What is an acceptable speed on a public road?

[Quasievil]

And this from an ex-cop who not that long ago would have been gleefully handing out tickets for 111kph.

I would doubt the cops hand out tickets "gleefully" thats just the perception because the receiver is pissed off. Who does there job "gleefully" anyway.......no one I know
break the speed limit get a ticket, we have always known this and things will not change anytime soon.

Despite all the above dribble if you speed you are more likely to have a crash....................thats it, period

Do I speed, yes of course have done and will do, but im not under any false illusions about it and the risks associated with doing so.

[Pascal]

That can happen whether you're speeding or not, and frankly, being prepared to wear the consequences of your actions is of little relief to those that you have affected. It's a matter of minimising the risk, so if the terrible things do happen, you can hand on heart say 'i did everything to prevent this from occuring, but sometimes, shit happens'.

True, which is what I indicated in the first portion of the post. As you say though ... it's a matter of minimising the risk. And the attitude of "going fast enough to get that feeling that you are just on edge as your foot peg is scraping the ground" certainly is not. I'm pretty sure he's not Valentino Rossi.

[Katman]

I would doubt the cops hand out tickets "gleefully" thats just the perception because the receiver is pissed off.

Gleefully, or not - it's the hypocrisy that stinks.

[crazyhorse]

I would say that there is a difference between what you may think is acceptable.................. versus what you actually ride. We tend to ride between 150-200km/hr on our rides. But I don't necessarily think this is acceptable . However, I do think that sitting on 140km/hr on a public road is actually acceptable riding. (and I am talking about the motorcycle world - not general jo bloggs)

So as your poll is about Acceptable riding speed - I am not sure what is best to put....... because it is not necessarily how I ride. However, it does depend on the kind of road too - windy or sweepers etc

[one fast tl1ooo]

I would say that there is a difference between what you may think is acceptable.................. versus what you actually ride. We tend to ride between 150-200km/hr on our rides. But I don't necessarily think this is acceptable . However, I do think that sitting on 140km/hr on a public road is actually acceptable riding. (and I am talking about the motorcycle world - not general jo bloggs)

So as your poll is about Acceptable riding speed - I am not sure what is best to put....... because it is not necessarily how I ride. However, it does depend on the kind of road too - windy or sweepers etc

What she said

[Mikkel]

However, I do think that sitting on 140km/hr on a public road is actually acceptable riding. (and I am talking about the motorcycle world - not general jo bloggs)

Bwahahahahaha, you've got to appreciate good irony.

The motorcycle world? What the hell is that supposed to mean anyway? While I agree that 140 km/h is a reasonable velocity to travel at in certain parts of the country, I can't see how that should depend upon vehicle type - if anything a motorcycle is more vulnerable to unexpected changes in road conditions than a car.

[CRF119]

True, which is what I indicated in the first portion of the post. As you say though ... it's a matter of minimising the risk. And the attitude of "going fast enough to get that feeling that you are just on edge as your foot peg is scraping the ground" certainly is not. I'm pretty sure he's not Valentino Rossi.

Isnt it great on here how a person who dosent even know me assumes i can't ride., happens all the time.

Also my trip home home each day is country roads other then passing one school where the nessasary speed is done.

[BoristheBiter]

Accidents can happen at any speed. Bikers can die at (just about) any speed. A lot of the situations are circumstantial. But, here is a hypothetical question for you.

You're on your way to work at double the speed limit, on the edge so your rear is just about sliding out and then fuck, it does. Full on slide through a group of kids on their caterpillar walk to school. When you wake up you hear you've killed seven of them, their teacher and lost both your legs.

Was it worth it?

Here's another one, same general scenario, but you smash into a cyclist, out for his morning ride. He also dies. Turns out he is the father to a a few young children and his wife's been at home taking care of the children.

Are you going to man up to his wife and explain that you breaking the law got her husband killed? Are you going to be there to take care of her and to ensure she has money for the rest of her life? Are you going walk his daughters down the aisle and be there when their boyfriends hurt them, etc? Will you be responsible enough to take the role of husband and father to that family you just ruined?

In other words, you are willing to accept the risk by speeding. I get that. Are you willing to accept all the risk for it? Will you take the responsibility and consequences that come with your actions as well?

If's, but's, maybes, possabilitys, why get out of bed.
what about the mother so worried about picking up little johnny runs over a biker stopped in the middle of the road, bet she wont care. (has happened)

I used to travel 130-140 on good open roads and about 5-10k over on normal streets.
After the 28day rest peroid i now do a lot less as i would like to keep my licence.

