Official New Zealand Driving Rules

[newarrival]

I am not a defender of NZ driving but I certainly don't think it is the worst driving either and I draw issue with those who make such factual based statements like that, when their personal experiences are rather limited in my point of view. I have always stated through my own personal experiences because for me, I have seen far worst and some close calls and have experienced close calls myself. Most people tend to exaggerate their personal experiences of bad driving but wouldn't be able to recall many good examples because they often don't take notice unless it is rather extraordinary. Most who comment on bad driving seem to recall their experiences from the etiquette of drivers in the UK/US and some countries in the EU. I am sure it is good to compare yourself with the best but what about the rest of the world?



NZ has many problems but driving etiquette isn't one of the biggies (again from my POV).

I have to agree with that- again from my personal experience and not from an auckland point of view. We started of in Dunedin and had to adjust to how abrupt people stopped in front of zebra crossings, I always felt that I had to hardly look at it as a walker and cars stopped.
We're living in Blenheim now for almost five years and while I acknowledge that is is not comparable with Auckland either as a biker or as a walker, I cannot share kiwieagles view- I have not felt threatened here, but maybe things changed since we moved here/ she(od=r he?) moved away. I find people usually very thoughtful towards walkers, on the other hand some of the foot traffic seems to think that you don't even need to look right or left at the crossings and that cars are able to stop within a split second.

All just my personal experience and it has nothing to do with defending bad manners just for the sake of defending them

[Anne Goulding]

I agree with the last 2 posters; I haven't noticed any really terrible driving since arriving in Wellington in Feb but I'm such a terrible driver myself that maybe I'm oblivious. Feel a bit for the OP who probably didn't envisage starting WW3 with a lighthearted post.

[Kim39]

As a Truck driver, i am constantly running the gauntlet of Kiwi driving, and in truthfulness i am getting fed up with their abilities. Pulling out, slamming on, last second indications, do i go on? but the one that really drives me up the wall, is this insistence of pulling out of a junction and then sitting on the median strip in the middle of the road waiting for the gap in the traffic, what gap they just pull out...arghhhhhhh, now i have to drop my gears, remember we run with 18 of the sods, and i have lost all momentum. The issue really is i don't know what their move will be and they don't know mine, so in fairness it creates a situation that can have disastrous consequences! Another little issue is, cars slowing down to let you out of junctions, but no indication that this is what they want you to do, and as i say driving trucks can be very hazardous in these situations

[mylesdw]

I'm sure this doesn't include you but in my experience the so called professional drivers: truck/bus/taxi are amongst the worst offenders when it comes to ignorant driving habits.

On a general note I think that the standard of driving here in NZ is probably no better or worse than other countries with similar population densities

[Kim39]

I'm sure this doesn't include you but in my experience the so called professional drivers: truck/bus/taxi are amongst the worst offenders when it comes to ignorant driving habits.

On a general note I think that the standard of driving here in NZ is probably no better or worse than other countries with similar population densities

please do not include me in the ranks of TAXI drivers please!! I agree that bus drivers (some, not all) are bad offenders, along with courier drivers and TAXI drivers have a rep when it comes to their driving abilities. The truck driving role is seen as a professional role back home, but here its seen as just a driving job, but we UK truckers have a standard which has been born out of a system that has been drilled into us! Sorry but Kiwi drivers need to take a long look at themselves and their habits

[mylesdw]

Sorry! that was a bit harsh. You can always tell the UK truckers because they always acknowledge when you flash to signal that they can make a lane change to the left. The Kiwi truckers take no notice and either take you out with the trailer or simply stay in the right-hand lane.