Busted on the Bridge

[Voltaire]

Dear KB Forum,
I have a question about what colour bikes are fastest....

I was crossing the Bridge this morning, one lane in on the clip on heading North. I was just keeping up with the cars in the other lanes.
As I headed down just before the Stafford Road off ramp I saw a Police car parked up. I eased off the throttle and stayed level with the car in the left lane who went off at Stafford Road.....then Police car lights up and starts heading North.....I thought...he's off somewhere.....yep....behind me.
I pulled over and got my licence out helmet off ready.
He eventually gets out and says...
" This is your lucky day.. I have to go"

" You were doing 97 kmph in a 80 kmph zone.....keep the speed down..."

(I can never think of anything witty to say at the time but I managed....)
" Is it because I am on a red bike ( 900ss)?"

he smiled got in his car ( and I think he even waved) as he drove off.

All my other bikes have been black.....and this is the first time I've been pulled on a bike for over 24 years....when I had a red Z1000.
Is it like a red rag to a bull????
Can radars pick vehicles out of a crowd?

signed
Lucky Red

[breakaway]

I smell power trip.

[mattian]

If you were keeping up with the flow of traffic like you say you were then, he definately singled you out. He saw you coming and thought. "allo allo allo" !

[P38]

Speaking from experience colour has nothing to do with it.

If you where keeping pace with the other traffic then I'd say you were definately speeding.

Speed limit signs seem to be regarded as mere suggestions on the Auckland motorways.

Travel at 100kms and every second bastard will flash their lights, flip you a finger or sound their horn as they try to pass.

Slow down to 80kms for the bridge and you'll be left eating everyones dust, except during peak times .... then there's the payback.... 20kms all the way from Tristram ave to to Town... hahahaha.

Mounting the Foot Path and driving around the corner on it to avoid the red light seems popular in Glenfield too.

And Yes you where unlucky.

Getting singled out of a line of traffic all moving at the same speed for a speeding ticket would suck.

[Max Headroom]

Speaking from experience colour has nothing to do with it.

Can't say for sure about bikes, but a survey carried out some years ago found that red cars got the most tickets, and by some margin. Dark green got the least.

[jrandom]

Can't say for sure about bikes, but a survey carried out some years ago found that red cars got the most tickets, and by some margin. Dark green got the least.

Correlation, of course, does not imply causation.

[Voltaire]

I didn't actually get a ticket....thats what he meant by " your lucky day"

And yes I probably was doing the speed he said I was....as was everyone else....no excuses.

I somehow think if I had been in my bright yellow VW van with ladders on the roof he might not have bothered.

I think he was disappointed to see someone in his late 40's .....

never got a chance to ask if he took Visa and gave fly buys.....

nice ride to Wellsford and back though......

[P38]

Can't say for sure about bikes, but a survey carried out some years ago found that red cars got the most tickets, and by some margin. Dark green got the least.

Oh Nice One Max Headroom :niceone:

I forgot about the "Old Survey Carried Some Years Ago" as supporting evidence for the current arguement at hand.

Unfortunately that Survey is seriously Flawed for the following reasons, especially the First and last one.

Old surveys carried out years ago generally "DO NOT EXSIST"! they are usually a figment from the imagination of those who wish to support an unsubstantiated argument. Usually made in an attempt to make said person seem smarter than they really are. :yes::yes::yes:

Or if by remote possibility this survey ever really did exsist.

Then that could simply be that there were more Red cars on the road than Dark Green ones.

Or

Maybe more Red car owners are willing to exceed the speed limit more than Dark Green car owners.

Or

Maybe the Police just have a policy of ticketing Red cars more often than Dark Green ones.

Or

Maybe you just made up that survey result to support an arguement that Red Cars/Bikes get ticketed more.

And

Remember that an "Old Survey Done Some Years Ago" showed that statistaclly speaking, 80% of all statistics, put forward to support an arguement,

Are Made Up! :devil2::apint:

[swbarnett]

Correlation, of course, does not imply causation.
On the other hand it could be because red attracts attention more than any other colour and green will tend to get ignored.

