NZ Road Toll Now Higher Than Last Year

**terbang** · 30th December 2005, 12:11

Watching Prime a couple of days back and they displayed a map showing the number of road kills for every state over the holiday period and the Northern Territory was the only one with a toll of 0 (Zero people dead) which cant be correct because the Northern Territory also has no open road speed limit..!

**Grahameeboy** · 30th December 2005, 12:15

Originally Posted by terbang

Watching Prime a couple of days back and they displayed a map showing the number of road kills for every state over the holiday period and the Northern Territory was the only one with a toll of 0 (Zero people dead) which cant be correct because the Northern Territory also has no open road speed limit..!

Yep sir ree.....more evidence to contradict Govt's attitude.

**SPman** · 30th December 2005, 12:17

I quite like this comment

"Land Transit (sic) New Zealand is the greatest collection of misfits and dimwits ever assembled by the human race. Collectively, they elevate Australian rugby league fans to the position of brain scientists and they make South Auckland gang members look like members of a poetry appreciation society".

Alan Dick -Editor - Driver magazine.
A lot of people slag him off, but he has the courage to say in public and in print, what most people only say in private!

**Lou Girardin** · 30th December 2005, 12:29

Originally Posted by Monsterbishi

Edit: but as has already been said, get some draconian laws in place, that sort out a few of 'em at least.

Hasn't worked for the last 6 years.

**boomer** · 30th December 2005, 12:30

Riding south to auckland last nite i had a car occupied by a family running about 3 metres off my arse. I gave him the bird and after a couple more minutes showed him the brakes.. He carried on tailgating. I pulled over onto the opposite side of the road and braked hard to let him past;

2 minutes up the road theres the plod, so i stopped and gave the rozzer the fukwits plate and a description of his driving ability;

ST8651 - Merry christmas fucker

**Yokai** · 30th December 2005, 12:35

Originally Posted by Dafe

It is to be expected. The quality of the New Zealand lifestyle is slowly diminishing. New Zealanders in general are now working long hours and spending less quality time with family. The alligning of the New Zealand economy with the growing Asian influence is contibuting to this situation. Asian countries consist of a workforce that endures excessive hours with small pay.
In the middle to low income classes, we are now seeing New Zealanders working harder & longer to maintain previous lifestyles.

[rant mode on]
Oh get OVER IT! We have it soooo much better here. And as for "long hours" don't make me laugh. From personal experience I have worked far fewer hours here and much less stressed than in any other country I have lived in (OK so only France, UK and US...). I'm middle income. I work 40hours a week. I'd like to be doing a job that demanded that, but it doesn't - I can probably get my work done in about 30 hours, but I have to be here... A far far cry from the 80 hours I was regularly doing in Silicon Valley. And I haven't actually HAD to work a weekend ever since I've been here. I've been able to schedule and manage stuff properly.

Frankly this concept of us working LONGER might be true, but hell - it's SOOOOO much better than anywhere else that I've worked....

[rant mode off]

**Grahameeboy** · 30th December 2005, 12:37

Originally Posted by boomer

Riding south to auckland last nite i had a car occupied by a family running about 3 metres off my arse. I gave him the bird and after a couple more minutes showed him the brakes.. He carried on tailgating. I pulled over onto the opposite side of the road and braked hard to let him past;

2 minutes up the road theres the plod, so i stopped and gave the rozzer the fukwits plate and a description of his driving ability;

ST8651 - Merry christmas fucker

Excellent stuff fellow POM.....crazy car drivers....I often get car drivers trying to undertake me even when I am following traffic ahead.....you wonder what they have for brains eh......

**madboy** · 30th December 2005, 12:40

As pointed out more thoroughly above, "LTNZ" is a synonym for incompetence. I wonder what the stats would look like if they were adjusted for the safety improvements made in the NZ vehicle fleet. In the 1980's, I was being driving around by my parents in their 1984 Mazda 323 on retreads. At 100km/h (even up to 150k - top speed). It's safety features were brakes (cough cough) and prayer. I'm currently driving my daughter around in a 98 Primera, with ABS, twin airbags, side intrusion beams, crumple zones, 4wheel disc brakes and directional tyres. Does anybody notice a reason why there is less chance that I'll crash now, and more chance of survival if I do? No, LTNZ couldn't figure it out either.

