covert bikes

[SplatSpeed]

Heskey said:

davegsxr said:

Just out to ruin everyones fun lets face it! Anyone can be hypocritical and say "I abide by the speed limits" ok so why the hell do you ride a superbike capable of nealry triple the National speed limit?? Fact of the matter is that we all speed and I'm sure everyone on here has hit speeds worthy of a prison sentence at least once in their biking life. If the conditions are clear and its safe to wind your bike on I don't see the harm personally. If your wheelying past a school you deserve everything you get. But basically the police are just out having a bit of fun on a quick bike and then nicking someone at the end of it!

I'm sure everyone does speed from time to time. But doing it on the sly, and raising a thread arguing about police actively looking out for known speeding groups are hardly one in the same.

I think my initial replies to this thread echo what everyone else above you has said; if you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear

except expense and losing your lisence

[Heskey]

SplatSpeed said:

Heskey said:

davegsxr said:

Just out to ruin everyones fun lets face it! Anyone can be hypocritical and say "I abide by the speed limits" ok so why the hell do you ride a superbike capable of nealry triple the National speed limit?? Fact of the matter is that we all speed and I'm sure everyone on here has hit speeds worthy of a prison sentence at least once in their biking life. If the conditions are clear and its safe to wind your bike on I don't see the harm personally. If your wheelying past a school you deserve everything you get. But basically the police are just out having a bit of fun on a quick bike and then nicking someone at the end of it!

I'm sure everyone does speed from time to time. But doing it on the sly, and raising a thread arguing about police actively looking out for known speeding groups are hardly one in the same.

I think my initial replies to this thread echo what everyone else above you has said; if you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear

except expense and losing your lisence

And rightly so, if caught speeding.

[SplatSpeed]

Heskey said:

SplatSpeed said:

Heskey said:

davegsxr said:

Just out to ruin everyones fun lets face it! Anyone can be hypocritical and say "I abide by the speed limits" ok so why the hell do you ride a superbike capable of nealry triple the National speed limit?? Fact of the matter is that we all speed and I'm sure everyone on here has hit speeds worthy of a prison sentence at least once in their biking life. If the conditions are clear and its safe to wind your bike on I don't see the harm personally. If your wheelying past a school you deserve everything you get. But basically the police are just out having a bit of fun on a quick bike and then nicking someone at the end of it!

I'm sure everyone does speed from time to time. But doing it on the sly, and raising a thread arguing about police actively looking out for known speeding groups are hardly one in the same.

I think my initial replies to this thread echo what everyone else above you has said; if you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear

except expense and losing your lisence

And rightly so, if caught speeding.

back under your bridge troll

[trumpet600]

SplatSpeed said:

back under your bridge troll

Awwww, leave him alone you bully.

He's not yet hit 21 and rides a cruiser 125. It's not likely the Marauder has the grunt to even break the 30 limit, so he's yet to experience speed.(of the velocity type that is, not amphetimines)

[black-k1]

I think the key point is that if you are speeding and seen by a covert bike cop, they will likely make a judgement around just how fast you were going, what the conditions were (traffic, weather, road surface, visibility etc.) and if, ultimately, it was safe or not. My experience is that if you were safe, even though you were above the limit, you will get pulled over and given a stiff talking too, but will leave with your tail between your legs but, more importantly, with no fine and no points! This is because the covert bike cops are also bikers and understand the limits and capabilities of bikes, as well has how to ride properly. If you are pulled and given a ticket by an unmarked bike cop then it’s probably because what you were doing really was becoming dangerous and not just a simple case of exceeding the limit.

If it were a camera in the same situations you would always get a ticket – regardless.

If you are really that worried about getting tickets from unmarked bike cops then you really should ask yourself if your riding is actually that good, if you are using speed appropriately and if you are truly in control or are you just ‘thrashing around’ because your bike can go fast and sod the other road users.

[Heskey]

SplatSpeed said:

Heskey said:

SplatSpeed said:

Heskey said:

davegsxr said:

Just out to ruin everyones fun lets face it! Anyone can be hypocritical and say "I abide by the speed limits" ok so why the hell do you ride a superbike capable of nealry triple the National speed limit?? Fact of the matter is that we all speed and I'm sure everyone on here has hit speeds worthy of a prison sentence at least once in their biking life. If the conditions are clear and its safe to wind your bike on I don't see the harm personally. If your wheelying past a school you deserve everything you get. But basically the police are just out having a bit of fun on a quick bike and then nicking someone at the end of it!

I'm sure everyone does speed from time to time. But doing it on the sly, and raising a thread arguing about police actively looking out for known speeding groups are hardly one in the same.

I think my initial replies to this thread echo what everyone else above you has said; if you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear

except expense and losing your lisence

And rightly so, if caught speeding.

back under your bridge troll

Hey I'm not trolling. I'm just saying you really don't have a leg to stand on, complaining about the police if you're admitting you speed. :shrug:

PS. That bike did a lot more than 30!

