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terrible road toll this year/this christmas

terrible road toll this year/this christmas

Old Jan 4th 2017, 7:49 pm
  #31  
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Default Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

Originally Posted by Moses2013
I see the same problems here in Ireland, so it's not just New Zealand. It's speeding, but then you also have drivers who are so slow that people behind get impatient and start overtaking. There is a local driving instructor and I'm shocked how bad he drives himself.
I don't think it's solely a New Zealand problem no, but on comparison with England the driving standards and bad habits are much worse here. There were kids in my year at school who used to go out driving, do burn outs, doughnuts and drive far too fast around corners and end up in a ditch, as I'm sure some silly teenagers all over the world do. But as for aggressive, impatient and dangerous habits? No where near as bad in England than here.
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Old Jan 4th 2017, 11:33 pm
  #32  
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Default Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

Its poor driving, poor driver training. Poor policing, poor penalties when caught, poor roads, and very often, cars that are unfit for the road.In many countries they would be scrap, in nz they are "good first cars".
Trying to teach good driving skills to young kiwi males is like trying to teach a cat to do Sukoku.
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Old Jan 5th 2017, 1:10 am
  #33  
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Default Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

Originally Posted by Pom_Chch
I don't think it's solely a New Zealand problem no, but on comparison with England the driving standards and bad habits are much worse here. There were kids in my year at school who used to go out driving, do burn outs, doughnuts and drive far too fast around corners and end up in a ditch, as I'm sure some silly teenagers all over the world do. But as for aggressive, impatient and dangerous habits? No where near as bad in England than here.
I had 30 x 1hr professional lessons before I got my driving licence in the UK. I had ABSOLUTELY no other training. I wanted and needed to be taught by a professional. The idea to have my parents/siblings teach me was utter madness.

I also took a driving test (and passed) here in NZ a while back regarding some extra licensing I wanted. Bloody joke!! No open road driving and no emergency stop. It was way too easy.

I do not see more cops on the road saving lives. The whole ethos around driving has to change. From a grass roots level. I am gob smacked the current administration (or previous ones) have done nothing (apart from raise the driving age from 15 to 16).

Mind you they choose do nothing about our suicide rates, did nothing to stop $5 billion being lost 2008 to 2010 to the finance co melt down (and they could have done loads..they prefer to let companies 'self police') and they chose recently not to regulate loan companies WTF??????? NZ is, or was known as the 'wild west of the finance world'. Would you please add suicide and driving to the aforementioned moniker??? This country really should be ashamed of its laissez-faire leadership (crap in english).

Oh sorry, its fine. Cos she'll be right! Bloody joke.
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Old Jan 5th 2017, 1:42 am
  #34  
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Default Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

Originally Posted by Pom_Chch
I don't think it's solely a New Zealand problem no, but on comparison with England the driving standards and bad habits are much worse here. There were kids in my year at school who used to go out driving, do burn outs, doughnuts and drive far too fast around corners and end up in a ditch, as I'm sure some silly teenagers all over the world do. But as for aggressive, impatient and dangerous habits? No where near as bad in England than here.
And today, out on my bicycle and the tailgating by drivers is just utterly mad! Do they not realise what will happen without the 2 second reactionary gap?

Tailgating is sheer madness as it is a totally worthless enterprise, with absolutely NO BENEFITS. You will not get there faster and it certainly does not make for a less stressful journey. All they do is stress out the driver in front (and most probably the passengers in both cars).

All drivers who tailgate must be thick as shit. I mean really, really stupid. You will lose your excess (assuming you bothered to get insurance), you will lose your car, probably for good as it will most likely be written off. You will most likely end up in hospital, along with your passengers, if you have any and you will most likely injure those in the car you stupidly hit. They will lose their car too. I have been rear ended 3 times in Europe (ironically never in NZ). It is ALWAYS their fault. Never the person who was hit, unless they were reversing.

Its bloody irritating, expensive, dangerous and time consuming (as and when they rear end you). It is a selfish, bullying and moronic driving tactic. It puts a strain on all the emergency services as and when they are called (dependent upon the severity of the collision of course). The same goes for twats who feel the need to use their mobiles when driving. Fine them??? No, 1 year ban. It should be treated like drink driving.

