State highway 1 passing lane closure

[lee]

Have some patience, it won't kill you... unlike having an overinflated view of your own talents as a rider because you're not one of those 'timid fuckwits'

Don't get me wrong, I will (albeit unhappily) sit behind someone doing 80 because I know that I'll be in a van and it simply doesn't have the power to overtake/I know that the safe places to pass are the passing lanes (and they'll be closed). All i'm saying is I think this is more dangerous than they realise. I always remember signs on the highway in Scotland that said something along this lines of "furstration kills, pull over and let faster traffic through". I always thought that was pretty reasonable.

Sorry if I'm being harsh to people who drive at 80, but it only takes one to hold up everyone else. I don't mind people travelling this slow/fast (dependant upon your viewpoint), but I do mind the fact that they don't seem to realise there are other people on the road who can happily (and safely) travel nearer the posted limit. I think it's a bit inconsiderate if they don't allow faster traffic to pass (and there will be less opportunity with the passing lanes closed).

Wow, this is much better than work.

[Laxi]

the cones dont mean closed. they mean reserved for MBs

[imdying]

You're quite right, people driving out of sync can drive you nuts (ba dom tish), just don't let them get to you... you'll need your wits about you to avoid people doing idiotic things because they're frustrated.

Paaaatienceeee, plenty of time to take over the world when you get where you're going :evil:


/edit: Oh come on moderators, no evil smiley? WTF is this place coming too... :sob:

[kiwisfly]

breath dude...peace out. those pink coney things across the passing lane do work when traffic is heavy. Better to move, admittedly slowly, than melt in a rage in a stationary car. 2 cents!

[sunhuntin]

mum and i went down to tawa yesterday for a trademe pick up, and the number of numptys who left passing until the last second, nearly causing nose to tails when they squeezed into non existant gaps, was amazing.

[muzz]

the cones dont mean closed. they mean reserved for MBs

I thought they where there for the slalom.

[ajturbo]

Contrary to your opinion, it is a very good thing to close the passing lanes. The average NZ licence-holding retards think that an overtaking attempt is "possible" on those lanes during a holiday period, when it actually CAUSES bottlenecks when the merge happens at the end of the lane.
Single lanes allow the flow to continue at an even pace.

Of course, on a bike there is no issue at all.

yeah.. i use the conned off lanes to "over" take....

[James Deuce]

We used to drag our sorry arses up to Auckland every Christmas and undoubtedly the most threatening stretch of road was those few overtaking lanes. The worst I saw was 5 cars abreast at the North end of the lanes South of Waikanae. 4 cars travelling North, one South. No one hit each other but two of those cars would have needed fumigation.

[The Everlasting]

the probelm is not everyone will and some dipstick will wind up in a ditch/wrapped around a tree because they're too impatient and no longer have anywhere safe to overtake

Seems like your one of those impatient people...

[avgas]

Life must be full of disappointment for you man.

[duckonin]

We used to drag our sorry arses up to Auckland every Christmas and undoubtedly the most threatening stretch of road was those few overtaking lanes. The worst I saw was 5 cars abreast at the North end of the lanes South of Waikanae. 4 cars travelling North, one South. No one hit each other but two of those cars would have needed fumigation.

Then Lee's post has been vindicated, the frustration of those going slower without pulling over to let the traffic flow create aggressive driving..

When the traffic is flowing at 100-105kph most drivers are more than happy to flow at that speed, have one in the front of a queue doing 80k's then the twenty or so behind are not going to be happy chappies it is all well and good to say be patient, especially when you ride a motorbike, how many motorcyclists sit in a queue doing 80k's and hour?, almost none, for them it is a "game" to pass and get to the front so they can be on their way...

The other biggie is no one is prepared to yield when driving toward each other, it becomes a serious game called as we knew it back a few years ago playing (chicken) and believe me there were some serious moments back then even at 45-50 MPH,cars were way slower than today giving time to react, Hmmm!!! harder today...

The most impatient drivers come from the big citys

[howdamnhard]

Contrary to your opinion, it is a very good thing to close the passing lanes. The average NZ licence-holding retards think that an overtaking attempt is "possible" on those lanes during a holiday period, when it actually CAUSES bottlenecks when the merge happens at the end of the lane.
Single lanes allow the flow to continue at an even pace.

Of course, on a bike there is no issue at all.

100% agreed. In my experience this is exactly what happens . Better to have one smoothly flowing lane than two blocked lanes. Use a bike problem solved.

[James Deuce]

Then Lee's post has been vindicated, the frustration of those going slower without pulling over to let the traffic flow create aggressive driving..

When the traffic is flowing at 100-105kph most drivers are more than happy to flow at that speed, have one in the front of a queue doing 80k's then the twenty or so behind are not going to be happy chappies it is all well and good to say be patient, especially when you ride a motorbike, how many motorcyclists sit in a queue doing 80k's and hour?, almost none, for them it is a "game" to pass and get to the front so they can be on their way...

The other biggie is no one is prepared to yield when driving toward each other, it becomes a serious game called as we knew it back a few years ago playing (chicken) and believe me there were some serious moments back then even at 45-50 MPH,cars were way slower than today giving time to react, Hmmm!!! harder today...

The most impatient drivers come from the big citys

Nooooo that was before they used to close the overtaking lanes. Ever since they've done that the "issue" has gone away.

[duckonin]

Nooooo that was before they used to close the overtaking lanes. Ever since they've done that the "issue" has gone away.

Yes you do have some serious traffic problems down your way and up in the Auck's region, my thoughts are based on the average passing lanes, and what happens when those who have been driving at 80ks then get to the passing lanes and yep you can finnish..

Most times using the ferries we encounter unbelievable traffic to "us" around Waikanae, paekakariki area, and have seen some real bad shit around the QE2 park area, so at this point I shall withdraw some of my statement due to the fact it is unqualified, but I can imagine idiots 5 abreast...they need to

[rebel]

The original poster has obviously never tried getting into Wellington on a Sunday afternoon. I've seen traffic banked all the way up to Levin from Pram before, with the passing lanes open, most motorists are good about it with pretty much all traffic in the slow lane. You get the odd impatient cunt (probably and Aucklander) who tries to pass everyone but a truck usually blocks the passing lane off.
I don't know why they are blocking them off over the holiday period, maybe to prevent bottlenecks, caused by an increase of dickhead Auckland drivers heading south.

For something different I came into Wellington yesterday via Napier and Wairarapa, what a fucking good drive, only added an extra 100km and I didn't have to put up with the boring drive south of Levin.