Rural Contractors say median barriers are making roads unsafe and causing stress for those driving tractors with lines of cars behind them.
The issue was discussed at Rural Contractors New Zealand conference in Masterton this week.
The group's chief executive Andrew Olsen says contractors driving tractors on long stretches of road are facing abuse and being clipped by other drivers who can't pass them because of the median barriers.
"We've got rural contractors having to do 7km runs on SH2 in Bay of Plenty where there are no areas to pull over or slow down, rural contractors in Waikato and other parts of the country are facing similar anger from motorists because of median barriers and no pull over space."
In a push to increase road safety Labour invested in median barriers to keep on-coming traffic separated.
Olsen says they're well intended but are causing some issues.
"Our members are telling us it's becoming quiet stressful because they're travelling down the road in their tractors or machinery, which they're entitled to do and then they end up with dozens of cars with impatient drivers behind them."
Olsen says the issue can be fixed with passing bays or areas where contractors can easily and safely pull over to let others pass.
"It's tough where work has already been done to install the median barriers, but for any future work passing bays need to be considered."
Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard, who attended the conference, says he knows exactly what they are talking about because he sees the problem first hand when he drives to Parliament from his Manawatu home.
Hoggard says there are median barriers preventing over-taking between Levin and Otaki as well as no shoulder space to allow vehicles such as tractors to pull over.
"There's a lot of tractors trying to get in and out of paddocks, motorists were getting angry as a result, there's lots of screaming, fingers out the windows and potentially stupid decisions being made."
He promises to take up the issue of providing for slow-moving machinery with Transport Minister Simeon Brown.
Olsen says his organisation had written to Brown.
4 comments
What's The Law?
Posted on 21-06-2024 08:49 | By Thats Nice
What's the law say if you're holding up traffic because you're going slow? Aren't you meant to pull over and let traffic pass if you have five or more vehicles behind you? Might be difficult if a tractor with a big load of machinery on to allow cars from behind to pass if barriers are installed.
@ Thats Nice
Posted on 21-06-2024 11:43 | By Yadick
Obviously the law doesn't apply anymore. Look at recent morons protesting by slow driving, by walking on main roads to block them. You're absolutely right but they can't enforce a law for this one and not that one. At the end of the day it's illegal and turns out PC overrides the law.
The Master
Posted on 21-06-2024 12:49 | By Ian Stevenson
@ Thats Nice
Yeah, trapped between two barriers and no where to go to allow the backlog of traffic past is a problem, many large agricultural vehicles are unable to travel at anywhere near the speed limits... just as well of course.
Solution, put a large sign on the back of the tractor or trailer etc saying "Congested roads? Call your MP - tell them!".
The Master
Posted on 21-06-2024 12:52 | By Ian Stevenson
Speed limits are a maximum not a minimum, so no issue there.
The actual issue is peoples tolerance, respect for others... .geezzz folks, there was a time when mobs of sheep were herded along the road for miles....
Yes, traffic can be sorted by NZ Police for travelling to slow, but where that vehicle cant or shouldn't [safety reasons etc] travel @ 100km/hr then other road users need to accommodate that.
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