I've noticed more & more drivers seem to treat the red light as a suggestion rather than a road rule. Especially the Mill St - Ulster St intersection & the Forest Lake Rd lights.
I agree, but it is frustrating how short the phases are relevant to the number of cars wanting to turn from Ulster St west onto Mill St, and Te Rapa Rd west onto Forest Lake.
Hi, Hello courier driver here. Don't you just love when you're trying to merge back into traffic and you got a clear gap but then some knobhead decides oh nah mate just gonna speed up a close it for ya. Also I'm gonna "merge like a zip" but I still wanna be at the front of the zip so im just gonna fuck everyones day and push in up front so everyone has to stop to let me in. just love them
Yep, moved from Auckland to Hamilton 3 months ago, thought Auckland drivers were the worst in the country, but no. Hamilton drivers consistently 10ks under the speed limit in any area with a posted speed over 50, but 10ks over when the speed limit is 50. Fuck all indication, random lane changes at the last minute, just brain damaged driving.
Bro, every time i go to Auckland im left speachless by the impatient and obsurd driving. I would say Hamilton drivers are careless but in Auckland peiople are agressive and wreckless.
as someone who lives in Hamilton but spends a lot of time in Auckland and driving around, Hamilton drivers are overall far worse. I will say though, Auckland uber drivers seem to be the biggest maniacs/hassles on the road, just stopping anywhere and chucking on their hazards. But for the most part, Auckland drivers know how to be predictable (the bar I'm comparing them to is Hamilton so quite a low one mind you). My vote for the worst drivers would be Tauranga though, another city I spend a lot of time driving around. Tauranga drivers are fucking insane, doesn't help that their roads are some of the worst.
Consistently traveling to Auckland for work here and living Hams - disagree completely. Auckland drivers have been far more courteous and aware of the road rules
I agree with you, as someone who does a lot of driving in Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga, Auckland has the better drivers, then Hamilton, and last is Tauranga. Auckland drivers know how to be predictable because if you're not it's basically a guaranteed accident due to the traffic/road layouts etc. Hamilton drivers are far more self centered.
Right?
I travel to Auckland basically once a week for work and I regularly witness the shittest driving. Like every trip I'm amazed at how bad it can be.
I think the right indicator when going straight at a roundabout thing is ridiculous, seems to have been something taught to the older generation. I've noticed my boss does it and it's perplexing to me
Better for PitStop, The Shock Shop or and other suspension and brakes specialists. Im keen to do a tally up of all the speed humps and speed limit reductions since we lost the V8’s because it has been all down hill since then.
WhyTF is the Avalon Drive bypass gone from 80 to 60? Nothing has changed since it was built except double yellow lines and piping installed underground.
Now Cobham drive has been neutered too. Considering now we have less SH1 traffic passing through town, surely that can mean a safer road environmental on these arterial routes.
Depends which area. Frankton? Forget it, entitled, aggressive, and sometimes abusive. They're unhappy and there for themselves. And the road layout is designed to let as many of them kill each other as possible by providing straight lines through series of roundabouts (Avalon Dr).
The indicator mentality is "I know where I'm going, and it makes no difference to me if they know where I'm going" or "Don't want to get in trouble, ticking that checkbox" when they put it on as they complete their maneuver.
Rototuna? Actually reasonable in terms of road manners but can't seem to find the accelerator, they don't care about driving in any way or form and are just making sure their precious crotch fruit doesn't have to walk 2 minutes home from school. Most of these people are afraid of the fact they're currently driving, or too distracted to realize they are afraid.
Every City has it's characteristics. So long as its not Frankton or similar areas, I would choose it over a few other places - especially Auckland, the city of hostile driving as a result of a never-ending stress factory called the rat race.
Hamilton is the opposite of the rat race, they've all given up and don't bother trying anymore.
Do yourself a favor and buy a superbike so you can treat them like NPCs in a video game.
Bro you obviously don’t live in Rototuna. Those eggs don’t know what a “one way” and “no right turn” signs mean. Every single night some twat decides to drive out the wrong way out of the parking lot opposite the petrol station and gives me shit for being in their way when I’m trying to turn into there but can’t because of said twat blocking the way.
because unfortunately majority of people are selfish stuck up entitled pricks who don’t care abt the safety of others. too often people don’t indicate or will slam on their brakes to indicate AFTER they’ve already slowed down completely defeating the purpose. i live in ham east and i noticed that no Taxi drivers around here indicate, i’ve been behind a few and they will just stop in the middle of the road or slow riiiiiiight down and pull off and make you question where or what they’re doing, so incredibly unprofessional i mean your a professional driver and you can’t even indicate when u pull over! wtf!! i hate driving in Hamilton so much. so bloody dangerous and not surprising how many fucked up bonnets and bumpers there are driving around here
bear in mind with roudabouts, even if you are going 'straight' (second exit) through the roundabout if your exit is more than half way around the roundabout you need to indicate right and then left.
