[craig1234564]

Having read many articles and stories of people who have moved to new zealand I have noticed that alot of them complain about the terrible driving of new zealanders, is this really true are they that bad??

One of the reasons for getting away from england is the traffic and the bad driving of people fighting for space on the roads,, so you would asssume that a country with only 4 million people would be much better and a pleasure to drive in, but not what ive heard - apparently its dangerous to go out!
I was also shocked to learn that the driving age is 15 so they allow children to drive - crazy, is there any chance that this will be overturned in the near future? maybe by a change of government?

[Moorf]

After driving from Welly to Whanganui and back last week I am going to have to retract anything I've said about bad driving in our area of Canterbury - I had kittens (several litters) on that drive up and down - the amount of cars was amazing, big traffic jams on Sunday in the middle of town (Welly) :confused: and the driving on the "motorway" (SH1) had me embedding my nails in the dashboard..... hoons weaving in and out of traffic, undertaking, disregard on on-ramps for us pottering in the "slow" lane... god help us if we ever have to tackle the M25 again!!

It's a numbers game I guess... and I'm quite happy with our S.Island numbers and hoons now!

[craig1234564]

Great we are thinking of moving to canterbury , so driving there is not as bad as in essex :)

[JandM]

I'm used to driving a lot in southern England, including countryside, motorways and town centres. Last year on our five-week visit, we stayed in the west of Auckland, and drove all over the city and surrounding area, as well as into the north of North Island. City streets, residential roads, mountain roads, motorways, gravel roads - the lot. It was fine. As in England, there are plenty of people around who don't watch their mirrors and don't realize there are any other vehicles around, particularly behind them, so you have to watch out for yourself in self-defence, and be prepared to react when they manoeuvre as if you weren't there. But like I said, that's nothing new. (The undertaking Moorf mentioned is surprising at first, but it's legal in NZ.)

One novel thing I noticed - even young male drivers aren't nearly as prompt to move when traffic lights change as we're used to in the UK.

Many of the roads, particularly in the mountains and out in the bush areas, have deep gulleys at the side of the tarmac, to take care of water from the sub-tropical rainstorms. You seriously wouldn't want to drop a wheel in one.

[steviec]

I miss the thanks you's we got in the UK when letting cars in and out,the smile or nod:nice1 . Here its every driver for himself,ok we don't have the traffic jams as bad or the road rage, not in Canterbury that we have noticed but they do need to slow down around schools.:no
We live on the school road where two of my daughters go to school and i would not let them walk to school alone and Georgia is eleven and does the road patrol once a week. Leoni is five and wears a high viz so she is clearly seen.
Steve is a truck driver and mainly moans about the fog lights in his mirrors or the cars driving so close to his truck he can't see them and there will be open road in front of him. He lets them know its clear in front but they still seem to sit back and keep weaving out to have a look at the road ahead and dazzling him:eek: . Ste works nights by choice cos the roads are clearer.
The give way rule is abit strange but got used to that pretty quick.:yes

[Tanya]

One novel thing I noticed - even young male drivers aren't nearly as prompt to move when traffic lights change as we're used to in the UK.


But have you noticed how many people at the front of the lights "creep" while waiting for the lights to turn green?They can be halfway across the intersection sometimes before it changes. Then when it changes to green they dont rush off!! Whats with that!???

Tanya

[CityBlue]

...

One novel thing I noticed - even young male drivers aren't nearly as prompt to move when traffic lights change as we're used to in the UK.

....

Its funny you mention this because here in auckland I was amazed at how quickly you are beeped if you dont move AS SOON AS THE GREEN LIGHT IS ON!!!

It really is a matter of if the green light is on for a nano second and you havent moved then you get beeped!

I also miss the wave/nod or light flash thank-yous that I was used to in england

[Moorf]

I'm used to driving a lot in southern England, including countryside, motorways and town centres.

.. and we were used to Perthshire roads!! Even when we visited folks in Sussex we'd be total wusses in the traffic after living in Scotland for 6 yrs. These days I can't imagine how I ever coped driving in to central London every day for work for 4 years!!

