Speed tolerance reduced for December and January

[Edbear]

The Canadian report on speed limits, linked to earlier in this thread, showed that even when there was a substantial increase in speed limits the average speed driven at only rose slightly. if the speed limit is set at what 85% of people are comfortable driving below, then accidents decrease, not because people are driving faster, but because they are driving to conditions rather than to a target.

But, the sign said 100km/h is not a target and we should drive to the conditions...

[swbarnett]

I know the UK does this, but it isn't legal in NZ.

I know. My point is that the UK police are often touted as the authority on all things to do with safe driving; so if they're tought to do it then I highly doubt there's anything wrong with it. Legal or not.

[Jantar]

But, the sign said 100km/h is not a target and we should drive to the conditions...

Yes, but if we do that we get speeding tickets.

[Tigadee]

The Canadian report on speed limits, linked to earlier in this thread, showed that even when there was a substantial increase in speed limits the average speed driven at only rose slightly. if the speed limit is set at what 85% of people are comfortable driving below, then accidents decrease, not because people are driving faster, but because they are driving to conditions rather than to a target.

Before we do that, can we please teach road users that the over-taking lane is the OVER-TAKING lane, not the cruising lane? The "What? I'm at the speed limit, why should I keep left?" mentality is just

[swbarnett]

You do what you want - but I doubt many who had a head-on while cutting a corner ever thought they had anything but 'visibility up to the task'.

I have NEVER crossed the center line with even the slightest risk of a head-on.

OK. It's illegal to cross the center line when you're the only vehicle on a given stretch of road. However, all I have to do to make the exact same manoeuvre legal (assuming adequate visibility etc.) is to put another vehicle on the road and call it an overtake. Even a bicycle would do.

[swbarnett]

Well, one of the problems with NZ roads is you think you have clear visibility, meanwhile, there's a blind dip or the like...

Having had a close shave making the mistake above, now I won't overtake until I KNOW it's clear visibility, by seeing the whole road surface... Never assume...

Exactly. As I like to say, you must "see nothing" rather than "not see anything".

Given how this is done I don't see how crossing the center line is any different than a legal overtake.

[R650R]

Given how this is done I don't see how crossing the center line is any different than a legal overtake.

When that corner cutting campaign first came out I thought it was a bit rough, but 99% of motorists are on their side of the road 99% of the time.
There are very few places where its an effort to stay in your lane rather than cutting the corner. Granted there are a few places where the road is poorly maintained and its much more comfortable to straddle the line for a little bit rather than slow down or try miss potholes etc be it in truck car or bike.
More and more though you see people turning in too tight or cutting the centre when they don't need to so I have no problem with enforcement of this as its targeting sloppy drivers.

[R650R]

Well, one of the problems with NZ roads is you think you have clear visibility, meanwhile, there's a blind dip or the like...

Having had a close shave making the mistake above, now I won't overtake until I KNOW it's clear visibility, by seeing the whole road surface... Never assume... Also, often bikers seem to expect any oncoming vehicle to be a slow moving truck, when it could equally be a fast moving bike. Now think how much space you really have, to overtake.

Been there done that in my younger days, between the door handles of a falcon and the BMW coming the other way that didn't see. Nothing but pure luck and the fact that both drivers were keeping left saved me.
No time to brake, just suck it in and pray. Much more careful these days!

[swbarnett]

When that corner cutting campaign first came out I thought it was a bit rough, but 99% of motorists are on their side of the road 99% of the time.
There are very few places where its an effort to stay in your lane rather than cutting the corner. Granted there are a few places where the road is poorly maintained and its much more comfortable to straddle the line for a little bit rather than slow down or try miss potholes etc be it in truck car or bike.
More and more though you see people turning in too tight or cutting the centre when they don't need to so I have no problem with enforcement of this as its targeting sloppy drivers.

Agreed. "Corner cutting" without adequate visibility is not good. I used to be in the habit of straight-lining a series of corners where you can see the last corner from the first i.e. there is no way in hell an alert driver could miss any on-coming traffic. I haven't done that for a number of years now as usually there's at least one other vehicle present.

Basically my point is that we are talking about two different things here:

1. Cutting a blind corner and risking a head-on.

2. Crossing the centre-line in a manner tantamount to over-taking which, except for the lack of another vehicle, is perfectly legal and safe.

