HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
Nov 5th 2007, 8:15 pm
#31
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,225
Re: HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
Hoons and road traffic accidents are a BIG problem in NZ and I've seen more accidents in a year in NZ than anywhere else in my life. IMO a lot of the problem is due to a number of factors:
Car insurance isn't compulsory
Kids can get their licence at a very young age
Inexperienced drivers drive cars that are too powerful for them
The road surfaces are really bad, uneven/lumpy, rough surfaced, patched poorly, potholed and not designed for speed.
A culture of drink driving and drug taking
Kids think they're all professional drag racers and drifters.
Road rage seems to be common problem. Trucks drivers and hammers spring to mind!
I was talking to a Kiwi taxi driver a while back and he was saying that in his youth him and his mates would get tanked up and race round the roads in old bangers. If they rolled a car they'd just heave it over and set off again. If it was totalled - no problem, just walk home and buy another one.
You're right to be concerned about it.
Car insurance isn't compulsory
Kids can get their licence at a very young age
Inexperienced drivers drive cars that are too powerful for them
The road surfaces are really bad, uneven/lumpy, rough surfaced, patched poorly, potholed and not designed for speed.
A culture of drink driving and drug taking
Kids think they're all professional drag racers and drifters.
Road rage seems to be common problem. Trucks drivers and hammers spring to mind!
I was talking to a Kiwi taxi driver a while back and he was saying that in his youth him and his mates would get tanked up and race round the roads in old bangers. If they rolled a car they'd just heave it over and set off again. If it was totalled - no problem, just walk home and buy another one.
You're right to be concerned about it.
Last edited by Nerine; Nov 5th 2007 at 8:17 pm.
Nov 5th 2007, 8:18 pm
#32
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 445
Re: HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
NZ drivers are different animals than in the UK. Placid most of the time but very unaware of other road users. ( Phoning and texting on the move )
The merging from 2 lanes into 1, they never think ahead and end up side by side going into one lane. No forward planning and thought about where to filter in. They don't read the road when approaching roundabouts grinding to a halt even when there is no traffic. Also having no use for their mirrors.
In the UK it is far more congested and aggressive but drivers are road aware.
The merging from 2 lanes into 1, they never think ahead and end up side by side going into one lane. No forward planning and thought about where to filter in. They don't read the road when approaching roundabouts grinding to a halt even when there is no traffic. Also having no use for their mirrors.
In the UK it is far more congested and aggressive but drivers are road aware.
Nov 5th 2007, 8:23 pm
#33
Here in Dunedin
Joined: May 2003
Location: Dunedin
Posts: 1,975
Re: HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
I enjoy driving in NZ on the whole. I'd much rather drive from home to say Oamaru along a great coastal highway, than from where we lived in London to the south coast on the M3.
Nov 5th 2007, 8:28 pm
#34
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,225
Re: HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
Mucuddy mobile phone usage whilst driving is common practice isn't it, no one seems to bat an eyelid about it either
Nov 5th 2007, 9:19 pm
#35
Banned
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 128
Re: HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
Pete n Shell, I stand by everything I've said. The roads are too narrow and windy for the volume of traffic. It's dangerous having small windy roads with numerous bends and people flying round those bends. Haven't you seen the adverts on TV warning about this?
And, yes I have been around NZ - that's why I'm living in Auckland, as I prefer it. Have lived in many places and travelled the roads from Invercargill to Kaitaia. Yes, some roads (especially in the South Island) are quiet due to small population, but generally people drive far too fast on those country roads. The accident figures speak for themselves!
Because folks live in Auckland, it doesn't necessarily follow that they know nothing about the rest of NZ.
And, yes I have been around NZ - that's why I'm living in Auckland, as I prefer it. Have lived in many places and travelled the roads from Invercargill to Kaitaia. Yes, some roads (especially in the South Island) are quiet due to small population, but generally people drive far too fast on those country roads. The accident figures speak for themselves!
Because folks live in Auckland, it doesn't necessarily follow that they know nothing about the rest of NZ.
Everyone likes to blame the bends for the accidents yet how come on straight stretchs of road for example SH1 between Hamilton and Auckland there are so many crosses at the side of the road?
The accident figures do not speak for themselves the people who interpret them do.
I have been driving over 20 years a quarter of that overseas most of that 5 years in New Zealand. In that time I have never had a motoring offence and I have not had an accident in New Zealand, Compared to the UK which I have lost count of the amount of times my car was hit by other motorists. That either says I am a good driver or it says the odds of colliding with a bad driver in New Zealand is much lower.
Most of my New Zealand Driving these days is around the lower western Quarter of the North Island a big area, and to say what you have is inaccurate and misleading.
