Caught going too fast

[muppet]

From Davo's blog http://www.duganotherhole.com/

Well just got caught doing 66 km/h down a hill in a 50 km/h area in Auckland.

And of course got issued the ticket.


Oh well Happy New Year to the NZ Police. Here’s a suggestion, why don’t you spend more time solving actual crimes, catching actual criminals than making law abiding citizens into criminals?

Well Dave, law abiding citizens don't do 66kph in a 50kph area.

[Davo36]

Yep Muppet, but if you saw the hill, and where the officer was parked you wouldn't be so quick to say that.

I would be 95% of cars going that way would reach over 60 there.

It's also not really a dangerous spot; very wide road, no houses etc. So it wasn't about safety.

It's also the start of a dip, so you pick up speed rapidly, but then 100m later it's a hill so you slow down very quickly, so you only go fast for a very short stretch.

Using Google Maps search on Kinross St, Auckland and you'll see what I mean. I got nabbed about where the pylon is at the Portage road end, heading East. It's a fair bit steeper than it looks on the web.


And of course who drives at 50 km/h anywhere? If you do you're holding up the traffic behind you! So we're all non law abiding citizens then I guess.

[PC]

Road tax.
If only it actually got spent on improving the roads...

[cube]

By improving, do you mean making them straighter and smoother so we can drive faster, or safer for pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders and other users of the public highway?

[eri]

catching real criminals is very expensive

once you've got them the costs only just go up and up

meanwhile tuning up local citizenry

is short, sweet

and pays

of course the lost trust in the police is slowly corrosive

to the job they have to do

as if the crims don't need to take responsibility for their actions

why should anyone?

nz should really give serious thought to a 4 year election cycle

[PC]

Latest fix for State Highway 2 - reduce speed limit to 90k & put up more dopey billboards.
SH2 - the number 2 main road in NZ - can't even do 100k??!
Less tax collection and more building decent roads please.

Sitting on your brakes doing 50k down Kinross St would garner some friendly waves and toots from all the tailgating Westies - might be worth a laugh.

[speights boy]

.... would garner some friendly waves and toots from all the tailgating Westies ...

Aah yes.

The mullet, the Mark 3 , the chicky babes, the Lion Red, and Deep Purple 'Smoke on the Water' ...them were the days..

[Bob Kane]

Aah yes.

The mullet, the Mark 3 , the chicky babes, the Lion Red, and Deep Purple 'Smoke on the Water' ...them were the days..

Them were the days?
That was me on New Years Eve!

[speights boy]

Good to hear you've still got it Bob.

[donna]

When we were driving in the US recently we were amazed at how fast everyone drives - it's mental - 130KM and that is slow! The highways can handle it - up to 5 lanes etc but even the roads around LA the traffic is speeding along. Our taxi from Hollywood to LA airport was the most comical - or scary depending on how you look at it. We had plenty of time - but the driver was almost out of control - it was like a car chase, swapping lanes, screeching around corners and Marc saw he was up to 150km and get this he wasn't the fastest we were being over taken.

When we got back to NZ and I drove from Kapiti into Wgn - at first I was screaming along then I realised I didn't need to - I didn't have a lorry up my jacksy (like I did at 130km in LA). A driver in front of me soon had me going just over 70km in a 80 km area - yep I was getting frustrated, then I had lots of time to reflect and realise NZ really is very quaint and I'm not sure we want the straight roads and dizzy speeds of other places.

cheers,

Donna

[eri]

in japan the open road speed limit is 60kph

the expressway used to be 80kph

but recently, very begrudgingly, they were opened up to 100kph

however if there is any rain or wind on the expressway, within about 50kph, flashing signs inform you that the limit has dropped back to 80kph...

most people ignore that limit if there is no rain on wind on their section of highway, BUT

if they ARE booked doing 120kph on an 80kph restricted highway

it's now a 40kph over-the-limit issue which is loss of licence for a month and a $1000? fine...

[donna]

Some of the challenges I see here are:

1. There are lots of cars allowed on the roads that are basically 'death traps'. Too old yet we allow these decrepid vehicles on the road
2. Many driven by people that don't drive all that often - and then they drive faster than they can cope with especially on the open road
3. And often without even the basic insurance. Did you know it's not compulsory to have 3rd party insurance - (in Aus. it is part of your basic road fee)
3. The other extreme is older people getting the latest car on the market and ending up driving it into a shop front window or someone's house as they mistook the accelerator for the brake (happens more often than you think)
4. NZ speed signs are a joke. E.g. going over the Rimukatas (an extremely windy road with steep cliff face etc) Marc and I joke every time we see the sign that says 100 - you'd be lucky to get up to 60 (though boy racers probably do get to the 100) - but a sign like this is an example of NZ Transport not taking responsibility for improving the safety of our roads.
4. NZ Drivers (including truckies) drive too close - I still find it amazing how some drivers can not help themselves but drive up the rear of the car in front so they are constantly having to apply the brake. This activity normally happens on restricted speed areas - and on many an occasion I have experienced the 'love' of the driver behind me - only to lose them as soon as the 100 km comes into play. So why the aggressive driving I ask?

My fixes:

2 lanes both ways on SH1 and SH2 (and other busy roads).

No Car, SUV, Truck over 12 years old or 200,000kms allowed on the road

3rd party insurance part of the road tax we pay to have our car on the road

NZ Transport to change speed signs to meet the realistic capabilities of the drivers - e.g. if it is obvious that the road's top speed should be 50km - don't just slam 100 km sign on it.

Old people getting a new car - need to first sit their licence again in a new car so they know how to drive it.

Cheers,

Donna

[speights boy]

Yeah right Donna

85 yr old Aunt Mavis heading off to the supermarket in her Morris 1100, or her new Suzuki Swift is the real danger out there.

"In the second, two young Blenheim men died in a high-speed collision with a power pole near the town.
They were Gary Alexander Benseman, 22, and Brian James Cooper, 23.
Tasman road policing manager Inspector Jenni Richardson said Mr Benseman was driving behind another car, and although it could not be confirmed that the vehicles were racing, "we know they have been travelling at speed and passing each other".

"What we know is this was a senseless waste of two young lives and this accident was entirely avoidable.

"I can only hope that other young drivers will get the message that they are not invincible and cars are not toys," Ms Richardson said."

[donna]

Yeah right Donna

85 yr old Aunt Mavis heading off to the supermarket in her Morris 1100, or her new Suzuki Swift is the real danger out there.

Hard to believe I know and before living in Kapiti I too would have scoffed however the old folk here cause a huge number of accidents.

Just a few months a go an old chap came to park his car in front of the building next to our office, downstairs at street level is a hairdressers with large windows - this chap jumped on his accelerator instead of the brake and ploughed his car into the front window just stopping before he took out the hairdresser and her client.


Cheers,

Donna

[speights boy]

Go and have a cuppa with Auntie Alice and let us know how you get on.

Car narrowly misses retiree's house after plunging down bank

Retiree Alice Ottley was lying in bed when she heard a crash and a bang, soon after midnight on New Year's Day.
........

And she had some ideas about how to deal with the driver and his friends.

"I think they need a good spanking and be made to clear up the mess because I have to get help to do that," Mrs Ottley said.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10776529