We're programmed that way by evolution because of the colour of blood and foliage.

[TimeOut]

Dear KB Forum,

Can radars pick vehicles out of a crowd?

signed
Lucky Red

My understanding is that the radar gives two readings the fastest signal speed and the strongest signal speed, so in your case he was just guessing he wouldn't know whos speed he locked in. Laser is a different story.

[Max Headroom]

Oh Nice One Max Headroom :niceone:

I forgot about the "Old Survey Carried Some Years Ago" as supporting evidence for the current arguement at hand.

Unfortunately that Survey is seriously Flawed for the following reasons, especially the First and last one.

Old surveys carried out years ago generally "DO NOT EXSIST"! they are usually a figment from the imagination of those who wish to support an unsubstantiated argument. Usually made in an attempt to make said person seem smarter than they really are. :yes::yes::yes:

Or if by remote possibility this survey ever really did exsist.

Then that could simply be that there were more Red cars on the road than Dark Green ones.

Or

Maybe more Red car owners are willing to exceed the speed limit more than Dark Green car owners.

Or

Maybe the Police just have a policy of ticketing Red cars more often than Dark Green ones.

Or

Maybe you just made up that survey result to support an arguement that Red Cars/Bikes get ticketed more.

And

Remember that an "Old Survey Done Some Years Ago" showed that statistaclly speaking, 80% of all statistics, put forward to support an arguement,

Are Made Up! :devil2::apint:

Wow. I'm suppose I'm a little flattered that you thought sufficiently little of my humble post to expend so much effort rebuffing it.....

Actually, that little gem was something I heard on the radio while driving one day. Can't recall the exact day & time, sorry. Unfortunately I didn't ask for a transcript either, so as you say it's all unsubstantiated. The DJ simply quoted the results of the survey by colour, and I remembered the first & last since the others weren't of much interest. I must confess I don't recall the way the survey was conducted, or the number of vehicles included in the test sample.

You can be sure that I'll check with you first before quoting any further survey results.

[Sellout]

Remember that an "Old Survey Done Some Years Ago" showed that statistaclly speaking, 80% of all statistics, put forward to support an arguement,

Are Made Up! :devil2::apint:

Don't forget the survey done just weeks after this one proved that 65% of these false statistics were believed by the other person...... :bleh:

[HungusMaximist]

I don't know who else has noticed but there's been a HUGE increase in amount of cops in Auckland over the last couple weeks.

I live close to Mission Bay and like everytime I commute on Tamaki Drive, there's a cop.

Might have to give up riding sprots bikes and get in scootahs..

[Usarka]

Red is the first colour in the spectrum that reflects radar and laser signals so it always appears you are going faster than everyone else.

[Big Dave]

Freud says it's the colour of the engorged....never mind.

[MarkH]

I don't know who else has noticed but there's been a HUGE increase in amount of cops in Auckland over the last couple weeks.

I live close to Mission Bay and like everytime I commute on Tamaki Drive, there's a cop.

Might have to give up riding sprots bikes and get in scootahs..

It played a big part in my choice of 2 wheeled vehicle TBH. I originally looked at a few options and thought an older GSX-R750 would be a good bike at a good price, then I thought about speed fines and a loss of license and decided not to be riding a sports bike on a daily basis. But I may buy a sports bike next year for weekend fun, keeping the scooter for the daily commuting around the city.

It's just too easy to open the throttle and pass some slow idiot and then realise you are going 90kph in a 50 zone :doh: :Police:

[Voltaire]

I was practicing my countersteering today...but my printed off notes from that thread kept blowing off the tank.....:gob:

I was doing 100kmph on the motorway this arvo...trying to get some speed credits and guess what....apart from a Morris 1000 and Hillman Minx everybody was doing about 120.....
I don't want to put ideas into their heads but...
How come I wonder are there not fixed speed cameras on the motorways....would be a nice little earner....

[Sellout]

Red is the first colour in the spectrum that reflects radar and laser signals so it always appears you are going faster than everyone else.

