Where were all the bikes today?

[Blackbird]

Inspired by Ixion’s post of his ride, I decided to brave the low Central North Island temperatures this morning and nip down to Taupo for a bit of lunch. Setting off from Tokoroa down SH1, it wasn’t much above freezing judging by a constant trickle from my nose (you REALLY wanted to know that, didn’t you?). It was climbing Tar Hill about 15 km south of Tokoroa, going up the overtaking lane that I noticed a dark grey Falcon about 100 metres behind me keeping a more or less constant distance. I was a bit wary but not overly bothered as I was sitting on an indicated 110 km/hr, so just flicked a look in the mirror from time to time. Overtook a few vehicles, indicating as always and squirting by at about 130-140 km/hr and then dropping back to 110-115 km/hr. The Falcon also overtook more or less when I did and by then, I’d decided that the driver was using me as a sweeper in case the HWP came the other way.

About 5 km south of the Lake Ohakuri turn, there’s an uphill overtaking lane and just as I got to it, a car came the other way that was going quite quickly. Suddenly, my radar detector went off which gave me one hell of a fright as the car coming the other way wasn’t the sort you’d associate with being a mufti HWP. I looked in my mirror and the Falcon behind me was slowing rapidly and had got red and blues lit up in the window…… it WAS a mufti - eek! I imagine that my detector went off because I was getting a reflected radar return off the car coming the other way. However, the cop wasn’t after me but did a U turn and went after the car going the other way.

After restarting my heart, I began to wonder why he hadn’t gone for me, seeing as he’d followed for around 20-25 km and clearly had several opportunities to nail me in that time. Maybe decent road positioning, indicating well in advance and having my lights on (can’t turn them off actually!) counts for something. Still scratching my head a bit though!

Anyway, to conclude the story, I had a nice lunch on the Taupo waterfront, followed by a rather more umm…. rapid fang back home via the Kinloch road and Whakamaru. In the whole trip, I only saw one other bike – a Ducati ST 2 or 4 near the Kinloch turn. Doesn’t anybody venture out in the Central North Island when it’s a “tad” cool?

Darned fine day to be out anyway!

[Beemer]

Talk about lucky, Blackbird! I had a similar incident many years ago when travelling in the Hawke's Bay. I had a Sierra and was following a sporty little Honda that obviously had a radar detector. We'd been doing about 150 all the way when he suddenly started slowing down. I couldn't see anything ahead of us, but I figured he must be doing it for a reason and slowed too. Next thing this bike overtook us at a rate of knots, followed a few seconds later by a cop car! This guy's radar detector must have picked up the cop behind us somehow, thank god!

By that stage we were able to see the bike and the cop far off in the distance below us, and it took ages before the rider pulled over. I'm not even sure he realised he was being chased!

I pulled out once and overtook a marked police car because it appeared to be driven by a mechanic in overalls. As I drew level with it I glanced across, only to discover they were POLICE overalls! The cop was laughing and waved at me as I passed -phew!

[Blackbird]

Yep, I think I was VERY lucky. I know that there was a cop with a VFR 800 in Town but I've never had the opportunity to meet him. Maybe it was him!

Lots of Brownie points to him whatever. Don't think I'd have been let off on the Kinloch back road

[sarg]

glad you had a good ride and escaped the red and blues :-)

[MSTRS:Me]

Perhaps that mufti is a secret sympathiser? He would have had his radar off whilst following you, but when 'fastish' car appeared, he turned it on to confirm. This is common practice now.

[zeRax]

indeed, understanding cops are super~

[Holy Roller]

Inspired by Ixion’s post of his ride, I decided to brave the low Central North Island temperatures....
Doesn’t anybody venture out in the Central North Island when it’s a “tad” cool?

Darned fine day to be out anyway!

Yep went for a ride Friday to Taupo via Murupara, stayed the night at a mates and left at 9:30am to come back home. Had to watch the sheltered corners due to ice but it was such a great day and I had the chance to try out the heated grips I must be getting soft. I had left the new thermal suit at home on account of the barmy afternoon temperatures. The only time the detector went off was heading south on friday by Waiaraki village (sp) just out of Taupo. The back roads through Murupara were great with a couple of decent straights to streach the legs a bit.

Next trip will be with the tent in a couple of weeks out the back of Tokoroa somewhere.

[Will]

[QUOTE=Holy Roller

Next trip will be with the tent in a couple of weeks out the back of Tokoroa somewhere.[/QUOTE]


Frozen Pines

Great weekend, I hear.

[Holy Roller]

Frozen Pines

Great weekend, I hear.

Yip
Even brought a new sleeping bag. If you are over 80 one gets in for free.... how many years to go.... must be the Scots coming out.

[Lou Girardin]

He was either sympathetic or was waiting for you to get bored and nail it.
Moral of the story; until you know for sure, treat all suspicious cars following you as Police.

[Blackbird]

He'd be waiting a long time for me to do something REALLY daft on SH1. The stretch between Karapiro and Waiouru is absolutely crawling!

Funny you should mention treating suspicious vehicles as police, you get an instinct when you've been riding a long time. Should have trusted my feelings. "Use the Force, Luke"

Geoff