"Shambolic" ski traffic jam concerns police

Ruapehu Bulletin, 25 August 1992, Page 3

"Shambolic" ski traffic jam concerns police

The actions of some skiers trying to get to the Ohakune Mountain Road on Sunday exasperated local police, when a huge traffic jam was created blocking all access in and out of the Ohakune Junction. "It was bloody shambolic," said Police sergeant Bob Evans. "Without any thought to the problems they were creating, people were pulling out of the line and passing, only to stop^a few hundred yardsT further on and then completely obstruct the road." He said even when it was perfectly obvious that the road was completely blocked, people were pulling out and driving up the wrong side of the road - but with nowhere to go. "They all know they are going up a mountain road where there is a high likelihood of emergencies. But there is no way an emergency vehicle such as an ambulance or rescue vehicle could have got through." "Earlier that morning we had an accident at the Junction which required an ambulance and two fire appliances," he said. "If that had happened at midday those emergency people would not have got through." "They knew there would be delays on the road - Turoa had said the road would not be opened until 11.30am and that chains, even on 4WD vehicles would be required - the road was obviously going to be a problem. And they know only one car can get

through at a tirae - why try to turn it into a four-lane highway? "Just what they hope to achieve by pulling out to pass when the cars are already stacked up three and four abreast - it just baffles me." He said the people taking such action were in fact breaking the law, by obstructing traffic. "It seems bloody obvious but to spell it out - if you can't see where you are going to pull back into you shouldn't start a passing manoeuvre." "People must realise that there are going to be delays on such days and that they are not going to get to ski any quicker by being obstructive. If everyone behaved in an orderly fashion they would get there as quickly, if not quicker and without creating such problems." "Apart from blocking emergency access, they are blocking vehicles such as the grit trucks and road control staff vehicles - the very people who are trying to help them get up the road." Mr Evans said commercial transport operators were not helping the situation. He said he understood how they felt - that they were trying to make a living. "But they created as big a problem as anyone. And once they pull out and drive past the line you can guarantee a half -dozen others will follow." Mr Evans praised the Turoa staff controlling the road, checking that chains were fitted correctly. "They handled the situation very well," he said. "It must have been very frustrating."