Sean Roberts: his father would be so proud!

[willytheekid]

"My name is Sean Roberts, I am a nine year old boy from South Canterbury." "My dad, Grant Roberts was killed in an accident caused by a foreign driver."(a 20yr old Chinese National) "I would like to see a change, a test before they drive on our roads. I want to ask if there can be change and why can't they(foreign drivers) be made to set a test before driving in New Zealand" Nobody really deserves to go through what I have been through if things don't change people will keep getting hurt" Thankyou New Zealand. Sean Roberts (9) Come on New Zealand and support Sean in his appeal to seek a change in the regulations. Come On New Zealand Lets Make A Real Difference!!! Safer Roads, which we, as New Zealanders pay for with our taxes. Please sign Seans petition to Transport Minister, Gerry Brownlee"

...Grant would be so proud of his kids :weep:

Ya gonna sign up KBers?

http://www.change.org/petitions/gerry-brownlee-minister-of-transport-nz-seeking-law-reform-on-foreign-drivers-on-new-zealand-roads#share

[Katman]

I wonder how many New Zealanders have caused grievous accidents while driving in Europe or the States?

[MVnut]

No I wouldn't sign that. I'm not saying the current situation is perfect by any means but this is not going to happen, it is a waste of time

[TheDemonLord]

Great idea......




but implementation (not to mention the political and foreign relationship) issues are both very large and very complex.

Especially when you try and have a discussion, certain groups immediately play the lacist card

[pritch]

I wonder how many New Zealanders have caused grievous accidents while driving in Europe or the States?

I know of one who forgot where he was while riding in the USA and headbutted an oncoming Kenworth.

Corruption plays a large part in Asian life so any licence from the area should be regarded with suspicion. Problem is an International driving permit will be issued if the applicant has a licence in their own country - regardless of how they got it.

[Hitcher]

People could upload their selfies to a web site to show their outrage!

[buggerit]

What about driving simulators to mimick the driving conditions of the country you wish to drive in, available at rental companies at home or your destination airport or rental company.Test filmed and filed to database with passport details,and pass/fail printout given.
Hopefully this would weed out the ones with a pathetic driving ability, but unfortunately still leave us with the ones that forget what side of the road they should be on.

[imdying]

Christ who is going to pay for that? Sucks to be Robert, but that's convenience for ya.

[Oakie]

People could upload their selfies to a web site to show their outrage!

At first I chuckled ... but then I thought "Why not? That could be quite cool for the right cause". Out of the mouths of babes and Hitchers...

[buggerit]

Christ who is going to pay for that? Sucks to be Robert, but that's convenience for ya.

Rental companies may be pleased to have a bit of legislation to help them weed out high risk drivers and you and I the tax payer fork out alot for major crashes , so maybe a levy on these licences plus investment from interested parties?

[hayd3n]

People could upload their selfies to a web site to show their outrage!
nPD6AmpFQ5g

[imdying]

Rental companies may be pleased to have a bit of legislation to help them weed out high risk drivers and you and I the tax payer fork out alot for major crashes , so maybe a levy on these licences plus investment from interested parties?I'd be happy if they stopped them leaving the country if they've killed someone. Do they actually do that?

[Ocean1]

Rental companies may be pleased to have a bit of legislation to help them weed out high risk drivers and you and I the tax payer fork out alot for major crashes , so maybe a levy on these licences plus investment from interested parties?

Rental companies couldn't give a fly fuck what their clients cost the taxpayer.

What we need is an ACC levy component on rental charges. Couple of grand orta do it.

[buggerit]

Rental companies couldn't give a fly fuck what their clients cost the taxpayer.
.

More thinking about their vehicle fleet damage.

[Ocean1]

More thinking about their vehicle fleet damage.

Already covered by existing rental agreement insurance cover.

It's not as if an ACC levy on rental agreements would make NZ more costly or difficult to deal with than anywhere else, every other country already has some form of personal insurance requirement.

[Berries]

Ya gonna sign up KBers?
You have to feel for the lad. There is no way that that girl should have been driving on our roads, she was going to take someone out. If you don't know the full story have a look at this - http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/297805/driver-not-competent. I cannot see the testing of all international visitors who want to drive as being practical or even possible though. And for most it won't matter because most international visitors are, I hate to say it, at least as good as NZ drivers. And the whole driving on the wrong side thing that people bang on about is one of the things that no amount of testing will solve.

The one exception to all of this is the Chinese who are, if I may generalise about their driving for a second, shit. If anyone can show me a legal way for a New Zealander to get a licence to enable them to drive in China I'd be interested. It is not possible, making a mockery of the UN Convention about reciprocal arrangements that is always pulled out when the discussion turns to foreign drivers.

We should make the Chinese jump through the same hoops we would have to to drive in China, it would make our roads much safer.

[Nat]

[I]"

Ya gonna sign up KBers?

http://www.change.org/petitions/gerry-brownlee-minister-of-transport-nz-seeking-law-reform-on-foreign-drivers-on-new-zealand-roads#share

I would love to, however the interweb site just says there was an error every time I try to do it. Is there any physical way to sign this petition?

[SPman]

Laudable sentiment, I feel sorry for the guy, but, default driving behaviour is very hard to overcome - especially in the intial 2-3 days of being in a foreign country.

I've done the same thing myself in the States after 14 hrs on planes and driving to the hotel, turned onto the wrong side of the road at traffic lights and a three lane highway! Thankfully, the Vegas drivers seemed to be used to it and traffic was light, so no damage was done, but - fucking scary. My brain was saying go this way, but tiredness, and I reverted to default road positioning!

After a few careful miles, you tend to settle into the revised layouts, but, it's at moments of stress or ...relaxation, default settings can come back into play, with, sometimes, horrendous results.

[Berries]

Laudable sentiment, I feel sorry for the guy, but, default driving behaviour is very hard to overcome - especially in the intial 2-3 days of being in a foreign country.
To be fair this one was not default driving behaviour, it was just plain poor driving skills.

We will just have to put up with the occasional tourist on the wrong side of the road killing a local - this one last night looks suspect http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/304237/fatal-coromandel-crash. (http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/304237/fatal-coromandel-crash) Like you say, you cannot stop someone reverting to instinct - I've done a u-turn and driven on the wrong side of the road in Europe myself. But we should be able to stop drivers with little to no experience in their own country from getting a car so easily here, particularly those from countries where the level of driving is worse than ours.