h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have been on holiday in NZ, where we drove around both islands.
In summary - the drivers are mad
The roads are very twisty and have many kilometers of dangerous "no passing" double lined roads. This does not seem to stop the locals speeding, passing around blind corners and making gestures as they pass.

The country is lovely, scenery spectacular and I would recommend the South Island to anyone as a holiday desination.

Often, the 'mad' drivers are foreigners.

Having driven in three Australian states as well as New Zealand for zonks, visitors should be warned that many Kiwis are bad drivers and are aggressive on frequently badly constructed roads. There have recently been some major fatalities among young Asian drivers and a suggestion they be obliged to pass a local driving test to ensure their safety. We have big campaigns against drunk and speeding drivers but not against simply bad drivers. However, you'll be safe if you stay cautious.

Now I spent about 3 weeks on holiday on the North Island and I thought the driving was great fun - as long as you're not in a hurry to get anywhere of course! There are no motorways to get you from A to B ASAP but that's part of the fun. Instead you can drive along some awesome windy hilly coastal roads.... great views! I think if you're used to driving round the UK countryside (which I am) then you'll find driving in NZ no problem...

One thing to watch out for is speed cameras... while we were driving back to Auckland from the north I saw 2 very hidden secret spped cameras and police ambushes...

1. a car parked on the side of the road with the boot open - camera sitting in the back just waiting for a speeding car

2. an unmarked police car with policemen and speed cameras inside also waiting for you to come past just a little too fast. just round the corner of course is a marked police car sitting patiently ready to pounce on the unexpecting speeding motorist.

so just watch out!

enjoy the scenery (if it's not raining)

As has been noted by previous researchers, the drivers in New Zealand, are well and truly bonkers. I say this as a cyclist and driver on this fair nations roads. The nation has beautiful scenery but it is best enjoyed from the confines of an amoured personnel carrier, although you may have difficulty getting this around some of the corners.

The best way to make yourself safe from the mad locals is to hire one to drive you around. While not a common practice, it should be noted that the locals have a tendancy to know exactly how far and by how much you can bend the laws of physics as they pertain to the use of a motor vehicle, and still get the passengers from A to B with the majority of their limbs, if not their sense of well being, intact.

Really surprised to see that no-one has mentioned the particularly diabolic law (which I think is relatively recent) that REQUIRES anyone turning left into a junction to give way to anyone turning right into the same junction. Even the Kiwi's apparently are bemused by it. That is, however, my only moan - the people and the country are great and they more than make up for minor irritations and I wish I was there now!!!