New motorbike lanes just south of Pekapeka.

[mazz1972]

"If you can't see his mirrors he can't see you".

And If you can see the trucks mirrors then that puts you far enough behind to get a sight-line down the side of the truck, and therefore there will be no "surprises" heading towards you.

The truck was more to the right hand side of the lane so I would have had to sit almost right on the white line to have a clear view.

What made it worse was that the motorcyclist was passing another truck at the same time so he popped out from between them. Never would have expected that to happen.

[Latte]

If you have two doted white lines; would that not make it a three lane road?

The question then is which direction the middle lane.

Hospital

[p.dath]

I asked my contacts at the AA if they knew anything about this. This is the response I got back:

Yes, this is a new centreline marking which is being trialled at a number of locations around NZ. It is a low-cost way of preventing inadvertent centreline crossings by providing additional separation (1m) between opposing lanes. This treatment is used overseas where it appears to have been very successful at reducing crash severity, and particularly reducing head on crashes (20% crash reductions have been cited). It is being trialled on moderate-volume state highways and high volume state highways (presumably where road width is insufficient for other treatments).

You’ll find some more information on page 5 of the NZTA newsletter here: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/pa...thways-010.pdf and this press release: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/about/media/...1036/news.html

[oneofsix]

I asked my contacts at the AA if they knew anything about this. This is the response I got back:

that aligns with what was published in the local rag. I still have to read the links but suspect the actual legal position of the 'hospital lane' will remain unclear. This would mean they would have to reword centreline because these roads don't have one.

one article has the words "A median approximately one metre wide will be painted as a series of dashed white lines on sections of the highway" but the markings aren't as per a median they are marked as a double centreline (an oxymoron). A median would make over taking using the 'hospital lane' illegal. Then in the same article they say "installing a one metre wide centreline" so if you are between the two 'centrelines' you haven't crossed the centreline so you must still be overtaking within your lane???? or riding on the centreline ??

[mazz1972]

that aligns with what was published in the local rag. I still have to read the links but suspect the actual legal position of the 'hospital lane' will remain unclear. This would mean they would have to reword centreline because these roads don't have one.

one article has the words "A median approximately one metre wide will be painted as a series of dashed white lines on sections of the highway" but the markings aren't as per a median they are marked as a double centreline (an oxymoron). A median would make over taking using the 'hospital lane' illegal. Then in the same article they say "installing a one metre wide centreline" so if you are between the two 'centrelines' you haven't crossed the centreline so you must still be overtaking within your lane???? or riding on the centreline ??

Good question and it's pretty confusing.

The article in the second link twice calls the new markings a centreline, and once is refers to them as a median.

Why not just paint the friggin lines 1 metre wide?

[oneofsix]

Why not just paint the friggin lines 1 metre wide?

then cagers will understand why we complain about slippery painted lines. Instead of preventing head-ons I reckon 1 metre wide painted centrelines would contribute to a few

Sentiment agreed with but there was an opening for comment

I worry that they have gone with a 'good scheme' but the actual law is not in place. What happens if you do overtake along there, no on coming traffic, and just happen to not cross both sets of lines? Have you broken a law or not?

[nosebleed]

I asked my contacts at the AA if they knew anything about this. This is the response I got back:

... This treatment is used overseas ...

I bag's first guess where... VICTORIA

[mazz1972]

then cagers will understand why we complain about slippery painted lines.

Oops lol

[mazz1972]

I worry that they have gone with a 'good scheme' but the actual law is not in place. What happens if you do overtake along there, no on coming traffic, and just happen to not cross both sets of lines? Have you broken a law or not?

At Peka Peka there are two sections where one of the lines is yellow, the other white, therefore no passing on your side if you had to cross the yellow line, as usual. The rest of the road has two dashed white lines.

I don't see how it can be an offence cross either, or both of the lines, provided the line on your side of the road is white.

[XP@]

Use them every day, don't cross over the yellow bit or if trucks are coming the other way. Have never been close enough to the other side to cause worry. Hope they continue the trend....

I also like the poles separating the passing lane just up the road. They are really easy to see compared to WRB's and have not yet taken a major hit.

Thinking they could have just put up a WRB over the entire length, what we have is a fantastic improvement!