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Thread: Official New Zealand Driving Rules

  1. #1
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    Default Official New Zealand Driving Rules

    Although there is some-to-much truth in all of the below, I really don’t find Kiwi drivers to be as bad as they are often advertised. In fact, I think people here are generally quite considerate drivers relative to many other places.

    1. Whilst indicating out of a roundabout when making a turn should be considered optional, one must never indicate when going straight through the roundabout. Another option is to indicate right when exiting the roundabout. This keeps other drivers on their toes.
    2. One must, of course, indicate turns – but this should never be done until after one has already slowed the car and begun the turn.
    3. Even if the road is otherwise clear for as far as the eye can see and even if you are towing a boat with an underpowered car, one should feel completely free to pull out in front of the lone car coming toward you at 100 KPH.
    4. You are absolutely required to increase your speed as much as necessary to prevent anyone from overtaking you on a passing lane. Of course, you must slow back down to 85 KPH as soon as the passing lane is behind you.
    5. One should never hesitate to drive as close as possible to the car in front, regardless of speed and weather conditions. In this way, you will get to your destination sooner.
    6. It is expected that you will always considerately allow in the car entering from the side street – even if that car has to Give Way and even if by allowing such entry you back up traffic across a busy intersection.
    7. In a broader version of the above, one should pay no heed to anything not happening immediately in front of their car.
    8. When driving at night, you are not required to dip your headlights until the oncoming car does so.

  2. #2
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    Default

    Wicked!

  3. #3
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    quality!

    Seriously though, I agree. Problems in NZ are drink driving and kids being aloud to drive around in souped up V6 things.

    Not really noticed any difference in driving than in the UK, other than I've seen less "road rage" in NZ (except in Ashburton), and I've never seen my three pet UK driving hates - people hogging the middle lane of the motorway (no motorways), people driving around talking on mobiles in heavy traffic/dangerous road conditions, and worst of all, when one lane is closed but idiots roar up it and try and push in.

  4. #4
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    Feb 2011
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    Lincoln, UK to Rotorua, NZ
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bozeman View Post
    Although there is some-to-much truth in all of the below, I really don’t find Kiwi drivers to be as bad as they are often advertised. In fact, I think people here are generally quite considerate drivers relative to many other places.

    1. Whilst indicating out of a roundabout when making a turn should be considered optional, one must never indicate when going straight through the roundabout. Another option is to indicate right when exiting the roundabout. This keeps other drivers on their toes.
    2. One must, of course, indicate turns – but this should never be done until after one has already slowed the car and begun the turn.
    3. Even if the road is otherwise clear for as far as the eye can see and even if you are towing a boat with an underpowered car, one should feel completely free to pull out in front of the lone car coming toward you at 100 KPH.
    4. You are absolutely required to increase your speed as much as necessary to prevent anyone from overtaking you on a passing lane. Of course, you must slow back down to 85 KPH as soon as the passing lane is behind you.
    5. One should never hesitate to drive as close as possible to the car in front, regardless of speed and weather conditions. In this way, you will get to your destination sooner.
    6. It is expected that you will always considerately allow in the car entering from the side street – even if that car has to Give Way and even if by allowing such entry you back up traffic across a busy intersection.
    7. In a broader version of the above, one should pay no heed to anything not happening immediately in front of their car.
    8. When driving at night, you are not required to dip your headlights until the oncoming car does so.
    And there was me thinking these rules only applied in Rotorua

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by edw123 View Post
    and I've never seen my three pet UK driving hates - people hogging the middle lane of the motorway (no motorways), people driving around talking on mobiles in heavy traffic/dangerous road conditions, and worst of all, when one lane is closed but idiots roar up it and try and push in.
    You obviously don't drive in Auckland...

    Daniela

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by MetalSoul View Post
    And there was me thinking these rules only applied in Rotorua
    No, definitely not. They certainly apply in Auckland, too.

    I find the driving here every bit as bad as people say, and then some. I have never in my life or in any place I have lived in or visited seen a lower standard of driving in general.

    Daniela

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by dharder View Post
    I have never in my life or in any place I have lived in or visited seen a lower standard of driving in general.

    Daniela
    The Turkish side of Cyprus is pretty shabby......a roundabout is a huge challenge with traffic coming at you from every which way

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by MetalSoul View Post
    The Turkish side of Cyprus is pretty shabby......a roundabout is a huge challenge with traffic coming at you from every which way
    Sounds like the Greenlane roundabout trying to get onto the motorway...

    I think there are quite obvious reasons for the rubbish driving, and glad to see that there are at least some gestures to improve it, such as the more difficult driving tests (that people actually fail).

    I guess there's always hope...

    Daniela

  9. #9
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    I've driven in Auckland a few times on the "motorway", not amazing, no worse than the M25 though.

    As for NZ being one of the worst places - I've driven in Paris (nerves of steel, they just rush at you and jostle like in a queue at junctions), and costal roads in Italy where overtaking on corners near cliffs is almost part of the culture.....

  10. #10
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    Feb 2008
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    Yup, agreed.

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