Hooning it to Tyndrum
Discussion
I drive a sh*tty Defender having given up driving fast and selling my RS6 - because I was always tempted to boot it. I drive on the A85 from Crieff to Oban a lot and see a lot of fast bikers. I don’t mind fast driving but there is a small percentage who drive properly nuts. For example today I was driving down Loch Earn side and I reckon that two bikes came the other way from me doing perhaps 150. The overtaking was on the edge (if I’m being polite) and left other road users utterly incredulous in the aftermath.
There are numerous bunches of flowers between Crieff and Lochearnhead marking tragic deaths. So if you drive along this road at 120+ regularly, what makes you do it?
And do you not care if the police are out? I know they do the whole ‘mate’ thing at Tyndrum but they don’t seem to be bothered about actually catching people on the road.
Is there a point to my post? Not sure. I just struggle to understand how such crazy speeds from a tiny minority are acceptable, and how some of the people driving think that wearing jeans (2 today at guesstimate 100 mph+) is a good idea.
I admire good bike driving and I always move over for bikes if being overtaken but it just seems to me that the vulnerability is terrifying and about 5%* of bikers look really wobbly. Another 10% drive ridiculously quickly.
Maybe it’s just Easter madness. The road was closed for most of today near Tyndrum and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was bike related.
Not a rant, just confused about the rationale for driving way beyond limits of control and visibility.
If I had a bike, I may be tempted to drive at warp factor 2 as well... which is why I don’t have a bike.
There are numerous bunches of flowers between Crieff and Lochearnhead marking tragic deaths. So if you drive along this road at 120+ regularly, what makes you do it?
And do you not care if the police are out? I know they do the whole ‘mate’ thing at Tyndrum but they don’t seem to be bothered about actually catching people on the road.
Is there a point to my post? Not sure. I just struggle to understand how such crazy speeds from a tiny minority are acceptable, and how some of the people driving think that wearing jeans (2 today at guesstimate 100 mph+) is a good idea.
I admire good bike driving and I always move over for bikes if being overtaken but it just seems to me that the vulnerability is terrifying and about 5%* of bikers look really wobbly. Another 10% drive ridiculously quickly.
Maybe it’s just Easter madness. The road was closed for most of today near Tyndrum and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was bike related.
Not a rant, just confused about the rationale for driving way beyond limits of control and visibility.
If I had a bike, I may be tempted to drive at warp factor 2 as well... which is why I don’t have a bike.
- It may be less than this!
w1bbles said:
I drive a sh*tty Defender having given up driving fast and selling my RS6 - because I was always tempted to boot it. I drive on the A85 from Crieff to Oban a lot and see a lot of fast bikers. I don’t mind fast driving but there is a small percentage who drive properly nuts. For example today I was driving down Loch Earn side and I reckon that two bikes came the other way from me doing perhaps 150. The overtaking was on the edge (if I’m being polite) and left other road users utterly incredulous in the aftermath.
There are numerous bunches of flowers between Crieff and Lochearnhead marking tragic deaths. So if you drive along this road at 120+ regularly, what makes you do it?
And do you not care if the police are out? I know they do the whole ‘mate’ thing at Tyndrum but they don’t seem to be bothered about actually catching people on the road.
Is there a point to my post? Not sure. I just struggle to understand how such crazy speeds from a tiny minority are acceptable, and how some of the people driving think that wearing jeans (2 today at guesstimate 100 mph+) is a good idea.
I admire good bike driving and I always move over for bikes if being overtaken but it just seems to me that the vulnerability is terrifying and about 5%* of bikers look really wobbly. Another 10% drive ridiculously quickly.
Maybe it’s just Easter madness. The road was closed for most of today near Tyndrum and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was bike related.
Not a rant, just confused about the rationale for driving way beyond limits of control and visibility.
If I had a bike, I may be tempted to drive at warp factor 2 as well... which is why I don’t have a bike.
The jealousy is strong in this one...There are numerous bunches of flowers between Crieff and Lochearnhead marking tragic deaths. So if you drive along this road at 120+ regularly, what makes you do it?
And do you not care if the police are out? I know they do the whole ‘mate’ thing at Tyndrum but they don’t seem to be bothered about actually catching people on the road.
Is there a point to my post? Not sure. I just struggle to understand how such crazy speeds from a tiny minority are acceptable, and how some of the people driving think that wearing jeans (2 today at guesstimate 100 mph+) is a good idea.
I admire good bike driving and I always move over for bikes if being overtaken but it just seems to me that the vulnerability is terrifying and about 5%* of bikers look really wobbly. Another 10% drive ridiculously quickly.
