Nearly got T-Boned this morning!!!!!!!

[cooneyr]

We have a waiting period between when the lights go red and when yours go green too (i.e. all the lights in the intersection are red); but I don't think it's very long.....

Its typically around 4 seconds for a "normal" suburban intersection. As the intersection gets larger (distance to travel from limit line to exit) it gets longer i.e. gives more time for all vehicles to exit the intersection.

Cheers R

[sunhuntin]

what do you guys think about not having red arrows? more like just having giveway signs?

Too much time im wanting to turn and I cant because of the red arrow, when it would be safe and faster to simply have a give way.

they have this ability in the states, and i fully agree we should have it here. many times, im sitting for ages when i could have safely moved without having to wait. sucks when you sit for sometimes 2 circuits of lights when you could have taken the turn after hesitating for 3 seconds to check the way was clear.

[discotex]

Its typically around 4 seconds for a "normal" suburban intersection. As the intersection gets larger (distance to travel from limit line to exit) it gets longer i.e. gives more time for all vehicles to exit the intersection.

Cheers R

Yeah I think Auckland drivers have worked that out and factored it into the amount of cars can fit through a red light.

It gets worse every month. Christmas traffic this year should be interesting too.

[klingon]

I got quite a fright on my way home from work today in the car.

I was heading to the Tristram Ave on-ramp, preparing to go southbound to the city. There was an ambulance in front of me. Our light went red. Ambo stopped. I stopped. the ute behind me decided he wasn't going to stop so he swerved around me and the ambo (passing us on the left) and accellerated hard, straight through the light which had been red for several seconds by then.

The scary thing was that there was a bike at the lights to our right, at the front of the queue of traffic on the north-bound off ramp. If he had gone when his light went green he would have been smashed to smithereens. And the maniac who was running the red light had no way of seeing around the ambulance to see who was coming.

I can only guess that the biker saw the ute swerve around me and the ambo, and waited as a result. Thank goodness.

I wish I had time to see the ute's number plate - I hope the ambulance people or the biker got it and reported that guy.

[SHELRACING]

Well you know it doesn't seem to matter to some drivers when the light is red or green, they just keep driving. Doesn't matter where in Auck either.
I got cleaned out by a red light runner about 2 months ago in Henderson.
The light was already green as I approached the intersection, so I carefully rode through. Then wack!


I also had some fool pull out from behind me in a RAV (when in our car) whilst I was stopping for the orange light, and he drove through the red.

We need red light camera's at every major intersection.

[Swoop]

After riding in the UK - I always thought their traffic light system was MUCH better - to stop, lights go Green, Amber, Red - then to go - Red, Amber, Green! With an overlap, so Green happens AFTER the crossing traffic gets Red (possibly ALL lights are Red, before Green sequence starts?).

You'll notice the non-use of the amber lights in NZ. They just flash from red-green + verse vicea. Most civilised countries have them working for 2-3 seconds to allow motorists to get ready to move.

It gets worse every month. Christmas traffic this year should be interesting too.

Christmas traffic on a bike? Is their such a thing?

[Bytor]

Is this a fairly localised thing ? I've only lived here in akld for a couple of years, and have noticed a dramatically higher incidence of red-light runners than in wellington, where I came from. It does happen there too, but not even remotely as much !

Wasn't aware of it when we travelled around the country, but since living and working in Auckland I can honestly say that I see a red light runner EVERY day Why waste police time sitting them at lights occasionally, put some bloody camera's up at the lights - worked a treat back in the UK.

[Bytor]

:Just been an article in the Howick and Pakuranga Times, front page, about the cops FINALLY cracking down on them (and also making all officers trained in laser, and equipping the guns to all cars) but its sooooo overdue.

Saw it too! Now that cop that can't be bothered to turn around and chase me up the 3 lane Pak Highway for doing 10k(ish) over the limit will now have my balls for breakfast What a waste of money, why can't they spend it on camera's at traffic lights? Would prevent more accidents and careless driving attitudes.

[UberRhys]

I ride down Great South Rd and 9 out of 10 times get a red on the intersection of GSR & Church St. There is an awful lot of heavy traffic (big b-train units and all manner of trucks hauling crap) and some of these guys drive them like they are above the law.

I have seen a few cruise through solid red light at speed. I'm not giving truckies a bash cos the majority of them are good bastards. Something they say about bad apples springs to mind...

[Bytor]

I ride down Great South Rd and 9 out of 10 times get a red on the intersection of GSR & Church St. There is an awful lot of heavy traffic (big b-train units and all manner of trucks hauling crap) and some of these guys drive them like they are above the law.

I have seen a few cruise through solid red light at speed. I'm not giving truckies a bash cos the majority of them are good bastards. Something they say about bad apples springs to mind...

Yep that's one of the one's that I can guarantee seeing a red light runner in the morning...and yes those big trucks turning into GSR from Church St never stop. I know that it takes a lot to stop them but they don't even try

[discotex]

Christmas traffic on a bike? Is their such a thing?

Not in terms of slowing us down but definitely in terms of risk to life and limb from all the mad driving.

[Fub@r]

Nice to see a bikey cop monitoring the Nelson St offramp this morning. Only problem is people could see him and hence no one ran the light during the phase I witnessed.

[klingon]

Nice to see a bikey cop monitoring the Nelson St offramp this morning. Only problem is people could see him and hence no one ran the light during the phase I witnessed.

I love bikey cops

It always makes me feel good when I see them monitoring an intersection and I always give them a wave or a nod. I think, "there's someone who knows how it feels to be vulnerable."

All polices should have to ride a bike for a year before they're allowed to drive a car. It would make them so much more aware of the hazards we face every day! And they'd probably start arresting road workers for leaving loose gravel on corners!

[NodMan:Me]

Nice to see a bikey cop monitoring the Nelson St offramp this morning. Only problem is people could see him and hence no one ran the light during the phase I witnessed.

One of the reasons I filter to the front at red lights!
Pity ALL cops aren't on bikes...(but thats another issue)
better the tin tops "SEE" the bike pig and flatspot there tyres than put another biker in Hospital or worse

[NodMan:Me]

I love bikey cops

It always makes me feel good when I see them monitoring an intersection and I always give them a wave or a nod. I think, "there's someone who knows how it feels to be vulnerable."

All polices should have to ride a bike for a year before they're allowed to drive a car. It would make them so much more aware of the hazards we face every day!

And I thought you were just saying my name when you nodded!..lol
I thought it was just Bikey Cop that you'll loved!

In the good ole days (MOT) you had to ride a bike for at least five years before you graduated to a car!!! (some of us just never graduated...)

I think an even better idea would be ALL kiwis should have to ride a bike for five years before they could sit a car licence....that way (tragic as it may be for relatives) Darwins theory on natural selection would take care of the hoon element before they got the chance to operate a tin top weapon.

Ride safe you never know where and when I might be working