[SMOKEU]

Yer, I never deal with people cutting blind corners, best to just leave them and ping somebody doing 105kph...

Here's an idea: Have hidden cameras set up on blind corners on the open road. Anyone who gets busted overtaking or just driving/riding on the wrong side of the road around the blind corner gets their day in court on a charge of reckless driving, or similar. Have markers on the side of the road at pre-determined intervals within camera view, so judging the vehicle distance from the corner then becomes easier. It should be pretty easy to get convictions as there's not much anyone can use as a defence if it's all on camera.

[caspernz]

Here's an idea: Have hidden cameras set up on blind corners on the open road. Anyone who gets busted overtaking or just driving/riding on the wrong side of the road around the blind corner gets their day in court on a charge of reckless driving, or similar. Have markers on the side of the road at pre-determined intervals within camera view, so judging the vehicle distance from the corner then becomes easier. It should be pretty easy to get convictions as there's not much anyone can use as a defence if it's all on camera.

Haha, that requires actual police work though...

In France for a while the cops used to issue tickets to truckers touching the centreline with their wheels, not even going over...just touching...so don't go giving the local plods any ideas huh?!

[Swoop]

...because they are driving to conditions rather than to a target.

That is the only option. "Conditions" are critical. If a driver cannot keep their conveyance within the white lines at whatever speed, then they are out of control. "Slow down Marquez"!

Before we do that, can we please teach road users that the over-taking lane is the OVER-TAKING lane, not the cruising lane? The "What? I'm at the speed limit, why should I keep left?" mentality is just

Sorry but the plod need to concentrate on the speeders, not dangerous people like red light runners or people who can't indicate, hog lanes, don't stop at a "STOP" sign, etc, etc...
Donuts don't pay for themselves you know.

[SPman]

And EVERYBODY has an excuse as to why they 'had' to cut the corner...

Other than a huge boulder on "your" side of the road, there is NO excuse for cutting a corner, and even then only with caution! If you can't get around a corner, or flow corners together without cutting one, rethink your whole riding/driving strategy! Keep racetrack lines for the racetrack!
Cutting corners can lead to a resetting of your "default" road position that can lead to cutting corners, without actually thinking about it when you don't want to, which can (and has) lead to unfortunate consequences!

[R650R]

Here's an idea: Have hidden cameras set up on blind corners on the open road. Anyone who gets busted overtaking or just driving/riding on the wrong side of the road around the blind corner gets their day in court on a charge of reckless driving, or similar. Have markers on the side of the road at pre-determined intervals within camera view, so judging the vehicle distance from the corner then becomes easier. It should be pretty easy to get convictions as there's not much anyone can use as a defence if it's all on camera.

Actually there are a lot of reasons for a valid defence, swerving/moving to avoid debri,livestock, feral hitchhikers, a shadow that looked like any of those etc... Regular positioning of such devices and resupply of batteries etc and downloading would be quite a drain on resources too, hence why they just target the quick and not dead yet with speed tickets instead.
Its a great idea but one of those things difficult to implement.
Near where I live there is a free left turn into a two lane road, ie NO stopping while turning left. Now anywhere from 1 in 20 to 1 in 50 drivers stops there obstructing traffic!
The only reason why I can think of is they are not confident enough to make a lane change up the road into right lane (if they need to) before the major junction about a half km up road.
IMO none of those drivers should have a licence, can we have a no stopping camera??? I've even seen police obstructed by these types and they do nothing about it either. BTW there is a traffic island so 100% impossible to be hit while completing the turn.

[scumdog]

Agreed. "Corner cutting" without adequate visibility is not good. I used to be in the habit of straight-lining a series of corners where you can see the last corner from the first i.e. there is no way in hell an alert driver could miss any on-coming traffic. I haven't done that for a number of years now as usually there's at least one other vehicle present.

Basically my point is that we are talking about two different things here:

1. Cutting a blind corner and risking a head-on.

2. Crossing the centre-line in a manner tantamount to over-taking which, except for the lack of another vehicle, is perfectly legal and safe.

I wonder if it was 1. or 2. that happened on the Rimutakas?