New biker on the streets of Auckland

[Gianz]

Hi everyone, I'm back to motorbikes after a 5 years break. Just bought a Sv650, my first Nz bike as I'm from Italy.
Riding in Italy from what I've seen is quite different from here. Generally car drivers and bikers in Italy don't follow the road rules at all, but can drive better and are more relaxed then the typical Aucklander. I guess it's because not having to look at the speedo all the time makes you more aware of what's around and makes you drive safer to the conditions.
Also, when the cars are waiting for the 'light they usually leave enough space between the two lanes to let bikes/scooters pass. Maybe they do this more to save their mirrors then for kindness
Apparently now I have to learn to obey the rules, so I've got a couple of questions for you Kiwis:
1: how's the parking in the city? Can you park a bike everywhere you find a spot big enough like I'm used to or do you have to look for a reserved bike space? (by the way, I hate parking gestapo, got a ticket in my car for 11 minutes late. Are you kidding? Minutes in Italy don't even exist on the clock, we only have hours).
2: do you have to pay to park?
3: do they tow bikes?
4: when cars are stopped at a traffic light, can you pass between the two rows to gain the front and start first? Or can you overtake the two lanes on the right?

Any peculiar Kiwi thing I have to know, before I get out there? I know you like to be different...

[MSTRS:Me]

Any peculiar Kiwi thing I have to know...

Yep. Auckland is not part of NZ...

[nzspokes]

Come along to SASS sometime http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...highlight=sass

[Krayy]

Parking is an issue that you can get a lot of opinion about. Essentially there are many schools of thought about it, but here's what I've found:

- Most council run car parks will have dedicated bike parking that is free, like the Civic Carpark, Victoria St, Fanshawe St, St Paul st.
- There are quite a few bike parks marked on teh streets, but you may get ticketed if you are outside the marked lane like in Elliot St, Fort St.
- Anywhere you can find a pay and display park you can park for the allotted time without purchasing a ticket, as they cannot prove you had a ticket that had been stolen from the bike, just be sure to move it before the time is up (usually 60 mins).
- Also a lot of car parks in malls and such have some small spaces that cars cannot get into, such as marked areas on corners or such, and as long as they do not have striped yellow lines, then you can park there (at their discretion of course)

On filtering through traffic, if the traffic is stopped (parked) and you pass them on the right without crossing the lane dividing line, then it is legal. It's just you may find somebody you annoy who tries to do soemthing like open a door or drag you off from the lights. Put the boot in the door and that will sort them out.

happy riding (and liek the other post says, head to teh SASS or NASS sessions (check the forum calendars)

[sleemanj]

4: when cars are stopped at a traffic light, can you pass between the two rows to gain the front and start first? Or can you overtake the two lanes on the right?

Short: Don't be a dick about it.

Long:
Cycle lanes are not legal to use, but many do so carefully to get to the head of the queue.
Median strips (white marked areas in middle of road) are not legal to use, but some do to get to the head of the queue (I'd add here that this is probably much more likely to get you pinged than sneaking up a cycle lane).
If traffic is stopped, you can technically pass either side, so up the middle is PROBABLY legal, if there is room and you are not a dick about it.
If traffic is moving, you must pass on the right of any vehicle in the same lane as you, so you can split between two vehicles legally as long as the lane dividing line is on your right (Car:Bike:White Line:Car).
The police often don't know the rules.
The police usually overlook what might be a breach if you are not being a dick about it.

As you have noticed, NZ drivers (and the roads themselves) don't often leave a lot of room to enable you to filter comfortably - discretion is the better part of valour.

[Gianz]

thanks for the replies everyone, I especially like the free 60mins parking thing. I think it's just fair that bikes don't pay for parking since they're smaller then cars, more environmentally friendly and if everybody drove a bike to work, there would be no traffic jams...
And we ffffffing pay more rego then cars.
I guess I'll start easy and I'll see how other road users react. I don't really like to wait in the queue, when I could be in front.

[Gianz]

Come along to SASS sometime http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...highlight=sass

sounds good, I'll come one day

[The Singing Chef]

sounds good, I'll come one day

No, come to NASS

[GrayWolf]

Hi everyone, I'm back to motorbikes after a 5 years break. Just bought a Sv650, my first Nz bike as I'm from Italy.
Riding in Italy from what I've seen is quite different from here. Generally car drivers and bikers in Italy don't follow the road rules at all, but can drive better
4: when cars are stopped at a traffic light, can you pass between the two rows to gain the front and start first? Or can you overtake the two lanes on the right?

Any peculiar Kiwi thing I have to know, before I get out there? I know you like to be different...

Hi Gianz,
Welcome to NZ from another 'Ex Pat' from England. This is a fantastic country to live, sadly you just chose the wrong spot (Dorkland)
Having ridden a bike through some parts of your home country many moons ago, yes there are/is one MAJOR difference between Italian drivers and NZ ones....
Best driver is NOT the one with the loudest 'multi tone airhorn' or can cuss the fastest/loudest
On a serious note, yes you'll find NZ drivers are a bit different to most European drivers and it takes a while to adjust to how its done here.
Enjoy the SV, and I can assure you once you venture out into the open and back roads? This country is motorcycling heaven.

[Gianz]

thanks Greywolf, unfortunately Auckland's where I've got a job... and I'm not sure I could bare Welly's weather.
I've been living here for 3 years already and I traveled a lot all around Nz, I really love the "highways" here, with all the corners and scenery. Pity I was always driving, now it's going to be different

[hellokitty]

Any peculiar Kiwi thing I have to know, before I get out there? I know you like to be different...

Yes.
Unlike in Italy, when someone is crossing the road on the white striped crossing.... you have to stop for them.
You can't drive into them like you do in Rome, and you certainly shouldn't cry like a little bitch when the chick you try to kill, kicks your door in

[cheshirecat]

sounds good, I'll come one day

I think you shoudl set up a NZ national drivng the Italian Way Class. that way us bikes would be in paradise and everyone would get on just fine and enjoy life, wine, food, Mllan girls etc etc

[Gianz]

Yes.
Unlike in Italy, when someone is crossing the road on the white striped crossing.... you have to stop for them.
You can't drive into them like you do in Rome, and you certainly shouldn't cry like a little bitch when the chick you try to kill, kicks your door in

on the white striped what? They're the arrival lanes! There's no pedestrian crossing in Italy!

by the way, take it easy. Ever tried to change lane in Auckland?

[Grasshopperus]

. Generally car drivers and bikers in Italy don't follow the road rules at all

do you have to pay to park?

Oh yep, all us bikers follow the road rules, we're good boys & girls.

You can park at any commercial car park that operates a barrier arm as long as you don't take a spot that's marked for cars. Heaps of bikers part in the Skycity Casino carpark because there's lots of bike park spaces there.