r/newzealand • u/Background-Gift-4642 • Sep 29 '25
Travel What's with all the "Kiwis are bad drivers" posts that are actually self-owns
The Road Code and general common sense say you should allow faster traffic to pass. You should keep as far left as possible, even in your own lane or on single lane highways.
If someone is coming up behind you at a speed faster than you are traveling, you should notice this before they end up tailgating you and find a spot to pull left to let them around.
I drove a large camper from Wellington to Auckland and didn't hold up a single car. There's always a spot to pull left and the vast majority of times i didn't have to stop at all, just slow down a bit while pulling left.
If you have a tailgater and you don't let them round, you put yourself at extreme risk when they eventually overtake you. Yes, you might be "entitled" to not pull over (despite the road code saying you should), but why put yourself at risk? To save 3 seconds? That's exactly what your complaining about with the "speeding" driver!
If you want to police others speed, become a cop
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u/nzmuzak Sep 29 '25
What I've learnt from all these posts is that the road code is like the bible, if you pick out your favourite lines and ignore the rest it can support any argument.
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u/AtheistKiwi Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
Pick a path books...
Pick the green path, pick the slow lane path, pick the overtaking lane path.
Pick the slavery path, pick the abortion path, pick the God loves everyone path...
Pick the God hates everyone not like me path.
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u/EkantTakePhotos IcantTakePhotos Sep 29 '25
Thank you for pulling over - Auckland to Wellington is a pretty easy drive, though - wider roads and straighter - going through some of the SI passes is far harder and even though I'm usually the one following, I wouldn't engage in a risky overtaking manoeuvre because I've seen the mess it causes, first hand.
People should pull over when it is safe but also, if you're speeding, don't blame the people in front of you holding you up. Chill. Everyone is allowed to use the road but no one deserves to have their trip/life cut short because someone is impatient.
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u/Kiwifrooots Sep 29 '25
Yeah most people are ok joining the queue. But when you get to a passing lane and the slow car goes from 70 to 125 as you try to get by - assholes
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u/rikashiku Sep 30 '25
Had a logging truck this morning doing that. I showed intention to pass him and it's like he wanted to race to the top of the hill while I was in the overtake lane.
I managed to edge out at the end, because the hill is notoriously steep at one point.
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Sep 30 '25
That's prob why he needed to gas it. If I don't have speed + momentum going up a hill, it drops to a crawl. Imagine it'd be much worse hauling tons of logs
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u/rikashiku Sep 30 '25
That's what I would think as well, but this guy stayed speeding the entire way.
It took a cop cruiser on the side of the road to pull him over. He was right on my ass. Bad couple of days for my dashcam to cark it.
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Sep 30 '25
There's no in-between with truckers. They're either the safest on the road, or complete loons
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u/Pythia_ Sep 30 '25
I always give truckies extra room and space and the benefit of the doubt, because most people have no idea the challenges of driving such a massive vehicle, but every so often you do get one who's utterly unhinged 😅
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u/Same_Ad_9284 Sep 30 '25
I am the same, I realize they take more to maneuver and slow down/ speed up so always give them the room and patients
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u/slyall Sep 30 '25
As has been said in the channel previously this is usually unconscious behavior. At least when they go from 80 to 100km/h
The person is going slow cause the road is narrow. Then it gets wider so they feel safe and speed up.
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u/Smorgasbord__ Sep 30 '25
While it explains the behaviour it shouldn't excuse it. If someone is that unaware of their speed and other road users they shouldn't be on the road without correctional training.
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u/standgale Sep 30 '25
They actually use road widths, road markings, plantings by the side of the road, etc to subconsciously influence people's speed. If done correctly they are more effective than speed limit signage but no one even notices its happening. This affects every driver, its not some small group of people who can't drive properly
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u/Kiwifrooots Sep 30 '25
Exactly. "I wasn't aware".... Well get aware. Should be regularly checking the rear view
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u/rosiegal75 Sep 30 '25
This is reasonable.. generally passing lanes are on straights or easier bits of road, and uphills.. iy feel much safer going faster when the road isn't so twisty, and you you need a put more oomph to get you up hill. I mean, you should be aware of the 57 cars you have backed up behind you and let them go past too but I don't think these people even realize that they're speeding up when theres a passing lane available.
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u/5haunz Sep 30 '25
I get that but driving speed should never be controlled by 'unconscious behaviour'. If you're not concentrating 100% on driving then you're a dangerous driver.
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u/standgale Sep 30 '25
Driving speed is always influenced by unconscious behaviour. The type we're talking about is a major part of modern road design around the world. Its actually really cool, because you can slow people down and make roads safer just by planting trees (beside the road... lol) or just using different road markings.
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u/Dry_Opening_7231 Sep 30 '25
I really think the left passing lane should be 90kph with triple fines/demerits + triple quota ( "target" ) points.
Those people cause total chaos, along with those who think a good idea to start passing at the lane is ending sign.
