Here we are: routes, suggestions, rules?

[arkeo]

Hi everybody,

I'd say that my wish to visit NZ is no more only a dream. My mate Marco and I will be there from next jan 15th to feb 13th. Of course there a few questions I'd like to submit and hope someone will share her/his opinions.

1) Obviously several driving rules are different, starting with the fact that the lanes are exchanged. Several friends of mine who traveled along G.B. say that after a few kilometers it is quite easy to get used to the different situation but it is not so easy to get used entering the right lane in crossroads and so on. My question is: according to your experience, info, reading and so on, is there some concise checklist about the issues I have to keep always in mind, in other words the most common mistakes European people do?

2) Unfortunately, bike days will be quite few. Out of one month only - a brief period for an important nation - several days will be taken for traveling, moving from a place to another and, above all, the Routeburn track. In a nutshell, we'll take the bikes on mon. jan 28th in Christchurch and leave them in Auckland on feb. 11th - in other words two weeks only. The plan is to spend most part in south island, but we'd like to find a good trade off between S.I. and N.I. So, could you suggest some must-to-ride routes and places?

3) Written and unwritten rules. To be sincere, in Italy it is dangerous to ride respecting *all* the rules. For example, several speed checkpoints are only empty boxes acting as deterrent. People who lives around there know, expect everyone to know and do not brake at all. In such cases one has to break the law to survive. I could give dozen similar examples All that said, in no way I am asking how to take vantage of the local context, I hope not to be misunderstood - one of the reasons why I am not so happy in Italy is precisely because people scorn living together respecting one another. On the other hand every nation has its local customs, must-to-know things and so on. Any opinion or advice will be most welcome.

Of course we'll happy to meet people there. In case someone were interested, our schedule is below my sign. Unfortunately I have no skill in spoken English nor understand it. There is an abyss between writing and understanding/speaking a language; luckily my mate Marco speaks English (and French) very well, so in some way we'll be able to communicate.

Thank you very much for any advice and/or for sharing thoughts!

A.

- - - - - -

- 16 th, late afternoon, landing in Christchurch;
- 17 th, on bus to Te Anau;
- 18-22 th, on the Routeburn track;
- 23-27 th, wandering around South Island by car Ok, shame...
- 28 - feb 11th, bikes in Christchurch
- 12th, Auckland
- 13th, flight...

[Gremlin]

If you check the other threads in this sub-forum you'll see plenty of tips for where to ride and what roads to do, along with route suggestions etc.

For riding on the wrong side of the road, I found it hardest in quieter places like motel parking lots. On the road I found it relatively easy, simply following others. I did try practising along footpaths to keep right etc and over-ride my natural instinct to go left... who knows if it helped. I think as long as you're conciously thinking, you should be better. It's when you stop actively thinking that your natural riding comes back... bad idea when you're on the wrong side of the road.

As to roads here, the average driver skill is low. Further, tourists do seem to have a problem driving on the left. You'll see arrows either side of rest areas painted on the road to serve as a reminder (more common in South Island). I highly recommend obeying all speed limits. Enforcement is strict. 10kph tolerance above speed limit (lets say 100kph zone). Do 111kph and you're going to get a ticket if caught. Public holiday periods the tolerance drops to 4kph. 40kph over the limit (temporary speed zones is 50 over) and it's an immediate suspension. Cops will sit in temporary zones and on long straights, even if they're downhill etc. Many tourists receive a welcome to NZ by the cops by way of a ticket

[awayatc]

Police are obsessively anal about "speeding" .....
expect to be ticketed for doing just a few kmh over the limit.
I would say enjoy your holiday,
but that is getting harder and harder to do here,
unless you enjoy being fucked over

[BigAl]

One tip I've heard to remind you to keep left(or right) is attach a large arrow pointing left, in this case, to your speedo/instruments.

[Gianz]

Ciao Marco,
vedo che finalmente ti sei deciso. Non resterai deluso dalla qualita' delle strade da ste parti, anche se il limite e' a 100 in realta' in molte strade e' anche troppo... Cerca di usare le frecce il piu' possibile e tutti saranno contenti. I kiwi tendono ad essere molto zelanti e se la prendono molto a cuore se qualcuno non segue le regole, come i compagni di classe che da piccoli facevano la spia con la maestra.
Se vai fuori dalle strade principali (consigliato) il pericolo piu' grosso sono gli attraversamanti di vacche dopo le curve, che possono lasciare un bello strato di fango e letame, e i camion, che non hanno limiti ne orari.
Magari metti una scritta "sta a sinistra" che i primi giorni puo' servire.
Io sono ad Auckland, se avete tempo quando arrivate se volete vi porto a vedere le mie strade preferite da ste parti. O per qualsiasi cosa mandami un mp.
Ciao
Gian

