Annual road toll up 44

[TheDemonLord]

The Popos can't influence the weather, recession, fuel prices, blah blah blah, but that's no reason why we shouldn't do what we believe will help the issue.

Its True the police can't influence those things - but did that stop them from claiming credit and causation for the lower road toll? - I seem to remember when we had the first death-free public holiday that the police were blowing their trumpets about how it was a direct result of their lower speed tolerance (never mind the other factors that probably had more to do with it)

And now, the toll is up, the speed tolerance is down and yet the same line somehow rings hollow - surely if the lower tolerance was the sole and only reason for the death-free holiday, then an even lower tolerance would have meant a lower toll overall for the year....

I am not having a go at the individual cop - who may believe the line or may simply be following orders - Just this kind of thing grates me: If the lower speed tolerance works, then why did it not do dick over the holidays, or if it isn't working, a retraction, public apology and a refund are in order.

fit jammers to vehicles to stop mobile phones working.
Have Rego based on power, want more power, pay more.
Make third party insurance compulsory
Take ACC off motor vehicles and transfer to personal insurance.

What about passengers? Fitting Jammers is a 1000 lb bomb to crack a walnut.
Rego based on power - I could somewhat agree with this notion - but if we are going to go down that path, there are other factors I would like to see accounted for before power
Compulsory insurance - I am vehemently against it for the following reasons:

1: It does nothing to help the road toll
2: all the insurance companies who are currently telling you that premiums won't change much are lying - just look at the UK to see how it works over there - I could not own or drive Any of the vehicles I owned and drove for the first 10 years of my driving career - the cost of an insurance premium for a 1.1 ltr car for a male driver under 25 is almost more than the cost of the car.
3: it gives Mr Plod another excuse to issue tickets (and boy do they love to do that in the UK)
4: it doesn't change what happens if there is an accident with someone with no insurance - you log a police report, you go to court, the lawyers laugh to the bank and everyone gets screwed.

Finally ACC - I personally don't mind keeping ACC around - but I do think that it should take into account fault in an accident - afterall, if I have to spend 2 weeks in hospital and a further 1 year in physical rehab because somebody pulled out without looking, it isn't right that my premiums increase, if ACC behaved more like an insurance company, they would be reaming either the person at fault or the person at fault's insurance - not mine.

[AllanB]

Pop into your local show room and sit in a new car - they are so well appointed with goodness, electronics, blue tooth this and that that I wonder if the extras are actually distracting the drivers attention now - kind of like giving them a false sense of security.

The 'drive' is now a luxury 'ride'

Also with all the modern aids such as anti lock brakes etc etc we are still smashing he shit out of each other.

Advertising re speed may or may not work - advocating more responsibility to the person behind the wheel may. Speed killed? Nah the driver speeding killed. Big difference.

[willytheekid]

Hmmmm, I say we put the bubble wrap away...and just assist natural selection



...just a thought

[Tazz]

I've only done a lazy skim but did anyone see this wee gem?

http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/lower-...#axzz3NcDeHT25

Also I love how our roading condition/s are allegedly not good enough for a higher speed limit (rings true for a lot of our roads to be fair) like other countries with lower road tolls, yet our own road toll is somehow still comparable?

[SPman]

Finally ACC - I personally don't mind keeping ACC around - but I do think that it should take into account fault in an accident - afterall, if I have to spend 2 weeks in hospital and a further 1 year in physical rehab because somebody pulled out without looking, it isn't right that my premiums increase, if ACC behaved more like an insurance company, they would be reaming either the person at fault or the person at fault's insurance - not mine.

And that attitude, m'Lud, is the reason ACC is in the state it is now and behaving like an insurance company instead of the no fault Social Service it was originally conceived as.......

[mstriumph]

'''''''''''''''''''''''''
However the apparent obsession with speed is, in my belief, creating a culture of driving to the speed limit irrespective of the conditions at the time. I would rather see a more rational approach to traffic policing with drivers/riders prosecuted for driving/riding in a manner which is endangering either themselves or others. By that, I mean, doing 100km/h in torrential rain in heavy traffic is more dangerous than doing 110km/h in a well maintained vehicle on a straight wide section of open road on a fine day; unable to stop at Stop signs; tailgating; and the list goes on..............

