Nutters?

[andyBeaker]

Other than that I am hand on heart that I stuck to speed limits - I learned the easy way by getting a ticket while in the car many years ago. Others sadly learn the hard way.

Silly speeds are for the track.........

Bit of a contradiction there... depending on what the ticket was for of course...[/QUOTE]

Average 47 (one mph less and I wouldn't have got done!!) in a SPECS temporary 40 in roadworks on the M6 in a car donkeys years ago, about six am on a Sunday morning, very light traffic, no roadworks being undertaken. Felt very harsh but hands up I did the crime so I did the time (well, 3 points). As I say, learning the easy way.

On the bright side, the technology is already available to prevent speeding - can see this happening at some point, my car has it built in but it is up to the driver whether to activate it - although driverless vehicles would negate the need.

 

[slim63]

Going by andy's logic we should all sell our bikes & buy 125's but of course we cant rev them in case we break a speed limit or two

yes that's a very much tongue in cheek comment but I really don't see the point in buying a bike that will never be used in the way it should be even if only once or twice a week

 

[Jaws]

This is an argument I will never lose John.

Something worth remembering Andy..
I quote Mr Bumble.... The law is an ass
If the law was always correct we would still be hanging people

 

[andyBeaker]

Something worth remembering Andy..
I quote Mr Bumble.... The law is an ass
If the law was always correct we would still be hanging people

Works for me

 

[andyBeaker]

Going by andy's logic we should all sell our bikes & buy 125's but of course we cant rev them in case we break a speed limit or two

Works for me

 

[Centaur]

I never knowingly speed in a 30 or 40 limit. Practical reason is that the vast number of tickets are given there but also socially it is the most likely to have bad consequences. A blanket speed limit outside built up areas is the nanny state in operation. How many times do we see bends with a warning sign of a ridiculously low advisory speed? Degrades the purpose as most of us ignore what we expect to be a ridiculous warning. Long straights in the countryside where three figure speeds are perfectly safe? The nannies are looking forward to driverless cars which conform to all regulations and banning motorbikes. Thank feck I have had the good times when peeps were expected to use their own judgement.

 

[andyBeaker]

I never knowingly speed in a 30 or 40 limit. Practical reason is that the vast number of tickets are given there but also socially it is the most likely to have bad consequences. A blanket speed limit outside built up areas is the nanny state in operation. How many times do we see bends with a warning sign of a ridiculously low advisory speed? Degrades the purpose as most of us ignore what we expect to be a ridiculous warning. Long straights in the countryside where three figure speeds are perfectly safe? The nannies are looking forward to driverless cars which conform to all regulations and banning motorbikes. Thank feck I have had the good times when peeps were expected to use their own judgement.

I think your final words are exactly what the point is - everyone seems to think that their personal judgement is good and that exempts them from the law. Sadly that is far from the case, as demonstrated yesterday by the motorcyclist who went off the road overtaking (allegedly speeding at the time) on the A259 near here yesterday. I am sure he thought his judgement was good but he managed to bin it without, fortunately, hitting anything solid on the way and managing to leave in the ambulance with just a broken leg and collarbone.

You can't pick and choose when it is ok to ignore the law.

 

[Jaws]

You can't pick and choose when it is ok to ignore the law.

Yes you can
Every one from high court judges to police officers do it

 

[slim63]

You can't pick and choose when it is ok to ignore the law.

As jaws says of course you can & you obviously do otherwise you wouldn't have received a ticket, bad choice that time

 

[Centaur]

The traffic law is an ass. There is an overwhelming wish to amend laws set in the 69s and 70s but politicians will not risk anything negative happening as they would be blamed. Andy, you pick out the accidents which are exceptions and not the rule. I had several bad accidents in the 50s and early 60s which were mostly due to crap tyres and brakes. Since I came back to biking in the early 70s I have not had a single accident despite being a serial speeder. Anything outside 30s and 40s, I decided my speed based on the roads, weather and the likelihood of speed traps. I was done twice for speeding in nearly 60 years and both times in a car out on the open road. I have only ever made one insurance claim when a cyclist rode into my stationary car. He was so upset about the damage to his bike which he needed to get to work that I offered to pay for his bike to be repaired. This was followed up by a solicitors letter claiming I had admitted liability. My insurance company paid up against my wishes. My point is that in my opinion most bikers ignore speed limits outside built up areas and yet relatively few have accidents in spite of all the attempts by car divers to kill us off. Accidents where only the bike is involved are rare and IMHO usually by summer only riders.

