Mobile speed Camera Vans

[Jinx]

Hi Markturner, You likely have gone past some tractors as described but you were probably going too fast to notice... And instead of the chevron markings it is good to use the phrase, 'Only a fool breaks the 2 second rule'... And regarding your question about the minimum speed, 'to avoid the dangerous sounding tractors' when I used to teach Advanced Driving Skills the answer to such questions was always, 'You need to be able to stop in the distance you see to be clear' so it will vary depending on the road conditions. And you are never 'Completely safe' but you are safer when, 'Driving at a constant speed in a straight line'. Jinx

 

[powertools]

Looks like this thread could well get longer than a sharpening thread with as much bull s**t thrown in.

 

[KevM]

Again, you miss the point.....

I don't miss your point - I simply reject it as self-justifying rot, there's a difference. You choose to disregard those laws that you find inconvenient, stop whining about it and crack on!

I have to say though that in all my years, I have never seen a tractor leave the field as described...but I do live in London, so maybe that's why.

All too common around here I'm afraid, and all too frequently accompanied by mangled cars and bikes. Personally, my worst encounter was with a tractor that parted company with its transporter on the Autobahn one wet and windy night - surprisingly bouncy!

You seem to have developed a problem with your keyboard sticking - have you tried Spleen-O-Cleen? :lol:

 

[MMUK]

Unless the car in front has the ability to stop dead in less than 1 second, then this graph is redundant as a 'recommended gap distance' guide, which it doesn't even say it is.

Clearly you've never seen a tractor shoot onto the road from a field without warning. Also, quite clearly, the graph doesn't apply to uberdrivers, just the poor schmoes they're forced to share a road with.

I can relate to this one KevM. My ex-fiancee was wiped out by a tractor & trailer pulling out without looking, she had no time to avoid it and went straight into the side. I managed to drop my bike and avoid it myself but unfortunately my bike slid on into her at a rapid rate and killed her I've never been to that stretch of the A483 since. It still haunts me 8 years later.

 

[JustBen]

I once followed a police traffic car who in turn was following a 'Jacob' for about 5 miles.
I don't know who was more agitated, me or the police officers.
When an opportunity to overtake came, they passed very slowly and gave him the strongest 'Paddington Bear Hard Stare' I've ever seen.

 

[MMUK]

I've some mates in the Met, some are even as high as Inspector in rank. you know what they tell me every now and again when we get onto the subject of "road racing"?

"If you want to drive/ride like a **** (ie; too fast) take off your numberplate and don't stop. If you can get onto the motorway and into three figure speeds then traffic won't pursue you due to H&S."

I don't know how true all of that is but I do know that some of them do it, especially the ones with high end bikes.

 

[joethedrummer]

Unless the car in front has the ability to stop dead in less than 1 second, then this graph is redundant as a 'recommended gap distance' guide, which it doesn't even say it is.

Clearly you've never seen a tractor shoot onto the road from a field without warning. Also, quite clearly, the graph doesn't apply to uberdrivers, just the poor schmoes they're forced to share a road with.

I can relate to this one KevM. My ex-fiancee was wiped out by a tractor & trailer pulling out without looking, she had no time to avoid it and went straight into the side. I managed to drop my bike and avoid it myself but unfortunately my bike slid on into her at a rapid rate and killed her I've never been to that stretch of the A483 since. It still haunts me 8 years later.

MM,, no words are adequate,, sorry,, wish I hadn"t been flippant earlier,,
,,joe,,,,,

 

[MMUK]

MM,, no words are adequate,, sorry,, wish I hadn"t been flippant earlier,,
,,joe,,,,,

Don't worry about it bud, you weren't to know. If I was to take offence at every comment someone made because they didn't know, I'd be in a rubber padded room by now.

 

[JustBen]

I've some mates in the Met, some are even as high as Inspector in rank. you know what they tell me every now and again when we get onto the subject of "road racing"?

"If you want to drive/ride like a **** (ie; too fast) take off your numberplate and don't stop. If you can get onto the motorway and into three figure speeds then traffic won't pursue you due to H&S."

