North Canterbury News: June 16, 2022

Motoring Guide
DRIVING
TO THE
CONDITIONS
What does
that mean?
It’s anoften used phrase …. “People need
to drivetothe conditions”. But what does
that actually mean?
Not assuming that conditions on our roads
are the same from day to day, orfrom one
season to another is certainly agood place to
start. But even when weather conditions are
the same, drivers should take note of the road
surface they are travelling on.
Forthose with alove of all things roading they
will know there are three main surface types
used on New Zealand roads and highways;
asphalt, chip seal and unsealed surfaces.
Asphalt –This surface is often the favourite
of vehicle drivers and cyclists, as it is smooth
and produces alow level of noise when driven
over. It also provides agood level of grip
in dry conditions, however, and here’s the
‘driving to the conditions’ part, it has reduced
skid resistance when it is wet. So, wet roads
and asphalt means slow down.
Chip seal –This surface consists of athin
layer of stones set in tar. When in good
condition it has arough appearance but over
time and with frequent use it can end up quite
smooth. So while the skid resistance is okay
when it is in good condition, beware of the
smooth patches as you drive, as it also has
reduced skid resistance. So, smooth surfaces
means slow down.
Unsealed roads –These roads offer very low
skid resistance at alltimes as theroad surface
is loose under your wheels. It’s agood idea
to always reduce speed on unsealed roads,
and even more soinsummer when dust can
obscure the vision of another driver, stones
can bethrown upand chip windscreens and
dust can impact residents living onunsealed
roads. So,unsealedsurfacesmeans slowdown.
As we come into the colder, wetter time of
the year, the key message for driving on
all roads and driving to the conditions is
‘slow down’.
Alongside reduced skid resistance which
equals longer braking distances, black ice,
flooded roads and poor visibility are all
conditions that require slower speeds.
Allowing yourself more time to react to a
hazard and stop in the distance required is a
lot easier if your speed is lower.
As we go into winter when fog and sunstrike
can make visibility challenging, remember
to turn your headlights on, keep your
windscreens clean and watch your following
distance. These are all important parts of
driving to the conditions.
• Towbars
• Exhaust Fit &
Performance
• Ironman 4x4
• 4WD Upgrades
• Suspension
• Custom Bar Work
• Trailer Repairs
RangioraR n i r ExhaustE h t
&Towbarw
Centre
2465908v1
03 313 7979
9 Grant Place, Rangiora
retc@outlook.co.nz
• Qualified, experienced mechanic
• All dirt bikes, farmbikes, ATV’s &
UTV’s, also ride-on lawnmowers
• High standard of workmanship and
service
• Pick up &Drop off options available
• Servicing Canterbury, Marlborough,
and the West Coast
313 Amberley Beach Road, Amberley
Phone 027 723 2995
Open Mon-Fri 8.30am –5.00pm
2466160v1
EYREWELL FOREST
MOTOR COMPANY
British and European
Performance Vehicles
2006 Porsche Cayman -2.7 Litre Flat Six
-Black Leather interior
-Sony Apple CarPlay
-17" Alloys
-Active rear spoiler
-Bluetooth calling
-Travelled 18,500kms
Only $49,990!
2015 BMW X6xDrive -4.4 Litre V8 Turbo
-Leather interior
xDrive 4WD System
-NZ Maps
-Quad Climate
-Bluetooth/AUX/DVD
-Travelled 50,500kms
Only $64,990!
Ph Andrew 027 576 5576 or 312 5132
www.efmc.co.nz andrew@efmc.co.nz
Trade-ins welcome Finance Available Warranties Available
BUY 1
GET1
HALF
PRICE
ARTHUR BURKE LTD
2Markham St, Amberley.
Ph 03 314 0137
*Selected tyres only.Conditionsapply.
KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE
DRIVE TO THE CONDITIONS
Weather and road conditions can change
quickly. Adjusting your speed to suit the
conditions is one way to reduce the risk.
In an emergency,the average drivertakes
about 1.5 seconds to react. Stopping distances
increase exponentially the faster yougo.
Find out more about road safety in your community
waimakariri.govt.nz/roadsafety
It’s ateam effort to reach zero deaths on our roads.
As aCouncil we are committed to creating safer roads in our District.