101 on the M40

[Demon Hill]

nel said:

I'm sorry, I know that this is a forum where there are supposed to be exchanges of points of view, but now my mind is a bit boggled! A question for the sanctimonious gits spouting off about how wrong it is to do 101 on a clear motorway - what are you doing on this website?? Why aren't you passing your time on some website dedicated to the latest technique in knitting your own yoghurts? You are a very strange strain of PistonHead IMO. Nel

Great reply - couldn't agree more.

Someone has the misfortune to get caught and shares's their story with others and the "do-gooders" join in to say how naughty that person was. I'm not suggesting that we should all speed around but with most modern cars it's easy to break the speed limit without realising how far over you are. I was travelling up the M1 yesterday at a steady 80 mph and I didn't overtake many cars, everybody was passing me, in fact I was overtaken by a Transit van travelling 90 plus.

How many sanctimonious gits out there have got points on their licences - loads....and I bet they complained when they got the "letter" through the post.

Does anybody know how Sean got on. Maybe he should have pleaded guilty, took a two week ban and get away with the penalty points which could ultimately give him a longer driving ban.

[Big_M]

Demon Hill said:

How many sanctimonious gits out there have got points on their licences - loads.....

I've got no points - that is no points EVER - can I be a sanctimonious git now please

I think what a lot of people find difficult to take is drivers who get done for speeding and then try to wriggle out of it completely or lesson the punishment because of mitigating circumstances.

A friend of mine works in a prison. One lad is in for life after committing murder - his comment to her was - "But Miss - I only stabbed him once".

[towman]

Bobbins said:

I drove my wife's car on a m'way the other day and stuck at 70ish. I became aware that main risk in driving at (say) 100 is that other drivers are not expecting it (as they might be in Germany). I noticed how quickly some other cars where travelling relative to my speed - they seemed to appear from nowhere - but in reality were probably travelling at high 90's. Driving at 70 you do get a sense that some other (where that ALL BMW's?) drivers are trying to force their way through the traffic.

Try driving a truck in Germany (or here on a two lane stretch) when your max speed is limited to 56mph. You have to be REALLY alert when thinking about overtaking. Suddenly that small dot on the horizon is up behind you flashing the headlights!

[woodytvr]

Which is why when I drive quickly (overseas of course) I'm aware of what's in front the truck I'm about to overtake at perhaps nearly 3 times his speed.

If the truck is closing down on someone or approaching an on slip it's time to back off and make sure he knows you are there - same applies for cars obviously

Likewise if your passing a truck on a bendy dual carrageway, make sure you can see his mirror before proceeding to blat past him at 100+mph.

An old rant but this really is where the current test etc. falls short, there is no guidence for new drivers regards to observation and positioning yourself to be seen.

I do the odd article for www.car-chat.co.uk and road positioning is a more recent one (with reagrds to being seen and seeing others). If only one person reads it and takes just one bit of advice from it then I'm happy with that.

Article here if anyone is interested: www.car-chat.co.uk/features/misc/safety_cc.asp

[rhinocar]

roygarth said:

dazren said: As for things being thrown off bridges I'd like to see the perpetraitors arrested. If we are playing the "what if game" perhaps car drivers should also be looking out for spitfire pilots needing to use the motorway to make an emergency landing. DAZ Excellent, LOL,

Strange you should say that, I lost a mate at school when a plane made a forced landing on an A road, although it was a cessna 182 not a spitfire. Still minis don't make good aircraft-carriers.

[hertsbiker]

Big_M said:

Demon Hill said: How many sanctimonious gits out there have got points on their licences - loads..... I've got no points - that is no points EVER - can I be a sanctimonious git now please I think what a lot of people find difficult to take is drivers who get done for speeding and then try to wriggle out of it completely or lesson the punishment because of mitigating circumstances. A friend of mine works in a prison. One lad is in for life after committing murder - his comment to her was - "But Miss - I only stabbed him once".

hi M, can't agree with your thoughts here. Speeding is not comparable to "just" one stabbing. I admire anyone who stands up to the system, esp if they win. If you fight back, you're upholding years of fine tradition of struggle against stupid laws.

