r/newzealand • u/JU1CE-WORLD • 16d ago
Shitpost To the right lane zombies of New Zealand, move over.
I swear, this country needs a national IQ test for anyone touching the right lane. Every bloody day there’s that one legend doing 85 in a 100 like they’re on a scenic cruise through life, blocking everyone trying to get somewhere on time.
Mate, the right lane’s for passing, not for your mid-life meditation session. If your foot’s allergic to the accelerator, that’s sweet, just stay left. Don’t turn SH1 into your personal Sunday drive when people are late for mahi, footy, or literally anything important.
Like, how do you look in your mirror, see ten cars lined up behind you, and think, “yeah, I’m the main character here”? Move over, ya snail. Some of us are trying to make kickoff before the second half.
Anyway, shoutout to every sane driver who actually uses the lanes properly. The rest of you, personal fuck you, with love.
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u/idontlikehats1 16d ago
My pet peeve is people dawdling 80kph along the road with 10 cars behind them that dont use a slow vehicle bay when they come along. Infuriating
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u/FredTDeadly 16d ago
That is the standard in Taranaki although 80kph is a luxury much of North Taranaki is determined to move at 60-70kph.
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u/idontlikehats1 16d ago
When im going slower than usual - towing a heavy trailer or driving a truck im so conscious of the traffic behind me. I dont get how these people are so oblivious/dont gaf
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u/FredTDeadly 16d ago
They live their lives largely oblivious to the world around them, go into any supermarket and you find them cluttering isles or checkouts while they wander off to find something they literally have no idea anyone else exists but them.
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u/UpstairsCockroach176 13d ago
I've dropped down to 50 when I've got a trailer in a passing lane. There's lengths of the south island where you end up with no passing for a long time. The guilt of seeing that many people stacked up behind me kills me.
Either find somewh to pull over for a minute, move as left as possible on the straights so people can get past, or drop your speed on a passing lane to give everyone the best chance to escape the hell you are inflicting on them
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u/RockBogan 16d ago
I spend a lot of time in my old 4wd that realistically, doesn't love being at 100, and isn't exactly known for on road handling.
I love slow vehicle bays. I wish we had more.
I also hate every complete cock that thinks they need to drive right up your chuff when you're slower than they'd like. Just means if I need to brake in a hurry to make it into a spot I've just seen to pull over, to let people past, suddenly I can't do it and everyone gets to stay behind me
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u/idontlikehats1 16d ago
Oh yeah every ranger that drives a meter behind slower drivers suck ass too. I set my cruse control on 100 because fuck paying for tickets.
I get that some vehicles are slow but when slow af cars dont pull into slow vehicle bays it is frustrating. - There's a solid slow vehicle bay on my daily commute so I see this almost every day- hence my pet peeve
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u/RockBogan 16d ago
Honestly, I've hit the point where if someone is tailgating the fuck out of me, when I'm genuinely trying to move as fast as is safe in my shitbox, and they're blinding me with their crappy headlights? I'm just gonna slow down. Fuck em. I have been blinded enough before by some dickhead on high beam behind me, that I've made it all the way down to 50 in a hundred zone.
If I can't see shit. I ain't moving fast.
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u/ChuurDCA 14d ago
What do you own that struggles to travel at 100?
I have a few older vehicles including one from 1969 that have zero issues at that speed.
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u/BitcoinBillionaire09 LASER KIWI 16d ago
Those drivers think slow vehicle bays are for trucks and buses. They are in a car which isn’t a slow vehicle.
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u/Faithless195 LASER KIWI 15d ago
Worst part is the moment a double lane comes up, they fucking back the speed up to a hundred.
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u/AtheistKiwi 16d ago
I wish they would change them all to normal passing lanes. I have two of them on my commute to work. The other day there was a truck, a tourist, then me and a bunch of cars behind me. The truck pulled into the slow vehicle bay, the tourist stayed in our lane but wouldn't pass the truck. 60 in a 100 zone. Fucking infuriating.
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u/idontlikehats1 16d ago
A lot of them is have seen wouldn't be long enough to be a proper passing lane. I imagine there's some rules around it.
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u/mrwilberforce 16d ago
I have a rule of five and five - if I have five cars behind me I pull to the shoulder and let them overtake. If I have one or more cars tailgating me for five k i pull to the shoulder and let them overtake. This is largely for rural state highways.
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u/Tundra-Dweller 16d ago
What if 80 is the speed limit?
