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.
