behind and moves to the left to give you more room to pass should be acknowledged with a wave of thanks.

Mate, I disagree. It's pretty hard and unsafe to wave while passing on one wheel. Best to keep both hands on the handlebars on wheelies.

[Rockbuddy]

Every time a car driver on the open road notices you approaching them from behind and moves to the left to give you more room to pass should be acknowledged with a wave of thanks. We need to instill and nurture a more amicable and considerate relationship with all other road users.

totally agree with this and have been doing this for years, have even had car drivers acknowledge my acknowledgement

[samgab]

totally agree with this and have been doing this for years, have even had car drivers acknowledge my acknowledgement

Ahh, but did you then acknowledge their acknowledgment of your acknowledgment of their courteous driving behaviour?

[oldrider]

Every time a car driver on the open road notices you approaching them from behind and moves to the left to give you more room to pass should be acknowledged with a wave of thanks. We need to instill and nurture a more amicable and considerate relationship with all other road users.

Ouch Katman, we agree 100% on something.

I find open road drivers down here are very good at giving us room to move on through.

I appreciate it and always try to acknowledge my appreciation as I pass.

Had a rosser do it the other day whilst coming home from Christchurch.

Admittedly my oyster was puckered for a while though! :whistle:

[varminter]

When drivers are nice to me I send them some flowers or a box of chocolates, or if they have been very nice then the hand of my first borne to marry.

[cs363]

Every time a car driver on the open road notices you approaching them from behind and moves to the left to give you more room to pass should be acknowledged with a wave of thanks.

Agreed. I've always done this no matter what vehicle I'm in or on, either a wave or an appreciative toot of the horn or at night take a leaf out of the truckies book and give a quick flash of the hazard or brake lights.
I'm all for promoting courtesy on our roads, it's one thing NZ can definitely use more of and can understand the OP's surprise at copping a bit of courtesy, it's certainly something more often found on the open road than in our cities.

[LaytonNZ]

after iv'e pasted somebody who's been easy to deal with i alwase hold my hand out behind me for a second just to say thanks.