What should the open road speed limit be?

[MSTRS:Me]

Yea whatever...

[bogan]

I dunno about the bike, but the Commodore reads a tad under 10lt/100km at 100kph and closer to 8lt/100km at 120kph. Draw your own conclusions...

in my experience the commonwhores have a pretty smooth slipstream, may be optimized for 120kph travel, or maybe the engine is at a more efficient RPM at 120kph, or maybe you gauge is just fucked.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Yea whatever...

Awwww come on. No bite? not even a leeeedle one?

[AllanB]

Depends on the road.

there are roads that could safely (?) have posted speeds of 120. But I'd have these as a special case road and most would remain 100.

Why you ask?

I keep thinking back to my family holidays - January traveling Christchurch to Kaiteriteri and Easter traveling south to Wanaka - I am constantly amazed at the fools on the road who are incapable of driving in a safe manner at 100 little loan anything higher!

Rules tend to cater for the lowest form of driver so no matter how capable you and your vehicle are there will always be some dick driving like a crazy dog in a piece of unsafe crap.

[AllanB]

in my experience the commonwhores have a pretty smooth slipstream, may be optimized for 120kph travel, or maybe the engine is at a more efficient RPM at 120kph, or maybe you gauge is just fucked.

Nah - 2 cylinders shut off when cruising at 120 so it is only a V4! (Ok I made that up, but I could be true!)

[ukusa]

Yeah agree with this... It could be 120kph in some areas, but a lot of our roads are too poor to handle 120kph. If people want to go stupidly fast (or even sensibly fast?) they do so, come hell or high water.

I would say more training and education would help but... I'm not convinced.

Talking open road limit here would also mean the top speed allowed, for roads that can handle that speed. Any roads not deemed suitable for the top speed would be re-labeled with a lesser limit. eg. Culverden straight could be set at the open road limit, say 120. Hitting the township it's obviiously down to 50, but the hiils after could be speed limited to 100.
So yes, dual carriagways could quite safely handle higher speeds, long straight roads & the like. Narrow roads & windy could have the speed limit lowered.

[avgas]

in my experience the commonwhores have a pretty smooth slipstream, may be optimized for 120kph travel, or maybe the engine is at a more efficient RPM at 120kph, or maybe you gauge is just fucked.

Yes, Yes and No.
When I had my 2003, good econ at 120-125 where it got worse either side.
Tank top up km demonstrated it was accurate (was a work car so all km/L recorded off real figures).

Interesting fact, I got better fuel economy out of the commodore than I did with the 2006 1.8L Viva doing open road trips.
Interesting fact 2, a 2009 Ford Focus TDCi will give you 1000km per tank if pushed.........but still remains a POS to drive

[The Pastor]

Main motorway 140

open road = no speedlimit.

[Scuba_Steve]

No speed limit! people should govern themselfs

[ukusa]

No speed limit! people should govern themselfs

a real responsible decision there from the transport minister

[pete376403]

I recall reading ages ago about an experiment in the US where speed limits were abolished - after a short period it was observed that the majority set their own pace of around 115 - 120 (KmHr) . Of course there were a few crazies (both below and above) but you'll get that no matter what the limit is set to. Think this was is Minnesota or Montana - both of which tend to have long, straight and probably properly engineered highways.
Nevada had (has?) no limit but the federal government has a 55(MPH) limit - if the state wants federal funding, the fed limit has to apply (according to a US person I was conversing with)

[SPman]

Prima facie no limit open road limit.
Les's "inappropriate speed" for speed over 100, reset after 2 years to the 85th percentile (85th percentile rule is only useful if taken under no restrictions - ie most open road speeds would probably settle around 115-120 for the 85th percentile..).
Lots of unmarked cars, with plice who have been screened for aptitude, "attitude" and common sense, hammering dangerous, careless and inappropriate driving! All fines and drivers concerned going to...........
Concerted effort on vastly improved, comprehensive driver training.
Those found to be incompetent banned to public transport (would then be a further incentive to upgrade public transport)

[ukusa]

who's the nana who voted for 80. Moped/Scooter rider or Suzuki Alto?

[2wheeldrifter]

Agreed, let Darwinism deal to everyone...

But really, Why change the speed limit? No one abides by it anyway even knowing the consequences.
Death, Ticket or Vehicular Manslaughter twist the wrist to hard and one or more may apply.

Wanna go fast? Get to the track.

Eyegasm

He's right, you have to think of the lowest common denominator who can drive!


Anyhow you would still get stuck behind slower vehicles, on the flip side of that imagine a 45ton truck doing 120kmh passing and not on a passing lane, hate to meet that fucker in your little Honda city lol let alone a bike.

100kmh is fine if we had 110 speed tolerance, some how because if we know we can do 110 we will do 120 aye? maybe it's just the penalties will be harsher?

[slofox]

Others have already said as much, but I think the quality of the roads in NZ varies so much that no set limit is safe and/or sensible everywhere. Some roads I ride could happily carry 120km/hr limits. Others should be posted at 80km/hr. Or less in some places.
SO maybe individually post every road...yeah right. Imagine the chaos if that happened..."bt but but osshshshiffer, I wash shore the lummit wash 140 on thish road...?"

Strictly speaking common sense should prevail. What chance that? har de har har.