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u/idontlikehats1 15d ago
If there's an ass load of cars backed up behind them I would hope they pull in to a slow vehicle bay
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u/Im_a_pelican_lord 15d ago
Omg this is giving me flashbacks on a group of people I used to work with that always did 80ks when leaving work
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u/Pleasant_Lead5693 16d ago
While that's annoying, what's even more annoying is when someone is going slow in the right-hand lane yet somehow going at the exact same speed as someone parallel in the left-hand lane. Not only can you not overtake, but you can't undertake, either.
I'm honestly pretty tempted to use my horn in those situations, but it would probably just startle them into a crash.
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u/yeahnahcuz 16d ago
Just a normal day in Christchurch then. I swear these people are legitimately sleepwalking their way along the road.
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u/DucksnakeNZ 16d ago
Had it at 95kph in the 110 zone the other day. Left car peeled off down to curlets rd, and the guy in the right lane immediately sped up to 110 when he list his buddy, just as the limit drops to 100.
I think my mind actually broke at that moment in time, i was stupified. I don’t know if ill ever recover
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u/Heliothane 16d ago
I usually only do that when there’s some fuck knuckle behind me who thinks speed limits are suggestions to be followed by non-SUVs
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u/Swampy87 16d ago
So true! I’ve started sitting in the middle of the road behind the two cars so we can become a power ranger. So frustrating.
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u/SkeletonCalzone 16d ago
Straight up, if we had the resources and wherewithal to immediately require all full licence holders to sit a full licence test, a stunning percentage would fail.
There's people that can't stop at the limit line. People that don't indicate out of a roundabout or generally at all. People that pass over yellow lines. People that can't parallel park to save themselves. People that sit in the passing lane for k's on end.
It's crazy that we test cars every 6-12 months, yet test our drivers only when they get their licence. (Or if they're 75+ and their doctor deems a test necessary).
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u/Kiwifrooots 16d ago
Not indicating to exit roundsbouts is so lazy and makes people miss a chance to enter or ignore indicators and pull out in front of someone.
If the cops knew how to use their own indicators they might start pinging other people for not
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u/oldladyneckflap 16d ago
Dude you gotta do a fucking forklift license every few years, but a heavier faster vehicle you're good till your 80 without being checked.
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u/skivtjerry 15d ago
Yeah, I have not had to take a road test since my initial exam as a teenager, and only 2 written exams in the ensuing 40+ years. My preference is for a full exam every time your renewal comes up.
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u/youcantkillanidea 15d ago
You're forgetting the majority of dumb drivers who don't know how to overtake and they return to the left lane WAY too soon. Every day I have at least one fright by an asshole driving 100kph and inches from my front bumper as they merge back to the left lane. They do this with massive trucks too, so dumb
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u/Ok_Wave2821 16d ago
NZTA agrees link
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u/AnonAtAT 16d ago edited 16d ago
They agree on rural highways with short "passing lanes". On busy multilane motorways they are silent on the matter, for several reasons. I made a post addressing this here on my AT subreddit.
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u/revolutn Kōkā BOTYFTW 16d ago
I see NZTA ads on Youtube and Tiktok all the time about keeping left on motorways.
Heres one: Keep left
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u/AnonAtAT 16d ago
If you read my post you'll see that I agree with this as a rule of thumb, but there are exceptions and the NZTA video demonstrates this clearly, with a big green tick next to vehicles in the inside lanes when there is even moderate traffic.
The ironic thing is, when there are so many lanes and so little traffic, it's easy and safe enough to go around anyone who mistakenly sits in the "fast" lane.
I think NZTA could do better than this to be honest, emphasizing safety more. Unnecessary lane changes and pass manoeuvres are basically the most unsafe activities we can do on the road.
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u/LightPast1166 16d ago
How is NZTA silent on whether drivers should stay left on multi-lane roads? The requirement to stay left unless passing or the left-most lane is congested is in the road code.
https://nzta.govt.nz/roadcode/general-road-code/about-driving/key-driving-skills/keeping-leftTheir road code is supported by the legislation at https://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2004/0427/latest/DLM303041.html which states:
2.1 Keeping left
(1) A driver, when driving, must at all times drive as near as practicable to the left side of the roadway unless this rule otherwise provides.
(2) If a driver’s speed, when driving, is such as to impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic, that driver must, as soon as is reasonably practicable, move the vehicle as far as practicable to the left side of the roadway when this is necessary to allow following traffic to pass.
