Increasing speed on highways?

[burnz]

i think 130kph would be nice it's not warp speed, it's a decient speed.
with all the different cars iv'e owned the sweet spot for fuel economy is around 118/122kph
and i would be more than happy to sit at those speed's instead of breaking the current law.

 

[Evolution_Ends_Here]

Unfortunately,



Take European countries as an example. They are used to driving at 180km/h on their autobahns. Heck, We don't even know how to merge on a freeway without almost killing someone. Their roads are well maintained and even their crappy taxis are BMW's and Merc's. Could you imagine average Joe driving on Sydney's M4 at 160km/h in their little Barina or even an '86 Magna? Driving an EA falcon more than 100km/h is dangerous at the best of times.

Yeah true i wish Australia did have them speeds on the f/ways but then the cops/Government would have a hugh soke over people 2 many poeple getting killed 2 often, plus The monash f/way will never get Fixed enough they say They fixing It Atm which will take til 2010, it always be screwed, its just paniful driving on it , i only way i can see them increasing the speed if they build alot better roads and Mantaining it not Trashing like The Monash.

 

[danja]

i think 130kph would be nice it's not warp speed, it's a decient speed.
with all the different cars iv'e owned the sweet spot for fuel economy is around 118/122kph
and i would be more than happy to sit at those speed's instead of breaking the current law.

If I recall correctly it's more like 80-90km. Obviously it varies from car to car depending on the gearing, drag etc, but it's definitely not as high as 120.

 

[Emackulation]

When roads are designed they have a speed to be designed at, there are many variables in radii and lengths, lane merges, signs,etc, etc and they are all determined by the road design speed, if they were to increase the speed limit there would be many parts that have to be ripped up and remade to suit.

 

[soop]

Germany and other European countries have far better driver education programs, and you need to hold a special licence to drive on the autobahn in Germany. (Or to drive above a certain speed, I forget which one.)

Australian roads are to shitty to drive any quicker than 110km/h. Look at the Newell Highway in central NSW.
As much as I'd love to be able to drive quicker. The combination of shitty roads and incompetent drivers means its probable safer for all concerned if we stick with what we have.

 

[levymetal]

Do you think as cars safety features become more advanced that highway speed limits should increase? Or they should stay the same?

it's all fair and well to say that new cars are being made safer, so we *could* up the speed limits, but what about the people who don't own new cars? people are always going to be driving old cars, and speed limits can't discriminate... i wouldn't feel comfortable seeing people in old rust buckets doing more than 110.

 

[soop]

Well it would only be a risk to their own saftey.

Having said that, I don't know of a car that will save you in a 100kph crash.
You hit anything doing those speeds and you're dead.

 

[stocky]

It'll never happen in this granny state. Never. Not unless there's a big attitude change, and stronger emphasis on driver education, as opposed to punishment.

yeah pretty much. dont they want to make the monash permanently 80km/h?

 

[Immortality]

i know in the Netherlands the motorway speed limits vary from 100-110km/h. people keep left unless overtaking and trucks will NEVER go into the fast lane ever. fact is getting a drivers license is a lot more difficult in Europe. one must actually take driving lessons and sit a real driving exam. i know the NZ system is a joke. i haven't personally driven on a Autobahn but i know my old man has. not everybody goes for gold as soon as they enter from memory. might have to ask him, all i know is that he didn't have a special license.

love the BOLDwork mack:thumbsup: i see that merging is something both aussies and kiwis can't do well, i know that her in NZ some motorway onramps give you less then 100meters to gain enough speed to merge. i am starting to see more and more section of highways here in NZ having the speed limits reduced because road conditions just aren't capable of handling the higher speeds. having said that, one of the biggest blackspots on NZ roads is a fairly straight stretch of road, it's the idiots who pull stupid overtaking moves that kill people or lack of concetration when that bend does finally arive and they forget to follow the road and runs straight off (or into oncoming traffic)

the fact is, no matter how safe a car might be, you can't account for idiot drivers. that is one reason that here in NZ they have actually increased the speed limits of some types of trucks so that they can legally travel at higher speeds and reduce the number of incidents that are caused by people overtaking slow moving vehicles.

i certainly beleive that dual carriage ways with proper lighting and full seperation of opposing traffic could safely increase the speed limit to 110km/h.

another problem i see here in NZ is very poor signage, with motorway exit signs at the point of exit or only 500meters before so you have very little time to read signs (if oyu don't know where your going) and get in the appropriate lane in time without doing a dangerous manouvre to change lanes

 

[VL_5SPEED]

No, out roads are in extremely poor condition.