Orange light campaign

[Waxxa]

I'm all for the police cracking down on 'traffic light' runners. The situation is out of control in Auckland.

Even watching out for traffic in the 'traffic light shuffle' the amount of people that run red lights is unbelievable. Offenders should have their vehicles taken away for 28 days under a dangerous driving clause.

[dipshit]

I liked a clip on the news a while back when the Christchurch cops had a blitz on people turning into a one-way street yet failing to turn into their closest lane. You ended up with all these school mums in their SUV's absolutely gob smacked that they were getting a ticket. haha... it was classic!

I have always reckoned a hidden camera on a roundabout showing just how many people can't grasp something as simple as indicating properly would make embarrassing viewing on the evening news as well.

[Mystic13]

Ok, I have a question. If you are being followed very closely by a determined tailgater (we have all had one of those) up to a set of lights and, it turns orange. Its possible for you to stop safely but, are extremely worried that this twit behind you doesn't want to stop for the lights. Is this an acceptable defence?

lol... you wish. My mum stopped her car for a yellow and the guy behind drove into the back of her. He then had a go at her for stopping for the yellow. On his insurance claim form he stated it was her fault because she stopped suddenly when the light turned yellow instead of driving through.

It seems he thought there was plenty of time to go through before the red.

Another issue in Aucks at the moment is the number of buses jumping the green. They accelerate off expecting to hit the whiteline and accelerating as soon as the light turns green and a few are well past the white line when the green comes. This combined with shooting a light is a recipe for disaster.

Personally I'd like to see the light go yellow before it goes green so you know to put the thing in gear and get ready as they do in many countries overseas.

[klingon]

I liked a clip on the news a while back when the Christchurch cops had a blitz on people turning into a one-way street yet failing to turn into their closest lane. You ended up with all these school mums in their SUV's absolutely gob smacked that they were getting a ticket. haha... it was classic!

I have always reckoned a hidden camera on a roundabout showing just how many people can't grasp something as simple as indicating properly would make embarrassing viewing on the evening news as well.

It's funny how every time one of these laws gets some publicity, everyone thinks it's a new law that's just been brought in. It happened with the roundabout signalling, and also with the one where people have to turn into the nearest lane. I bet it happens with the orange lights, too.

"But officer, that's a new rule! I've been driving for 20 years and the rule was always speed up to go through the orange light!"

So why do I remember these from my drivers test many (mumble) years ago? The rules have not changed. People either forgot about them or never understood them in the first place. It's scary to be sharing the road with those people!

[Max Preload]

I liked a clip on the news a while back when the Christchurch cops had a blitz on people turning into a one-way street yet failing to turn into their closest lane.

And into multilane roads. They need to really hammer this home.

I'm all for the police cracking down on 'traffic light' runners. The situation is out of control in Auckland.

It most certainly is, but with such large delays between the red for one direction and the green for another, I do wonder... chicken or egg.

It's funny how every time one of these laws gets some publicity, everyone thinks it's a new law that's just been brought in. It happened with the roundabout signalling, and also with the one where people have to turn into the nearest lane.

That's because NZ drivers are poor because they're not held to a high enough standard in the first place, so they all think they're good drivers.

[Tone165]

Here in Aussie there is a 4 second delay between one light turning red, and the other turning green!

result...

Orange light means speed up..

And ppl run red lights if it was orange when they first saw it!

I drive a truck that takes a bit to stop, and I admit that I do run the odd orange lite (and feel a bit guilty) but I am still amazed to see the 5 cars behind me come thru as well!

I heard (and do not vouch for validity) that lites were removed from some place in Germany....so drivers had to check that intersection was clear rather than see a coloured lite...the result was reportedly no further intersection crashes!!!!!

Remove ppls NEED to think, and you also deminish their ABILITY to think!!!!

[klingon]

...I heard (and do not vouch for validity) that lites were removed from some place in Germany....so drivers had to check that intersection was clear rather than see a coloured lite...the result was reportedly no further intersection crashes!!!!!

Remove ppls NEED to think, and you also deminish their ABILITY to think!!!!