[Moorf]

But have you noticed how many people at the front of the lights "creep" while waiting for the lights to turn green?They can be halfway across the intersection sometimes before it changes. Then when it changes to green they dont rush off!! Whats with that!???

Tanya

Maybe it has something to do with warming up their "fake" vroom-vroom k-chssss fake turbo thingys!! :D

We laugh ourselves silly as they rev their "beefy" cars, make meaty sounds with their "dustbins for exhausts" and then they hardly move off when they lights change :laugh

[xanctus]

In my honest opinion, driving in NZ just somewhat requires you to be more aware with the whole situation. The etiquette is somewhat people needs to be aware more often...i.e. saying/waving to show "thanks" to other driver would be much appreciated.
AS many of you miss that gesture...it is one of the simplest way to improve your social skill as well.

[JandM]

I like the politeness thing that I noticed IS normal in NZ - a wave to thank the people with the Stop/Go boards guarding road repairs.

[Tanya]

I like the politeness thing that I noticed IS normal in NZ - a wave to thank the people with the Stop/Go boards guarding road repairs.


I always wave to them! And whats nice is - they always wave back!

Tanya

[Moorf]

I always wave to them! And whats nice is - they always wave back!

Tanya

Yep, I'm a waver too - always nice to get a grin or a thumbs up or a wave back :nice1

However, blind me with your foglights or forget to dip your beam and I'm not so bloomin' nice ... grrrrrr..... what is it with foglights on a clear night? :mad:

[DMcG]

I cross the Auckland harbour bridge twice a day and I think the general driving skills are abysmal. It's not uncommon to watch a car change lanes four or five times in an effort to be in a faster lane and then force their way from one side of the motorway to the other because they're about to miss their exit.
Kiwi drivers simply can't stay in their own lane - or even on the right side of the road when they go round corners. :eek: Read the police reports and notice how many include the phrase "crossed the center line".

The roads here are nowhere near as bad as the locals like to make out. Having driven for years in the Scottish Highlands in all seasons, I can think of some that are just as bad (if not worse) - especially in snow! The unsealed roads I've been on are generally kept in good condition - it's the %$#&! idiots that are towing a boat and doing 60 round a blind corner in the middle of the road that horrify me.

Dougie

[PeteS]

Maybe it has something to do with warming up their "fake" vroom-vroom k-chssss fake turbo thingys!! :D

We laugh ourselves silly as they rev their "beefy" cars, make meaty sounds with their "dustbins for exhausts" and then they hardly move off when they lights change :laugh

Would those be the ones that make lots of noise, have V8 engines, show off by accelerating noisily up the main street, and then complain about the cost of fuel? They'd be the ones referred to as "wan cars" around here....

[Tanya]

They'd be the ones referred to as "wan cars" around here....

:yes :yes :nice1

Tanya

[jubjub]

Even been a couple of Herald articles this week on the subject.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=663&objectid=10493084

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=97&objectid=10493219

Personally some of it is atrocious, even a kiwi in my hair solon the other day said that kiwi drivers were shocking, as a car revved past outside beeping its horn!

The thing I find the most worrying is merging lanes on the motorway, three lanes, middle lane empty, two cars go for same gap..... from each the inside and outside lane! :uhoh , nobody seems to do shoulder checks good job I do, or I would have been squished more than once! :eek:

I guess its what you are used to, and I do find it more aggressive here, so I am just more prepared now for being cut up and beeped at! Mind you sometimes its me doing the beeping :o , and I have been known to cut people up, but thats normally by accident!

However this is just city driving I am talking about, the rural stuff can be a bit scary becuase of the speed the locals go at who obviously know every bend of the road and you are in their way!

[Moorf]

the locals ... who obviously know every bend of the road

Another pro for Canterbury - no bloomin' bendy roads on the Plains :D

Mind you, they still manage to crash into the hedges! :roll

[Familyofmonkeys]

The thing I find the most worrying is merging lanes on the motorway, three lanes, middle lane empty, two cars go for same gap..... from each the inside and outside lane! :uhoh , nobody seems to do shoulder checks good job I do, or I would have been squished more than once! :eek:



I find that bad too......and i'm not good at trying to look out for signs telling me which lane I should be in whilst watching out for lunatic drivers.

