Brother down in Mt Vic Tunnel (29 August)

[stunz]

RIP rider. heard it on the dial this morning. sucks.

For my mind, I think Welly roads are absolutely shite and appear to be disintegrating at an alarming rate. Its getting harder and harder to find a smooth patch of tarmac around town without having to navigate the increasing amount of obstacles. Loose shingle from crap cleanup jobs by Works, excessively large potholes, tarmac joins, surfaces that seem to just peel off within weeks of being laid, unrepaired gouges in the road from cager accidents and...well, you get my drift. Take care out there.

[Deano]

I was thinking about the state of our roads and what I was taught during defensive driving course (we have to resit them every 5 years at work for H&SE)

The instructor advocates checking 12 seconds ahead of your present position. This is pretty difficult if your time is spent checking the often substandard road for potholes, unsigned gravel and slippery service plates.

It's ok for the 4 wheeled variety of vehicle, but just creates unnecessary hazards for motorcyclists. And I have it on good authority that some road works (new asphalt) is often not up to 'standard', but that the contractors are not always taken to task over the shitty job they do.

[nudemetalz]

I concur with all the other Wellingtonians. I used to live in Miramar and commute through that tunnel every day. It's slippery from the diesel/oil and can be dangerous when traffic merges from the Realm-pub end road. Some drivers just don't even look and just merge.

RIP Fellow Rider. Always a sad occasion.

[Freakshow]

RIP rider.

Everybody else keep safe.

[Uncle B]

RIP Rider, condolences to the family and friends.

[Steam]

on the Hataitai side.... A car moving into the traffic lane (heading into the tunnel) across the southbound lane.

Yes, I always watch those cars waiting in that lane really carefully, I just know they will pull out in front of me someday. That's one spot in Welly that makes me concentrate on escape routes extra-much. Avoid to the right into oncoming traffic or a tighter swerve to the left?

RIP rider, we are all so close to dying every day, it makes you think.

[Paul in NZ]

I was thinking about the state of our roads and what I was taught during defensive driving course (we have to resit them every 5 years at work for H&SE)

The instructor advocates checking 12 seconds ahead of your present position. This is pretty difficult if your time is spent checking the often substandard road for potholes, unsigned gravel and slippery service plates.

It's ok for the 4 wheeled variety of vehicle, but just creates unnecessary hazards for motorcyclists. And I have it on good authority that some road works (new asphalt) is often not up to 'standard', but that the contractors are not always taken to task over the shitty job they do.

Totally agree...

I may (or may not) be relevant here but IMHO our roads are in shit condition and getting worse.

We just purchased a Jap import car, it's 11years old and the windscreen looks new. One trip to ChCh and it does not look new due to stone chips...

The feeder road to our cul de sac was re sealed. Within 2 weeks our corner was difficult to negotiate on the bike 'cos loose gravel was building up on the outside of the bend. I bitched to the council 'cos Vicki and I nearly binned the Guzzi coming home one night... I shit you not, I went down there after a month of no action and scooped stones off with a friggin shovel.... Broom? Ha!

Another month went by, council swept it, a month later, it's dodgy again... Feeder road has more bald patches than i do...

Jesus.. What a bloody system...

[Titanium]

RIP rider ........

[Dafe]

Sounds like it probably wasn't a KB'er afterall. But still, how unfortunate for the family and friends concerned.

I currently live in Lower Hutt and whenever I've had any issues with potholes or loose gravel on roads, I've emailed the local council, as they provide an email address for this service.

Both times, the problem has been rectified the next working day.
It probably helps alot when you identify the hazard as a deathtrap to motorcyclists. Because once they've been warned, they're obliged to rectify it or face gross negligence charges should something happen.

Local Wellington residents should try this with the WCC. I've had great success emailing the Hutt City Council.

For the Hutt City Council: http://www.huttcity.govt.nz/council/.../fixagram.html

For the Porirua City Council: http://www.pcc.govt.nz/web_frameset....7&id=&link=yes

For the Wellington City Council: http://www.wellington.govt.nz/services/fixit/

[Wasp]

Hey Dafe, have you noticed that the road that runs along by caltex and shell past bp has been resealed again? it should last longer this time too...

[Kendog]

That's some good advice Dafe.
Our road had been dug up a week or so ago and the 'boys' had been hard at work on it during the week, until Friday when it rained and they sat in their trucks for the day. I noticed on my way home that night that they had taken all the cones and signs away for the weekend, but had not actually fixed the road. There was gravel everywhere and several large holes and no idication to let you know they were there. Anyway, I thought to myself, self that is potentially quite dangerous, and thought of ringing the council to inform them of my concerns, but figured they'd probably blow me off, and that would piss me off for the entire weekend, so didn't.
Soooooo, anyway, now that I know that, next time I will ring the buggers up and 'inform' them of their oversight or pothole etc. Thanks
Mrs KD.

[sunhuntin]

That's some good advice Dafe.
Our road had been dug up a week or so ago and the 'boys' had been hard at work on it during the week, until Friday when it rained and they sat in their trucks for the day. I noticed on my way home that night that they had taken all the cones and signs away for the weekend, but had not actually fixed the road. There was gravel everywhere and several large holes and no idication to let you know they were there. Anyway, I thought to myself, self that is potentially quite dangerous, and thought of ringing the council to inform them of my concerns, but figured they'd probably blow me off, and that would piss me off for the entire weekend, so didn't.
Soooooo, anyway, now that I know that, next time I will ring the buggers up and 'inform' them of their oversight or pothole etc. Thanks
Mrs KD.

i thought they had to leave those there? there was some work done not 5 seconds from my house about 2 weeks ago....only a day job, but the sign for stones flying is still there, lol.

recently a main intersection in town was ripped up and resealed. was lovely and smooth too. now they are ripping up the middle of the intersection...detour in place for one direction, but not the other 3! dunno what the heck they are doing, but its taken out the lights either way. there was a couple of nasty potholes on the main part of a right hand turn there that i hope theyve fixed.

[Lou Girardin]

The new part of SH1 around Meremere started falling apart soon after it was completed, now a new passing lane in the same area has been designed badly and water is pooling in the middle of the lanes.
This is market forces at work. The cheapest tender wins.
Bring back the Ministry of Works.

[Motu]

No,it was like that before it was opened,a rush job....in like,how many years?

[Dafe]

Seems like alot of Wellington road users had no idea how effective the emailing reporting system is.

Please use it, but don't abuse it. Be realistic as it does provide good results at present.

For the Hutt City Council: http://www.huttcity.info/council/contact/fix.html

For the Porirua City Council: http://www.pcc.govt.nz/rexinform/form.asp?id=320

For the Wellington City Council: http://www.wellington.govt.nz/services/fixit/