I don't know how true all of that is but I do know that some of them do it, especially the ones with high end bikes.

I should imagine it's quite true. Once they get into the 'silly speeds' the cars back off and the chopper takes over, providing there is one available.

I'm sure I read somewhere that the eurocopter does 170mph or there abouts.
There is no outrunning one of those.

 

[MMUK]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the eurocopter does 170mph or there abouts.
There is no outrunning one of those.

I don't know. The Hyabusa in unrestricted form does well over 200mph, insane I know! I also had my Thunderace tuned and saw an indicated 194mph at Santa Pod.

 

[Baldhead]

Hey Bob, my god 7 pages and most of it rubbish, I am qualified to say its rubbish because I'm the best driver here, I was until recently trained to the highest standard available. I wasn't a police pursuit driver, nor was I an advance driver, no I was a fire engine driver, so I was trained to drive at high speed on both country and town roads, a vehicle which weighed several tons, now that must mean I'm the best driver here, surely............. well it doesn't, I am human like us all, I broke the law by speeding, which I have no doubt many of us are guilty of, I have also seen the aftermath of so called 'good' drivers mistakes, and had the unfortunate job of picking up the pieces ( and I mean that literally). I have been shocked by people saying, they are good enough drivers to exceed the speed limit, that they are safe to do so because they used to race cars and or motorbikes, on the track everyone is going the same way, there will be no diesel spills, and the other drivers are possibly as good if not better than you are.
Someone said they were caught doing 85 in a 50 limit, if that is true and I must say I doubt it, (but unfortunately neither of us can prove the other is wrong) my understanding of the law is if your caught doing 30mph over the speed limit for that road it brings with it an automatic ban, which it should.
I would welcome some comments from anyone who has recently attended a recent speed awareness course, because quite frankly, I think there are several previous posters that need to do one (speed awareness course I mean)

Baldhead

Edit: it's now 8 pages!

 

[JustBen]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the eurocopter does 170mph or there abouts.
There is no outrunning one of those.

I don't know. The Hyabusa in unrestricted form does well over 200mph, insane I know! I also had my Thunderace tuned and saw an indicated 194mph at Santa Pod.

A helicopter doesn't have to slow or go round corners. It also has a heat signature camera on board.

As for the 'busa, I read an article about one of them and a blackbird racing a TGV train France. They were modified and overtook it. Nuts.

 

[Jacob]

......
I would welcome some comments from anyone who has recently attended a recent speed awareness course, because quite frankly, I think there are several previous posters that need to do one (speed awareness course I mean)

Baldhead

Edit: it's now 8 pages!

I agree.
I had to do speed awareness course. I was quite impressed by the quality of the presentation and the information put out. I was never a "clever" :roll: driver like Mark but had been caught doing 35 ish in a 30 zone. Lack of attention I admit. I drive much more carefully, use cruise control a lot, and annoy Clarkson fans behind me. I once made the mistake of doing a V sign over my shoulder at a tailgater but he got extremely angry and there could have been a very unpleasant incident. Some people shouldn't be on the roads at all.

 

[Lons]

The problem with the 2 car/2 chevron gap is that it only works in theory.

If you leave a gap, some pipper will pull into the gap.
So you ease back and recreate the gap. Then someone else pulls in.
Before you know it, you're back on your driveway.
Lol

:lol: :lol: But true :lol: :lol:

 

[Jacob]

The problem with the 2 car/2 chevron gap is that it only works in theory.

If you leave a gap, some pipper will pull into the gap.
So you ease back and recreate the gap. Then someone else pulls in.
Before you know it, you're back on your driveway.
Lol

:lol: :lol: But true :lol: :lol:

But it's not true, it works really well. I do it all the time and yes you do occasionally get the odd nutter, but not so many as to cause a problem.
You obviously haven't tried it.

 

[JustBen]

I drive over 100,000 miles a year so I see a fair amount of the road and it happens all the time.
You leave a gap and they're in.
Even when there is no gap, they're in.