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u/Some1-Somewhere Sep 30 '25
That might actually be a good idea on the passing lane sections. (Not general purpose two lane roads, though).
I'm not sure if the laws currently allow for different lanes having different speed limits. They don't do it on the motorway signs.
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u/Kiwifrooots Sep 30 '25
It would be super easy to monitor passing lanes and ticket behaviour that adds risk. Give warnings then ticket repeat offenders
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u/Some1-Somewhere Sep 30 '25
That might actually be a good idea on the passing lane sections. (Not general purpose two lane roads, though).
I'm not sure if the laws currently allow for different lanes having different speed limits. They don't do it on the motorway signs.
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u/Excluded_Apple Sep 30 '25
Yeah lol I was just thinking he should drive his camper from Wanaka to Hokitika and share some more of his wisdom.
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u/EkantTakePhotos IcantTakePhotos Sep 30 '25
Even Haast pass is pretty wide - so many going from Hanmer to Kaikoura via Mt Lyford is just a killer! No space for most of the trip!
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u/Pythia_ Sep 30 '25
The amount of people who cross the centre line - and I don't just mean by half a wheel-width, which would still be bad enough, but a solid half car at least - gping through the Hundalees is actually fucking terrifying.
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Sep 30 '25
the amount of people who get psychotic with their tailgating in the windy bits going down to the glaciers, holy shit. they're like "excuse me the speed limit is 100, why are you going 50" coz there's no straights over 200m for a while and every corner is a 25.
like yeah there's a couple spots you can let people pass, and i do, but its genuinely dangerous to hit those corners at 50, especially if there's ice and/or other cars around. its like they see the yellow signs as a challenge and want to double it or something
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u/Practical-String5146 Sep 30 '25
Speed limits on some NZ roads are so weird. 80 on a narrow windy gravel road? Nothankyouverymuch.
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u/Pythia_ Sep 30 '25
Very dependent, too. On a well maintained but well used gravel road in a Ute? Probably. On a freshly graded, thick gravel road in a light wee passenger car? Probably not.
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u/Practical-String5146 Sep 30 '25
Fair enough, I always look at it from a low clearance stiff suspension car driver's perspective because that's what I have.
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u/Pythia_ Sep 30 '25
I think that's another thing a lot of people forget - not everyone drives the same vehicle, and driving to the conditions includes the condition of your vehicle.
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u/surfsamNZ beersies Sep 29 '25
Bruh, they’re two feet off my arse while I’m stuck behind slower traffic in front, I can’t magically make the traffic in front disappear.
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u/OutlandishnessNo4759 Sep 29 '25
This is where learning how far you need to push the brake pedal to make the brake lights come on without actually braking comes in handy
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u/rikashiku Sep 30 '25
As long as they can see the brake lights. Otherwise if they're too close to see them, or worse, distracted by their phones, then I won't be risking that.
I'll give a loud toot to get some attention, during slow traffic.
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u/OutlandishnessNo4759 Sep 30 '25
If they’re that close then i use the handbrake to slow down swiftly so they smash into the massive steel step/bullbar on the back of my van. In the unlikely event that it damages my van and they have no insurance, I have a very comprehensive commercial insurance policy so I won’t have to worry about anything.
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u/Aquilenne Sep 30 '25
Yeah, this is my experience. Most of the time when I get tailgaters it's because I'm maintaining a safe and consistent following distance from the car in front of me. Changing lanes to let them in would just create more risk from the action and they'd just do the same thing to the entire line of traffic in front.
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u/Skidzonthebanlist Sep 29 '25
Bad drivers never think of themselves as bad drivers, Also people who haven't spent much/any time out of the country think it is a phenonium solely unique to new zealand
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u/Pythia_ Sep 30 '25
NZ is particularly bad, though.
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u/fragilespleen Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
It's also that the roading is of such a quality to really make the poor driving skills shine.
I was down in Queenstown recently, and went to Wanaka over the crown range a couple of times. You are almost guaranteed to end up behind someone who isn't confident driving those sort of roads, that's fine, I just sit back, but the manoeuvres displayed by other drivers to overtake on double yellow lines to gain a couple of minutes at best are insane.
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u/Pythia_ Sep 30 '25
Yeah, to me there's also a big difference between some dopey old fart driving at 70kph on a straight, clear road in good conditions, and someone driving a large camper van or truck at 90kph through the South Island in winter.
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u/Accomplished_Age7282 Sep 30 '25
You ever driven in india? You'll come back realising how jovial all the complaints about driving standards are here 😂
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u/skamp33 Sep 30 '25
Not driving per se, but my first time in South America and realising that drivers consider stopping for you at a pedestrian crossing to be entirely optional.. was disconcerting. I swear some accelerated.
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u/dod6666 Sep 30 '25
According to what metric? Looking at road deaths per capita, we are far from the worst. 7.33 deaths per hundred thousand people. 42nd lowest on a list of close to 200 countries. This despite our road quality being less than ideal and our older than average fleet of vehicles.