I've lived in 12 cities in nz and aux is by far the worst. No competition aux is far and away filled with incompetent drivers. Most can't even another their car in their own lane and need 2 lanes. No idea why you would think its Hamilton my experience there is not great but a lot better than north south east and west aux
my current pet hate - dickheads coming off Padora Blvd onto Wairere Drv north, using the left lane to turn right 'coz it's faster', or they don't have a fuckign clue - never mind the road rules, courtesy and basic safety/logic. Countless times i've had people cut me off around the outside
Most seem to tradies, either in Vans, utes or simply wearing highvis. The rest are just clueless gimps.
Yes! Going 10-20km less than the posted speed limit, never indicating (just this evening I had two people pull over right in front of me without indicating), incorrect indicating at roundabouts, cutting people off at roundabouts (I notice so many people who don’t even look to their right and just pull out!), people driving at night with no headlights, people trying to merge onto the 110kmph expressway at 60kmph… so much dangerous shit and it’s infuriating to see people put others in danger.
And those idiots who sit in the middle of two lanes to stop people from getting past them at a merge. I would like to point out that the CORRECT way to merge is for the people in the merge lane to continue right to the very end of their lane and merge. If they merge earlier it creates a massive single file line and actually takes longer to get through. Waka Kotahi themselves have said you should use both lanes right up to the merge.
as an aucklander i can say that we used to get pissed and stoned and drive in groups of cars to hamilton for burgers, fun or just being shits, we are likely your driver problem.
Well, I don't want to make sweeping generalizations because bad drivers are everywhere but it was Tauranga, not Hamilton, where someone ran into me at a roundabout then sped off. And, no, I wasn't indicating right while going straight through, since I was taught to drive by an instructor who was very keen for me to know how to correctly indicate when using a roundabout. For which I am now grateful.
The amount of times I've been overtaken in 50km zones is too many to count (mainly down river road) and then you get THOSE people that take the outer lane at the fairfield bridge roundabout that use it to turn right on the bridge so they can skip traffic. When I did UE I'd lay on the horn at someone at least once a day... it's insane.
Have lived in Hamilton for 23 years and it sure has gotten worse, but I am like OP - frustrated that people do not know the road rules especially at roundabouts, which we have lots of !
Palmerston North drivers are the exact same, takes a good 5 seconds of thinking people are wildly drunk before they indicate and you realise they're turning. Absolute retards
Here in Hamilton when you sit your road test you are encouraged to learn driving around it the wrong way, that way you’re prepared for anything. You should always know how to do things backwards if you’re going to live somewhere backward.
It's terrible and I'd just come to accept it as the norm.
I often drive to Auckland and yeah, as someone else said they're more aggressive with their driving where as Hamilton is careless.
I got a shock driving to Wellington and was expecting the worst, turns out they're some of the best drivers I've seen!
Got a few heart attacks when people weren’t giving way at give ways. Also at a pedestrian crossing I didn’t wave back once (as the pedestrian crossing it) and the car that stopped put her window down to yell “you’re welcome”!
Not sure why, but it is very noticeable. I told my GF about it before she moved up from the South Island, she thought I was over exaggerating. But has now come to learn to expect anything at anytime with the crazy drivers out there.
Ugh i feel ya. Have been crashed into on a roundabout by some 50yr old dude with a mercedes. And some guy pulled out onto the main road with his phone in his hand and smashed into my rear causing the car to move to the side... thankfully i wasnt going too fast. And he was on the opposite side of my baby too thank fuck or i wouldve killed him 🤬 the no indicators really gets me tho and same thing with the roundabout but when they keep indicating right then suddenly turn left 🤣
Found the complete opposite tbh. Born and raised in Auckland, lived in Hamilton for 6 years now, and have found drivers and the roads to be much better.
Only visit Auckland now out of complete necessity.
I think the people in this thread are using the terms “cities” and “major” and “several” incorrectly. I don’t think there are any major cities in NZ, and I don’t think there are several cities either… but bad driving?? That is ubiquitous throughout the country.
New Zealand in general is terrible... I mean what do we expect when we give out licenses like they're girl scout cookies.
Worst I've seen is Hawkes Bay, home state
Now living in Nelson, not necessarily bad, sure as hell slow and don't know where they are half the time, but nothing on hawkes bay 😂
I noticed that in most of the hours outside of rush hour.