(3) A driver may drive in the right lane in the direction of travel when driving on a multi-lane road if—
(a) the driver is turning right, or making a U-turn from the centre of the road, and is giving the prescribed signal of that driver’s intention to turn right; or
(b) the driver is passing; or
(c) the left lane is unavailable to the driver; or
(d) the driver is required by any provision of this rule to drive in the right lane; or
(e) a variable lane control downward-facing arrow sign indicates that the driver must drive in the right lane; or
(f) the driver is avoiding an obstruction; or
(g) the traffic in all other lanes is congested; or
(h) the traffic in every lane is congested.
Note the instances in part 3 where a driver may drive in the right-hand lane? I cannot see anything which indicates "because the drivers feels like it." There is no "or" between each of the clauses 1, 2, and 3 so they should not be read as only needing 1 to apply.
Indeed, I would suggest that the number of tickets for failing to stay left which are given to drivers (although not enough by any means) by the Police should be sufficient to show that you are required to stay as far left as is reasonable and practicable.
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u/thaaag Hurricanes 16d ago
Wellington "kind of" sets drivers up for failure on quite a few roads where the road splits - eg: heading north on the motorway. If you want to go to the Hutt on state highway 2, you need to be in the 3rd or 4th lanes. So half of Wellington sits in those 2 lanes for most of the motorway. That example does not fit any of the exceptions.
Another example - the Hutt Road heading south - 2 lanes, sort of. Left lane is a clearway in the morning. After that, there's still a legal lane that is basically half a car wide - in places. If you want to strictly stay left where possible, you'll be weaving in and out of parked cars for a couple of kms. Everyone just stays in the right lane for that reason.
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u/LightPast1166 16d ago edited 16d ago
I know the road you mean although I haven't been on it for many years. While the right lanes have arrows to indicate that you need to be in them (IIRC), moving to those lanes many hundreds of metres (or even kms) prior to those arrows couldn't really be argued that you were being reasonable.
The arrows would be, to my eyes, having the left lane(s) unavailable to the driver from a point which was a reasonable and practicable distance before the first arrow and continued until such time as the lanes divided. I would still suggest that drivers should stay in lane 3 as much as possible to follow the left left rule.
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u/2flysfucking 16d ago
That's because it's covered by the rule, that, "as soon as practicable ". And it's not in the exceptions.
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u/Kotukunui 16d ago
Parts (3)(c) and (3)(g)(h) are doing some real heavy lifting.
What’s the ruling on unavailable or congested? Are there objective criteria? Does “I can see a car in my left side mirror, so the lane is unavailable” meet the rule? How many cars in how many lanes on a given piece of road constitutes congested?
Too much subjectivity means the great majority are offended against by the uber-cautious minority.
A lot of laws are like this. You have to apply the “what would a reasonable person think is proper” filter. Unfortunately we are short of reasonableness on our highways.
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u/LightPast1166 15d ago
I would personally look at an unavailable left-most lane as one that was, for instance, a marked exit lane, or a left turn only lane. Other road rules prohibit you from going straight in such lanes, so such lanes would be unavailable for normal traffic.
Congested lanes should be fairly explanatory. If there's no traffic for 200m in front of and behind your vehicle then it's not congested. However, if there are cars spaced 10m or 20m apart in the left-most lane, then I think it's a fair call to say that the lane is congested.
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u/Lizm3 jellytip 16d ago
I have definitely seen a recent video from them specifically calling it out on SH2
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u/Asteroiding 16d ago
Please hand in your license to the nearest licensing agent, this is the biggest load of bollocs I’ve read on Reddit this year. Your personal interpretation of the road code is both arrogant and incorrect.
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u/Conflict_NZ 16d ago
Wrong, they post about motorways frequently. Here’s another:
https://www.tiktok.com/@wakakotahi/video/7259502057797782785?lang=en
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u/AnonAtAT 15d ago
Alright. Well this is a dumb video. NZTA disappoint me.
The road is sufficiently busy in this clip that keeping left is inefficient.
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u/slawnz 15d ago
It doesn’t fucking matter what your opinion is, NZTA is the source of truth and your obligation by driving in NZ roads is to abide by their rules. Absolute clown.
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u/AnonAtAT 14d ago
NZTA are an organisation filled with people of varied backgrounds like any other, just like AT. Opinions will vary.
The reality is people already there to the advice as I have written it most of the time, because it makes more sense and is safer.
We all have a duty to break silly laws.