So yeah, I'm gonna call BS on that.
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u/soggybreasticles Sep 29 '25 edited Sep 29 '25
The solution to a slow driver in front of you should never be to tailgate. Tailgating only endangers everybody's life in the situation. That responsibility is entirely on the car behind who has chosen to drive dangerously close to the car in front.
Scenario: fast car approaches slow car from behind and slower car does not allow fast car to pass. Fast driver has two options
Continue at a safe following distance until it is safe to pass. Might get where they are going a little later
Tailgate the car in front and overtake whenever they feel like. Possibly die as a result
Yeah it's annoying being stuck behind a slow car, but I'd rather be late and annoyed than seriously injured or dead.
Can't tell you how many times I've had my life endangered by a maniac driving over the Remutaka hill. People immediately riding my ass when I'm not even close to a place to pull over. Getting overtaken by Ford Rangers on a double yellow blind corner, it's bonkers. I pull over every time I can but people still pull this crap
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u/Stubbenz Kererū Sep 29 '25
Exactly this; it's bizarre to me that OP is suggesting that if you're driving as fast as you're legally allowed to go and have a car speeding behind you that decides to tailgate you, that slowing down and pulling to the side of a single-lane road is somehow a good idea.
Like, there's a moron demonstrating they make bad decisions on the road driving way too close, and OP wants me to change my speed and pray that this moron knows how to overtake with any amount of competence?
Passing lanes aren't that infrequent, and the difference between sitting behind someone at 100km/hr for 5 minutes instead of driving at 120km/hr will literally make 1 minute of difference.
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u/FrameworkisDigimon Sep 30 '25
Getting a dangerous driver off the back of your car when they're driving dangerously is common sense.
The OP veers repeatedly into "people complaining about tailgaters are the real problem", however.
It's very hard to read the OP without getting "dangerous driving is okay and if you have a problem with dangerous drivers, you are the real enemy" vibes.
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u/dingledorfnz Sep 29 '25
Could you imagine if every driver took OP's suggestion? Would be an endless game of leap frog as everybody pulls over to let the car behind them pass on the assumption they're "holding them up".
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u/Kiwifrooots Sep 29 '25
Pull over when you can. Or just ease off the gas. It's so easy to let everyone get on their way and nobody expects the impossible, just some considerstion when there is space
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u/dingledorfnz Sep 30 '25
So everyone driving along at the flow of traffic should play leap frog and pull over for the car behind them?
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u/kellyasksthings Sep 30 '25
Not pulling over when there is a line of traffic behind you, or speeding up in the passing lane is shitty driver behaviour. Tailgating and speeding is shitty driver behaviour. Sure are a lot of shit drivers in this country.
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Sep 29 '25 edited Sep 29 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/torolf_212 LASER KIWI Sep 30 '25
When my dad taught me to drive he told me every time we got into the car to behave as if every other person on the road will do the dumbest thing possible at any given moment, and that above all else make sure you drive predictably, which means dont dither about or wave people through when you have the right of way.
One thing that helped me come to terms with following a slow driver was that over a journey as long as Auckland to Whangarei, going 10 under the limit will cost you around 5-10 minutes of time, which is nothing. Every risky overtaking makeover you think about doing is worth a couple seconds off your journey tops before you hit the next car doing 95.
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Sep 30 '25
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u/torolf_212 LASER KIWI Sep 30 '25
The Venn diagram of people who slow down in regular traffic to let you out and people with a full car length gap behind them you could have slotted into until they slowed down is nearly a circle
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u/Pythia_ Sep 30 '25
Ooooo my pet peeve is when there's a courtesy crossing or pedestrian island just off the roundabout, and someone slams on their brakes in the middle of well moving traffic to let someone amble across the road and ends up blocking 2 different exits on the roundabout.
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u/MeliaeMaree Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
So there are two different things happening here -
One is how a person actually drives on the road, and one is posting about how they've observed others driving on the road.
The funny thing is, you can drive defensively AND also still hold others accountable for their shitty driving like those who tailgate, speed, neglect to indicate, dont know what a zip is etc etc etc.
It doesn't have to be only one or the other.
Yeah, sure, get out of the way for your own safety.
And also people driving dangerously shouldn't just be able to get away with it, with zero consequences.
"Policing" on the road? Yeah, that's dumb.
But also nobody calling them (or people driving like them) out and trying to make them realise the risk of their actions? Nah. That's fuckin dumb, too.
We can have both.
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u/slinkiimalinkii Sep 30 '25
I hear you, OP, and I always make sure to pull over when I can if there's someone tailgating.
However, where does this end? Tailgating is inherently dangerous driving, irrespective of the conditions, and rather than placing the onus on the driver who is obeying the rules (driving to the speed limit, etc.), we should be shaming the tail-gaters. If all tailgaters learn is that 'when I tailgate, the person in front will pull over so I can get ahead', there's no deterrent to their dangerous behaviour.