Given what I know I prefer to be driving on the quite country roads than the bumper to bumper unpredictable Auckland roads. Guess its what your used to the ironic thing is that its when the City folk come south of the bombays when the accidents seem to occur because they are not used to the wide open quite roads.
Nov 5th 2007, 9:21 pm
#37
Banned
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 128
Re: HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
Nov 6th 2007, 12:26 am
#38
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 613
Re: HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
Mcuddy1 has given a good analysis of the driving here. It's exactly what I've experienced.
Nov 6th 2007, 12:40 am
#39
Winter hibernator
Joined: May 2007
Location: Miramar - Wellington - North Island - New Zealand
Posts: 779
Re: HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
NZ drivers are different animals than in the UK. Placid most of the time but very unaware of other road users. ( Phoning and texting on the move )
The merging from 2 lanes into 1, they never think ahead and end up side by side going into one lane. No forward planning and thought about where to filter in. They don't read the road when approaching roundabouts grinding to a halt even when there is no traffic. Also having no use for their mirrors.
In the UK it is far more congested and aggressive but drivers are road aware.
The merging from 2 lanes into 1, they never think ahead and end up side by side going into one lane. No forward planning and thought about where to filter in. They don't read the road when approaching roundabouts grinding to a halt even when there is no traffic. Also having no use for their mirrors.
In the UK it is far more congested and aggressive but drivers are road aware.
a) From dannyf
b) Motorway driving.
Road rage isn't such a big thing here, unlike the UK, and with cheaper Jap imports maybe cars can be seen as a disposible asset.
True 15 is too young to drive hense the age is going up to 16. I personally think it should be 18. But boys will always be boys not matter what the age. And maybe we should have maturity tests as opposed to driving tests to determine whether a driver is mature enough to drive a car.
Nov 6th 2007, 2:26 am
#40
Happy in Wellington
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Tawa, Wellington, Aotearoa
Posts: 2,286
Re: HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
NZ drivers are different animals than in the UK. Placid most of the time but very unaware of other road users. ( Phoning and texting on the move )
The merging from 2 lanes into 1, they never think ahead and end up side by side going into one lane. No forward planning and thought about where to filter in. They don't read the road when approaching roundabouts grinding to a halt even when there is no traffic. Also having no use for their mirrors.
In the UK it is far more congested and aggressive but drivers are road aware.
The merging from 2 lanes into 1, they never think ahead and end up side by side going into one lane. No forward planning and thought about where to filter in. They don't read the road when approaching roundabouts grinding to a halt even when there is no traffic. Also having no use for their mirrors.
In the UK it is far more congested and aggressive but drivers are road aware.
But you get used to it. I've seen loads of accidents on the roads here compared to hardly any on 13 years of driving on UK roads. But most have been minor shunts, fortunately.
The age of the cars and appalling attitudes to maintenance don't help. The WOF is also fairly basic.
I've never seen so many bald tyres before! And I mean tyres that look like racing slicks, on standard saloons and even SUVs!
And as for the boy-racers. Muppets. I'm becoming a grumpy old man commenting on the speed they go past my house!! I might go out in the night and dig some pot-holes, slow the buggers down!
Nov 6th 2007, 2:57 am
#41
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,813
Re: HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
I think New Zealand should contract with Mexico and install the Mexican style speed bumps. Hit those bastards at more than 20kph the result would be bent rims at best and a broken axle at worst.
Nov 6th 2007, 3:51 am
#42
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,225
Re: HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
It's not just the cars that aren't properly maintained, you should see the condition of some of the school buses.
Some of them are truely shocking, I refused to let my kids use them in the end - broken suspension, speedometers not working, black smoke coming into the passenger compartment, engines so knackered the kids had to get off so the bus could get up a hill, seats squabs came off, leaked in the rain etc.
Some of the drivers were just plain reckless. There were a few who couldn't even drive properly (a bus driver ploughed into a group of kids at Rangitoto school because he didn't know where the break pedal was!) when a friend's daughter was on a bus that rolled down an embankment on the way to school one morning that was the final straw for us
.
Some of them are truely shocking, I refused to let my kids use them in the end - broken suspension, speedometers not working, black smoke coming into the passenger compartment, engines so knackered the kids had to get off so the bus could get up a hill, seats squabs came off, leaked in the rain etc.
Some of the drivers were just plain reckless. There were a few who couldn't even drive properly (a bus driver ploughed into a group of kids at Rangitoto school because he didn't know where the break pedal was!) when a friend's daughter was on a bus that rolled down an embankment on the way to school one morning that was the final straw for us
.
Nov 6th 2007, 5:29 am
#43
Banned
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: North of Auckland
Posts: 1,996
Re: HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
Nov 6th 2007, 5:40 am
#44
Banned
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: North of Auckland
Posts: 1,996
Re: HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
It's not just the cars that aren't properly maintained, you should see the condition of some of the school buses.
