New Zealand Roads

[handgrenade 189]

Last night I watched "The Moaning of Life" about a moaning pom who travels around the world to moan. This thread is indistinguishable from that. Except he's at least funny.

Gona check that out!!

[Allanw 1071]

According to the road code, you have to be able to stop in the distance you can see (minimum - backs you are supposed to be able to stop in half the distance you can see). If you can't stop in time for something on the road, you're driving too fast = careless driving.

I did like this story though - these roads were TERRIBLE before the rain started, and are now causing some major damage:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/rodney-times/10215123/Rocky-roads-in-need-of-repair

[Allanw 1071]

Oh yeah... Attached a pic of my road from this morning biking to work...

It was never repaired when it slumped 1 year+ ago (as already stated earlier), but it's getting mighty deep now!

[Driftit 2078]

There are some brutal Pot Holes on Oteha Valley road just after the 2nd round about heading from Torbay.

The rain had caused them to get quite deep. They have been patched a number of times. Be careful when it rains if you are driving through.

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2957]

I would nominate the SH2 / SH27 route south from Auckland through Matamata to Tirau as the worst road, unbelievable that this is a major route from Auckland to Tauranga part of the way and south to Taupo for the rest.

Pot holes, un-even surfaces, off-camber, worn and rutted. Just down-right awful to drive on. Only reason I go that way is that I think it's quicker than SH1 as it avoids going round Hamilton.

These are supposed to State Highways so I would compare these to Motorways / Autoroutes / Highways / Autobahns - absolutely nowhere near the same standard by comparison.

[RobD 41]

I would nominate the SH2 / SH27 route south from Auckland through Matamata to Tirau as the worst road, unbelievable that this is a major route from Auckland to Tauranga part of the way and south to Taupo for the rest.

Pot holes, un-even surfaces, off-camber, worn and rutted. Just down-right awful to drive on. Only reason I go that way is that I think it's quicker than SH1 as it avoids going round Hamilton.

These are supposed to State Highways so I would compare these to Motorways / Autoroutes / Highways / Autobahns - absolutely nowhere near the same standard by comparison.

That pair of 'highways' is appalling, and more akin to a UK 'C' road in terms of grade. They're kind of more like country lanes, except that they link major towns. I guess it's something we'll just have to deal with, but it does feel like we get short changed in the roading department. In some ways, we have a decent network of roads given our geography and size, but equally, there are countries in Europe with similar populations to that that of NZ which not only have an amazing road network - but one that is smooth and light years ahead of ours in terms of quality. Places like Denmark for instance. Challenging climate - but wonderful roads - and more of them too relative to size. NZ will probably always push the use of this dreadful coarse chip and the false economy that it entails. Governments here have never known how to do something once and do it right. It's always been a case of do it on the cheap and make it last as long as possible.

[kingkarl 136]

That pair of 'highways' is appalling, and more akin to a UK 'C' road in terms of grade. They're kind of more like country lanes, except that they link major towns. I guess it's something we'll just have to deal with, but it does feel like we get short changed in the roading department. In some ways, we have a decent network of roads given our geography and size, but equally, there are countries in Europe with similar populations to that that of NZ which not only have an amazing road network - but one that is smooth and light years ahead of ours in terms of quality. Places like Denmark for instance. Challenging climate - but wonderful roads - and more of them too relative to size. NZ will probably always push the use of this dreadful coarse chip and the false economy that it entails. Governments here have never known how to do something once and do it right. It's always been a case of do it on the cheap and make it last as long as possible.

Where's the money going to come from?

How much more fuel/income tax are you prepared to cough up?

[RobD 41]

For starters they could apply the GST they charge on the fuel excise to the roads. Tax on a tax.

[allan 295]

Remember the Sir Rob Muldoon stating any tax placed on petrol or motor vehicles will be spent on roading or words to that effect is that still so to this day? If so at a million ltrs of fuel a day they should have heaps to spend on the roads. As approx 46% of the petrol price is Gov taxes plus the GST plus the $$$ they get for vehicle reg.

As for the road quality mmmm good, bad, indifferent, plan shocking old colonial tracks rolled over and covered with tar in most places. The roading methods are 25 to 30 years behind the times throw enough base metal at it and roll it using the general public's car she'l be right. Or seal it but don't repair any defeats just cover them up with the new chip.The powers to be mostly seem very short sighted only reacting to problems as they arise not pro active looking 10 years ahead and planning for it now. A prime example would be Trans -mission gully first mooted 25yrs ago only now going through the courts for approval once bare land now developed and many other factors. Auckland is another having massive expansion but roading left in the dust.

[RobD 41]

I think around 55 cents a litre is excise tax. The Government then charges GST on that tax, at the usual 15%. The proceeds of that GST then go in to the Govt's general account. So basically 8 or 9 cents a litre goes to the general ledger for use elsewhere. If you fill your 60 litre tank up, that amounts to about $5 per fill. There are 3.2 million cars on the road in NZ, so even half of them filling up once a week creates excess revenue of between $400 and $500 million per year. That's quite a lot that could be spent on roads but isn't. A rough calculation I know, but indicative of what a tax on a tax can create in additional income for the Govt.

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2957]

Where's the money going to come from?

How much more fuel/income tax are you prepared to cough up?

If the roads were made and repaired properly they would be cheaper in the long term.

Doing SH1 through the Desert Road twice in 18 months wasn't a good use of tax dollars was it??

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

Having said all this, I have just driven all round the North Island in my Toyota Hiace which wont go over 90km/h and not a single hairy situation.

Are we all under 100km/h when we are analysing the roads???

Yes some of it is pretty bad, but on the whole i think the standard they are is fine.

The decision making on how the money is spent is the poor condition factor here. Do it once, do it right.

But having said that, if you had the government as a client with infinite money (which it is), why would you do it right when you know they will just ask you to do it again if its not done, charge them twice etc.

Sh1 between peka peka and te horo. At the end of the passing lane (merge point), some inept contractor had attempted a repair to the road surface apparently by means of dumping a load of hotmix and spreading it around with a shovel. It's so bad, that even in the e39 I brace myself at 90 clicks. It's been like that for at least two years now, and the kicker? The preceeding 400m of road was re sealed this summer.

Yep i know where you mean, i just did it in a 7 series and still shaking all over the place.

My E34 on its coilovers, i wont go any quicker than 70-80 through there.

NZ drivers are much more dangerous and frustrating than the roads.

Yep Id agree to that.

Bad roading caused my workmate to roll one of our vans 3 times because the inside of a corner had falling away just enough so as he was coming round a blind corner didn't see it till the last second, caught the front wheel which pulled in into the ditch causing it to roll. Now the police are trying to do him for careless driving. How is that fair !!

Yep i know all about that too..