Opinion: Speed is not the root of all evil

**Bob** · 5th October 2011, 06:29

My latest Huffington Post article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/bob-..._b_990072.html

**nzspokes** · 5th October 2011, 06:41

Interesting read, enjoy your posts mate.

**willytheekid** · 5th October 2011, 07:15

Great read!, thanks Bob

And I totally agree in regards to revenue vs safety...and its an easy answer for NZ.

BRING BACK THE MOT (we should never have got rid of them!)

And use more unmarked cars & even bikes!, in my 30yrs of riding I have noticed one MAJOR thing about dangerous drivers...they can spot a cop car from 10 miles away! -THEN and only then! do they become a safe driver for the next 5mins....once past the cop, there back to trying to kill the rest of us.

If the police could be left to focus on crime and the MOT to focus on actual traffic safety, I feel they would both benefit and we would actually see some change on the roads and to crime stats*(*but that would involve shooting alot of lawyers as well)....and if they used unmarked cars & bikes to "blend in" with the traffic they would see exactly what we all witness day in and day out, then they could act on it.

And as for speed cameras....pure revenue! (how does getting a ticket 2weeks after the fact make you slow down?....a man with a camera AND a high speed pursuit car!...that! makes people slow down

)

Just a thought.

ps:Liked the VT shadow review as well Bob

**avgas** · 5th October 2011, 08:08

While I agree the speed "limit" is a joke.
If we were to remove it - how would you easily enforce the fact that some drivers and riders ride at speed that exceeds their own skill?
A simple read here shows that many here believe crashes are caused by magical powers outside the riders control. So if you tell these same people they can do any speed without "consequences" will they suddenly get more responsible?

**Zedder** · 5th October 2011, 08:51

Originally Posted by avgas

While I agree the speed "limit" is a joke.
If we were to remove it - how would you easily enforce the fact that some drivers and riders ride at speed that exceeds their own skill?
A simple read here shows that many here believe crashes are caused by magical powers outside the riders control. So if you tell these same people they can do any speed without "consequences" will they suddenly get more responsible?

It just takes reading some of the anti speed limit comments posted on KB to see that they wouldn't get more responsible.

**Scuba_Steve** · 5th October 2011, 09:00

definitly agree. Sensible speeds in sensible places

**Mental Trousers** · 5th October 2011, 09:04

Good read Bob.

The thing about speed is it's an amplifier and rarely the actual cause. If a driver makes a bit of a mistake at 70kph they have the time and space to correct it and carry on without any consequences. If that same driver makes the same mistake at 120kph they're looking down the barrel of a major accident.

When setting speed limits the councils take all sorts of factors into consideration. One of the main ones is how the largest, heaviest vehicles are affected. On a mile long straight they may have determined that a 40+ ton truck may still be accelerating and miss the point at which they have to start slowing.

As motorcyclists we're very rarely aware of just how the largest of other road users are affected by weight (actually mass but meh) and that can skew our opinions on things like speed limits.

**oneofsix** · 5th October 2011, 09:25

Originally Posted by Mental Trousers

Good read Bob.

The thing about speed is it's an amplifier and rarely the actual cause. If a driver makes a bit of a mistake at 70kph they have the time and space to correct it and carry on without any consequences. If that same driver makes the same mistake at 120kph they're looking down the barrel of a major accident.

When setting speed limits the councils take all sorts of factors into consideration. One of the main ones is how the largest, heaviest vehicles are affected. On a mile long straight they may have determined that a 40+ ton truck may still be accelerating and miss the point at which they have to start slowing.

As motorcyclists we're very rarely aware of just how the largest of other road users are affected by weight (actually mass but meh) and that can skew our opinions on things like speed limits.

sorry but that is a weak arsed excuse for hiding behind a simplistic spin solution. Truckies have special license and are responsible for knowing what their truckies are capable of. As the article makes clear the limits aren't the same for the same roads. Most of us will be aware of areas where 'special limits' have been put in place due to the 'special nature' of the residence, i.e. they have political clout with the councils, and we are meant to respect these limits? Make a joke of the limits and the popo get OSI or just find another area to police.

Great article

**Zedder** · 5th October 2011, 09:39

Originally Posted by Scuba_Steve

definitly agree. Sensible speeds in sensible places

Who are you and what have you done with Scuba Steve?

**Mental Trousers** · 5th October 2011, 10:58

Originally Posted by oneofsix

sorry but that is a weak arsed excuse for hiding behind a simplistic spin solution.

I'm not making excuses for anyone. There are many factors they take into account and that's one of them. What the reasons were for setting those limits on those roads I have no idea. Point being it's a lot more complicated than we all think it is.

**oneofsix** · 5th October 2011, 11:18

Originally Posted by Mental Trousers

I'm not making excuses for anyone. There are many factors they take into account and that's one of them. What the reasons were for setting those limits on those roads I have no idea. Point being it's a lot more complicated than we all think it is.

No its not but they would like us to believe that. I know when going along a road you may not notice all the hazards but as described it is quite simply authorities playing games with speed limits making them irrelevant.

**Maha** · 5th October 2011, 11:43

Originally Posted by nzspokes

Interesting read, enjoy your posts mate.

Bob is KB's leading thread starter...1425.

**Zedder** · 5th October 2011, 11:45

Originally Posted by oneofsix

No its not but they would like us to believe that. I know when going along a road you may not notice all the hazards but as described it is quite simply authorities playing games with speed limits making them irrelevant.

In the absence of real solutions, like improved road design and construction which is expensive, it's always going to be the cheaper option of setting-speed-limits-and- fine-the-offenders.