ANOTHER speeding clamp down

[gjm]

Yup - that time of year. The police are out in force, tackling the major issues of road safety. By sitting at the side of long, clear stretches of road and pointing a camera at motorists.

There was a police representative on the news this morning, dishing out the same old meaningless diatribe - "Speeding causes accidents... blah, blah, blah..."

What causes accidents is people not paying attention to the road or other road users.
What causes accidents is BAD driving.

Travelling at 110km/h on a clear piece of road with 2km of visibility does not cause an accident, but will see you with a fine.

If accident reduction is the aim, why place the mobile cameras in areas where accidents never happen? Like the one parked on SH1 southbound, about 600m after the dual carriageway finishes coming out of Huntly? There was one there on Thursday morning, in the mist, and a different one there Thursday evening. Let's have someone watching the central hatched area at the start to the dual carriageway as SH1 exits Huntly southbound, to catch the fuckwits who just can't wait and overtake before getting to the overtaking lane.
Or someone watching the dual carriageway as it ends on the approach to Huntly, in either direction, where Mr or Mrs car/van driver wants to just pass one more vehicle before breaking hard into a stream of traffic?
These are the people causing accidents. They may not be exceeding the speed limit, but they are dangerous.

The message the police are giving is "travel under the posted limit and you will be safe". This is utter rubbish.

Travel at a speed appropriate to the conditions, which includes road surface, weather, visibility, rider/driver condition, vehicle specification, prevalent traffic and more, and then you will be safer.

Yesterday afternoon, returning from Raglan, there were huge queues of traffic on SH1. Probably just holiday traffic, but most of it moving at 10-50km/h. If it was moving at all. And police cars parked 'watching' nothing happen.

We got off SH1 and took the long but fun route back. 1B east, then Whitakahu Road, then cross country north to Waerenga Road. Great roads. Lots of long, long straights, some fun corners and combinations. Lots of opportunity for some 'spirited' riding and if ridden without care, lots of opportunity for carnage. But not one police car, speed camera van or any form of traffic speed enforcement, unless you include some unannounced new seal which was a bit interesting... Still, riding appropriately and paying attention ensured there were no problems.

Are Kiwis typically taken in by the drivel spouted about speeding? If they believe that rubbish, why don't so many of them believe the instruction 'keep left unless passing', for instance?


Glad I got that out of the way. I'll go and enjoy a sunny few days off.

[sil3nt]

Pretty sure I got done twice on the way back from Auckland. Will find out in a few weeks. Had no speeding tickets in 10 years of driving until new years when I got done for 105 km/h at the bombays. I think I got done again at the bombays and possibly at Huntly. Lesson learned though! Stop going to Auckland on these long weekends

[James Deuce]

Are Kiwis typically taken in by the drivel spouted about speeding? If they believe that rubbish, why don't so many of them believe the instruction 'keep left unless passing', for instance?

No, like you they believe they are superior road users, massively skilled drivers and riders and that it won't happen to them.

[gjm]

No, like you they believe they are superior road users, massively skilled drivers and riders and that it won't happen to them.

Hmm. Not sure how you reached (jumped to?) that conclusion, and I think that's the second time you've (incorrectly) assumed you know me. Please don't do that - meet me first, eh?

[R650R]

No, like you they believe they are superior road users, massively skilled drivers and riders and that it won't happen to them.

Yes. He's just written a great advertisement about why speed matters, lets hope the ltsa doesn't steal it for the next ad.

GJM you've just stated you are constantly surrounded by idiotic bad drivers, the extra speed increases your stopping distance and space to avoid their mistakes.
I like to stretch my legs at times but accept the rules of the game imposed on us and what ever penalty occasionally hit with.
Just think of all the times you don't get caught and speed tickets are quite a cheap fee for freedom of travel...

[TheDemonLord]

Hmm. Not sure how you reached (jumped to?) that conclusion, and I think that's the second time you've (incorrectly) assumed you know me. Please don't do that - meet me first, eh?

if I were a betting man, I would say that he reached that conclusion, based on your comments about speed not being equal to safety, and driving to the conditions is actually equal to safer driving - as typically these comments are spoken by people who believe themselves to be the sole and only people capable of driving on the open road at 120 kph.


That said - I agree with you that focussing soley on speed as a metric of good driving is a bad idea and that instead trying to raise the collective standard of driving is a better idea.

Common areas where NZ drivers appear to lack compared to other countries:

Lane discipline
correct use of Motorway lanes
courteous open road driving
Road awareness

[SMOKEU]

Common areas where NZ drivers appear to lack compared to other countries:

Lane discipline
correct use of Motorway lanes
courteous open road driving
Road awareness

As well as not giving a fuck about even the most basic vehicle maintenance like tyre pressures and fluids, and braking during the corners instead of before the corners. And not knowing/being too lazy to use engine braking, especially when going down mountain roads.

[TheDemonLord]

As well as not giving a fuck about even the most basic vehicle maintenance like tyre pressures and fluids, and braking during the corners instead of before the corners. And not knowing/being too lazy to use engine braking, especially when going down mountain roads.

The last one I think is more an idicator that we drive a lot of Automatics - compared the UK where most cars are still predominantly manual (or with flappy paddle semi autos)

[SMOKEU]

The last one I think is more an idicator that we drive a lot of Automatics - compared the UK where most cars are still predominantly manual (or with flappy paddle semi autos)

I've never driven an auto car where engine braking isn't possible by moving the gear shifter into a lower gear. But then again, I've never driven a modern car.

[Tazz]

[Tazz]

[Edbear]

if I were a betting man, I would say that he reached that conclusion, based on your comments about speed not being equal to safety, and driving to the conditions is actually equal to safer driving - as typically these comments are spoken by people who believe themselves to be the sole and only people capable of driving on the open road at 120 kph.


That said - I agree with you that focussing soley on speed as a metric of good driving is a bad idea and that instead trying to raise the collective standard of driving is a better idea.

Common areas where NZ drivers appear to lack compared to other countries:

Lane discipline
correct use of Motorway lanes
courteous open road driving
Road awareness

As well as not giving a fuck about even the most basic vehicle maintenance like tyre pressures and fluids, and braking during the corners instead of before the corners. And not knowing/being too lazy to use engine braking, especially when going down mountain roads.

Let's just acknowledge that the majority of drivers in NZ lack the competence to drive safely at any speed on any road. A minority can achieve the speed limit in ideal circumstances, and a tiny minority can maintain it for any distance.

[SMOKEU]

Let's just acknowledge that the majority of drivers in NZ lack the competence to drive safely at any speed on any road. A minority can achieve the speed limit in ideal circumstances, and a tiny minority can maintain it for any distance.

Pretty much.

[DamianW]

It seems odd to me that in NZ you are within the law if you drive/ride 100km/h on a road without speed restrictions - without any insurance; and yet be breaking the law if you drive/ride on the same stretch of road at 120km/h - with full comprehensive cover insurance.

Yes, the legal speed limit is exactly that but driving/riding without insurance(?) I just can't fathom it.

[SMOKEU]

Yes, the legal speed limit is exactly that but driving/riding without insurance(?) I just can't fathom it.

And if someone with no insurance crashes into you, then you'd be lucky to get paid $20 a week out of their benefit for it. Although your insurance company should be able to take the guilty party to court.