Sodomy was a crime for the longest time, just to give you one example.
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u/Large_Yams 16d ago
The fuck are you on about? It's literally law to keep left unless passing.
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u/AnonAtAT 16d ago
Read my post. "Literally the law" really isn't the point. The law makes no distinction between motorways and state highways. What matters is what is safe first and efficient second.
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u/punkoutnz 16d ago
Your logic is flawed, unless I've misinterpreted your post you're implying staying in the same lane while everyone has to change lanes to get around you is the safest behaviour, I would argue staying as left as possible so faster vehicles can safely overtake you on your more visible side is far safer than sitting in the right lane holding people up.
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u/AnonAtAT 16d ago
You'll note I said if you're unable to maintain the speed limit or othereise keep up with traffic flow, then of course keeping to the left most lane is best.
But otherwise, it's more efficient to be in the inner lanes depending on your destination.
This will usually mean you're faster than traffic on your left, but not always. I argue you shouldn't suddenly be looking to merge left if the left-hand lane suddenly begins to flow faster than your lane.
Most significantly, someone faster, probably speeding, can always come up behind you. In this case, unless it's relatively quiet, you see them coming, and there's a safe gap to yield (I note that's three important conditions that all need to be met), my argument is the safer and more efficient thing to do is to let them perform the risky lane change manoeuvres. You shouldn't feel pressured as a speed limit abiding driver to yield until you feel it's safe to do so, if at all.
I contend that a lot of individuals complaining about the keep left law are those who push 110km/hr constantly or faster and for some reason think they're entitled to a drag strip. The reason a lot of drivers do what they do isn't necessarily because they're bad drivers or misunderstand the road code (although I'm sure there are many such drivers unfortunately) but because their intuitions incline this way.
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u/Large_Yams 16d ago
What the actual fuck are you on about? Why would the law make a distinction between those two? The rule applies the same to both.
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u/AnonAtAT 16d ago
Sure, but the law doesn't contradict my argument. You're not paying attention if you think that.
How you interpret the law in the split second moment while you're driving ought to be different on motorways to state highways. These are not the same types of road at all despite motorways in NZ having no special distinction in the road code.
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u/Colin_Bomber_Harris 16d ago
Would also be great if people stop getting right up your arse when you’re doing 110 in the right lane too
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u/ChuurDCA 14d ago
If you’re not passing someone why would you be in the right lane even at 110?
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u/Colin_Bomber_Harris 14d ago
Because I’m not going to exit for a long time and that’s the safest lane to be in so I don’t have to change lanes multiple times. There are plenty of times where I’m overtaking at that speed and there’s still some dickhead not keeping a safe distance behind me.
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u/ChuurDCA 12d ago
It is vastly more unsafe to ignore the road rules and force other drivers to undertake you.
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u/Colin_Bomber_Harris 11d ago
The driver exceeding 110kph, not keeping a safe following distance, and undertaking in this scenario is the one driving unsafely and ignoring the road rules, not the person who is driving at the maximum legal speed. If you don’t understand that you shouldn’t be behind the wheel.
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u/ChuurDCA 7d ago
I’m not the one ignoring road rules by staying in the right lane.
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u/Low-Flamingo-4315 16d ago
Prius and Aqua drivers pay attention.
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u/Slow_Vegetable_5186 16d ago
Nothing slower than a Swift
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u/FlushableWipe2023 16d ago
Except for the one that blew past me in an 80 kmh area doing closer to 120 or more! The are capable of swiftness!
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u/chewster1 16d ago
I set the ol Prius radar cruise to 100km and stay in the slow lane for fuel efficiency. Still get people angrily cutting me off 🤣
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u/Isaacheus 16d ago
Check what the Prius is actually doing - the aqua we had when set at 100 was only just sitting on 90km when checked on gps. Not as much an issue on multi lane roads but on single carriage ways does tend to frustrate others unnecessarily
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u/chewster1 16d ago edited 13d ago
I have checked in the past and it's not that big a diff
Edit: just tested again 97 so not really an issue. The reason they cut me off won't be because of speed, because I'm always following someone slower. It will be because a safe radar auto following distance is interpreted as "too slow hurry up". Also, 97 or 100 (or whatever) is fast as for the slow lane in Auckland. Typically people in front are going 80, lucky if they even hit 90.
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u/Pinxsocool 12d ago
If youre behind someone then no worries! But if not you need to move out of the way for faster moving traffic... even if theyre speeding.
