Waka Kotahi - dont have a clue

[pete376403]

My 5c. Zero deaths is so obviously unattainable that most people wll just switch off. I have.

It's scary to see how much the road toll has increased this year. 128 to the end of April, compared to 106 last year. Sent from my SM-G980F using Tapatalk

Last year was an outlier, given that a lot of the country was locked down. I know I did a lot less driving / riding. Regardless of the reason, the police/ WK will claim credit, funny how they do not accept the blame when it goes the other way.
Maybe the upswing is due to releasing that pent up urge to go somewhere.

[Berries]

Maybe the upswing is due to releasing that pent up urge to go somewhere.

One crash in however long the level 1 lockdown was last year in Southland, five crashes in the first four days after we went to level 2. You could be on to something.

Last year was not much of an outlier overall though, we have simply dropped back to where we were five years ago after a blip or two in 2017 and 2018. This is kind of why I think we have plateaued and unless there are major changes this is where we are going to sit for the foreseeable future.

[SaferRides]

Last year was an outlier, given that a lot of the country was locked down. I know I did a lot less driving / riding. Regardless of the reason, the police/ WK will claim credit, funny how they do not accept the blame when it goes the other way.
Maybe the upswing is due to releasing that pent up urge to go somewhere.

The only lockdowns in the first 4 months of 2021 were in Auckland for two brief periods. This year to date is tracking almost the same as 2018, which was the highest for a long time.

I don't know what the answer is, but I expect it will need a range of measures. I suspect what hasn't been grasped yet is that speed is a factor in many accidents, but is rarely the primary cause. In fact, the message that slower is safer may be counterproductive as drivers who drive slower may think that makes them safe.


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[onearmedbandit]

In fact, the message that slower is safer may be counterproductive as drivers who drive slower may think that makes them safe.

I'd wager the house on that being true.

[James Deuce]

I'd wager the house on that being true.

Just look at the death toll in the 70s when the speed limit was 80kph.

[Gremlin]

Regardless of the reason, the police/ WK will claim credit, funny how they do not accept the blame when it goes the other way.

Ex-fucking-zactly.

After the first weekend with reduced tolerance on a public holiday and there was a drop in deaths, oh, how they crowed about their magnificent success. It's one weekend? A statistical blip in the decades of comparisons. Sure enough, more weekends, higher death tolls... silence (or if any response, a head scratch). Now we can look back with years of data... they're pretty much statistical variations, and you can put any number of other reasons on it (continuing safety in cars, NCAP increasing the requirements to get 5 stars etc)

But hey, keep focussing on speed... It's always a factor, if a vehicle was doing 0kph at the time of impact... is a factor.

[Pokitren]

Just look at the death toll in the 70s when the speed limit was 80kph.

I'd like to see those statistics. Can you tell me where I can look? In general, I agree that the speed limit should affect the number of deaths.

[James Deuce]

I'd like to see those statistics. Can you tell me where I can look? In general, I agree that the speed limit should affect the number of deaths.

Really not that hard to find. Check road deaths between 1973 and 1985 when the open road speed limit was 80kph. Then look at how they've fallen off a cliff since 2000 while the population grew rapidly including them damn immigrunts and tourists who can't drive.

https://www.transport.govt.nz/statis...ds-since-1921/

[BMWST?]

A near miss from my trip north from Wairarapa yesterday. (Short version.)

There were two lanes for northbound traffic. A truck in the right of the two lanes indicated that he was turning off on a side road to the right. The guy behind him realising that he will have to stop, and not wanting the inconvenience, and without checking, swung on the wheel to change to the left lane. The lane that had four cars in it.

Maximum braking effort by all concerned - including the fuckwit. There were no colisions but there was very little space between any of the cars when they stopped.

One moment soporphic legal speed cruise. Nekminute...

many many people seem to think that they have to right to use the whole road for their puorposes. See it every day,people overtake cyclists etc wihout any regard for the actual situation.

[F5 Dave]

Geez down the road, Boi racer in matt black car cuts corner. Like 3/4 on wrong side of road at a fair clip. No problem until someone pulls out of sidestreet. Just missed.

That doesn't usually happen on this level. . . . Fiksake.

[onearmedbandit]

many many people seem to think that they have to right to use the whole road for their puorposes. See it every day,people overtake cyclists etc wihout any regard for the actual situation.

Coming back from the airport one afternoon on Memorial Ave (four lanes separated by a median, 50kmh zone) recently I was in the right hand lane with a police car behind me. In the left lane and maybe 1 second ahead of me was a courier van with a bus right in front of him. I noticed the bus driver put on his indicator to stop and prepared myself for the inevitable lane swerve from the van driver. Which he duly performed, missing my car narrowly as I braked and moved to the right to avoid him. Also noticing him was the occupants of the aforementioned police car. I did chortle to myself as I drove while he was receiving some roadside education.

[rastuscat]

I did chortle to myself as I drove while he was receiving some roadside education.

I still smile when I recall the roadside education we shared in 2005

[onearmedbandit]

I still smile when I recall the roadside education we shared in 2005

Hahaha yes same. I still remember your first words to me, "Pull over past the lights, I don't want a race". That was a good day.

[jellywrestler]

Hahaha yes same. I still remember your first words to me, "Pull over past the lights, I don't want a race". That was a good day.

sounds like you got a right swipe.

[sunhuntin]

That crash movement has featured in my Ride Forever courses since I started 6 years ago. I attended so many of those crashes when in a blue suit it was just beyond a joke.

It happens approximately every month in Chch, someone overtaking a left turning vehicle getting nailed by someone coming out of that side road.

Damn, some things are so predictable, surely we can as riders anticipate them, and thus avoid them.

theres an intersection here just outside waitara that is notorious for it. after two near misses in two days from cars pulling out, i now take the left turn and avoid the whole intersection.

also had an interesting event a few years ago just past that intersection. at the time, the speed limit was still 100, and a nice downhill before a corner into town. i came over the brow of the hill, and next thing i know all the cars in front are jamming on their brakes. i hit mine and got a bit locked up but got it sorted out ok... bloody tractor crawling along, unable to be seen due to the corners on the hill.