And have you noticed that whenever you get signs saying a lane ends in a few 100m that people zoom to the front of that lane and try and barge their way in at the end....I have seen so many near misses when people do that.

[nippa&pippa]

I don't know is that good thing or bad...Speed camera....

In UK, you get warnings that there is speed camera ahead, then another sign, then another sign....of course you will slow down in time before speed camera.

In NZ...there is no warning :eek: Also to have policemen standing with radar gun point at you as you just coming around the bend!!!:laugh

[pieeater]

This is a topic that's running right now on the N.Z.Herald check it out.

[LesleyS]

Now you know why we won't be letting our 15 year old daughter get her license here yet!!! :no

[mish&al]

MMM come to Sydney peoples, then you will see rude!

Auckland sounds just like home!!:yes

You need to be aggressive in Sydney traffic, or you just won't survive.

And there is no such thing as polite. Sydney drivers were voted some of the rudest in the world a couple of years ago..

[Sam B]

Well on the whole I haven't found driving to be as bad as I expected here, and I haven't had any near misses, but these are the bad things I have noticed:

- You are more likely to be tailgated, even when they don't want to overtake you
- People rarely wave or smile to say thanks
- Cars never stop for pedestrians unless they are on a crossing, even if you are in the middle of the road and you are stuck and you have 2 kids with you and there is no crossing nearby, just never
- Cars who drive slowly normally invariably speed up when they get to a passing lane, so you have to speed to overtake them
- there are loads more souped up cars and exhaust noise is unbelievable.

[buzztalks]

Driving down Kent terrace this morning going into Wellington. Lights go to Red. We stop, as does the guy next to me in his clapped out 4x4. Once the pedestrian had crossed the crossing, he just went...... never mind the lights on Red (Rid) still!!!!

I think you need to start worrying when you see signs at roundabouts saying -
'Remember to indicate'.

I just don't think that NZ drivers are used to having to drive with any degree of discipline. The majority of them wouldn't last 5 mins back in Blighty (England).

[willsken]

Mind you, they still manage to crash into the hedges! :roll

I have noticed this so much. Skid marks going off the roads, even on the straight bits. :uhoh

And the thing Sam said about them speeding up at the passing lanes. Even though they were only doing 80km before getting to the passing lane you have to speed up to 140km just to pass them, knowing they'll drop back to 80km the minute the passing lane ends! :confused: :confused:

[jubjub]

Sophia, you reminded me of something else with speed cameras, and something some of you newer folks might not know....

Both speed cameras and police radar can do you for speeding whatever direction you are going in, whatever side of the road you are on. Unlike the UK cameras that could only detect your speed from one side of the road.

[nippa&pippa]

Sophia, you reminded me of something else with speed cameras, and something some of you newer folks might not know....

Both speed cameras and police radar can do you for speeding whatever direction you are going in, whatever side of the road you are on. Unlike the UK cameras that could only detect your speed from one side of the road.

Also police cars have radar as well as camera in the front and back window to catch you while they drive!!

[snailandthewhale]

I sat the practical driving test here a few weeks ago and there is no comparison between the UK standard and the standard here!
K

[ellenmelon]

dear nz drivers,

please learn to use your indicators. if i mistakenly cut you off, its 'cause you didnt tell me you wanted to go there.

no love,
ellen melon :D


i think that NZ drivers arent the best in the world, but they arent the worse. i find the tailgating obnoxious and dangerous (its their fault if they crash into the back of me..thank god). people make bad decisions at intersections and roudabouts so often. then they get into prangs and its everyones fault but their own. wellington drivers are yuck but ive got used to them to an extent.