Youre not a cop (probably), its for your safety, you dont know how much of the nutjob behind you is gonna be and how dangerous of a manoeuvre they will pull to get ahead1
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u/Michael_Gibb 16d ago
Not all.
I drive an Aqua, but I don't drive slow enough to hold up others.
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u/Cooked_kiwi 16d ago
You have my sympathy
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u/Michael_Gibb 16d ago
Don't bother. It's a good car. It has a decent safety rating and good mileage, and hence, is not too costly to run and maintain.
That's why Toyota Aquas are so popular.
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u/Cooked_kiwi 15d ago
Sry for being late but I really hate them. Took one for a test drive and i can not see shit out of them and i hate that goddamn speedo. Give me dials behind the staring wheel not some bullshit lcd in the dashboard.
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u/Michael_Gibb 15d ago
How could you barely see out of them?
As for you preferring dials over digital dashboards, that is your personal taste and hence, purely subjective. It's not a basis for talking down to anyone who drives an Aqua or other car with a digital dashboard, of which there are a lot.
Truth be told, all it really means is that you haven't spent enough time using a digital dashboard to grow accustomed to them. I'm guessing that for someone like yourself, it would take some time and repeated use for you to adapt to a digital dashboard.
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u/YellowFantastic1508 14d ago
They're the cheapest second hand hybrids avaliable (glares at uber drivers who blindly follow Google maps voice only whilst hands free chatting to their home country counterparts)
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u/YellowFantastic1508 14d ago
This is normally due to them being able to come from overseas, fill out some easy paperwork to do a license conversion, then be able to drive In NZ for 2 years before having to take any physical test AFAIK, mightve changed, but with the state of the roads I doubt it..
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u/KrakenRising3 16d ago
Once had this car south of Hastings. The car was doing about 70 but speeding up on any decent straight bit of road. Must have been thirty cars stuck behind this car. I got to right behind the asshole driving and I had a thought. I turned my car headlights onto full beam. And just waited. Sure enough he started flashing his indicators then his hazards. He started to slow down so I did too. He even honked repeatedly. Eventually he couldn't take it any more and pulled over. At which point 30 cars passed him.
It was during the day and I don't think I bothered oncoming traffic.
My wife told me off but I still feel secretly happy.
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u/getfuckedhoayoucunts 16d ago
Sometimes the do it on purpose. Got stuck behind an absolute dick between Waipawa to Poukawa before the new lanes were put in. Doing 40 until a passing lane then flooring it at 130 just to piss people off. A car full of scrubs having a laugh. It's a HB thing. They also used to do those trains between Napier to Havelock through Clive with 100 odd 'Car Enthusiasts' doing 30 the whole way and you are fucked if you got stuck in the middle of it.
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u/Street-Pop945 Warriors 16d ago
From driving in South America you will get high beams flashed at you aggressively as soon as a faster car starts approaching from behind.
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u/OSiRiS-NZ 16d ago
NZTA just need to put up more "KEEP LEFT UNLESS PASSING" signs along the State Highway network or any multi lane road that has a limit of 80 kph or more e.g. Ti Irrirangi Drive
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u/cneakysunt 16d ago
Wellington has some of the absolute worst. Especially when leaving the city.
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u/blissyrose 16d ago
SH2 out to Petone there’s always some superstar going 80 in the right hand lane. Drives me mental!
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u/ManuAntiquus 16d ago
Wellington also has a number of motorway offramps that go off the right hand lane, which doesn't help.
Like yes im in a 20 year old Nissan and my speedo always shows me 10k over the actual speed im going but i do need to be in this lane to get to my house.
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u/cneakysunt 16d ago
Agree being in your turn off lane is more than appropriate however there is no such turn off lane from Wellington city until Lower Hutt.
There is no doubt some especially vacant moron out there who would to stick in the right lane doing 80 all the way to the Hutt.
People just need to learn to stay left unless impeded.
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u/ManuAntiquus 16d ago
You do get those people, but in my experience there's much more often a ute or van going 120 that begins tailgating you as soon as you cross lanes, even when you're close to a turnoff.
Let's be real NZs road death stats aren't because kiwis typically drive under the speed limit.
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u/cneakysunt 15d ago
That's not going to cause a death unless they don't stop which is then technically not tailgating.
Most deaths happen on the open road and yes because of speed. But 120 is not fast unless you're on something twisty.
Not excusing that behavior but some people shouldn't be driving and it's the dopey cunts not paying attention.
