And earlier this month, the Tauranga City Council commissioners voted to reduce speeds on 10 roads and outside five schools. Most proposed reductions had community support, according to the submissions, so commissioners did right by the community it would seem.
But then what?
I've lost count of the times I've been passed in 50km/h and 70km/h zones by motorists speeding – particularly on some of the roads included in Tauranga's changes. I'm no dawdler. I stick to the limit but in doing so I feel that I'm a minority some days.
Just ask yourself; when was the last time you followed a car actually doing the speed limit on Maunganui Rd outside Mount Maunganui College, Turret Rd near Hairini Bridge, or on Te Ngae Rd in Rotorua?
People just don't seem to care. I believe we're making it easy for them.
Such ambivalence to the speed limit was highlighted by the AA in its submission to the Tauranga council that opposed some proposed speed reductions. AA's Stacey Spall recommended in her submission a review of the roading environment be made instead to encourage more "buy-in from local road users".
I agree.
If people are already speeding, it's unlikely they're going to adhere to even lower speed restrictions.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not condoning speeding. That classic line of "the faster you go, the bigger the mess" absolutely has merit.
But we need to do more if we're to slow people down. Simply doing the paperwork and relying on personal accountability isn't going to cut it, in my view.
We need physical, tangible change. Whether that's in the form of a police car or speed camera on the side of the road, or perhaps speed bumps and engineering changes, so be it.