barnsleymat

Maybe they're finally realising how bad it is, main story on the NZ Herald App.

http://nzh.tw/10783288

MrsFychan

not going to help when the new changes come into force either

sr71

Extremely poor reporting there, the statistics are completely wrong, not referenced properly etc.

Compared to the UK standards are bad, but compare the UK to many places in Europe and the UK is bad.

Australia would be worse than NZ in terms of drones and lack of courtesy. And many places in the US are just as aggressive - especially Californian drivers.

Genesis

Some wanker on SH1 the other day was doing a R/H trun AND was in the middle of the road where there was no area to turn right..what a dick head! Never seen so much arrogance and down right rudeness on the road in all my 53 years. It is the one thing I would dearly leave this poxy little island for. Me and my kids have been nearly killed by a number of utter shit heads who chose to drive out of their blind driveways like they are on a blues and twos call. Utter and complete morons!!!

barnsleymat

I agree, I bet I've had more close calls in the last 8 months than the previous 18 years motoring and I catch the train to work.

But for some unknown reason they seem to think they're experts on the road. It's not even the speed that makes it worse as I find people drive way slower than back home, it's just incompetence, arrogance and total laziness.

What is involved in a kiwi driving test? I've seen very few learners, do people have driving lessons.

Persephone

You know, I can't recall ever seeing any driving instructors on the road-do they exist over here
My description of kiwi drivers is that they drive as if there are no other cars or road users around. If you want to pull out then just do so, why bother indicating, use the other side of the road, no need for courtesy etc etc - after all there wouldn't be anything like say another car, pedestrian or bike rider trying to share the same bit of tarmac would there

barnsleymat

I'd bought a Vespa before getting here, after a couple of weeks driving around Auckland it was back for sale. As you say, they drive like there's no other road users, not a care in the world.

It's no wonder killing yourself on the roads seems to be a national obsession.

Don't get me started on braindead youths shouting stuff out of cars when they drive past. Never witty, never funny and never anything clever. Normally just some garbled grunts.

Persephone

I did seriously think of getting a bike and cycling to my nearest workplace but I decided that I wasn't ready to die
They open their car doors wide even when cars are going past, the chances of me being seen on a bike is slim. So I still drive even though I need the exercise, I don't like the idea of sporting tyre treadmarks across my vital organs, they're really not my style!

Justcol

dont forget the crossing of the yellow lines and overtaking on the wrong side of the rod around blind bends
and one hills where you cant see over the crest, that clever manoeuvre always makes me chuckle

welshrgeordie

I passed my test in nz 25 years ago and when I took my test in an automatic car was told not to worry about the cars behind, by the test instructor, as it was their problem if they crashed into me ....then he asked me to do a hill start in an automatic, drive around the block , park in between 2 cars which I stuffed up on and back to the station ...it took about 10 mins tops and I passed .... I have been driving in the uk now for the last 12 years and even now on the odd occasion someone forgets to indicate 1st , turns then indicates I call them kiwi drivers ...my OH is in for a shock when we finally get to nz and he has to drive :-) hahahahaha

DC10

Whilst not disagreeing for a second about the std of NZ driving (and roads!), the fatality statistics don't really give an accurate picture because there is a far higher proportion of non-drivers and public transport use in the UK. Many UK journeys are completed in slow-moving traffic.

Take London for example - other than pedestrians and cyclists, you'd have to try pretty hard to cause a fatality here. So that's about a fifth of the UK's population with hardly any fatal accidents for starters.

If you look at the fatality rates for Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland I would think they'll be much closer to the Australasian ones.

jmh

I agree with the point already made - people drive as if there are no other cars on the road. In places like Auckland it is no longer the case, but in many other parts it is still true. You need to adjust your expectations accordingly.

Reminds me of the other day. I was on a windy road behind a large truck. The guy very kindly moved over the the edge of the road so I could pass him on a blind corner. I decided against it. LOL.

Bo-Jangles

Yet another one with slapped wristies for four convictions of drunk driving.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10783882

Humiliating, my @r$e! I expect all his showbiz pals will be patting him on the back and calling him a legend!!

babybella

[QUOTE=barnsleymat;9883051]Maybe they're finally realising how bad it is, main story on the NZ Herald App.

Just drove from Paraparaumu to Paekok this morning, some guy nearly ran another car off the road when the overtaking lane merged, why? to get one car in front of course!! Idiot.
Same type of manouver that cost a man and his step daughter their lives and landed a family of 5 in hospital on SH1 just north of Para
NZ drivers are bad, I should know I passed my test here, ran a red light and still passed. (My driving has impproved since then)
Kaz

Grayling

I will be driving over much of the North Island in a couple of weeks times.

I hope things have improved since I was there a few months ago but I doubt it