Like crossing yellow lines? Don't in Manawatu Gorge!

[scumdog]

- If the road is clear for xxx metres why should it need a double yellow line. There is definitely room to safely pass through there in places.

What may seem 'clear' for xxx metres to smart riders like you and I may not actually be clear to the average drongo/slack jawed mouth breather that never got past his restricted despite 5 attempts.

Or conversely MAY seem clear to them despite the Previa with mum and four kids coming the other way.

[dangerous]

Wasnt aiming my post at you mate, hell I have been known to pass when there are yellow lines, but I do it legit, by remaining on the left side of the yellow, how ever this does sometimes mean passing close. One advantage bikes often have is we can pass much faster than a cage, well withen the 100m line of visability... all the same its a tad norty aye

[Gremlin]

"It's a great place to have double yellow lines."

uh-huh... and don't we all know why...

If we overtook when there was an abscence of yellow lines... I could be overtaking around corners with blind crests etc... but intelligence tells me not to...

Likewise, there are perfectly usable sections of road, with yellow lines down them... I judge whether I can overtake or not by my own standards (and yes... I have been caught doing it )

The law is an ass most of the time...

[avgas]

The should replace the yellow paint with Oil - that would fix the fuckers

[dangerous]

uh-huh... and don't we all know why...

If we overtook when there was an abscence of yellow lines... I could be overtaking around corners with blind crests etc... but intelligence tells me not to...

Likewise, there are perfectly usable sections of road, with yellow lines down them... I judge whether I can overtake or not by my own standards (and yes... I have been caught doing it )

The law is an ass most of the time...

yeah to a point I agree... how ever like SD said the lines have to be there for the worst off all drivers that are to fucking thick and brainless to consider whats around the corner, unfortunatly the beter drivers have to follow suit... PC shit is out off hand, wont be long before we are bourn with out a brain.

Having said that if you have ever had a friend or family member hit from a fucked up unit driving the wrong side of the rd and you have seen the result... you "would" be in favour off the yellows.

[Clockwork]

In my experience double yellows are frequently dawn in the most inappropriate places while at the same time I've also seen bends and hills that are crying out for them but they are nowhere to be seen. A little more consistency and a little less nannying from the roading authorities and I'd be far more supportive of this sort of policing.

As far as I'm concerned double yellows should be used where road visibility makes it too dangerous to pass safely, not as a device to ensure no one can go faster that the slowest driver.

[XP@]

Yeh! way cool, the cops have eventually found another way of revenue gathering, and this time it is sensible!
I've followed dorks through there that spent more time on the wrong side than they did on the left.

We cannot complain when they target crap driving as opposed to speeding.

[judecatmad]

In my experience double yellows are frequently dawn in the most inappropriate places while at the same time I've also seen bends and hills that are crying out for them but they are nowhere to be seen. A little more consistency and a little less nannying from the roading authorities and I'd be far more supportive of this sort of policing.

As far as I'm concerned double yellows should be used where road visibility makes it too dangerous to pass safely, not as a device to ensure no one can go faster that the slowest driver.

Too true.

I don't know the stretch of road being discussed in this thread so I have no idea how appropriate those lines are, but there are indeed bits of road that I've driven and ridden on where the yellow lines (or their absence) makes no sense at all.

I agree tho that if they are there, you need to pay heed to their existence. Even if it's just so you don't get pinged!

[James Deuce]

XP@, after travelling overseas and returning, I've always thought the way for the Govt. to make REAL money off the roads in NZ is to enforce everything else other than speeding.

People will leap to the defence of the NZ driver, but most NZ drivers (myself included) are below average in skills, understanding of vehicle dynamics, road rule awareness, and general courtesy and spend a great deal of time in every trip breaking laws other than speeding.

There are very few people in NZ that I know who could be dropped into a high density situation like UK motorways without gettting themselves in deep, deep trouble, often without even knowing what they'd done to piss people off or get a ticket. NZ drivers are usually arrogant enough to use ignorance of the law as a defence in a foreign country, let alone NZ.

I'd like to see failing to indicate, incorrect use of indicators and failing to heed street signs or traffic lights targeted as hard now. There's a crap load of money to be made in that area Ms Clark. Hint, hint.

[XP@]

I don't know the stretch of road being discussed in this thread so I have no idea how appropriate those lines are...

For those of you who don't know the road:

it is a busy main east west route between Palmerston North and Woodville, there are two alternatives but these are narrow and twisty. Being a part way up a gorge it has steep clifs on one side which are prone to slips and on the other side a very steep drop off. Just to add to the mix there are some fairly tight corners.

So, whilst it would be a lot of fun to take at speed, once you came across a couple of cars and a truck passing safely would not be possible. For the road to be closed due to a head on would disadvantage many poeople. The drivers I have seen cross the line were doing so out of sheer lazyness, therefore deserve to be slapped.

If they continue to cross the centre line then they may take the other alternative... the dreaded cheese cutters

[Deano]

Is crossing both lines the offence ? What if you are riding in between the two yellow lines while overtaking ?

From memory the offence was for the vehicle to wholly cross both lines.

[Gremlin]

yeah to a point I agree... how ever like SD said the lines have to be there for the worst off all drivers that are to fucking thick and brainless to consider whats around the corner, unfortunatly the beter drivers have to follow suit...

A yellow line will not stop that kind of stupidity anyway, but I suppose it does give them something to tag on the driver...

I have been first on the scene of a fatal, where the driver never bothered to finish a corner, walloping a tree, and killing a young passenger... At the end of the day, nothing would really stop that, besides drivers actually being able to drive...

edit: @ Deano... the offence is termed overtaking over (or across) double yellow lines or something like that, ie, you crossed the yellow line... I would doubt that the whole vehicle would need to be over, but that said, a bike has two wheels, which means its most likely one or the other... Also, in tight spots, you can't overtake another vehicle without being wholy over the double yellows...

[WRT]

*does quick mental calculation*

Wow, I got a camera, where's this mythical spot where you can earn $1000 per hour just for taking pictures of passing cars?

[Macktheknife]

Yeh! way cool, the cops have eventually found another way of revenue gathering, and this time it is sensible!
I've followed dorks through there that spent more time on the wrong side than they did on the left.

We cannot complain when they target crap driving as opposed to speeding.

I agree, let them ticket the crap driving practices all they want. I think it is a great idea.
If for no other reason than anything that is going to make cagers drive with more consideration then I will support it!
God knows we all would appreciate better drivers on our roads, I would even bring them a coffee while they are at it if I was closer.

[Beemer]

I just hope that their policing of drivers crossing the centre line extends to ALL areas and not just those where there are yellow lines. (And I don't mean in legal and safe instances of overtaking.)

I was on my way to Palmerston North this morning and this stupid cow coming towards me cut the corner on a very gentle bend when she was only about 200m in front of me. Absolutely no need for it and if I hadn't been awake I would have collected her.

I have overtaken in the gorge on many occasions in the past but wouldn't try it now even if there weren't yellow lines. Too many slips and washouts to make it safe. But this does smack of revenue collecting when this kind of behaviour happens everywhere every day and yet you never see a driver ticketed for it. It's like people who can't drive in their own lane on the motorway - despite cats eyes and ripple strips they wander all over the road with no thought for other road users.