The rain and fog have certainly arrived in Cambridge in the past week.
Deb Hann
With school now back for term three, the amount of traffic on the roads has resumed to normal higher levels. In addition, the number of cycling commuters, both children and adults, has increased.
Cars and cyclists can become almost invisible in the fog to drivers who do not have lights illuminated – and they risk being involved in or causing a crash. In addition, when roads are slick it is important that motorists adjust their driving behaviour to match the conditions. Within the 7 days prior to writing, police attended three crashes where this does not appear to have happened. In addition, staff apprehended two drivers who had further impaired capabilities due to having consumed alcohol at levels that left them over the legal limit to drive.
Police have long issued road safety messaging around ‘be safe, be seen’. This is especially vital in winter. Make it a practice to turn headlights on manually. Headlights used in any weather situation will always increase your visibility to other motorists. If you or your child are cycling to work or school, now is the time to ensure you have front and back bike lights and high visibility clothing, a fluoro school bag cover or similar. This is in addition to always wearing a bicycle helmet. Everyone should be aware of their surroundings and the actions of those road users around them. Leaving a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front can enable you to safely respond to unexpected braking, stopping short of other vehicles and preventing nose to tail crashes.
Police also deal with reports of road rage. Often these occur due to drivers failing to give way or merge safely or knowingly impeding other traffic. Such incidents can quickly escalate to threats and violence.
New Zealand road rules say that a vehicle turning gives way to those that aren’t turning. This includes giving way to cyclists travelling straight ahead in dedicated cycle lanes. At roundabouts, give way to traffic coming from your right. If you are taking the first left hand exit, signal left when entering. If you are travelling straight through, you should not indicate on to the roundabout, rather only indicate left when about to exit. If you are turning right at a roundabout, indicate right as you go on to the roundabout and left when you are about to exit.
Deb Hann – Senior Constable at the Cambridge Farmers’ Market. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
