Speed limit on rural roads to be lowered
Discussion
[quote=NZ Herald 16.10.05]By Kirsty Wynn and David Fisher
The 100km/h speed limit on some rural roads will be lowered in an effort to reduce New Zealand's road toll.
Land Transport New Zealand has been working with local government on plans to drop the limit from 100km/h to 90km/h on some of the more dangerous stretches.
Plans to increase the speed limit to 110km/h on wider, longer roads were shelved when Transit engineers found none of New Zealand's roads were suitable.
The new approach to speed will kick off in Wellington by the end of this year and if successful will spread to 40 other danger spots throughout the country.
"They will be roads where there is a particular risk," Janice Rodenberg of LTNZ said. "It's not a blanket limit but it will start off as one or two and then go to maybe 30 or 40 sites around the country."
The trial roads will be monitored by LTNZ and local councils to see if the lower speed limit is effective.
Road surface, gradient, curvature, width and traffic are calculated when deciding which speed suits a road.
Guidelines are in place so drivers have plenty of notice of lower speed limits.
"We want to make sure people aren't confused by the change in limits," Ms Rodenberg said. "If it drops to 90km/h it has to stay there for 10km."
Transport Minister Harry Duynhoven said if the approach were successful it would correct the current situation where the 100km/h speed limit for a four-lane divided motorway applied to a undivided rural road.
"Setting appropriate speed limits for the road will assist motorists who drive too fast for the conditions but are still under the legal speed limit."
Acting national road policing manager John Kelly said police were happy to see the limit reduced on some of the more dangerous rural roads.
He said the new approach to speed might also see the limit rise from 50km/h to 60km/h on some roads, if the conditions were appropriate.
"If a road feels like you could drive 100km/h on it but there is a hidden danger, then we have to set a lower speed limit so people will slow down."
Mr Kelly said police did not expect to issue more tickets because of the speed limit reduction.
Plenty of notice of the speed change would be given and because of the nature of the roads concerned, drivers would naturally reduce speed anyway.
"We are not interested in revenue at all and in fact the number of tickets issued around New Zealand is steadily declining. If the speed limit is more appropriate to the road then there should actually be less tickets."
LTNZ said the reason for the change was to save lives.
"Everything we do is to save lives and decrease the number of serious accidents on our roads. Speed is one of the biggest killers and we are addressing that."
- HERALD ON SUNDAY[/quote]
[b]Absolutely Speechless[/b] :rolleyes:
The 100km/h speed limit on some rural roads will be lowered in an effort to reduce New Zealand's road toll.
Land Transport New Zealand has been working with local government on plans to drop the limit from 100km/h to 90km/h on some of the more dangerous stretches.
Plans to increase the speed limit to 110km/h on wider, longer roads were shelved when Transit engineers found none of New Zealand's roads were suitable.
The new approach to speed will kick off in Wellington by the end of this year and if successful will spread to 40 other danger spots throughout the country.
"They will be roads where there is a particular risk," Janice Rodenberg of LTNZ said. "It's not a blanket limit but it will start off as one or two and then go to maybe 30 or 40 sites around the country."
The trial roads will be monitored by LTNZ and local councils to see if the lower speed limit is effective.
Road surface, gradient, curvature, width and traffic are calculated when deciding which speed suits a road.
Guidelines are in place so drivers have plenty of notice of lower speed limits.
"We want to make sure people aren't confused by the change in limits," Ms Rodenberg said. "If it drops to 90km/h it has to stay there for 10km."
Transport Minister Harry Duynhoven said if the approach were successful it would correct the current situation where the 100km/h speed limit for a four-lane divided motorway applied to a undivided rural road.
"Setting appropriate speed limits for the road will assist motorists who drive too fast for the conditions but are still under the legal speed limit."
Acting national road policing manager John Kelly said police were happy to see the limit reduced on some of the more dangerous rural roads.
He said the new approach to speed might also see the limit rise from 50km/h to 60km/h on some roads, if the conditions were appropriate.
"If a road feels like you could drive 100km/h on it but there is a hidden danger, then we have to set a lower speed limit so people will slow down."
Mr Kelly said police did not expect to issue more tickets because of the speed limit reduction.
Plenty of notice of the speed change would be given and because of the nature of the roads concerned, drivers would naturally reduce speed anyway.
"We are not interested in revenue at all and in fact the number of tickets issued around New Zealand is steadily declining. If the speed limit is more appropriate to the road then there should actually be less tickets."
LTNZ said the reason for the change was to save lives.
"Everything we do is to save lives and decrease the number of serious accidents on our roads. Speed is one of the biggest killers and we are addressing that."
- HERALD ON SUNDAY[/quote]
[b]Absolutely Speechless[/b] :rolleyes:
Kiwi XTR2 said:
...Mr Kelly said police did not expect to issue more tickets because of the speed limit reduction...
..."We are not interested in revenue at all and in fact the number of tickets issued around New Zealand is steadily declining. If the speed limit is more appropriate to the road then there should actually be less tickets." ...
