Whangaparaoa ...world famous in NZ

[crashe]

Jeremy - Whangarparoa is on the peninsula (sp) so there is only one road in and one road out.... and its a very long road.

Te Atatu Peninsula in West Auckland has the same thing.. one road in and one road to get out of there..... it gets congested in the mornings etc but I dont think that people are held up for that long (2 to 3 hours).
Mind you the road aint as long as Whangarparoa Rd and they aint doing road works at the mo.
But people buy over in Te Atatu Peninsula as well, knowing that its a one way in and a one way out.

So why do people buy in these areas... cos its appealing to them or they like the area...... or the price is right.

[Al]

Seems to be a common problem around Auckland. Devonport also has only one road out (Lake Road), luckily they also have the ferry!

Al

[Antallica]

Whanga was always pretty bad for traffic, but hey... I'd still live there

[Sniper]

Sounds like what they are doing to quite old picton at the moment. Those that passed through will know what I mean

[Lou Girardin]

Good old local body politicians. Anyone expressing a desire to be one should be automatically disqualified.

[vifferman]

And here I was cursing the Auckers lot for my road users charges going to sorting out your rds

That's just silly, for these reasons: (1) A third of NZ lives in D'Auckland, so it makes sense that a large chunk of the roading budget comes here; (2) The Gubmint have been collecting 3 times as much roading tax as they've actually been spending on the roads, for YEARS; (3) There have been specific levies on the petrol price to be used specifically for D'Auckland roading, and it hasn't been directed there - just into the coffers.

There are other silly things, like siting a major city on a thin isthmus, not building much bigger bridges and roads in the first place (no forward thinking or planning), and centralising a lot of business. Why in this day of good telecommunications etc. do people have to travel into the CBD to work? There are nearly 100 people in our office, few of whom live nearby, and almost all of whom could 'telecommute'. I'm sure there are other businesses that are the same, many of whom are in the CBD because it's "handy" or whatever.

And the dumbest thing? That people still insist on travelling by car here, and average only 1.x people per car. That's why the roads are clogged. I take the car only when there are at least 3 people in it. I bet very, very few (not many, if any) people actually need their cars during the day, and not many (if any) people have investigated other alternatives.

[KATWYN]

Well I don't regret buying a property out this way. Its
only a matter of a few more weeks and things will be flowing
again. - although now is not a good time to try and sell
a house out HBC way I reakon - Maybe a couple of months
ago it would've been a good time to buy one out here??

It was pretty bad how an employer fired a staff member
because they were a casualty of the traffic jams. Our
employees arrive really late all the time these days - its no
big drama and it certainly doesnt warrent firing someone
like that employer did.

A bit of patience - it will all be over soon.

[ManDownUnder]

And the dumbest thing? That people still insist on travelling by car here, and average only 1.x people per car. That's why the roads are clogged. I take the car only when there are at least 3 people in it. I bet very, very few (not many, if any) people actually need their cars during the day, and not many (if any) people have investigated other alternatives.

Buy that man a beer then put him in charge.

100% agreed with you... it's NUTS.

Get every 35 cars and replace them with a single BUS. See what that would do for congentsion (or for those that are predisposed toward light rail... the numbers are even better).

Empty the roads.

I read something ages ago that spelled it out in an interesting way. Every working person typically needs 2 "spaces" one to work, one to live. We're doubling up on the space requirements of old.

And NOW we also need 2 spaces for our car!

Nuts - just nuts. Plan ahead, make yourself unpopular for the sake of progress (which is waht's happening in Whangaparoia, albeit 4 years late from what I understand) and then reap the benefits.

We should be looking at what Sydney did. put some sajor roads underground, underground the trains, get a decent public transport system etc.

and yes TELECOMMUTE. What a novel idea...

MDU

[vifferman]

Buy that man a beer then put him in charge.