C

[dcb]

nickwilcock said:

KE=1/2 mv**2

I think most of us know GCSE physics, ta.

nickwilcock said:

Wealth, owning a nice fast car and considering yourself to be very important doesn't put you above the law.

Of course not. Stupidly outdated laws that haven't changed since Dixon prowled Dock Green.

I also make the point that you don't have to be rich to drive at 101 mph - 90% of cars on sale in the UK do that, and more.

nickwilcock said:

Yuppie arrogance like that should have died in the '80s.

Where is it arrogant to want to get home a bit sooner than the UK government permits ?

[dcb]

tonyrec said:

Its against the Law.

Doesn't make it wrong, though, does it ?

[gone]

dcb said:

tonyrec said: Its against the Law. Doesn't make it wrong, though, does it ?

Err, If its against the law, It is wrong! That is why penalties are handed out should you be caught!

[Plotloss]

So you 100% agree with every law you have to enforce then?

Its not that simple. If it was there would be no legislative evolution. Thankfully that can be seen to be happening even over a relatively small timeframe...

[WildCat]

Plotloss said:

So you 100% agree with every law you have to enforce then?

Unfortunately for us all - Liebchen - these BiBs are in no-win situation. Went to some local cop/authorities "do" - giving talk about all drugs - prescribed and illegal )and side- effects. Surprising number of BiBs anti-current war on motorists for relative minor offences (though I do not class OTT speeding as minor offence! Many agree that law is a complete ass, and that is absolutely soul-destroying to arrest some thug for proper crime - only to find soft sap of a mag lets them off! But - whether they agree or not - that is the job!

Lots of the soldiers in Iraq probably do not agree with reason why they are there - but that is, unfortunately, part of the contract of employment.

Plotloss said:

Its not that simple. If it was there would be no legislative evolution. Thankfully that can be seen to be happening even over a relatively small timeframe...

And that is precisely why we have to keep droning on about the flaws in the current policies, and campaign for more reasonable enforcement, better testing and even trying to address general courteous attitudes (which are reflected in driving attitudes) via pastoral system in our schools!

However, unrealistic to campaign for 90-100mph or even unlimited motorway speed limits if you do not raise the L-test standard and include some training. Pass Plus should really be compulsory within one year of passing L-test if we keep to current format. And as you pointed out - investment costs money! It costs a lot more in EU! Driving is privilege and not a right anyway - so perhaps the extra expense is justified to certain extent! You gets what you pay for!

Yet despite the more stringent test which does include knowledge of car controls and basic mechanics - Germany's RTA rate is higher than ours in UK. It is starting to reduce significantly - due to mix of increased trafpols and scams (though there is little bit more intelligent use on aggregate) and could even be lower than ours within 2 years if current trend continues. Their excuse - Stasi trained Ossie drivers in Trabis are not at same standard as Wessies, etc., etc.

[Plotloss]

Not saying for one minute that he has a choice in the laws he inforces, just think its a little trite to suggest that if its against the law its wrong when clearly there are cases when the law is wrong.

[WildCat]

True Liebchen! Law is such an ass! Und Life is real bitch!

Our gone unfortunately is a bit black and white at times! "This is law -- ergo it must be enforced to absolute letter"

Stasi Germany was like that - and the people eventually erupted over it! Anger had been simmering for a long, long time. Bit like the anger over these scameras!

Agree - laws should be perceived as reasonable - else people disprespect them and you are then in danger of uprisings and anarchy. (Captain G. is example! and OTT speeding "when one can (or thinks one can )get away with it" is another! )

Which is what the Ride Drive chap was getting at "too many speed limits and too strict an enforcement breeds disrespect" in his excellent essay on the Essex Deaths thread.