Last edited by Genesis; Jan 5th 2017 at 2:34 am.
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Old Jan 5th 2017, 1:58 am
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Default Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

Originally Posted by Genesis
I had 30 x 1hr professional lessons before I got my driving licence in the UK. I had ABSOLUTELY no other training. I wanted and needed to be taught by a professional. The idea to have my parents/siblings teach me was utter madness.

.
Far too many crap driving instructors around too! The ones that taught my wife were terrible.

Many only teach you to pass the test ... not to be a safe driver! There is a big difference!

The NZ driving test system was next to useless . I gave my son 3 lessons and he passed his restricted ... then a few more pointers and he got his full.
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Old Jan 5th 2017, 6:48 am
  #36  
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Default Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

Originally Posted by Genesis
The same goes for twats who feel the need to use their mobiles when driving. Fine them??? No, 1 year ban. It should be treated like drink driving.
But that's the problem, no one cares about drink driving or losing their license either. A few years ago I had an incident with a truckie who was driving for PBT, one of the biggest transport companies in nz. When it got to court, turns out he had lost his license about 6 months earlier, no one seemed to care. We don't legally need insurance, so increased costs aren't a deterrent, and with just a little luck, even the worst drivers could probably avoid the police.
It the last frontier, zero deterrent, zero consequence
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Old Jan 7th 2017, 2:54 am
  #37  
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Smile Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

Originally Posted by Justcol
Its poor driving, poor driver training. Poor policing, poor penalties when caught, poor roads, and very often, cars that are unfit for the road.
It's driving with one hand on the wheel and the window open on a warm summers afternoon, it's adjusting your lippy in the vanity mirror as you speed through a rainy night and, most of all, it is the chime of a smart phone on your lap as your facebook keeps you up to date with your fams.

It is freedom you are describing my foreign friend! It might seem alien to you but what a time to be alive and what a fantastic country we live in to be able to still enjoy all of this.
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Old Jan 12th 2017, 9:56 am
  #38  
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Default Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

NZ is the driving nanny state, just like Victoria in Australia.

I asked a police officer earlier this year, why do they have the lowest speed limits in developed countries and yet the highest road death toll per capita... unsurprisingly they couldn't answer me.

We know the reasons: poor driver education/standards, poor attitude to drink-driving/txting/drugs, road infrastructure still stuck in the 1960s, chip-seal roads instead of proper tarmac, vehicle fleet average of 15+ years... Nothing will change.
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Old Jan 12th 2017, 11:22 am
  #39  
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Default Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

Originally Posted by Justcol
But that's the problem, no one cares about drink driving or losing their license either. A few years ago I had an incident with a truckie who was driving for PBT, one of the biggest transport companies in nz. When it got to court, turns out he had lost his license about 6 months earlier, no one seemed to care. We don't legally need insurance, so increased costs aren't a deterrent, and with just a little luck, even the worst drivers could probably avoid the police.
It the last frontier, zero deterrent, zero consequence
Geez that's atrocious! I've always been shocked that insurance isn't compulsory in Nz, one of the things I couldn't get my head around while living there.

What would happen in the instance, like myself, who in November 2015 had my first at fault accident ever, I misjudged the gap between me and the bus (who was parked) and pretty much scraped the whole left side of my car along it. Stupid thing to do, lucky nothing wrong with me or my daughter, the bus driver was really nice about everything, we swapped details etc.

Now being at fault, I had to pay $1000 excess, the damage on my car was around the $4000 mark, and on the bus around the same. I would hate to not have insurance!

Drivers are pretty crap here in NSW and Sydney as well. I was crap this time..

Michelle
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Old Jan 13th 2017, 9:57 am
  #40  
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Default Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

Driving is just as dreadful here in NSW. The freeway between Sydney and Newcastle is like Wacky Races and you really take your life in your hands doing that journey (I take the train whenever possible: <$5!). I preferred driving in NZ because although the driving is crap there's less of them (Auckland aside).
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Old Jan 13th 2017, 10:46 am
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Default Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

Originally Posted by bourbon-biscuit
Driving is just as dreadful here in NSW. The freeway between Sydney and Newcastle is like Wacky Races and you really take your life in your hands doing that journey (I take the train whenever possible: <$5!). I preferred driving in NZ because although the driving is crap there's less of them (Auckland aside).
Oh yes I totally agree Bourbon Biscuit! I am originally from Sydney and still have siblings there, I live on the Central coast, as you would know, about 40 minutes from Newcastle..I hate doing that trip down the M1, it is just insane! I do it a couple of times a year, that's enough for me!

