Red lights and other urban myths

[oneofsix]

It's possible that the person entered the intersection when traffic was flowing, but got stuck when it all stopped and they got stranded.

This is by and large what does happen and as you say, technically hard to turn into a penalty (with no doubt any attempt to do so met with the usual undeserved derision). A bit of fore-thought, planning ahead and some monitoring of the blindly obvious would help solve this, but that requires a level of courtesy that some can't seem to manage, as getting home 45seconds earlier than if they'd waited for the next green is far more important. I can appreciate your frustration...

Isn't there a condition on the green meaning go that says something like if the intersection is clear, not exit mind you as discussed in other posts above. Those on the green shouldn't be proceeding until the stranded one has cleared the intersection. Can see any cop enforcing that having an argument on their hands "but I had the green!"

[Parlane]

Isn't there a condition on the green meaning go that says something like if the intersection is clear, not exit mind you as discussed in other posts above. Those on the green shouldn't be proceeding until the stranded one has cleared the intersection. Can see any cop enforcing that having an argument on their hands "but I had the green!"

If you are saying what I think you are, I was in the belief that you could not enter the intersection until there was a space on your exit. Obviously with traffic flow this can be a problem, or atleast people can say it is. But to be honest, you can clearly see what traffic flow is like. I tend to hold back more than others at an intersection when going straight if traffic is slow, and then go when there is space for me.

I give everyone the glare when they are in the intersection when my light goes green!

Right turning traffic is going to get so much worse soon in Christchurch.

Also regarding traffic lights, I love the light system changes that cause a giveway left turn, to go orange and then go green.

[oneofsix]

If you are saying what I think you are, I was in the belief that you could not enter the intersection until there was a space on your exit. Obviously with traffic flow this can be a problem, or atleast people can say it is. But to be honest, you can clearly see what traffic flow is like. I tend to hold back more than others at an intersection when going straight if traffic is slow, and then go when there is space for me.

I give everyone the glare when they are in the intersection when my light goes green!

Right turning traffic is going to get so much worse soon in Christchurch.

Also regarding traffic lights, I love the light system changes that cause a giveway left turn, to go orange and then go green.

What I was saying is all you can do is "glare when they are in the intersection when your light goes green" because you don't actually have the right to proceed until they are out of the intersection. I would like to check this but it appears the NZTA website is rather slow or down at the moment.

[Gremlin]

Reds are our Gold-medal offence, we love them, but there aren't as many as people think.

15,000km a year around Auckland just for work... believe me when I say there's plenty up here. Several intersections around Botany Town Centre (the ones in my previous post were all at the lights right next to Paradice Skating Rink - which incidentally is in the top 10 dangerous intersections for Auckland) have people running the red on most phases, worse in rush hour (like several cars go through while you have a green light), and also next to Otara Shopping Centre (but I've seen the cops set up there on odd occasions).

[Scuba_Steve]

Now for the fun part of the law

Everyone who enters an intersection from being stopped at lights, a stop sign, or even a give way is breaking the law!
where are those "the law is the law" idiots???

[oneofsix]

Now for the fun part of the law

Everyone who enters an intersection from being stopped at lights, a stop sign, or even a give way is breaking the law!
where are those "the law is the law" idiots???

Where you get that about it being illegal to enter the intersection after being stopped?. Pity sure the stop sign law has something like you can proceed once the way is clear.

[Scuba_Steve]

Where you get that about it being illegal to enter the intersection after being stopped?. Pity sure the stop sign law has something like you can proceed once the way is clear.

The law as it is written (land transport road user), where else???
It all comes down to how it is written not the intent. Just like buses not being able to stop at bus stops previously, it wasn't the intent but it was what was written (tho I never saw 1 of them get ticketed for it despite it being illegal & them doing it multiple times a day, some even in-front of cop shops, must be that "discretion" thing they mention )

[imac]

Not constructive I warrant but I have always wanted to get a beat up old hilux/landrover/patrol and go trolling for red light runners. I reckon you could wreck a dozen cars a day

[ducatilover]

Bacon Donuts

[meteor]

... Just like buses not being able to stop at bus stops...