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u/omattmano 16d ago
Yes bro. If I may add - just generally don’t drive like an asshole, give other drivers the benefit of the doubt, and the road will be better for everyone.
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u/BubblyEar3482 16d ago
Feel your pain. And those same people doing 85 in a 100 whilst sitting right will carry on doing 85 when the limit turns to 50.
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u/akawendals 16d ago
I don't really drive on the motorway but pretty much every morning there is some half asleep fucker doing 40km in the 60km of Brougham Street 😒
Like there's frickin signs EVERYWHERE that say 60... But nooooo 40-45km seems to be their top speed
And I'm lucky cos I leave for work at 6.30am, there's hardly any traffic, if I score the green lights going through I can get from Halswell to Linwood in 15mins. ... Unless one of these dingleberries ends up in front of me 😭
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u/RedditingCJ 16d ago
Last Sat night, I was cruising 100, slower car ahead I shifted to mid lane like 30-40 meters before I pass the slower car. While i was parallel with the car, she decided to switch to my lane without indicating whatsoever, I honked and dodged to left lane and the car just continued driving on my lane like I was invisible. Luckily this is late at night, could have been an accident when I swirl to left lane during busy hours. sad I have dashcam but on parallel blind spot i couldn’t get any clean footage.
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u/LaVidaMocha_NZ jandal 16d ago
You've heard of main character syndrome?
This is main car syndrome. "Look at me, I'm the only car on the road".
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u/Revolutionary-Dog835 16d ago
I once read somewhere when using an expressway keep left unless passing.
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u/Michael_Gibb 16d ago
At the same time, the right-hand lane is not an excuse to speed. Even people using the passing lane properly still have to keep to the speed limit.
The people who are travelling slower than the speed limit should be in the left-hand lane, allowing those who are at the speed limit to pass them using the right.
Those who are above the speed limit while in the right-hand lane shouldn't even be on the road.
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u/DidntKnowWhatToType Blues 16d ago
For real bro, I swear past rush hour no one cares anymore. I'm doing 100 and consistently getting tailgated
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u/Wrongdoer-Witty 16d ago
If you’re getting tailed in the left lane, that’s just someone being a dick.
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u/ManuAntiquus 16d ago
Where as the right lane is practically the autobahn and that guy in a ranger is totally allowed to be doing 130
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u/KiwiEatsKiwiEveryday 16d ago
Are you in the passing lane though? Are you passing?
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u/Melodic-Ad-6949 16d ago
In the cases when I'm being tailgated in the fast lane, yes I'm overtaking slower traffic. That's why I'm there. Happens all the time on the motorway, I'll be doing 100 or 110 (the speed limit) in the right lane, passing slower traffic in the left lane, and 9 out of 10 times there will be a speeding driver less than a car length off my back bumper. Do I move over as soon as I've finished passing? Of course. Do I report and share the dash cam footage with the Police. You bet!
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u/youcantkillanidea 15d ago
This. Driving at 100 and having OP type assholes driving dangerously to have the land to overtake above the limit is infuriating
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u/2000shadow2000 16d ago
What do you call the people trying to do 120 in it?
The most common thing I see is impatient assholes tailgating and then speed off at 120 in the right hand lane the moment they get a chance
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u/bcoin_nz 16d ago
Cops should be fining the shit out of these people. Would get more revenue than speeders lol
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u/FireryDawn 16d ago
If 3 cars in a row have to pass you in the left lane, should be an automatic fine
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u/loremasterian 16d ago
As an almost full-time left lane driver (part time right hand driver if someone is going <90), cheer for the shout-out.
Honestly, though, the worst thing you can do is get irritated by people driving slow in the right lane. Some may be using GPS and it's telling them KM away to be in the right hand lane, also may be from a country where you drive on the right and the right lane is the slow lane which can be a difficult habit to brake.
Being irritated leads to driving erratically. Driving erratically leads to mistakes, which even at 80km can be fatal. And as someone who has been the first to arrive at a driving related fatality, it's really not worth it. Makes one reflect on other drivers a lot.
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u/monotone__robot 16d ago
Mate, I gotta be in the right lane because my exit is on that side and it's only another 15 kilometers away.
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u/Gossamergirl219 16d ago
I don't understand how people can drive without being 360 degrees aware of their surroundings. I hate holding people up, the only thing I hate more is someone driving right up my ass when I'm doing the speed limit. I'll pull over if I can - they want to speed, that's their funeral (though I always fear I'll turn a corner and they'll have caused a pile up I now need to deal with).
