What should the open road speed limit be?

[RiderInBlack]

They can now. A lot of people forget aboyt those white signs with the black diagonal bar. Means 100kph in good conditions (whatever they are) but only 70kph in poor...

Aye, but was more thinking of pieces of Open Road were the road has become like this photo (Cracker's Crash Site) and it is raining (as it was in the accident on last Sunday's ride). Of cause it should be marked, and should get repaired, but until then the speed should be reduced (a limited Speed zone sign with a poor road condition/! warning sign would have helped).

[Motig]

Stick to present 100k with the 10% margin plus overtaking speed would have no limit as long as it was done safely. I'm afraid I just can't understand the concept of being ticketed for getting the overtaking manuover (sp) done so that your on the wrong side of the road for as short a time as possible. As for 120 plus, stuff that, there would have to be a vast increase in the quality of our roads and certainly something better than a strip of paint between me and uncoming traffic. Down here in the south anyway.

[swbarnett]

They can now. A lot of people forget aboyt those white signs with the black diagonal bar. Means 100kph in good conditions (whatever they are) but only 70kph in poor...

The sign you mention is just an open road speed limit sign. Same meaning as a red circle on white with black "100". I think what you may be referring to is the "LSZ" sign (Limited Speed Zone) which means open road speed limit unless conditions are poor and then it's 50kph.

[MSTRS:Me]

Eh. Wrong. The black bar sign IS an LSZ sign. And unless something has changed since I got out of nappies it mean 100/70kph depending on conditions.
When I learned this shit, it was 50mph or 40mph.

[Jantar]

Eh. Wrong. The black bar sign IS an LSZ sign. And unless something has changed since I got out of nappies it mean 100/70kph depending on conditions.
When I learned this shit, it was 50mph or 40mph.

Uh, the Limited Speed Zone sign used to be LSZ, but that was repealed back in the mid 80s. There is now no provision for a limited speed zone. The white circle with a black bar has always meant De-restricted speed zone which these days is 100.

[ukusa]

In some way I agree with that. It is human nature to go at the limit or just a bit faster. If ya really want driver ta be going 100kph or less, then ya need ta set the limit at 80kph, but only ticket them for 110kph or more, and allow the Cop more discretion (as it was like back in the 80's).

It might be human nature for some, but for the majority it's not. Recently went to Leithfield for work a couple of days in a row, both times in reasonably fine weather, virtually all the way there & all the way back I was forced to sit at 80 - 85 kph, all because some cock sat in front of everyone doing this speed. Only one overtaking lane in that stretch during which only a couple of the 6 to 8 cars managed to pass (not counting dual lane northern motorway Kaiapoi). Traffic coming opposite direction meant no chance of overtaking elsewhere. Most of the time I'm happy just to get to the speed limit, but it's not possible in a car (easier on the bike though).
I travel quite alot for work, Christchurch - Kaikoura is quite regular. People travelling at 80 - 95 would be 80 - 90% of the traffic on the road. Several of the ones that do 80kph on the open road don't change their speed when entering a 70kph zone. They just carry on in their own little world, completely oblivious to those around them.

[MSTRS:Me]

http://www.roadcodepractice.co.nz/ro...ed-limits.aspx

Oops, one or more of us had it wrong.
What's that about old dogs and new tricks?

[Berries]

Oops, one or more of us had it wrong.
What's that about old dogs and new tricks?

At least we now know who was at the head of the queue of slow moving traffic doing 70 in a 100 zone when it was raining.

[Rogue Rider]

hmmm, well in my opinion, the open road speed limit on dual lane motorways should be 120- 130km p/hr, and open road speed limits should be 110-120.
I think motorway roads are up to the parr for these conditions, some of our SH1 may not be but the roads in general should be lifted in qualtiy somewhat. Some of our road conditions are terrible, especially with smooth tar in alot of places.
I noticed this weekend that Brynderwins south of Waipu have had the speed limit dropped to 80km p/hr. Thats absolutely nuts, its probably the countries longest up hill passing lane and they have dropped it to 80 km zone.
I also noted that popo were in enforce big time ticketing everyone...... nobs.

[Hitcher]

New Zealand's roads largely dictate what the average speed should be. Given that there are diminishing opportunities to pass on single carriageway, and fucking meanderthals who crawl along in the righthand lanes on dual carriageways or motorways, your speed will be decided by the slowest vehicle in front of you. On that basis the fastest you will get to travel is about 95kmh, or 90kmh if there are cops around. It's nothing more than a simple exercise in fluid dynamics and Nash Equilibriums.

[dipshit]

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question...3115930AAWSDfX

[MarkH]

I have travelled on NZ roads at >130kph while not feeling like it was in any way dangerous - I think the limits are a rather blunt instrument to keep drivers safe and they are often silly. There are roads with poor visibility and lots of side roads and driveways and corners and it is legal to drive 100kph on them in the pouring rain, there are other roads with almost no driveways or side roads and good visibility and it is illegal to drive along them at more than 100kph in fine weather. I voted for 125+ limits and I would like to see them coupled with improved driver training so people know when and where it is safe to travel at faster speeds and more importantly when & where to slow down and drive with caution. I don't think all roads should have a high limit and I 100% agree with a 40kph limit past schools at times when children are about.

[sinned]

Last year I spent hours/days in a bus on a tour through Europe. What fascinated me was the discipline on the motorways and main roads and amount of traffic. No one hogged the fast lane and passing maneuvers were efficient, some cars were going very fast on the unlimited speed sections. The bus I was in was governed at 100kph and that is the speed we rolled at. When we caught up to a slower vehicle the driver indicated moved out, passed and then indicated back and moved back even if the next slow vehicle was only a 100 or so meters further up the road. This kept the fast lane free for passing. No one seemed to be driving poorly or misbehaving and I saw few cops. I asked about law enforcement and was assured that is was there in the form of cameras etc and that it wouldn't take long before a slow or inconsiderate driver was apprehended.

What a difference to here in god's own where the traffic flow is constantly clogged up with slow, inconsiderate and incompetent drivers.

[scumdog]

What a difference to here in god's own where the traffic flow is constantly clogged up with slow, inconsiderate and incompetent drivers.

Hence why they've slapped 100kph speed limit on gods own.

(And yeah, better training would help but too many are too incompetent to do any better, it would be safer if we could take them off the road - yaay, 48% less traffic!)

[ukusa]

(And yeah, better training would help but too many are too incompetent to do any better, it would be safer if we could take them off the road - yaay, 48% less traffic!)

Why aren't they targeted then for their poor driving? Anyone who is not competent to drive at the speed limit in perfectly fine conditions shouldn't be on the road. Too many times I've been stuck behind some clown doing 75 - 80 on the open road, on a straight stretch of road, in perfectly fine conditions. Five to fifteen vehicles stuck behind them like a giant centipede. A cop come towards us & drives merrily on by. Is it really too much to ask? Better roads (like Europe) would help, but I know that's too much to ask for.