 

[andyBeaker]

Yes you can
Every one from high court judges to police officers do it

Sorry John, that is a ridiculous sweeping statement without foundation.

 

[andyBeaker]

As jaws says of course you can & you obviously do otherwise you wouldn't have received a ticket, bad choice that time

Yes, and I am man enough to acknowledge that I was in the wrong, even if it did feel like a stitch up at the time. It was very black and white.

It certainly made me much more aware of speed limits - again as I said, I learned the easy way.

 

[andyBeaker]

The traffic law is an ass. There is an overwhelming wish to amend laws set in the 69s and 70s but politicians will not risk anything negative happening as they would be blamed. Andy, you pick out the accidents which are exceptions and not the rule. I had several bad accidents in the 50s and early 60s which were mostly due to crap tyres and brakes. Since I came back to biking in the early 70s I have not had a single accident despite being a serial speeder. Anything outside 30s and 40s, I decided my speed based on the roads, weather and the likelihood of speed traps. I was done twice for speeding in nearly 60 years and both times in a car out on the open road. I have only ever made one insurance claim when a cyclist rode into my stationary car. He was so upset about the damage to his bike which he needed to get to work that I offered to pay for his bike to be repaired. This was followed up by a solicitors letter claiming I had admitted liability. My insurance company paid up against my wishes. My point is that in my opinion most bikers ignore speed limits outside built up areas and yet relatively few have accidents in spite of all the attempts by car divers to kill us off. Accidents where only the bike is involved are rare and IMHO usually by summer only riders.

I will acknowledge your reasoned argument, even if I don't agree with most of it.

Where is this 'overwhelming wish to amend laws'?? I'm happy with the limits where they are, although I would support a reduction in the National Speed Limit on many single lane roads from 60 to 50.

Nobody will ever convince me that speed is not an influence in accidents. The faster someone is going the more chance they have of having or causing an accident.

I have some 13 amp sockets to connect so I am letting you off lightly.

 

[slim63]

Yes, and I am man enough to acknowledge that I was in the wrong, even if it did feel like a stitch up at the time. It was very black and white.

It certainly made me much more aware of speed limits - again as I said, I learned the easy way.

Just as I will be happy to admit I'm in the wrong & take the penalty if caught. Where we differ is that you think speed kills, most here disagree.

I think I am capable of making the judgement of acceptable speed for myself & no that's not being big headed or unaware of the possible result of my actions, hence it being a judgement that has proven correct for the last 38 years & many thousands of miles of constant daily riding

Now if you don't feel comfortable going above any given speed limit that's fine with me but I would ask you to consider that there are some much more capable riders than yourself (and me) out there, some of them will be less likely to have an accident at a much higher speed than you (or I ) feel comfortable with

 

[Centaur]

Where is this 'overwhelming wish to amend laws'??

Most coppers I have talked to will happily do anyone speeding in 30/40 limits but turn a blind eye on someone exceeding the speed limit on the open road unless they are riding like a pillock. Shortly before I packed in riding I turned into one of my favourite 10 mile B roads behind six bike coppers. I stayed with them at speeds into three figures and when they pulled into a layby at the main road the instructor at the back gave me a wave as I went past. I am certain he was watching me in his mirrors and if I had been riding beyond my limits he would have taken some action. Obviously they were not using blues and twos. When was the last time you heard of someone being done for under 70 on a main road or under 80 on a motorway. Temporary speed limits excepted. A few years back the Chief Supt responsible for speeding policy to the assoc of police chiefs was caught by a scamera van doing 88 in 60mph limit near Wrexham. Speed does NOT kill otherwise the astronauts could not survive and if you start thinking about the speed we are doing on planet earth then 150 mph one way or the other is nothing.