[bartons]

The worst drivers around here are the tourists - always looking at the scenery and thus ending up in the middle of the road. Or too scared to drive close to the edge of the road and to end up in the sea - and thus ending up in the middle of the road. On the whole I find NZ drivers not too bad. That is after surviving driving in Turkey and Italy, though. It all depends on what you compare it to, I suppose.

[Ojai]

After facing traffic in Los Angeles, I think I will actually have an EASIER time there.

After I have finished my first accident with the give way rule, of course.

[buzztalks]

and then there was the bus driver who drove into every offside panel of our (legally parked) rental car, stating that it was 'sticking out into the road, buses come past here,eh'.

despite the carnage being witnessed by several people leaving the same 'open home' we were looking at, the bus company tell me that the driver on that route, at that time, on that day, denies hitting anything!!!

unbelievable......

[ellenmelon]

oh dont start me on bus drivers in wellington (cant really comment on other centers)..indicators go on as theyre pulling out and the assume because they are the bigger vehicle that they rule the road. and taxi drivers! (they were just as bad in ireland..if not worse)..on courtenay place in welly they park behind my car when im at work so i cant get out..and theyre not even in a taxi stand. i usually end up having to shout at them as theyre too busy chatting away with each other...GGRRRRR :mad: its the only time i see my calm, polite partner get a bit wound up too.

[dilanium]

I'm wondering what people from Urban centers in the US think of driving in NZ. I learned how to drive outside of NYC, and have driven through St. Louis, Chicago, LA and some others. This really doesn't sound all that bad to me.

Heck I've had a women get out of her car to fight with me because I honked at her when she cut me off (with no turn signal).

[swissmissdesigner]

Generaly speaking we drive with more respect in the states compaire to NZ drivers.

[ourquest]

On balance I think y'all be better off worrying about things inside your control. Everywhere in the world people make mistakes, some of these take place when they are behind the wheel of their car. Sometimes people are stressed, lose judgement for a moment or get distracted. It happens. I am certain that all of us have at some time in our lives made an error on the road that someone else might have regarded in the same way as you have regarded NZ drivers in the posts in this thread.

Yes, I know we are trying to compare to other countries, but bear in mind some wisdom which dharder (Daniella) brought to our attention in an unrelated thread. When we move to a new country we are so tuned into the differentness of it all that we notice things for the first time which actually existed in our home country. I think in Daniella's case it was grafitti. But it might as well have been driving ability.

Bottom line, everyone has a story about someone else's driving. Have you noticed how some things bother you one day and not another? Road rage doesn't generally happen because someone cut someone else off. It happens because the person they cut off was already pieved with their day, they had had stress up to here, their kids were threatening to get tattoos and they had a business deal go sour. We've all had days like that so move forward from these type of days learning some tolerance for others having days like this and their mistakes.

And yes, some people you just can't reason with. Let them be and instead look the other way (so to speak) where there might be something positive to notice.

[castleclan]

Ourquest,
your philosophy probably explains why we didn't get too stressed with the driving in NZ because we were relaxed!

We found people polite and did respond to 'thank you'.

Only got a little hairy in Wellington at 'rush hour' with a well laden car trying to get across the road to head out to lower hutt ( wont let me do caps!)

[KerryS]

My main complaint is with the lack of indication, or indicating and then just moving. I had to slam my brakes on in the middle of the fast lane on the motorway the other day, as someone indicated and then just started to pull out in front of me.
I've never been tailgated, and as I let people into traffic I often get thanked - a little nod or raise of the finger off the wheel and no, not THAT kind of raising of the finger!

On the whole I think compared to driving in central London the traffic here is pretty easy to negotiate. I don't stress about it, I don't care about being stuck in a traffic jam and I just go with the flow.

Oh, I was irritated by the tourist who wrote off my truck by not knowing the right turn rule. They slammed into the side of me so hard it was fortunate there was no-one in the passenger seat. They had actually sped up when they saw me crossing in front of them - idiots! (Shamefully they were British too.)

[tomo1340]

While I know about the right turn rule, and have read many decriptive texts on how it works, and while I think I know how it works is there an actual graphical reprisentation anyone knows of?

