As I drive along State Highway 3 towards New Plymouth, something occurs to me: There is nothing honourable about speeding. It shows no dominance and impresses very few. It takes no skill whatsoever. It’s different if you’re on a bike or on foot. In ancient times such races were used to decide who the better man was. To be faster than everyone else took hard work and determination, but not anymore. Now it only takes an ego. Suddenly, a V8 slides into the passing lane and zooms ahead of me with an agitated change of pace. A prime example. Speeding is only a measure of your impatience. Motorists (and I call them motorists - not people - because we’re not human when we’re behind the wheel) who constantly travel above the speed limit only demonstrate their lack of patience and therefore how they are lesser citizens. Speed limits are in place for a reason. They save lives, yet we chose to regard them only as guidelines. Last year alone a total of 6,450 speeding tickets were issued by police officers in the Taranaki region, and 277,000 were issued nationally. That’s the highest national total since 2010. A limit is a limit, right? Wrong. The “limit” is 100km. But once you add the 4km tolerance, a few extra for speedometer calibration error and …show more content…
The limit drops to 50. As I approach, I take my foot off the accelerator and drop into 4th with the intention of slowing down gradually. As loose gravel pings against the chassis, my rear-view mirror is filled with the shape of a car getting bigger and bigger. He’s right behind me for the next hundred metres. Once I realise that - in theory - all cars travel at the same velocity, my solution is to ensure my acceleration - the only variable I have control of - is up to speed. Such is my insatiable thirst to legally assert my dominance. As I pass the “works end” 100k sign, I quickly change down and floor it. But the station waggon behind me has already pulled out to pass.