Tougher restrictions on foreign drivers in NZ

[popelli]

We are constantlly being told "driving is a privilege not a right". So how come it's a right for people from other countries?

exactly the same way it is a right for Kiwis to drive overseas

as tourism is one on NZ's bigger export earners and creates a lot of jobs ther eis no way the govt is going to change this

NZ has entered into reciprocal licence arrangements with other countries

If this arrangement was cancelled Kiwis would be the first to complain about being hard done by.

Typical example how Kiwis react is their reaction when the Poms made Kiwis sit an english test before applying for british citizenship

as for driving on the other side of the road no big deal, autobahn in germany is a lot safer than the SH1 thru Auckland

[Rincewind]

Bad drivers are bad drivers irrespective of creed or colour,I have been driving over here now for two years, on two and on four wheels and I have to say that other than the middle east it's the worst place I have ever driven,people refuse to let you out if you wish to join a main road,you can actually see the front of the car lift up as they accelerate towards the junction some times at the top of my road...
I completley fuck em up when I'm driving cause I let em in,I had one guy this week and I could have wrote him a letter by the time he got the message that I was actually going to allow him in front of me !!

And has anyone encountered the dickheads who move over the centre line on purpouse when you are filtering(illeagaly on two wheels of course so book me),they do this out of shear jealousy,I usually go round the other side,stop in front of them and blow em a big kiss (works so much better than the finger)

And why oh why does every one drive so close to one another it's scary,specially when your on a bike and it's a two ton SUV about a metre from your tail lamp....

A bit of courtesy wouldn't go amiss,start today and generate some good Karma,give way at rounabouts,let people out of side roads,let people out of car parks,if they don't get the message HONK YA HORN AND TELL EM TO F******G HURRY UP !!! Ha Ha

[rok-the-boat]

I have lived/ridden in a few countries.

Sometimes, it is not about English at all - the kind of stupid maneuvers they make (I have seen several mad U-turns by Asians) would be just as illegal / stupid in their own countries. Anyway, there are way more Boy-racer idiots to contend with here.

[crazybigal]

Its crap! who cares if you have a licence from overseas.
If its not from a english speaking, left had driving country then you should sit the licence or take the bus!
example, a friend of mine lived in Bali for 6 months and paid $$$ for his full licence without doing any test. Came home to NZ and got his full.

[The Pastor]

So go to bali for a holiday then is it?

[Troll]

Its crap! who cares if you have a licence from overseas.
If its not from a english speaking, left had driving country then you should sit the licence or take the bus!

and ditto for kiwis wanting to travel the rest of the world on two wheels????

rode around the states on a kiwi licence, reciprocal licence arrangements work both ways

[John Banks]

How expensive would it be to give visiting drivers a temporary NZ drivers licence (they don't use their original, they get a NZ one issued) which can get taken off them if they were caught playing silly buggers?

Plus, anyone who causes a crash should have to sit a practical test before being allowed to drive again, imho.

[ferretface]

Its crap! who cares if you have a licence from overseas.
If its not from a english speaking, left had driving country then you should sit the licence or take the bus!
example, a friend of mine lived in Bali for 6 months and paid $$$ for his full licence without doing any test. Came home to NZ and got his full.

Some of these comments really don't make any sense - European countries don't have this problem and don't penalise tourists.
Can you imagine driving around europe and having to get a temporary license/complete a competency test when you enter a new country?? WTF

Other countries manage okay - The UK is full of immigrants who drive on the wrong side in their own country and Brits STILL has a lower road accident rate than here!

Moral of the story - become a better driver and read the road - (every other road user is an idiot)

[Edbear]

(every other road user is an idiot)

'Cept me, of course...

[Ixion]

The solution to this seems reasonably simple. If you move to NZ from a foreign country, and have a licence from said country, whether or not you can convert that licence to a NZ one without sitting a practical test, depends on whether said country is on the "Good Countries" list at LTSA. If not, you must sit a practical test..

A simple extension of this list would give us the result. Coming from UK? Good as, licence standard about the same as our own. Coming from Outer Ruritania, with your licence printed on a sliver of yak dung by your brother in law. Sorry, no go.The number of genuine visitors we get from countries not on the list would be small. The number of Kiwis wanting to drive in such countries , also small , should they retaliate. And the latter problems can always be solved by slipping the appropriate offical 1000000000 Washas (the local currency : = $2.80NZ) to issue a nice Ruritanian licence.

The licence conversion thing you do have to sit a theory test. I see no problem with extending the logic . Most countries use internationally recognised symbols for road signs. Those from countries that do, fine off you go. Your country uses its own symbols? Painted on large bits of yak dung. Uh huh. Well could you please fill in this scratch and win card (a simplified one) to show that you understand our signs and rules.

Doesn't cover the driving on wrong side of road problem.Everyone knows that, they just forget.