This question has come about because I have been fixing some broken turn restrictions in NZ and I can’t tell if some of them have been deliberately or accidentally removed because iD does the same thing for either.
In AU you are required to use a slip lane if there is one (Rule 28) but my internet search foo has not been good enough to work out if this is the case in NZ. All I’ve managed to find is that you must follow any arrows or signage (Section 2.4).
I’d like to know what the situation is in NZ, as it’ll tell me if I need to put the restrictions back, or remove the bits that are still left.
I also can’t see any more specific guidance in the law or road code.
Do you have examples?
I can see locally near Way: Curletts Road (317886719) | OpenStreetMap that the northbound lane has a L+S(traight) marking before the slip lane, then just S after slip lane, the sliplane is marked L. So I think you must use the slip lane to turn - following arrows.
Whereas here Way: 235082885 | OpenStreetMap there is only the L+S before the slip lane peels off, and no markings after, so no arrows that you must follow.
(It would be madness to not use the slip lane to turn, but is it prohibited - ???)
OK, the one I was looking at was this. Ironically it turns out that this particular slip lane has been removed, so I could just delete the turn restriction.
But it does illustrate the case where there are no arrows or lane markings. In AU you would be legally required to use the slip lane, but I can’t find anything that says what the rule is in NZ.
Yes, it would be dangerous to not use the slip lane at Way: 235082885 | OpenStreetMap, but we’re talking legality (not sensibility).