Editorial: Lower limit puts brake on reckless

The lower speed limits are a good idea. Photo/Thinkstock

I have one primary road rule for my kids: "Everyone on the road is an idiot".

Sure it's cynical, but before they head to school via bike I deliver the line to hopefully instil some on-road defensiveness.

Kiwis don't do defensive.

Witness the Hastings District Council's "imposition" in reducing many of the region's 100km/h zones to 80km/h. From where I'm sitting it's an inspired, if not overdue move that's seen council cop a nasty public towelling.

But I'd argue the towelling only lends credence to the decision. The my-car-is-my-castle ilk criticising from the flanks is the very Kiwi mindset this initiative targets. Bullseye.

Critics have implied driving 20km/h slower will handbrake the region's GDP - surely that's a tad creative. The only industries that benefit from speed are tow truck outfits, petroleum companies, tyre merchants, headstone masons, panel beaters and funeral directors.

If there were a correlation between speed and productivity our roading network would be based on the German Autobahn.

Yesterday I ran a few figures past the New Zealand Transport Agency. The upshot was driving the 20-odd kilometres between Napier and Hastings would take an extra three minutes if travelling speed was reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h.

That's an extra song.

Council was a little backward in informing us of the changes, but I agree with it and Mae West, who said anything worth doing is worth doing slow.

Most of us are responsible drivers at 100km/h. But I'm prepared to slow down if that means the odd idiot coming the other way is forced to do likewise.

Road safety is a collective responsibility - as is redressing our cult of speed.