Tooeymaster Pulled!!!

[2E]

I got pulled for doing 50mph.. in... a... 50mph zone!:laugh1 :clap :clap

Basically the road to basildon hospital (Nethermayne?), just off the laindon link roundabout.. i was travelling down it at 30mph.. looked at speed.. roads empty.. opened throttle and shifted up gear, 40, 50...:rockon

Next thing i know... flashing blue lights...:shooter

Superb!!!:clap :clap


Well after cursing quietly inside my helmet, the officer comes over and starts talking, which i then stop him telling him i cant hear him because of my mp3 player...:grin2

Here is the conversation:

'Pretty Dangerous That, MP3 Player in your ears while riding..':rockon

'No more dangerous than a souped up car':skip

'Yes but if you come off, they get lodged in your ears':reading

'Thats what a helmets for':grin2

'But you cant hear cars':grin3

'I can hear cars, and my bike.. i just cant hear people speaking to me':clap

'Right, Anyway, How fast does this bike go?

I now have the feeling i am being pulled for speeding..:shooter

'Well ive never topped it, but about.. 40?':grin2

'Ah well we clocked you at 50.':grin1

'That must of been the hill...':grin3 I thought that road was a 50?'

'Well Yes it is... but... erm... your riding position was wrong!':shooter

'Riding Position???' I didnt understand what this guy was getting at.:grin3

'Yes you were in the centre of the road! We couldnt overtake you!'

'Sorry officer, no wingmirrors, i didnt realise you wanted to overtake me, i moved when you flashed...':laugh2

'Well we didnt want to overtake you as it goes, but that car is much faster than this bike.. and if we would of attempted to overtake you... then we could of clipped your bike..':laughboun

'Sorry would you prefer me to ride on the pavement??':grin1

This is where the female officer cut in with the 'Are you being sarcastic?? You do know having no wing mirrors is a 30 quid fine!'

'Not at all being sarcastic.. just wondering where i am supposed to ride, as ive always been told that the centre of the road is the safetest place to be... I can get an experienced biker here to confirm that.. let me just give him a call (Sonofabiker) and also i didnt know bikes needed wing mirrors, you see the fairing pushes them out of place when i turn the handlebars, its physically impossible to have them mounted and ride the bike properly':grin1
Seeing i had got my phone out the officer quickly continued

'Its not neccessary to call someone.. we are just giving you some friendly advice, try keeping left in the road for cars to overtake, as they will attempt it anyway and if they clip you you can have an accident.'

'And thatll be their fault... how am i supposed to keep left anyway? theres a turnoff the left hand side half way down the road.. if a car comes out of that i crash straight into the side of them.. whereas if they speed into the centre of the road.. they hit me? Seems safer to me..':grin2

'Yes well... you dont keep left on the turnoff then..'

'Well whats the point of doing it at all.. if im to the left at the top of the road coming down people will assume from my position im taking that turn off... and if i move back to the centre of the road, then im bound to hit a car... that seems a silly idea to me officer.:grin2 '

'Yes well... keep it in mind, get on your way..'

'Thank you officer, have a nice night...'

He then watches me pull away and turn into laindon link, i wait at the lights and watch them leave... and then of course.. ride back in centre of the lane...:grin1


See this is just my luck.. you lot get pulled for doing stuff wrong.. i get pulled for doing stuff RIGHT!!:clap

[DJMCJERICO]

What a doughnut :laugh1

If you ride on the left then car's pulling out might not see you due to their vision being impaired by tree's, lamposts or kids hanging around the corner drinking thunderbirds (red) and strawberry mad dog 20/20 :laugh1

Also if you ride on the left you will have to keep moving out into the road again to avoid drains, then you will be pulled for suspision of being under the influance because you kept swerving across the road.

Funny how when you are right and they are wrong you are being sarcastic or have an attitude!

Did you get a badge number? Maybe one of the boys in blue from here could give him a call and have a word in his ear.


£30 for no mirrors, I don't think you even need mirrors to pass an mot and if thats the case surley your legal without them?


Don't sweat it, you may have been the last red he needed before potting the black and you snookerd him :grin2

[2E]

What a doughnut :laugh1

If you ride on the left then car's pulling out might not see you due to their vision being impaired by tree's, lamposts or kids hanging around the corner drinking thunderbirds (red) and strawberry mad dog 20/20 :laugh1

Also if you ride on the left you will have to keep moving out into the road again to avoid drains, then you will be pulled for suspision of being under the influance because you kept swerving across the road.

