Fast & Safe

[shadowninja 0]

I suggest everyone check out this website:

http://www.fastandsafe.org

Quote from the site:

"We aim to:

* make road travel faster, safer, cheaper and more flexible

* stop road users being ripped off by unproductive regulations and enforcement policies

* reverse the erosion of our civil rights and freedoms

* provide accurate, relevant, and authenticated information

* refute misleading slogans and other misrepresentations

* expose vested interests supporting bad road safety policies

* New Zealand traffic management is controlled by our mono-dimensional Land Transport Safety Authority – claiming to be focused solely on safety but in practice captured by beneficiaries of rigid and excessive enforcement policies.

The LTSA celebrates lowering average speeds and removing flexibility by making all traffic travel at the same speed - usually at the lowest common denominator. It continually increases costs for travelers both indirectly through time-wasting and directly through charges and fines.

[Gus 5]

go retarded new zealanders

kiwi ingenuity my ass

[Carl 3]

That site is very well constrcuted, and I don't mean web-wise, I mean argument-wise. Some has taken some serious time to research a few facts, good on em I say.

I think one of the most valid points is that it's the quality of our roads that contribute the most danger to driving but that our government would rather put the blame somewhere else

[*sic 1]

I think one of the most valid points is that it's the quality of our roads that contribute the most danger to driving but that our government would rather put the blame somewhere else

hole in one. i mean if they put back all the speeding fines into the roading and saftey it would be BADASS, but no we need to fund helen and her cronies...

hmm anger building, sleep time :jap:

[Gus 5]

haha didnt read the site...just got angry

my bad

[*sic 1]

its silly really, its the same old thing with turbo'in a car

Fast

Reliable

Cheap

pick two

the same as a roading system,

Fast

Safe

pick one, cause we dont inject enough capital into the roading to make both available

[Grant 4]

I couldn't agree more, the lack of decent roading networks and infrastructure in New Zealand is the biggest factor in the fatality rate we have here.

Surely the current (and previous, and successive) government can learn from overseas experiences, and realise that a good well structured roading and motorway/highway system makes for better and safer roads. This involves investing a lot more capital (as Damien pointed out) into the roading network.

Also I think that it is far too easy to get and keep a licence in New Zealand. There are so many dangerous drivers on our roads, that make the roads unsafe for all of us. These drivers don't seem to fall into any one demographic, but seem to be people from all spectrums of society. Maybe more stringent testing (and regular retesting) is needed to obtain (and keep) a drivers licence.

My third opinion is that there are also far too many unsafe vehicles on our roads. By this I mean dangerously modified, ones that should be on the scrap heap, and ones that are neither WOF'ed or Registered, but are still being driven. I think that in a lot of overseas "first world" countries cars are a lot more affordable so most people drive newer, safer and better maintained vehicles, whereas here in New Zealand there are a greater number of older, early Japanese Import, dangerous vehicles still being driven (as people can't afford to upgrade them).

There we go, my opinion (for what it is worth).

Cheers

[Guest Spargo]

Being so Isolated goes along way to explain our current roading methodology.

Drive anywhere in Europ and you'll understand. 150 down the autostrad in Italy is slow, not becuase it's safe (it is) but because that is the culture over there.

[Gus 5]

licenses are far too easy to obtain...i almost think that a 18+ only system would be good as in other countries...however we have virtually no public transport so it wouldnt work as planned. for varying reasons, the vast majority of new zealand drivers just simply do not have the proper driving skills to drive....sure the roads are not fantastic but how many of us have not had a crash recently (touch wood) despite of them? its more driver skill, or the current lack thereof. im not saying everyone should be a schumacher, but basic driving skills such as those taught at driver training days would go a long way towards reducing road tolls

[shadowninja 0]

Yeah I thought it was a very good site, and makes good use of real statistics to tear apart alot of the myths about speed & crashes in NZ.

The one I found most interesting was the differences increasing the speed limit had in 1985, and the effect of more rigid enforcement in 2000 onwards.

Speaking of spending money on roads, did you see they're looking at yet another 5c per litre tax on petrol & another increase in RUC?

[Carl 3]

The only crash that i've been at fault was a low speed, parking building, concrete pillar vs. car accident - hence the cracked bumper - and it was because I didn't drive to the conditions (slippery conrete surface).

Interesting that women have statistically more crashes than men...but that's obviously a statistic that will be misrepresented

[Napier_E36 0]

Speaking of spending money on roads, did you see they're looking at yet another 5c per litre tax on petrol & another increase in RUC?

yeah very interesting site - ill read it in more detail when i get a chance.

Hahaha just as well my diesel wagon has a dickey odometer that doenst seem to ever go beyond the 307741kms my current Road users ticket allows....