So I've just read yet another article about how police in local areas (Yorkshire) but also in Cambridgeshire have recently been provided with new unmarked motorcycles to catch speeding bikers in hot spot areas where there have been more accidents. Some of them include a GSX1300R and a fireblade all camera'd up. Some of them are even going to biking favorites like squires in sherburn and getting friendly with folk then going out for a ride with them staying at the back, getting the footage they need and then sticking on the blue's n twos. We've all seen it on programs like emergency bikers where the police bikers are riding at 100+mph and stopping riders for speeding. I totally agree with them pulling people for overtaking on blind bends and speeding through villages etc. but when the roads have great visibility and hardly any traffic I don't see the major issue. What bugs me is that the police have had training that allows them to ride at these speeds often on roads they may not know, I'd argue that there are many riders out there who have had better training, more bike time, riding a more capable machine on roads they know like the back of their hand. There are courses that can train you to the same standard and higher than the training the police receive so I can see that yes it is the law and yes by speeding you are breaking it but I've seen quite a few times on TV bikers getting stopped who are far more capable than the officer following them and when they get stopped he proceeds to give them a patronizing rant about their inability to ride properly and safely. I don't expect to to be given a get out of jail free card when I get stopped but it seems that quite often riders are getting fisted by the long arm of the law for an offense that in some scenarios really requires nothing more than a bit of advise rather than 3 points and a fine. As far as going out undercover with groups and entrapping them for video evidence that's just sly!!! There was recently on the news an article about 3 brand spanking new mobile camera vans being placed at "hotspots" around north Yorkshire, and surprisingly enough they have a clip of an S1000RR flying past the van, why can't they just say it how it is and say we're putting one at seaways and one at squires to add to our already booming money printing business that's a result of sitting at these locations with db readers and number plate templates, stopping every bike and handing out tickets for everything they can see. A small plate and nice sounding can is not antisocial and is only ever done out of enthusiasm for your machine, I have never seen the fuzz stop any chavvy hatchbacks with stupidly loud exhausts flying through my village late at night. Just seems as though bikers are being made a bit of a target recently. BTW if anyone is riding near sherburn today watch it down the big straight past stillingfleet, there is a van there and two of my mates have already had a nasty suprise today!!! Apologies for the essay but there is no one else around today for me to rant at!!
What it boils down to is, we ALL know the laws/rules and potential punishments regarding speeding, plates, exhausts, riding like a d!ck. When we break those rules it is because we CHOOSE to do so. If we get caught, it is doing something we have CHOSEN to do, and therefore we should take it like men, Some of the "why are they picking on me" bull-sh!t I read on bike forums makes me wonder if most sportsbike riders have failed to mature beyond age 13.
I should add, your original point about double standards of police bikers regarding levels of training, you sort of have a point. However, as a biker, if you feel you are so highly skilled that you need to test your skills, book yourself on a trackday to test those skills... the public road is not the place for proving your ball size.
I wouldn't say I need to test my skills on the roads, doing 70 on a B road is hardly skill testing but you can still get a big bollocking for it! Personally I think its more dangerous when old bidders are doing 30mph on these roads
When I said "you", I was referring to the "highly skilled rider" types you were alluding to in your post... didnt mean to sound like I was targetting you personally... apologies for any confusion. Totally agree with a lot of your points, and would argue that the vast majority of bikers are far more skilled road users than the vast majority of non-bikers. However, the law is the law (like it or not) and the bikers that think they deserve special dispensation, for whatever reasons, are idiots. But potentially we are all idiots for owning machines that will do 0-60 in 4 seconds, do 170+mph, and expect to be able to have our "play time" on the public roads.
I think I'm just venting my frustration on here because I'm sure others feel the same, I like your comment about the 0-60 and 170+, lol was thinking that this morning, how can you justify selling a bike for road use when it can reach the highest UK speed limit in 1st gear . I plan to spend some time on track this year and totally agree that it is the place to push it, I don't wanna cause any accidents on the road and wouldn't feel comfortable or responsible riding any quicker. I think what I'm trying to say is that there needs to be an emphasis on speeding across the board of all motorists in all areas of the UK rather planning resources specifically for targeting certain areas or certain types of road user.
