Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by duke63 »

The problem is that at even 100 mph you are covering ground as such a fast rate that anything going wrong in front of you, is on top of you in seconds.
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by D6Nutz »

Have you ever sneezed while riding??

Try that at 140mph on a clear road and see what happens.
Halfords estimated that those who sneeze while driving at 60 mph may travel 50 feet with their eyes closed
Not forgetting the physical response that is transmitted to the bike.

Note: I'm a hayfever suffer, so I know the effects.

Still safe at 140 mph on a open road???
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by Blade »

It's legal on the IOM in national speed limits but driving without due care attention or any form of dangerous driving isnt.

Travelling at a Number in itself isn't dangerous or reckless but driving without due care and attention etc....is
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by Blade »

Would it be fair to say most of the people in this thread who say it's wrong on all accounts, have at some point legally and acceptably travelled at 140mph on a UK public highway in appropriate conditions.
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by Kwacky »

Read my last post
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by Blade »

Not winding you up Kwacky. Was chatting with others in an open forum.
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by StMarks »

Blade wrote:Would it be fair to say most of the people in this thread who say it's wrong on all accounts, have at some point legally and acceptably travelled at 140mph on a UK public highway in appropriate conditions.
Fwiw I don't think that I said "it's wrong on all accounts", I tried to clarify exactly what opinion you were asking from us mate.

However "if" I ever had achieved those sorts of speeds I would be able to point out that a combination of the closing time & the braking effort required to reduce that velocity can be scary IMHO.

For example, "if" I had an experience to recall it would go something like this.:
Newly purchased D675, late summer evening with virtually no traffic (can't remember what the cause was, maybe it was a previous World Cup or something). I ventured onto the M62, ran the stretch that I know best at legalish speeds to check out for any patrol cars, road debris/ damage etc..
Then I returned the opposite way, again checking for anything / anyone. Satisfied that all appeared good I hooked back round & down the slip-road again.
It doesn't take long to reach 3 figures, does it, & I still had plenty of gears to reach. :D
Shortly after I discovered a few things.; The higher your speed, the longer it takes to increase. The higher your speed, the more important it becomes to keep every part of your body within the air pocket from your fairings. At the speeds we've been discussing previously "straightish stretches demonstrate that they actually have directional changes that we normally don't even perceive.
Lastly I (would have) discovered that you must be constantly scrutinising the furthest visible distance for any other traffic blocking your path. Whilst keeping your concentration on that approaching horizon, checking your mirrors or above for helicopters is truly not a viable option.
Slowing back down to 80mph is a pita, and then when you have passed the "outside lane hog" off you go again. Next one, you may just back off a little, & undertake at only 30-40 mph over the posted limit.
However passing a slip-road whilst bearing down fast on another of those rolling roadblocks my intended undertake was scuppered by the Micra pulling from the end of the sliproad at about 40-50 mph.
The road ahead was effectively blocked.!
Full anchors seemed to make little difference in those moments, as I closed on the vehicles ahead, and my last thoughts were something like "why did I even consider this"
Thankfully the brakes & tyres did make a difference, even though I was fully expecting the impact.
As I passed the little old dear in her Micra she looked across at me disapprovingly, oblivious that moments before I had been contemplating a lifelong bond.
So now if I ever were to find myself tempted, I would endeavour to apply the wise rule of "you must be able to stop within the visible distance", and at the speeds discussed that's a lot further than you may expect.?

Trackdays are a far far safer, as well as more responsible, option for pushing the limits IMHO.
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by duke63 »

The problem is, you can never easily and safely predict a stopping distance on the road as you cannot control what other road users or pedestrians might do.

And what they might be about to do might be perfectly safe if all other traffic was travelling at the speed limit but not so if traffic was travelling at double the speed limit.

I'm sure any of us would be baying for blood if a friend or relative were mown down by a vehicle going at double the speed limit.

Its precisely why there are speed limits.
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by Blade »

It's legal on the IOM.

Would be interesting to see their RTA rates compared to the mainland.
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by Kwacky »

Not to mention the road surface, oil or diesel, the effects on braking from 140mph when you hit a pot hole or a change of surface/road type.

The only way you're going to properly test yourself and a supersports bike is on the track. At least that way you get a measure of your worth by seeing how quick you are against other riders.

Take last Sunday for example. I've no doubt we could have stayed with those gixxer riders, but they were doing blind overtakes over double whites. That's not for me. I want to get home.
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by Kwacky »

Blade wrote:It's legal on the IOM.

.
In very few places now. A lot of it is restricted to 50mph and they throw the book at you if you're caught going over that.
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by Kwacky »

I'v had a quick look for the stats. There's not enough information to do a comparison calculation against the UK / Isle of Man. For instance, I can't find the total number of cars on the Island.

(2016 figures I've found)
Population: 86,740
1,007 road accidents on the Isle of Man, involving 1,707 vehicles
49 serious injuries, 203 slight injuries, and 7 fatalities
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by duke63 »

Kwacky wrote:Not to mention the road surface, oil or diesel, the effects on braking from 140mph when you hit a pot hole or a change of surface/road type.

The only way you're going to properly test yourself and a supersports bike is on the track. At least that way you get a measure of your worth by seeing how quick you are against other riders.

Take last Sunday for example. I've no doubt we could have stayed with those gixxer riders, but they were doing blind overtakes over double whites. That's not for me. I want to get home.
Its easy to imagine the damage they did to bikers reputations in the space of a few minutes. They ignored every double white line even on bends.

I don't get what their urgency was on a sunny Sunday morning with plenty of traffic about.
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by Blade »

I never overtake on solid whites or into blind bends that's asking for trouble.
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by Blade »

So how many people being honest have legally done 140mph on the IOM?

I will own up and say yes, in what I deemed to be a safe and legal environment
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by Kwacky »

Blade wrote:So how many people being honest have legally done 140mph on the IOM?

I will own up and say yes, in what I deemed to be a safe and legal environment
Kwacky wrote:Sadly I've dealt with too many fatal crashes where people thought it was safe to race because it was the middle of the night and the roads were empty.

The case I'm dealing with at the moment has 7 kids under the age of 10 all being told that their mum/dad is dead and they've got go grow up without them. Only one person was speeding. 3 dead and 1 person left with life changing brain damage. The guy responsible walked away.

I'm not saying don't do it, because we've all done it.

But never try to condone it to me. I've seen photos, read statements and heard live evidence that'll stay with me for the rest of my life. I've lost too many nights sleep and shed too may tears with the cases I've had to work with, and I'm just a lawyer with no other involvement in the matter.
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by Monty »

I'll just stick to the B roads, 80/90 feels fast and you get to come home with grass/hedge in your helmet vents.
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by Blade »

It's an interesting debate and a complex issue if nothing else (lol)
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by kiwikrasher »

Danger = risk x consequence.

While your situation with all its caveats Blade, may in your mind have reduced risk you cannot reduce the risk to zero, and the consequence of something going wrong at that speed is going to be horrific.

So in my mind, yes it’s dangerous.

Have I done it before, yes. But I accept the risk and consequence and hold myself responsible for the outcomes. Wether it be a ticket or a hospital stay.
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Re: Speeding charges dropped against 4 bikers

Post by Blade »

Agreed but getting out of bed presents a risk.

Getting on a bike presents a risk.

Life is risk.

Risk awareness and acceptance is a very personal thing based on your personal knowledge and experience on a subject.

Anyway I guess the agreed opinion is don't do, its not acceptable but at some point we've all done it and learned from the experience.
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