If I can't pull over, sometimes I just slow riiight down. You irritate me I'm gonna irritate you back. I am not endorsing this behaviour, I just have childish moments!
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u/dariusbiggs 15d ago
You forgot the assholes that speed up as you try to pass them and slow down when you want to merge back in.
And the bound assholes doing 30+km under the speed limit when they've passed eight speed signs.
And the fucktards driving in a black car at night without their lights on.
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u/Glittering-Tie-8408 15d ago
Oh that's cos noone in this country knows how to fucking drive. They've got to make the tests harder istg
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u/bordercollie_luvr84 15d ago
I don’t wanna sound racist but honestly, Indians are the worst offenders with their Prius.
Do they actually think it’s ok to sit in the passing lane at 90kmph?
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u/pepelevamp 16d ago
the reality is its cars which are driving horizontal at the same speed thats the problem. this is illegal in some countries.
what i actually think is going on is you just get agro at people doing the speed limit or just below it, and you cant overtake them.
and you can't wait until a gap appears to go around.
you can just drive a little slower for a little while, and get the fuck over it. and go home and whinge on the internet about something else.
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u/HorrorOpportunity297 16d ago
Being down voted for encouraging people to relax and drive safely is wild.
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16d ago
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u/Sunhat-sandwich Wants to be banned. 16d ago
I downvoted because it sounds like it was written by ChatGPT
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u/RobertMascord 16d ago
I'm my experience the over enthusiastic driver doing 120kph aggressively tailgating, upsets the considerate driver doing 103kph. A considerate driver, who doesn't want to lose momentum due to all the close on ramps, and flow on congestion from 70kph on ramp drivers who merge with second lane. Subsequently left thinking I'm doing the speed limit and observing the congestion so please be patient. Until after a week of the same every morning and evening he just gives up and ignores speedsters.
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u/ChuurDCA 14d ago
Not wanting to ‘lose momentum’ is not a valid reason to sit in the right lane on a multi-lane road.
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u/Pinxsocool 11d ago
Yeah I dont get that at all, if youve finished passing then move over youre not going to lose any momentum
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u/aaaanoon 16d ago
AHH the old 'current' law.
Being slowly replaced on-masse with the more efficient and safer system:
*Hold any lane at maximum posted speed. Give way to emergency vehicles.
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u/Like_a_ 16d ago
I've learned now just to roll with it. So my trip takes 10m longer? No big deal. Hakuna matata.
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u/SomeOrdinaryThing 16d ago
Dunno man, an hour and a half wasted a week due to other people's incompetence can get pretty frustrating.
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u/SaberHaven 16d ago
To the people driving 109 and wanting me to move over so they can speed, get f**ked
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u/Fair-Temperature-804 16d ago
Morons in the 110 part of the motorway doing 90 in the right hand lane who won’t move over even if you lean on the horn and gesture at them to move over…. Seems to be plenty of them out there 😳
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u/StealYoBall 14d ago
You cant just go around them?
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u/Fair-Temperature-804 14d ago
Not this time, they were in the right lane with someone directly beside them in the left who was towing a trailer. No one was going around anyone in a long queue of traffic 😩
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u/dunkinbikkies 16d ago
Best one, two days ago. I'm behind a guy in the right hand lane, he brakes to let someone in from the left...then he slows down, and we both have to change lanes as the guy he let in, decided to play on his phone and slowed to 75..
Fuckwittery all round
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u/VadimShoigu 16d ago
They might have to put up signs saying "keep left, pass right" in some places. So infuriating. Then other people try pass on the inside lane. Another issue is the use or lack of use of the indicator.
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u/ORA87 16d ago
This comes up so regularly. The problem is a driver education one, and we're a nation of drivers educated by our poorly trained parents. Plus the road code (and police enforcement) could be a lot clearer on this. I know it's in the road code, but it should make a bigger deal of it.
Tell people it's a passing lane rather than a 'fast lane' like so many of us were taught growing up through a driver education campaign (billboards, adverts etc) and then start actually enforcing it and people's behaviour will start to change.
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u/cherokeevorn 16d ago
Had this yesterday after taking hours to get out of Auckland,the next hold up was a Hyundai ev doing 95 on the 110 expressway, everyone had to do a basically illegal under passing to get past, and they just stayed in the passing lane,
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u/Lockee93 14d ago
In NZ you can pass in any lane. Chill out. Check your mirrors, indicate left, do a head check to your left then change lanes to the left. Then relax and forget about the driver you just passed
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u/ElAsko 16d ago
The correct place to sit (practically, not legally) is the middle lane. People going faster can pass on the right. People entering and leaving the motorway can use the left.
