On Christchurch 100.1 FM in New Zealand, there’s a super-smart radio broadcaster named John MacDonald. Not sure how long John will continued to be employed by the radio station if he keeps on spouting words of wisdom like his recent commentary. Seems there’s been a lot of anger in New Zealand over government decisions to lower speed limits to 30 km/h in town and 80 km/h on highways. MacDonald is pointing out that these decisions are not based on reality or safety. Just politically expedient decisions to get re-elected.
His hypothesis is that motorists should be free to drive within reason, and that changing the numbers on the sign post does not actually improve safety. Read on.
Do We Even Need Speed Limits?
Hear me out on this one. Because I reckon there is some logic in this idea of mine.New Zealand has been making local authorities come up with speed management plans. Which has meant 30 km/h speed limits on many roads in the city limits, and 80 km/h speed limits starting to pop-up on roads in the country areas. The blanket approach we’ve been seeing, where people have been forced to crawl around at 30 km/h where it isn’t actually needed – is nuts.
But I’ve been thinking about speed limits and whether they’re even needed. Whatever speed limits we set, there will always be people who drive like idiots. That’s a fact. But, most of us, we know when we’re driving at a speed that is comfortable and safe. So why do we need limits?
We know what we have to do. We have to make sure that we don’t crash into anything; we have to make sure we don’t run people over; and we have to make sure we don’t do anything that brasses-off other drivers. That’s essentially it. Get from A to B safely. And most of us do that. Most of the time. And when we do those things, we slow down and speed up as necessary. We don’t go all cruise-control on it and think ‘right, the speed limit’s a hundred, so I’m going a hundred all the way’. No one does that. If we’re honest, most of us would admit going over the limit at times. But, generally, we drive at a speed that is comfortable to us and a speed that makes us feel in-control of whatever vehicle we’re driving.
Yes, mistakes are made. Which is why some people are very pedantic and don’t talk about road “accidents”. Instead, they say road “crashes”. There’s no such thing as a road accident because, generally, they can be prevented. And that’s what the old Road to Zero campaign has been all about. Trying to prevent crashes. Not accidents. And part of all that, has been this instruction to councils, telling them that the speed limits have to come down. Because lower speed limits are the golden ticket to preventing crashes.
That’s what they say. But they’re not. Driving slower is the golden ticket. Not speed limits. Speed limits only work when there’s a cop on the road or where a speed camera van is parked-up. Speed limits only work because we don’t want to get a ticket and hit with a fine. Speed limits don’t stop muppets driving in the rain with no lights on. Speed limits don’t stop tailgaters. Speed limits don’t stop bozos overtaking where they just shouldn’t. Speed limits don’t get more people wearing seatbelts. See what I mean? That’s why I reckon the powers-that-be can play around with speed limits all they like. Lower them. Increase them. It won’t matter. Which is why I think we don’t actually need them.
Not convinced? Hear it in John’s own voice “Do We Even Need Speed Limits?“