On driving in New Zealand

Having driven back from Auckland yesterday and experienced two near misses with manic Kiwi drivers intent on passing every car in sight, it's high time to warn foreigners of what we are like.

Kiwis are normally fairly placid people, but get us behind the wheel and our personalities make a drastic u-turn. On the open road the speed limit is 100 k/hr ( 60 m/h I think) and there is a police tolerance of a further 1o k/hr. And we like to travel at that speed ( 110). We don't like slow drivers and will do just about anything to get past them.

Several Kiwis believe they can see around corners, so will overtake at or just either side of a corner. It's heady stuff! I once was hitch-hiking home from Otago Uni with a friend, and we were picked up by a middle-aged woman who decided to pass another car, on a corner, just after a vehicle had come the other way with a Wide Load warning sign on it! A guy from Social Welfare who picked us up took exception to being passed by another motorist and drove at speed for several kilometres, tail-gating the other driver.

That was a while ago, and some of us have mellowed. But if you are holidaying here and are intent on driving yourself around New Zealand, take heed. If you are driving a campervan, remember to pull over on a regular basis to let we speed-mad Kiwis get past you. You might even be given a friendly wave. And remember to stay to the left.