We were heading north at Labour weekend and spotted a couple of young people on motorbikes riding up and down the queues of traffic. Were they just amusing themselves, or did their behaviour have a more serious purpose?
Bill Davidson, Mt Eden.
A: As you so rightly speculated, they were
out there for a reason. As yet, there are no traffic cameras monitoring the queues of traffic that pour out of the city on holiday weekends, so these two young people were surveying the length of the queues in three main areas, as well as looking for accidents or other hold-ups, and reporting back to the Traffic Management Unit by mobile phone. The TMU then responded by updating the big message boards to let motorists know what they were in for, and to suggest that they might use an alternative route north such as State Highway 16. The system worked very well and will be used again. Sensible thinking by somebody.
Q: At the top bend of Atkin Ave in Mission Bay, there is a double yellow line, indicating no overtaking. The problem is that when cars are parked on the side of the road, which is permitted, it is impossible to go around the corner without going over the yellow lines and on to the wrong side of the road, a bit tricky when there is a car coming the other way. I think parking should be prohibited on this corner. Is this possible?
Colleen Williams, Mission Bay.
A: It's a rotten little corner, this one. And the council, in its wisdom, has decided it will change the centre line markings, rather than remove the kerbside parking. I imagine this means that you will still have to go into the middle of the road to get past the parked cars, and there may still be traffic coming the other way, but it will no longer be illegal to cross the centre line. This, of course, does nothing to remove the danger from the corner, which disallowing parking could so easily fix. Curious logic.
Q: This is not really a traffic question, but is the big five-road intersection at Great South Rd and Campbell Rd called the Harp of Erin? Why?
Rob Laery, Remuera.
A: It certainly is the Harp of Erin. The local community board has thoughtfully put up a sign explaining that there used to be a hotel on the corner by that name, built in 1865 and destroyed by fire in 1928. It was used by the racing fraternity because of its proximity to Ellerslie Racecourse, and there were stables there as well.
We were heading north at Labour weekend and spotted a couple of young people on motorbikes riding up and down the queues of traffic. Were they just amusing themselves, or did their behaviour have a more serious purpose?
Bill Davidson, Mt Eden.
A: As you so rightly speculated, they were
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