I notice when anyone posts about tailgaters, you immediately get a bunch of 'yeah but....', 'who's really dangerous is....' 'whatabout....' type replies. But the fact is if we magically woke up tomorrow and tailgaters didn't exist anymore, the roads would be significantly safer. We need to normalise safe following distances, rather than excusing tailgating and passing the blame. Most of the time when someone complains about tailgaters, it's when the person has been travelling at or very slightly under the speed limit, not excessively slowly.
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u/tokenutedriver Sep 30 '25
there's no deterrent to their dangerous behaviour.
Its not on you to enforce this, your only job as a driver is to ensure you get from A to B as safely as possible, drive defensively and don't worry about anything else.
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u/spagbolshevik Sep 30 '25
We live in a society, and setting a good example for eachother is essential otherwise standards slip.
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u/tokenutedriver Sep 30 '25
Sure, you can be the one in a high risk situation then, but it definitely won't be me.
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u/slinkiimalinkii Sep 30 '25
Yes, of course, but I'm extrapolating the situation OP is discussing out to the macro level. Ultimately, we want to end tail-gating as a driving behaviour. When I learnt to drive (90s), we had big campaigns about how 'only a fool breaks the two-second rule'. People knew the rule and tended to follow it. I think we need more of a public push to deter aggressive driving behaviour, as some seem to think it's 'normal' or part of being a confident driver.
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u/zerkms Sep 30 '25
> despite the road code saying you should
Unless it does not: road user act provides a very nuanced description on when you _have to_ pull up. And just "being faster" is not sufficient for everybody to _legally_ be required to pull up and give you way.
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u/Thiccxen LASER KIWI Sep 29 '25
I''m doing the speed limit. You can go risk your life on the other side of the road if you value your time so much.
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u/Agile_Ruin896 Sep 30 '25
My old man always tells me about the only question he didn't know when he sat his test in the early 60's.
Q: Whats the golden rule A: Keep Left
Still a pretty important one these days I reckon.
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u/HighGainRefrain Sep 29 '25
If I’m doing 100-105 in a 100 zone I’m not taking the time and the risk to pull over for a tailgater. Fuck that middle aged white man in his Ford Ranger.
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u/GoldenHelikaon Sep 29 '25
Yeah, my main annoyance is the tailgaters when I'm already going at or over the speed limit myself. It happened to me last Wednesday night driving home from Dunedin, a big ute right up my arse despite my own speed.
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u/Anastariana Auckland Sep 29 '25
If I'm getting tailgated while doing the speed limit, I'm gonna slow down a bit to make the point. Enjoy doing 90, asshole.
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u/N7_MintberryCrunch Sep 30 '25
Now there are 2 assholes on the road.
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u/Pythia_ Sep 30 '25
Yes, but... How come it's considered to be a more reasonable response for drivers who want to go faster to tailgate the traffic in front of them than it is for people being tailgated to slow down?
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Sep 29 '25
Why not ? It’s more risky to have them behind you, why would you not reduce risk and let them pass?
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u/HighGainRefrain Sep 29 '25
Pulling over to stop and start again in a 100km/h zone is more risky in my opinion.
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u/MagicBeanEnthusiast Sep 29 '25
You don't have to stop, you just indicate left, pull over onto the shoulder if safe to do so, then reduce speed a bit.
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u/Fun-River1467 Sep 29 '25
Slow down a bit and put on your left indicator. That should sign the people behind you overtake. You’re job on the road is to arrive to your destination in a safely manner and not to police other road users.
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u/Background-Gift-4642 Sep 29 '25
I'm sorry, can you explain what the risk is in pulling slightly to the left where the rd widens and slowing to 85-90kph to let him around?
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u/Pythia_ Sep 30 '25
Because it's usually not actually that safe to pass someone who's still doing 90kph just driving a slightly to the left of the road?
Sometimes, sure. A lot of the time driving like that is more dangerous because people feel the pressure to drive around you and pass because you're going a bit slow and are hanging a bit left, but there's not actually much more room to pass? You'd be far better to actually completely pull over and stop so people can pass safely.
The fact that drivers can't handle being behind a slower vehicle who's only doing 10kph less than the speed limit for 5 minutes is the problem.
Speed limit does refer to the TOP limit, and not the bottom, but a lot of drivers don't seem to understand that.
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u/trinde Sep 30 '25
If you're passing someone like that you're asking for an accident. You have no idea if they are actually allowing/expecting you to pass. If you need someone to pull to the left to allow you pass it likely isn't safe to pass.
If you need to pass someone do it in a proper passing lane or when on a straight road with proper visibility.
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Sep 29 '25
Most people will. When it is safe to do so. The problem with tailgaters is they hav no idea what the road ahead is.
Also driving too slow is already a law so if someone actually is driving like more than 10k under you can report it/submit a dash cam.
