Speed - what slows you down?

[haydes55]

You're not the only one thinking like that.

Straight road 150km/h is a lot safer than trying to keep up to the speed limit on a twisty 100km/h road.

[skippa1]

Straight line speed is easy, anyone can do it. Fastest riders i have ridden with a smooth and consistant, never at licence loss speed, but not slowing down in the windy stuff.

what slows me down? Risk vs reward, can be the risk of imminent danger, the risk of demerits or other risk that out weighs any benefit i get from what im doing.

[Monsterbishi]

One of the reasons why the 40km/h limit is set, is to cater for scenarios where people may not have seen a speed limit sign, ie a 80 zone dropping to a 50 zone. If it was any less you'd see people losing their licences, or being forced to go through court processes for situations that simple don't warrant them like a ticket for speeding where the view of a speed sign was blocked by a passing truck, or vegetation.

[R650R]

Ah - it's good logic is mine. 50 zones are residential as a rule so highly likely cars will pull out of drives, kids run after balls etc etc. Slower is better.

Of course there are no driveways in rural areas are there and they'll never be a milk tanker pulling out of the driveway when your coming past at 140 will there... Livestock wandering in long grass and goats are lot more prolific and unpredictable than kids chasing a ball...
There many rural roads that are no longer fun on the bike due to so many lifestyle blocks going in, too many driveways... Of course on your 140k thrash you'd prob not notice until too late...
Thanks for sharing your logic and you could prob debate it quite well but if you don't accept the high risk you wont be planning for it either...

[R650R]

One of the reasons why the 40km/h limit is set, is to cater for scenarios where people may not have seen a speed limit sign, ie a 80 zone dropping to a 50 zone. If it was any less you'd see people losing their licences, or being forced to go through court processes for situations that simple don't warrant them like a ticket for speeding where the view of a speed sign was blocked by a passing truck, or vegetation.

I doubt it.... could already do the same at many road works.... or school buses in rural areas...

[TheDemonLord]

What slows me down?

Punctures, small children, Cows in the middle of the road, lack of Petrol, Newtonian Physics

[bluninja]

What slows me down?

Punctures, small children, Cows in the middle of the road, lack of Petrol, Newtonian Physics

You forgot drag and pedants

[pritch]

You forgot drag and pedants

You ride in drag?








Merry Christmas

[unstuck]

[bluninja]

You ride in drag?








Merry Christmas

Sometimes I'm in drag in jeans Bah Humbug !

[breakaway]

The speed limit is designed to account for all skill levels and all machine types.

Hypothetically, passing a line of cars on double yellows on a modern 1000 quickly going from 120 to 220 isn't going to result in immediate death (provided visibility is not an issue).

Attempting the same in a Yaris with bicycle tyres and shit brakes and virtually no power to even be able to overtake on proper passing lanes would be another story altogheter.

Basically the road rules are in place to cater to the lowest common denominator.

Only way to improve the situation would be better rider/driver training and perhaps improving arterial roads (think autobahn) and very strict vehicle inspections, but that is very unlikely.

[yevjenko]

Hypothetically:

...lots of stuff

Well said!

[yevjenko]

Hasn't the limit been reduced to 30 over?

nope.

40km/h over a permanent speed limit, 50km/h over a temporary

[Ninjacookie]

So topics like this make me wonder...

Am I the only one who actually enjoys sticking to the speed limit (or even slightly under) for a nice scenic ride?

I had 2 bikes and 4 cars all getting whingey with me the other day for riding at 100 down the motorway. Yes, I'm going to stick to the speed limit and yes, im going to ride that limit in the right hand lane. Because that way I don't have to watch so many directions at once for crazy people trying to cut me off.

[swbarnett]

have also been pulled over for 62 kph in a 50kph zone. Was by a school and I think that a ticket was absolutely warranted

This is just a pure case of double standards.

Case in point - The road past Harrisville school in Tuakau has a 70kph speed limit and no reduction at any time of the day..

I do not think that reduced speed tolerances are at all the answer. Increased driver education and training is. I recently got back from an overseas trip travelling around 4000kms. This was some open road driving, some highway/motorway and a mix of other stuff. The open road limit was 120kph but mostly the traffic flowed at 140-190kph.

I was travelling at 170kph in northern Italy overtaking cars doing about 150. Next thing I know there's a Merc on my tail flashing light and sounding horn. When I pulled in he was out of sight (straight road) in a couple of seconds.

Because drivers had a level of courtesy,

Exactly. A lack of courtesy is the route of all the problems we have on our roads (at least when it involves more than one vehicle). Solve that and the road toll will plummet. No matter the speeds involved.