Apparently this has been done in a few places. The one I heard about was a Dutch town where they removed all the traffic lights. Crashes in general went down by a lot, and pedestrian injuries in particular were reduced.

I do wonder if it would work here though, since so many Kiwis seem to be either completely oblivious to what's going on around them, or to think that "might is right" and they only have to give way to something that's bigger than them.

Here's an article on the subject: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,...143663,00.html

[mattian]

" Offenders should have their vehicles taken away for 28 days under a dangerous driving clause.

"

Thats an excellent idea! a month without wheels would certainly put things in perspective for car drivers (and some bike riders for that matter)

[Howsie]

Another issue in Aucks at the moment is the number of buses jumping the green. They accelerate off expecting to hit the whiteline and accelerating as soon as the light turns green and a few are well past the white line when the green comes. This combined with shooting a light is a recipe for disaster.

If this occurs where there are bus lanes quite often there is a separate Bus light that goes before the green to allow the bus to get off first. Usually this is wasted as the next stop is quite often less than 100m away. Took me a few goes to work this one out also when i first moved to Auckland.

Go in the empty bus lane on your bike next time and watch for the white "B" next to the green for the bus, this way you dont have to split and you get way infront of the traffic!

Howsie

[Daffyd]

I have always reckoned a hidden camera on a roundabout showing just how many people can't grasp something as simple as indicating properly would make embarrassing viewing on the evening news as well.

They couldn't do that. It would catch out too many cops!

[JMemonic]

It's funny how every time one of these laws gets some publicity, everyone thinks it's a new law that's just been brought in. It happened with the roundabout signalling, and also with the one where people have to turn into the nearest lane. I bet it happens with the orange lights, too.

Sure it wasn't a rule, it was noted as a courtesy when I did my licence. The orange light thing though scares me, nearly been rear ended many times due to stopping and the car behind is speeding up.

[McJim]

Unfortunately the lawmakers (not the enforcers) have stuffed up again and brought subjectivity into the equation. It will be down to OPINION in many cases. Was it safe to stop wasn't it? You can't really prove either way scientifically if it's a borderline case. On occasion with my children in the car I have gone through an amber light because between the light changing from green to amber only gave me enough time to perform an emergency stop and this would have caused seatbelt bruising to my children - not life threateneing maybe but needles nonetheless.

It's the same with borderline subjective noise and borderline speeding (since most manufactures will admit to a +/- 10% error in speedos).

By targeting the borderline cases the police are sending a clear message.

"The legislation was created to allow us to do our jobs and target dangerous driving. In order to do this a line was drawn in the sand in each of these situations and it is therefore an offence to travel through and amber light, exceed the posted speed limit knowingly or otherwise, exceed 95dB or 100dB dependent on your vehicle. By pursuing the subjective nature of these offences we have found that we can increase revenue collection by an enormous amount and will therefore continue to penalise road users under these subjective rules as the subjectivity precludes any realistic comeback. We may lose the odd case but the majority will alow us to attain our revenue targets"

Now I don't hate the police but if they cut these things really close to the bone then that tells me that I have hit the nail on the head.

[JohnR]

Apparently this has been done in a few places. The one I heard about was a Dutch town where they removed all the traffic lights. Crashes in general went down by a lot, and pedestrian injuries in particular were reduced.

I do wonder if it would work here though, since so many Kiwis seem to be either completely oblivious to what's going on around them, or to think that "might is right" and they only have to give way to something that's bigger than them.

Here's an article on the subject: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,...143663,00.html

Lincoln Road should be the trial area!

[PirateJafa]

Thats an excellent idea! a month without wheels would certainly put things in perspective for car drivers (and some bike riders for that matter)

Works nicely for those of us with multiple vehicles. I'd be able to get busted one a week and still be on the move.

Lincoln Road should be the trial area!

Not TrafficLightGP Road, surely? :O



On a more serious note guys, aren't there already perfectly good laws covering most of these? Careless/Dangerous/Typical Driving?

[rphenix]

And into multilane roads. They need to really hammer this home.

Yes definitely sometimes I think I'm the only one who noticed that rule in the rode code

I would also love more enforcement (towing in particular) for the buggers who park on transit lane's when the lane is supposed to be clear.