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Thread ID: 53359 2005-01-15 05:49:00 Kiwi Drivers... manicminer (4219) PC World Chat
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314275 2005-01-15 05:49:00 ...are some of the worst drivers in the world.

400-500 killed on New Zealand roads every year and I can see why.

Tailgating, no indicating (especially at roundabouts), overtaking round blind corners, crossing centre-lines, failing to give way, general aggressive driving and risktaking, just to get ahead of the car in front (which seems to be the mission no matter what the speed of travel), I've seen it all. And I see it almost every day. Male and female of all ages.

All I would like to know is WHY? The roads here are relatively empty and there is no need to take stupid risks just to shave a minute or so off your journey time.

Every time I see a white-cross I think "How the hell did you crash there?" or "What on Earth was someone doing to cause that to happen?".

Do people not learn to drive here?

I've found Kiwis to be the lovliest people, until they get behind the wheel of a car. It's sad that so many lives are lost and ruined by such unnecessary carelessness.

If any Kiwis here can shed some light on this, I'd be grateful. 		manicminer (4219)
314276 2005-01-15 05:51:00 I completely can't understand how people can say Asians are bad drivers. With the road being so empty (compared to overseas) I don't see why Kiwis drive so madly. Most of them probably won't be able to handle the traffic and roads oversea. ~sy~ (95)
314277 2005-01-15 06:06:00 People get somewhat irate at young Asians who think they own the road with their powerful expensive cars, paid for by their rich parents who live overseas, and the careless attitude displayed by these people in particular.

Yes, the stereotype of bad Asian drivers is excessively overused and quite unfair, but it is the small number of idiots who spoil it for the rest of you.

And no, it is not just Asians who exhibit this behaviour, but I suspect it has become somewhat of a joke to say "there's another Asian" when people see bad driving, regardless of the fact that it is likely to not be an Asian. 		agent (30)
314278 2005-01-15 06:16:00 Having only been in NZ for 27 1/2 years, my observations seem to suggest that the driving standards are an inheritance of wild colonial days.

Perhaps it didnt really matter which side of the road you would drive on because of the few vehicles on the road.
Then there was the six o'clock swill, when everyone had to get down as much beer and grog as they could before the "hotels" closed.

I remember a farewell speech by a chap at work who was from the UK and was off to Germany, back in 1977. He said there were countries that dove on the left hand side of the road, and those that drove on the right, but NZ was the only country he had been to where they drove down the middle.

It's a bit better now, but there is an older generation whose wheels seem glued to the centre line. This also goes to explain many? or some of the head on collisions.

Then there are crazy give way rules, crazy by the standards of other western nations. Even the LTSA has belatedly recognised the craziness and was supposed to be going to change some of the rules, but the government chickened out as being in the too hard basket.

Then look at the number of merging lanes where you merge into the FAST lane from essentially 0 kmph. No one, but no one from anywhere else even begins to comprehend this craziness. I think it is given the stupid name of 'gull wing' intersection, or something like that

Then road engineering and marking. Many road markings result from the crazy give way rules. Many intersections are engineered to encourage drivers to turn left without giving way.

Traffic Islands, signalling is poor in the extreme, most drivers signal right when they are technically turning left. This says to overseas visitors that New Zealanders dont know their left from their right.

Now we all like to think we are good drivers, and it is everyone else who is bad. :D

I think I'll stop there, except to say I used be a County Council road safety representative in Dorset. 		Terry Porritt (14)
314279 2005-01-15 06:16:00 I've sure come across a few stereotypical "Asian drivers" but, and I hate to say it, Asians only make up a small proportion of the awful drivers in New Zealand - the rest are Kiwi born and bred.

Had to scratch my head when there was alot in the news a few months ago about the standard of driving by Asians.

While I've seen the suicidal carnage in places like Thailand, I think it's the kiwis that need to take a look at their own driving habits before they start criticising others.

Just about everytime I drive to Auckland I get tailgated at 100km/h by someone and very rarely are they Asian. 		manicminer (4219)
314280 2005-01-15 06:22:00 I would imagine it is because Asians are easily identifiable. Metla (12)
314281 2005-01-15 06:53:00 Traffic Islands, signalling is poor in the extreme, most drivers signal right when they are technically turning left. This says to overseas visitors that New Zealanders dont know their left from their right.


*** :confused:

This has me confused.
I can't say I've seen anyone signal right while turning left. 		Raikyn (6293)
314282 2005-01-15 06:59:00 The so called Asian problem is about as true as Kiwi Farmers always treating the roads like their own farm race.
I think we do have a problem with visitors that normally drive on the right, in panic mode one acts out of habit.
The lure of an empty road ahead if only you can overtake that 'slow' driver in front and chatting on the cell phone / writing out orders while driving is all too common.
100% concentration when driving is obviously too much to ask of most people.
Many causes, few answers. 		Sue (33)
314283 2005-01-15 07:07:00 Well I achieved a drivers licence at age 15 years.

Now I am older.

I am still alive and full time driving a semitrailer at about 28 tons gross weight. 		Elephant (599)
314284 2005-01-15 07:34:00 Oh I have - on more than one occasion at a roundabout. In fact I've had people pull up alongside me in the left lane and then turn right, cutting in front of me in the process.
Plenty of times I've seen people signal right at a roundabout yet go straight ahead. That one leaves me scratching my head. 		manicminer (4219)
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