Canalblog
Editer l'article Suivre ce blog Administration + Créer mon blog
Publicité
Fantastic Kiwi
4 juillet 2015

Driving in Auckland

You're already know how I love driving in Auckland.

Not.

Not just because any trips will take you a long time because you will end up stuck in a traffic jam, but because the state of driving is quite appalling. I am not saying I am a great driver (I am not), but it takes a while to get adjusted to the state and rules (unwritten) of driving here. 

My last example was last Thursday afternoon, on my way back from work/daycare to home.

Around 4 pm stuck in a 2km traffic jam created by some traffic lights at the centre of an inner-city suburb. Light goes green (can't see it yet but traffic is moving), traffic slowly starting, taking some speed (ohoh 2nd gear... Yes I am driving a manual car), then from the corner of my left eyes, I can see some grey monster approaching...

Yes, that is right a grey (French !) SUV is pulling out of its "giving way" side street, to try to insert itself between me and the car in front, in the moving (OK slowly but moving !) traffic... Errr I don't think so.... To make my point I keep moving forward, driving as close as I can to the side of the SUV, whose driver has to slam on her brakes to avoid collision (and to be fair will be much more damaging for her than for me with my old no value whatsoever Corolla). The teenager on the passenger side trying to gesticulate and yell at me... 

It is hard not to get sucked into the "road rage" attitude...

The SUV kind of straighten itself, and zoomed trough a hole between the parked cars and the cars in front... I keep going and the light is red again. Stop. By some very funny trick of fate, I ended up stopped next to the SUV... Parked and ready to go shopping ! The woman goes out of her car and gesticulates (and yells) at me from the safety of the pavement. Well, my blood is heating up, I wind down the window and yell back "Give way is not force the way !". I see she is hesitating a bit and then come at my window to explain her point.

Apparently any "decent" person let the cars coming from this side street go because the traffic is so heavy, cars can never go from that street otherwise. Oh I see. Well I am not taken aback and let her know that "I am not a decent person. When the traffic moves I don't let car insert themselves into the oncoming traffic otherwise WE are the ones always stuck !". When the traffic stops I always (well I try anyway) let intersections free.

That arrogant woman finally ends up the argument (that she was never going to win) with a "have a lovely life"...

What a stupid comment from an arrogant woman.

It is more than a traffic problem, it just shows the attitude of quite a lot of people here. 

What do you think ?

 

Publicité
Publicité
Commentaires
Fantastic Kiwi
Publicité
Visiteurs
Depuis la création 29 788
Derniers commentaires
Archives
Publicité