Limo Drivers on speed

One of 32 $170,000 7 Series luxury Crown Limos purchased by Labour a few months back. Several ministers of the Crown have ordered their drivers to speed after Helen Clark set a precendent for speeding when she ordered her driver to speed at 170km per hr through a 50km zone in a 2004 dash to a rugby game.

The only part of the economy with its foot down appears to be the Crown Limo service:

Only one ticket was issued to a driver of the new 7 series BMWs introduced this year, which now make up most of the 34-car fleet. The BMW was doing 63km/h in a 50km/h zone.

Crown limousines are available to former prime ministers, former governors-general, ministers and other VIPs, including ministers' partners, judges and visiting dignitaries.

Internal Affairs Department spokesman Tony Wallace said a new safe-driving policy was put in place after the Prime Minister's motorcade incident.

Drivers are allowed to break the speed limit only if their VIP passengers are on urgent public business which would include an order from the passenger or police or if there is a security threat.

Stuff.co.nz

It would be interesting to know which "VIPs" ordered their driver to speed.

I have heard it is either Helen Clark again or Trevor Mallard.

One presumes it is now alot more comfortable to speed as the new limos they are using are far more luxurious than the previous Fords, which cost less than half the Beamer's sticker price.

c Political Animal 2008