Biker jailed for son's 122mph ride!!

[kwakdonut]

It does have to be said that many bikers are complete cocks. I have lost count of how many times I have nearly wiped one out on the M25 when there "filtering" at ridiculous speeds in slow moving traffic. I used to be an avid bike fan but wouldn't have another one.

For 'many' read 'a few idiots that I come across'

Most bikers are law abiding citizens who also drive cars. We choose bikes for a reason. Being a now 'ex'-biker you should know why!

The M25 is not a good example for good biking but an excellent one for poor biking and even worse car driving.

Please don't tar 'most' bikers with the same brush!!

 

[timskemp]

Just take a proper look at the video

In what would be the evidence frames for a speeding charge, which show the alleged speed (122mph) without error or timeout, the target is not on a flat section of the bike. If he was doing 122 there and made it around that bend with a pillion on a Hyabusa in the rain he's looking at a very successful and lucrative racing carreer when he gets out.

The guy pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, so the speed is not evidential, so the guy got screwed. In my opinion (and I've seen a lot of these videos...) he was not doing 122mph, and therefore the video couldn't have been used as evidence.

What I presume happened is this -

cops: We have video evidence showing you doing 122mph and we'll do you for it
accused: show me the evidence
cops: not until court
accused: oh no I'm shafted
cops: Take a guilty on dangerous driving and you'll not be done for the speeding
accused: Oh thank you, thank you office, you've saved my life and I'm eternally grateful.

 

[Swiss Toni]

What I presume happened is this -

You should be a Solicitor.



Probably worth explaining how a Dangerous Driving investigation is carried out and the standard of evidence required by the CPS before charge.

I think you are mixing an offer of a Fixed Penalty with something different?

 

[UnMarked]

You should be a Solicitor.

Yes, an internet-based one at that

 

[raymont]

"My Suzuki GSXR is the fastest bike around. But I hold my hands up. I was doing 122mph on that road and that was dangerous, especially with my lad on board."

This is a quote from the rider.

Having said that looking at the video I find it very hard to believe that he was travelling at 122mph at that point and able to make it round the corner in the wet. The bike remains fairly upright in the corner suggesting a relatively gentle cornering speed.

Although it's difficult to see through the passing cars it looks as though he started slowing well before the speed is displayed, there is a 'dip' from the front suspension as if the brakes were applied.

Not saying he wasn't a prat though.

 

[Spinal]

It does have to be said that many bikers are complete cocks. I have lost count of how many times I have nearly wiped one out on the M25 when there "filtering" at ridiculous speeds in slow moving traffic. I used to be an avid bike fan but wouldn't have another one.

I wasn't going to get involved but....

The same can be said for car, van, bus and truck drivers...

I've lost count of the number of times I was nearly wiped out by a car, van, bus, or truck on the M25... at the end of the day, it's not the vehicle you drive that makes you a prat... it's your attitude towards other road users (and how you drive/ride). Plus, in a "wipeout" between a car and a bike... the car always wins (been there, done that)... fine, you may have a scratch, but the rider is dead (or worse - paralized/seriously injured)

M.

P.S. Exceptions can be made for BMW drivers

 

[Dieselman]

Just take a proper look at the video

Lets indeed.

He covered just under half a mile in ten seconds..

Ho..Hum...Err, yep that's something over 120mph..

 

[Dieselman]

Having said that looking at the video I find it very hard to believe that he was travelling at 122mph at that point and able to make it round the corner in the wet. The bike remains fairly upright in the corner suggesting a relatively gentle cornering speed.

The distance covered on the ten second video showed in Court was just under half a mile. The bend curvature is deceptive because of the distance covered.

 

[janner]

122mph was the average over that half mile as he approached the corner.

 

[raymont]

The distance covered on the ten second video showed in Court was just under half a mile. The bend curvature is deceptive because of the distance covered.

Half a mile in 10 sec is 180 mph.

I though the image was of a speed gun giving an instantaneous speed reading?

 

[UnMarked]

I though the image was of a speed gun giving an instantaneous speed reading?

Me too - speed/time/distance calculators (such as VASCAR) are normally to 2 decimal places i.e 122.36mph whereas laser type round down to the nearest lower full speed i.e 122mph. Also the image does not show any of the variables associated with VASCAR type devices. I'm sure the motorcycle's speed was measured with a hand-held laser type device linked to a camera (typically used in casualty-reduction vans).

Hope this helps

 

[st4]

I'm sure the motorcycle's speed was measured with a hand-held laser type device linked to a camera (typically used in casualty-reduction vans).

Hope this helps

Casulty reduction vans. C'mon, call it what is a "camera van". I'd prefer the phrase "money van" buy hey ho, thats too close to what it actually is. I crash my car near one of these vans for instance, I'd love to see how it taking my picture would reduce a casulty.

 

[UnMarked]

Casulty reduction vans. C'mon, call it what is a "camera van". I'd prefer the phrase "money van" buy hey ho, thats too close to what it actually is. I crash my car near one of these vans for instance, I'd love to see how it taking my picture would reduce a casulty.

I deliberately called it that because i knew it would get a rise from someone - I just didn't expect it so quickly

 

[Dieselman]

LOL..

No point getting you a Kenwood Cheff for Christmas, you need a concrete mixer for that much stirring...

 

[Sp!ke]

I must say that looking at the video clip it doesnt look like he is going 122mph. The white car at the end appears to be going a similar speed.

I can only guess that 'the real' offence was committed earlier in the footage or out of camera shot.

 

[UnMarked]

I must say that looking at the video clip it doesnt look like he is going 122mph. The white car at the end appears to be going a similar speed.

I can only guess that 'the real' offence was committed earlier in the footage or out of camera shot.

On one of the clips doing the rounds the device 'locks-on' and displays the speed as 122mph - this again indicates to me it was a hand-held device. I know from experience when viewing video footage of high-speed pursuits for example it is impossible to get a real feel for the actual speeds involved as opposed to the reality of the actual event - things seem so slow in comparison to the real thing. I suppose there's a 'tunneling' effect when viewed on video or in pictures?

 

[st4]

I deliberately called it that because i knew it would get a rise from someone - I just didn't expect it so quickly

- a deliberate "breach of the peace" from you then

 

[st13phil]

I suppose there's a 'tunneling' effect when viewed on video or in pictures?

The clip that was posted on the BBC News site showed a good deal of foreshortening, I'd guess due to using a pretty long lens. It's impossible to make a (sound) judgement of speed of an object moving towards or away from the viewer when looking through such a lens as the perception of distance is almost totally destroyed. As an aside, the fact that the clip was filmed through such a long lens makes the bend look tighter than it is - which is why there's so little lean involved.

 

[280gee]

Interesting thread, but none of us were there on that rainy day on that bike, or operating the speed recording/cash collection equipment.

One thing it's possible to be fairly sure of is that the contact area of the motorcycles tyres will have been really quite small.

Any rider who isn't aware of that fact and thus acts appropriately is at the least endangering himself and others. Dangerous driving? Probably...

 

[Dieselman]

You only need to count the white lines he passes to see how fast he's going.
He's doing about 55 metres per second so about 123mph.