Setting Of Speed Limits - Consultation

[Berries]

I have checked the Auckland council website, where they say that none of the reduced limits on rural roads need to be reversed.

So the new rules only applies to some state highways?

NZTA are the government agency therefore they do what they are told regarding speed limits on state highways. They don't answer to ratepayers either so any consultation with them about speed limits is a bit of a sham. I did not realise how many SH speed limits had been changed. Down south they did not rush into those wholesale changes seem elsewhere, there was a bit of pushback from local staff thankfully.

Local roads however are another matter and I know a few councils who are sick to death of all these rule changes by NZTA. They get told to have a speed managenent plan and spend tens of thousand dollars on getting consultants to produce them. They get threatened by NZTA with legal consequences if they don't match the speed limits with what they say they should be. They then spend more tens of thousands on consultation, then they make the changes and spend thousands on signs.

Some councils have elected councillors who were totally against the changes in the first place. They will pressure the staff to change them by waving the new rules around like the old rules were waved at them last time. It all comes down to who is in charge of the roading department IMO. if it is the same people involved in the speed management plan then they won't be changing the speed limits back in a hurry.

It won't be a great cost to change things back to the way they were but with all councils being under pressure for spending on other things they aren't going to rush into it. Particularly if the rumours about that National MP are correct and a snap election is called with Labour winning by a landslide and changing the speed limit rule again.

[SaferRides]

I will start asking questions. It's unfortunate that we have a new transport minister as Simeon Brown seemed determined to push this through.

Our mayor (no relation) might not be impressed either. But Auckland Transport just do what they want regardless, but not for much longer.

Sent from my SM-S906E using Tapatalk

[F5 Dave]

Yes he's being moved to Health where he can do more damage to the crumbling system.

Our local rag reported that 1 in 5 nursing graduates get employed by TeHospitalplace. Despite chronic nursing shortages on wards.
That seems a bit broken.

[rastuscat]

NZTA are the government agency therefore they do what they are told regarding speed limits on state highways. They don't answer to ratepayers either so any consultation with them about speed limits is a bit of a sham. I did not realise how many SH speed limits had been changed. Down south they did not rush into those wholesale changes seem elsewhere, there was a bit of pushback from local staff thankfully.

Local roads however are another matter and I know a few councils who are sick to death of all these rule changes by NZTA. They get told to have a speed managenent plan and spend tens of thousand dollars on getting consultants to produce them. They get threatened by NZTA with legal consequences if they don't match the speed limits with what they say they should be. They then spend more tens of thousands on consultation, then they make the changes and spend thousands on signs.

Some councils have elected councillors who were totally against the changes in the first place. They will pressure the staff to change them by waving the new rules around like the old rules were waved at them last time. It all comes down to who is in charge of the roading department IMO. if it is the same people involved in the speed management plan then they won't be changing the speed limits back in a hurry.

It won't be a great cost to change things back to the way they were but with all councils being under pressure for spending on other things they aren't going to rush into it. Particularly if the rumours about that National MP are correct and a snap election is called with Labour winning by a landslide and changing the speed limit rule again.

The rule requiring reversal is a bit more detailed than just "All speed limits have to go back to what they were".

Here, have a read.

https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/Safe...-Reversals.pdf

The devil is in the detail.

[R650R]

Yep, I always viewed the Napier Taupo as a liter bike road, thus ruling out any real fun to be had since it would be a license losing road if one were to cut loose.

I prefer more discrete roads, and even then "cutting loose" would account for about all of 3% of the ride - if that. I've been doing this one down below a bit lately, custom made for my RSV

Your kinda right but I’ve enjoyed it on all of my bikes and from tarawera tav to Waipunga falls is twisty enough to enjoy at lesser engine powers. Despite the big climbs and descents it’s also a great road in truck, the radius of about all the bends just has some lovely flow to it.
Awhile ago when all the 80k drama kicked off I came across a news article and photos from 50/60’s where they set about making it a proper highway. It was openly proclaimed as a great safe “high speed “ route to get country moving and it was mostly if not all gravel still!!!

Certainly had some unmentionably great trips across that road…

[R650R]

Local roads however are another matter and I know a few councils who are sick to death of all these rule changes by NZTA. They get told to have a speed managenent plan and spend tens of thousand dollars on getting consultants to produce them. They get threatened by NZTA with legal consequences if they don't match the speed limits with what they say they should be. They then spend more tens of thousands on consultation, then they make the changes and spend thousands on signs.

Never mind the signs it’s the outbreak of all these plastic speed humps that annoys me the most. They need to go also.

[F5 Dave]

So last week I decide to go for a longer ride and want to transport up SH2 to save some time to get near Masterson bypass. Guess I'll suffer the 80km drag.

Oh!
It's changed back already. Sweet.

[R650R]

And 4km of new road announced to bypass Waikare gorge/Putorino on Wairoa road SH2.
You’ve got four years left to enjoy the short blast through the gorge one the most satisfying bits of tarmac if you get a clean run through it.
Thanks Nat/act/nz first making it happen get the country moving.

[rastuscat]

Thanks Nat/act/nz first making it happen get the country moving.

It always amuses me that we think drivers in NZ are awful, but we don't want to slow them awful drivers down.

[F5 Dave]

He just wants to salute the parties because he thinks everything is a moral battle between some left and right political division.

The Featherston to Masterton SH2 reduction on straight roads was pretty silly. Why do it there?

I mean sure if every road was 50kmph it would be safer. Why stop there. Why not have a man walking in front with a flag?

[pete376403]

So last week I decide to go for a longer ride and want to transport up SH2 to save some time to get near Masterson bypass. Guess I'll suffer the 80km drag.

Oh!
It's changed back already. Sweet.

Didnt seem to make much difference on Monday, long queues held up by someone who wasnt aware of the change

[Jantar]

It always amuses me that we think drivers in NZ are awful, but we don't want to slow them awful drivers down.

In many cases its because they are slow that they are awful. They can just cruise along with their brains in neutral and not have to think about the road, their vehicle or other traffic.

[R650R]

It always amuses me that we think drivers in NZ are awful, but we don't want to slow them awful drivers down.

Yes I agree but the proper solution would be to not allow the awful drivers on the road in first place via a more effective training regime. By the time we are ready to accept this technology and political ideology’s will have ended private vehicle use anyway.

Think of speeding as like staying indoors to reduce exposure to uv radiation. Your reducing your exposure time to bad drivers by completing your journey quicker.Its a common aspect of modern health and safety analysis, yes something is risky but can we reduce the time of exposure.

[nerrrd]

How much of the issue with slow drivers on the open road is lack of skills, and how much lack of experience? All the training in the world isn’t going to make you a confident driver on the open road until you experience it first hand.

I suspect a lot of these drivers just don’t spend enough time driving on the open road to develop that confidence. I include myself in that category, I’ve done more ride forever courses than I can remember, and I’m (almost always) the slowest rider on the open road, despite having had plenty of skills taught to me over the years. I just don’t do it often enough to maintain that confidence level.

[Jantar]

How much of the issue with slow drivers on the open road is lack of skills, and how much lack of experience? All the training in the world isn’t going to make you a confident driver on the open road until you experience it first hand.

I suspect a lot of these drivers just don’t spend enough time driving on the open road to develop that confidence. I include myself in that category, I’ve done more ride forever courses than I can remember, and I’m (almost always) the slowest rider on the open road, despite having had plenty of skills taught to me over the years. I just don’t do it often enough to maintain that confidence level.

That's easily fixed. Just ride more.