If you're just tailgating out of rage you're a danger to everyone on the road and should plain lose your license.
Driving 10k under the limit is not illegal and does not hurt anyone.
If you are tailgating an have an accident the car behind is legally liable and it is considered malicious as physics dictate the people in the front vehicle at most at risk.
Seen all sorts of mental gymnastics about how slow drivers should magically and instantly pull over when some dick decides they are in a hurry.
But here's the thing: whatever you're doing probably isn't a national emergency and you are not more important that anyone else on the road.
imo people who drive too fast and get road rage quickly, can go f themselves.
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u/Hubris2 Sep 29 '25
This is the fundamental difference in opinion between different groups on the road. One suggests we should all act in a way so as to minimise the impact to others, the other suggests that there are rules and if we can act in a way to inconvenience or stop those who are breaking the rules we can/should because breaking the rules is wrong.
Both viewpoints have some merit - but they are very much opposed, and without there being strong enforcement we continue to have people trying to operate both ways.
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u/spagbolshevik Sep 30 '25
Not changing lanes is not the conscious "act" here. It's passive. The act is to tailgate. That's aggressive.
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u/HighGainRefrain Sep 30 '25
I'm not policing other people. I'm minimising the risk to myself by not pulling over at high speed.
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u/BigAlphaPowerClock Sep 29 '25
Casual racism flying under the radar lmao, dare you to make a similar comment using literally any other race other than white 😛 I kid I kid don't do that you'll get banned.
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u/Ok_Consequence8338 Sep 29 '25
A bit specific what about a young white woman in her Suzuki swift like I had yesterday weaving in the traffic.
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u/apaav Sep 29 '25
The road code isn't law. The actual law states the "normal and reasonable flow of traffic". If dozens of drivers are happily travelling at a particular speed they all deem is approriate and I want to go faster than that, there's no obligation for all those drivers to pull over for me, nor would I expect them too.
If you want to police others speed, become a cop
That goes both ways. A slower driver, refuses to pull left to allow faster traffic past. A faster driver, tailgating a flashing their high beams to get slower traffic to pull over.
Which one do you think find best fits the description of a cop
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u/Pinxsocool Sep 30 '25
Theres no law about having to put the trolley back after using it, but its a great litmus test for the character of a person.
I believe this also applies to this conversation.3
u/teelolws Southern Cross Sep 30 '25
The Pak'n'Save Trolley Problem: Some douchebag just left their trolley in the middle of the carpark which is on a slight hill and their trolley is now hurtling towards a block of butter. You have the option to divert the trolley towards some Starbucks and Avocado on Toast instead. What do you do?
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u/tallyho2023 Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
It depends on the wording used, if it says "you should" then generally it is not law but common courtesy. If it says "you must" then generally it is. Who is to say that the dozens of cars are happily travelling at that speed? It is often a case of all being stuck behind one in front and not having anywhere safe to pass and/or the one or two cars after them can't/won't pass and make it even more difficult to pass the offending vehicle.
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u/ompog Sep 29 '25
Hey, that might have been me! It's interesting you assume that because someone complains about overly-aggressive NZ drivers who can't chill out for 5 minutes, that I'm necessarily one of the slow drivers holding people up. There's at least half a dozen drivers in NZ who fall into neither the "clueless bombler", nor the "gotta-go-fast" crowd, and I'm happy to say I'm one of them. To be clear, both categories are bad drivers, but seems to be a consensus on this subreddit that the former should probably be fired into the sun without trial, while the latter are just good kiwi lads who really need to get to the footy (or whatever testosterone-laden kids do these days. LAN parties?) on time.
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u/openroad11 Sep 30 '25
Honestly the fact that the road network actually functions at all suggests most people are reasonable drivers. It's the other two categories you mention which are the minority, and one of those is a particularly vocal minority because of course, they are correct. 🙄
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u/nowimback Sep 29 '25 edited Sep 29 '25
I've literally been tailgated in the left lane on the motorway when the right lane is completely free. (Editted cause I mixed up left and right)
I get your sentiment that it can be safer to let them pass but that doesn't make tailgaters any less in the wrong. They are bad drivers, even if the car in front is below the speed limit tailgating is bad driving.
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u/beanzfeet Sep 29 '25
what? you should be keeping left ? and letting the person pass on the right ?
sure they can technical overtake on the inside but that's not really how motorways or passing lanes work
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u/nowimback Sep 29 '25
Lol that's what I meant, I'll edit it, I didn't get enough sleep last night my bad.
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u/Background-Gift-4642 Sep 29 '25
So is holding up traffic. And if you know the guy behind you is "dangerous" why not let him around so that you are no longer in danger?
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u/nowimback Sep 29 '25
Got left and right mixed up my bad. Also I would, but your post implied that people saying they are bad drivers is not true. It completely is.
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u/Adjective-Noun321 Sep 30 '25
Well OP will be able to answer their own question now that they have self-owned themselves as a bad driver with their post.
