Dodgy driving

**Ewan Oozarmy** · 18th February 2008, 10:39

I just read this:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/...ectid=10493084

I reckon this Allen Dicks guys is spot on. But will it have any effect on the powers that be, road wise?

**Badjelly** · 18th February 2008, 10:43

Originally Posted by Ewan Oozarmy

I just read this:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/...ectid=10493084

I reckon this Allen Dicks guys is spot on. But will it have any effect on the powers that be, road wise?

I'm curious: what do you propose we do about the fact(*) that NZers are dreadful drivers.

(*) I've always been a bit dubious about this "fact", but let's assume it's true for the time being.

**Mikkel** · 18th February 2008, 10:46

Nice article - but one thing that irked me:

Automobile Association general manager Mike Noon said tougher driving tests, a longer learning licence period and what he "attitudinal training" were needed at the early stage.

The learners period is bullshit!

What you need to do is make sure that people drive to at least the restricted level before being allowed to go on the public road without being supervised by a qualified driving instructor.

**Swoop** · 18th February 2008, 10:52

He is spot on.

If a monkey is able to scratch a lotto ticket, they can also pass the licence to kill - oops! "drive".

"Remember a couple of years ago, when the English rugby team toured the country? The Barmy Army came and rented every single campervan in the country. There was a flotilla of these campervans going up and down the country.

"You knew they were being driven by English people because they knew how to behave on motorways. They didn't make a bee-line for the outside lane on motorways and they signalled before changing lanes," Mr Dick said.

He said there was a spirit of competition in New Zealand. Drivers headed to the outside lane and didn't want anyone to pass them.

**Ixion** · 18th February 2008, 10:53

From the quoted article

olice today named the man who was killed in a road accident near Motueka early yesterday morning.He was Gary Allen Johnson, 37, from Motueka, northeast of Nelson.
Sergeant Dale Jenkins said the accident happened on State Highway 60, two kilometres south of Motueka, about 1am.
It was believed Mr Johnson was lying on the southbound lane when he was hit by a vehicle being driven south by a woman.
He was dead when emergency services arrived.

That doesn't sound like an argument to support driver's being lousy to me.

**Mikkel** · 18th February 2008, 10:57

Originally Posted by Ixion

That doesn't sound like an argument to support driver's being lousy to me.

Indeed. It took me a couple of re-reads before I got what it actually says.

Darwin says:

Railroad tracks makes for a good headrest when in need of a powernap.

**Badjelly** · 18th February 2008, 10:57

Originally Posted by Badjelly

I'm curious: what do you propose we do about the fact(*) that NZers are dreadful drivers.

Sorry, I thought I'd read the article you linked to, but in fact I'd read a similar article on stuff.co.nz. The Stuff article had no constructive suggestions, but the Herald article did at least touch on what could be done.

I'd still like to see a debate on this site about the specifics of how the standard of driving in NZ could be improved.

**Ewan Oozarmy** · 18th February 2008, 11:06

I reckon generally we're as good as what we learn. A more difficult driving test would be good (I've no experience of the NZ driving test so am going on what I've been told by Kiwis). You should be good enough to be allowed on the road to pass your test.

Also, the amount of time one can drive on a learners license could be restricted ie. your learners is revoked if you don't take your test within a defined period.

Stiffer penalties for driving whilst banned or on a revoked license.

Compulsory 3rd party insurance - this would mean a 16 year old can't buy a 300+ bhp Subaru on tick and repeat DD/crash offenders could not get insurance and thus could not drive a car.

**yod** · 18th February 2008, 11:16

the level of acceptable skill needs to be raised

example

you live in Hawera, you get your full licence without ever leaving South Taranaki. you are now licenced to drive through spaghetti junction and across an 8 lane motorway bridge to the shore

sensible? no

when i sat my licence (full at age 15, which was far too young) i didn't go anywhere near a set of traffic lights, i never even left suburbia, (this is in Christchurch, so there were plenty of busy streets to test on),

that is deplorable

applicants should be tested through (close to) the most difficult conditions they might face, not the simplest!!

i sometimes sit at a cafe in george st and amuse myself at the complete inability of half the population to even parallel park successfully. it's abysmal - these people should not have licences, so who is it that is handing them out with such utter nonchalance and why?!

**yod** · 18th February 2008, 11:18

Originally Posted by Ewan Oozarmy

.....
Compulsory 3rd party insurance - this would mean a 16 year old can't buy a 300+ bhp Subaru on tick and repeat DD/crash offenders could not get insurance and thus could not drive a car.

definitely

i believe in Australia your rego automatically has the cost of 3rd party insurance built in to it? (someone may know the specifics?)

that is a bloody good plan

**idb** · 18th February 2008, 11:23

Originally Posted by yod

i sometimes sit at a cafe in george st and amuse myself at the complete inability of half the population to even parallel park successfully. it's abysmal - these people should not have licences, so who is it that is handing them out with such utter nonchalance and why?!

Quite right...and what about those clods that can't even back a trailer properly at the tip on Saturday afternoon?
Call themselves men?...pah!!!

**Mikkel** · 18th February 2008, 12:09

Originally Posted by yod

definitely

i believe in Australia your rego automatically has the cost of 3rd party insurance built in to it? (someone may know the specifics?)

that is a bloody good plan

No that is NOT a good plan!

Why?

Because the fuckwits who gets a well-deserved record for being idiot drivers gets to pay the same premium as the rest of us.

Which means - I have to pay more because some guy in Auckland can't handle his testosterone level.

**Ewan Oozarmy** · 18th February 2008, 12:32

Some interesting comments on the article here:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/st...0493087&pnum=0

**Swoop** · 18th February 2008, 14:30

Originally Posted by idb

Quite right...and what about those clods that can't even back a trailer properly at the tip on Saturday afternoon?
Call themselves men?...pah!!!

That is an excellent, free entertainment. Go to your local boatramp for endless entertainment!

I can personally recommend the Half Moon Bay public ramp...