[aeropilot]

black-k1 said:

I think the key point is that if you are speeding and seen by a covert bike cop, they will likely make a judgement around just how fast you were going, what the conditions were (traffic, weather, road surface, visibility etc.) and if, ultimately, it was safe or not. My experience is that if you were safe, even though you were above the limit, you will get pulled over and given a stiff talking too, but will leave with your tail between your legs but, more importantly, with no fine and no points! This is because the covert bike cops are also bikers and understand the limits and capabilities of bikes, as well has how to ride properly. If you are pulled and given a ticket by an unmarked bike cop then it’s probably because what you were doing really was becoming dangerous and not just a simple case of exceeding the limit.

If it were a camera in the same situations you would always get a ticket – regardless.

If you are really that worried about getting tickets from unmarked bike cops then you really should ask yourself if your riding is actually that good, if you are using speed appropriately and if you are truly in control or are you just ‘thrashing around’ because your bike can go fast and sod the other road users.

Well said that man......

[f1nn]

I agree with the post above.

If your that worried, then perhaps its time to look at the way you are riding on the road.

That is assuming that bike police would treat minor offence with a degree of common sense.

[Fire99]

Personally i think its just another pressure we don't need and it is just plain sneaky. We all like to think all motorbike police are one of 'us' but that is frequently not the case. And to be honest human nature will prevail. If i have a policeman behind me, regardless of if im riding good or bad, it puts me on edge as i'm under scrutiny and it could be that day when the Police need to meet a few targets so may be over zealous on what im doing.

You know as well as i do, all this will do is have everyone looking suspiciously at other bikers who appear friendly or want to 'tag along'..

Police should be visible and if there are enough of them around then people will be more likely to be responsible..
Its not rocket science but it may involve there being less targets and more doing what i've paid my taxes for. Good, honest, above board policing.

[hiccy]

Heskey said:

I think my initial replies to this thread echo what everyone else above you has said; if you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear

I thought that was the cry of the police state?? If you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear. Until we screw up and put a bullet in your head, of course. Or until we "fix it".



I'm personally not that bothered by the thought of unmarked bikes, but am well aware that the presence of another bike can encourage perfectly safe and reasonable riders into opening the throttle a little more, simply for fun. Doesn't take more than a moments "fun" on a sports bike to turn the safe, reasonable rider into a pedestrian. I could understand someone thinking of that as entrapment.

[Fire99]

hiccy said:

I thought that was the cry of the police state?? If you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear. Until we screw up and put a bullet in your head, of course. Or until we "fix it".



I'm personally not that bothered by the thought of unmarked bikes, but am well aware that the presence of another bike can encourage perfectly safe and reasonable riders into opening the throttle a little more, simply for fun. Doesn't take more than a moments "fun" on a sports bike to turn the safe, reasonable rider into a pedestrian. I could understand someone thinking of that as entrapment.

[SplatSpeed]

Heskey said:

SplatSpeed said:

Heskey said:

SplatSpeed said:

Heskey said:

davegsxr said:

Just out to ruin everyones fun lets face it! Anyone can be hypocritical and say "I abide by the speed limits" ok so why the hell do you ride a superbike capable of nealry triple the National speed limit?? Fact of the matter is that we all speed and I'm sure everyone on here has hit speeds worthy of a prison sentence at least once in their biking life. If the conditions are clear and its safe to wind your bike on I don't see the harm personally. If your wheelying past a school you deserve everything you get. But basically the police are just out having a bit of fun on a quick bike and then nicking someone at the end of it!

I'm sure everyone does speed from time to time. But doing it on the sly, and raising a thread arguing about police actively looking out for known speeding groups are hardly one in the same.

I think my initial replies to this thread echo what everyone else above you has said; if you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear

except expense and losing your lisence

And rightly so, if caught speeding.

back under your bridge troll

Hey I'm not trolling. I'm just saying you really don't have a leg to stand on, complaining about the police if you're admitting you speed. :shrug:

PS. That bike did a lot more than 30!

if you are lucky some people will have some processing power left over to concentrate on the road after checking for cameras, camera vans, police cars, police bikes, unmarked police cars, unmarked police bikes, camera horse boxes, camera builders vans, and helicopters. natural reaction to one of theese events is to slam on the anchors and because everyone is obeying the speed limit the traffic will be bunched.

que a spate of accidents involving rearending bikes, maybe if you had two brain cells to rub together you might be able to realise this!

[Heskey]

Sorry Splat but you're heavily outnumbered on this issue.

Reviewing this thread, the majority of replies from people in response to you are "don't speed and you won't get caught" and "if you're worried about getting caught, perhaps you need to work on your techniques".

Bottom line is, if you're admitting you like to speed a little; we're not going to throw sympathy at you if you crash into a wall and blame it on concentrating on looking out for law enforcement things, because you didn't want them to catch you speeding in the first place. Obey the speed limits, and your focus will be on the road, instead of keeping one eye open for the police.