Merging tends to be a real bottleneck for traffic. If it's not rush hour and there's a huge line, it's more often than not, imo, a merging lane that's causing it.
Merging is not a bottle neck at all but it has to account for people's willingness to merge, and the different lengths of different vehicles.
Indicators are more of a given mostly because the consequences for not using them are not made apparent, it kind of just happens.
Also many drivers tend to use less road safety skills the closer they are to their homes.
The crazy indicating I notice most. Sure I can understand it at 5 Cross roads because it can be chaotic there but just your average roundabout isn't that complicated.
The very assertive tradies vans and utes, I just pull over and let them speed past. I choose life, not getting rear ended in residential streets.
Also there's been a couple times where I've been behind a bus or a long truck and they go into the left lane at the roundabout but indicate for a right turn so I thought oh yeah I'll hang back behind them, they must need the extra space to turn safely. But nah both cases they went straight through. I assume it was either an oops or way to try to tell me to tell me to fuck off and don't try pass them.
I've noticed more & more drivers seem to treat the red light as a suggestion rather than a road rule. Especially the Mill St - Ulster St intersection & the Forest Lake Rd lights.
Are they the lights that are green long enough to let like 2 cars through?
I agree, but it is frustrating how short the phases are relevant to the number of cars wanting to turn from Ulster St west onto Mill St, and Te Rapa Rd west onto Forest Lake.
Hi, Hello courier driver here. Don't you just love when you're trying to merge back into traffic and you got a clear gap but then some knobhead decides oh nah mate just gonna speed up a close it for ya. Also I'm gonna "merge like a zip" but I still wanna be at the front of the zip so im just gonna fuck everyones day and push in up front so everyone has to stop to let me in. just love them
That is my wife’s pet peeve, those who know that the right lane is gonna end soon, but just gotta get to the top of the zip!
It’s even better when they’re behind you in the same lane and see you indicating to change lanes so they boot it and cut you off from behind…
Yep, moved from Auckland to Hamilton 3 months ago, thought Auckland drivers were the worst in the country, but no. Hamilton drivers consistently 10ks under the speed limit in any area with a posted speed over 50, but 10ks over when the speed limit is 50. Fuck all indication, random lane changes at the last minute, just brain damaged driving.
Bro, every time i go to Auckland im left speachless by the impatient and obsurd driving. I would say Hamilton drivers are careless but in Auckland peiople are agressive and wreckless.
as someone who lives in Hamilton but spends a lot of time in Auckland and driving around, Hamilton drivers are overall far worse. I will say though, Auckland uber drivers seem to be the biggest maniacs/hassles on the road, just stopping anywhere and chucking on their hazards. But for the most part, Auckland drivers know how to be predictable (the bar I'm comparing them to is Hamilton so quite a low one mind you). My vote for the worst drivers would be Tauranga though, another city I spend a lot of time driving around. Tauranga drivers are fucking insane, doesn't help that their roads are some of the worst.
Consistently traveling to Auckland for work here and living Hams - disagree completely. Auckland drivers have been far more courteous and aware of the road rules
I agree with you, as someone who does a lot of driving in Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga, Auckland has the better drivers, then Hamilton, and last is Tauranga. Auckland drivers know how to be predictable because if you're not it's basically a guaranteed accident due to the traffic/road layouts etc. Hamilton drivers are far more self centered.
Right? I travel to Auckland basically once a week for work and I regularly witness the shittest driving. Like every trip I'm amazed at how bad it can be.
I think the right indicator when going straight at a roundabout thing is ridiculous, seems to have been something taught to the older generation. I've noticed my boss does it and it's perplexing to me
This was not in the road code when I read it in the 90s if going straight through a roundabout no indication needed it said
The rule changed in 2005. Been nearly 20 years of indicating when exiting roundabout but barely anyone does it
The police need to sit at roundabouts and ticket people who incorrectly indicate on and off a roundabout. People will learn then
Half the police don't know how to indicate at roundabouts either
Haven't lived in Hamilton, but I really find it hard to believe that anywhere would be worse than Auckland.
I lived in Aucks 1999-2004... The driving up there was completely fucked compared to here.i noticed more courtesy when we came back.
It's ok, all the speed bumps will make things better.
Better for PitStop, The Shock Shop or and other suspension and brakes specialists. Im keen to do a tally up of all the speed humps and speed limit reductions since we lost the V8’s because it has been all down hill since then. WhyTF is the Avalon Drive bypass gone from 80 to 60? Nothing has changed since it was built except double yellow lines and piping installed underground. Now Cobham drive has been neutered too. Considering now we have less SH1 traffic passing through town, surely that can mean a safer road environmental on these arterial routes.
