Ticketed for passing on double yellows

[Owl]

Ill be frikken annoyed if they close the road cause you stacked it into the front of a car that was inconviently driving on its side of the road cause you cant stay on your own side of the road.

Ok, there's more to risk now than just your horse getting a headache in a head-on, but it was ok to pass there for 132 years

Saddle Rd is far less boring anyway

[swbarnett]

Do you know the Hunua Gorge? That's sort of similar, although a lot narrower mostly.

Last rode it many years ago. Must get out there and have a look.

[MSTRS:Me]

Last rode it many years ago. Must get out there and have a look.

Think Karangahake Gorge (Paeroa - Waihi)....but MUCH tighter. And a shitty surface.

[Logpot]

Saddle Rd is far less boring anyway

Agreed - less traffic

[FJRider]

Well, I copped a ticket for passing in the Manawatu gorge today. Leaving Palmerston, and got pulled over in Woodville.

The cop mentioned at the end that someone had rung in and reported me instead. If I had denied it, or asked for proof, could a ticket still have been issued? Just wondering in hindsight.

Yes ... and if it went to court ... which it would do if you didn't pay the fine. The person who reported you, would have to go to court (from wherever they live) as a witness for the Police. And if they dont .... lack of evidence .... no case.

Considering where you were seen ... to where you were stopped, is quite a distance. Perhaps "next time" admit nothing ....

[_Shrek_]

Well, I copped a ticket for passing in the Manawatu gorge today. Leaving Palmerston, and got pulled over in Woodville.

Q/ 1 did you cross the the Yellow to pass? if yes pay the fine, if no fight it

you can pass as long as you don't go over the yellow line!!!

[porky]

So you're saying we should never overtake? Have you not seen yellow lines in places where it's perfectly safe to pass? Unfortunately this is becoming more and more common.

Or is this just a case that I don't know the gorge and it's a lot tighter than I'm led to believe?

My mate lost the love of his life on that stretch of road due to some fucktard on the wrong side. And yes before the yellows i would pass at every opportunity, as with the tukus. But things have changed, traffic volumes have increased, trucks are bigger yet these types of roads have remained the same. Its cheaper to paint yellow than build a dual carrage way.

[Mom]

Double yellow line painting man has made his way through out NZ. The placement of the double yellows used to be for safety these days the are used for?

Once upon a time when you saw double yellow lines you did not even think about overtaking for fear of your life, a fine came way down your thought processes.

The law says you can not overtake on double yellows, therefore you dont. There is a penalty to be paid if you do, and these days it is not just your life to be concerned about. Your bank balance is almost more at peril.

Certainly there are some areas that you should never overtake. I dont care how fast your bike is, or how skilled you are, or how available the gap seems to be to your "zoned in" eyes, you are tempting your maker and most likely pissing off George and Murtle out for their little drive, if you do overtake.

I think it is sad that we have reached the "its back to using your own judgement, just like it was before they painted an yellow lines" time, for it wont be long until we get hammered with even more draconian measures.

Can anyone see a business opportunity here? I am about to start up sewing red flags and recruiting people to walk in front of you when you attempt to negotaite our highways and byways. The charge for this will be payable by the following methods...

[bogan]

Excellent point...................... But I'd like a show of "hands up" for anyone who has passed in the gorge........?????

And yes, it is a tight windy road.

theres two long-ish straights in there where its fine to pass even on a 250, passed an ambo on my vt, he was none to pleased. Fuck em I reckon, just cos a shitbox 1.3l hatchback can't make a safe pass, nobody is allowed to. Number plate flipper is possibly a good mod to put on my list.

Yellow lines used to be in places to warn you that you don't have adequate vision etc, generally within 100m of a visual impairment iirc. Now they seem to put them anywhere where people are likely to pass in spaces under 300m sorta range.

[ynot slow]

A great bike road if -1)No trucks,campervans or trailers are in front prior to yellow lines,2)the road is dry,3)no nanas in cars braking every corner,4)it's daytime.

I would be keen to fight if I DIDN'T cross centreline and could prove it,but that's the hard bit proof.

And I have done this route since first week in Nov last year twice weekly,out of all those times probably less than 10 times has the road been such traffic wise or road condition that I have thought this is bliss,mostly it is f.cken bus,truck,rain,darkness,asian(yep)or car driver who has put a damper on it,have NEVER had a bike on my side,but the odd truck(no trailer whew) and car have been on my side.

[Sentox]

man you got issues

you are a saint cause you dont speed, but ending up as a hood ornament is okay?

Stay on your side of the road, or fucken walk.

I'm sorry that your mate lost someone, but your reply is doing more than a little injustice to my original statement. I just said I don't speed (as a matter of habit), so I'm not likely to get demerits from that. Not sure how that translates to self-nomination for sainthood, but ok.

And I do love how some people seem to be implying some sort of moral outrage on my part. I broke a law, and did so knowing the consequences if I got caught. No arguments there. I was just wondering about the legal aspect of issuing a ticket on the say-so of a member of the public.

Still, when you can make a pass on a 250 without dropping a gear and still have time to indicate for a couple of seconds before merging back in, all with plenty of clear space in front of you...

[Bren]

I thought the only people that are allowed to pass on yellows are harley riders.....always see them passing on double yellows....Why dont you buy a harley???

[riffer]

I think a lot of you people are thinking this the wrong way.

The law does not say "you may not overtake on a yellow".
It simply says "you may not cross the centreline". The road code for motorcyclists quite specifically states that even where there are double lines, you may still pass, provided you DO NOT CROSS THE CENTRELINE.

So the obvious lesson here is:

If you can pass the vehicle ahead of you while staying in the same lane as them, then you may do so.

If you can't pass the vehicle ahead of you while staying in the same lane as them, then you may not.

I have used this technique for years. If it's safe to do so, you'd be amazed at the amount of cars that let you pass.

[beyond]

Do you know the Hunua Gorge? That's sort of similar, although a lot narrower mostly.

Yep and the Hunua Gorge is another place here if you know the road you can overtake safely at several points BUT double yellow lines all the way through. Nothng worse getting stuck behind some nana doing 25kmh all the way through.

OIh, I forgot, the cops hand out tickets to slow motorists hat hold other traffic up.

[beyond]

If I rode my bike in such a way that I never ever broke any law at all - I don't think I'd bother owning it in the first place.

May as well stay warm and dry, with Zeppelin on the CD player.



(It's all a balance. I'm not actually advocating riding on one wheel at 3,000 km/h over the dead bodies of nuns, either.)

Exactly. I reckon if everyone stuck to every law all the time, you may as well sell the bike buy a horse and be done with it. I'm not advocating senseless abandon here here either and don't believe using nuns as ripple strips as being the answer either