Middle NZ: Speed limit doesn't stop some drivers

As the holiday season approaches it's important to drive with caution. Photo / File

On Sunday I drove to Waipukurau to watch two grandies ride horses and two compete in a combined athletics meeting.

I set out fairly early in the morning, not a lot of traffic around so it was easy to sit at 100km.

Trouble is the other cars that were going in the same direction as me didn't seem to think I was going fast enough. I lost count of how many cars passed me, one ironically just before a huge road sign which read 'Slow Down — High Crash Area'.

Some waited to pass on passing lanes but that didn't alter the fact that they were speeding, not just to pass me, but off they went into the distance while I stuck to the speed limit.

I know sometimes on the open road it can be easy to creep over the limit, I've done it myself. However these days after reading so many stories about car crashes I admit being a lot more cautious.

Once in CHB I found my way to the showgrounds, found my family and watched one of my grandies walk in circles on his pony with some trotting thrown in here and there.

Then it was a dash off to the CHB College to find the other family.

I had no idea where I was going and to be honest it was a fluke I found the showgrounds in the first place. After taking a couple of turns and going round in circles I saw a horse float and fell in behind.

Great plan.

As I was getting in my car I saw a lady checking her mailbox next door. I asked her for directions to the college.

"Oh man I'm just going there now," she said.

So I fell in behind again and followed her there where she picked someone up and waved me goodbye with a huge smile. Nice people live in CHB.

So after a bit of search I spied my family and as I approached one of my granddaughters was waving her red ribbons at me. She was so excited.

"We will never hear the end of this on the drive home," one of the parents quipped.

I watched racing, discus and longjump. CHB really turned on the heat. It was so hot but it didn't seem to worry the kids who were all full of energy.

Then it was back to the showgrounds for the other rider who also ended the day with some red ribbons.

Linda Hall is Assistant Editor at Hawke's Bay Today.

When I left the temperature in my car said 32 degrees. And yep the same thing happened on the way home. Stuck to the speed limit and was passed numerous times.

One black car gave me a hell of a fright. It appeared in my rear-view mirror and as I flicked my eyes away from the mirror I thought he would have to wait for an opportunity to pass. The next thing I know he's beside me with engine roaring and gone. I did say a few bad words.

Then to top it all off, on my way back from Napier on Monday just before the Clive Bridge I saw a sign that said "No Parking on Bridge".

Really? Do people need to be told that. I just can't imagine who would be silly enough to stop on the bridge.

It says a lot for the skills of our drivers if they have to be told something that common sense should tell them.

With holiday season on our doorstep please take it easy on the roads.

Linda Hall is assistant editor at Hawke's Bay Today.