4kmh tolerance for Waitangi Weekend until 29 February?

[MSTRS:Me]

There is NOTHING safe about taking your eyes off the road Nothing!.

Nor is there anything safe about concentrating 100% on the road...that's when you miss seeing that tax van off to the side in the bushes.

[pritch]

Good question, well asked.

Funny old thing, maybe it's about road safety.

Good joke, well told.

[Maha]

Good question, well asked.

It's to create the perception, however subconscious, that if you speed you'll be fined. That slows most people down. It's a deterrent.

Funny old thing, maybe it's about road safety.

You're absolutely right on one point..
'It's to create the perception, however subconscious, that if you speed you'll be fined. That slows most people down. It's a deterrent'.
Everyone who sees a cop car/parked van will slow down no matter what speed they are doing.

About road safety?... not so much I dont think..a head on at 100 kph is not that safe to be honest.
So there are other areas that should be targeted when it comes to road safety. (slow speed drivers causing frustration for one)
But 100 kph is the open road speed limit and if you get caught exceeding that limit then sucks to be you.

[James Deuce]

You're absolutely right on one point..
'It's to create the perception, however subconscious, that if you speed you'll be fined. That slows most people down. It's a deterrent'.
Everyone who sees a cop car/parked van will slow down no matter what speed they are doing.

About road safety?... not so much I dont think..a head on at 100 kph is not that safe to be honest.
So there are other areas that should be targeted when it comes to road safety. (slow speed drivers causing frustration for one)
But 100 kph is the open road speed limit and if you get caught exceeding that limit then sucks to be you.

Was overtaken by a quite aggressive driver (I was on the RVF) who raced up behind me and tailgated while I legally went past the traffic in the left lane. Chap had trouble staying within his lane boundaries too. As soon as I was past I indicated and moved left - as he tried to dive up my left while I was changing lanes. He tooted and gestured and swerved back to the right and I spotted the Cop up ahead.

I dropped back because I knew what was coming - He nailed the brakes hard and swerved straight into the left lane as soon as he saw the cop.

It's rare but happens enough for me to consider other driver's behaviour when they see cops on the side of the road a hazard.

[Drew]

Too be fair to they do target the 50k area in question quite heavily, it has nice steep down hills that catch people out when they are too busy looking for pedestrians instead of checking their speedos, once every 10 second checks aren't enough.

I'm all for them targetting 50kph zones heavily. All of them! Hilly bits and all. If you lack the vehicle control to modulate your speed on a down hill section of rode, GET AND STAY THE FUCK OFF THEM!

so your attention is off the road at-least 12secs every minute... nice one, dangerous driving I think. And you still have to check you mirrors.
There is NOTHING safe about taking your eyes off the road Nothing!.

12 seconds is bollucks! Takes well less than a second to glance at the speedo and then back to the road. More to check mirrors, because it's harder to register what is happening in them because it always changes a lot.

I read from your logic, (if it can be called that(I seriously don't think so)), that 200Kph and looking where you're going, is safer than 100Kph and glancing at the speedo for half a second.

I spotted the Cop up ahead.

I dropped back because I knew what was coming - He nailed the brakes hard and swerved straight into the left lane as soon as he saw the cop.

It's rare but happens enough for me to consider other driver's behaviour when they see cops on the side of the road a hazard.

I hate the driver mentality, that jamming the brakes on and then checking their speed is the best course of action. It shouldn't be a problem though, if everyone was obeying the law and not following too close.

Now, I didn't need to think very hard at all to reply to these three quotes. What does that say about the drivers and riders on our roads? It says kiwis on the whole, are piss fuckin poor! My reasoning for that conclusion, is that we all see it every friggin day, so to formulate a response is near automatic because the situations are so common.

The 4kph tollerence, is still around about 10kph in a real sense anyway. Since few people realise that nearly every speedo reads 5 or 6% high. So anyone getting a 5kph ticket, thought they were doing 10kph over the limit anyway.

I know my speedo to be spot on in my van, and sitting on 102 on the motorway I'm usually stuck in the right lane for catching up with people.

[willytheekid]

...if its all about "safety"

...why don't they just set the "limit" at 5k over all the time??

...Is it because the accuracy of a motor vehicles speedo is only required to be within 10%? (@100k, thats a 10k allowable difference)...and didn't the NZ AA even "try" to point this out, and even fight! this 4k limit rule?, as it is actually breaching motor vehicle standards laws within NZ? (I guess its Ok for those in positions of power/Authority to ignore the Rules when it suits there own needs huh)

And why do the policy makers and police keep trying to market this "semi illegal" rule under the guise of "safety"?...when there own figures that they used to "force" this rule upon us, now show that it is actually having no impact, and infact the figures are getting worse!...I would have thought that a "safety" inspired rule would lower the crash stats?? (Stats...apparently not real, just handy when required)

Or is this just another form of enforcement that is there to not only make some revenue...but to make it "look like" the politicians are "trying", and that they actually "care" about the road users of NZ?...all while they cut back on funds for road repairs & up keep, and while they continue to make the cheapest, straightest, most sleep inducing roads the world has ever seen! (even tho studys proves that corners and well designed roads that engage drivers are far LESS likely to crash or fall asleep...but those corners cost ay!)

At the end of the day, you can't blame the cops issuing the tickets (That IS there job after all), the only one to blame for speeding is yourself!

...but to be targeted and threatened! for being human? (As most cruise control systems have a 3-7kph "drift" when in use)...but we humans should be more acurate, more focused and held to higher standards than advanced micro processors and mechanics!...even when tired, on holiday and dealing with the kids and heavy traffic

...Nanny state has spoken!


ps:I just stay off the roads during these silly "propaganda" drives...Ive noticed the traffic is more angry & nervous during these "raids"...and most drivers seem to be focused on there speedos...not the road!