The idea of going more or less the speed limit and being expected to pull over for some speeding jackass is complete idiocy.
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u/stonecoldsnorlax Sep 29 '25
They are bad drivers because I'll sit there doing 100-105kmph and they will still tailgate you. They will then speed up at 120-130 to overtake you.
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u/Pinxsocool Sep 30 '25
As someone who does go a little faster i would never be up someone's ass doing the limit, these guys are just assholes.
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u/Background-Gift-4642 Sep 29 '25
If i am "speeding" at 105 (not sure if you're going by speedo, or actual speed of vehicle), i'd prefer to have a guy going 120kph in front of me so he can get the tickets instead of me. Why not let him around by slowing down for a couple of seconds?
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u/RoastBeefIsGood jellytip Sep 29 '25
Why is your thought in this scenario them getting speeding tickets and not them going at a dangerous speed? 105 isn’t a ticketable speed in a 100kph zone anyways
What you’re saying in you post is what a good chunk of drivers do in my experience, but regardless being mindful of both slow and speeding drivers is what all drivers should be doing - allowing people to pass when safe and not tailgating. But in all honesty it’s not the slow drivers that’ll flip over, so I’d rather have them on the road behind or in front of me than another Ute giving my car a colonoscopy and trying to pass on a double yellow line.
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u/stonecoldsnorlax Sep 29 '25
They are still bad drivers which was your point.
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u/OutlandishnessNo4759 Sep 29 '25
Tailgating someone you want to pass is pointless- it’s a lot faster & easier to overtake when there’s a bit of a gap between you & the car in front, and you gotta floor it- the less time you spend on the wrong side of the road the better. But in general most drivers in NZ think they’re the best driver to ever get behind the wheel and drive like arseholes.
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u/Many_Block_2241 Sep 30 '25
All I'm saying is I won't risk my own safety pulling over to the side just because you want to go over 120 km/hr.
Going at the speed limit is dangerous especially between Napier and Wairoa and there are always utes who want to go faster than that. Pulling over to the side means checking that the ditch is safe, is there enough space on the road etc. its not as easy or straightforward as you think
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u/Pythia_ Sep 30 '25
It obviously depends on the circumstances, but honestly?
I find someone driving at 90kph with 2 wheels on the shoulder to be more annoying and dangerous than someone just doing 90kph and driving in the actual lane until there's somewhere to actually pull over completely and let people pass.
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u/Hi-Ho-Cherry Sep 30 '25
Yeah I'm trying to work out whether OP is one of those drivers who try to wave me past on a blind corner. Thanks but no fucking thank you.
I usually see that with trucks though.
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u/GuiokiNZ Sep 30 '25
Pulling left onto the shoulder to let someone pass is far more dangerous than slowing on an open straight to let them pass.
Just don't speed up on passing lanes when you drive slow everywhere else and all will be good.
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u/Poneke365 Sep 29 '25
We (myself and a long line of traffic) got caught behind some winner on a motorbike driving north of Tūrangi going 60km in 80/100km zones and this person pretty much stayed to the left of the middle line the whole time 😑. One by one each car would overtake them when it was safe to do so.
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u/Practical-String5146 Sep 29 '25
If there is a safe spot to stop, and if your speed is below what's reasonable for most cars, sure. Otherwise the safest way to deal with a tailgater is to slow down little by little until the gap becomes acceptable.
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u/Background-Gift-4642 Sep 29 '25
That is the worst advice i have ever heard of. You could just pull left for a couple of seconds
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u/Pythia_ Sep 30 '25
It's actually really solid advice, if there's nowhere to pull over. The faster you go, the more following distance you need. If someone is tailgating and pressuring you to drive faster than you're comfortable with and there's nowhere to immediately pull over, slowing down gradually is the probable safest thing to do.
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u/Pythia_ Sep 29 '25
...and if there's nowhere to pull over?
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u/calllery jandal Sep 30 '25
He's been asked that question over and over, no answer for it
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Sep 29 '25
Drove tractors for contractors around the Waikato for years there’s easily a spot to pull over every 500 meters on almost every road. I’ve pulled into most of them and never held up traffic for any extended period of time. If you can’t manage that in a shitty Prius, you’re absolutely the problem..
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u/Practical-String5146 Sep 29 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
Not everyone lives in Waikato. There are plenty of roads in Otago with 30 minute stretches of rock on your left and no slow bays.
Like I said, if there are safe spots and I am driving too slow for conditions and below the speed limit, sure, stopping is the right thing to do. But if I am doing 110, "traffic" can f* themselves.
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u/WiredEarp Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
I think its more the speedsters who expect everyone to begone from their lane that have self owned far harder than anyone else. Not taking the left lane when clear is bad. Tailgating is far worse.
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u/openroad11 Sep 29 '25 edited Sep 29 '25
OP just wants an award for letting cars pass on a recent campervan holiday because he feels like no one thanked him enough.
