What should the open road speed limit be?

**ukusa** · 14th June 2010, 09:23

Speed limits/tolerances have been a hot topic lately so though it was about time for another poll. I've looked back and have found other polls on speed, but couldn't find one asking this simple question.
If you were transport minister, what would set the open road speed limit at. That means the speed you would set for the benefit of the country, not for your own benefit.

**Spyke** · 14th June 2010, 10:26

My idea would be to set no legal speed limit. Have an advisory safe speed limit for trucks to take corners and use the dangerous driving charge for any silly behaviour on our roads.

**Eyegasm** · 14th June 2010, 10:35

Originally Posted by Spyke

My idea would be to set no legal speed limit.

Agreed, let Darwinism deal to everyone...

But really, Why change the speed limit? No one abides by it anyway even knowing the consequences.
Death, Ticket or Vehicular Manslaughter twist the wrist to hard and one or more may apply.

Wanna go fast? Get to the track.

Eyegasm

**yachtie10** · 14th June 2010, 10:45

I actually dont think it needs to be raised (could goto 120 in dual carriageways with median)
I just want to see intelligent enforcement
If the conditions are good and its not dangerous then why stop people and ticket them (particularly when passing slow traffic)
conversly if the conditions are bad (road, light, wet etc) or driving dangerously then no tolerance

the main reason not to raise it to much is fuel economy goes down fast as you go faster (resistance is proportional to speed cubed)

**MSTRS:Me** · 14th June 2010, 10:47

There really is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to open road speed limits.

Big parts of major state highways could happily be 120kph (or more) - but other parts not.
Too many of our roads are yellow-lined and 80kph.

Speed limits seem to have more to do with driver skills (lack of) than the roads themselves.

**bogan** · 14th June 2010, 10:52

tough question, NZ'rs seem to have the speed limit is a speed target mentality, the idea that everyone should be doing the limit (100kmhr) all the time, raising the limit will just result in the same problems at higher speeds, lowering it will too (though at lower speeds). The immediate way to remove this mentality is to remove the speed limits, though of course that will result in carnage.

Think I'm with yachtie, maintain status quo but more intelligent enforcement.

edit: oh, and for those voting 120kmhr, I would refuse to do that speed in my van, fuel economy is already shit, and I don't want to have to thrash it everywhere, so would you enjoy being 'held up' by lots of slower drivers?

**Jantar** · 14th June 2010, 10:55

+1 for "Have an advisory safe speed limit". Speeding in itself shouldn't be an offence, but if you cause an accident through going too fast for the conditions, or too fast for your own ability then the offence is either careless (for inattention and misjuding your speed) or dangerous (for deliberately going to fast). Either of the above would almost certainly result in loss of licence for a period, and would provide encouragement to learn how to judge the correct speed for the road and conditions.

**Spearfish** · 14th June 2010, 10:59

same limit as the UK with the training to match.

**jeremysprite** · 14th June 2010, 11:01

Originally Posted by Eyegasm

Agreed, let Darwinism deal to everyone...

But really, Why change the speed limit? No one abides by it anyway even knowing the consequences.
Death, Ticket or Vehicular Manslaughter twist the wrist to hard and one or more may apply.

Wanna go fast? Get to the track.

Eyegasm

Yeah agree with this... It could be 120kph in some areas, but a lot of our roads are too poor to handle 120kph. If people want to go stupidly fast (or even sensibly fast?) they do so, come hell or high water.

I would say more training and education would help but... I'm not convinced.

**Bren** · 14th June 2010, 13:32

I would agree with some suggestions...120 on dual carriageways ON OUTSIDE LANE...

**Ixion** · 14th June 2010, 14:48

120 by day, 80 by night, 150 for less than quarter kilometer if LEGALLY overtaking. And a new offence of "inappropriate speed" for speed over 80 if deemed inappropriate to conditions (charge rebuttable on the bais of facts - visibility, weather, road surface, traffic etc)

**NighthawkNZ:Me** · 14th June 2010, 14:53

I can't afford the gas to continuosly go over 120 anymore...

**MSTRS:Me** · 14th June 2010, 14:59

I dunno about the bike, but the Commodore reads a tad under 10lt/100km at 100kph and closer to 8lt/100km at 120kph. Draw your own conclusions...

**HenryDorsetCase** · 14th June 2010, 15:00

Open = open, your choice, go as fast as you like but be prepared to wear the consequences.

there are sufficient penalties in law to punish miscreants: i.e. careless, reckless or dangerous driving.