I may have this completely wrong but I picture it as if you are going down the road and expecting to turn right then you should have right of way. Is this right or have I got it totally wrong, afterall I am running on very little sleep and have just been nearly murderised on the M6 by a lane weaving lunatic.

[Moorf]

I may have this completely wrong but I picture it as if you are going down the road and expecting to turn right then you should have right of way


..... only IF there is someone on oppo side of road turning left.. they give way to you.. but those on the road coming towards you and going straight on don't give way to you......

[Moorf]

You may find this helpful: http://wikitravel.org/en/Driving_in_New_Zealand

[tomo1340]

..... only IF there is someone on oppo side of road turning left.. they give way to you.. but those on the road coming towards you and going straight on don't give way to you......

Of course if you are turning left you need to be aware to give way to right turning vehicles. Makes sense in an odd way, I suppose it's designed to ease traffic congestion or something eh?

[KerryS]

While I know about the right turn rule, and have read many decriptive texts on how it works, and while I think I know how it works is there an actual graphical reprisentation anyone knows of?

I may have this completely wrong but I picture it as if you are going down the road and expecting to turn right then you should have right of way. Is this right or have I got it totally wrong, afterall I am running on very little sleep and have just been nearly murderised on the M6 by a lane weaving lunatic.

The road code pages have some illustrations to show examples:

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/roadcode/about-driving/giving-way-at-uncontrolled-intersections.html

Not great - but they're the official LTNZ guidelines.

[xanctus]

Anybody here ever drive in Indonesia?? now that's I call it traffic hell...
Auckland is not bad compare to Indonesia, as NZ is one of the OECD country, I expect the attitude and etiquette is higher than what I have experience it.

[mish&al]

Of all things in this world, I am scared of that right turn rule!

I still haven't driven in nz yet..:o

[Lupin]

It's actually pretty simple

If you're driving along the road and there is a turning to your left AND a car waiting to turn into it from the opposite direction (ie travelling toward you, wanting to cross your path), you give way if you intend to turn left and continue on if you don't.

If you are a car and want to cross the opposite line of traffic to turn right then give way to cars continuing straight on toward you (as as the norm) and be prepared for cars that might give way to you and those that might not if they also want to take the same turn off. The former will likely be chilled Kiwis and the latter confused Kiwis or POM, which you can then mutter and swear under your breath about bloody POMs not understanding the right turn rule (as simple as the off-side rule to a footie player).

Easy-peasy, aye :)

[Lupin]

O, also, when at crossroads, give way if you're turning left and there isn't a left green arrow, just a green light.

ALWAYS give way to pedestrians on crossroads. THAT is the most wacky thing about NZ driving, imo. Green for traffic AND green for pedestrians :no:no:no

[dilanium]

I'm so confused, I'm trying to picture all these rules while driving on the left side of the road, and it's just not working.

[Ojai]

Same here. We poor Americans have to figure out the give way rule AND flip everything around while doing it!

[tomo1340]

Same here. We poor Americans have to figure out the give way rule AND flip everything around while doing it!

I did most of my road driving in the Netherlands while learning and went back to the UK, had 3 lessons and passed my test. In the army I regularly drove in europe and infact I prefer to be on the right hand side of the road sat on the left hand side of the car. I have never (to this day touch wood) got confused and gone back to the left while in europe but I must confess that after getting off a ferry in the middle of the night in Dover I went the wrong way round the roundabout :no

I don't know if it's the same wherever the american forces are but a US base I went on in the south of England requires you to drive on the right hand side of the road, even though the area they are in requires you drive on the left. That was a tad off putting coming into the camp on the left, checking through the gate and then driving on the right. I reckon it could be pretty hazardous if you aren't switched on.

[xanctus]

Same here. We poor Americans have to figure out the give way rule AND flip everything around while doing it!

Dont worry u'll get used to it quite fast.

