This morning I went for a ride

[Ronin]

I say we revolt. Immediately.

I have been revolting for years.

[shrub]

Sounds like the typical bullshit. I have had a ticket for a similar speed on a road that later got changed to a 70kph zone - I guess my speed wasn't so dangerous after all. I still had to pay the fine and get the demerit points though.

If you exceed the speed limit by more than 10kph they will fine you if they can, because they can. Safety doesn't have a thing to do with it at all! It's all about the revenue gathering!

Personally I think that the obsession with speed is actually counter productive because the nice men and women in their Commodores are so busy policing speed that they miss a lot of much more dangerous behaviour - people eating hot pies while driving. And they put their hands on their hearts and say "we're committed to bringing down the road toll, so we've really cracked down on speed" which, in essence, gives them an excuse not to police harder to prosecute (and therefore less profitable) behaviour like driver inattention.

[spajohn]

I'm thinking more and more that a camera mounted somewhere on the bike would be a good idea...

[cheshirecat]

Quite a few cars, especially 4wd's (except landies and early RR's) have significant blind spots around the front door pillar's. Especially applicable when they pull out infront of you because you think they've eyeballed you.

[Cracker]

Lets get serious

Theres a lot going on the highways these days. I try and rationise by only peering at what attractive women are up to in there wagons and getting an early lock on the red and blue lights in the back sills of civie cars

The speed issue is easy. Bikes are in a different league to other vehicles. The law should be changed to up the speed limit by 20 KPH for bikes (including Harleys) as a starting point. I'd perfer 160 kph open road but I quess you have to comprimise with new ideas. I'm serious, modern bikes are just made to do it safely.

[howdamnhard]

Personally I think that the obsession with speed is actually counter productive because the nice men and women in their Commodores are so busy policing speed that they miss a lot of much more dangerous behaviour - people eating hot pies while driving. And they put their hands on their hearts and say "we're committed to bringing down the road toll, so we've really cracked down on speed" which, in essence, gives them an excuse not to police harder to prosecute (and therefore less profitable) behaviour like driver inattention.

Yip that pretty much sums it up.

[Ender EnZed]

I'd perfer 160 kph open road but I quess you have to comprimise with new ideas. I'm serious, modern bikes are just made to do it safely.

......

[Ronin]

Lets get seriousI'd perfer 160 kph open road but I quess you have to comprimise with new ideas. I'm serious, modern bikes are just made to do it safely.

The bikes might be able to but not all the riders can... For very long anyway.

[george formby]

Speed is easy to police / prosecute. One reason why it gets so much attention. I sympathise with the police, up to a point. They do not set policy but they do have to clean up the mess when a smash happens which must harden up their attitudes to road users & we do make a mess compared to your average car prang. Nevertheless, it really rips my nightie seeing so much bad, even dangerous driving which is obviously not policed. Whatever happened to a courteous word in the old shell like reminding one of one's responsibility's on the road? And why do the police allow old Toyota Hiace's to sit in the outside lane of the motorway doing 80kmh unmolested? Seethe.

[T.W.R]

Personally I think that the obsession with speed is actually counter productive because the nice men and women in their Commodores are so busy policing speed that they miss a lot of much more dangerous behaviour - people eating hot pies while driving. And they put their hands on their hearts and say "we're committed to bringing down the road toll, so we've really cracked down on speed" which, in essence, gives them an excuse not to police harder to prosecute (and therefore less profitable) behaviour like driver inattention.

short term memory loss huh BBO ? wasn't that long ago you got pinged in Prebbleton for exactly the same thing or are you trying to get a rapport going with the constabulary

[shrub]

short term memory loss huh BBO ? wasn't that long ago you got pinged in Prebbleton for exactly the same thing or are you trying to get a rapport going with the constabulary

Not me. The last speeding ticket I got was on my Guzzi in 1998 doing 134 kmh on Christmas day on a back road - 2 vehicles, me and the constable. He must have been lonely and wanted to chat.

[T.W.R]

Not me. The last speeding ticket I got was on my Guzzi in 1998 doing 134 kmh on Christmas day on a back road - 2 vehicles, me and the constable. He must have been lonely and wanted to chat.

But you did get hauled up in Prebbleton only a number of weeks ago though for a reprimand about exceeding the speed limit

[shrub]

But you did get hauled up in Prebbleton only a number of weeks ago though for a reprimand about exceeding the speed limit

Don't recall that happening. Was it our good mate Jim Beam? the last time I got pulled up was on Deans Ave for giving it a handful going through the roundabout and the nice Cunstable couldn't tell me how fast I was going so missed out on giving me a certificate. That was on my last T Bird, so at least 18 months ago.

[Tink]

and as usual, before I left the shed i checked my brakes, lights, tyres etc. On the road I watched every other road user, including the guy eating a pie in heavy traffic, the woman having an animated conversation with her passenger (including frequent eye contact) and the person who indicated after they had made their move. I made sure i wasn't in people's blind spots, covered my brakes going through intersections, kept a close eye on the surface of the road etc - all the stuff that most of us do every time we get on our bikes because we know that falling off sucks.

I thought I was riding safely and quite carefully, but a really nice pleaseman in a white Commodore pulled me over and told me that I was doing the terrible speed of 63 kmh, and he was kind enough to inform me of incredibly irresponsible I was, and that my riding was endangering the lives of widows and orphans. His final comment was "slow down, I don't want to have to scrape you off the road" before he pulled pull out without indicating and did a U turn in front of traffic to chase a couple of young lads who seemed to be doing at least 65 kmh (mad fools!).

But I feel happy knowing he is out there making the Queen's highways safe for old women and children by restraining the manic and suicidal urges of us greasy old bikers as we blast madly down the road at insane speeds, and I will trade my T Bird in for a Pajero or a Volvo (something with a cup holder so I can drink a nice cup of coffee while I drive) and never speed again. And I am glad to contribute money to the coffers and pay for the noble constable's donuts.

Oh happy day!

did you get a ticket?

[shrub]

Yep. $120 and some lovely demerit points - first speeding ticket in 12 years though, so that makes my contribution only $10.00 a year - not a lot of donuts from old Shrub