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Decided to post this after recent topic on kneedown, whiteline overtake and wheelie/stoppie conviction risks….
A favourite police prosecution – crossing double white lines. Now we all know that double white lines are placed on roads to prevent drivers trying to overtake each other in their cars. So the markings reflect their likely level of performance (or lack of it), width of vehicle, ability of driver, etc. – in short, they are painted on the road because the highway authority assesses that a car of modest performance will not be able to complete the overtake in the distance he can see to be clear, especially if the driver is arguing with his wife or dialling his mobile phone at the time.
Motorcycles of course have far greater acceleration and are much narrower than cars. In the picture above the bikes represent no danger, either to themselves or anyone else. They can see the road is clear and they are afforded ample time to overtake, bearing in mind their rate of acceleration. In the picture on the right the second bike is holding back as he can not see round the bend. Notice that the police driver is overtaking anyway! He poses a danger to any oncoming vehicle and threatens the car he is overtaking.
Here the bike is again crossing the white line – there is no oncoming traffic and his manoeuvre is perfectly safe. The police car is not going to have time to complete his overtake before the intersection ahead and will force the vehicle on the left to brake to allow him in.
In this short chase the only vehicle which presented a danger to anyone was the police pursuit vehicle. The bikes were not speeding, were ridden well within their riders’ capability and were a danger to no-one.The second bike stopped when he realised the police were chasing him. They cautioned him for crossing white lines, which he accepted. At court they changed their prosecution to dangerous driving (w**kers). The motorcyclist defended this and the jury found him not guilty – quite logical as nothing he did was dangerous. So the police wasted a huge amount of time and (your) money. Why?
Double white lines are becoming increasingly common on UK roads. Although they may be of some benefit to car drivers, constant erosion of drivers’ need to make decisions for themselves leads to a dumbing down of driving ability and consequently the potential for more accidents. This probably explains why all the recent “safety” measures introduced on our roads have not reduced accidents. Of course, because of their vastly greater performance (non bikers may be surprised to learn that modern sports bike will accelerate from 0 to 60mph in under 3 seconds – half the time of the most powerful cars) and narrow width, bike riders do not see double white lines as particularly relevant, as they are designed for the needs of cars, not bikes.
We’ve all been stopped by traffic police at one time or another, and the overbearing officer who lectured you doubtless gave the impression that he and his chums are all highly skilled and responsible drivers able to impart their wisdom and knowledge to less able road users. But these pictures tell rather a different story.
Taken from on-board an unmarked police car, the first two photos show the driver executing blind overtakes across double white lines whilst approaching bends. The copper can not see if there is any oncoming traffic and is endangering the car he is overtaking. And any vehicle coming round the bend will be forced to brake heavily to avoid a collision.
In the photo above the highly trained police driver is travelling through a village at 111mph. There are blind junctions on both the left and right ahead, plus residential buildings. And remember, this is an UNMARKED car – no lights on the roof or bright orange flashes. Again, he has crossed a solid white line.
Now he’s at 123mph as the car crests the brow of a hill. There are blind junctions ahead and more houses. If anyone emerges ahead the driver will be hard pressed to take avoiding action – no way will he be able to stop. And if he loses control trying, what happens to any poor soul who appears over the horizon?
Entering a village at 122mph – the yellow road marking, bollards and cross hatching are all there to indicate a hazard and warn drivers to proceed with caution in a built-up area. 122mph in such a situation seems a bit steep – specially as he’s probably just bollocked someone for doing 40 in a 30 limit!
On a major road now, and the police car carves between vehicles at 99mph. The driver in the car on the left has panicked and is braking hard, actually leaving the road in the process! If he wavers in his panic and diverts the police car into the oncoming traffic, what consequences a head-on impact at a combined speed of 160mph?
The inevitable result of dangerous driving. The police driver brakes violently at 90mph and loses control. The car spins in the road and crashes headfirst into a ditch. Luckily there were no other road users in his path of destruction. The car was written off.
During the chase the driver was repeatedly warned by his controller not to endanger himself or other road users. Did he?
There are many police chases shown on TV and the public get the impression that police drivers are able to maintain control of their vehicles at high speed. Unfortunately you don’t get to see all the videos which end with the police car crashing.