[CJ22]

This is the only one that threw me, as it's counter-intuitive to UK drivers, but in fact in practice often happens. Basically, you must let the other fella out:

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/roadcode/gfx/turn-right-giveway-r-turn2.jpg

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/roadcode/gfx/turn-right-giveway-r-turn.jpg

[Sam B]

Yeah, that one's really weird - we were just commenting on that last night when J was mugging up for his code test.

[IanW99]

This is the only one that threw me, as it's counter-intuitive to UK drivers, but in fact in practice often happens. Basically, you must let the other fella out:

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/roadcode/gfx/turn-right-giveway-r-turn2.jpg

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/roadcode/gfx/turn-right-giveway-r-turn.jpg

I've seen the top one happen a few times and it is very strange (but correct as far as NZ law is concerned).

However, even though the bottom example is also correct, I've never seen anyone ever do it this way around in practice.

Ian

[tomo1340]

Looking at the bottom one would you realistically wait for the trucks light to turn green and then let him out?

Looking at the top one I think it makes sense, I would always try and let people out before I turn. I'm not saying I would let everyone one out here but obviously over there I would have to.

[CJ22]

Ah I should emphasis, the above are for 'uncontrolled' junctions, i.e. where there are no lights or give-way signs.

[James 1077]

Having learnt to drive in the UAE and having driven for most of my adult life in London I can honestly say that Auckland driving is exceptionally good and the rest of NZ amazing!

In the UAE you have got to drive like everyone else on the road wants to see you dead and will do everything in their power to make it happen. Also none of the cars on the road have working indicators (unless they are using the hazard lights to allow them to drive on the hard shoulder or triple park 'cos it is Friday prayers.

And in London you need to drive really agressively otherwise every car trip will take 3 times as long as it should (due to everyone else driving aggressively).

By contrast in NZ you can chill out and appreciate the decent traffic laws they have (like the turn right rule - which makes sense in that it gets rid of a potential traffic blockage; like the fact that you can undertake so don't tear your hair out about the middle-lane-morons who cause most of the traffic jams on the M25; and like the fact that very few cars on the road are diesels so I can actually walk around town in the summer (I'm allergic to diesel particulates which makes walking around London an absolute nightmare!)).

:)

[Croft]

Ah I should emphasis, the above are for 'uncontrolled' junctions, i.e. where there are no lights or give-way signs.

Exactly - in reality 99% of them will have a yield or stop sign, or traffic lights, to prevent accidents. I learnt to drive in Belgium where they have a priority from the right rule (ie anybody joining a road has priority). However, 99% of major roads are designated 'priority' and side roads have yield signs so basically you hardly ever see the priority rule from the right rule invoked. Where you do see it is on roundabouts, where the priority is to traffic joining the roundabout, ie those on it have to stop to allow them on!!

Regarding James's experience in UAE, I've visited my parents there a couple of times. They reckon it's a whole lot better than Saudi, which they describe as truly awful (turning left and you're in the far right lane of a multi-lane motorway - no problem!!! Just cut straight across - never mind the carnage you leave behind.) I think the further north you get in the Middle East the worse the driving gets as I found Oman OK - and yes, you can get a Toyota Land Cruiser up to 200km/h on the desert roads. The beeper to warn you that you're doing over 120 km/h tends to be drowned out over 150.

By the way James, they've now put up railing up all down the centre of the boulevards to stop the TCN's from jumping out and committing suicide, so getting blood money for the families back home in India and Pakistan. I kid you not. Very desperate they must be - they're not treated well in the Arab world.

Even London I've never found bad - maybe I have the mentality as I learnt to drive in Belgium where there was no test at all until 1968, and no compulsory practical test until 1973. Yu can guess the standard of some driving!! Or maybe it's because I don't expect much of any driver.

[qslinger]

NZ is a heaven, traffic wise, compared to Dubai or India! I have lived and driven there and trust me, I would take on NZ traffic any day than to deal with Dubai and Indian traffic.

[mish&al]

ALWAYS give way to pedestrians on crossroads. THAT is the most wacky thing about NZ driving, imo. Green for traffic AND green for pedestrians

Yes, I know! I saw someone nearly get mowed down by an idiot at the pedestrian crossing in front of the Canterbury museum.