[Hitcher]

Watch out for one-lane bridges. New Zealand has lots of these on quieter routes. It's easy to drift off these and unthinkingly end up on the wrong side of the road. Same deal at quiet country road intersections, where there's no immediate oncoming traffic to help calibrate you. New Zealanders will usually try and avoid on-coming danger by veering left. People used to driving on our wrong side of the road tend to avoid on-coming danger by veering right. You can probably see why that can compound an unfortunate situation.

[Subike]

Ciao Marco,
vedo che finalmente ti sei deciso. Non resterai deluso dalla qualita' delle strade da ste parti, anche se il limite e' a 100 in realta' in molte strade e' anche troppo... Cerca di usare le frecce il piu' possibile e tutti saranno contenti. I kiwi tendono ad essere molto zelanti e se la prendono molto a cuore se qualcuno non segue le regole, come i compagni di classe che da piccoli facevano la spia con la maestra.
Se vai fuori dalle strade principali (consigliato) il pericolo piu' grosso sono gli attraversamanti di vacche dopo le curve, che possono lasciare un bello strato di fango e letame, e i camion, che non hanno limiti ne orari.
Magari metti una scritta "sta a sinistra" che i primi giorni puo' servire.
Io sono ad Auckland, se avete tempo quando arrivate se volete vi porto a vedere le mie strade preferite da ste parti. O per qualsiasi cosa mandami un mp.
Ciao
Gian

Translation?

Hello Mark,
I see that you finally decided. You will not be disappointed by the quality 'of the streets from these parts, even if the limit' at 100 in reality 'in many ways and' too much ... Try using the arrows on more 'possible and everyone will be happy. Kiwis tend to be very dedicated and they take it to heart if someone does not follow the rules, such as classmates who were from small light with the teacher.
If you go off the main roads (recommended) the danger more 'big are the attraversamanti of cows after the curves, which can leave a nice layer of mud and manure, and trucks that do not have limits or times.
Maybe put a word "is left" the first few days can 'serve.
I am in Auckland, if you have time when you arrive if you want to lead you to see my favorite roads from these parts. Or anything, send me a mp.
Hello
Gian

Now we can all stop guessing

[Gianz]

Translation?

Hello Mark,
I see that you finally decided. You will not be disappointed by the quality 'of the streets from these parts, even if the limit' at 100 in reality 'in many ways and' too much ... Try using the arrows on more 'possible and everyone will be happy. Kiwis tend to be very dedicated and they take it to heart if someone does not follow the rules, such as classmates who were from small light with the teacher.
If you go off the main roads (recommended) the danger more 'big are the attraversamanti of cows after the curves, which can leave a nice layer of mud and manure, and trucks that do not have limits or times.
Maybe put a word "is left" the first few days can 'serve.
I am in Auckland, if you have time when you arrive if you want to lead you to see my favorite roads from these parts. Or anything, send me a mp.
Hello
Gian

Now we can all stop guessing

ah thats funny.
"arrows" should have been translated with "indicator", i don't know how to translate that teacher thing 'cause I've never been to school here.
For the rest, your pc did a good job.

[arkeo]

Thank you everybody for all the advice and ideas. I take this opportunity to wish all you Happy New Year.

cheers!

Apx.

[sinfull]

North island Suggested route, my personal opinion of how i'd do it !

day 1

Day 2

Day 3

first night accom ? dawson falls backpacker lodge or google search in Taranaki for others

Night 2 , one possibility for backpackers in tauranga district

Or if you come over on the ferry late in the day, I can put you both up at my batch for the night 1 hour north of Wellington (you just miss the great ride through the Wairarapa and you shower out of a bucket next morning lol)

[Gianz]

North island Suggested route, my personal opinion of how i'd do it !

day 1

Day 2

Day 3

I'm saving those maps for me.

[arkeo]

North island Suggested route, my personal opinion of how i'd do it ! [...]

Thank you very much for the routes and for being so available to put us on. I have really appreciated all of this. The routes seem to be amazing even on a map, let alone what I am going to see in a few days.

Cheers!

Apx.

[cheshirecat]

One small thing. Roads here are not classified the same as in Europe. A road can be called a state highway and still covered in gravel the next corner.
Enjoy your stay.