Wgtn - Grays Road onto Paekakariki Hill Road - intersection change

[Chillidog]

Hi folks.
Many local (Wellington region) riders may already be aware of this, but there was a recent change in the road markings at the junction of Grays Road and Paekakariki Hill Road. When coming into Pauahatanui from Grays Rd, the 'Give Way' has been changed to a 'Stop.' Now, this might seem a bit of a trivial change (it was effected by a local campaign after many serious accidents on the junction), but someone who lives nearby told me (from bitter experience) that the police are regularly spotting at the junction, and are pulling folks up and handing out fines of about $150 plus 10 demerits for a 'non-stop' at it. It's one that it's easy to 'roll on through', so be aware....
Safe riding and all the best for 2010 to everyone.

[The Baron]

Thanks for the heads up...

[chanceyy]

Cheers for that ... Not that I travel that way much (usually coming over hill) but its good to have that in back of mind

[Griffin]

Ive heard of this sort of activity a lot by the Police, stalking locations where recent changes have been made and catching out the unsuspecting regulars who fail to notice. Easy pickings maybe???

[red mermaid]

Sounds more to, from the original post, that there is a problem with crashes at this intersection, so the local authority has decided to change the control to make it safer and then the blind idiots (AKA drivers) who don't look and see a sign are receiving a notice in behaviour modification.

Probably not looking properly explains a lot about why the intersection has the aforementioned crash history.

[MSTRS:Me]

Sounds more to, from the original post, that there is a problem with crashes at this intersection, so the local authority has decided to change the control to make it safer and then the blind idiots (AKA drivers) who don't look and see a sign are receiving a notice in behaviour modification.

Probably not looking properly explains a lot about why the intersection has the aforementioned crash history.

Actually, not looking is different from not seeing.
When approaching on Grays Road, you are a good 2 metres below the level of the roadway you are about to join. There is a fair bit of shrubbery along the side of both left and right approaches, which seriously blocks your ability to see traffic. And when you get to the actual intersection, you are stopped? on a fair slope. When moving off, you are turning 90 degrees from a hill start, so lots of people are very slow to get away. Which doesn't help.
The whole intersection needs to be redesigned.

[red mermaid]

So until the money is found to re-design it they have made it a stop sign, so you stop, look, look again, and then go when the way is clear.

[Gareth51]

Actually, not looking is different from not seeing.
When approaching on Grays Road, you are a good 2 metres below the level of the roadway you are about to join. There is a fair bit of shrubbery along the side of both left and right approaches, which seriously blocks your ability to see traffic. And when you get to the actual intersection, you are stopped? on a fair slope. When moving off, you are turning 90 degrees from a hill start, so lots of people are very slow to get away. Which doesn't help.
The whole intersection needs to be redesigned.

Its a shit intersection considering the amount of traffic using it

[red mermaid]

The actual reason why it is like that goes back to the days off the old Hutt County Council and for some strange reason this road was theres.
They were very centred on Wainuiomata and didn't have the money to spend on this road that had very little to do with there county area, so it was neglected.

[yungatart]

The actual reason why it is like that goes back to the days off the old Hutt County Council and for some strange reason this road was theres.
They were very centred on Wainuiomata and didn't have the money to spend on this road that had very little to do with there county area, so it was neglected.

If what you say is correct. it is still no excuse for a road to be in such poor condition. It has obvious engineering/design flaws, and should have been brought into the 21 st century by now...hell, even bringing it in to the 20 th century would be a major improvement.

[red mermaid]

So until the money is found to re-design it they have made it a stop sign, so you stop, look, look again, and then go when the way is clear.

As above.....

[MSTRS:Me]

The actual reason why it is like that goes back to the days off the old Hutt County Council and for some strange reason this road was theres.
They were very centred on Wainuiomata and didn't have the money to spend on this road that had very little to do with there county area, so it was neglected.

That was so long ago, that it scarcely warrants a mention, esp as a reason for this poor intersection. The twisty bit past the sawmill was 'fixed' years ago, and the old one lane bridge access to/from Whitby got totally bypassed with a flash 3-way roundabout just up the road. If the Grays Rd intersection causes such a problem, just fix the fucker properly.

Like so much else on our roads, fitting a bandaid on a problem is never gunna be good enough. But it's cheap tho, eh?
Like not fixing tar melt properties and chip retention...much cheaper and easier just to install a Slippery symbol.

[Hitcher]

I just don't get the point of "Give Way" signs. A stop should be required everywhere there is no merging lane. New Zealanders can't drive, and giving them discretionary choices is just asking for trouble.

That said, I constantly despair at drivers who insist on stopping at the end of a merge lane. I suspect that one day this will be the death of me.

[HondaSTrider]

~~~~That said, I constantly despair at drivers who insist on stopping at the end of a merge lane. I suspect that one day this will be the death of me.

Should that be the sad case Hitcher, do us all a favour and take the numpty cage pilot with you! It'll do him a favour too as he won't have to go through the trauma of getting the rear of his car panel-beaten................................. again!