I got stopped this morning for because....
Discussion
... my car leant to one side as I neogiated a roundabout within the posted speed limit.
The conditions were quiet for time of morning, and the roads weren't dry but also it wasn't particulary wet. I came off a 60 limit and slowed into a 40 before the police car was in sight. I set cruise control at an indicated 40mph (probably more like 38), and went round 2 roundabouts and 1 corner before he stopped me.
Can anyone on here explain better than the police officer why a car isn't allowed to lean on a corner?
The conditions were quiet for time of morning, and the roads weren't dry but also it wasn't particulary wet. I came off a 60 limit and slowed into a 40 before the police car was in sight. I set cruise control at an indicated 40mph (probably more like 38), and went round 2 roundabouts and 1 corner before he stopped me.
Can anyone on here explain better than the police officer why a car isn't allowed to lean on a corner?
Edited by knowley on Wednesday 3rd January 09:26
Edited by knowley on Wednesday 3rd January 09:30
Every car will 'lean' when cornering. It's called 'body roll'. The question is by how much was it 'leaning'? AFAIK there is no offence of 'causing excessive body roll when cornering'. The offence would be 'Driving without Due Care and Attention'. Maybe the Police Officer thought that you were in some danger of sliding off the road and stopped you to give you some advice. Maybe your tyres were appearing to be almost at their limit of adhesion. Presumably you were not cautioned for any specific offence, in which case take the advice on board and accept it as just that. Maybe the officer was being a bit pedantic, but it sounds as though you set the cruise control at 40 then attempted to drive through the roundabout without touching brake or throttle just to see if you could do so (just surmising, you understand!).
I had something similar a few weeks ago. Came off a motorway at 3am and took the 3rd exit of the roundabout (in a 30 limit), accelerated away up the road and was met by a meat wagon who accused me of driving too enthusiastically! However he chose to stop me by driving towards me on my side of the road, with no blue lights on... 
I am the first one to admit I don't dily daly about like a granny but really this time I wasn't doing anything in excess. I use the C/C to maintain a constant speed for fuel economy and to help me stay within the limit and obviously I do disengage & reengage it for roundabouts! DOH!
The car is a 2002 bmw and corners rather well for a tintop (my other passion is a Caterham) and no the suspension is not kn*ckered. I've driven that piece of road a lot faster in the past (had a police car overtake me there before at about 80mph) - maybe theres been an accident there recently, not that he bothered to explain that. Personally I think he was being a little pedantic...
Not unless Trafpol are now driving 1.4 astras on their own!?
The car is a 2002 bmw and corners rather well for a tintop (my other passion is a Caterham) and no the suspension is not kn*ckered. I've driven that piece of road a lot faster in the past (had a police car overtake me there before at about 80mph) - maybe theres been an accident there recently, not that he bothered to explain that. Personally I think he was being a little pedantic...
spokey said:
Was it a trafpol?
Not unless Trafpol are now driving 1.4 astras on their own!?
Edited by knowley on Wednesday 3rd January 09:56
... my car leant to one side as I neogiated a roundabout within the posted speed limit.
I not surpised he stopped you, going around roundabouts with cruise control on, isn't a normal practice, sounds stupid to me!
You'll be wanting cruise control in a Caterham next
I not surpised he stopped you, going around roundabouts with cruise control on, isn't a normal practice, sounds stupid to me!
You'll be wanting cruise control in a Caterham next
Edited by casbar on Wednesday 3rd January 09:58
knowley said:
spokey said:
Was it a trafpol?
Not unless Trafpol are now driving 1.4 astras on their own!?I therefore have to wonder why he thinks he can comment on your driving. I suspect that he's never gone round a corner fast enough to induce a bit of body roll, or the last time he did, he binned his Micra in the hedge.
Just nod, smile gratefully and leave him be. With a bit of luck, his petty opportunity to give you a hard time will mean that he doesn't beat his wife tonight.
voyds9 said:
I was once stopped after making progress because other people might not be aware of the cars capabilities, and driving at that speed (within the limit) might distract them. Reply yes officer whatever you say officer.
Miserable sods put a 40 limit on a roundabout near here because we kept taking it at 70 on the bikes
voyds9 said:
I was once stopped after making progress because other people might not be aware of the cars capabilities, and driving at that speed (within the limit) might distract them. Reply yes officer whatever you say officer.
There are vacuum devices, creams, and pills that can help officers like that, but probably wise to show restraint and let them find out for themselves. Flat in Fifth said:
Let's hope he doesn't encounter some lentilists in a 2CV.
FiF, how right you are... Driving in town 'at work' is something I do in a measured way, given that the clients on board are already a bit nervous and that people out and about often have preconceptions about the types of car and driver. So, gently does it. The only time I have been overtaken on a roundabout in the 911 Turbo - which will take most roundabouts anywhere at just about any speed without loss of compoure - was on one such occasion, on the way to a Church ceremony on a Saturday morning, when a 2CV overfull of grinning squawking hippies made it round the outside seemingly by using the door mounted mirror as a stabiliser.
Where's plod when needed
I love playing the cruise control GP it gives my small mind no end of thrills on these over enforced camera monitored roads, nothing is more legal fun than to come to a roundabout in a 40 limit with exactly 40 dialed in and then have to fight like hell to get it round there without touching the brakes oh the small thrills I am forced to enjoy on my daily drive seeing as they've pretty much battered all other opourtunities for fun off the roads.
oh the small thrills I am forced to enjoy on my daily drive seeing as they've pretty much battered all other opourtunities for fun off the roads.Mr E said:
I've been stopped for "sounding fast"
Yeah ditto, but then I was speeding so it was a fair cop The little video thingy they have showed the back of my car disappearing, and them trying like hell to keep up
It was a long time ago now, and since then I am very careful when it comes to speed... Edited by knowley on Wednesday 3rd January 10:42
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