[SplatSpeed]

Heskey said:

Sorry Splat but you're heavily outnumbered on this issue.

Reviewing this thread, the majority of replies from people in response to you are "don't speed and you won't get caught" and "if you're worried about getting caught, perhaps you need to work on your techniques".

Bottom line is, if you're admitting you like to speed a little; we're not going to throw sympathy at you if you crash into a wall and blame it on concentrating on looking out for law enforcement things, because you didn't want them to catch you speeding in the first place. Obey the speed limits, and your focus will be on the road, instead of keeping one eye open for the police.

oh yes the were the moral majority so don't do it. i am fed up with you labour scum trying to wrap me up in cotton woll so i don't get hurt. its called life and its for living not for being tucked up in a drawer in the bedroom and only let out for watering and feeding. there should be dangers in life and they don't need legislating against.

[Heskey]

Hey don't get me wrong, I understand the enjoyment you can get out of speeding but the speed limits are there for a reason; go to trackdays or something if you want to speed legally.

PS. I don't support any political party at current; just most of the law. (Not to say I don't adhere to all of it, mind you.)

Edited by Heskey on Thursday 3rd July 11:10

[trumpet600]

SplatSpeed said:

there should be dangers in life and they don't need legislating against.

As always, there are 2 sides to every coin, but while I understand the first part of the sentence, the latter is what makes society tick. Not to have any speed limits in place would be suicidal.

Whilst I don't particularly like the covert operations, I think it would be fairer if the police were marked, and honestly believe that driving standards would improve across the board.

[petermansell]

Heskey said:

Excuse my naivity; aside from feeling targetted by the police; what really is there to worry about? You know. So long as your bike group isn't up to no good!

[lawrence567]

Yeah, i agree.
The point in them having police on the roads as the police say is to pull over dangerous drivers and cut the incidents.
If the motorways were riddled with traffic cops then nobody would (wlel the vast majority) wouldnt drive like tits!
However we all know the police put the undercovers out to make the money from speeding fines and stuff of that nature.
They make so much money from fines it'd only mean we'd get taxed higher from something else to make up for the deficit!

[m3psm]

Interesting thread which is I’m pretty sure full of double standards.

Every biker I know speeds. If you don’t you are the exception rather than the norm. A huge generalisation I know, but based on a lot of years on the road on bikes.

The issue though of covert bikes is a tricky one. There are a lot of new riders out there (many on here) on very powerful bikes with limited experience and only the very basic training. Many of these do a fair amount of track days to then improve their bike control on a nice smooth track surface with plenty of run off. They then go out on a Sunday morning with a few like-minded mates and practice their skills on our best riding/driving roads. It all goes curly when they come round a corner with their knee down doing 100+ and find a horse box or caravan doing 30.

For this reason policing is needed to slow these guys down as they are a danger to themselves and those around them. Fair enough if they end up twisted around a tree, but more often than not they hit another vehicle and injure or traumatise them too.

These guys will slow down for a marked cop or camera, then get half a mile down the road and carry on as before. For them, the fear of a ban from a covert cop bike is probably the only thing that will slow them down.

The flip side is experienced road riders who can carry speed safely, although some will argue that there is no such thing as safe speeding. An experienced rider can take in all of the information available and adjust road position, speed and riding style according to the environment and make fast and safe progress. He may still be doing over 100 in places though.

If a covert bike catches him I’d like to think that he’ll just get a good old fashioned rollocking and be sent on his way, but cops vary wildly and what one will let you of for, the other will ban you for, depending on if he got laid last night or got a puncture that day. This means that the safe rider also has to slow down.

Riding around everywhere within the speed limit would then take the fun out riding.

With modern technology and the future introduction of on-board speed trackers etc, the fun will soon be drained out of all forms of transport anyway so maybe the whole covert bikes thing is simply another step towards total conformity anyway.

From my personal point of view, I’ll still speed and I’ll still pay attention on my surroundings, but just add covert bikes to my “potential dangers” list. I can see the point of them, but doubt they’ll distinguish between their key purpose and revenue generation.

[hiccy]

Having done a quick tally, I can't see how Splat is "heavily outnumbered" in this thread, the opposite would seem apparent? Only two people have said that they are actively in favour of unmarked bikes, five have clearly expressed their opposition. I'd say it's fair comment that the majority of the remainder accept their presence, can see their benefits, but are also aware of their potential drawbacks: that's neither opposition nor support.

I think Heskey that if you had ridden a large capacity motorbike you would appreciate far more the concerns of many of the posters here: whilst in an ideal world Black-K1's perspective (for example) is fair and balanced, it only takes meeting the wrong cop on the wrong day and the majority of posters on this forum would be pedestrians. That has nothing to do with road safety, and that is why it is (at least a bit) unfair.