From drivers who forget to utilize their signs to those who accelerate at passing lanes, Bay of Plenty roadway users have actually shared their family pet irks about behaviour on the area’s roadways.
However, pits instead of driving practices were the primary issue for most of the lots individuals who participated in the unscientific study on The Strand in Mount Maunganui about particular driving practices.
One female grumbled individuals couldn’t park, while another grumbled about individuals who drove under the speed limitation prior to accelerating at passing lanes.
A number of males who just recently moved to Tauranga from Auckland said the driving here was far better however took goal at traffic jam.
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While drivers being sidetracked by their smart phones was an issue of a crane driver.
“I see it all the time, stupid people using their phones in traffic. It’s like they want to kill themselves or something.”
According to survey outcomes of AA members, the best driving inconveniences from 2013 to 2020 were traffic signal running, followed by tail-gating, drivers in the sluggish lane accelerating at passing lanes, and drivers utilizing a cellular phone.
Brake director Caroline Perry said drivers across the country got “various bad habits” however numerous might not understand.
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“There are other distractions which drivers may not see as a bad habit but can also put you at risk on the road, such as changing your GPS whilst driving, or eating or drinking at the wheel.”
There were other bad practices drivers may get that might be annoying to others and might still lead to a crash, Perry said.
“For example, not indicating at roundabouts and junctions, tailgating, not stopping properly at a stop sign, or failing to give enough space to other road users, particularly those who are more vulnerable like pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.”
Taking a hand off the wheel to utilize a smart phone and taking a look at it rather of the roadway to call or text threatened, as was driving under the impact of drugs or alcohol, speeding, and not using a seat belt, she said.
Bay of Plenty acting district roadway policing supervisor Fane Troy said a few of the worst practices were being discourteous on the roadways, combining was “always an issue”, and drivers speeding through roadway workspace.
“We need to look out for [road workers]; travelling through a site with loose chip on it at 50km/h to 60km/h is throwing a whole bunch of metal up as projectiles at these people trying to get our roads up to a good standard.”
Troy said officers frequently got “bad press” for doing their jobs.
“Our people are out there trying to keep everyone safe because we don’t want to tell people that someone’s been killed or seriously injured in a crash when it can be completely avoidable if the public takes some responsibility.”
Tauranga bicyclist Kahn Day, an alternative transportation supporter, has actually been associated with a handful of scrapes with vehicle drivers.
Twice a driver has actually passed by Day while he was riding along prior to turning left into him, and when on Devonport Rd a vehicle driver shot through a traffic signal and almost took him out. Day said he fortunately prevented injury.
In Day’s experience, both bicyclists and vehicle drivers alike required to be more knowledgeable about each other.
“Some cyclists like to think they’re above traffic signals and sort of get a sense of entitlement.
“But my biggest pet peeve is red light runners. I think there are a lot of motorists driving through so they don’t have to wait for three minutes while the lights go through to the next phase.”
There were no traffic signal video cameras in the Bay of Plenty however roadway policing information revealed there had actually been 109 officer-issued traffic signal violations in between January and March and 1590 across the country.
Police had actually likewise released 1087 cellphone violations in the Bay of Plenty district in between January and March compared to 220 for the exact same duration in 2022.
There were likewise 1463 seat belt offenses in the very first 3 months of the year compared to 411 for the exact same duration in 2022 in your area.
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Keen Rotorua bicyclist Dave Donaldson’s family pet peeve was individuals who tossed glass bottles onto roadways and courses that triggered leaks.
“It’s frustrating and potentially dangerous.”
Donaldson, a previous Rotorua deputy mayor, takes long flights out towards Tauranga.
He said “the worst bit” was around Okere Falls and having drivers following and surpassing too carefully was “intimidating”.
“The majority of drivers are great, they’ll give you plenty of space and give you a wide berth; The general rule is you give a cyclist 1.5 metres.”
Donaldson desired individuals utilizing shared courses to stop listening to music so they might hear others around them.
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“Nothing frustrates me more than ringing my little bell on my handlebars to people walking along but they’ve got earbuds and they don’t hear you coming and, once you’re right beside them, they get a heck of a shock.”
Cycle Action Tauranga representative Andrew Thorpe said bicyclists were frequently proclaimed at by drivers for declaring the lane, an act carried out to prevent threats and avoid risky death.
“Most drivers are bloody good and the things that do frustrate or scare cyclists are from a minority of people.
“We can’t ignore the bad behaviour of cyclists either … We’ve got to acknowledge cyclists are far from perfect.
“At the end of the day, it’s about having a bit of compassion, a bit of empathy and trying to see things from the other person’s point of view and acknowledging everyone makes mistakes sometimes and when they do, take a deep breath and try not to let it happen again.”
Luke Kirkness is an assistant news director for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post covering basic news. He formerly operated at the NZ Herald for 3 years, generally as a customer affairs press reporter. He won Student Journalist of the Year in 2019 at the Voyager Media Awards.