Since I run red lights, cross double yellows, pass when there is less than 100m clear visibility, tailgate, exceed the posted speed limits and even ride after I've had a beer... I must be the exception to the statistical model then.

Could it be that I run red lights infrequently only when there's bugger all traffic and I stop and look carefully first... could it be that I pass on yellows cos I'm on a bike that's under 1m wide, has explosive acceleration/deceleration and can get it over and done with before an auto box can kickdown... could it be I exceed the limits, but pay attention to where I'm going, what I'm riding on, what's in front, behind and around me... and could it be that I don't go for all out balls to the wall blasts after that solitary beer has taken the edge off reaction times? What a loser I am. I need to close my eyes, switch off my brain and conform to the rest of society's driving standards.

**Grahameeboy** · 30th December 2005, 12:47

Originally Posted by madboy

As pointed out more thoroughly above, "LTNZ" is a synonym for incompetence. I wonder what the stats would look like if they were adjusted for the safety improvements made in the NZ vehicle fleet. In the 1980's, I was being driving around by my parents in their 1984 Mazda 323 on retreads. At 100km/h (even up to 150k - top speed). It's safety features were brakes (cough cough) and prayer. I'm currently driving my daughter around in a 98 Primera, with ABS, twin airbags, side intrusion beams, crumple zones, 4wheel disc brakes and directional tyres. Does anybody notice a reason why there is less chance that I'll crash now, and more chance of survival if I do? No, LTNZ couldn't figure it out either.

Since I run red lights, cross double yellows, pass when there is less than 100m clear visibility, tailgate, exceed the posted speed limits and even ride after I've had a beer... I must be the exception to the statistical model then.

Could it be that I run red lights infrequently only when there's bugger all traffic and I stop and look carefully first... could it be that I pass on yellows cos I'm on a bike that's under 1m wide, has explosive acceleration/deceleration and can get it over and done with before an auto box can kickdown... could it be I exceed the limits, but pay attention to where I'm going, what I'm riding on, what's in front, behind and around me... and could it be that I don't go for all out balls to the wall blasts after that solitary beer has taken the edge off reaction times? What a loser I am. I need to close my eyes, switch off my brain and conform to the rest of society's driving standards.

Noooo.....

**inlinefour** · 30th December 2005, 14:33

Originally Posted by Yokai

[rant mode on]
Oh get OVER IT! We have it soooo much better here. And as for "long hours" don't make me laugh. From personal experience I have worked far fewer hours here and much less stressed than in any other country I have lived in (OK so only France, UK and US...). I'm middle income. I work 40hours a week. I'd like to be doing a job that demanded that, but it doesn't - I can probably get my work done in about 30 hours, but I have to be here... A far far cry from the 80 hours I was regularly doing in Silicon Valley. And I haven't actually HAD to work a weekend ever since I've been here. I've been able to schedule and manage stuff properly.

Frankly this concept of us working LONGER might be true, but hell - it's SOOOOO much better than anywhere else that I've worked....

[rant mode off]

Besides, your only as busy as you choose to be eh.

**Lou Girardin** · 30th December 2005, 14:52

Madboy has it right about double yellows. I got caught out on the Rocket going up my favourite road. I was behind a couple of Porches through some S bends, I knew there was a straight after the last bend, so when it opened up I checked ahead and nailed it - then I saw the new yellows. But I was past two cars and back in and still had 200 metres clear vis. The passing lanes must be designed with the accelerative power of a Trabant in mind.

**mangell6** · 30th December 2005, 15:59

There have been lots of double yellow lines appearing where there wa spreviosly only one.
If the LTSA and Govt were serious about 'speed' causing accidents they would lower the open road speed limit to 80k like it used to be when I was really really young, but then this is all about money so keep the funds flowing.

**inlinefour** · 30th December 2005, 16:33

Originally Posted by mangell6

There have been lots of double yellow lines appearing where there wa spreviosly only one.
If the LTSA and Govt were serious about 'speed' causing accidents they would lower the open road speed limit to 80k like it used to be when I was really really young, but then this is all about money so keep the funds flowing.

Modern vehicles are much improved on their older counterparts of the 80kph era. Also most of the main roads have been upgraded (killed some of my fav courners) and they are now easier to transverse. I don't think lowering the limit would not change iotia. Not driving/riding while fatigued on the other hand could. Apparently its one of the biggest contributing factors to crashes in NZ.