The BBC recently reported that Dutch authorities had removed singing road lines one day after their installation.

Special strips in the asphalt played the anthem of the Friesland province if motorists drove over them at the correct speed of 60 kph.

The move was designed to promote safe driving at correct speeds. However, the noise drove neighbouring villagers to distraction. Some enterprising motorists drove over the strips at high speeds trying to play the music at double speed.

One wonders if other motorists reversed over the strips trying to get the music to play backwards.

Road safety is top of mind in New Zealand right now. There are useful lessons here for the NZTA.

First, all safety devices are tested by road users for their entertainment value. Those radar activated speed panels that display your speed as you drive past are excellent free devices to assess your car’s acceleration.

It was disappointing when the displays were changed to show only two digits of speed. It became harder to judge top end speed.

Secondly, why not extend the concept. A scanner can read your registration plate and if you are speeding Winston Peter’s voice will order the car owner to slow down or face deportation. Alternatively, Julie Anne Genter can exhort you to start riding a bicycle.

Thirdly, the choice of music could be highly significant. How about Richard Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries if you exceed the limit by more than 5 kph? Or Wipeout by the Beach Boys for 10kph? Mandel and Altman’s Suicide is Painless is the perfect fit for speeders above 130 kph. Hail to the Chief would be suitably celebratory for the law abiding among us who chug along happily at the speed limit.

Finally, why limit it to road strips? GPS technology is now so advanced that the car itself can calculate when limits are exceeded. In such cases the radio could be locked to play old parliamentary debates on local body reform and only able to be turned off with reduced speed.

The possibilities are endless and all thanks to those inventive Dutch. After all they did invent the speed camera.