 

[derek kelly]

I have lost count of the times I have witnessed bikers riding below the speed limit & meandering all over the road.

 

[andyBeaker]

Where is this 'overwhelming wish to amend laws'??

Most coppers I have talked to will happily do anyone speeding in 30/40 limits but turn a blind eye on someone exceeding the speed limit on the open road unless they are riding like a pillock. Shortly before I packed in riding I turned into one of my favourite 10 mile B roads behind six bike coppers. I stayed with them at speeds into three figures and when they pulled into a layby at the main road the instructor at the back gave me a wave as I went past. I am certain he was watching me in his mirrors and if I had been riding beyond my limits he would have taken some action. Obviously they were not using blues and twos. When was the last time you heard of someone being done for under 70 on a main road or under 80 on a motorway. Temporary speed limits excepted. A few years back the Chief Supt responsible for speeding policy to the assoc of police chiefs was caught by a scamera van doing 88 in 60mph limit near Wrexham. Speed does NOT kill otherwise the astronauts could not survive and if you start thinking about the speed we are doing on planet earth then 150 mph one way or the other is nothing.

I have never said 'speed kills'. That would be dumb.

What I have said is that the higher the speed the higher the risk. There cannot, surely, be any argument about that. And with it the higher risk to other road users.

As an aside, the 'I've been riding for,38'years' etc reminds me of an incident I had on the way to,work going through Greenwich. I had a fella on a cbr600 right up my chuff when filtering, revving the engine and showing general agitation. He pulled a silly overtake and carved me up at the same time.,,at the next set of,liguts I pleasantly asked him what he thought he was doing- (paraphrasing) 'you need to get a move on you w****r I have been riding for,six years and can tell you that you can filter much quicker that'

Less than 200 yards past the lights sure enough he was T boned by a car coming the through a line of traffic from a turning on the left as he filtered down the outside....

His risk appetite was higher than mine, but I was the one who got to work safely.

 

[andyBeaker]

Where is this 'overwhelming wish to amend laws'??

Most coppers I have talked to will happily do anyone speeding in 30/40 limits but turn a blind eye on someone exceeding the speed limit on the open road unless they are riding like a pillock. Shortly before I packed in riding I turned into one of my favourite 10 mile B roads behind six bike coppers. I stayed with them at speeds into three figures and when they pulled into a layby at the main road the instructor at the back gave me a wave as I went past. I am certain he was watching me in his mirrors and if I had been riding beyond my limits he would have taken some action. Obviously they were not using blues and twos. When was the last time you heard of someone being done for under 70 on a main road or under 80 on a motorway. Temporary speed limits excepted. A few years back the Chief Supt responsible for speeding policy to the assoc of police chiefs was caught by a scamera van doing 88 in 60mph limit near Wrexham. Speed does NOT kill otherwise the astronauts could not survive and if you start thinking about the speed we are doing on planet earth then 150 mph one way or the other is nothing.

I had similar - I was actually stopped by bike plod on the A2, turned out he was interested in buying a Bird!! He duly disappeared on a quick test ride on mine while I guarded his BMW!

By the way, Welsh plod caught speeding was Bostrom, so hardly a good example of plod!!

 

[sr71caspar]

I had similar - I was actually stopped by bike plod on the A2, turned out he was interested in buying a Bird!! He duly disappeared on a quick test ride on mine while I guarded his BMW!

By the way, Welsh plod caught speeding was Bostrom, so hardly a good example of plod!!

Has Richard Brunstrom changed his name then?

 

[Jaws]

Sorry John, that is a ridiculous sweeping statement without foundation.

Completely disagree..
Can you point at 10 people who abide by all the laws of the land ?
I can certainly point at people who do not...
It is a sweeping statement because it is true for the MAJORITY of NORMAL people in the UK