Ohakune's speedsters on camera again

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 553, 13 September 1994, Page 1

Ohakune's speedsters on camera again

Speeding drivers are to be the target of a district-wide campaign again this fortnight, with Ohakune high on the agenda. Ohakune has four speed camera sites and some of the worst speeding statistics in the country. Traffic Officer Keith Schultz says a speed camera can't tell the difference between a skier's car and any other car, but Ohakune's speedsters caught are likely to be skiers. He said they are not targeting skiers. Ohakune has "an incredible number" of speed camera sites, he said, and they are chosen through speed accident history, not on the basis of likely "catch numbers". "People think Ohakune is a hick town and that they should be allowed to do what they like." He said they often get people coming back to them after being photographed accusing them of "being sneaky". He said they would be the first to complain if their home street was a high speeding area. But they get a lot of favourable comments from locals who are sick of visitors using the streets as a race track. Although there were a large number of locals caught inearliercampaigns (in July), by far the majority had skis on the roof, he said.

"They see the mountain and just go. All they've got in their head is to head up the mountain as fast as they can." He said some of the speeds are ridiculous — over lOOkph in Miro Street which is a 50kph zone. Ohakune has four speed camera sites, while some larger towns have none. Even Wanganui only has half a dozen sites within the city, said Mr Schultz. Raetihi has none, Taihape has none inside its boundaries, and Taumarunui has only two (the majority of cars caught there have skis on the roof, he said). And the catch rates are very high also. While the national average is 18 photos per 1000 vehicles, Miro Street has an average of 140/1000; Goldfinch Street is 81/1000 and Mangawhero Terrace is 81/1000. Single sessions have even higher rates, with Miro Street netting 269/1000 in a midJuly session. Not surprisingly the average speed is higher, with Ohakune having virtually half the cars travelling at over the 50kph speed limit (though many within the tolerance level). Nationally the average is 79. 1 per cent travelling at up to the speed limit. Mr Schultz said they were looking at the Ohakune Mountain Road and Bruce Road with a view to setting up sites there.