Dunedin-Clutha road policing manager Senior Sergeant Phil McDouall said 30 staff had been stopping traffic around Dunedin, Otago Peninsula and as far south as Milton this week.
Checks were being made on speeding, alcohol, warrant of fitness and registration, and driving behaviour around schools was also being monitored.
Police also had their eye on problem intersections to make sure people were giving way correctly.
However, they are still only warning people who get the new rules wrong.
Snr Sgt McDouall said there had been no accidents in Dunedin to date that could be directly attributed to the new give-way rules.
Tolerance on speeding would again be reduced over the Easter holiday period and those caught travelling at more than 4kmh above the open-road speed limit could expect a fine.
Extra resources would be allocated to Wanaka for the Warbirds over Wanaka event, which was expected to attract more than 40,000 people.
Acting southern district road policing manager Senior Sergeant Steve Larking said there would be a high police presence around Otago and Southland targeting speed, alcohol and poor driving practices, including inconsiderate driving.
"It's important that if you're driving, you're alert to what is occurring around you. If there's traffic starting to build up behind you, there's no need to speed up. Look for somewhere safe to slow down before indicating to the left and slowing to allow vehicles behind you to pass," Snr Sgt Larking said.
STREET SWEEP TURNS MESSY
A street-sweeping machine got away from its driver, free-wheeled down Larnach Rd for 150m and cleaned out a hedge on Sunday morning.
Senior Sergeant Brian Benn, of Dunedin, said the driver of the street sweeper had left his vehicle to fix a jam in the cleaning mechanism at 9.30am.
The machine rolled away from the driver and down Larnach Rd for about 150m before crashing through some bushes and stopping in a creek.
He said it was lucky the machine hit the hedge, because it would otherwise have continued across the busier Marne St and into the harbour.
"Reilly's Towage [and Salvage] had a challenging time getting it out. They had to close Larnach Rd for a little while," Snr Sgt Benn said.
The street-cleaning machine was extensively damaged but no other damage or injury was caused.
FIRED FROM JOB
A Dunedin man has been fired from his bakery job for stealing four custard squares out of a rubbish bin.
Not only did the man's job turn to custard, but the icing on the cake was when the incident was reported to police.
"He took four custard squares out of a bin. The boss said he could not do that and fired him," said Snr Sgt Benn.
The man was released with a pre-charge warning, which is the minimum penalty for a minor crime.
BAD INTERNET CONNECTION
A man in William St, Dunedin, had the worst kind of interruption to his internet experience when the shared modem in his flat was stolen from the hallway.
Snr Sgt Benn said the man was using the internet when the theft happened at 10pm on March 31.
The thief had stolen the modem from just inside the sliding door of the flat.
- Dan Hutchinson
