KEY POINTS:
Over coffee at work, we discussed stop signs and how few people stop at them these days. We were divided over the legal definition of where you stop. If you stop one or two cars back in the queue, does that constitute the legal requirement of stopping at
the stop sign? Most people seem to think so and when they get to the front of the line they just keep going if it's clear.
Bruce Clarke, Te Atatu South.
'If it's clear' are the crucial words. Land Transport Road User Rule 4.1 (1) states that at an intersection controlled by a stop sign or near that intersection, a driver must (a), stop his or her vehicle before entering the path of any possible vehicle flow at such a position as to be able to ascertain whether the way is clear for the driver to proceed, and (b), give way to any vehicles approaching or crossing the intersection from a roadway not controlled by a stop sign.
What provision will be made for cyclists when Maioro, New Windsor, Tiverton and Wolverton are converted to two lanes in each direction?
Mark Bracey, Auckland.
There are two bodies at work here - the New Zealand Transport Agency and Auckland City Council. The council, which has responsibility for Tiverton and Wolverton, will put in cycle advance boxes at every intersection along their bit of the route. They did look at providing dedicated cycle lanes, but it just wasn't possible with the road widths.
And I understand there will be a wide kerbside lane along New Windsor, which will accommodate cyclists.
I'm having difficulty establishing the exact plans for Maioro Rd, so an update will be forthcoming.
Last year you kindly clarified that my (then) shiny new Vespa can use bus lanes, and may also proceed at traffic lights which have a 'B' light aglow. Rightly or wrongly, I assumed that meant motorbikes can do just about everything a bus can, apart from stopping or parking at a bus stop. But what of signs that say, for example, 'Buses only may turn right', or 'Buses only may enter'? Again, I presumed that for 'Buses' I could read 'Buses and bikes and the like', but your response to Angela Morgan, that these mean a right turn for anything other than buses is prohibited, or whatever the constraint is, has me guessing. A clarification of exactly what the rights and how bus-like we two-wheelers can be would be most helpful.
Barrie Graham, Auckland.
The situation has not changed. Cycles, motorcycles (including once-shiny Vespas) and buses can use bus lanes, except where expressly forbidden, and may proceed at the 'B' light.
But where a sign says 'Buses only' (and let's not get into the argument over whether the grammar of these signs is deficient) it means just that, whether it is a turn or a lane.
* Phoebe Falconer is on leave from today. Her column returns on September 16.