What are the roads like in New Zealand?

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What are the roads like in New Zealand?

43 posts & 32 voices | Started 3 months ago by richmtb | Latest reply from chinocchio

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krag - Member

> Can someone explain this turn rule in very simple words,

If you're driving down the road, going straight it's your right of way.

Say you want to turn right down a sidesreet.

- You still have give way to traffic coming towards you
- If a car coming towards you want's to turn down the same side street as you do (ie he's turning left, you're turning right) it's YOUR right of way.

Just be careful where the car wanting to turn left moves over to the left for you to take your turn but cars behind him "overtake" as they're going straight on.

Hope that helps
(I live in Wellington and I'm pretty much used to it now, it's going to take a while to get used to going back to the old method next month!)

Posted 3 months ago #
mrmo - Member

Thanks Crag, i think that makes sense.

Posted 3 months ago #
mrh86 - Member

Roads were OK when I was there.
I was working on the intensive care unit in Auckland and there were a fair few serious RTAs that came in.
Remembered talking to some of the docs there and they admitted that the roads were generally quite shoddy. Poor surface etc so when it rains just really slippy.

Couple that with the fact that one doesn't require to have car insurance by law in order to drive a car.

Know this is a few years out of date, but it highlights the road situation a bit: LINK

Ignoring the above though....

I found it to be fine. Admittedly, I only drove on the north island though. Outside auckland the roads were like single lane A roads/wide B roads, with hardly any traffic on them.

Posted 3 months ago #
prezet - Member

swigging Speights and munching pies.

Mmmm pies - damn I miss those pies almost every corner shop and garage sells for a couple of bucks.

Posted 3 months ago #
NZCol - Member

Turning rule is basically that if you are turning left into a side road you must give way to traffic turning towards you into the road too. Straight on has overall priority of course so only applies when two vehicles wanting to turn.

And to reiterate - earthquake damage is really in a 10km diameter in ChCh. Landslips aren't really caused by shakes, more due to heavy rain.

These posts make it sound awful, which in reality it isn't.

Posted 3 months ago #
Burchy1 - Member

These posts make it sound awful, which in reality it isn't.

+1

I drove around for a month in a knackered campervan and managed ok, you just need to be courteous really. The right-turn rule was a little interesting at first but its easy enough to get used to.

It was certainly a lot safer than riding a moped around Vietnam.

Posted 3 months ago #
bigrich - Member

Mmmm pies - damn I miss those pies almost every corner shop and garage sells for a couple of bucks.

steak and cheese.

also the fried items in the hot cabinet at New World. I had a slice of deep fried lasagne. amazingly good/bad.

Posted 3 months ago #
chinocchio - Member

You'll love it.

Every corner I went round was a wow moment, stunning scenery.

Drove 3000km in 10 days on the South Island and can honestly say that I'd get out the car after a long day driving and still be able to do it all over again, the driving is just so much more relaxed over there.

Take your time, take it all in, remember the right turn rule and have the time off your life.

Posted 3 months ago #