Should NZ Change to Left-Hand Drive?

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Should NZ Change to Left-Hand Drive?

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#1636708 20-Sep-2016 17:18

Sounds like a very silly way of wasting a huge amount of money.

Think about where a lot of our migrants and tourists come from - UK, South Africa, Australia, Japan

The costs of remodelling intersections would be huge.

The would undoubtedly be a transitional increase in road toll

And I can't let it go - Defence equipment is used every day, to make our environment and that of our allies more secure. I know this is off topic but it's annoying when posters (one in particular) slip in anti-government or other political messages into posts

PhantomNVD

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#1636709 20-Sep-2016 17:20

Instead of changing direction, how about simply allowing LHD cars to be used here after an 'advanced' defensive driving course and this would both allow a wider choice of cars (and motor homes - currently huge money to convert USA imports!) AND upskill the driving population

vexxxboy

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#1636714 20-Sep-2016 17:50

if the UK wont switch, and they have more reason to , then why would we, imagine the costs and not just the roads. what about the laws , could the wording just be changed or would they all have to go back to parliament to be changed.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

MikeB4

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#1636715 20-Sep-2016 17:53

vexxxboy:

if the UK wont switch, and they have more reason to , then why would we, imagine the costs and not just the roads. what about the laws , could the wording just be changed or would they all have to go back to parliament to be changed.

Parliament would have to approve the changes and rewording of the statutes.

mattwnz

20155 posts

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#1636719 20-Sep-2016 18:12

Lets just say it will never happen. The changes to the roading network alone will be huge. We have these roading intersections that span motorways that have been designed for traffic travelling in the current direction. They would need to be reenginered. Just to build a single on ramp is multimillions. Then you have at least 20 years worth of vehicles on the road that will have the driver on the wrong side of the road for the next 20 plus years. It is something that is likely to cost billions. There are far more things that are more pressing.

If this is soley to protect NZ drivers from poor overseas drivers who don't know our road rules and which side of the road to drive on, then that is a government issue. Requiring them to sit a test, or to have a driver is a possibility. If our public transport system was better, they wouldn't have the need to drive. Many people travel to Europe and don't even think about hiring a car as the public transport is so good.

dafman

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#1636723 20-Sep-2016 18:18

Let's not rush. Just a few more years till driver-less cars without steering wheels. Then all that's required is a simple firmware update (-;

mattwnz

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#1636742 20-Sep-2016 18:31

dafman:

Let's not rush. Just a few more years till driver-less cars without steering wheels. Then all that's required is a simple firmware update (-;

Then it won't matter which side of the car drives on. But it is unlikely that normal cars will be driverless in the foreseeable future. Just that the car will drive itself with manual override.

Sharesies

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Batman

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#1636743 20-Sep-2016 18:33

Only in a parallel universe. Otherwise the old people will run over the young people

Assuming the change itself doesn't bankrupt the country...

tdgeek

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#1636746 20-Sep-2016 18:39

mattwnz:

Lets just say it will never happen. The changes to the roading network alone will be huge. We have these roading intersections that span motorways that have been designed for traffic travelling in the current direction. They would need to be reenginered. Just to build a single on ramp is multimillions. Then you have at least 20 years worth of vehicles on the road that will have the driver on the wrong side of the road for the next 20 plus years. It is something that is likely to cost billions. There are far more things that are more pressing.

If this is soley to protect NZ drivers from poor overseas drivers who don't know our road rules and which side of the road to drive on, then that is a government issue. Requiring them to sit a test, or to have a driver is a possibility. If our public transport system was better, they wouldn't have the need to drive. Many people travel to Europe and don't even think about hiring a car as the public transport is so good.

We had a ramp built not far away, $30 million. Its just an overpass and a bit of road.

geocom

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#1636747 20-Sep-2016 18:50

Or spend all that money that you would have to spend on changing to LHD towards R&D on autonomous cars that will actually make a change.

Geoff E

MikeB4

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#1636749 20-Sep-2016 18:52

The costs would be huge and the benefits negligible.

richms

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#1636751 20-Sep-2016 18:56

Absolutely not.

But you probably don't appreciate the design that goes into modern roading shapes tootling around them at low speeds to maximize efficiency.

Where would the staffing come from to change over 100000s of signs and intersections simultaneously? This isn't Samoa with stuff all road and low speeds all over.

In addition all the drivethrus would need to be redesigned if you were to start selling LHD cars. Car parking buildings would need more equipment installed. Bus fleet would need to be replaced with the doors on the other side.

Crazy idea.

Richard rich.ms

tdgeek

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#1636782 20-Sep-2016 19:03

Re overseas drivers

1. They have to pass a road rule quick test, twenty questions if you will, covering the main challenges, here. Mainly intersections, etc

2. Given a pamphlet on techniques to manage driving on the left side of the road.

3. Pamphlet covering the HEFTY fines they might incur. Unsure if legal to fine visitors more, but its covering the higher risk. Or instant ticket, no waiving, no warning, etc? They need to take more care, and need to be up with the rules, so in many cases they "should" be better than a number of local drivers for the reason of just recently having to learn.

Also, ramp up transport options. We have all these travel agents, tour guides, and so on, how about the large tourism industry taking care of helping tourists out with the available public transport? Take some ownership

Linux

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#1636790 20-Sep-2016 19:26

It won't change ever the logistics would be a nightmare

oxnsox

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#1636794 20-Sep-2016 19:36

Great idea, but if we're truely commited to globalism shouldn't we also change our power systems to 110volts, our emergency dial number to 911, and endorse Cantonese as a national language (along with American English)?

I mean changing the power grid is just a little extra current in your house wiring. We're all using lower powered devices and LED lighting now..... so no problems there.
Changing the emergency number.... well its just one number. How hard can that be?
And learning another language and more inclusive spelling can only be a good thing right?

Right
Because that's the side of the road well be driving on.
What could possibly go wrong.........

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