And why, you ask yourself, was Mr. Plod driving like this? Was he chasing dangerous armed criminals? Terrorists perhaps? Nope, he was chasing a motorcycle for the offence of overtaking over a double white line. This used to carry a fixed penalty fine and an endorsement of 3 points on your licence. However, in their supreme ignorance plod now prosecute such an offence as Dangerous Driving, which carries a long ban, a re-test afterwards and greatly increased insurance premiums as and when you get your licence back. So, if you realise you’re being chased for such a tedious offence all you can do is run, otherwise you’ll lose your licence, your job …. and your home when you can’t keep up the mortgage payments! Trouble is, everyone in the area is exposed to stupid, unnecessary dangers just because the police enjoy a good chase.
LOVE IS GIVING SOMEONE THE ABILITY TO DESTROY YOU, THEN TRUSTING THEM NOT TO.Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, VODKA in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming…….WOO HOO, WHAT A RIDE!!
Why would you try and outrun them if they get your plate number?
I never overtake when road markings dictate not to.
Thats one of the only things that I don’t like when riding in a group of bikes is when the team leader puts the other riders under the same pressure to overtake and catch up pulling out to overtake, then pulling in again one or two cars at a time. Whats the point? I like to relax, chill take in the surroundings and blast the b****cks out the bike when the road and circumstances are more appropriateBe seen and be Safe!
I wouldn’t put riders under pressure either if I was leading a group, but have been known to overtake on whitelines when on my own or when following others, my decision and when I was getting my confidence back, if I felt under pressure, I would tell the others how I felt, slow right down for a few minutes and let them disappear (they wouldn’t turn off and leave me lost, always waited), then follow at own pace, a pace I felt comfortable with. There is never any need to feel under pressure, if you are and your friends dont take note, you are riding with an unsuitable group.
LOVE IS GIVING SOMEONE THE ABILITY TO DESTROY YOU, THEN TRUSTING THEM NOT TO.Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, VODKA in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming…….WOO HOO, WHAT A RIDE!!
With you there Gix.You should always ride to your own pace and ability……………if they can,t wait for you,f*ck em[}
]FASTER PUSSYCAT,FASTER
GOT ME SOME MORE CUBES
Scouser, the police car was unmarked, no blues and twos, the bikers probably thought the car was trying to keep up with them, it does say that once the one biker realised it was an unmarked porker car, he stopped….
LOVE IS GIVING SOMEONE THE ABILITY TO DESTROY YOU, THEN TRUSTING THEM NOT TO.Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, VODKA in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming…….WOO HOO, WHAT A RIDE!!
Agree GC, We come across a complete Pratt the other day while out on bike, there were broken white lines ines in middle of road, we were overtaking a very large lorry and he pulled over to the side of the road to let us pass, the road is wide enough for 3 cars across, but because we were overtaking lorry we were literally riding on the white lines, a small escort van was coming in the opposite direction and you could see him driving towards middle of rd, all the other cars were over to let us pass apart from this dipshit, I actually felt the heat of the van right up against my legs, we couldnt go anywhere cause of the lorry, The only way to escape was Dave to open up the throttle to get out of it, now to me that cager should have been done for dangerous driving, cause not only was he putting our lives at risk but the other rd users as well.
I’m not riding fast, I’m just flying low. and please DONATE to this website
Yeah sometimes I think they like to play chicken cos they know we come off worse….[
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LOVE IS GIVING SOMEONE THE ABILITY TO DESTROY YOU, THEN TRUSTING THEM NOT TO.Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, VODKA in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming…….WOO HOO, WHAT A RIDE!!
Scouser…..can I ask a question?
When you have come to Bassetts Pole and we have gone onto that pub in Needwood, when thumper was on the firestorm, did you feel under pressure then? I know a group of us went ahead to play and I was leading that day,but we did wait for you, would hate to think I have made someone uncomfortable?[:0]
LOVE IS GIVING SOMEONE THE ABILITY TO DESTROY YOU, THEN TRUSTING THEM NOT TO.Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, VODKA in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming…….WOO HOO, WHAT A RIDE!!
No, not at all Gix, you guys are great. I’m referring to others from work that I have been out with who race each other at top speed and do mad overtaking on blind bends, they still stop and wait for the slower riders, but when in convoy overtaking cars I don’t like to overtake one car at a time in-between the oncoming traffic gaps, i.e. Blast n’brake it must be an age thing?
Be seen and be Safe!
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