Random thoughts about cycling in New Zealand

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.

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

On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 15:54:56 +0100, "Simonb"
sbennettatwiderworlddotcodotuk in
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.

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

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.