KEY POINTS:
Could the cycle lanes in Tamaki Drive be given a spruce-up so that they actually get used? There should be no reason they are not used, given that they run the length of Tamaki Drive, at times on both sides. The cyclists on the road are a hazard - by riding two or three abreast, holding up traffic, and not stopping for pedestrians on crossings or for red lights. Perhaps the cyclists should find somewhere else to live out their Lance Armstrong fantasies.
A. Reader, Auckland.
It is not compulsory for cyclists to use the shared pedestrian/cyclist paths along Tamaki Drive. In fact, many serious cyclists prefer to avoid conflict with slower cyclists and pedestrians by using the road.
Generally, Auckland City Council believes that Tamaki Drive is wide enough for both cyclists and motorists, and they are looking at ways to improve safety at the narrower sections.
Work is also being done by police and cycling groups to improve education for both riders and drivers. And all road users have a duty of care; cyclists should follow the road rules and motorists should respect the cyclists' right to be on the road.
Road rules for cyclists, according to the Road Code, say cyclists must follow the rules for motorists at traffic lights or else get off and wheel the bike across with pedestrians. Cyclists must not ride more than two abreast, and must ride in single file when passing another vehicle. The Road Code also suggests that if there is an adequate cycle path or lane, the peddlers should use it.
My question concerns the ongoing upgrade of the Green Lane/Campbell Rd intersection. Traffic approaching from Campbell Rd now has some very confusing road markings to deal with. I am talking about the white line that marks where traffic must stop when the light is red. The first is where you would expect it, just behind the lines marking where pedestrians should cross. However, there is another set 5-6m further back. Which ones are we supposed to stop at?
Roger Bourne, Auckland.
Ah. The nice people at the council wonder if you spotted this before it was finished, coloured green, and had an image of a bike painted on it.
What you saw is part of a cycle advance stop box. The advance box creates a space that cyclists can safely stop in ahead of the traffic. Such boxes give cyclists priority, so that they can ride off or turn before other traffic. This seems a nice thing to do for the two or three cyclists in the city who actually obey the road rules and stop at lights (see above).
But for that small number, motorists are required to stop and queue behind the advance stop boxes.