I have a mate (actually I do!) that has a painted bus stop running the full lenght of his road frontage. Buses only run there during Mon-Fri til about 7pm. He got a ticket for parking there on a Sunday. Do you think the council parking people would waive it? The law is the law and there's no place for common sense! Sorry, bit off topic I know...

[rastuscat]

Now for the fun part of the law

Everyone who enters an intersection from being stopped at lights, a stop sign, or even a give way is breaking the law!
where are those "the law is the law" idiots???

Wot?

Sorry Scoober, not sure which law you're talking about. Act and Section please.

You're right about it being the way the law is written, not the way it is intended.

If you pull the handbrake on and slide your cage to a halt, you've had a sustained loss of traction. However, that's not what the gubbermint intended when it passed the burnout law. Generally the Popos will charge you with careless driving for a handbrake slide.

Per example, the law used to say you have to wear your seatbelt. Some folk wore them incorrectly, but all the law said was that you had to wear it, and that it had to be fastened. So, you could wear it under your arm, if you wanted. The rules have now been changed, to say that you have to wear it, you have to wear it correctly.

7.10 Persons of or over 15 years must wear seat belts and keep them fastened
(1) Subclause (2) applies when a person—
(a) is in a motor vehicle; and
(b) is occupying a seat fitted with a seat belt, whether or not the seat belt is an approved seat belt; and
(c) is aged 15 years or more.
(2) While the vehicle is in motion on the road, the person must—
(a) wear the seat belt correctly so that he or she is properly restrained; and
(b) keep the seat belt securely fastened.

Correctly is determined by the dude who designed it.

That's the thing, when people start to take the mickey and use a technicality to exploit the law, the gubbermint responds by changing the law.

[FJRider]

I have a mate (actually I do!) that has a painted bus stop running the full lenght of his road frontage. Buses only run there during Mon-Fri til about 7pm. He got a ticket for parking there on a Sunday. Do you think the council parking people would waive it? The law is the law and there's no place for common sense! Sorry, bit off topic I know...

Actually ... ANY bus can stop on a bus stop. Not just your local scheduled council bus service. Even if they are the only buses, that actually/normally use it ....


So the short answer ... probably no. A letter written to the council parking people might work though .... worth a try ..

[ckai]

Very interesting stuff. Makes sense to nab yellow lights. It makes me feel slightly better that it's against the law to stop in an intersection if its blocked. The shit pisses me off during busy traffic and it screws up the flow for other roads.

If we get to nominate our own blitz, can mine be on people who indicate right on entering a roundabout and then go straight ahead ... espeically if they are in the left lane of a dual lane and I'm in the right lane. That is a real sphincter puckerer.

God this annoys me too. Took the brother-in-law for a prep ride for his 6R and noticed he did that. Pulled him up and asked him about it. He said that's what he thought he had to do. I asked him if someone did that to him from the opposite direction would he know where they were going. Of course he said no. Then I said "it would piss you off to know he was going straight and you could have gone, right?" Yip, he replied.

So at least that's one less person that will do it. Hopefully he'll tell someone else and by 2075 it'll be sweet for the next law change.

[oneofsix]

Very interesting stuff. Makes sense to nab yellow lights. It makes me feel slightly better that it's against the law to stop in an intersection if its blocked. The shit pisses me off during busy traffic and it screws up the flow for other roads.



God this annoys me too. Took the brother-in-law for a prep ride for his 6R and noticed he did that. Pulled him up and asked him about it. He said that's what he thought he had to do. I asked him if someone did that to him from the opposite direction would he know where they were going. Of course he said no. Then I said "it would piss you off to know he was going straight and you could have gone, right?" Yip, he replied.

So at least that's one less person that will do it. Hopefully he'll tell someone else and by 2075 it'll be sweet for the next law change.

Instead of these continuous TV ads on speed how about the same number on how to use your indicators? Do a hell of a lot more good. How to indicate at round-a-bouts for morons series.

[MSTRS:Me]

Reds are our Gold-medal offence, we love them, but there aren't as many as people think.

Where were you 5 minutes ago? I stopped short at a red just now, and had to pull forward into the space left by the dickhead who went straight through. It was amber as we approached, then turned red before s/he reached the line. I swear the tyres on that little car smoked as it accelerated across the intersection.
You'd have been dining on donuts (with sprinkles) for a month on that score...