Aussie Speedster

[wkid_one]

From a bulletin released by AAP... An elusive daredevil whose motorcycle was clocked repeatedly at up to 220kph in the Sydney Harbour Tunnel has finally been nabbed by police.

Operation Knievel was set up to catch the biker, who over several weeks allegedly rode at speeds of between 159kph and 220kph in the 80kph tunnel. He was always clocked on weekdays between 4.30am and 5.40am (AEDT).

The speedster was detected originally by stationary cameras in the tunnel but proved difficult to identify because he obscured his number plates, said police, who named their operation after the US motorcycle stuntman Evel Knievel.

A concerted effort to apprehend him was mounted yesterday, with police officers waiting at the tunnel's entrance and exit and on the Warringah Freeway.

However, the Evel Knievel wannabe still eluded them, taking police on a 5am pursuit at alleged speeds of more than 200kph at the tunnel's exit and then on the Warringah Freeway.

The chase was terminated because of safety concerns. But the numbers on the motorcycle's licence plate eventually proved the daredevil's undoing.

Officers saw some of the numbers, and investigations led to a 31-year-old Cronulla man who worked at Lane Cove. Police arrested him and seized his motorcycle.

He was charged with five counts of speeding, speeding in a dangerous manner, failing to stop and five counts of obscuring a number plate. Police said they expected to lay further charges. He will appear at Hornsby Local Court on March 9.

[matthewt]

But the numbers on the motorcycle's licence plate eventually proved the daredevil's undoing.

And there is the trouble for anyone thinking about doing a runner. All they need is one look at your plate and you end up much worse off than if you just sucked it in and took the speeding ticket.

I often get asked why I didn't bolt when I was clocked on the open road at 166, this is exactly why (plus having a personalised plate doesn't help!).

[Jackrat]

Geez,Iv'e ridden the Harbour tunnel a few times,,Bloody choise mate,,But he must have big balls to do it at that speed,,,Silly bugger!!

[moko]

I dont know if this is Bullshit or not but there was a story doing the rounds locally about a Fireblade rider who got a plate made up saying "F*** Off" and rode around the city in the early hours zapping all the speed cameras.

[RiderInBlack]

I agree with you there Matt. Running is inherantly stupid.
You tend to go faster and take more risks. Basicially riding outside of your abilities. This OK if your on the race tack with other riders (going in the same direction) who have the skill to handle it when you cock-up, but not on the road with Grannies, Trucks, Tourist, etc. who might panic!
Na, the best thing that can happen to you there is to be stopped by the Man . You might get away with runners a few times, but if you don't get caught, you could end-up dead, or worse. Alive, mamed beyond rectonation, and with the knowledge that you have taken anothers life.
The Trumpy rider doing the runner outside of Whangarei, killed a teenage girl. Luck for him that he died. Living with that guilt would have been horrific.
At broading school we had two more "Commandments":

• 11th:- Thou Shalt Try To Brake The Rules.
• 12th:- Thou Shalt Take The Punishment When Thou Is Caught.

What I am saying here is break the the law if you like, but be a man and take the punishment when your caught (cowards run).
PS: Yes, I speed (look at what I ride), but I have always taken the punishment (I don't do runners). I have gone without my lience 2x for speeding. No big deal, but a least I still have my bike and am able to ride it.

[spudchucka]

It's called taking responsibility for your actions. A concept that is no longer widely accepted in this country.

[moko]

[QUOTE=RiderInBlackWhat I am saying here is break the the law if you like, but be a man and take the punishment when your caugh[/QUOTE]

I get flak all the time for saying the same thing elsewhere.Constant moaning here about speed-cameras,as I keep pointing out if you dont speed they wont catch you.If they do you`ve broken the law so stop moaning about it,nobody made you do it.I speed all the time,so far I`ve not been caught by a camera but if and when I do it`s only going to be one persons fault,not the guy who put it there,not the police,not the bloke that sends out the fine,my fault entirely and a chance you take on the road if you decide to break the law.

[Lou Girardin]

Of course, there's always the concept of getting unfair laws and policies changed. Or should we just lay down take it up the arse and say thank you.
Personally, I don't think that several hundred thousand Kiwi's should be treated as criminals each year for doing nothing that's unsafe.
Lou

[marty]

Personally, I don't think that several hundred thousand Kiwi's should be treated as criminals each year for doing nothing that's unsafe.
Lou

they're not treated as criminals lou, they receive an infringment notice. a crime involves an offence that carries a term of imprisonment. the entry level for imprisonment for traffic related offences is dangerous driving and EBA. there's no arguement that those offences put others at risk, is there.

[SPman]

the entry level for imprisonment for traffic related offences is dangerous driving and EBA. there's no arguement that those offences put others at risk, is there.

Trouble is, Dangerous Driving is such a subjective thing, sometimes.
Perceptions from on the vehicle by an experience operator and outside the vehicle by unskilled/unkowledgeable observers, can be very different.
And blanket applications where..."you were going over X kph, therefore you were riding dangerously"...seem strangely out of touch with reality, at times.
Clearly putting othersat risk, - no problem. Where there are no others......

[spudchucka]

Trouble is, Dangerous Driving is such a subjective thing, sometimes.
Perceptions from on the vehicle by an experience operator and outside the vehicle by unskilled/unkowledgeable observers, can be very different.
And blanket applications where..."you were going over X kph, therefore you were riding dangerously"...seem strangely out of touch with reality, at times.
Clearly putting othersat risk, - no problem. Where there are no others......

The problem being the "What if" scenario. How do you know when you are barrelling down the road at high speed that there WONT be another person that may be endangered by your driving???

As for the unskilled / unknowledgeable observers, if the manner of someones driving makes them "feel" they are in danger and that particular manner of driving is illegal, (high speed, burnouts etc), why shouldn't the driver be prosecuted??

Once a driver is caught at more than 50kph above the posted speed limit the option of isuing an "instant" fine has gone. Instead the cop will have to issue a traffic offence notice and the driver will be summoned to court. If you are caught at that speed in a residential area you will almost certainly face a dangerous driving charge. On the open road the cop could issue a notice for exceeding 100kph instead of Dangerous Driving. It would depend upon the cops assessment of the conditions at the time.

[Lou Girardin]

I was using literary licence, Marty. I know they're not criminals in the legal sense of the word. But The LTSA is certainly trying to demonise them in their ad campaigns.
Lou

[Coldkiwi]

Once a driver is caught at more than 50kph above the posted speed limit the option of isuing an "instant" fine has gone. Instead the cop will have to issue a traffic offence notice and the driver will be summoned to court. If you are caught at that speed in a residential area you will almost certainly face a dangerous driving charge. On the open road the cop could issue a notice for exceeding 100kph instead of Dangerous Driving. It would depend upon the cops assessment of the conditions at the time.

speaking of the cops... you sound awfully like one

[Lou Girardin]

A dangerous charge must show actual danger to others. That makes it easier to prove in an urban situation than, say, an empty back-country road.
Lou

[Jackrat]

For those that didn't see it "and why would you"
When the Sydney tunnel was officaly opened it was on the box in Oz.
Here's the Mayor an a whole heap of other big notes,Some body cuts the ribbon to open the tunnel,An suddenly some dude on a bike rides round the outside of the lot of em, and becomes the first vehicule to drive the tunnel,With of course complimentry police escourt.Never did find out what they did with that dude but still,
Funny as mate.