Traffic north of 'dorkland [Archive]

texmo

6th February 2006, 23:42

Did some work for transit new zealand this weekend, now I have to write up a little essay on how I think transit could help improve the traffic flow going north and south on long weekends. They are trying hard to get more people to use sh16, which I think should be reserved for motorbikes but I cant see that happening anytime soon.
Any way give us some of your thoughts on the matter.
Chur

DMNTD

6th February 2006, 23:56

Easy...remove all cow shit,dead possums,gravel and wipe all cages from it.:hitcher:
Done,sorted....next ;)

SwanTiger

7th February 2006, 00:08

A sensible response:

Overtaking lanes - more are needed in hilly areas and large open streches of road, a lot of SH1 has enough room for extra lanning in parts.

More signs - to encourage caged faggots into respecting other motorist, following distance, overtaking procedures and so forth. I like the signs about speeding and falling asleep going out to the Coromandel. It would be good to add the consequences too, or thought provoking messages. There are a lot of useless selfish drivers around.

More service contractors who will troll the roads at night and remove, as above mentioned, dead animals, objects, repair pot holes and so forth.

Common sense really, in'it?

inlinefour

7th February 2006, 00:08

Put more passing lanes in the road, either way. The one thing that is a bugger is that there are distinct places where the traffic slows down in velocity. I find this rather strange as I can get through quite easily in the hilux and even better on the bike.:psst:

texmo

7th February 2006, 00:19

Well it is supposed to be temporary solutions until 2009 when the new bit of motorway will be in.

Gremlin

7th February 2006, 01:24

The biggest issue is overtaking... we all know the type. Sits at 80ish, comes to the passing lane and does 100.

Very few passing lanes, meaning very few can overtake, and the rest sit again. Hell, I've almost felt sorry for them as we slowly leap frog the cages (almost, but not quite)

Factor in the coppas waiting at the end of lanes... and people wonder why they don't overtake and prefer to make a huge queue instead :no:

Lou Girardin

7th February 2006, 07:24

Finish the Puhoi link.
Until then, shoot every third cager.

MacD

7th February 2006, 07:35

Factor in the coppas waiting at the end of lanes... and people wonder why they don't overtake and prefer to make a huge queue instead :no:

Suggest that instead of sitting at the end of the passing lane to catch the frustrated drivers who have had to do 111+ to pass the usual idiots who speed up on passing lanes, the police should sit say 400-500m before the passing lanes and pull over vehicles with queues behind them. Think how many head-on crashes or near misses would this eliminate by reducing passing manoeuvers and would do far more for road safety than handing out tickets for 111km/h at the end of passing lanes.

NotaGoth

7th February 2006, 07:45

Like the guys that sit on the road dong 70kph in a cage. You come up to a passing lane, indicate to over take and they decide it will be fun to, firstly.. Speed up. Then secondly they decide it would be nice to suddenly shift over and sit in the lane that is meant to be used for passing only. Then they decide to sit in this lane until the passing lanes finish. and once again you are stuck behind them.

there isn't much point having police sit near the passing lanes pulling people up because isn't the legal open road speed something like 50kmph???? Shit and I got failed on my restricted cage licence for driving between 95-100kmph. I was apparently going to slow.

I have to agree with Gremlin. Overtaking. but whos gonna over take when you know that you are more than likely going to be pinged just down the road. :nono:

steved

7th February 2006, 08:11

Also, we need to sort out the cage drivers who think they can keep up with a bike in heavy traffic. I had a Tranz-Am and an M3 (my mate behind me told me he was doing all sorts of crazy) doing dodgy stuff behind me to try to keep up on my way back from Waipu yesterday. These rules will NOT apply to bikers however, 'cos we is special. ;)

Fishy

7th February 2006, 08:13

Easy...remove all cow shit,dead possums,gravel and wipe all cages from it.:hitcher:
Done,sorted....next ;)

I'll second that!.

WRT

7th February 2006, 08:13

Why not just a big fk-off sign just past the "Passing lane 400m" one that says "If your first in the queue, keep left and allow others past". Maybe just a gentle reminder will be enough, or am I investing too much faith in society?

Could do something along the lines of the sequence of signs that Swantiger mentioned, that remind drivers to be courteous and considerate of others. Yes, I know, now I'm definately putting too much faith in peoples good nature, but what about messages like "Have you checked your mirrors recently?" or "Let the car behind you go, its not worth your life". Shit like that.

Swoop

7th February 2006, 10:09

Land mines.

Placed so that cagers HAVE to keep left on overtaking lanes, leaving the "overtaking lane" for bikes.

If cagers try to get into the overtaking lane - BOOM!!!

ManDownUnder

7th February 2006, 10:17

Put priotity on resolving the danger spots (a couple of those corners off SH16 near Whenuapai as an example).

Resurface the road, concreting it where needed (the water table is very high in some parts there, and keeps lifting the seal resulting in potholes all over the place)

Open it up to 100 kph as it used to be

Get rid of the roundabout at Westgate, replace it with an overbridge or something that'll smooth traffic flow/transition between those roads there.

