Lane Driving

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30953, 8 January 1966, Page 12

Lane Driving

Sir, —Positional motor driving in Christchurch is shocking, largely because motorists have not been told what to do. The Christchurch traffic department's pamphlet on traffic lanes is incomplete. For example, in a four-lane street —two lanes on either side of the centre line—which lane should be entered when the motorist desires to turn right, say, four intersections on? All that one can make out from the pamphlet is that the turning lane should be entered at the commencement of the block from which you wish to turn. Surely this is not correct if the right-hand lane is marked with a straight-ahead arrow and a turning arrow? No such markings are shown in the pamphlet. In Colombo street, for example, with no vehicles intending a right-hand turn, the right-hand lane could be empty from Edgeware road to the hills! That is, if it were laned right through.—Yours, etc., RIGHTWRONG. January 4, 1966. iThe traffic superintendent for the Christchurch City Council (Mr J. F. Thomas) replies: “The answer to the first question is clearly indicated in the lane driving pamphlet. One should drive in a ‘straight through lane’ until reaching the commencement of the block from which one wishes to turn. If a through arrow is also shown in the ‘right turn lane’ then one may turn right or continue straight ahead. The road markings indicate the directions in which vehicles may travel in all instances; however, if a right turn lane is marked solely as such, it is wrong for vehicles to continue straight across an intersection in this lane, because such an action would be misleading to motorists on the cross street. All laning systems are designed in relation to the volumes of traffic and the turning movements made. The situation suggested in Colombo street could not in practice exist because traffic counts show that as many vehicles turn right at this intersection as travel straight ahead.”!