What is is like for car and bike enthusiasts in NZ?
Discussion
The number of deaths on the road here is high for the population size of a first-world country - this year there have been many middle-aged male motorcyclists killed. Drink &/or drug driving is still a thing, unfortunately.
As insurance is not compulsory, young people are not priced out of driving cars that you wouldn't find a young person in the UK driving - with predictable consequences.
There are good roads, there are poor roads. There are large numbers of poor drivers. Add to that a fair number of tourists who are not used to both the type of road often found here (narrow, twisty, undulating), or driving on the left.
Speed limits are enforced if there is a police presence, but in some areas there are almost no police.
I guess it all depends on where you are planning to live - Auckland is very different to Invercargill.
Others will pitch in with their experiences - it all depends on what you are used to and what you want.
As insurance is not compulsory, young people are not priced out of driving cars that you wouldn't find a young person in the UK driving - with predictable consequences.
There are good roads, there are poor roads. There are large numbers of poor drivers. Add to that a fair number of tourists who are not used to both the type of road often found here (narrow, twisty, undulating), or driving on the left.
Speed limits are enforced if there is a police presence, but in some areas there are almost no police.
I guess it all depends on where you are planning to live - Auckland is very different to Invercargill.
Others will pitch in with their experiences - it all depends on what you are used to and what you want.
Edited by dobly on Wednesday 28th November 20:30
Esceptico said:
Have started to think about moving to NZ.
As per the title...what is it like for car and bike enthusiasts? I assume you might have some nice roads but what about speed limits, policing and fines (is it like Australia which I have heard is not good)?
Thats kind of a broad question, in Auckland there are lots of nice roads around but nothing compared to the South Island. I've got an Evo (major police magnet) and a Motorbike and the Police are fine and while I've been followed (I guess they run the plates) I've never been pulled over. If you're not acting like an idiot. I find its not as bad as the UK for speed cameras and the paved roads are generally of a much higher standard. As per the title...what is it like for car and bike enthusiasts? I assume you might have some nice roads but what about speed limits, policing and fines (is it like Australia which I have heard is not good)?
So yes, in my experience there is a time and a place to enjoy the roads and if you do that you'll have no issues.
Here in Wellington, there are a few fixed cameras, which will do you for 106 in a 100 zone.
But then again, you never seem to see any beat cops, let alone traffic ones.
Not many mobile cameras at all.
Only time you really see any coppers, is Courtney Place and Cuba Street on a Friday and Saturday night
Lane hogging, inability to merge, hardly any flashing of lights or saying thank you for be let in or similar and expensive parking are other joys to look forward to.
Worst though, is there are sooooo many numpty/stupid/d!ckhead death wish cyclists, you need to pay attention for them to come out of any lane, across pedestrian crossing, going through red lights or coming from a direction you wouldn't expect.
But,, its pretty good down here, compared to most other places I've lived.
But then again, you never seem to see any beat cops, let alone traffic ones.
Not many mobile cameras at all.
Only time you really see any coppers, is Courtney Place and Cuba Street on a Friday and Saturday night
Lane hogging, inability to merge, hardly any flashing of lights or saying thank you for be let in or similar and expensive parking are other joys to look forward to.
Worst though, is there are sooooo many numpty/stupid/d!ckhead death wish cyclists, you need to pay attention for them to come out of any lane, across pedestrian crossing, going through red lights or coming from a direction you wouldn't expect.
But,, its pretty good down here, compared to most other places I've lived.
In general the roads in NZ are slow, narrow and in fairly rough condition. Quite a lot like most of the cars actually.
Not sure about the rest of the country, but here in Auckland driving standards are appalling. Aggressive, inattentive and very unpredictable. It's like a nation of people who have never had to deal with actual traffic (which is probably true). As a cyclist it is genuinely the most terrifying place I have ever ridden. As a driver and biker it has meant learning to chill out a lot more about being cut up, stuck behind a rolling road-block or just tolerating thoughtless f
kwittery.You don't have to get far from town for some fun places to drive though. While speed enforcement is spotty, if you get caught doing more than 35kmh over the posted limit (which can be quite low) you'll cop an instant licence suspension. That means leaving your car or bike by the side of the road and getting a lift home. A real pain.
All that said, it's actually not a bad place to be a petrolhead. Even from the centre of Auckland you can be on interesting roads inside 30 mins and despite incessant whinging from the NZ media, petrol and general driving costs are low.
k
Roads are OK for rural roads but we dont really have motorways. We have plenty of twisty fun lower speed roads etc
Speed limit is 100kph ( some few roads going to 110). Mostly you can cruise at 110-115 but on holiday weekends you really need to keep it to the limit.
I find there is plenty of fun so long as you dont go too quickly
why I have an mx5 rather than something much faster.
Speed limit is 100kph ( some few roads going to 110). Mostly you can cruise at 110-115 but on holiday weekends you really need to keep it to the limit.
I find there is plenty of fun so long as you dont go too quickly
why I have an mx5 rather than something much faster.klootzak said:
In general the roads in NZ are slow, narrow and in fairly rough condition.
Not compared to Canada (or parts of it at least) - had a trip there this year, the main highways are well looked after but I was surprised at the condition of a lot of the secondary highways and back roads. I guess a lot of it is freeze/thaw damage but they were very rutted, potholed etc and generally lower speed limits than NZ, which suddenly seemed quite justified when it rained and there was standing water everywhere filling and hiding the ruts and potholes. Moose hazard is a real issue for speed limits there too which we don't have to worry about.Haven't been to the UK to compare with the roads there though.
I'm in the relatively unpopulated lower south island - speed limits are strictly enforced on main roads / tourist routes (and you have to be very alert evading badly driven rental cars and campervans in the tourist areas too), but you won't see many police off the main roads. Miles and miles of gravel roads are where the real fun is to be had
Edited by GravelBen on Friday 30th November 08:44
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