Greetings/Road Code/Moans

[Bytor]

Hi everyone

Arrived 'off the boat' in August and finally got my '97 ZX6R on the road last week.

Been driving around the North Island since landing with the family, trying to find the right job (well paid!) with the lifestyle and trying to prove the recruitment agents wrong that we would'nt have to go to Auckland.

Doh! so here we are in Auckland, Howick to be precise and still can't get a decent job! But Howick looks cool and there looks to be a few bikes riding out towards Whitford and the Pacific Coast Highway - shall have to check it out soon. Anyway went to the AA taday to look at getting my UK licence converted etc and they tried to sell me a Car Road Code and a Bike version for my theory test. Is it worth buying both or is one enough to get the gist of NZ road driving/riding? Or is it a waste of money buying them at all seeing as other than speed in Kph and the give way to right turning traffic joke things are the same as the UK? Just trying to save a few bucks.

Have toured both islands extensively in the car twice before and never had a problem with the speeds/police or road conditions. But I got done TWICE in 5 days in the first 3 weeks of being a resident! Both times I had a bloody good answer (don't we all!) and would have accepted a slap on the wrist and a timely reminder that I'm in NZ now not the UK. But no the fu**ers fined me and gave me 20 points each even after admitting that I wasn't driving dangerously! 22 years clean licence in the UK and this has seroiusly fu**ed me off. Now I'm no boy-racer or a Rossi wannabe but I think that the speed limits on these roads are about 10-20kph too slow for conditions, traffic levels and modern car/bike engines - just my opinion. Just hope that it doesn't spoil my riding or I'll have to invest in a radar detector just to save my licence - if I get it!!

Cheers
Paul

[jrandom]

yes, buy the radar detector, you'll need it. or just keep your eyes peeled and save the exceeding of the legal limit for The Right Places (tm).

[ManDownUnder]

Sounds like your riding style kinda requires a Radar Detector.

On the other hand - it ain't hard to NOT get tickets. I'm sittin' on 0 demerit points with no effort...

Welcome too! :niceone:

[vifferman]

On the other hand - it ain't hard to NOT get tickets. I'm sittin' on 0 demerit points with no effort...
You were sitting on 0 demerit points and no tickets. You just rogered yourself by publicly declaring that.
It's a well-known fact that doing so incurs the ire of the BikerGodz.
I'd had no tickets for 30 years, and the day after I made the same statement as you just did, I got a $300 fine and 40 points.
You'd better sacrifice a virgin or summat quick. Better still, set fire to a car - that should appease the BikerGodz.

[The_Dover]

Sorry mate, we're all out of virgins.........

[Indiana_Jones]

Welcome...gig......gigty, gotta say it!


BEST OF THE BEST!

:D :D :D

-Indy

[Bytor]

Thanks for the welcomes!


Man Down Under - trust me my riding style does not require a Radar Detector, it's just difficult coming from a country where you can drive/ride at 80/85mph to a country that has national speed limit of 62mph (100kph) and will do you for doing 70mph (the national speed limit in the UK). The adjustment has been painful and expensive! Can't believe I'm the only 'immigrant' to be caught out by this either.

Maybe riding in groups will be easier, then you adjust to the pace of the pack - any groups out this way?

Cheers

[Jabez]

Welcome....:)

[Hitcher]

Harden up and enjoy the purity of vision needed when one doesn't have a radar detector. Enhance your animal cunning and scintillating repartee for discussions with the Constabulary(tm).

[Biff]

..it's just difficult coming from a country where you can drive/ride at 80/85mph to a country that has national speed limit of 62mph (100kph) and will do you for doing 70mph (the national speed limit in the UK).



I know exactly where you're coming from with the above statement. I too was ticketed twice in the first few months of arriving here (also from the UK) the slower speeds can catch you out quite quickly.

Anyhoo - I hope you find a decent job soon, and welcome.

[ManDownUnder]

Thanks for the welcomes!


Man Down Under - trust me my riding style does not require a Radar Detector, it's just difficult coming from a country where you can drive/ride at 80/85mph to a country that has national speed limit of 62mph (100kph) and will do you for doing 70mph (the national speed limit in the UK). The adjustment has been painful and expensive! Can't believe I'm the only 'immigrant' to be caught out by this either.

Maybe riding in groups will be easier, then you adjust to the pace of the pack - any groups out this way?

Cheers

Yeah - actually after posting that I thought a bit more... maybe not your riding style (maybe I put that across badly too...). I know when I'm riding I don't check the speedo - I just "know" when I'm doing 100kph from the engine sound etc - and I guess if you're used to a diferent speed/note it could be tough.

Welcome to NZ anyways.
MDU

[Lou Girardin]

Harden up and enjoy the purity of vision needed when one doesn't have a radar detector. Enhance your animal cunning and scintillating repartee for discussions with the Constabulary(tm).

