Ask Phoebe: Right way when it's one way

Others should give way to you. Photo / Supplied

With summer (almost) upon us and people heading to the Coromandel again, could you please explain to everyone the rules about right of way on one-lane bridges? Not many people seem to realise the significance of the signs with red and black arrows indicating who has right of way. I have seen too many incidents of near misses and "bridge rage" where drivers do not realise that they have to give way.
Petra Von Allmen, Hikuai.

What a very good idea. I was reminded of the abundance of one-way bridges on the Coromandel on a recent road trip, and also reminded of how little people understand the signs.

All one-way bridges are preceded with at least one sign, and often two.

If you are travelling in the direction that must give way, the first sign you meet shows a yellow diamond bearing a graphic of a narrow bridge.

Underneath this is a round sign with a red border. It has a large black arrow pointing down and a shorter red arrow pointing up.

This signifies that oncoming traffic has right of way.

The second signpost also bears a "Give way" notice, just in case you are still unsure.

If other drivers should give way to you on a one-way bridge, you will see the yellow bridge sign and a blue rectangle with a big white arrow, indicating that you can go on to the bridge first. But as always, if in doubt, be ready to stop.

And, since we are outside Auckland's confines ...

Can you please advise how Mystery Creek in Hamilton got its name? I have asked several people, to no avail.
L. R. Sinclair, Tauranga.

The Cambridge Museum newsletter and the National Library website came up with some ideas.

The newsletter gives, as background to the name Mystery Creek, the story of one Christian Hansen, a Waikato Land Wars veteran who farmed nearby.

On December 18, 1867, two men entered his house, threatened him with a knife and took his savings of 21 gold sovereigns. Hansen ended up with a badly damaged wrist, which forced the amputation of his hand. As there was insufficient anaesthetic available, Hansen was required to bear the pain "manfully".

The perpetrators of the theft were never found, but intrigue was added to the tale with the discovery some months later of the corpse of a man in the gully. The body was never identified and nor was his murderer, hence the name Mystery Creek.

There are various versions of this story.

The Waikato Times of 1895 reported that the creek was so named "from the number of people mystified in finding the proper crossing".

There were also suggestions of a policeman, a soldier and a mailman disappearing while crossing the creek bed, lending verisimilitude to the legend.

The National Library website carries a story from the Evening Post in Wellington, dated February 9, 1910, about the shooting of a bank official at Mystery Creek.

Mr Ward and his companion Mr Jordan were driving their buggy towards Ohaupo when they were shot at by unseen assailants.

The money they were carrying was not taken, but Mr Jordan received facial injuries, causing his false teeth to fly out of his mouth. The would-be thieves were never found.