New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[Sidersky]

Smash and grabs, yes. But someone casually walking up to your car while you're stuck in traffic, flashing a gun, and then taking your cellphone (and watch and laptop out the boot, as per a mate), haven't heard of that anywhere other than in Sandton traffic. Could be wrong though, this is SA after all

Witnessed one first hand at the robots under the bridge near the Makro in Springfield.

[GrahamS2]

Witnessed one first hand at the robots under the bridge near the Makro in Springfield.

Consider me learned! 

[hayleyearth]

No PR stickers anymore in passports, just eVisas.

 

But damn, what a couple of months we have had with paperwork etc etc.... I'm PR now too, so I'll be able to apply for citizenship when our little one goes to school only... Eish... Unless we can find a way through a parent or patnership way.

 

I must say, dealing with Immigration NZ is really a pleasure, they did the whole process for me in a month and emailed me all along the way.

[davetapson]

Witnessed one first hand at the robots under the bridge near the Makro in Springfield.

 

Watched one a year or two ago in Nugget St in Jhb.  Guy took a phone from the car in front of me, looked at me, saw my windows were closed, wandered off.  These guys just banged on the window with a gun.  Didn't take a whole lot of persuasion...

 

But then in Nugget Str, anything could happen.

 

Edit: the cops told me that they used to 'work' at Hyde Park, they set a trap and caught them, they were let out on bail and picked up again in Rosebank.

 

I was the second that day, the first 10 mins before me. Same spot.

Edited August 1, 2018 by davetapson

[davetapson]

Had a Skype interview with these guys

where I saw this 

which made me think about this

 

@Patches - is commuting by bike in Auckland a viable proposition..?

[patches]

Had a Skype interview with these guys

where I saw this

which made me think about this

 

@Patches - is commuting by bike in Auckland a viable proposition..?

 

I'd say yes, for the following reasons:

• Motorcyclists can use most bus lanes (unless it says "Bus Only")
• Motorcycle parking in most car parks is free (car parking can range from $6 - $24/day)
• Kiwi drivers are more aware of motorcyclists (as a generalization when compared to JHB)

The downsides are:

• Weather! Auckland rains a fair bit, and it can be unpredictable too. Some good rain gear can counteract that though
• Certain motorcycles can be a fair bit more expensive in NZ than SA but lucky for you that Ducati Scrambler is pretty much the same ($20k).
• Registration fees. Annual rego for a motorcycle is 5x higher than a car (approx. $400 vs $80). This is because of the ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) component of it. Basically in a collision a motorcyclist is generally more likely to incur higher medical expenses than a motorist.
• Licensing process. They have an extra step here between a Learners License and a Full License. That step is a Restricted Licence which one has to have for a minimum of 12months before applying to do the Full License. Learners License is valid for 5yrs. Both Learners & Restricted licenses limit one to a LAMS approved bike... ie under 660cc bike with less than 150kW/ton (with 90kg allowed for rider weight).

Do you have your full motorcycle license in SA? If so then they'll just convert it. If not, try get it quickly before you come over otherwise you will have to wait over a year before you can ride that Ducati... legally 

 

I've got my eye on a Husky FE701, so have booked my restricted test for next weekend, and after that will still have to wait a year before I can get the full license and ride the bike 

Edited August 2, 2018 by patches

[patches]

No PR stickers anymore in passports, just eVisas.

 

But damn, what a couple of months we have had with paperwork etc etc.... I'm PR now too, so I'll be able to apply for citizenship when our little one goes to school only... Eish... Unless we can find a way through a parent or patnership way.

 

I must say, dealing with Immigration NZ is really a pleasure, they did the whole process for me in a month and emailed me all along the way.

 

Congrats!

 

Sadly I don't think there is a parent/partnership fast track to citizenship, unless you are secretly a time travelling Samoan  (ie. a Samoan citizen that has lived here since September 1982)

 

What I didn't initially realize on the regular route to the granting of citizenship is that having 100 or more demerit points on one's drivers license can affect the application... I currently have 30 

Edited August 2, 2018 by patches

[patches]

Had a Skype interview with these guys

where I saw this

which made me think about this

 

@Patches - is commuting by bike in Auckland a viable proposition..?

 

Another thing worth reading is the Ministry of Transport report on motorcyclists. The data patterns on crashes relating to year and age are quite interesting.

 

https://www.transport.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Research/Documents/Motorcycles-2017.pdf

Edited August 2, 2018 by patches

[davetapson]

I'd say yes, for the following reasons:

• Motorcyclists can use most bus lanes (unless it says "Bus Only")
• Motorcycle parking in most car parks is free (car parking can range from $6 - $24/day)
• Kiwi drivers are more aware of motorcyclists (as a generalization when compared to JHB)

The downsides are:

• Weather! Auckland rains a fair bit, and it can be unpredictable too. Some good rain gear can counteract that though
• Certain motorcycles can be a fair bit more expensive in NZ than SA but lucky for you that Ducati Scrambler is pretty much the same ($20k).
• Registration fees. Annual rego for a motorcycle is 5x higher than a car (approx. $400 vs $80). This is because of the ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) component of it. Basically in a collision a motorcyclist is generally more likely to incur higher medical expenses than a motorist.
• Licensing process. They have an extra step here between a Learners License and a Full License. That step is a Restricted Licence which one has to have for a minimum of 12months before applying to do the Full License. Learners License is valid for 5yrs. Both Learners & Restricted licenses limit one to a LAMS approved bike... ie under 660cc bike with less than 150kW/ton (with 90kg allowed for rider weight).