Or you could just buy a detector

[Sniper]

Greetings and salutations.

[parsley]

Anyway went to the AA taday to look at getting my UK licence converted etc and they tried to sell me a Car Road Code and a Bike version for my theory test. Is it worth buying both or is one enough to get the gist of NZ road driving/riding? Or is it a waste of money buying them at all seeing as other than speed in Kph and the give way to right turning traffic joke things are the same as the UK? Just trying to save a few bucks.
I've got the latest Bike Road Code book and last year's Car one if you want to borrow them.

Just don't spill Milo on them like Ms Fish did the last time I lent her a book. :bash:

[Hitcher]

Or you could just buy a detector
You don't get the Zen thing, do you?

[Karma]

it's just difficult coming from a country where you can drive/ride at 80/85mph to a country that has national speed limit of 62mph (100kph) and will do you for doing 70mph (the national speed limit in the UK). The adjustment has been painful and expensive! Can't believe I'm the only 'immigrant' to be caught out by this either.



You're not the only one... I'll just twist the throttle and be doing 70-80kph in a 50 zone without realising it.

Just not been had for it yet.. (touch wood, fingers crossed, etc... :whistle: )

[sels1]

Welcome aboard. Our Govt has realised that strictly enforcing speed limits is a great way to boost the coffers.

[TONO]

Welcome, to Gods own!!!
We do not have Cops here just Tax collectors dressed like cops driving blue & yellow cars.
So far i have been flashed 6 times in the past 3 months or so but most times I have been doing in excess of 140km in the opposit direction so I guess they think it is a waste of time trying to turn around and catch you.( touch wood)
Enjoy your stay here........OH its "Chowick" you live in. :-)

[Nitzer]

Maybe riding in groups will be easier, then you adjust to the pace of the pack - any groups out this way?

Hi ya

There's a riding club based in Howick called 'African Eagles' (www.africaneagles.co.nz). Meant to be a nice bunch, I've been meaning to hook up with them for sometime now.

Anyway pretty new here myself, arrived off the boat 2 years ago from the UK.

If you need to borrow any road code books give us a shout, I have both and live near Howick.

Matt

ps - nice roads to ride in Whitford/Clevedon too

[mstriumph]

Maybe riding in groups will be easier, then you adjust to the pace of the pack ................



well, at least they'll hopefully lead u somewhere where its less likely to matter :shutup:

[notme]

............
ps - nice roads to ride in Whitford/Clevedon too

Damn right..... give me a yell if you want a quick (or long!) blatt around this area anytime (after work for 45mins to an hour?) I ride those roads a lot, and I will shelter you beneath the (sometimes false) cover of my radar detector.... :2thumbsup

[Lou Girardin]

You don't get the Zen thing, do you?

When the cops want to be at one with everything - so will I.

[Nitzer]

Damn right..... give me a yell if you want a quick (or long!) blatt around this area anytime (after work for 45mins to an hour?) I ride those roads a lot, and I will shelter you beneath the (sometimes false) cover of my radar detector.... :2thumbsup


...and don't forget me!

[notme]

PM me anytime.....I'm off for a ride right now asamatteroffact. 4:45 is close enough to quittin' time!:ride:

[limbimtimwim]

Anyway went to the AA taday to look at getting my UK licence converted etc and they tried to sell me a Car Road Code and a Bike version for my theory test. Is it worth buying both or is one enough to get the gist of NZ road driving/riding? Or is it a waste of money buying them at all seeing as other than speed in Kph and the give way to right turning traffic joke things are the same as the UK? Just trying to save a few bucks. The entire road code is in the interweb: http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/roadcode/contents.html . The bike code, less so.. Both contain all the *road* rules, but not the rules about specific vehicles if I remember correctly. Ie. the bike code doesn't contain the rules on how far a load can extend past the rear of the car without a flag. That sort of jazz. Take that offer of borrowing in the books.

The AA is not your only choice for driver licences, I have found them to be dicks in the past (Mental image..). They just portray themselves that way. There are alternatives, http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/licensing/getting-licence/where-auckland.html mostly VTNZ.

And welcome to NZ.

[thehollowmen]

welcome to the madhouse... both road codes would be good investments becuase they often ask lil finicky questions like "what does a blue cats-eye stand for" or .. something wierd.

Good luck, sorry to hear about the ticket.. a radar detector sounds like a good idea. I'm sizing one up myself

[Ixion]

I actually saw one of those blue cats eyes a few weeks back. The ONLY one I've EVER seen.

[inlinefour]

yes, buy the radar detector, you'll need it. or just keep your eyes peeled and save the exceeding of the legal limit for The Right Places (tm).

but if your breaking the law, dont bitch about the penalty