Took my woman down to Hobbycraft in Stockport, about 7 miles away. The route contains many long stretches of artificially reduced-width, reduced-limit (30mph) roads that used to be wide and free-flowing. A couple of Gatsos decorate the roadside.
On the way back, a police van came up behind me at the traffic lights. When we set off, I stuck to a rigid 27mph to make sure my potentially-inaccurate speedo wasn't going to lumber me. After about 500yds the police driver was getting fidgety, and began to drive very close to our back bumper. I think he wanted me to get a move on, but I stuck to my 27mph just to show him what the roads will be like when the Guardian readers get their way.
I really wanted him to pull me over so I could explain, but he turned off after about 2 miles.
I can heartily recommend driving this way when in front of a cop car, and I plan to do it whenever I get the chance!
Obviously not when he has his blues on.
Have fun!
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yes and we should all get our own cars kitted out as camera cars, linked to calibrated speedo's, start following off-duty plod around, and bring a few private prosecutions...
Anyone know how much it would cost to get a car so equipped ?
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Or maybe
Sit in the grass on a verge all day (within the frame of camera shot of a Gatso, that is the original image not the cut down digitally enhanced one)
Watch a few off-duty plod cars driving through getting flashed...
Send in a request appropriately worded for a copy of the pics under the data protection act (you'll be in shot and entitled to them), send it off recorded delivery post and they'll have to send you them
There should be two shots in close succession with the painted lines of the camera zone painted visible, you know the time between the two shots and therefore you can tell the speed of the car in shot...
hey presto, you have the evidence to bring a private prosecution...
Or just spend a lazy day in shot of a Gatso gong off for the fun of it, and demand each and every pic under the data protection act... would cause them lots of extra work...
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or we could all have a "picnic in camera shot of a gatso day", and each and every one of us demands each and every piccie, cos we are entltled under the good old data protection act...
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which, wierdly, triggers a thought in my mind.....
When I was younger, and frequently guilty of minor infractions of the RTA I always wondered what to do when passing or being followed by a Policeman.
This subject came up twice last week, once when I was being followed and the second during a conversation in a pub where we were trying to set the world to rights.
Is it better to stick exactly to the speed limit (ignoring speedo issues) ?
you are not breaking the law and give no concrete reason to be stopped, but on the other hand driving at the speed limit always seemed suspicious in and of itself to my young and paranoid mind.
Is it better to drive slower than the limit so that he pulls away from you ?
Is it better to drive very slightly over the limit since you will eventually pull away from him.
I always did the first, but my friend maintains the third is a better approach. (e.g.75 in a 70 won't get you pulled but it will get you away eventually)
I would have made a lousy criminal, if I did something wrong (e.g. scrumping apples) I always felt that every policeman in the country knew and was looking out for me.
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Yes, I know the feeling well. I'm not guilty of anything I know of, but on the otherhand you never know - maybe a brake light has just stopped working.
When I get really paranoid I find a reason to pull in - preferably somewhere with only space for one car, so that it becomes too much bother for him to pull in too.
Cliff Pope
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Cliff Pope:
Just goes to show that the emphasis of the law against motorists has tainted our perception of what a copper is for and turned him into something to be watched for rather than turned to in times of trouble.
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Driving slower than the limit some time ago got me a pull with an accusation that my speedo was duff. It was actually that I had put a much lower diff in (4.7:1 vs std 3.9:1) and like a numptie had forgot to change the speedo drive gear so my speedo was reading way out. Therefore temporarily I had to guess.
Anyway got away with it, love-15 Miss PC to serve.
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Brian raises a point that the police are only just becoming aware of. Up to a couple of years ago, I was staunchly pro-police. Now, I treat them as my enemies because of what they are doing to us. Hence my 'police-baiting' drive the other day.
Millions of us feel the same - the backlash is beginning, and they asked for every second of it.
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The last time that I was stopped was when my bike was out of action and I grabbed my wife's scooter to go to work.
Coming home on the M11 I got pulled and asked if it was my machine. I said no and they pointed out that it had L plates on. So I pulled out my (full) licence.
So: is it illegal to drive on a motorway in a car or on a bike wearing L plates?
I don't think so, driving schools don't have to cover them up between clients.
How about all car drivers and bikers putting L plates on permanently. That should keep plod occupied.
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I think driving instructors are the only people actually legally allowed to drive on L plates with a full licence. Technically learners aren't allowed on motorways either.
I'm surprised you got away with using a scooter on a motorway as well as I thought to ride a bike on the motorway it had to be over 125cc?
Regards,
Mark
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Mark H
The lower limit for motorcycles on a motorway is 50cc.
The one I was using was 100cc, so perfectly legal, also taxed and insured.
You are absolutely correct about no learners on motorways, hence plod's interest!
Regards
Brian
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Ok, I was wrong about the lower limit for bikes, but how safe do you feel on a scooter which must be at its limit to keep up with the traffic on a motorway?
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Mark H
That particular scooter does 50 mph, so is not too much slower than the other traffic in the granny lane.
Besides which, the motorway section is only 3 miles or so, one mile of which in one direction is 50 mph limit, with matching speed camera (reputed to be the best-paying in the Country).
My own, 125cc, scooter which I now have as a spare machine does 70 mph, so no problem at all there.
Regards
Brian
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