driving a Camper in New Zealand
before driving a Camper in New Zealand check out the road rules and road safety
You just arrived and rented a Camper in New Zealand and off you go...
no, wait
Best you stay in a Hostel for a few day/nights to acclimatise yourself.
Arrive in New Zealand and get used to your new surroundings
Anyway, that would be my tip
New Zealand is a western country, that's right, and on first sight it looks like it until you hit the road.
Left hand driving!!!
Driving a Camper in New Zealand is a little different.
Even crossing the road is a huge mission if you are used to right hand traffic.
Driving on the left is even more odd.
Best is you find a quiet road and drive your rental Camper around the not so busy streets.
here is a helpfull hint
The driver sits in the middle of the road.
That means the passenger sits on the curb.
It helps if both travellers watch out to stay on the left hand side of the road while turning.
Always stay left
When turning a corner always be aware and alert.
Please check out the road code for NZ
nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/road-code-index/
Roundabouts
Driving around a roundabout in New Zealand is the opposite as in Germay.
In NZ you have to drive into the roundabout clockwise.
Autobahn
here in New Zealand you find most of the motor ways/ high ways into the citys and out of the citysor around a city.
There are no motor ways in the country or from one city to another.
The right lane is the 'fast' lane and the left one is the 'slow' lane.
But don't wonder, they overtake everywhere. Left and right and that is allowed.
Most motorways have 3 lanes. Even here everybody is allowed to overtake left, right and center.
Speed limits
You are not allowed to drive faster than 100kmh in New Zealand.
There are 1 or 2 test road with 110kmh, that's it.
Usually you can't drive faster anyway as the road are curvy and much narrower than in Germany.
In towns, villages drive no faster than 50kmh.
I absolutely wouldn't drive faster than the speed limit.
Here in New Zealand you get a speeding find if you drive 3kmh over the limit.
You better watch out.
It's $30 for a couple of kms over the limit, if it's 5 kms over the limit it is $ 80.
You ll find yellow signs with a black number on. That is a suggestion speed to drive for example around the corner.
Times and distances in New Zealand
Driving from A to B in New Zealand takes much longer than in Germany.
In NZ you need double the time, often even 3 times the time.
For 100 km you have to budget 2-3 hours driving time.
one more Tip
in a cul-de-sac or whereever you want to turn around with your car, you have to do it clock wise.
Like in a roundabout.
If you want to rent a car in new Zealand,
please read this
http://nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/road-code-index/
http://nzta.govt.nz/safety/driving-safely/visiting-drivers/
You just arrived and rented a Camper in New Zealand and off you go...
no, wait
Best you stay in a Hostel for a few day/nights to acclimatise yourself.
Arrive in New Zealand and get used to your new surroundings
Anyway, that would be my tip
New Zealand is a western country, that's right, and on first sight it looks like it until you hit the road.
Left hand driving!!!
Driving a Camper in New Zealand is a little different.
Even crossing the road is a huge mission if you are used to right hand traffic.
Driving on the left is even more odd.
Best is you find a quiet road and drive your rental Camper around the not so busy streets.
here is a helpfull hint
The driver sits in the middle of the road.
That means the passenger sits on the curb.
It helps if both travellers watch out to stay on the left hand side of the road while turning.
Always stay left
When turning a corner always be aware and alert.
Please check out the road code for NZ
nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/road-code-index/
Roundabouts
Driving around a roundabout in New Zealand is the opposite as in Germay.
In NZ you have to drive into the roundabout clockwise.
Autobahn
here in New Zealand you find most of the motor ways/ high ways into the citys and out of the citysor around a city.
There are no motor ways in the country or from one city to another.
The right lane is the 'fast' lane and the left one is the 'slow' lane.
But don't wonder, they overtake everywhere. Left and right and that is allowed.
Most motorways have 3 lanes. Even here everybody is allowed to overtake left, right and center.
Speed limits
You are not allowed to drive faster than 100kmh in New Zealand.
There are 1 or 2 test road with 110kmh, that's it.
Usually you can't drive faster anyway as the road are curvy and much narrower than in Germany.
In towns, villages drive no faster than 50kmh.
I absolutely wouldn't drive faster than the speed limit.
Here in New Zealand you get a speeding find if you drive 3kmh over the limit.
You better watch out.
It's $30 for a couple of kms over the limit, if it's 5 kms over the limit it is $ 80.
You ll find yellow signs with a black number on. That is a suggestion speed to drive for example around the corner.
Times and distances in New Zealand
Driving from A to B in New Zealand takes much longer than in Germany.
In NZ you need double the time, often even 3 times the time.
For 100 km you have to budget 2-3 hours driving time.
one more Tip
in a cul-de-sac or whereever you want to turn around with your car, you have to do it clock wise.
Like in a roundabout.
If you want to rent a car in new Zealand,
please read this
http://nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/road-code-index/
http://nzta.govt.nz/safety/driving-safely/visiting-drivers/