| Forum Home | ||||
| PC World Chat | ||||
| Thread ID: 53359 | 2005-01-15 05:49:00 | Kiwi Drivers... | manicminer (4219) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 314345 | 2005-01-16 19:36:00 | Having just driven the length of the South Island twice, I concur with tweak'e on the above. One "trait" that is noticeable in the rural area with the asian driving population is the tendency for these drivers to "stop" for any or no reason anywhere they decide, without pulling off the road at all. Bear in mind that a lot of these drivers will be tourists, who will want to stop to look at the scenery etc, thinking that the road is deserted. |
somebody (208) | ||
| 314346 | 2005-01-17 00:41:00 | Course, that is why they invented following distance you know ;). Because people just do that. They just don't care - like, where the hell'd my cellphone go *slam on brakes* *screeeeech* ah there it is *drives off*. It shouldn't happen, but it does, and we should be prepared for it. |
george12 (7) | ||
| 314347 | 2005-01-17 05:12:00 | Course, that is why they invented following distance you know ;). Because people just do that. They just don't care - like, where the hell'd my cellphone go *slam on brakes* *screeeeech* ah there it is *drives off*. It shouldn't happen, but it does, and we should be prepared for it. Couldn't agree more. You know what the saying is, "Only a fool breaks the 2 second rule? (four seconds in the wet)". Do they learn that here as part of the driving 'curriculum'? I think alot of drivers here go by the 2 meter rule, judging by the distance they like to stick to from my bumper. |
manicminer (4219) | ||
| 314348 | 2005-01-17 06:44:00 | Couldn't agree more. You know what the saying is, "Only a fool breaks the 2 second rule? (four seconds in the wet)". Do they learn that here as part of the driving 'curriculum'? Well, they do now, with a different phrase; 'one thousand and one, one thousand and two' , but only I think after visiting road safety experts pointed it out to the authorities. Before that they had the following un-rememberable set of rules and I will quote exactlyfrom an older Road Code (1996 to be precise): If you are driving at 40km/hour stay 16m behind the other vehicle. If you are driving at 50km/h stay 20m behind the other vehicle. If you are driving at 60km/h stay 24m behind the other vehicle. If you are driving at 70km/h stay 28m or more behind the other vehicle. Formula, (Speed 50km/h x 4 = 200 metres behind), after multiplying take off last number. Now perhaps people will see why I am so disparaging of those that formulate the rules and road safety education in this country. I mean to say, crazy isnt it it??? What can be simpler than "Only a fool breaks the two second rule" ? Incidently it is 5 seconds in the US. The tune today is: www.redhotjazz.com |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 314349 | 2005-01-17 07:09:00 | It all means nothing, Only in a perfect world is a 2 second gap going to have any effect on anything. All cars behave differently,as do drivers,and all crashes play out diffently. The problem with NZ drivers is they are arrogant enough to think what they want to do is fine no matter what effect it has on others,The main culprit are people who drive slow. In Aussie for example if you don't drive with the flow you will be abused untill you simply give up driving and take the train, In NZ people think they have the right to go 15km slower then the normal traffic flow, Going back to the Aussie example, If you are not a competent driver then you will simply be crashed into ,You simply don't get away with not indicating,going slow or stopping for no reason,Water finds its own level as they say....and a driver who can't keep up will soon find there incompetence has no place on the road. Lets hope it happens here,Sick to death of people waiting for 6 minutes to enter a round-about,Hell, You don't even need to slow down for them babies,Just spy your gap as you aproach and fat on in. which brings us back to the over-extended discussion on round-abouts....If a driver is driving around the thing without indicating their intent untill they decide to leave then cars waiting to enter cannot do so, Its a right crock, In my view (which doesn't give a rats about any road code ever) indicate left if your going left,don't bother if your going straight ahead, But if your going any futher around common courtesy should force you to indicate your intentions. Other then that, Its not ilegal so who cares? The worst behaviour i have seen on NZ roads is blind passing, and slow drivers creating ques, Personally I have had to drive large and slow vechicles all over NZ,It makes no difference to my travel time to pull over and let those past who want to do so. But when you get 2 or 3 people behind you who refuse to pass it creates a situation that causes frustion and the incompetence of a few causes others to take risks. Bottom line. 2 second rule is a joke and a scam Keep up with the flow or get outta the way. Treat ya momma with respect. |
Metla (12) | ||
| 314350 | 2005-01-17 07:16:00 | But the last time I was in Wanganui and called on Computermedic, the streets were quiet and the traffic orderly ... Roundabouts ? People circled v calmly .... And it wasn't Sunday morning .... | TonyF (246) | ||
| 314351 | 2005-01-17 07:33:00 | In NZ people think they have the right to go 15km slower then the normal traffic flow... The worst behaviour i have seen on NZ roads is blind passing, and slow drivers creating ques... But when you get 2 or 3 people behind you who refuse to pass it creates a situation that causes frustion and the incompetence of a few causes others to take risks. Bottom line. 2 second rule is a joke and a scam Keep up with the flow or get outta the way. Treat ya momma with respect. You can "keep up with the flow" and still stay 2 seconds behind. 2 seconds is 2 seconds because that is to allow sufficient distance for you to avoid a collision should there be a sudden incident in front of you. I wouldn't call it a joke and a scam at all. "In NZ people think they have the right to go 15km slower then the normal traffic flow". Well actually they do technically have a right. In fact cars towing trailers are only supposed to do 80. And certain vehicles only 70 I believe? The roads accomodate all sorts of traffic going at different speeds. What they don't have a right to do, and you see this often with older people trundling along at 70-80, is not to pull over at reasonable intervals to let traffic past. Unfortunately many of these drivers dont use their mirrors and dont seem to give a rats ass who's behind them. A common habit they have is to speed up at passing lanes making it more difficult for those who want to pass. I agree that these drivers are idiots....but for those who are happily minding their own business doing 80 ish, as long as they are driving courteously and using their mirrors, then I don't see the problem. After all...drivers behind should be showing more patience and judging suitable times to overtake. IMO It's the ones who don't who are the real danger, not the ones travelling slow. In an ideal world, everyone would be going the same speed. No need to overtake anything. |
manicminer (4219) | ||
| 314352 | 2005-01-17 08:06:00 | You will all be in for a rude shock come February 27th 2005, because all the topics we have been talking about will be mandatory rules, whether one agrees with them or not . (And I have never said I dont signal right at an island, only that I think it unecessary) . Even those following distances will be mandatory, so everyone will need to have a laser rule mounted in their cars :) Dont believe me? Read here: . ltsa . govt . nz/rules/about/road-user-2004 . html" target="_blank">www . ltsa . govt . nz and then download the pdf that spells out the mandatory rules: . ltsa . govt . nz/rules/docs/road-user-rule-2004 . pdf" target="_blank">www . ltsa . govt . nz I think this can button up this thread, more or less:thumbs: |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 314353 | 2005-01-17 08:10:00 | But just wait for the chaos if someone changes the "give-way-if-turning-left" to be uniform with other countries ... | TonyF (246) | ||
| 314354 | 2005-01-17 08:20:00 | You will all be in for a rude shock . . . Cheers for that link . With all due respect, I don't think it will be a rude shock for anyone because very few will notice the changes or change their driving habits to suit . More to the point, I can't see Police regularly pulling people over for anything but speeding . Perhaps I'm being too cynical . |
manicminer (4219) | ||
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 | |||||