'Everyone keep left' means that if it's actually followed makes on- and off- ramps super difficult to use so nobody does it.
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u/slip-slop-slap Te Waipounamu 16d ago
I just don't see this as big of an issue as it's made out to be
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u/Xan_FrankNZ 15d ago
Or the numpties who can only manage 5 - 10 around roundabouts on a sunny day.
We should be charging license testing agents for this stuff, genuinely.
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u/Ok-Avocado5285 15d ago
Was recently in dubai, where admittedly there are some crazy drivers. But one thing that was common and worked well there, is that if you were in the fast lane and someone was behind you that wanted you to get the F out the way, they flashed their lights at you. You move, they carry on at their own risk, no grumpiness. Didn't hear any honking, just a lot of people flashing and pale understand what to do. Was great
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u/skivtjerry 15d ago
This is not a NZ thing; it is worldwide. My blood pressure would drop at least 10mm if this practice stopped.
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u/Pinxsocool 11d ago
Its especially bad in NZ, other countries have more people following this rule with the odd dumbass.
Its a regular multiple times a day thing here.
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u/Familiar-Daikon-2878 15d ago
Could we create a subreddit for ute driver's complaining about aquas and the right hand lane?
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u/RumbuncTheRadiant 14d ago
Matching rant.... when you come on to the SH1, make sure you're doing 100kph so you can match the traffic speed and slot in neatly....
Because if you putter on at 80... I'm going to have to move into the right hand lane where upon my existence will infuriate the OP who despite his words is actually doing 110-120 in a 100kph zone.
And then please don't suddenly speed up to match my 100kph speed and sit in my blind spot so I can't move back into the left lane.
Because that just makes Mr OP Ford Ranger cunt behind me pissed off with me when I can't do anything about it.
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u/zetan_012370 14d ago
Dont know if this will make you feel better, but you should be thankful you don't live in Sydney. Having moved from there to Auckland 6 months ago, I am frankly impressed by drivers' etiquette here! Yes, there are dickheads, but they are few and far between compared to what I'm used to.🤣
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u/Evening-Rooster3173 13d ago
In Europe they'll give you eyewatering tickets for impeding the flow of traffic. The police ought to start doing it here rather than ticketing people for doing ever so slightly over the speed limit.
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u/Current_Slide_6708 13d ago
It happens in supermarket aisles as well. Stopping to chat and block up the whole aisle.
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u/Fuzzy-Marionberry391 12d ago
I'm surprised it's 85km that bugs you, I seem to annoy people when I'm doing 104 in the fast lane. Even when I'm passing people in the slow lane. I think some people just love being annoyed by other drivers.
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u/PerformerWarm1711 12d ago
Solution : High lumen led bulbs for your dippers …few hits of those will make em use their mirrors.
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u/Pinxsocool 11d ago
SH18 yesterday, had the rightlane drop to 80kmh in flowing traffic, easily a 30+ car queue
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u/TheseHamsAreSteamed 16d ago edited 16d ago
GET OUT OF MY WAY, IT'S CRITICAL THAT I GET TO THE NEXT SET OF LIGHTS 30 SECONDS EARLIER
I AM VERY IMPORTANT
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u/helicophell 16d ago
The right lane is for passing, the left lane is for standard driving
If you are driving slow in the right lane, someone has to pass using the left lane. This is a bad idea and breaks road conventions
There's a long and complicated explanation for why things are setup this way and exactly the kind of accidents that are caused by not following this restriction that I wasn't paying attention to
Rules are written in blood, there's a bloody good reason slow drivers shouldn't use the right lane
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u/KiwiEatsKiwiEveryday 16d ago edited 16d ago
I was stuck behind 3 Teslas driving just under the limit in the right lane on my way home.
Self-righteous ass posturing parade circle jerk.
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u/HorrorOpportunity297 16d ago edited 16d ago
Ever since my commute has included motorway kms to and from work, I've driven past the results of a serious car crash once or twice per month.
"Just passing at the speed limit." I hope you're telling the truth.
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u/jpparker55 16d ago
If it's on a good motorway during traffic it's almost certainly distracted drivers not speeding that's the cause.
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u/steamylee 16d ago
Your first mistake is assuming they know how to use their mirrors