Amen to that
Our main problem seems to be that traffic law is put in place by out of touch idiots wanting to appear 'to be doing something', enforced by foot soldiers who just want to keep their jobs and visited on a general public browbeaten into mindless obedience irrespective of the stupidity of what's being enforced

If all three levels were encouraged to THINK about the implications of what they are doing, the roads would be a safer place

... no?

[TheDemonLord]

And that attitude, m'Lud, is the reason ACC is in the state it is now and behaving like an insurance company instead of the no fault Social Service it was originally conceived as.......

I concede part of that, but I think more of the problem is to do with trying to do both - my suggestion is to move it to purer insurance company model, as opposed to the 50/50 it is trying to be (which I agree is part of the problem)

[gjm]

I've only done a lazy skim but did anyone see this wee gem?

http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/lower-...#axzz3NcDeHT25

Well, the lower tolerance on speeding was always going to be the correct course of action, and it couldn't possibly be the lack of skill on the part of drivers that would cause accidents.

Had to be something else, something new and different...

Yup - fuel prices. Must be the fuel prices!

Silly government. When the wholesale price of oil dropped, they should have increased taxation on fuel because that would not only help to fill John Key's, sorry, the government's coffers but it would alos have helped reduce the road toll over Christmas!

There. Tax increases linked to safety promotion. Simples.

Or maybe 3news is secretly owned by Fox. They're known for their inability to accurately report anything.

[breakaway]

I say next year we reduce the speed limit to 30 km/h on all roads and see what happens.

If you are found exceeding the speed, your car will be crushed and replaced with a smart car.

[mstriumph]

I say next year we reduce the speed limit to 30 km/h on all roads and see what happens.

If you are found exceeding the speed, your car will be crushed and replaced with a smart car.

let's have a law that every motor vehicle must be limited to 4kph speed and have a bloke with a red flag walking in front of it ... (think of the impact on the unemployment stats!)

and, if you are found exceeding the limit, YOU will be crushed and replaced with the bloke who had to walk in front of you ... (that's if you didn't crush him when you exceeded the limit)

seriously, fella?

[EJK]

Pathetic piece of shits always pointing fingers and blaming others.

Fuel prices? Really? I mean, seriously? You gotta be fucking kidding me.

I can't stand both Clive Matthew-Wilson scapegoating on stupid variables and the media boosting and pumping bullshit on the Internet.

[jellywrestler]

Pathetic piece of shits always pointing fingers and blaming others.

Fuel prices? Really? I mean, seriously? You gotta be fucking kidding me.

he's dead right, look how cheap mcdonalds is and how many fat cunts there are out there.

[TheDemonLord]

Well, they are right to a degree

When fuel is expensive, only people who can afford to drive, go away for the holidays - these people tend to be:

1: Higher educated (so know what the fuck they are doing)
2: driving late model cars (so have the latest and greatest safety features)
3: Have smaller families (so not a million cuzzies in a clapped out Whanau Ferry)

And most importantly of all:

4: Less other road users to crash into.

[swbarnett]

For the record, again, I actually don't buy 100% the party line, but it's still the party line. How far would it get me to run around disagreeing with the Bwana? Nowhere, coz he's still the Bwana.

All it takes for evil to flourish is for good people to do nothing.

And THATs all we can ask. That everyone does their bit. Trouble is, most don't give it a second thought.

And all I ask is that the police actually try and figure out which of us are part of the solution and leave us alone. I would be much happier if it was clear that they were actually trying, even if they were still getting it wrong.

[Edbear]

Hmmmm, I say we put the bubble wrap away...and just assist natural selection ]

...just a thought

If only the perpetrators were affected. Trouble is it's too often the innocent.

Well, they are right to a degree

When fuel is expensive, only people who can afford to drive, go away for the holidays - these people tend to be:

1: Higher educated (so know what the fuck they are doing)
2: driving late model cars (so have the latest and greatest safety features)
3: Have smaller families (so not a million cuzzies in a clapped out Whanau Ferry)

And most importantly of all:

4: Less other road users to crash into.

So why are BMW drivers the worst of all?