[FJRider]

...if its all about "safety"

...why don't they just set the "limit" at 5k over all the time??

The limit(s) ARE set ... IN LAW. (and signs to state what they are in each area)

Any tolerance given is to your/our benefit. If the issue is pressed ... NO tolerances will be given.

[Bassmatt]

...if its all about "safety"

...why don't they just set the "limit" at 5k over all the time??

...Is it because the accuracy of a motor vehicles speedo is only required to be within 10%?:

There only requirement is that the speedo does not read under your actual speed.
I tried to get some redress for a brand new "learner" motorcycle that had a 16% speedo error and quickly found I didnt have a (legal) leg to stand on

[FJRider]

There only requirement is that the speedo does not read under your actual speed.
I tried to get some redress for a brand new "learner" motorcycle that had a 16% speedo error and quickly found I didnt have a (legal) leg to stand on

The responsibility for keeping within the posted limit is the vehicle operator ... end of story.

[oneofsix]

.....

ps:I just stay off the roads during these silly "propaganda" drives...Ive noticed the traffic is more angry & nervous during these "raids"...and most drivers seem to be focused on there speedos...not the road!

Second that. So many pissed off drivers and so many self appointed speed nazis.

[Bassmatt]

The responsibility for keeping within the posted limit is the vehicle operator ... end of story.

Im not disputing that, and with the requirement that speedos read high there is no excuse if you sit on 100kph indicated.
However at 16% speedo error my indicated 100kph is only 84 kph, have you ever been frustrated stuck behind someone doing 80 odd?
I think it needs to be addressed and some limit eg no more than 10% error implemented

Oh just to clarify my earlier post I wanted redress from the manufacturer not tptb for an infringement

[rastuscat]

Thanks for all your comments. My pleasure.

The biggest pisser about lowering the tolerance is the number of nobs who want to slow down to 40 when they see a cop in a 50 km/h area. I can fully understand everyones annoyance at that.

To all who think slowing the motoring fleet down is a bad idea, just remember that the physical kinetic energy imparted in a crash is proportional to the speed of the participants. You're better off crashing at a lower speed than a higher speed.

Yes, the speed limits are sometimes arbitrary. But a line has to be drawn somewhere in the sand, and that's where it's been drawn.

The tolerance is exactly that. When I started (late 1700s) we didn't even bat an eye until someone was doing 20 over a speed limit. One guy I worked with would write 68s and 69s outside a school, but even we thought he was a proper nazi. It has taken a lot of years to come to the point where the tolerance is down to 4 km/h, but it's finally here. Funny, when we were applying a 19km/h tolerance in Orkers, Cockrofts Cowboys in Invercargill were rigidly applying a 5 km/h tolerance in Invergiggle. If you drove down Yarrow Street at 55 you overtook all the locals, who lived in fear of the traffic nazis down there.

I used to have a Piaggio Runner, a 180cc 2-stroke screamer. Blew a few boy racers away at light, I can tell you (all within the limits, of course). When doing 50 true km/h the speedo varied between 68 and 72. Apparently it was coz the Italians liked thinking they were going fast, so the Piaggio designers bought into it, and pout grossly over-reading speedos on them, just to stroke the Latino ego. We had a hearty discussion in the office this morning about how speedos almost always read over, so if you get pegged at 105 on the open road, probably your speedo was indicating 110. However, as someone else here pointed out, you'll be charged with whatever the Popo checks you ate, what you speedo (or GPS) is saying actually doesn't matter much. Just in summary, the vast majority of speedos read optomistically, so speedo error isn't going to turn innocent people into ticket targets because oif this new tolerance.

Remember, it's just February at the stage, but my guess is that we'll roll it out to the whole year at some stage soon. One advantage is that it would make it totally clear of what the tolerance is. Nobody would have to wonder again.

Just to add to the discussion really.

[oneofsix]

Thanks for all your comments. My pleasure.

The biggest pisser about lowering the tolerance is the number of nobs who want to slow down to 40 when they see a cop in a 50 km/h area. I can fully understand everyones annoyance at that.

....

Remember, it's just February at the stage, but my guess is that we'll roll it out to the whole year at some stage soon. One advantage is that it would make it totally clear of what the tolerance is. Nobody would have to wonder again.

Just to add to the discussion really.

I'd say that guy is a bigger pisser when they do it at 100k, the gap closes a lot fast before you work out what the F has just happened. This is why speed cameras are appearing in stats as traffic hazards rather than calmers.

It was ok when the tolerance was always 10k, we all understood that and it allow reaction time to high wind, steep down hills etc and a more relaxed driving, more about the road than the speedo.

[Bassmatt]

I'd say that guy is a bigger pisser when they do it at 100k, the gap closes a lot fast before you work out what the F has just happened.

Then you have the people travelling at 85k who still feel the need to slam on the brakes and drop another 20k off their speed, even though the cop is busy dealing with someone on the side of the road.

[MSTRS:Me]

The tolerance is exactly that. When I started (late 1700s) we didn't even bat an eye until someone was doing 20 over a speed limit. One guy I worked with would write 68s and 69s outside a school, but even we thought he was a proper nazi. It has taken a lot of years to come to the point where the tolerance is down to 4 km/h, but it's finally here. Funny, when we were applying a 19km/h tolerance in Orkers, Cockrofts Cowboys in Invercargill were rigidly applying a 5 km/h tolerance in Invergiggle. If you drove down Yarrow Street at 55 you overtook all the locals, who lived in fear of the traffic nazis down there.

24hr clock? Or you are real old...

Lot's of city councils in the 1960s and 70s had their own traffic cops. And they could be vicious bastards. They were in Lower Hutt.
The only good thing was they had a limit to their jurisdiction...