The disappearance of road markings

August 17th, 2012
by William Cleaver, on behalf of the Grumpy Old Men

The TDC are determined to lose the popularity stakes once again. It was drawn to my attention that they are removing road-side markers and no longer painting fog lines and centre lines.

I received my driver's through the AA Driving School back in '75 and one of the most important lessons that has always stuck in my mind has everything to do with markers and lines.

Example: In the dead of the night if the illumination of marker posts were close together the road went straight ahead; wide apart either way the driver was to confront a corner. Disappearing meant a dip or a rise in the road.

Painted yellow gave you the idea that the stretch ahead of you has some form of danger. DO NOT PASS HERE.

Recently reading a Kiwi Rider magazine they refer to the fog line when (A) riding in limited visibility and (B) oncoming traffic with lights on.

So if we have cost cutting, TDC are taking the safety of your average Joe driving or riding on unmarked country roads into their own hands. Will they foot the bill should a accident happen and it was proven that lack of road markers was at fault? Being a motorbike rider I would probably ride faster on these back country roads because I won't have a slippery painted line to avoid.

And a thought that just crossed my mind is why do we pay road tax to the government when the local council is a law unto itself and sees fit to do what they please with the roads we pay for? Just a thought.

Comment by Ron Nuttall:
[Posted 4 October 2012]

I too wonder why these rural road markings would be removed when we so often see advertising warning of the huge number of accidents on rural roads.

I find it very strange the changes that the TDC make to save money while at the same time I see the same TDC wasting money in other areas. It is also obvious that once again the rural folk are second class compared to the urban dweller where I see little or no cost cutting changes.

I'm presuming that those on main highways will retain their markings and will once again this year see the road sides closely mown, and all road makings clear and visable. This is not for the local ratepayer but for the Christmas invasion of tourist in the district.

I'm surprised that the TDC haven't created at least one new well paid staff position to investigate ways to save money and at least one other to promote such changes. Or have they?

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