Seems to be the usual generalization that some NZ roads are bad therefore all NZ roads are bad. This is complete and utter bull shit. Even gravel roads seem to be kept in reasonable condition. When freshly graded though they can be a PITA but one should drive/ride at a suitable pace so an incident doesn't occur. In other words drive/ride to the conditions......
When life throws you a curve ... Lean into it ...
the actual percentage of tourist drivers being Involved ... as opposed to being "At fault" is actually very low. Low single figures actually. The actual scourge on NZ roads are New Zealander's born and bred (likely some inbreeding though).
They used to make up a large portion of the motorcycle single vehicle accident stat's ...
When life throws you a curve ... Lean into it ...
I've done quite a few 4-day tours of South Island (East Coast, West Coast and cover the whole Island) with the group I'm in. We always go in early November and for some reason the roads are uncluttered at that time and we hardly see any campervans. At least, that's MY impression. Another observation (I live in Christchurch) is that there is a certain category of overseas visitor driving here that are completely out of their depth behind the wheel. Another observation is that you could call me a racist but that's just a standard liberal starting point in any conversation like this and completely untrue so just don't.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I'm livin' the dream.
True, good tyres are a must at the start of a SI tour.
The Lewis Pass and SH6 are magic, but there is magic in the NI too: East Cape and the Waioeka Gorge f'rinstance, but the state of the those roads can't be compared to South Island roads. I never saw anything in the SI to compare to the state of the Gentle Annie, Hastings to Taihape. Once when I rode that the surface was so broken up in places it appeared as if there had been a major earthquake. If there had actually been an earthquake they're forgiven.
Not much scope for cruise control on any of those either.
Funny thing though, the excuse given for the roads around East Cape is that there's a lot of road and only a small population to pay for upkeep. I'd have thought that situation would have applied to an even greater extent in the South Island?
There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one. - Joey Dunlop
The coarse chip seal is good, even in/after heavy rain which NZ alpine and (west coast) coastal areas are renown for. It beats asphalt hands down in similar weather anywhere.
The Lewis got beaten up quite a bit post Kaikoura quake's ... and although the east coast highway one reopened ... the Lewis needs a lot of work to be done to it in quite a few places. The heavy class trucks were (and still) allowed to use it, even though it wasn't up to that grade to take the weights and sheer volume of traffic. If you want magic ... do the Buller Gorge full length (either direction) at night ... with a full moon ... and with about 10 or more other riders. You'll remember it forever.
When life throws you a curve ... Lean into it ...
The terrain in NZ varies so much in short distances, it is totally different to BIG (as in HUGE) city driving conditions ... or multi-lane motorway style roads many of our visitors are used to. Many from large cities have never driven over 80 km/hr EVER. It's not their fault ... if fault is to be apportioned ... but they are here ... driving (for want of a more suitable word) on our roads. AND ... spending money.
I wonder how most (expert) kiwi drivers would handle navigating through Tokyo or LA on their motorway systems ... ???
As an aside ... the use of cell phones (for ANY purpose) is Illegal. Yet .. Dash mounted GPS systems (visible to the driver and able to be operated or adjusted by the driver) is perfectly legal. And is fitted to most rental vehicles as a (legal) on request option.
When life throws you a curve ... Lean into it ...
I've been through Danseys Pass (in a ute) before the grader ... Naseby to Duntroon took one and a half hours. Another time (in the same ute) not long after it was graded ... two and a quarter hours.
Ride/Drive to the actual conditions of a road ... not how you last remembered that piece of road was. It may have changed a bit.
When life throws you a curve ... Lean into it ...
Followed 2 large rental camper vans off the big single lane bridge at Kaeo today. There is a long straight ahead of you as you come off, the front van moved into the RH lane and the rear one moved into the left. There was an oncoming car just appearing at the end of the straight. I overtook the camper in front of me and sat in the front guys mirror flashing my lights until he moved to the left. He was vigorously facepalming himself as I went past! Lols! Bet he felt stupid!
Only a Rat can win a Rat Race!
It happens. I did the wrong side trick on my first encounter on USA roads in 2016 in San Francisco city. Came ou tof city OK..fully focused on RIGHT side RIGHT side....till we reached the freeway onramp interection - lights controlled. Went over to LHS until oncoming woke me up and wife screamed. Braked; reversed, went right. Never went worng again.
Seems you only need to do it once - I was in Atlanta, turned left into the oncoming traffic. Turned hard left again into a MacDonalds carpark. Blew a tyre going over the kerb but was preferable to clogging up truck radiator. Anyway, rental car, Hertz just gave me another car. (first one was nice Buick LeSabre with about 30 miles on the clock, second one a was a Ford thing)
it's not a bad thing till you throw a KLR into the mix.
those cheap ass bitches can do anything with ductape.
(PostalDave on ADVrider)
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