Driving in NZ
 

Hi...can anyone tell me if im ok to use my uk licence to drive in New Zealand??? and also is it true you can drive from age 15????:ohmy:
My 15 yr old will be after a car if so aarrrggghhh!!!!!!!!!:curse:

Re: Driving in NZ
 

Hi we arrived three week ago, you are fine using a UK Licence, but would recommend changing it to a NZ Licence, very easy to do. You go to your local AA Centre, fill out a form you need your UK Licence, you do an eye test and pay (I think it was $45) and it arrived about one week later. I would defiantly do it because when you buy a car your insurance excess will be higher, UK licence it is $750, if you have an NZ $350.

And it is true your 15 year old can drive, when he passes his test, but there are a lot of driving restrictions but on his licence, not able to drive late at night and carry passengers. Our son is 16, and we have told me that when we have been here for 6 months, we will let me do his test.

Hope this helps.

Re: Driving in NZ
 

Thanks for that info KAGS.....hope your enjoying your life in NZ..we are awaiting visa still but hope they will arrive at the end of the week....:thumbsup:

Re: Driving in NZ
 

Just a useful often missed pointer for those converting a UK Car Licence.

On your UK Car licence you have a multitude of vehicles and Group codes of what you can drive in the UK. One of those groups is C1 whch is up to 7500kgs.

This also converts to a New Zealand Class 2 which you may think you wont be driving trucks in New Zealand BUT its based on total vehicle Mass eg your Big 4wd plus Boat or Caravan could put you up to a class 2 weights.

The catch is you have to do the theory paper which up until recently you had to any way to convert a car licence it may or may not have a restriction on it for the Class 2 part but it does convert to a Full Class 2 Licence enabling you to drive over 4.5 tonne.

IF you dont decide to take this extra class the cost to gain a class 2 at a later date could be in excess of $500, So do it within the 12 months and save some mullah.

Of course dont forget that Motorbike Licence and obviously this dont apply if you have HGV.

As for insurance Excess well that depends on the Insurance Company on how much. End of the day your only paying an Excess when you Crash and are at Fault. Insurance is not compulsory although its helpful if your a bad driver;)

We have AMI with excess of $250 that we choose! Lower premiums if you choose higher excess! With the AA its minimum of $400 so reality is dont rush to change your licence. You may feel better thinking your saving dollars on Paper but reality is little differance between drivng on UK or NZ licence.

Either way you got 12 months to change it!

The Class 2 conversion is not a well known fact and either the LTNZ and Agents get the information wrong just got to talk to the right person which I did :D

Re: Driving in NZ
 

Oh nearly forgot

Theres legislation being pushed through Parliement to raise the driving Age to 16. Things have gone quite on that subject so not sure when that comes into effect!

Re: Driving in NZ
 

Thanks for that info...so regarding a motorbike licence,is it the same as uk you can ride a 125cc with a car licence and not a bike licence,OH would like to get a small bike but not passed his bike test...thanks.

Re: Driving in NZ
 

All you need to know right here

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/

except what I said about the class 2 licence which is why you need to dig for that as I did.

Re: Driving in NZ
 

Can I add to this thread that the general standard of driving in NZ (IMO) is utterly appalling. Rude, aggresive, too fast and getting pissed and driving is 'just one of those things'. For me the driving is the only HUGE negative for me living here. Too many of the drivers in NZ are utter tossers. A bit of a sweeping statement I grant you but from a 'UK driving perspective' the driving over here sucks.

Re: Driving in NZ
 

No - you can only ride a 50cc with a car licence - but once you've taken a basic skills test you can get a learners bike licence, riding up to a 250cc bike (there are some pretty quick 250's too!)

See http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/licensing/motorcycle/index.html for details.

Matt

Re: Driving in NZ
 

I dunno I guess I got used to it but then you just described the typical drivers I see driving towards any snow encrusted mountain in winter:rofl:

Put it in another view I have not yet had to claim on my Car Insurance in New Zealand with all these bad drivers around but have seen some nasty crashes involving just ONE vehicle. Guess the scenry is a bit distracting:p

The average kiwi is unaware of the ability to control the right foot! As far as they are aware its push it to the floor and leave it there.:rofl:

Re: Driving in NZ
 

This sounds like my 10 year old son racing his go-kart!:o His Dad had to ask him if he knew why the left pedal was there ... "no Dad" ... what a reassuring response!!! He'll be sorted for the roads when he hits 15!!!:sneaky:

Re: Driving in NZ
 

Agree with Genesis on this one. l find it difficult to understand why so many Kiwis who are generally friendly and non-aggressive suddenly become bad drivers as soon as they get behind the wheel.

Re: Driving in NZ
 

In the course of my work I drive between 1 and 2 k a week and I can say with all honesty that I find the majority of drivers to be slow. Sorry everyone who thinks different - you've been here too long.

Mind you I'm glad the majority are slow because they are, in general crap drivers. And worse still there is a huge culture of drink drive here.

Living i the wopwop's like what I dos, (hick hick, ya all have a good day now) I know of some people who will not go out after 8 pm because they know that every third vehicle will be driven by someone who is drunk.

My misses once rang Palmy cops to report a bunch of young kids, who had just been thrown out of a pub for being pissed, getting into and driving off in a car. The cops attitude, "we'll look into that" and we never heard anything from that day to this.

Have a bit of fun today, Ask any kiwi the breaking distance from 100k and see what answers you'll come up with - (if any)!!!!!!

Re: Driving in NZ
 

25 metres?

Heck I dunno. But I don't drive so who knows.

Re: Driving in NZ
 

Is that the realistic braking distance of a modern car with ABS, or the braking distance in the road code based on a Morris Minor with drum brakes all round? I remember Top Gear did a feature on this and the official braking distances from the UK code were laughable
And anyway, even if someone could state that the braking distance was, say 100m - how many could estimate 100m to within 20%?