Tourist on our roads

**SwanTiger** · 6th December 2007, 21:35

I was just reading the NZ Herald article about the four motorcyclist killed after colliding with a camper van in south canterbury.

The female driver of the camper van has admitted her responsibility and that she drifted onto the opposite side of the road.

I'm curious to hear opinions on what should be done about this, it seems to be a consistent event - tourist drives on the wrong side of the road causing fatalities.

When a friend of mine was here from Germany I had the misfortune of being a passenger in her car. FUCK ME! is that scary shit.

She couldn't drive for shit in the first place.

But the amount of times she went onto the wrong side of the road was shocking. When we had a very near head on with a ford falcon, and when I say near I mean, too late, panic breaking by both drivers, swerving all over the road, going into a ditch 'very near', I drove the rest of the way.

What's the solution?

**jrandom** · 6th December 2007, 21:36

A big red arrow stuck to the inside of rental car windscreens, pointing left.

**SwanTiger** · 6th December 2007, 21:39

Originally Posted by jrandom

A big red arrow stuck to the inside of rental car windscreens, pointing left.

I like your practical and very simple idea Mr Random.

However, I think that the LTSA in partnership with ACC would prefer to invest $40 million into a bullshit little scheme that will produce leaflets, groovey TV adverts and other crap to acheive no real results.

**sunhuntin** · 6th December 2007, 21:42

dont most rentals have something reminding the driver to stay left?

i know the south island has arrows indicating the correct direction of travel on both sides of rest stops and other rural spots where drivers may pull off the road [petrol etc] as well as billboards saying keep left.

maybe we need to subject foreign drivers to the learner drivers practical and scratchy tests, with the scratchy questions specifically aimed at tourists [ie, which side of the road must i drive on, what is the maximum open road speed limit etc.] would also be an idea to have them sit the practical in the vehicle they would be using. issue them with a temp license, and build the costs into something like passports or something.

**homer** · 6th December 2007, 21:43

Yes i have to make comment
just saw it on the tv news and yes i said the day it happened after i saw the tv pics of the scene that the van actually drifted off the road edge on the left and then as i said they would have tried to control the van which then obviously they tiped over and on to the wrong side of the road
How i know this ...there were black tyre marks that drifed off to the left and then you know what happens when you get 2 wheels on the grass you try to recover it , if you dont know how much to correct it ....well theres the answer

They did stay left just not looking and to far left

**Mikkel** · 6th December 2007, 21:48

If you look at the photo of the crashscene it is obvious that the campervan lost control and swerved into the other lane. As such it's not that they were travelling in the wrong lane that caused the accident - but that they lost control and THEN travelled into the path of the oncoming motorcycles.

There might be a problem with tourists driving in NZ - but it has more to do with the fact that you can go in and rent a big ass campervan on you normal car license without ever having had any experience driving vehicles of that size. Combine that with narrow windy mountain roads and you have a rather nasty cocktail...

As for you german friend not being able to drive - it's probably more gender related than nationality related...

ok ok j/k

**SwanTiger** · 6th December 2007, 21:49

Originally Posted by homer

Yes i have to make comment
just saw it on the tv news and yes i said the day it happened after i saw the tv pics of the scene that the van actually drifted off the road edge on the left and then as i said they would have tried to control the van which then obviously they tiped over and on to the wrong side of the road
How i know this ...there were black tyre marks that drifed off to the left and then you know what happens when you get 2 wheels on the grass you try to recover it , if you dont know how much to correct it ....well theres the answer

They did stay left just not looking and to far left

Probably accurate, however we'll generalise it and base it on all the accidents that have been caused by tourist driving on the wrong side of the road.

To speculate, perhaps they were on the wrong side of the road, saw the bikes, over reacted and swerved back to the left, too far and into the ditch, tried to correct again, this time the bikes were closer, straight over into the opposite lane again and BOOM lots of dead people and the sick smell you get when blood and flesh is cooking on the road from it being so hot on a sunny day.

**jafar** · 6th December 2007, 21:52

There isn't a solution so long as there is an 'international drivers license' system in place. Tourists are allowed to drive on their licenses in the same way as we are able to drive in their countries if/when we wish to go there, the gibbermint is unlikely to change the system when tourism is worth millions in revenue.

