New Zealand Roads

How many people does it take to pave a road in New Zealand?

Six: one to supervise, one to vacuum (or something that looks like that), two to hold signs, and two to drive the actual paving machinery.

We haven't talked much about the uniqueness of New Zealand's roads, at least compared to other countries of similar history and development. Despite the fact that we have been driving on what they label "highways," we've run frequently into all of the following, usually multiple times per day:

* active construction zones (fair enough)

* construction zones with severely lowered speed limits, where no work is being done nor any sign that the road is currently in need of work

* washouts, where up to half the road has fallen into the river

* one-lane bridges where one direction has the right of way

* one-lane bridges with blind turns

* one-lane tunnels

* series of several roundabouts, spaced no more than 30 meters apart

* severely raised pedestrian crossings

* several kilometers at a time where the speed limit is 100 kph, but there are so many curves and inclines it's not safe to go above 50 kph (though we've seen people still try to go 100)

* caution signs warning of cow/sheep/seal crossing

* ungated train tracks with trees blocking the view of whether a train is coming

* large sections of road (the majority of it, really) that is marked as a passing zone but is chock full of blind turns and hills (apparently the law is that there needs to be 400 meters of visibility to pass, but the lines on the road don't change to reflect that. Also, apparently, if you violate this never-signed and largely unknown 400 meter rule, someone in a fellow vehicle can call the cops on you and have them chase you down to give you a ticket. Luckily, they can only give you a ticket if the person who calls the cops on you answers their cell phone while the cop has pulled you over. It's like a real-life citizen's arrest).

* minimal passing lanes

* did we mention they drive on the left here?

Being from Buffalo (highway central) and Michigan (auto capital), New Zealand highways are very different to us. People generally seem to drive safely though and we haven't seen any accidents. Interestingly, if you are the first or second person to come across an accident, you are required by law to stop and provide assistance.Meer informatie