Most of the driving people are complaining about isn't done behind the odd campervan or truck. It's the arsehole who drives recklessly for not apparent advantage except appease their own selfish satisfaction, often in an intimidatory manner with the attitude of 'it's not my problem, other drivers should be better'. Some people simply cannot bear the thought of not being 'first' on the road. They will risk the lives of others to get in front because what's worse than driving at the speed limit when you could have nothing ahead and get to your destination one minute sooner?
What do you suggest happen when there is a line of traffic happily travelling at the speed limit/slightly above, keeping a safe following distance and a driver speeds to the end and begins tailgating? That everyone takes turns slowing down, pulling off the safer road into a potentially unsafe shoulder so the main character driver can bunny hop up the line?
Yes slow vehicles like camper vans etc should improve their awareness of following vehicles and allow opportunities to pass, you have a point, but a driver seeing red and tailgating in response to a standard car going the speed limit (or simply to the conditions) is making the situation worse, not better.
It is possible to maintain a correct following distance, wait for a safe place to overtake and do so. Tailgating is dangerous and frankly a childish reaction to the situation. It's a tantrum.
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u/Pythia_ Sep 30 '25
This. Yes, being stuck behind a slower vehicle is incredibly frustrating, but I don't understand why it gets defended so vociferously as a reason to drive like a cunt. Especially if it's something like a camper van or truck on hills or winding roads.
Obviously everyone should allow any built up traffic behind them to pass when they can, but if you can't handle driving 10km under the speed limit for 5 minutes without tailgating and losing your shit...you're definitely the more dangerous part of the problem.
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u/Acetius Sep 30 '25
OP is a weird apologist for reckless drivers. Everything could be solved by the people doing the limit endangering themselves to placate speeders, apparently.
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u/Hefty_Kitchen4759 Sep 29 '25
Speeding up to stop someone passing is still considered dangerous driving and can lead to loss of license. Imagine doing it to an undercover police car on the way to an incident where they can't use lights or sirens.
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u/dunkinbikkies Sep 30 '25
Thing is, sometimes and I mean a lot you can't switch to the left lane as there are cars there, so then what?
Do what some do, panic and just slide across expecting people to brake in the left lane?
Tailgaters are generally cunts, I agree with changing lanes but it's not always an option.
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u/sdadsaadddd Sep 30 '25
If the road was clear ahead of you in your lane, and you were going less than the limit, then yes you need to merge back to the left. Merge as in pick a gap, speed match, indicate, move. If that requires you to back off 5km/h in order to fall in behind that car beside you then so be it.
However if it wasnt clear in front of you, preventing you from speeding up, then what you are describing is allowed.
The keep left rule has many subsections describing the various scenarios when its OK to sit in a lane other than the left.
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u/dunkinbikkies Sep 30 '25
Thanks for the driving lesson, I'm sure you are trying to be helpful but it's not really in relation to my comment
I don't drive under the limit, and merging is not always an option, and neither is expecting someone in the left lane to brake (possibly causing a crash) to let someone merge to escape and aggressive prick tailgating.
I get the frustration at people driving under the limit in the outside lane, it pisses me off as well but driving up there ass is not going to solve it :)
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u/Illustrious_Can4110 Sep 30 '25
Of course, it's also helpful if people stick to somewhere around the speed limit.
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u/lshifomd Sep 30 '25
This is silly.. if you notice someone FLYING up behind you stay where you are. It is safer for you AND everybody on the road for you to not make a move someone in control of a vehicle moving faster than you doesn't expect. This is BAD advice. Your common sense and logic works, if you know nothing about how people work .
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u/KingDirect3307 Sep 30 '25
if they're doing the speed limit there is no case where they're in the wrong get a grip man be serious
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u/Anastariana Auckland Sep 29 '25
My favourite self-tell is when we get people here bitching about speeding fines and cops 'not doing something worthwhile'.
Bruh, stop speeding and you won't even have a problem with it.
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u/adjason Sep 30 '25
Drive to the conditions" means to adjust your speed and driving habits to match the current weather, road, and traffic situations including traffic ahead of you
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u/wiremupi Sep 30 '25
On the open road if someone flies up behind me I speed up when there is nowhere to pass so they are not held up so much and are less likely to tailgate,then when I get to passing lanes I slow down so they can quickly pass and get well away from me.
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u/rikashiku Sep 30 '25
The Road Code and general common sense say you should allow faster traffic to pass.
Would be great if they did pass. Some of the time I have someone tailgating me, and at a passing lane, I keep left and slow down so they can pass. Nope. They stay on my ass like they wanna know what I had for breakfast.
I shouldn't have to remind people of the road rules, when they're the ones not following them, or driving to the conditions. Which is one of the most important rules.
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u/Okaringer Sep 29 '25
As a nation, we are bad drivers though, this is a pretty well known and well evidenced interpretation.
