Oh course it doesn’t. Crashing kills. But crashing is often a result of going too fast and therefore not having enough time to react when something unpexpected happens.
End of story.

end of the wrong story Flying Chick. Crashing is only very infrequently the result of speed – but injury/fatality is related to velocity (or for the pedantic, the force of the sudden deceleration). The term speed kills is nearer to correct than many here acknowledge.

Dave $140 for 2brm = $70 bed (or even less if you go twins in one of the rooms). That is cheap in AKL at about 1/4 price of a 4 star hotel room. 5 star a whole other matter 😮 I’ve stayed in this place a number of times – is good value 😉 Bear in mind there are bound to be backpacker places too!

Ah – now je comprend – and for that matter, totally agree. Wouldn’t it be nice to see a Beau saunter on by? 😎

I think the pertinent point, which Flood is making, is that it is incumbent on the driver to drive within his/her capabilities and attention. As I observed above, accidents are not generally caused by speed, the majority of crashes are caused by driver error of one form or the other. Flying Chick’s point is essentially that of the authorities which is that changing driver behaviour is unlikely to be effective so instead if they can simply be slowed down there wil be sufficient reaction time for all but the complete moron.

And Moggy, there’s a fair argument that all road users should be responsible for their actions, and that includes pedestrians including the child sub-set. I personally very much work on that principle, except – I have children and I know their attention spans are fickle and single focussed. “Hey that’s Dad on the other side of the road … there goes the ball, let’s get it” … etc. So I believe in that instance, there is a need for the driver to do the avoiding.

So it all comes back to appropriate speed for the circumstances as Geedee essentially said at the start. Problem then is the issue of the “safe” average (driver, vehicle, weather, etc.) hence speed limits and hence enforcement.

Perhaps variable leeway for every driver based on age (reaction time), years driving (experience), crash history (skill at avoiding), vehicle (safety, handling, etc.) and weather? Doubt the powers that be would ever agree to that.

There’s plenty of time for you to arrange for stepladders to be present at every venue that Steve’s visiting.

Very thoughtful Robbo – I wonder how many others appreciate what it’s like to be only 1 foot tall? :p
Your friendly garden gnome

Like many here I love the Clash and Pistols and lots of stuff from late 70’s Punk UK, US and here in NZ (Tall Dwarves!) and then Joy Division (I still have my original Factory pressings!). But my all time evocative single has to be Bowie’s “Starman”. I rem lying in bed aged 13 or 14 or whatever hearing this first on radio at night, looking out the window at the star studded sky above the beach where we lived. It took me away someplace else (and this is pre substances!). Funny that, the way certain tracks carve a place in your head.

And the list goes on – this is a terrible disaster – saw some amateur video on the TV tonight of one of the waves crashing into some resort in Thailand (not sure if Phuket). Bloody hell. We have contributed and will do more over coming weeks/months. This will take years to rebuild – lives, economies, the works. First locusts and now this – what next?

I quite agree Stormbird. For me this forum has been one of the finds of 2004. Many thanks everyone and I hope I will be able to shed some light on a handful of 619 squadron personnel during 2005. Happy New Year all from the first land in the world to see it 😉