Maybe it’s just Easter madness. The road was closed for most of today near Tyndrum and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was bike related.
Not a rant, just confused about the rationale for driving way beyond limits of control and visibility.
If I had a bike, I may be tempted to drive at warp factor 2 as well... which is why I don’t have a bike.
- It may be less than this!
I ride a bike (although I wouldn't say I was a 'biker'), and I've occasionally wondered the same.
My conclusion has been that guys who ride like that are happier with a greater amount of risk than I am, or are much better riders, or both. Also, to someone who doesn't ride, there are plenty of things you can do on a bike which look horrifically dangerous but are actually well within the limits of what a bike can do. I'm sure plenty of drivers have shaken their head at me in the past.
Either way I'm not bothered - I move over for them on the bike or in the car and let them get on their way. It's their choice.
My conclusion has been that guys who ride like that are happier with a greater amount of risk than I am, or are much better riders, or both. Also, to someone who doesn't ride, there are plenty of things you can do on a bike which look horrifically dangerous but are actually well within the limits of what a bike can do. I'm sure plenty of drivers have shaken their head at me in the past.
Either way I'm not bothered - I move over for them on the bike or in the car and let them get on their way. It's their choice.
I'm not sure the point of your post OP
There are good and bad drivers/riders on the road! That's not a surprise. All of us have our moments on the road when we think "I shouldn't have done that".
It's extremely unlikely that those riders you saw are on here so posting here is pointless.
There are good and bad drivers/riders on the road! That's not a surprise. All of us have our moments on the road when we think "I shouldn't have done that".
It's extremely unlikely that those riders you saw are on here so posting here is pointless.
I understand where you are coming from w1bbles, especially as I live in the same area and drive those roads frequently.
We are at an easily accessible northerly point, be it from Edinburgh or Glasgow, for some loop madness, especially at weekends and bank holidays and especially in glorious weather such as this.
The roads are wide and fast, but busier than they have ever been IMO. We've all riden/driven the loops ourselves, had our moments and are fortunate to be able to tell the tale.
I'm not sure anything is going to change things however, and the only thing to do is to keep your eyes peeled, stay close to the verge and make as much room as possible if you sense things are getting a bit hairy. You have the knowledge of the tricky bits that might catch the unaware out - for example the mile just south of Lochearnhead. I tend to drive like a granny through there as I fully expect someone or something coming the other way getting it horribly wrong.
We are at an easily accessible northerly point, be it from Edinburgh or Glasgow, for some loop madness, especially at weekends and bank holidays and especially in glorious weather such as this.
The roads are wide and fast, but busier than they have ever been IMO. We've all riden/driven the loops ourselves, had our moments and are fortunate to be able to tell the tale.
I'm not sure anything is going to change things however, and the only thing to do is to keep your eyes peeled, stay close to the verge and make as much room as possible if you sense things are getting a bit hairy. You have the knowledge of the tricky bits that might catch the unaware out - for example the mile just south of Lochearnhead. I tend to drive like a granny through there as I fully expect someone or something coming the other way getting it horribly wrong.
keirik said:
150?
The exaggeration is strong in this one Obi Wan Kenobi
It really isn't. The exaggeration is strong in this one Obi Wan Kenobi
https://goo.gl/maps/FESwSPzAi5jrsU7aA
black-k1 said:
It's extremely unlikely that those riders you saw are on here so posting here is pointless.
I can see why, as a non-rider he's curious though.OP, you could always have a chat with them at one of the biker cafe stops - not sure where the Highlands version of Abergavenny bus station is. You'll have to choose your words carefully if you want a polite / constructive answer...
Alternatively, this guy obviously enjoys riding sports bikes pretty quickly:
https://www.youtube.com/user/FortyFourTeeth
You could ask him.
If you drive the road from Crieff to Oban then you should know full well that trafpol and camera vans are out on that road frequently and I've never known a camera van to exercise discretion at issuing speeding tickets. Certainly not by Strathclyde or Police Scotland. In fact it's unusual NOT to see a camera van or trafpol in Lochearnhead village, or on the A85 just pass the Green Welly OR on the A83 just before the Green Welly among many other locations.
150 on the Lochearnhead Rd this weekend with the current traffic volumes? I've been out Friday and Saturday and tbh that seems to be nothing but basic sensationalism, possible but highy unlikely, care to share your evidence?
ETA:
150 on the Lochearnhead Rd this weekend with the current traffic volumes? I've been out Friday and Saturday and tbh that seems to be nothing but basic sensationalism, possible but highy unlikely, care to share your evidence?
ETA:
w1bbles said:
I.....
Not a rant, just confused about the rationale for driving way beyond limits of control and visibility.
