Damaging traffic signs to protest Wairarapa's reduced rural speed limits has been branded "not a victimless act of defiance" but a "direct threat to someone else's life".
By Emily Ireland of Local Democracy Reporting
Police and Wairarapa council representatives said – with vandalism rife and speed limits being flouted – the disregard for the law is putting other road users at risk.
Carterton and South Wairarapa councils' roading manager, Graham Carson, wanted more enforcement of the new speeds because without it "our roads are actually being made more unsafe".
The two councils introduced new speed limits recently following community consultations, in line with national requirements for setting safe and appropriate speeds.
It meant the dropping of speeds across the network, including unsealed roads changing from 100km/h to 80km/h.
Breaking the speed limit – and the signs
At a recent Carterton council committee meeting, Carson said people who disagreed with the speed changes had been pushing the signs over, breaking posts, and breaking the signs.
"It is costing the council money," he said.
"It has been noticeably worse over the last month or so over the new speeds going up."
He said some drivers were disregarding the new speed limits altogether, "making our roads more unsafe".
"The other day, a woman told me she was travelling down Park Rd. By the time, she got from Carters Line to town, two people had overtaken her. She was doing 80km/h, which we introduced, and two people overtook her at 100km/h."
Vandalism is 'not a victimless act of defiance'
Wairarapa Road Safety Council projects coordinator Holly Hullena said deliberately knocking down or vandalising speed signs was "not a victimless act of defiance, it's a direct threat to someone else's life".
"Every sign you destroy has to be replaced at cost to the community, and every unsafe overtake puts an innocent person in the path of a decision they had no say in.
"We have given this community education and engagement, and listened to concerns about the engineering changes. What we won't do is stand by while a small number of people put everyone else at risk.
"If voluntary behaviour change isn't happening, enforcement isn't a threat, it's a promise — because the alternative is more funerals and more families changed forever."
Hullena said the new speeds reflected the "reality of the road: its width, its curves, its risk profile".
"Speed is the one factor that determines whether a crash is survivable or fatal, and on these roads the margin for error is small.
"When drivers flout that, they're not only putting themselves at risk, they're putting other road users, emergency responders, and road workers at risk too.
"These speeds exist because someone, somewhere, decided your life and the lives of others on that road matter more than a few minutes saved."
Hullena thanked "the vast majority of Wairarapa drivers who are doing the right thing".
Grace period of 28 days
Carterton Mayor Steve Cretney said the police were aware of installation dates for each new sign and could monitor the 28-day grace period before enforcement began.
"Sadly, vandalism of regulatory and speed signs is not a new issue in Carterton, and as well as increasing council costs, damaged signs create real safety risks for all road users.
"Anyone who sees vandalism occurring should report it directly to police, and anyone who notices damaged or missing signage should report it to council so repairs can be made promptly.
Wairarapa Police Senior Sergeant Gill Flower said police were committed to ensuring the safety of all road users and regularly conducted checkpoints and monitored driving behaviour across the area.
They were seen patrolling the Park Rd area on Monday.
"We will continue to monitor not only the parts of our roading network where speed limits have changed, but all roads across our region," Flower said.
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"Motorists are advised to drive to the conditions at all times – slow down in wet weather and always keep a safe following distance. There is no excuse for travelling at a higher speed than the posted speed limit.
"In areas where a speed limit has been decreased, it is unacceptable to ignore the new signs and continue on as though nothing has changed."
South Wairarapa District Council Infrastructure Committee chair Aidan Ellims said there had been a noticeable police presence across the South Wairarapa district with police enforcing the new speed limits.
'This includes cyclists to keep left'
"The reduced speed limits have been implemented to improve safety for all those using our roads, including drivers, cyclists and pedestrians," Ellims said.
"Everyone using our roads needs to be aware and considerate of others. This includes cyclists keeping to the left of their lane to ensure that cars and trucks have enough space to safely pass."
Ellims said there had been an increase in roading sign vandalism, which caused significant risk to other road users.
It also added unnecessary costs to ratepayers, he said.
Anyone who witnesses dangerous driving should call 111 if it is happening now, or contact 105 to provide non-urgent information. People can also report damage to road signs to 105.
Local Democracy Reporting is local-body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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