Hurry up the SH16 bypass through/behind Kumeu.

More passing lanes and bays to assist heavy traffic stay out of the the way cars and m/bikes.

Pixie

7th February 2006, 10:30

Pixie

7th February 2006, 10:39

Ever noticed how few people use the "slow traffic" lanes on the motorway?
This is because the wankers think to themselves "I'm not a slow driver"

sAsLEX

7th February 2006, 10:53

Ever noticed how few people use the "slow traffic" lanes on the motorway?
This is because the wankers think to themselves "I'm not a slow driver"

I always have, they are a great place to pass said drivers!

And now in my Suzuki I cant get up the hills so use them then as well.

Lou Girardin

7th February 2006, 14:28

Ever noticed how few people use the "slow traffic" lanes on the motorway?
This is because the wankers think to themselves "I'm not a slow driver"

It still amazes me that the middle and right lanes are full, but the left lane is totally empty. Just like the bus lane on Onewa Rd, cagers still avoid it outside peak traffic hours.
Cross-species genetic mutations? Are we really sheep?

Finn

7th February 2006, 14:29

It still amazes me that the middle and right lanes are full, but the left lane is totally empty. Just like the bus lane on Onewa Rd, cagers still avoid it outside peak traffic hours.
Cross-species genetic mutations? Are we really sheep?

Afraid so. Small island - inbreeding.

Coyote

7th February 2006, 14:39

Suggest that instead of sitting at the end of the passing lane to catch the frustrated drivers who have had to do 111+ to pass the usual idiots who speed up on passing lanes, the police should sit say 400-500m before the passing lanes and pull over vehicles with queues behind them. Think how many head-on crashes or near misses would this eliminate by reducing passing manoeuvers and would do far more for road safety than handing out tickets for 111km/h at the end of passing lanes.
Very good idea. Might possibly be a good idea to give the cops the right to ticket people who don't let people pass when they have had the opportunity to do so at least 3 times. Cops still get money for the annual MP payrise and the roads are safer for the public, win win

motobob

8th February 2006, 21:42

Why don't they just raise the speed limit up to 110. And of course get all the dead shits that they have encouraged to slow down to speed up again.

Oh and Texmo thanks for the tip about no HP on SH16 when we were up at Wellie on Monday arvo. Only 3 of them in the 1st 10 Km outside of Wellsford. No worries though.

Zapf

8th February 2006, 22:24

Issue tickets to anything that is faster than 120km/h and slower than 90km/h

Out law trucks over taking, and travelling turning peak hours.

idea is keep the traffic flowing...

setup speed camera for the fast / medium lanes only.. takes photos when you are travelling under 90km/h in those lanes.

Edbear

9th February 2006, 06:53

Agree with MacD and most of the comments here. Definitely need more passing lanes, and PLEASE!!! HP, get on the case of those idiot drivers who seem incapable of travelling within 20k/ph of the open road speed limit, not caring a whit for the 30 or so vehicles queuing up behind them, then they of course slow down for each corner and slow again just as they approach a passing lane before speeding up!!!!! Driving a truck, it's a wonder sometimes I haven't had a stroke with the frustration of following these noddies and then losing my momentum and having to crawl up the hill only to catch the offending vehicle down the other side and sit behind them until the next hill and passing lane where the exercise is repeated! :mad: Of course, on my bike, I don't stress a bit! Can pass virtually at will while sympathising with the poor sods in their cars having to sit and wait!:calm:

Lou Girardin

9th February 2006, 07:23

When they've been brainwashed about "speed kills" and getting tickets "anytime anywhere", it's no wonder that the weak-minded will travel at 15 k's under the limit 'just to be safe'.

Zebedee

9th February 2006, 08:03

On some roads in Scotland that are popular with tourists there are nice signs saying something to the effect of "don't hold up the traffic, it just pisses people off".

Couldn't do any harm ... :yes:

danb

9th February 2006, 15:20

Need to have a law - If you are traveling under the speed limit by 5km/h the front person has to pull over every 2 - 3 km and let everyone pass. Espically Trucks!!!!!

Ixion

9th February 2006, 16:46

Already is such a law. Just the HP don't enforce it

Unit

9th February 2006, 17:41

I dont know about the overkill on the signage. If you've ever crossed the Coolengatta boarder of NSW and Queensland you will notice a sudden shift in laws and signage. The speeds are different, hell even the time zone is different, and the overkill in signage in one state compaired to the other is in your face.:eek5: The frastrations and incidences are similar across the whole area, with particular spots just waiting to happen wherever
I agree with the idea of reserving SH16 for motorcyclists, would be nice:cool:
Personally I'll always travel the extra mile to avoid SH1 on a bike, so it depends what type of motoring aspect your looking from.

SPman

9th February 2006, 18:25

Land mines.

Placed so that cagers HAVE to keep left on overtaking lanes, leaving the "overtaking lane" for bikes.

If cagers try to get into the overtaking lane - BOOM!!! Ummmmm - I think I see a few problems with that one.......