[BoristheBiter]

True, which is what I indicated in the first portion of the post. As you say though ... it's a matter of minimising the risk. And the attitude of "going fast enough to get that feeling that you are just on edge as your foot peg is scraping the ground" certainly is not. I'm pretty sure he's not Valentino Rossi.

No Valentino Rossi rides a Yamaha

[Jantar]

The acceptable speed to ride has nothing to do with the speed limit, so your poll about various ranges over the limit are just rubbish.

The acceptable speed is the one that you are comfortable with, where you allow yourself time to see and apreciate the hazards, where you are able to corner with a little bit in reserve, and where you can stop easily in the clear distance ahead. I know plenty of roads where the acceptable speed to ride is 40 kmh below the speed limit, and if you were to ride at the speed limit you will crash. There are plenty of other roads where the speed limit is designed to send you to sleep.

[Pascal]

Isnt it great on here how a person who dosent even know me assumes i can't ride., happens all the time.

This becomes a pointless debate after a while. There are some bikers who focus on themselves and will do anything for their enjoyment. There are others who feel differently about it and will enjoy their riding while taking as few as possible risks with other people. The two rarely meet. It's just part of life and biking.

You might be a brilliant rider. You might be shit. I don't know, I don't care. Your attitude and comments suggests to me that you're riding right on the edge though, so I asked you if you would be willing to take responsibility if things turned to custard because you were on that edge. It was a hypothetical question, to guage your attitude.

So, would you take that responsiblity?

If's, but's, maybes, possabilitys, why get out of bed.
what about the mother so worried about picking up little johnny runs over a biker stopped in the middle of the road, bet she wont care

Sure, accidents happen. And they can happen at any speed, in any circumstance to any rider whether he is skilled or not. We're not in control of random things like oil slicks, tires that blow out, random mechanical failures or any other events like that. What we are in control of is our attitude, our approach to events and leaving an appropriate safety margin so we have a chance to recover when / if the shit hits the fan.

And of course having the willingness to accept what comes when it does and to take responsiblity for the RIDERs mistake.

[ManDownUnder]

Ideally the law would cater to all circumstances individually with the aim of keeping us safe from harm from others (and IMHO to a lesser extend from ourselves in the case of ignorance being dangerous). The practical reality is that it can't be done. The law says open road speed limit = 100kph. Don't care if it'saverage road going from A to B, if it's wide open spaces, flat straight , locked off no other traffic or if it's buzzing with locusts and visibility is sweet FA.

Overlay that with Police management doing their job to achieve specific goals -reduce road toll or whatever... and you get the situation where a cop is required by the peopel that pay them to give ticket for 110.0003kph on an empty straight clear piece of road that is used every 2nd weekend as a drag strip.

The cop is doing all the right things for all the right reasons as they are required to do, and the motorist is royally pissed off (based on confusion and an unwillingness to actually accept the fact they broke the law), but misplaces their frustration. The cop is the agent of the system. Getting pissy at the messenger only makes the messenger annoyed, and in this case the messenger carries a ticket book... so they actually have the power too.

[crazyhorse]

Bwahahahahaha, you've got to appreciate good irony.

The motorcycle world? What the hell is that supposed to mean anyway? While I agree that 140 km/h is a reasonable velocity to travel at in certain parts of the country, I can't see how that should depend upon vehicle type - if anything a motorcycle is more vulnerable to unexpected changes in road conditions than a car.

I would drive my car comfortably on the road at 140 km/hr too, and have done so many times too.

[BoristheBiter]

Sure, accidents happen. And they can happen at any speed, in any circumstance to any rider whether he is skilled or not. We're not in control of random things like oil slicks, tires that blow out, random mechanical failures or any other events like that. What we are in control of is our attitude, our approach to events and leaving an appropriate safety margin so we have a chance to recover when / if the shit hits the fan.

And of course having the willingness to accept what comes when it does and to take responsiblity for the RIDERs mistake.

I don't know what point you are trying to make here as you brought up the accident thing first. i was just pointing out that if you thought of all the things that could go wrong you would live in a bubble.

I have had some very close calls because of other people on the road in my 30 years on the road so bringing that type of argument into a thread about what speed you find acceptable just seems pointless.

[Katman]

For those who think excessively high speed is acceptable, would you consider it acceptable if every vehicle operator were allowed to do those speeds?

Because, for the life of me, I can't figure out why motorcyclists should consider themselves above any other road user.