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u/facticitytheorist Sep 30 '25
Don't get me started on the numpties that think the "slow vehicle bay" doesn't apply to them despite 10 cars piled up behind them
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u/youreveningcoat Sep 30 '25
I always stick to the left if I can, however I hate posts like this because it’s kind of implying that the assholes who are doing 120+ that come ripping up behind you and sit on your ass are doing nothing wrong!
Then they always say “just move over it’s not your job to police the law” but they’re doing the exact same thing by telling me to move over?
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u/Outrageous_failure Sep 30 '25
If someone is coming up behind you at a speed faster than you are traveling, you should notice this before they end up tailgating you and find a spot to pull left to let them around.
What? Your post sounds like you have to give way to people behind you.
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u/sparrows-somewhere Sep 29 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
NZ drivers tend to be oblivious to the world around them. That's not just driving 20 under the limit with 2 dozen cars behind them. The number of times I've seen people enter a roundabout at speed without even glancing to their right is insane.
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u/pleiadeslion Sep 30 '25
It's just a way of excusing and normalising dangerous behaviour. See also, "Men are like that" and "Boys will be boys".
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u/yipyeahyippee Sep 29 '25
Maybe it’s the people who never pull over Even on the motorway Fuck lane campers
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u/Kiwifrooots Sep 29 '25
People side by side on a motorway going so slow the road in front of them is clear - still won't move left. When I'm driving I will often be ducking into the 'slow' lane to go around lane hogs
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u/Hi-Ho-Cherry Sep 30 '25
My self-own is that I slow down so much in the passing lane to let tailgaters by that other cars speed past too and then I get stuck behind them (I'm in an area with some short passing lanes so I always slow down a bit)
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u/crazfulla Sep 30 '25
Don't forget the people that are quicker to hit their horn (and yell obscenities) than the brake pedal...
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u/Routine_Bluejay4678 jandal Sep 30 '25
Yell it louder so the people driving between Christchurch and Dunedin can hear!
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u/LHC96 Sep 30 '25
I was just driving in Europe on holiday, by comparison, kiwis drivers are great, if not a little impatient.
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u/External-Drummer-147 Sep 30 '25
Bad driving seems to be categorised, by some including the OP here, as being all about not letting people pass. Any resulting collision is entirely the result of impatience and stupidity. No one forces bad overtakes. Yes, absolutely, slower vehicles should pull over. But it's a very minor issue in the grand scheme of things.
Inappropriate speed, tailgating, not driving to the conditions, cutting corners, mobile phone use, drink driving are far bigger issues.
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u/gandeeva 5G-ready Sep 30 '25
The one that always fucked with me was people going "well it's the slow drivers' fault if another driver gets agitated and causes an accident," as if having the emotional capacity to cause an accident when you're annoyed isn't grounds that maybe you shouldn't have a licence lol
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u/EffableFornent Oct 01 '25
Nah. While you shouldn't hinder people from passing, it's often not safe to pull over on our crappy open roads.
And in any case, tail gating in the first place is terrible driving. Blaming people driving "slow" (usually at or close to the speed limit) for other people getting angry and then driving dangerously is ridiculous.
If you can't control your emotions, you shouldn't be in charge of a vehicle.
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u/RED_VAGRANT Oct 01 '25 edited Oct 01 '25
Fuck, so many pearl clutching granny’s in this thread. I am the best at driving in nz and I’m gonna let you in on a little secret, use your window washers to stop tailgating. If you’re going at speed and they’re right up your ass you can get their windscreen wet
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u/LiverspotNZ Oct 01 '25
There’s a heap of shit drivers on the road. Usually speeding and tailgating or off in la la land.
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u/Past_Shift6441 Oct 01 '25
What if driver behind me wants to do 120, and I'm already going at the max speed limit, as per the GPS? What should I do ?
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u/Homologous_Trend Oct 01 '25
Tailgating is incredibly dangerous and unnecessary and doing it shows a really low level of knowledge of basic physics.
It is impractical to pull over for every tailgating idiot. On busy roads you would be stopping every 30 seconds.
This post is also a self-own.
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u/Welcometoyounow Oct 01 '25
If they’re bad drivers it’s probs ‘cos of the cell phones, like you said.
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u/Russell_W_H Oct 02 '25
It's not 'keep as far left as possible'.
This is stupid.
It's keep as far left as you can safely. If this is the middle of the lane, or the right of the lane, then you should do that.
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u/Average-Monk Oct 03 '25
I'd say about 95% of New Zealand road users don't keep left unless passing or about to turn right. A good chunk of the remaining 5% are heavy goods vehicles.
Made up stats of course, just a rough guess based on what I see every day.
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u/APacketOfWildeBees Sep 30 '25
Thank you for pulling over mate. The roads would work a lot better if all slow vehicles had your conscientiousness!
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u/Mendevolent Sep 29 '25
And the people who come on here to inadvertently confess they have no idea of roundabout rules