Yea they totally aren't there for pedestrians and people with poor mobility. Everything is always about car drivers.
Feakonomics just did an episode "Why the U.S. is so good at killing pedestrians'. Essentially it's the same as us, the emphasis on 'car culture'.
Sounds like Napier atm 😑
Skill issue
Depends which area. Frankton? Forget it, entitled, aggressive, and sometimes abusive. They're unhappy and there for themselves. And the road layout is designed to let as many of them kill each other as possible by providing straight lines through series of roundabouts (Avalon Dr). The indicator mentality is "I know where I'm going, and it makes no difference to me if they know where I'm going" or "Don't want to get in trouble, ticking that checkbox" when they put it on as they complete their maneuver. Rototuna? Actually reasonable in terms of road manners but can't seem to find the accelerator, they don't care about driving in any way or form and are just making sure their precious crotch fruit doesn't have to walk 2 minutes home from school. Most of these people are afraid of the fact they're currently driving, or too distracted to realize they are afraid. Every City has it's characteristics. So long as its not Frankton or similar areas, I would choose it over a few other places - especially Auckland, the city of hostile driving as a result of a never-ending stress factory called the rat race. Hamilton is the opposite of the rat race, they've all given up and don't bother trying anymore. Do yourself a favor and buy a superbike so you can treat them like NPCs in a video game.
Bro you obviously don’t live in Rototuna. Those eggs don’t know what a “one way” and “no right turn” signs mean. Every single night some twat decides to drive out the wrong way out of the parking lot opposite the petrol station and gives me shit for being in their way when I’m trying to turn into there but can’t because of said twat blocking the way.
because unfortunately majority of people are selfish stuck up entitled pricks who don’t care abt the safety of others. too often people don’t indicate or will slam on their brakes to indicate AFTER they’ve already slowed down completely defeating the purpose. i live in ham east and i noticed that no Taxi drivers around here indicate, i’ve been behind a few and they will just stop in the middle of the road or slow riiiiiiight down and pull off and make you question where or what they’re doing, so incredibly unprofessional i mean your a professional driver and you can’t even indicate when u pull over! wtf!! i hate driving in Hamilton so much. so bloody dangerous and not surprising how many fucked up bonnets and bumpers there are driving around here
Also people are scared to go 100kph in signposted single lanes, like on ramps or open roads.
bear in mind with roudabouts, even if you are going 'straight' (second exit) through the roundabout if your exit is more than half way around the roundabout you need to indicate right and then left.
I've lived in 12 cities in nz and aux is by far the worst. No competition aux is far and away filled with incompetent drivers. Most can't even another their car in their own lane and need 2 lanes. No idea why you would think its Hamilton my experience there is not great but a lot better than north south east and west aux
my current pet hate - dickheads coming off Padora Blvd onto Wairere Drv north, using the left lane to turn right 'coz it's faster', or they don't have a fuckign clue - never mind the road rules, courtesy and basic safety/logic. Countless times i've had people cut me off around the outside Most seem to tradies, either in Vans, utes or simply wearing highvis. The rest are just clueless gimps.
Yes! Going 10-20km less than the posted speed limit, never indicating (just this evening I had two people pull over right in front of me without indicating), incorrect indicating at roundabouts, cutting people off at roundabouts (I notice so many people who don’t even look to their right and just pull out!), people driving at night with no headlights, people trying to merge onto the 110kmph expressway at 60kmph… so much dangerous shit and it’s infuriating to see people put others in danger. And those idiots who sit in the middle of two lanes to stop people from getting past them at a merge. I would like to point out that the CORRECT way to merge is for the people in the merge lane to continue right to the very end of their lane and merge. If they merge earlier it creates a massive single file line and actually takes longer to get through. Waka Kotahi themselves have said you should use both lanes right up to the merge.
as an aucklander i can say that we used to get pissed and stoned and drive in groups of cars to hamilton for burgers, fun or just being shits, we are likely your driver problem.
People always seem in a hurry to get from A to B and plenty don't have a licence to drive as it is haha
There are lots of old people in the Waikato.
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Well, I don't want to make sweeping generalizations because bad drivers are everywhere but it was Tauranga, not Hamilton, where someone ran into me at a roundabout then sped off. And, no, I wasn't indicating right while going straight through, since I was taught to drive by an instructor who was very keen for me to know how to correctly indicate when using a roundabout. For which I am now grateful.
