Taking the high road
Kiwi drivers need to brush up on the Road Code, given many of us appear to be unaware of most of the rules, writes Christina Persico.
New Zealand may have some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, but you better ignore it if you don’t want to get in trouble. This is because one of the New Zealand Road Code’s more obscure rules clearly state that daydreaming, looking at scenery and things on the roadside are all major distractions.
You’re also not allowed to eat in the vehicle, or hold a person, package or animal in your lap or arms and you need to pull over and remove any dangerous substances or piercings that happen to ‘‘fall or escape from your vehicle onto the road’’.
But ignorance of the Road Code and its regulations is no defence, according to lawyer Alistair Haskett, who specialises in traffic law.
One of the road regulations that frustrates Haskett: When a driver ‘‘must give way to a rail vehicle using the railway line that is approaching and within 800m of the level crossing’’.
‘‘Most motorists, especially the ones in Auckland, can’t see 800 metres down the track for an approaching train. So how can you comply if you can’t see?’’
So, I went off to meet driving instructor Antonia Baylis, to see if everyone is as bad as I think they are, and if I am as good as I think I am.
Short answer: yes.
In maybe 15 minutes of driving around central New Plymouth, we see people pushing through orange lights when they should stop, cutting across corners, and as we turn back into the carpark, with our indicator going, someone sneaks up the inside of us in the right-turning lane.
And my own skill? I’m glad you asked: the only thing I was pulled up for was my right hand sitting too high on the steering wheel, which would result in a broken arm if the airbag deployed.
Baylis says she sees people breaking the road rules all the time, but there’s no easy fix.
‘‘Education is all very well, but not all the road rules are on TV,’’ she says.
‘‘Slippage’’ is a real issue – motorists who have been driving for a while become lazy.
‘‘In Wellington, you indicate that you want to move into a gap and a gap will open up, whereas Taranaki tends not to use indicators or be courteous on the road.’’
If I had to pick one thing that personally drives me to distraction, it is other drivers failing to indicate.
Whether on a multi-lane or when passing on the highway, some drivers seem to think that the rest of us are mind readers.
I recently drove from New Plymouth to Nelson and back, and some of what I witnessed was appalling. Some passing that was dangerous (overtaking a caravan in horrendous conditions with a vehicle coming the other way, not getting back into the lane before the yellow lines) and completely unannounced. They just pull out, go around whatever unfortunate slowpoke has to anticipate their movements and pull in again.
And then there’s merging. Now, signalling when two lanes become one is discretionary, but surely when there’s a mash-up of vehicles squeezing in, that’s the time to use said discretion?
Roundabouts are also bad. I am not, generally speaking, given to road rage, but I have been known to mutter ‘‘you do have indicators, you know’’.
This is something that New Zealand Institute of Driver Educators president Wayne Young says ‘‘horribly confuses’’ motorists.
According to Young, most motorists signal right when they cross straight over a roundabout instead of just indicating left when they’re ready to exit the roundabout.
And then there’s speed. Drivers fly past on the approach to a 100kmh sign when in reality they are meant to continue going 80 until after passing the sign. And those going 80 well into the 60 zone are just as bad; I almost always end up with tailgaters.
I don’t think I have time to go into shoulder-checking, staying off cycle lanes and cellphone use.
Oh, and did I mention the tailgating is horrific?
It would seem I am not alone based on an AA survey released last month.
It revealed that 85 per cent of the almost 3000 respondents had seen someone speed in the past seven days, 64 per cent had seen someone drift out of their lane or park badly, and 63 per cent had seen someone run a red light.
AA Driving School general manager Roger Venn says this points to an incredible level of potentially lazy and dangerous driving on our roads.
‘‘One of the main reasons for the lack of confidence in others’ abilities is people claiming to see plenty of motorists ignoring basic road rules and road courtesies,’’ he says.
‘‘There’s a definite disconnect between the number of people driving badly and those taking ownership for it.’’
Road policing manager Peter McKennie says police have tried to teach drivers about new road rules, like the give way rules that came into force in 2012. It is not all about enforcement, he adds.
‘‘We’re just teaching people and having a chat to them and explaining it to them. It’s more an educational thing than an enforcement thing.’’
South Taranaki motorist Maria Hardcastle describes driving standards as ‘‘absolutely shocking’’.
‘‘I travel from South Taranaki to New Plymouth quite a lot,’’ she says. ‘‘Some days you’ve just got to let it go, otherwise it would drive you fricking mad.’’
Her frustrations are slow drivers who don’t pull over and then accelerate at passing lanes, and ‘‘the bloody tailgaters’’.
‘‘Why wouldn’t you just let people go past you? I don’t get it.’’
Clive Matthew-Wilson, editor of the car review website dogandlemon.com, says New Zealanders are possibly the most selfish drivers in the world and therefore, tend to ignore littleknown traffic rules.
‘‘Many Kiwis go through life with the assumption that the roads exist for them and them alone.
‘‘They expect the roads to be clear wherever they go; they expect to be able to immediately park wherever they go. They don’t indicate; they don’t let other motorists change lanes, then they have the cheek to get upset when other drivers behave the same way they do.’’
Truck driver Timothy McDonald says there is a bad driving culture in New Zealand. He has a lot of drivers following too close, overtaking just before passing lanes or passing and then going only 90 anyway.
‘‘People are just in too much of a hurry,’’ he said.
He also thinks drivers need to learn more car control such as braking before a corner, not during it.
‘‘If you want to speed and drive like an idiot, that’s cool, but there’s a time and a place to do it. I like driving fast, I love it, so I joined the car club.’’
I tend to agree with them: drivers need to take more care (guilty as charged). Take the extra half-second to flick on your indicator, check your blind spot or slow down. It’s not just about annoying other road users.
Your life, or someone else’s, may depend on it.
Many Kiwis go through life with the assumption that the roads exist for them and them alone. Clive Matthew-Wilson Editor of car review website dogandlemon.com