Lane splitting crackdown in Wellington?

[Moi]

I suppose a system where each individual could choose what they thought was an appropriate speed for that road and the conditions at the time of their using that road would be lovely.
Unfortunately that system would only work if each and every person using that road (driver/rider/cyclist etc) A) had a brain and B) actually used their brain.
I have no reason to cast dispersions on the abilities of anyone who says the speed limit is not needed at any point in time and you are entitled to that opinion. The roading network is a shared resource however and surely it would work best if everyone followed the rules, not just the ones they agree with?
There is a 70kph limit on the Raumati straights at the minute, I think besides myself there are about 4 people who observe it. Why do I observe it? Because I am willing to accept that there might be something going on which I am not aware of, that means a 70kph limit is appropriate. Do I like it? Hell no.

I often think of the truism, some people are only alive because its illegal to kill them. Not liking a rule isn't always enough reason to justify breaking it.

BTW, I like the idea of contractors being held to account for lazy practices with using speed limits. Its on a slightly different scale but the guys doing the expressway work on Te Moana Road are brilliant. The put a 30kph limit on when something is actually happening and its appropriate, when nothing is happening on the road (other than plant crossing the road) its the usual 50kph limit and signposted as such. Why can't they all do that?

Well said.

[Ulsterkiwi]

I was talking to someone today who explained the 70kph limit on Raumati Straights.

Currently work is happening on the Northbound carriageway. There is a 70kph limit because of that. Fair enough.
To allow the work they are doing, the wire barrier separating the two directions of traffic has had to be removed. Effectively nothing now separates North and Sound bound traffic.
Under the law you cannot have traffic moving in the opposite direction UNLESS it is separated by a physical barrier which would prevent traffic moving in one direction going across into oncoming traffic. So the contractors have no choice with this one.

When you look at what is happening the 70kph limit begins where the barrier has been taken down on the South end and ends where the work ends and both directions can travel at 100kph.

Goes to show you, we need to be better educated about the rules of the road we use on a daily basis!

[Delerium]

How does that work, plenty of highways in 100 zones with only paint betwen opposing lanes.

[eldog]

How does that work, plenty of highways in 100 zones with only paint betwen opposing lanes.

The Law only works in Raumati?

Maybe we should change all the non barrier divided motorways into one direction, each for 1/2 and hour and change direction for the other half.... sounds fair?

only applicable for North/South directions.

[Ulsterkiwi]

How does that work, plenty of highways in 100 zones with only paint betwen opposing lanes.

my wording was a bit suspect so fair comment.

cannot have traffic moving in opposite directions with different speed limits unless separated by a physical barrier.

on your standard road with no barrier the limit will be the same in both directions.

[swbarnett]

Not liking a rule isn't always enough reason to justify breaking it.

Go tell that to Rosa Parks.

[Ulsterkiwi]

Attempts at a history lesson apart I think it's more than a stretch to compare civil rights to the observation of a temporary speed limit on a road with works taking place.
When you cherry pick text from what someone says and try to twist it to look clever you get that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Frodo]

There is a 70kph limit on the Raumati straights at the minute, I think besides myself there are about 4 people who observe it. Why do I observe it? Because I am willing to accept that there might be something going on which I am not aware of, that means a 70kph limit is appropriate. Do I like it? Hell no.

The problem that I have is that roading contractors have "cried wolf" too often and I no longer associate a warning sign with an actual hazard.
I normally ride with the assumption that there will be road workers and dogs and sheep on the side of the road, and that the surface will be messed up with road works or logging trucks, whether or not there are posted warnings.
All too often I come across "temporary" lowered speed signs that have no link to (a) actual road works and/or (b) hazards, but are actually due to lazy roading contractors.
They have lost my respect and I now select the speed that I consider is safe, also considering the risk of the likelihood of revenue collectors being present.

[eldog]

The problem that I have is that roading contractors have "cried wolf" too often and I no longer associate a warning sign with an actual hazard.
I normally ride with the assumption that there will be road workers and dogs and sheep on the side of the road, and that the surface will be messed up with road works or logging trucks, whether or not there are posted warnings.
All too often I come across "temporary" lowered speed signs that have no link to (a) actual road works and/or (b) hazards, but are actually due to lazy roading contractors.
They have lost my respect and I now select the speed that I consider is safe, also considering the risk of the likelihood of revenue collectors being present.

+1 for that reasoning, having seen so many 'repairs' fail recently I ride to what I can see

[Ulsterkiwi]

The problem that I have is that roading contractors have "cried wolf" too often and I no longer associate a warning sign with an actual hazard.
I normally ride with the assumption that there will be road workers and dogs and sheep on the side of the road, and that the surface will be messed up with road works or logging trucks, whether or not there are posted warnings.
All too often I come across "temporary" lowered speed signs that have no link to (a) actual road works and/or (b) hazards, but are actually due to lazy roading contractors.
They have lost my respect and I now select the speed that I consider is safe, also considering the risk of the likelihood of revenue collectors being present.

Absolutely, irrespective of what the signage says, we stand a much greater chance of getting home alive if we ride to the conditions. I am sure you have seen the signs saying "its not a target". In their own way the PTB are trying encapsulate the whole "ride to the conditions" thing with that phrase I would have thought?

It is also of course every individual's choice whether or not they observe the posted speed limit, temporary or otherwise. For me I can find my fun in ways other than explaining to the Constabulary why the posted limit is unfair/inappropriate/not aligned with my abilities as a rider or otherwise a crock of shit. Standing at the side of the road with the fella's disco lights going is not really the place to try and change policy.

Anyway this was a thread about lane splitting and a potential police crackdown in Wellington. If anyone wanted to split, Sunday between 2 and 3.30pm would have been a great time to do it, the entire Wellington Region Motorcycle police unit was at the Shiny Side Up motorcycle festival at Southwards, sorry I didnt give you better warning!

[pzkpfw]

Last week a motorcycle cop split past. Followed by about 4 civilian bikes. That was amusing.


On the weekend there was an article in the Dom about how a helicopter had to be called for someone (Mother of Mayor) because they knew the ambulance would take too long to get back to Wellington.
I figure half the problem (the other being single lane per direction parts of SH1) is the wire rope barriers. Without them, the ambulance could "split" with the cars in each direction pulling a bit to their left.

[Ender EnZed]

I'm figure half the problem (the other being single lane per direction parts of SH1) is the wire rope barriers. Without them, the ambulance could "split" with the cars in each direction pulling a bit to their left.

Wasn't part of the story about them when they were being installed on Centennial Highway years ago that they could be lowered for emergency vehicles? I've never seen or heard of it actually happen though.

[yevjenko]

The problem that I have is that roading contractors have "cried wolf" too often and I no longer associate a warning sign with an actual hazard.
I normally ride with the assumption that there will be road workers and dogs and sheep on the side of the road, and that the surface will be messed up with road works or logging trucks, whether or not there are posted warnings.
All too often I come across "temporary" lowered speed signs that have no link to (a) actual road works and/or (b) hazards, but are actually due to lazy roading contractors.
They have lost my respect and I now select the speed that I consider is safe, also considering the risk of the likelihood of revenue collectors being present.

This. So much this on every count

[pzkpfw]

Wasn't part of the story about them when they were being installed on Centennial Highway years ago that they could be lowered for emergency vehicles? I've never seen or heard of it actually happen though.

Not sure. They seem a little "permanent" to allow that.

It's all a bit topsy turvy, as the barriers are being credited with a lower accident/death rate.

[yevjenko]

Yes they can be lowered, but not instantly. The centennial highway ones are being lowered on Sunday nights at the moment to allow traffic through during the resurfacing works