Don't think I'm getting slower since I got a bike...
Keen for an energy related speed limit instead of reactionary time based? Lol
100km/h Car (1400kg): 1080241 Joules of Energy
Motorcycle + Rider (270kg) to get to 1080241 Joules = 228km/h. I'd be happy with that
Would mean cyclists (80kg) would be able to go 418km/h if they so wished.
From Stuff:
The average Kiwi driver is slowly taking the foot off the pedal, with road speeds dropping to an all-time low.
Figures issued by the Transport Ministry show that the mean speed on the open road last year was 96.2kmh, the lowest since the survey began in 1995.
Speeds also reached an all-time low in urban areas, although at 52kmh, the mean speed was still above the 50kmh speed limit.
The low figures follow more than a decade of Kiwis steadily slowing down on the roads.
In 1996 Kiwis were travelling at 102.3kmh on the open road, and 56.5kmh in towns.
New Zealand Transport Agency spokesman Andy Knackstedt said there had been a noticeable shift in attitudes to road safety over the years.
It was largely due to an increase in targeted advertising and enforcement, which the New Zealand Transport Agency and police had been collaborating on, he said.
"There's no doubt that the advertising and enforcement campaign together has certainly helped to change people's attitudes and behaviour around speed and alcohol."
Mounting fuel prices would have played a role, he said.
"A lot of people are aware ... you use less fuel if you drive at a steady speed and you drive at a slower speed."
But although speeds are falling, drivers are still travelling over the speed limit in towns.
Fifteen per cent of drivers were clocked travelling at more than 57kmh in urban areas, while 58 per cent of drivers were over the speed limit.
Last year 137 people were killed and 2631 people were injured in speed-related crashes.
There were 830 crashes – about 16 a week – where a driver was speeding in urban areas and someone was injured or killed.
Mr Knackstedt said young men were often the worst offenders, which was why much of the advertising targeted that demographic.
"They tend to underestimate the dangers of travelling a little bit faster than the speed limit in 50kmh areas.
"They are confident with their driving ability and are comfortable that nothing untoward will happen. They are not consciously speeding – they are simply driving at speeds that are habitually comfortable."
Drivers often perceived the risk of crashing in urban areas as low, so would push the limits, so advertising campaigns aimed to increase awareness of the hazards.
2010 MEAN SPEEDS
Open roads (limit 100kmh)
Highest: Hawke's Bay, 100.3kmh
Lowest: Auckland, 93.8kmh
Wellington: 94.4kmh
Canterbury: 98.3kmh
Urban roads (limit 50kmh)
Highest: Gisborne, 55.3kmh
Lowest: Taranaki, 48.8kmh
Wellington: 49.1kmh
Auckland: 54.1kmh
Canterbury: 52.3kmh
Source: Transport Ministry 2010 Speed Survey
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Originally Posted by Luckylegs
but I'm now nearly old
).
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