And I think blue is at the other end of the spectrum and therefore appears to approach the eye slower.

However, this works in reverse as vehicles go away from you! So a red vehicle looks like it is coming at you faster than a blue one, but the blue one looks faster if they are going away!

[swbarnett]

Red is the first colour in the spectrum that reflects radar and laser signals so it always appears you are going faster than everyone else.
And I think blue is at the other end of the spectrum and therefore appears to approach the eye slower.

However, this works in reverse as vehicles go away from you! So a red vehicle looks like it is coming at you faster than a blue one, but the blue one looks faster if they are going away!
Are you talking about the "Red Shift" technique that's used to measure how fast a star is moving relative to earth?

I doubt very much that the affect of red shift is significant even at race speeds and even if it were I think radar designers would've taken account of this. I honestly don't believe that colour makes any difference to the radar unit. To the human eye, maybe, but not to radar.

[Big Dave]

To the human eye, maybe, but not to radar.

Doppler or nothing.

[Sellout]

Are you talking about the "Red Shift" technique that's used to measure how fast a star is moving relative to earth?

I doubt very much that the affect of red shift is significant even at race speeds and even if it were I think radar designers would've taken account of this. I honestly don't believe that colour makes any difference to the radar unit. To the human eye, maybe, but not to radar.

But, but, but.... It sounds so cool!!!

[gtr boy]

Can't say for sure about bikes, but a survey carried out some years ago found that red cars got the most tickets, and by some margin. Dark green got the least.

sweet just bought a british racing green bike............:lol:

[firefighter]

On the other hand it could be because red attracts attention more than any other colour and green will tend to get ignored.

We're programmed that way by evolution because of the colour of blood and foliage.

and that's why the stop light/signs are red, firetrucks are red, and flashing emergency services lights are also red.(unsure why the blue light for the cops I could only speculate)

[devnull]

and that's why the stop light/signs are red, firetrucks are red, and flashing emergency services lights are also red.(unsure why the blue light for the cops I could only speculate)

Though red is the worst colour to use for flashing lights - depth perception for red is very poor. Blue, on the other hand, is much better (shorter wavelength).

If you were to redesign signalling now, using scientific data, blue brake lights makes much more sense than red ones :)

[swbarnett]

If you were to redesign signalling now, using scientific data, blue brake lights makes much more sense than red ones :)
How so? The first thing you want is for following traffic to know you're stopping and recognise the danger. This would be quicker with red than blue. Depth perception comes from the view of the vehicle itself, not the lights.

I would agree, however, that perhaps tail lights should be blue.

[Patrick]

and that's why the stop light/signs are red, firetrucks are red, and flashing emergency services lights are also red.(unsure why the blue light for the cops I could only speculate)

Red lights good during the day, blue good during the night - or is it the other way round????

[firefighter]

Red lights good during the day, blue good during the night - or is it the other way round????

reds great at night, average during the day, I would have guessed it was just blue because people associate that colour with police, hence a blue light.A total guess, but just what iv'e always thought- definately red is seen more clearly at night (well of course) but traffic moves out of the way much much quicker at night- the horn/siren is used alot less at night I find.

[Patrick]

reds great at night, average during the day, I would have guessed it was just blue because people associate that colour with police, hence a blue light.A total guess, but just what iv'e always thought- definately red is seen more clearly at night (well of course) but traffic moves out of the way much much quicker at night- the horn/siren is used alot less at night I find.

But the horn you guys use makes everyone shit themselves and get outta the way damn quick!!!! Our ones sound like a strangled goose......

[Wenier]

Other thing to remember from earlier is if the cop was parked up he would be using his laser not the radar so there wont be anyway strongest and fastest signal. There will only be the one speed that the laser was targeted at.

[Patrick]

Other thing to remember from earlier is if the cop was parked up he would be using his laser not the radar so there wont be anyway strongest and fastest signal. There will only be the one speed that the laser was targeted at.

Or he is in "stationary mode" on the radar????? Front or rear, approaching or going.....