COMMENT:

So I’ve kept out of the speed limit debate because there’s no point in debating something that so many seem to disagree with.

I don’t need to open the lines and have people mansplain to me that it’s actually slow drivers that cause all these high-speed crashes. That it’s people from other countries or even races that are at fault. Or the National Party’s response this week which seemed to say make every road a four-lane, gold plated highway. How they afford that, pay the teachers, loosen Pharmac’s purse strings, and lower taxes all at the same time is a magic trick I’d like to see.

But the nation is reacting to the news that the NZTA reckons only five per cent of our roads are safe at 100km/h and that we need to lower speed limits, as a nanny state gone mad and they have a point.

I think they’ve exaggerated the risk, but that’s not to say the risk isn’t there.

I think we all can go through the New Zealand atlas and mark the roads that you would drive at 90km/h or 80km/h or 60km/h or even less - because we’re grown up.

I’ve heard people say the speed limit is not the target, that is true. Many say that but don’t drive that way, and every second they spend under 100km/h you can feel their blood pressure rising.

I think everyone would agree that matching speeds to individual road conditions makes sense and would help reduce our road toll. But you can’t have the speed limits changing every five minutes of a journey depending on risk factors, because New Zealand drivers are not aware enough to cope.

Meanwhile, the debate has veered onto our continued use of cellphones and, in particular, texting when driving.

The first time I ever tried to do that was also the last time I ever did it because it scared the pants off me, but it appears there are many who think differently. Don’t tell them that New Zealanders can’t multitask.

Then there’s the continued battle against drink driving. You know you could lower the drink drive limit to zero and there will always be a hardcore that will continue to drink, drive, and kill.

And here’s a point I’d like to mansplain back at you, firstly, consider the number of people who believe that 100km/h is the targe, not the limit, that too many rules on the road are too hard to follow, that it is your human right and productive need to be able to text and drive, and that drink and drugs don’t impair your driving. Then ask yourself what we can do about it?

The reason governments and regulators come up with laws and regulations that makes them seem like nanny states is because they’re dealing with a minority who behave like children ... Can we just send them to their room?