Do you have your full motorcycle license in SA? If so then they'll just convert it. If not, try get it quickly before you come over otherwise you will have to wait over a year before you can ride that Ducati... legally 

 

I've got my eye on a Husky FE701, so have booked my restricted test for next weekend, and after that will still have to wait a year before I can get the full license and ride the bike 

 

I don't know Husky's at all well - that looks interesting.  These little buggers aren't cheap tho.  More than I paid for a Polo Vivo a couple years back.

 

I did a fast track licence in the UK - they have the same sort of rules, but if you do a course with a training agency you get 'fast-tracked' straight to 750cc+.  I'll never regret it - they taught me a couple tricks that I'm sure have kept me alive both on motor cycle and bike (the most important fo me being that at an intersection, make sure you have made eye contact with anyone who has the potential of flattening you - you then know that they have seen you.)

 

In some ways it seems daft that you have to do a different licence to make it legal to use the last 30cc of your Fe701... but I suppose they have to choose a number.

 

That pdf makes cheerful reading - the takeaway being that the licence types with the least crashes are forbidden/unlicenced/foreign.  Maybe cancel the licence application...   

 

The age group graph is interesting - seems the mad fkrs who bought bikes in the 80's were crashing all over the place, then took it easy when they had kids, now bought beemers and crashing all over again from 2010 onwards... my age group.  Maybe we are just k@k riders... 

[patches]

I don't know Husky's at all well - that looks interesting.  These little buggers aren't cheap tho.  More than I paid for a Polo Vivo a couple years back.

 

I did a fast track licence in the UK - they have the same sort of rules, but if you do a course with a training agency you get 'fast-tracked' straight to 750cc+.  I'll never regret it - they taught me a couple tricks that I'm sure have kept me alive both on motor cycle and bike (the most important fo me being that at an intersection, make sure you have made eye contact with anyone who has the potential of flattening you - you then know that they have seen you.)

 

In some ways it seems daft that you have to do a different licence to make it legal to use the last 30cc of your Fe701... but I suppose they have to choose a number.

 

That pdf makes cheerful reading - the takeaway being that the licence types with the least crashes are forbidden/unlicenced/foreign.  Maybe cancel the licence application...   

 

The age group graph is interesting - seems the mad fkrs who bought bikes in the 80's were crashing all over the place, then took it easy when they had kids, now bought beemers and crashing all over again from 2010 onwards... my age group.  Maybe we are just k@k riders... 

 

Another thing worth noting is the ACC's Ride Forever initiative.

 

https://www.rideforever.co.nz/

 

Basically it's a programme to increase rider safety and skills, funded through ACC contributions (part of where the high rergo fees go).

 

They offer 4 courses and anyone is entitled to go to 2 per year for a hugely subsidized fee or sometimes even free.

 

I went on the Bronze course (8hrs and usually $300) this weekend. The instructor was ex-police and had been a motorcycle patrol officer for over 20yrs.

 

Each rider is issued with a 2-way comms unit and the group (4 rider + 1 instructor) take turns leading the convoy. The instructor provides feedback and fields any questions while riding.

 

It was extremely informative and opened my eyes to how much more I can do as a motorcyclist in order to be safer on the roads.

 

Additional to that, certain insurers offer reduced rates  or zero excess for riders who have been on a Ride Forever course.

 

I would highly recommend one once you get here. It's an educational day out, plus you'll get to cruise through the local countryside and take in the scenery.

 

Great initiative NZ 

Edited August 5, 2018 by patches

[davetapson]

 

Great initiative NZ [emoji106]

Geez, sounds like a civilized country for sure... what are the chances of that happening here?

 

 

Sent from my Nokia 7 plus using Tapatalk

Edited August 6, 2018 by davetapson

[davetapson]

Patches - saw you comment about farmers on DR650's. 

 

I suppose that if I put my dreams in my pocket for a moment, that's not a bad option.  $5k - $6k second hand...

[patches]

Patches - saw you comment about farmers on DR650's. 

 

I suppose that if I put my dreams in my pocket for a moment, that's not a bad option.  $5k - $6k second hand...

 

Yup! DR650 and DRZ400's are like the 2 wheeled Hilux of NZ. They love them here because they're cheap. Go forever. And can be repaired with wire, duct tape, a hammer and some pliers.

 

if you see where these guys go with their DRZ400's and the like, it's pretty awesome!

 

https://www.remotemoto.com/ride-reports/

[davetapson]

Yup! DR650 and DRZ400's are like the 2 wheeled Hilux of NZ. They love them here because they're cheap. Go forever. And can be repaired with wire, duct tape, a hammer and some pliers.

 

if you see where these guys go with their DRZ400's and the like, it's pretty awesome!

 

https://www.remotemoto.com/ride-reports/

 

Slightly off topic, but it is of that little known North North Island...

And for old fks like me...

 

[davetapson]

Financial Emigration..?!

Seems that if you want to get your RA out etc then you need to do this, and it is apparently cheaper to do while you are still in SA?

Downside being that your bank account gets blocked?

So, if I get it right, the trade-off is RA's out vs having a working SA bank account? 

 

Folks got any views on this?  

[Wayne Potgieter]

Financial Emigration..?!

 

Seems that if you want to get your RA out etc then you need to do this, and it is apparently cheaper to do while you are still in SA?

 

Downside being that your bank account gets blocked?

 

So, if I get it right, the trade-off is RA's out vs having a working SA bank account?

 

Folks got any views on this?

i use a company called Rand Reunite.

 

They are brilliant and can be done from this side.

 

Cheaper than cash cows (now finglobal)

 

If you financially migrate you are no longer a SA tax citizen. You lose all bank accounts and tax number.