[Big_M]

hertsbiker said:

Big_M said: A friend of mine works in a prison. One lad is in for life after committing murder - his comment to her was - "But Miss - I only stabbed him once". hi M, can't agree with your thoughts here. Speeding is not comparable to "just" one stabbing. I admire anyone who stands up to the system, esp if they win. If you fight back, you're upholding years of fine tradition of struggle against stupid laws. C

The comparison I was trying to make here was that the guy who committed murder thought he had been dealt with unfairly as he had only stabbed the bloke once. Far better to admit the crime and take whatever punishment is due.

Whether the law is an ass or not – it is the law. Stupid laws have been changed in the past but only as a result of public demonstration and protest - eg votes for Women. Perhaps it is time for a public display of protest.

[gone]

Plotloss said:

So you 100% agree with every law you have to enforce then?

Of course not. But that is my job! I have a certain amount of discretion to decide on how to interpret the guidelines but the fact that I agree with some and not others makes no difference as to the rules I use to enforce them.

If it is against the law, then the people that decide how we should live together have decided that the action is wrong. Whether that is a moral reason or a safety reason is immaterial. The fact is that has become a law and for the greater or worse good of society it wrong to break it. It matters not whether you personally agree with it, it is still wrong until the statute changes and it is abolished.

plotless said:

Its not that simple. If it was there would be no legislative evolution. Thankfully that can be seen to be happening even over a relatively small timeframe...

Quite

[gone]

WildCat said:

True Liebchen! Law is such an ass! Und Life is real bitch!

Tell me about it

wildact said:

Our gone unfortunately is a bit black and white at times! "This is law -- ergo it must be enforced to absolute letter"

You really have got the wrong impression .

wildact said:

Stasi Germany was like that - and the people eventually erupted over it! Anger had been simmering for a long, long time. Bit like the anger over these scameras!

Where did I put my Jackboots ?

wildact said:

Agree - laws should be perceived as reasonable - else people disprespect them and you are then in danger of uprisings and anarchy. (Captain G. is example! and OTT speeding "when one can (or thinks one can )get away with it" is another! )

Right or wrong in the personal view or interpretation of the law breaker, it is still law and sometimes regardless of personal views of the enforcer it has to be dealt with in that fashion.

Wildcat said:

Which is what the Ride Drive chap was getting at "too many speed limits and too strict an enforcement breeds disrespect" in his excellent essay on the Essex Deaths thread.

A somewhat different reaction from members in relation to the one on braking technique
But then what Julian was saying didn't suit many of the experts who read it so it was obviously twoddle and he is just a traffic cop (at heart [more often than not seen on a bicycle these days ]) anyway so what does he know .

Wildcat, I am not as 'straight down the line' as you suggest . I let someone off yesterday for stopping on a yellow line for 2 minutes but managed to tear myself away from the 'must process this offender' attitude I have . The feline had long eyelashes and long legs and teetered around in a short skirt carrying a pair of downhill skis with a handheld GPS monitor over her shoulder. You didn't happen to be somewhere in Berkshire yesterday did you?

Shame you are not closer and we could bang heads a bit. You would probably find that we are not far apart really as long as you didn't persist in calling me 'Leibchen'

>> Edited by gone on Wednesday 19th May 11:42

[TonyOut]

gone said:

as long as you didn't persist in calling me 'Leibchen'

Come on WildCat, what does 'Leibchen' mean?

[gone]

TonyOut said:

gone said: as long as you didn't persist in calling me 'Leibchen' Come on WildCat, what does 'Leibchen' mean?

Literally translated it means 'Undergarment', 'Bodice' or 'Vest'.

I don't think she means it in that context though. It is obviously something much more patronising than being what is described.
Unless of course she thinks of me as being close to her heart as a vest obviously would be.

[Plotloss]

I thought it meant sweetheart??

[gone]

Plotloss said:

I thought it meant sweetheart??

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