Alright, then! Now that I'm in charge, here's the new rules:

• Right - first up, everyone has to ride a bike or scooterer before they can drive a car. Minimum of two years. Survivors may then try for other types of vehicle licences.
• Driving tests are going to be more comprehensive, and include proper psychological profiling. Road ragers, boi racers, retards, and anyone who has poor spatial awareness will be denied a licence.
• Traffic lights are going to be equipped with road spikes - run a red light, and your tyres get shredded.
• A fleet of trucks is going to cruise the streets, and any dunger cars (including almost all used Jap imports, but especially those with stupid names) are going to be compacted on the side of the road.
• The CBD is going to be a tourist/shopping mecca - rents for other businesses will be astronomical to encourage decentralisation.
• All IT businesses will be required to have all staff telecommuntering.
• An exemption will be required for travelling with no passengers in your car. If you're on your own, take a scooter or bus.
• Monorail everywhere.
• Bikes can park wherever the hell they like - FREE.
• Lanesplitting is mandatory if traffic speed drops below the posted speed limits. There will be lanes similar to cycling lanes to enable bikes to filter to the front at traffic lights, etc.
• Registration for bikes will revert to the old graduated system, with the largest bikes still being cheaper to register than cars.
• Hoggley Doggleys will be required to abide by noise restrictions, the same as everyone else. But bikes with 'nice' sounding aftermarket systems will be allowed some leeway.
• Slippery lane markings, tar snakes, potholes, personhole covers, unswept road repairs, etc. will be banned. The council and Transit will be required to keep the roads in good order.
• Road straightening programs are OUT. If you can't go round corners, get the hell of the road.
• A squad of Anti Dickhead Patrolpersons will roam the Highways and Bighways, dispensing instant justice with RPGs.
• Scooterists and HoggleyDoggleyists will attend mandatory "How to wave to other two-wheelers" classes.
• Campervans, trucks, slow vehicles, tractors, etc. will be banned from the best motorcycling roads.
• Licences will have classes, with different speed limits depending on ability / licence class.
• Speed limits for bikes will be higher than those for cars.

Have I left anything out?

[Krayy]

And the dumbest thing? That people still insist on travelling by car here, and average only 1.x people per car. That's why the roads are clogged. I take the car only when there are at least 3 people in it. I bet very, very few (not many, if any) people actually need their cars during the day, and not many (if any) people have investigated other alternatives.

Roll on inner city road user charges for non-carpoolers...

[Lou Girardin]

There is not the slightest amount of bias in Vmans post.
I would like dickhead to be defined very tightly as some consider bikers to be dickheads.
I don't think these policies would be voter friendly somehow. Unless commonsense becomes attractive.

[Ixion]

You try getting an ambulance through there at the moment!
Heres a tip.. dont get real sick or hurt yourelf between Silverdale and Manly

Helichoppaterater thingy ?

[vifferman]

There is not the slightest amount of bias in Vmans post.

Dang! (and Darn!) [and Dammit!] {and Dagnabbit!}

I'll have to revise MyListOfRules, then. I hadn't intended to be populist.

[Toast]

The bikes dont have a problem mind you until they meet the absolute CRAZY coning of the lanes which makes it dangerous to overtake.

You mean just after that set of lights where you can turn left to go to Orewa? There's often breaks in traffic coming the other way, make use of all of Her Majesty's real estate.

My olds live up in GH, and it does help to justify having a bike when you can cut out 1hr of the trip vs. a car from Silverdale to Manly (about 7, 8kms?). If I only had a car, I don't think I'd visit outside the hours of 1-2pm, or 9pm-4am. Bloody ridiculous...

[Lias]

Yes that is a very serious consideration with someone in need of expediant transport to hospital (i.e. time critical) at the moment.
We have the cell phone number of the works supervisor on that road in our vehicles now, as do Comms., if we are on a priority one job they stop the traffic both ends (more delays) and allow us free passage.

Damned good idea that.

And you'd get my vote viffer :-P