Less in Christchurch too...the only thing that rattles me there is the non compulsory insurance...
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Old Jan 17th 2017, 9:02 am
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Default Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

Yeah, driving standards, road conditions, alcohol all contributing factors plus the staggering fact that 39% of drivers, and 42% of passengers killed in accidents last year were not wearing seat belts.
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Old Jan 17th 2017, 9:41 pm
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Default Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

I had the hellish of all journeys yesterday which left me really shaken and close to tears. I was only travelling from Gulf Harbour to Ellerslie and back but boy, was every idiot and incompetent on the road.

Old guy doing 40 in a 70 but speeded up to 60+ in a 50. Should've pulled over into the slow lane when he had the chance but didn't. Didn't bother with his indicator and obviously never used his mirrors or checked his blindspot when deciding to overtake a lorry and didn't realise that I was overtaking him (on a four lane road). Luckily, I had had plenty of time to realise that he was complete numpty and managed to brake in time and gave him a blast of my horn. He seemed to remain oblivious to what was going on around him. Too busy talking to his passengers.

From then it just went downhill with various drivers tailgating me, trying to move into spaces that didn't exist, not understanding that it's MSM not, sod the mirrors, manouvre then maybe signal if I feel like it. Then there were the "I'm going to South Auckland, so I need to stay in the outside lane from Silverdale" brigade, regardless of the speed they're doing or what is happening around them. Let's not forget the weavers, they were out in force too.
I had a guy gesticulating at me because I dared to use my brakelights. Well the car infront of me was also braking because of the volume of traffic and you were driving too fast and too close and that is why you nearly went into the back of me

It was a similar tale returning home though thankfully not quite as bad. I'm not the perfect driver, I have my off days just like anyone else but I try my best to be courteous to other drivers, will apologise if I make a mistake and try not to endanger anyone else on the road. I regard driving as a privilege, I wish others did too.
I used to love driving and I still do when I am in the UK but there's no joy in it here.

Just needed to have a rant...sorry.
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Old Jan 18th 2017, 2:56 am
  #44  
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Default Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

Originally Posted by Vitalstatistix
Just needed to have a rant...sorry.
Rant away! I am now a nervous driver. Never had any issues in the UK, not even a near miss. Never felt nervous, but sometimes here I get out of the car at the other end like I've ridden a fricken roller coaster. It doesn't help that since we've been here two people have driven into the back of us. Nothing serious but still wankers not paying attention and still totally beyond my control, which I do not like.

I found this article a good read. She is dead right. Everyone is out to blame someone or something else - it's the tourists, it's the roads, there's no cops etc etc. It can't possibly be the fact that they overtook on a blind corner...

Bernadine Oliver-Kerby: The real reason why New Zealand's road toll is so high - Opinion - NZ Herald News
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Old Jan 19th 2017, 3:55 am
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Default Re: terrible road toll this year/this christmas

Originally Posted by Pom_Chch
Rant away! I am now a nervous driver. Never had any issues in the UK, not even a near miss. Never felt nervous, but sometimes here I get out of the car at the other end like I've ridden a fricken roller coaster. It doesn't help that since we've been here two people have driven into the back of us. Nothing serious but still wankers not paying attention and still totally beyond my control, which I do not like.

I found this article a good read. She is dead right. Everyone is out to blame someone or something else - it's the tourists, it's the roads, there's no cops etc etc. It can't possibly be the fact that they overtook on a blind corner...

Bernadine Oliver-Kerby: The real reason why New Zealand's road toll is so high - Opinion - NZ Herald News
That's not good. I've managed to avoid being rear-ended so far but I still can't forget the accident we had a couple of years back when we narrowly avoided a head-on with a young lad on our side of the road tuning his radio!!

I hate travelling around NZ now because it causes me so much stress, hence we haven't explored anywhere new since that RTC. I now expect the worst to happen whenever we are on the roads. It's a great shame.

I read that article too. It's the belief here that driving is an entitlement at the root of the problem. Hence how lenient sentences can be for drink drivers etc.
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