Editorial: We all need to know the rules

I thought there would be problems in the first week of the new give-way laws.

Under the new rules, which came into force last Sunday, drivers turning right must give way to oncoming traffic turning left into the same street.

And drivers approaching the end of a road at a "T" intersection must give way to traffic turning toward them into the road (think top of the T goes before me).

Despite major advertising with that catchy line and media publicity, such a major change was bound to cause confusion.

It was just a matter of when and where, and how bad.

In the Bay, this confusion emerged yesterday at the Cambridge Rd expressway on-ramp when a police officer was nearly sideswiped by a driver who failed to give way.

Constable Riki Valentine got out of his patrol car and find out what was going on - and found utter confusion.

Motorists turning left on to the on-ramp must give way to right turning traffic at this intersection because there is a give way sign.

But the opposite is happening. Right-turning drivers were stopping to give way while left-turning traffic at the give way sign simply drove through the intersection - ignoring the sign.

Mr Valentine spent 45 minutes directing traffic and trying to stop accidents happening.

One nearby resident says there have been near misses all week and it sounds like it is a miracle there has not been a major accident.

What a shambles.

I am surprised these motorists have got things so badly wrong.

A give-way sign means you have to give way - and no other road rule is going to over-ride this.

I wonder if this sort of thing is happening elsewhere.

The authorities deserve praise for quickly reacting. Transport officials are going to move the sign and make it more prominent, make the give-way road markings more visible and ultimately redesign the intersection to make it safer.

Police, likewise, are making all the right moves. They will be manning the intersection next week to help educate drivers.

But after that, offending motorists will be ticketed. Fair enough, too. I'm not sure what else they're supposed to do. Every driver must ensure they understand the new rules.