I personally believe bikers receive a raw deal, as on a pro rata basis we receive more police attention than other minority road users. I agree to a point with Gappy, we all know the rules and should be prepared to face the consequences, but it seems the 'consequences' are usually higher for bikers than car drivers. If a car causes an accident by excessive speed the consequences to other road users is usually much higher than a bike causing an accident. The point is exaggerated even further when a LGV vehicle causes an accident ie 38tonnes. If safety was the actual issue, then the authorities would be hitting the 'actual' cause of accidents, which is bad driving. This includes one of the biggest hazards to other road users ie the mobile phone user. I would love to see car drivers being stopped and prosecuted for using their mobile phones, especially where I live. They have little regard for other road users and masses of people flout this law. If there is a 'real' safety issue then deal with it. Stopping bikers for having tinted visors and small number plates is F.A. to do with safety. I would be interested to see the 'real' statistics of how many injuries and deaths have been caused by or as a consequence of Police chases. I would also like to see the actual figures of how many bike riders deaths have been caused by their own excess speed and perhaps most importantly, how many deaths have been caused by other road users. By anaylsing these statistics a more reasoned and professional and fairer system of safety could be introduced. On a side note, there are a lot of laws that are a farce and most of us break numerous laws every day and get away with it, the 'system' picks and chooses which laws it enforces according to their own politics and agendas.
I hear that argument a lot, but having never read/heard/seen/experienced anything to back it up, I have to be honest and say I always dismiss it as a figment of bikers' over-sensitive, "I'm always picked on" mentality. Sorry if that offends, but that's the way I see it. Ofcourse, it could just be that I've been lucky, or that I dont ride/hang-out at the "right" places to experience this persecution. If it exists, then no doubt I will be on the receiving end one day, in which case I may duly change my opinion.
I am mainly kicking off because in my local area they have been spending valuable tax payers money paying police to sit there all day making hundreds of pounds fining people for having loud exhausts and small number plates (not sure about visors), I could understand if there was complaints in these areas however they are setting up in towns that actually embrace the biker culture and most people I have spoken to find it quite exciting having all the different bikes coming past on a nice sunny day. I pay my taxes like the rest of us and would much rather the police resource be spent on nailing drink drivers, vehicles not fit for the road, auto theft (especially all the bikes going atm!), aggressive drivers and anything else that actually makes a difference to road safety. I think if the police in yorkshire spent more time integrating with bikers with a friendly approach rather than riding undercover they would gain support and a much more positive response. I know 100% that if a police biker were to offer me some friendly advice and tips on improving my road craft and riding style I would ride away and remember the advice, I would also ride away with some respect for the officer and the police and it could well save me on the ride home. However getting stopped for a noisy exhaust or something picky and receiving a condescending "chat" would have the opposite effect, any advice given by an officer in this scenario would likely be forgotten and if anything I would only be distracted on my ride home with the thought of declaring points to my insurance company and forking out another £60! As well as losing yet more faith in the police and the freedom to go out and enjoy your motorbike and the countryside without being pestered for things that, in terms of road safety, really don't change a thing!! I like being heard it's saved me on more than one occasion.
Don't worry Yorkshire Tyke,its the same every Spring time.. The Police pump there chest`s out and say "where going to do this,where going to do that" Hoping it puts bikers off from coming to Yorshire... And as we both know it never does.... Oliver`s Mount next week are you going..???
Lol just a charity band with work I'm on lead guitar, not been playing long but I intend to get shitfaced after! Is olivers mount on the saturday or the sunday?
Just looked and its on the sunday which gives me a full day to recover from friday night , if the weathers nice I'll head over a cuppa and watch some racing!!
Just Sunday...21st.. Spring Cup.... Good luck with the gig.. have a couple before you go on,it might help..
If that is your experience that is your experience and I am not in a position to comment on that. My comments were made on my own observations which are factual , based on real experience. FYI I am not an 'over sensitive typ'e or 'I am always picked on mentality' neither am I paranoid as to which you allude to. I notice the tone of your replies appears a bit confrontational, down to you what and how you write, but generally speaking on this forum we like to be jovial and friendly, even when we have different views. Not sorry if that offends