I am teaching my kids, here as well, never to assume that someone will stop.

Maybe I will take the bus rather than drive..:laugh

[ellenmelon]

while i do agree being pedestrian here can be iffy 'cause of bad driving, there are also bad pedestrians who stroll out onto pedestrian crossings without looking, crossing where there is no safe place in the middle and standing on the median line..especially in wellington ive found.

[James 1077]

turning left and you're in the far right lane of a multi-lane motorway - no problem!!!

Oh, I've seen that many a time in Abu Dhabi as well - I think the reason you don't see it as much in Dubai is because, with the traffic, a manoeuvre like that will take you 10 minutes anyway!

Your bit on not having test reminds me of my Father's Abu Dhabi driving test. The process there is that a bus full of learners follows the test car and following the test they pull over at the side of the road and swap drivers.

When it was my Dad's turn he got into the car at the beginning of the busiest road in Abu Dhabi; at which point the examiner told him to "go as fast as he can". Dad therefore sets off at the 60kmph speed limit but is told by the examiner to "go as fast as he can"; Dad, thinking it is a trick, mentions the speed limit to which the examiner replied "Ignore the speed limit, nobody cares about them".

Dad therefore puts his foot down and joins the rest of the traffic doing 100kmph (this was in the old days when traffic actually moved). The examiner tells him to go faster!

As Dad is weaving through the traffic, in town, at 160kmph (with a bus full of learner drivers following!) the examiner suddenly tells him to "emergency stop", which he does. As nobody smashed into the car during this period he therefore passed! :clap


And people say NZ driving is bad! :laugh

[benandclare]

As Dad is weaving through the traffic, in town, at 160kmph
And people say NZ driving is bad! :laugh


????????????/ you're joking with 160 kph surely thats nearly 100 mph and cant imagine there's any city in the world where you could drive at that speed unless it was the dead of the night :D :D

[Ojai]

????????????/ you're joking with 160 kph surely thats nearly 100 mph and cant imagine there's any city in the world where you could drive at that speed unless it was the dead of the night :D :D

Traffic in Los Angeles routinely moves at 80-90 miles an hour along the freeways (not during rush hour, of course). Miami was the same way. I am actually a little worried about adapting to a much slower moving traffic flow.

I was actually passed by a cop doing 90 the other day. He wasn't going anywhere with his lights on, he was just driving.

[Carol]

I have become a much more "aware" driver here......because I now just assume that every single other person on the road is a complete *****r and has no idea how to drive or indicate.

It seems to work for me!

Must admit - I think driving in Welly is a breeze though - even in rush hour - compared to some of the INSANE motorways in Newcastle!

[benandclare]

Traffic in Los Angeles routinely moves at 80-90 miles an hour along the freeways (not during rush hour, of course). I am actually a little worried about adapting to a much slower moving traffic flow.

I was actually passed by a cop doing 90 the other day. He wasn't going anywhere with his lights on, he was just driving.

Crikey , haven't driven in USA but isn't the speed limit there 65 on an urban freeway??

Better watch out when in NZ as they are red hot on speeding here, saw 3 cars pulled over this morning on my way to work, :nice1

What I have noticed here is yes they will tailgate you and then zip past but will then settle back into being just 5 to 8 k over the limit:p

Cheers

Ben

[Ojai]

Crikey , haven't driven in USA but isn't the speed limit there 65 on an urban freeway??

Better watch out when in NZ as they are red hot on speeding here, saw 3 cars pulled over this morning on my way to work, :nice1

What I have noticed here is yes they will tailgate you and then zip past but will then settle back into being just 5 to 8 k over the limit:p

Cheers

Ben

It is, but they don't pay much attention. I almost never see anyone pulled over on the freeway.

I was curious about how hard they cracked down on speeding there. Sounds like it's something I will really need to be careful of all the time.

[Sam B]

I usually pass through 4 speedtraps including 2 police cars every day on my 50 minute journey to work.

