Random thoughts about cycling in New Zealand

[Richard Bates]

Some random thoughts and observations from 6 days n NZ, one of which was spent cycling.

1 H*lm*ts are compulsary. $55 fine for non-compliance 2 Cycle courier business seems to be common in
Auckland 3 Very few cyclists run red lights 4 In 6.5 days I saw nobody cycle on the footpath 5 The
road from Auckland Centre to Mount Eden contains the widest bus/cycle path I have ever seen: Almost
wide enough for a bus to overtake another bus. 6 Cars enjoy parking in the bus/cycle lane described
in (5) 7 On arrival at Waiheke Island ferry terminal the first bike hire centre charges $30 per day
8 5 minutes up the road the price drops to $15 per day 9 Price can be haggled to $10 per day 10 $10
bike was awful! 11 There appear to be no such things as Sheffield stands or similar 12 Car drivers
are mostly very courteous - hoot in advance, overtake safely (waiting behind if needed), hoot
afterwards. (My only personal experience of car/bike interaction was on Waiheke Island - I didn't
cycle on mainland) 13 A few briefly labelled pics can be found at
www.cuddle.clara.net/cycling/tour2003b (5x400k) 14 I will go again, maybe for longer than 6 days! 15
I will possibly take my own bike. 16 Priority at junctions is confusing. Traffic turning right at
cross roads has priority over traffic going straight on or turning left. 17 This is made less
confusing at traffic lights since there is usually a filter lane for left turning traffic, capped
with a give way line.

Love and aotearoa from Rich x

--
"Netiquette" states that a signature should be no more than four lines long.

[Simonb]

Richard Bates wrote:
> 16 Priority at junctions is confusing. Traffic turning right at cross roads has priority over
> traffic going straight on or turning left. 17 This is made less confusing at traffic lights since
> there is usually a filter lane for left turning traffic, capped with a give way line.

The same system is used in the USA. I found it confusing, too. Especially as the law is different
depending on which state you are in. In Maryland the law gives priority to right-turning traffic,
but just across the state line in New Jersey, the law changes and there is no priority other than to
cars already moving across a junction.

Simonb

[Richard Bates]

On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 15:54:56 +0100, "Simonb" <sbennettatwiderworlddotcodotuk> in
<3f92a5c5$0$15124$bed64819@pubnews.gradwell.net> wrote:

>Richard Bates wrote:
>> 16 Priority at junctions is confusing. Traffic turning right at cross roads has priority over
>> traffic going straight on or turning left. 17 This is made less confusing at traffic lights since
>> there is usually a filter lane for left turning traffic, capped with a give way line.
>
>The same system is used in the USA. I found it confusing, too. Especially as the law is different
>depending on which state you are in. In Maryland the law gives priority to right-turning traffic,
>but just across the state line in New Jersey, the law changes and there is no priority other than
>to cars already moving across a junction.

I think we are talking at opposites since the USA drive on the right. NZ drive in the left.

Love and directions from Rich x

--
"Netiquette" states that a signature should be no more than four lines long.

[Simonb]

Richard Bates wrote:

> I think we are talking at opposites since the USA drive on the right. NZ drive in the left.
>
> Love and directions from Rich x

Yes, that's right.

Now I understand why so many people were honking at me.

Simonb

[Trevor Barton]

Richard Bates <SPAM.TRAP.put.only.the.word.richard.before.the.at.sign @cuddle.clara.co.uk> wrote:
> 16 Priority at junctions is confusing. Traffic turning right at cross roads has priority over
> traffic going straight on or turning left.

And even more confusing, on a fast road if you are turning right, you have to pull over to the
*left* untill it's clear in both directions before pulling all the way across the road to make the
turn. That's confusing, even though I am a New Zealander living in England who has never actually
lived in Aotearoa in 42 years and drove there for the first time last year!

> Love and aotearoa from Rich x

No, I didn't drive there, I flew there, then drove there, errr...

Man from the Land of the Long White Cloud, in the Land of the Long Time Cloud.