.....
One of the things about the bike is the vastly improved visibility from a higher and smaller vantage point. What looks blind to you may be perfectly clear to a biker.Not a rant, just confused about the rationale for driving way beyond limits of control and visibility.
.....
Leithen said:
That's a slightly disengenous selective view. Spin the view around and you'll see a completely different outlook and also bear in mind those google street views are often run in the early hours of the morning to ensure a clear view. That view is by no means typical of the roads in that area this weekend.Edited by naetype on Monday 22 April 10:54
Leithen said:
keirik said:
150?
The exaggeration is strong in this one Obi Wan Kenobi
It really isn't. The exaggeration is strong in this one Obi Wan Kenobi
https://goo.gl/maps/FESwSPzAi5jrsU7aA
Unless it's Guy Martin riding, your ordinary sports bike will be nowhere near 150.
I do this route frequently, its my go to quick route. I'll confess I have hit the speeds posted on these roads. Its kinda turned into my nurburgring, I know every corner of it clockwise and reverse.
That said, I'd never do those speeds on a weekend like we just had. Your asking to be knicked or killed. The police are pretty fair round there as well, speeding through towns is and absolute no, no. And quite rightly.
The routes not worth doing on a bank holiday weekend like we just had if you fancy a hoon. Tuesday night in May though, WHEN NO ONE IS AROUND, I would. I've seen me do the 80 mile loop from crief to lochearnhead to callander, turn right back around and do it all over again. ITS f
kING AWESOME.
That said, I'd never do those speeds on a weekend like we just had. Your asking to be knicked or killed. The police are pretty fair round there as well, speeding through towns is and absolute no, no. And quite rightly.
The routes not worth doing on a bank holiday weekend like we just had if you fancy a hoon. Tuesday night in May though, WHEN NO ONE IS AROUND, I would. I've seen me do the 80 mile loop from crief to lochearnhead to callander, turn right back around and do it all over again. ITS f
kING AWESOME. keirik said:
Leithen said:
keirik said:
150?
The exaggeration is strong in this one Obi Wan Kenobi
It really isn't. The exaggeration is strong in this one Obi Wan Kenobi
https://goo.gl/maps/FESwSPzAi5jrsU7aA
Unless it's Guy Martin riding, your ordinary sports bike will be nowhere near 150.
naetype said:
That's a slightly disengenous selective view. Spin the view around and you'll see a completely different outlook and also bear in mind those google street views are often run in the early hours of the morning to ensure a clear view. That view is by no means typical of the roads in that area this weekend.
That's the point that the road opens up when travelling towards St Fillans. It's a well known, relatively straight, wide section that any number of bikes, cars etc will "enjoy".Travelling the other direction is a section of bends that I referred to in my earlier post - very easy to be caught out in and a section where it is wise to expect others to get wrong.
I've been driving this road for over 30 years, and have been driven on it for a further 20 years in some very quick machinery, so I know what's possible on it.
I've also ridden and driven those roads for a similar period and know full well what's realistic on an Easter Holiday weekend on those roads. I've a friend who lives just outside Callander who's sacked it twice this weekend from going out on the bike because of the volume of traffic. So 150mph this weekend? Really? I'll happily apologise for my overbearing skepticism when shown proof of speeds achieved in that area this weekend but until then...
The queues on Friday stretched from the Erskine on-slip until past Milton and then from the Dumbarton services to the Balloch roundabout. There was a 3mile tailback into Callander and Police shut the road to Balmaha on Saturday because of the parking overflow back to Drymen.
ETA: Pop over to the Scotland forum for another take on this weekend
The queues on Friday stretched from the Erskine on-slip until past Milton and then from the Dumbarton services to the Balloch roundabout. There was a 3mile tailback into Callander and Police shut the road to Balmaha on Saturday because of the parking overflow back to Drymen.
ETA: Pop over to the Scotland forum for another take on this weekend
Edited by naetype on Monday 22 April 12:42
Put the same people on some old shonky bike & they wont do silly speeds. Its simply the availability of the easy speed that makes it so do'able. A fast bike does not make a good rider, as proven in the stats.
Triple digit speeds are really easy to achieve on those roads, there is nothing outside of Scotland really like the Highlands for fast roads anywhere else in the UK.
Travelling the A85 at night in winter you need to be brave/stupid to do silly speeds for when Bambi's dad is stood in the road.
Triple digit speeds are really easy to achieve on those roads, there is nothing outside of Scotland really like the Highlands for fast roads anywhere else in the UK.
Travelling the A85 at night in winter you need to be brave/stupid to do silly speeds for when Bambi's dad is stood in the road.
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