Funny how when you are right and they are wrong you are being sarcastic or have an attitude!

Did you get a badge number? Maybe one of the boys in blue from here could give him a call and have a word in his ear.


£30 for no mirrors, I don't think you even need mirrors to pass an mot and if thats the case surley your legal without them?


Don't sweat it, you may have been the last red he needed before potting the black and you snookerd him :grin2

I didnt get a badge number, i was worried i had been pulled for speeding... but when he confirmed it was a 50.. i realised he didnt have a clue what he was pulling me for...

And to be honest, the woman officer was looking for a reason to nick me.. and i didnt give her one.. so happy days to her! :grin1

[r6paul]

Its not illegal for not having mirrors,

Sounds like they just wanted to harass you, or they were bored and either wanted a chat/find something to do you for?

Sounds like a fun chat tho, i would have just polietly, made them look silly by pointing all their points into the ground by correcting them, obv in a polite way

[NitroDaze]

Recently, Essex police have become traffic fascists. I not sure if they have to meet some daily quota of traffic tickets issued. But they go out of their way to find a reason to book you for whatever. I have had two bad experience with them and l understand what Tooeymaster has experienced.
Clearly they could not find anything that would stand up in court which is why they have let you go. That advice given was simply dangerous and should not be relied on.
At bike training, one of the safe riding techniques that we were taught was defensive riding. Which requires a bike to occupy the center of the lane so that cars are not tempted to squeeze past you thus knocking you off your bike. Keeping to the left is an invitation for car to zoom past you at speed which could result in you being knock off. The important thing about occupying the center of the road is good visibility at junctions. You see cars approaching from a side road quicker and they see you earlier too. If they don't see you, being in that position gives you enough time to take evasive action to avoid an accident.
However, though you might not need a mirror for MOT, it is a good safety precaution to have decent mirrors. Covering your six is part of your peripheral observation routine while riding. It lets you see what other bikers are doing behind you, and also what the car travelling behind you is attempting to do.

[v8-powered]

When I was taught to ride back in the dark ages, I was told to always take the same position in the rode as if you were in the driving seat of a car.
Doubt if they would have changed that advice much since?

[NitroDaze]

When I was taught to ride back in the dark ages, I was told to always take the same position in the rode as if you were in the driving seat of a car.
Doubt if they would have changed that advice much since?
You are quite right m8. Most riders like to b close to the lane lines because it is helps visibility when going into a left bend, (they obviously swing towards the left for a right bend.) also it gives bikers an escape route when the cars in front suddenly stop (among other things of course)

[MickyGixer]

Essex currently have a zero tolerance type policy running as they have one of the worse traffic prosecutions in the country. :shooter Therefore, officers are being told to not use any discretion and stick on or nick everything that contravenes. It also appears from Tooeys post that they are on fishing exercises as well, ie give you a tug and then give your vehicle the once over to see if there is anything they can pull you for.

Sadly, the road traffic act gives them the right......but I wish it would outline to them that it doesnt give them the right to act like a$$hole$.:shooter :jumping2

[Keir_K3]

from what i have seen on the forums Tooey, your bike(s) havent been the most 'polished' examples. My guess would be that they were just checking you out in general rather than pulling you for anything specific. Older bikes are easier to steal and going below the speed limit can seem suspicious. I wouldnt be that bothered if it was me, id be grateful that they pull suspicious vehicles incase one day its not me on my bike!
Still, no need for him/her to be an ass about it.

Thats my thoughts anyway.

[Gixxer-TeZ]

I take it this was an area car and not a traffic unit ?
If it had been a traffic unit ( most of which also ride bikes ) they would have known bikers are taught defensive riding, all of which are totally legal.
As many people on here who have recently pasted their test will know, you are now taught to cover your lane.
What about if you had stopped at a red light, and sat in the middle of the lane. Would he have tried squeezing past you ?
Also, if the copper had overtaken you and clipped you off your bike, regardless of where abouts in the lane you are, he/she would have been driving without due care and attention. Just because your on a bike, it makes no difference to the fact that your on the road and have as much right to the whole lane as a car does.

If it happens again, make a note of his/her number and should they book you for anything you feel is wrong, get advice first then report them to the PCA.