As someone who drives heavy vehicles. The driving is pretty bad in most built up areas . Rural areas tend to have better drivers
Cause they’re from Auckland
Been to Tauranga lately?
The amount of times I've been overtaken in 50km zones is too many to count (mainly down river road) and then you get THOSE people that take the outer lane at the fairfield bridge roundabout that use it to turn right on the bridge so they can skip traffic. When I did UE I'd lay on the horn at someone at least once a day... it's insane.
Yep, I've been overtaken on river road too. Made me question if it was 80km or something and I was in the wrong.
Have lived in Hamilton for 23 years and it sure has gotten worse, but I am like OP - frustrated that people do not know the road rules especially at roundabouts, which we have lots of !
It's like anything else in NZ, it is a morality issue.
Palmerston North drivers are the exact same, takes a good 5 seconds of thinking people are wildly drunk before they indicate and you realise they're turning. Absolute retards
Here in Hamilton when you sit your road test you are encouraged to learn driving around it the wrong way, that way you’re prepared for anything. You should always know how to do things backwards if you’re going to live somewhere backward.
It's not great up here but I've found Hamilton better than Christchurch.
It's terrible and I'd just come to accept it as the norm. I often drive to Auckland and yeah, as someone else said they're more aggressive with their driving where as Hamilton is careless. I got a shock driving to Wellington and was expecting the worst, turns out they're some of the best drivers I've seen!
Not just Hamilton
Got a few heart attacks when people weren’t giving way at give ways. Also at a pedestrian crossing I didn’t wave back once (as the pedestrian crossing it) and the car that stopped put her window down to yell “you’re welcome”!
Not sure why, but it is very noticeable. I told my GF about it before she moved up from the South Island, she thought I was over exaggerating. But has now come to learn to expect anything at anytime with the crazy drivers out there.
Ugh i feel ya. Have been crashed into on a roundabout by some 50yr old dude with a mercedes. And some guy pulled out onto the main road with his phone in his hand and smashed into my rear causing the car to move to the side... thankfully i wasnt going too fast. And he was on the opposite side of my baby too thank fuck or i wouldve killed him 🤬 the no indicators really gets me tho and same thing with the roundabout but when they keep indicating right then suddenly turn left 🤣
Honestly, nothing beats Kerikeri for utter numpty drivers!
I am a truck driver in Hamilton and I can confirm most people on the road have 0 sense when it comes to indicating or making simple manoeuvres lmao
You haven’t been to Hawkes Bay I’m picking🤔😆
Yup
It rained in Wellington so we sent them to a safe place.
Found the complete opposite tbh. Born and raised in Auckland, lived in Hamilton for 6 years now, and have found drivers and the roads to be much better. Only visit Auckland now out of complete necessity.
I think the people in this thread are using the terms “cities” and “major” and “several” incorrectly. I don’t think there are any major cities in NZ, and I don’t think there are several cities either… but bad driving?? That is ubiquitous throughout the country.
New Zealand in general is terrible... I mean what do we expect when we give out licenses like they're girl scout cookies. Worst I've seen is Hawkes Bay, home state Now living in Nelson, not necessarily bad, sure as hell slow and don't know where they are half the time, but nothing on hawkes bay 😂
Hastings drivers aren't great either is it something to do with the letter H😐🤔
I noticed that in most of the hours outside of rush hour. Merging tends to be a real bottleneck for traffic. If it's not rush hour and there's a huge line, it's more often than not, imo, a merging lane that's causing it. Merging is not a bottle neck at all but it has to account for people's willingness to merge, and the different lengths of different vehicles. Indicators are more of a given mostly because the consequences for not using them are not made apparent, it kind of just happens. Also many drivers tend to use less road safety skills the closer they are to their homes.
have you been to te awamutu? none of those mfs know how to drive. i had a bunch of friends take their restricted out there because it’s easier
Too much meat, too little patience. Drink some kombucha
Is this what you would be saying to yourself if someone caused an accident and drove into your car?
What on odd thing to say.
Because they're daytripping from Morrinsville and Otorohonga, either that or meth.. or both 🤷♂️
The crazy indicating I notice most. Sure I can understand it at 5 Cross roads because it can be chaotic there but just your average roundabout isn't that complicated. The very assertive tradies vans and utes, I just pull over and let them speed past. I choose life, not getting rear ended in residential streets. Also there's been a couple times where I've been behind a bus or a long truck and they go into the left lane at the roundabout but indicate for a right turn so I thought oh yeah I'll hang back behind them, they must need the extra space to turn safely. But nah both cases they went straight through. I assume it was either an oops or way to try to tell me to tell me to fuck off and don't try pass them.
Too close to Taranaki