 

[markturner]

Hi Markturner, You likely have gone past some tractors as described but you were probably going too fast to notice... And instead of the chevron markings it is good to use the phrase, 'Only a fool breaks the 2 second rule'... And regarding your question about the minimum speed, 'to avoid the dangerous sounding tractors' when I used to teach Advanced Driving Skills the answer to such questions was always, 'You need to be able to stop in the distance you see to be clear' so it will vary depending on the road conditions. And you are never 'Completely safe' but you are safer when, 'Driving at a constant speed in a straight line'. Jinx

Ummmmm...wasn't that what I just said? If there is a potential hazard ahead, I am ready.....maybe why in over 35 years of driving and hundreds of thousands of miles , I have never had anything more than a 15 MPH rear end shunt and one very minor spill on my bike on cold tyres.....

What if, say next year, they decided to make the speed limit 50 on motorways and 30 everywhere else for example. All you people who argue sticking to the limit is safe and exceeding it is not........for the last X years, you have been driving on the road at a "safe" higher limit...now, its suddenly cut by what I described. Does that suddenly make all that driving you did at the previous limit "Unsafe"? And you Unsafe drivers? And what if they INCREASED the limit to say 100 mph on motorways.....(hypothetical I know, but its the logic in your arguments I am trying to understand) Would you all suddenly agree that it was safe?

Just because someone draws a line in the sand and says this side is safe and that side is not, it does not make it so. Its just what that person said, nothing more.

 

[Jacob]

I drive over 100,000 miles a year so I see a fair amount of the road and it happens all the time.
You leave a gap and they're in.
Even when there is no gap, they're in.

It happens, but not all the time.

 

[Lons]

I have to say though that in all my years, I have never seen a tractor leave the field as described...but I do live in London, so maybe that's why.
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All too common around here I'm afraid, and all too frequently accompanied by mangled cars and bikes. Personally, my worst encounter was with a tractor that parted company with its transporter on the Autobahn one wet and windy night - surprisingly bouncy!

Maybe we're looking at this from the wrong angle and it's the tractor drivers who should be targeted.

We get a lot of tractors around here and I've never seen one pull out without due care but they, along with JCBs are a real nuisance. Drove just this evening at rush hour in very heavy traffic along A1 dual carriageway to encounter huge tailbacks, cars and lorries braking suddenly and very unsafe situation (reality - not theory is what happens day to day). Cause was a JCB driver doing 20mph, headphones on and oblivious to the problems he was causing. Clearly wasn't in a hurry to get home :lol:

Jacob: I was never a "clever" driver like Mark but had been caught doing 35 ish in a 30 zone.

Ahem - 3 times :shock:

Jacob: But it's not true, it works really well. I do it all the time and yes you do occasionally get the odd nutter, but not so many as to cause a problem.
You obviously haven't tried it.

Nothing obvious about it Jacob, you're spouting self righteous bullsh*t as usual. Of course I've done it and I try to keep a safe distance at all times. The 2 second rule and the chevrons are there as a guide only anyway. Stopping distances are dependant upon several factors such as:- driver reaction ability, road conditions, type and age of vehicle, type and codition of tyres and brakes etc. It isn't a rule it's a one size fits all and I know my car and my ability allow me to stop quicker than many on the road whilst not as good as others. e.g. My 2 wheel drive Audi is good but not as good as the quatro version of the same car.

Bob

 

[Lons]

I can relate to this one KevM. My ex-fiancee was wiped out by a tractor & trailer pulling out without looking, she had no time to avoid it and went straight into the side. I managed to drop my bike and avoid it myself but unfortunately my bike slid on into her at a rapid rate and killed her I've never been to that stretch of the A483 since. It still haunts me 8 years later.

That's a truly awful thing to happen, I hope they prosecuted and jailed the tractor driver for dangerous driving.
Just shows how vulnerable bikers are, it probably wouldn't have been fatal on 4 wheels. I hope the haunting fades with time.

I had / have a full motorcycle licence but it's a very long time since I took to 2 wheels and no way I would on todays roads

Bob