How about a higher open road speed limit for bikes?

[terbang]

Our motorways aren't as safe, they have corners.

Last time I rode on the Autobahn and Stuart highway there were corners. Its all about our road rules and our driver education.

[TLDV8]

I dunno about increasing the speed limit just for bikers but I would support a general increase in the speed limit especially on motorways. A good look overseas shows the 110-120kph mark on motorways to be fairly normal. Germany's Autobahn and Northern Teritory's Stuart highway are extreme examples of no speed limit but those people are better educated at driving than we are.

That is the difference between here and oversea's......With things like the Autobahn and the motorway/interstate system in the US and UK you don't actually need to be a good driver to cover vast distances.
You become a good driver by default.
I think the open road speed limit in the US is only around 65 mph.
Most open road driving in this country is a lot more technical overall given the terrain.
Anyone having trouble driving on multi lane straight motorways with gentle turns needs to hand their license in and do the rest a favour.
The problems start when folk come off those motorways onto B roads and have to actually think,some will have no problem based on preservation for both their passengers and themselves,not forgetting respect for other road users .That is common place anywhere in the world and not limted to NZ.
*
Imagine trying to float the idea of open roads and vehicles now...Say what,you are suggesting these metal boxs can cross over into the oncoming lane to pass each other based on the drivers judgement of how far away the oncoming vehicle is......and in the wet,Ohhh, at night also,Say what,have a couple of beers to,no prob's ...Ummm ok.

[Ixion]

Why hasn't the price of beer been lowered? Ale too, lager, pilsner, and stouts.

No no I couldn't support that. That would lead to increased consumption and increased alcohol related problems. Just Speights should be reduced in price. Speights drinkers are mature and wise enough to handle it.

[quickbuck]

That gets my vote.
Except at Two bucks per pint it is already cheap enough for me....

[madandy]

I have to agree with you there. Doing a poll about speed on a bike forum is like asking a group of alcoholics if the price of beer should be reduced. - rather biased.

Yet, to date, 43.8% of us voted on no change to the speed limit. I bet 43% of alcoholics wouldn't say not to cheaper booze
There are some road racers here that have a thing or two to learn about their own fallibility(sp?) but many are clued up enough to know that changing the speed limit to a higher point will only make it legal for more people to travel beyond their skills.

NZ roads would require much signage and posted speed limit changing between areas. While many stretches could handle higher average cruising speeds, they are joined together by narrower, twistier sections where most kiwi sheep get confused and brake mid corner and forget to accellerate until half way down the straights...our highways & byways are still too rural to have many vehices travelling along at 120+ and the overall standard of drivers in particular is low.
You can't rely on kiwi's to make educated calls about road conditions or corner entry speeds, hazard identification etc as they aren't bloody educated.
Bike riders seem to have much better understanding of these skills than drivers and many actually attend training events but how many employ these skills when they're out there carving up the bends and flying down straights on their hotted up super bikes?
I attribute many motorcycle accidents to the roads we ride on. Not so much the surfaces, though they are pretty crap but the shear beauty of so many of our roads that make many beleive they are on a secluded peice of track all by themselves. We grow up on twisty roads, learn to ride on twisty, slippery roads and come to expect the right to ride these roads in an exciting way.

[Toaster]

Thanks for all the great contributions... really good to get so many points of view. Cheers! (drinking speights)............

[lukelin250]

they could start by making the roads safer, the speed can increase.

[Toaster]

I reckon there are a few good stretches on open roads with barriers that could do with a general speed limit increase to 110kmh, so we dont have to fear cameras taking impromptu photos and sending us the bill. Take SH1 south of Auckland and also north of Albany where its multi-laned... everyone does 110 anyway, so why not make it legal.... so we can squeeze 120 without expecting a bill from Uncle Helen and the revenue gatherers.

[vamr]

It's always about the lowest denominator, status quo of predecessing "laws" and effort vs reward.

So to summaries, tomorrow will by and by be pretty much like today.

[xwhatsit]

I reckon there are a few good stretches on open roads with barriers that could do with a general speed limit increase to 110kmh, so we dont have to fear cameras taking impromptu photos and sending us the bill. Take SH1 south of Auckland and also north of Albany where its multi-laned... everyone does 110 anyway, so why not make it legal.... so we can squeeze 120 without expecting a bill from Uncle Helen and the revenue gatherers.

I see your logic there. In Queesland, the open road speed limit is 100kph, like here. So are most motorways. However, on a certain few roads, the big long wide ones where you can see for kilometres, they will signpost them as 110kph.

Of course, everybody over there does the reverse of NZ -- they drive 10kph under the speed limit, instead of 10kph over lol.

[Bonez]

Speights drinkers are mature and wise enough to handle it.

Apperently I'm not according to the trouble and strife.............

[Toaster]

Of course, everybody over there does the reverse of NZ -- they drive 10kph under the speed limit, instead of 10kph over lol.

So that explains why I was passing everybody in aussie a while back!