Have we improved our driving?

Just completed another trip from Auckland to Wellington and then around the SI.Unlike past trips, sighted only two drivers ignoring no-passing lines (c.f. stacks, on other occasions).And only two overtaking on blind corners.One of these was a cop, heading north in a truck convoy in North Canterbury.As always, the SI roads were superb, though a large number of 30k zones for road works.
And, in spite of the petrol head gathering in Hamilton, we did the Wellngton/Auckland leg in 8.5 hours, including stops.Not bad, thought slower than my past, solo trips.
Only downer was some a.hole stealing the bonnet badge, while parked on the Kaitaki.

I have noticed people taking more care around intersections because of new give way rules. Old people are scared out of their wits around intersections and open road driving is about normal. I did 540km last night in my truck around Taranaki,Wanganui, Waiouru and only got passed once on the outside of a blind turn. 3 cars following with their lights on full. 2 passing at 3 million miles an hour because they couldnt wait for the passing bays that are sign posted along the way.so yeah I think they are getting better. Maybe its because of a new awareness that a rule has changed and we are not as awesome as we think we once were.just my 2 cents

Even driving around Auckland, I believe that overall it has improved, which just makes the morons even noticeable and even easier to categorise.Sadly, most of the local cliches about poor drivers are still valid but far fewer boy or girl racers around, driving crap cars and tailgating.

I goofed on the new give way rule this morning, how bad is that!

The 'naughty spot' for you then.

How bad! Not too bad as you realised you had made the error. You are streets ahead of those that have no idea they are wrong.

Yeah I did the same tonight, went to go then remembered and waved her on, got a nice smile.

Drove back from Papakura this afternoon and nothing leads me to believe anyones driving has improved .saw 2 vehicles try and go into one lane from opposite outers and then they start dragging each other for it.lol. drive at 100ks on the motorway and notice how slow you are.lol. Titirangi later in the day.Saw a 4wd try and impose the give way to the right rule on a water truck.lol.the truckie inched him out after a bit of a mexican standoff .all in all we are getting worse.lol.lol.notice-
how many folk love to hug the centreline.lol.

A few years ago, I was driving to the airport at 5:30am every week. I used to come across so many plonkers, even at that time of the morning, that I started going by shuttle bus! It was better for my nerves.

Nowadays, once you hit Takanini heading north, the standard certainly drops as the traffic increases, but there are still fewer wallies now than there used to be.

Now you count them by journey and not by kilometre.

Its worst then ever down here in Marlborough. I live about 10 minutes from town, its zoned 100km/hr and that was the speed which the traffic typically flows at, but nowadays every second trip would get stuck behind someone going 70-80km/hr.

The road from Renwick to Havelock is even worst, I drive it about twice a week,its about a 20 minute trip, and 100km/hr all of the way quite safely. Passing opportunities are few and far between.Now, more often then not the traffic would get held up behind someone going 60-80km/hr. If a car towing a boat or a campervan gets stuck behind such a driver these no chance of anyone getting past.Also more of the slow drivers are accelerating when you try to overtake them, even had a couple of cases where they swerved into the other lane to prevent overtaking entirely. Many of them like to make it as difficult and dangerous as possible to overtake.

Many drivers have forgotten how to indicate, or would indicate at the last second. Most fail to indicate at roundabouts.

Many also turn into the flow of traffic then proceed to drive extremely slow holding everyone up. Often they could of waited 20 seconds and gone into a massive gape but they are to impatient and prefer to take the small openings to force the oncoming traffic to brake.

I also noticed that general courtesy is disappearing, up until a few years ago almost everyone would give a quick 'thankyou' wave when you waited for them at a one lane bridge, these almost never happen now.Also thankyou toots for pulling over and letting other drivers past have all but disappeared.

you almost sound like thats a bad thing

Agree. so many people seem to think the centre of the road is the place to be!