I have worked as a professional driver, rode motorcycles on and off for 20 years and work in the transport industry.

It’s time for New Zealand drivers and riders to wake up.

We kill around four hundred people every year on our roads.

Since Jan 1 this year, we have killed 127 people.

We maimed (‘injured’ is too polite a term) almost 14 000 of our fellow Kiwis in the 12 months to the end of August this year.

This is equivalent to every person in Fielding, Te Awamutu or Mosgeil being hit with up to forty tonnes of moving metal, and the rest of us dealing with the resulting mess.

In my travels, I have watched: - a driver of a 4WD do a u turn across three lanes of motorway-traffic - a motorcyclist die after smashing headfirst into a motorway barrier after misjudging a corner while riding their bike under the influence of alcohol - a driver fall asleep and crash their van containing 9 passengers - a driver, fleeing Police at high speed, roll their car down a three lane highway, luckily not crashing into anyone else.

I’m all for speed cameras, hidden or hidden in plain sight, as one tool to try and bring our terrible road toll down. Who cares where the money goes? Don’t exceed the limit and you won’t get a ticket. It’s a no-brainer, really.

Speed is one factor contributing to road deaths. We need competent drivers and riders, with safe vehicles and motorbikes, keeping within their ability and riding/driving to the conditions on roads designed for safety/survivability.

How about we all try this?

For one day, just one day, no-one exceed the posted speed limit anywhere in NZ. For you complaining about the revenue grab, there would be none. For you who then crash, at least speed wouldn'

This is blatent revenue gathering. There seems to be little interest in road safety and positioning speed cameras at the bottom of a dip is stupid. We want people to have their eyes on the road rather than continously looking at the speedo and missing road hazards. To fine the guy who flashed is lights is a joke. Having nearly be the victim of a single car accident caused by trucks incorrectly using fog and driving lights certainly reinforces the fact of NOT policing for road safety. 2 lights = dipped lights so having a truck coming with 6 lights is what - dipped lights, fog lights and another set. He ran me off the road.

That is interesting that the money goes into a general account instead of going into road safety programes. Why?(that in my books is revenue gathering a bad behavour tax if you will) Is this money audited? Where does it go? Is there anywhere that I can find this out? I think a lack of transparency with what happens to this money is the main reason for people believing that this is revenue gathering.

All those who dislike having this revenue generated off them should *gasp* try not speeding. I stick to the speed limit and, guess what, I've never had a ticket in my life. If you genuinely think this is just to grab your money, the surest way to annoy the people who are 'out to get you' by this exercise is to not give them an excuse to take your money. Simple and safe. Win-win!

reported yesterday was speed only causing 13% of injuries in 4 years in Canterbury. That puts speed cameras and the police into the revenue collecting basket, now if they started focusing on the urban intersections which caused 51% injury, then they would be doing their job properly! ref http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/5611665/Most-injury-crashes-in-at-intersections

What on earth?? signs to warn drivers of cameras, who are already speeding and putting not just themselves but also others at risk?? is AA gone crazy?? There is no need to speed anyway... these roads are only made for 100 km/h and not more!!

Speedometers are typically off by 5% and commonly off by 10-15% (usually saying the car is going faster). It is therefore completely unreasonable to tax drivers with speeding tickets for speeds as low as 3% over the posted limit. Safety is a matter of paying attention to the road, not staring at the speedometer in fear.

How many of those complaining about speed cameras speed? I see people constantly speeding here in Christchurch (Moorhouse Ave, Brougham Street, Ferry Road etc) and have no sympathy for them if they get caught.

There's a really easy fix to this: Don't speed. It's quite simple really. Also, be aware of your surroundings and take note of the signage. If you can't do that you shouldn't be driving.

Speed cameras "not for revenue gathering" - Yeah Right!

When approaching a change of speed sign you should be decelerating before getting to the sign, not after. If you think it's a revenue collecting scheme, deprive the tax payer by sticking to the posted speed limit. If, like me, you think it's safe to drive at the posted limit then you'll be immune from the fine too.