[alan999]

I must say i prefer the Kiwi way. Diving into a single lane from two using the zip method for example. Eveyone (nearly) follows the rule and there is no need for grovelling "thank you"s and waves, you're just following the rules of the road. Why undertaking isn't allowed everywhere bewilders me, it is the most efficient use of space and cuts down on dangerous lane swapping. The right hand rule stops a line of traffic turning right off the road building up causing jams. The traffic lights are sequenced far better so that you can normally turn right with no oncoming traffic and left turned are often not controlled having a give way sign instead. The apparent dozing at lights is the result of a lightning fast amber more than anything else.
You need to be aware of the rules, confident in who has right of way and if you are then spaces will appear. Soon you will realise what we mistake for courtesy in the UK, ie waving everyone in and exagerated thank yous really results from a very selfish driving style where nobody will automatically give way unless forced to.

[benandclare]

I was curious about how hard they cracked down on speeding there. Sounds like it's something I will really need to be careful of all the time.

The police cars have rear and forward facing camers, as I think some one pointed out earlier on, it's the un-marked ones than can catch you out.

Colleague of Clare's was caught at 6.10 am by one, it did a " u-ey" having clocked her at 70 k in a 50 k limit.

Having said that you'll often be "flashed " by other motorists warning you of police cars :nice1

[Ojai]

Good to know. At least I won't have to focus on getting a fast car then :)

[JandM]

I now just assume that every single other person on the road is a complete *****r and has no idea how to drive or indicate.

That's always been my philosophy, and/but I LIKE driving.

On the point of giving way to pedestrians... Actually, that's a universal natural rule if you think about it, even when it's not laid down in the laws/light sequences/whatever of the country. If in doubt, think how you react when suddenly someone steps out in front of you: it's not, 'Floor it and flatten him - this is my right of way,' but a desperate attempt to stop in time or avoid them. And I know people who've had severe nervous illness because someone was hurt by their vehicle, even when it was entirely the injured party who caused the accident, no fault of the driver at all.

[Croft]

Traffic in Los Angeles routinely moves at 80-90 miles an hour along the freeways (not during rush hour, of course). Miami was the same way. I am actually a little worried about adapting to a much slower moving traffic flow.

I was actually passed by a cop doing 90 the other day. He wasn't going anywhere with his lights on, he was just driving.

I've found it relatively easy to adapt between different countries - you just get the local mind set very quickly - so NZ you get used to traveling at 100 - 110 km'h on the state highways. In the UK 70 - 85 mph (113 - 137 km/h) on the motorways, and in Germany I used to have cruise control set at 120 mph (192 km/h) and occasionally stray up to 140 mph (225 km/h). Passing police cars at that speed, and quite legally, was a bit weird!!

[Croft]

Your bit on not having test reminds me of my Father's Abu Dhabi driving test. The process there is that a bus full of learners follows the test car and following the test they pull over at the side of the road and swap drivers.

When it was my Dad's turn he got into the car at the beginning of the busiest road in Abu Dhabi; at which point the examiner told him to "go as fast as he can". Dad therefore sets off at the 60kmph speed limit but is told by the examiner to "go as fast as he can"; Dad, thinking it is a trick, mentions the speed limit to which the examiner replied "Ignore the speed limit, nobody cares about them".

Dad therefore puts his foot down and joins the rest of the traffic doing 100kmph (this was in the old days when traffic actually moved). The examiner tells him to go faster!

As Dad is weaving through the traffic, in town, at 160kmph (with a bus full of learner drivers following!) the examiner suddenly tells him to "emergency stop", which he does. As nobody smashed into the car during this period he therefore passed! :clap


And people say NZ driving is bad! :laugh

When my parents had to take tests in Louisiana in the 1970s after coming over from Europe (driving age at the time - 13 if you were off a school route!!!) the test was, reverse out of a space in the supermarket car park, drive around the car park, and back into the space. The examiner told my Mum that he knew she'd pass as she looked over her shoulder before reversing out!!

I heard the Abu Dhab test was that everyone piled into the test car, one person drove, and if he passed everyone got a licence!!