Some of them are truely shocking, I refused to let my kids use them in the end - broken suspension, speedometers not working, black smoke coming into the passenger compartment, engines so knackered the kids had to get off so the bus could get up a hill, seats squabs came off, leaked in the rain etc.
Some of the drivers were just plain reckless. There were a few who couldn't even drive properly (a bus driver ploughed into a group of kids at Rangitoto school because he didn't know where the break pedal was!) when a friend's daughter was on a bus that rolled down an embankment on the way to school one morning that was the final straw for us.
Some of them are truely shocking, I refused to let my kids use them in the end - broken suspension, speedometers not working, black smoke coming into the passenger compartment, engines so knackered the kids had to get off so the bus could get up a hill, seats squabs came off, leaked in the rain etc.
Some of the drivers were just plain reckless. There were a few who couldn't even drive properly (a bus driver ploughed into a group of kids at Rangitoto school because he didn't know where the break pedal was!) when a friend's daughter was on a bus that rolled down an embankment on the way to school one morning that was the final straw for us
.We had a so-called police blitz on trucks up here – SCARY STORY!!!!
They stopped something like 128 trucks and 82 (probably not the exact figure) of them were found to be not fit to be on the road.
The one truck was taken off the road on the spot, guess what the load was, a mere load of logs.
We have had crap weather in Auckland the last couple of days and I see these huge trucks belting down the roads.
I guess the No8 wire must be rife in the trucking business too.
It just does not cut it, I have always said NZ is a great place for kids but with these sorts of things going on it is just not right.
I am sure I will get all the usual responses that I am just negative about New Zealand, blah blah blah
Those are the facts and with having a four year old, it does not exactly get me jumping for joy.
Nov 6th 2007, 5:53 am
#45
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 445
Re: HELP are New Zealand roads like this all the time ?
I find this thread somewhat ironic/amusing having just returned from a month in the UK - involving a lot of touring by car - after 2 years living in NZ. Things I noticed about UK roads and driving:
- Lots of people drive significantly over the speed limit. If you're doing 75-80 on a dual carriageway with a 70 limit, you feel slow
- There is an obsession with keeping left on multi-lane roads, to the point of people driving very fast (see above) swerving from lane 1 to 3 to allow some mythical and invisible even faster driver to overtake
- There are far fewer cops on the roads, but thousands of speed cameras. Everywhere. And even more signs warning of them
- The roads are narrow, there are lots of them, and there are lots of cars on them. And often, you have to wait behind a parked car for someone oncoming to get past before you can swerve round and continue your journey
- Motorways get you places fast, but are boring. And if there is a holdup, it'll be a long one
- All the cars are so new!
- People refuse to merge if you use anything but the left lane going into an obstruction / traffic lights etc. They would rather run you off the road and/or crash than give up their place in the sacred queue
- A lot of people drive at a random speed well below the 60mph limit on a perfectly good road. Some of these seem to drive at 43mph regardless of the limit higher or lower)
On the whole I find driving in NZ way more relaxing and enjoyable. I'd say 90-95% of drivers are decent and drive within 10kph of the limit. It's just a shame the other 5% are complete lunatics driving 15yr old Impreza WRXs!
I think I must be turning kiwi!
- Lots of people drive significantly over the speed limit. If you're doing 75-80 on a dual carriageway with a 70 limit, you feel slow
- There is an obsession with keeping left on multi-lane roads, to the point of people driving very fast (see above) swerving from lane 1 to 3 to allow some mythical and invisible even faster driver to overtake
- There are far fewer cops on the roads, but thousands of speed cameras. Everywhere. And even more signs warning of them
- The roads are narrow, there are lots of them, and there are lots of cars on them. And often, you have to wait behind a parked car for someone oncoming to get past before you can swerve round and continue your journey
- Motorways get you places fast, but are boring. And if there is a holdup, it'll be a long one
- All the cars are so new!
- People refuse to merge if you use anything but the left lane going into an obstruction / traffic lights etc. They would rather run you off the road and/or crash than give up their place in the sacred queue
- A lot of people drive at a random speed well below the 60mph limit on a perfectly good road. Some of these seem to drive at 43mph regardless of the limit higher or lower)
On the whole I find driving in NZ way more relaxing and enjoyable. I'd say 90-95% of drivers are decent and drive within 10kph of the limit. It's just a shame the other 5% are complete lunatics driving 15yr old Impreza WRXs!
I think I must be turning kiwi!
Why should most considerate drivers who actually think of road craft and get into lane in good time, give way to the W****r who wants jump the Queue ( IN UK ) or as in NZ Mr or Mrs to busy day dreaming to watch the road ahead.
Gets right up my nose.