To be fair the casualties caused by tourists is fairly minimal. Drunks would be the cause of more

**Mikkel** · 6th December 2007, 21:54

Originally Posted by sunhuntin

dont most rentals have something reminding the driver to stay left?

i know the south island has arrows indicating the correct direction of travel on both sides of rest stops and other rural spots where drivers may pull off the road [petrol etc] as well as billboards saying keep left.

maybe we need to subject foreign drivers to the learner drivers practical and scratchy tests, with the scratchy questions specifically aimed at tourists [ie, which side of the road must i drive on, what is the maximum open road speed limit etc.] would also be an idea to have them sit the practical in the vehicle they would be using. issue them with a temp license, and build the costs into something like passports or something.

As it is you can get a NZ license by presenting a full overseas license and doing the scratchy test. And considering that driving/riding instruction is not mandatory in NZ - unlike most overseas destinations - I don't think that is unreasonable.

The scratchy test is not worth anything at all IMHO. Tourists coming to NZ are full well aware of the fact that you drive on the left here - if there's anything that is weird it's the silly give way to right turning vehicles when turning left!

The times when a driver takes his/her vehicle into the righthand lane it is solely due to routine combined with a lack of traffic. There are already, as you say, road markings in the form of arrows pointing in the direction of travel.

**SwanTiger** · 6th December 2007, 21:57

Originally Posted by jafar

To be fair the casualties caused by tourists is fairly minimal. Drunks would be the cause of more

I don't know, suppose we would have to see the statistics to validify that statement. I'm of the opinion that tourist on the wrong side of the road are a greater threat to motorcyclist than they are other vehicles.

Simply because when you are head on with a any vehicle other than a motorcycle, 9.9 times out of 10 the motorcycle is going to lose.

**Mikkel** · 6th December 2007, 21:57

Originally Posted by jafar

There isn't a solution so long as there is an 'international drivers license' system in place. Tourists are allowed to drive on their licenses in the same way as we are able to drive in their countries if/when we wish to go there, the gibbermint is unlikely to change the system when tourism is worth millions in revenue.

To be fair the casualties caused by tourists is fairly minimal. Drunks would be the cause of more

Even if tourism didn't contribute a significant amount that would most likely not change until NZ joined the "axis of evil"! Just like you enjoy other priviledges like visa waiver agreements and other hoohah that makes international travel a breeze - there is an agreement amongst a big lot of countries that they acknowledge the driver/rider training in those countries to be up to standard.

**Mikkel** · 6th December 2007, 22:00

Originally Posted by SwanTiger

I don't know, suppose we would have to see the statistics to validify that statement. I'm of the opinion that tourist on the wrong side of the road are a greater threat to motorcyclist than they are other vehicles.

Simply because when you are head on with a any vehicle other than a motorcycle, 9.9 times out of 10 the motorcycle is going to lose.

That's bullshit - a motorcycle has a narrower profile and as such a collision will be easier to avoid. Even then - two cars having a head-on-collision at speed is likely to have a higher casualty count than an accident involving a motorcycle. (Oh, disregard that - most cars only have one person in them around here).

**SwanTiger** · 6th December 2007, 22:04

Originally Posted by Mikkel

That's bullshit - a motorcycle has a narrower profile and as such a collision will be easier to avoid. Even then - two cars having a head-on-collision at speed is likely to have a higher casualty count than an accident involving a motorcycle. (Oh, disregard that - most cars only have one person in them around here).

Yeah, but we're looking at this from our perspective as motorcyclists.

**rwh** · 6th December 2007, 22:04

I think unfortunately the best solution is for the remaining countries that drive on the left to switch to the right. It hurts my national pride to say that, but that's where I get from reason.

Richard

**SwanTiger** · 6th December 2007, 22:07

Originally Posted by rwh

I think unfortunately the best solution is for the remaining countries that drive on the left to switch to the right. It hurts my national pride to say that, but that's where I get from reason.

Richard

I'd agree with that, nice and simple "What side of the road do I drive on?", "The right side!"