Middle NZ: Here a cone, there a cone, everywhere there's cones

Road cones are a common site around Hawke's Bay.

COMMENT
I have a theory. It's not based on fact but it could be true — or not.

My theory is that every person who has moved to Hawke's Bay in the past year has brought with them 20 road cones and placed them on the side of the road.

Either that or the makers of "witches hats" are making a killing.

Every way you turn in Hawke's Bay at the moment the side of the road is lined with the things, there's roadworks going on all over the show.

A trip to Napier on the expressway on Monday took way too long. I don't think the car I was travelling in reached 70km/h the entire way.

While we were in no hurry, and it didn't bother us, I have heard a different story from several commuters venting their frustrations at the time it takes them to get from Napier to Hastings especially at peak-hour traffic.

Last weekend I was in Greenmeadows and headed for home via the Meeanee underpass. The last time I went this way there was plenty of room to merge with traffic. Not so this time.

It was actually a bit hair-raising when I realised I had only a few seconds to merge with traffic before running out of room.

I'm not sure what changes they are making to the road here but I hope they make them fast.

Again regular commuters have told me that at peak times traffic comes to a standstill as vehicles try to merge.

Linda Hall is Hawke's Bay Today's premium content editor.

We all know that Hawke's Bay drivers are not the most courteous. Add that to frustration and the thought that you are going to be late for work or a very important meeting and any courtesy goes out the door.

Drivers look straight ahead, pretending they can't see the anxious glare of the person waiting to merge.

It seems to me that the poor old expressway has not had a moment's peace from cones, and heavy machinery for the past year.

Remember when road cones used to be a bit of a novelty. People would move them into funny places, high up a building or in a tree. It was also quite common for them to end up in people's sheds or bedrooms. Highly illegal but sometimes amusing.

Don't think that happens much these days. I for one am sick of the sight of them. I know they are necessary and that in the long run the roads will be safer but do we need to do it all at once?

Why not finish one job before starting another?

However, all drivers need to remember that where there are road cones there is very likely to be road workers, so although it might be frustrating and you might be late for work, the safety of the people working on the roads is far more important.

I had a lesson this week in how easily accidents can happen no matter how well you drive.

My daughter in Australia was travelling home on Saturday after a night out with some Hawke's Bay friends.

They were in an Uber in the fourth of five lanes on the motorway. The driver was travelling at the speed limit of 110km/h when a car hit them from behind.

The driver managed to keep control until the car hit them again. They ended up hitting the barrier on the far left of the road.

Miraculously they all walked away unharmed including the driver of the second car who tried to leave the scene.

I was speaking to her the following day and she was understandingly still shaken.
It could so easily have turned out a whole lot worse.

Be careful out there and remember — the cones will eventually disappear — and turn up on another road near you.

Linda Hall is Hawke's Bay Today's premium content editor.