- HERALD ON SUNDAY
Absolutely Speechless[/.b]
this bit is utter bollox! "number of tickets is steadily declining", so they lower the speed limit to issue more, then pretend its for safety.
the whole thing is bloody ridiculous, lets just go to wellington and shoot the b@stards before its too late!
OMFG - I'm buying a push bike and going 2 find a tree to hug !
Can we say "revenue collecting..........."
I just drove back from Wellington and if it wasn't for the trusty Valentine - I'd be in jail !
If I had gotten a ticket for 110 kms for each lame spot the cops where hunting - I'd be keeping some inmate warm tonight !!
They we hunting at spots that weren't high carsh zones, they where at the end of passing lanes or on long straight stretches of road, not in the twisty bad places were lots of white crosses live - shits me.........do gooders.....
Can we say "revenue collecting..........."
I just drove back from Wellington and if it wasn't for the trusty Valentine - I'd be in jail !
If I had gotten a ticket for 110 kms for each lame spot the cops where hunting - I'd be keeping some inmate warm tonight !!
They we hunting at spots that weren't high carsh zones, they where at the end of passing lanes or on long straight stretches of road, not in the twisty bad places were lots of white crosses live - shits me.........do gooders.....
Hmm ok, most of NZ's road deaths seem to be from kids in scoobies planting them into either other cars or trees at 200kph+ , what difference is 10kph lower speed limit going to do?
Also couldnt find a road that you can do 6mph more than the national speed limit on? I've only been in the country 2 weeks and could point to dozzens...
Also couldnt find a road that you can do 6mph more than the national speed limit on? I've only been in the country 2 weeks and could point to dozzens...
Yeah I LOVE the bit where the review of the possibility of raising the limit to 110km/h fell flat after it was found that there were no sites in the country where this would be effective..... ok so they're telling me that it's UNSAFE to drive the Ramarama straight just north of the bombays at 110km/h? give me a break... you could do 220km/h there safely if you so desired!
This is just horsesh1t... total and utter, utter horsesh1t!
This is just horsesh1t... total and utter, utter horsesh1t!
Seems like an awful lot of effort is being put into arguing over 10km/h.
Obviously there are tons of roads in NZ where the speed limit is 100, yet a safe speed is considerably under that in most cars.
At the same time, I sort of have to agree that there aren't many (if any) roads that really are suited to 120km/h. Maybe some motorway stuff outside Auckland, but it can't be very much.
I guess the reality is that NZ doesn't have a very massive road infrastructure, with the vast majority being two lane roads. Yet we still get to go 62mph, heck 70 isn't out of the question in most cases without getting in trouble. The same roads in the US would be 50mph. Obviously there are also interstates, but the speed limit is still only 65mph in most states.
Maybe I am the only car enthusiast who thinks this, but the speed limits in NZ seem reasonable in the vast majority of cases. And I also see a need to enforce it, afterall if you don't then there is no point to having limits. Of course I agree that there needs to be more policing of things besides speed, cause its not the primary cause of death as seems to be a common claim.
Obviously there are tons of roads in NZ where the speed limit is 100, yet a safe speed is considerably under that in most cars.
At the same time, I sort of have to agree that there aren't many (if any) roads that really are suited to 120km/h. Maybe some motorway stuff outside Auckland, but it can't be very much.
I guess the reality is that NZ doesn't have a very massive road infrastructure, with the vast majority being two lane roads. Yet we still get to go 62mph, heck 70 isn't out of the question in most cases without getting in trouble. The same roads in the US would be 50mph. Obviously there are also interstates, but the speed limit is still only 65mph in most states.
Maybe I am the only car enthusiast who thinks this, but the speed limits in NZ seem reasonable in the vast majority of cases. And I also see a need to enforce it, afterall if you don't then there is no point to having limits. Of course I agree that there needs to be more policing of things besides speed, cause its not the primary cause of death as seems to be a common claim.
Just did a quick search on the LTSA site and found this quote:
"Driving at excessive speed is still the number one killer on our roads. Speeding drivers cause over 150 deaths and 2,500 injuries each year."
What an insanely bad misinterpreation of the facts that is. It assumes that because you are speeding that speed is the sole factor in the accident. Not the case at all. Speed doesn't kill, bad drivers do. NZ needs to start training its drivers, and probably put in place a stricter licensing system like they have for motorcycles.
Sorry to rant.
"Driving at excessive speed is still the number one killer on our roads. Speeding drivers cause over 150 deaths and 2,500 injuries each year."
What an insanely bad misinterpreation of the facts that is. It assumes that because you are speeding that speed is the sole factor in the accident. Not the case at all. Speed doesn't kill, bad drivers do. NZ needs to start training its drivers, and probably put in place a stricter licensing system like they have for motorcycles.
Sorry to rant.
gtivr4 said:
What an insanely bad misinterpreation of the facts that is. It assumes that because you are speeding that speed is the sole factor in the accident. Not the case at all. Speed doesn't kill, bad drivers do. NZ needs to start training its drivers, and probably put in place a stricter licensing system like they have for motorcycles.
Sorry to rant.
So true. Germany is a good example of how speed can be adopted sucessfully. It does not make them bad drivers at all. They are just lucky lucky lucky
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