[richy rich]

you dont need mirrors for an MOT but if you do have them then they need to be fitted properly and in the correct places....

i was always told to ride 3 quarters across the lane like where you would be in the driving seat in the car, and i was told if you ride to the left of the lane then people will try to overtake you at dangerous times but if you ride 3 quarters across the lane then they will need to go right out into the other lane so they wil not overtake. also i was told to ride that far across because we have the same right to the road and dont have to move for anyone:grin2

[SDM]

Never ride in the center of your lane, that's where you find all them bunnies and other road kill left by Reliant Robin's.............:laugh1 :laugh1 :laugh1

[mitch]

If I had been pulled over and told I was riding in the wrong position of the road for being in the centre, I would have been severly ****ed off at that officer and would have made a complaint.

Makes me cringe when I see moped'ers keeping right on the left and letting cars just squeeze by and putting themselves in danger. You have the right to the whole lane you are on.

And same goes for the wing mirrors, if they are gonna pull you over they should at least know the laws of the road and vehicles!

[Shorty]

hang on, did you say it was in a 50 zone? and you were doing 50 right? then why shud you be keeping left (ridiculas in its self) allowing cars space to overtake when clearly they wud have to creep over 50 to do so? did i get that right? or have i misunderstood. im tired :D

[mitch]

^ good point!

[2E]

Yes i also have been using that point whenever i tell someone about the story. However i believe the law is that you can do 55mph in a 50, 45, in a 40, and 35 in a 30.

I also heard that sneakily the police have dropped the speedlimit-limits by 1mph.. which means more motorists are being caught for doing 45 in a 40 when now they are only allowed to do 44..:reading

Im not sure if thats totally right, i think i read it in the BIKE magazine.

Feel free to correct me.

I was riding in the left when on a moped and what happened... that caused a crash where i tried to avoid an accident with an impatient car...

Either way.. im not taking advice of someone who thinks that because they are in a car they have more rights to the road than i do...:grin2

[Pants]

The new cheif of police in Essex has Quotas for arrests, FPN (fixed penalty notices) are a quick nick with a quick and relatively good detection rate, making the figures look good.

This info and tooeymasters experiance should be taken as a warning to us all. If your riding with illegal visors, plates or exhausts dont be suprised when they hand over the ticket.

Also as it was pointed out your bike is more mature and I presume still has crash damage, so they could have been having a look to see if it was yours or you had just nicked it and were off down to a field to ride it until it run out of fuel and then set fire to it.

Bikes will always be targets, just be polite and factual and everything should be ok.

[Pants]

Yes i also have been using that point whenever i tell someone about the story. However i believe the law is that you can do 55mph in a 50, 45, in a 40, and 35 in a 30.

I also heard that sneakily the police have dropped the speedlimit-limits by 1mph.. which means more motorists are being caught for doing 45 in a 40 when now they are only allowed to do 44..:reading

Im not sure if thats totally right, i think i read it in the BIKE magazine.

Feel free to correct me.

I was riding in the left when on a moped and what happened... that caused a crash where i tried to avoid an accident with an impatient car...

Either way.. im not taking advice of someone who thinks that because they are in a car they have more rights to the road than i do...:grin2


Most vehicles do not have their speedo calibrated (traffic cars and vehicles fitted with tachographs generally being the exception) so there has to be an allowance for speedo error / differences.

The accepted margin for error is 10% + 1 mph. This can vary a little between forces. You CANNOT do 45 in a 40 limit, the speed limit is 40 however most forces will give you the error, effectively the benefit of the doubt incase of error. I get the feeling its also to do with the CPS wanting easy prosecutions.

[Shorty]

also i think that was something to do with a story in MCN about speed camera's. tolerance being sneakily changed to catch speeders out! and again, lol did you say you were on a hill? or going down a hil? they shudnt be overtaking there anyway!

[mitch]

Yes i also have been using that point whenever i tell someone about the story. However i believe the law is that you can do 55mph in a 50, 45, in a 40, and 35 in a 30.

I also heard that sneakily the police have dropped the speed limit-limits by 1mph.. which means more motorists are being caught for doing 45 in a 40 when now they are only allowed to do 44..:reading

Im not sure if thats totally right, i think i read it in the BIKE magazine.

Feel free to correct me.



don't think you heard that from them, or where thats from but a complete misconception.

1 mph over the stated road speed limit is illegal. But this cannot normally be proved, so to allow for inaccurate speedos on vehicles they set their prosecution limit speed higher than that.

the fact that a copper might say to you that they wont pull you unless your doing so speed in so limit is down to their discretion and is not to be trusted for every officer out there.

best thing is not speed where you know there is likely to be police presence.

[richy rich]

if you could do 35 in a 30 zone then you wouldn't get caught on speed camera doing 33mph:grin2 , my grandad has been caught at 32, my mate has been caught at 33 and my mate on his moped got caught at 33:grin2