The Road Code

New Zealand drivers have to be amongst the rudest in the world. As a pedestrian I've had two "incidents" where the person that nearly hit me (or in one case actually did give me a love tap) suggested very politely that I read the Road Code.

• Incident 1 - I was crossing Cuba Street at Abel Tasman Street in Wellington- this is a four way stop. The driver turned into me as I was 3/4 of the way across the street. Words were exchanged.
  
• Incident 2 - Friends and I were crossing a parking lot at a curb cut (that's kerb for you Kiwis) on the sidewalk (that's pathway for the Kiwis) behind the I-Site in Rotorua. Mr. Jaguar pants decided he was so disadvantaged by his 2 second delay that he needed to give us a cute little honk. I of course stopped in puzzlement at this behaviour. He took further offense and decided to run into me with his car. There was a little car door kicking action and he decided to get of his car but quickly took account of his odds and got back in - safe from us and from any moral considerations in his plastic and metal cocoon. The parking police intervened.
  

So here, by popular demand, are the relevant sections of the Road Code:
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Important
Giving way means that the road user you're giving way to (whether they are a driver, cyclist, pedestrian or any other kind of road user) doesn't need to stop, brake or slow down, swerve or take any other evasive action to avoid you.

Stop sign
At an intersection controlled by a Stop sign you must:

• come to a complete stop, not just slow down
• stop where you can see vehicles coming from all directions
• stay stopped and give way to all other vehicles (including bicycles, motorcycles etc)
• use the give way rules if you and another vehicle are coming towards each other and you are both at Stop signs
• not go until it is safe for you and all other traffic.
  

When leaving and entering driveways
When you are entering or leaving a driveway that crosses a footpath, you must give way to people using the footpath.

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So there you go, I read the Road Code and it of course states that we were within our rights as pedestrians. But what is it about people in their cars that makes them think that they can abuse or threaten someone? You wouldn't have the guts to do that to me outside of your car so what is it about the car that makes you feel so safe? So unbound by human decency?

MEGA UPDATE!!!
Lo and behold! The Dominion Post comes through with a column that proves their wankery and further establishes the apparently widely held Kiwi belief that pedestrians are at best a nuisance.