Another loony caught

[SUSPECT]

Have a read of this report

http://www.kentonline...2/wheelie_stupid.aspx

149 mph
Six month suspended prison sentence
Disqualified for 18 months
200 hours of unpaid work
£85 court costs

Can anyone tell me why a member of the public should be allowed to own and drive or ride a vehicle capable of reaching speeds of over 70 mph.

Our maximum speed is 70 mph why do they sell vehicles that can obtain such high speeds.

Do the people who ride these machines have a brain no doubt someone will speak up and tell me they have passed an advanced rider course and blame car drivers who pull out on them as the main problem. When a person is travelling so fast what chance do you have of seeing them.

[sp1814]

Suspect

Even though the speed limit is 70mph, I doubt that police would ever stop a motorist or motorcyclist driving at (say) 75mph, or even 80mph where they deem it safe.

To artificially limit vehicles to 70mph would be costly, and would only apply to new cars. To apply it retrospectively wouldn't make sense either - how could you ensure that everyone complied with the new legislation? How would it be enforced? Who would pay for the engine modifications? How much would it cost? Would it be technically possible to perform the modifications? What about privately imported cars?

So many problems with enforcing that idea, it's hard to even know where to start.

[New Judge]

The technology is available. It is already widely used on commercial vehicles, sp, and it is also available for vans and cars:

http://www.speedlimit...l/speed_limiters.html

Not sure of the cost but a retrospective fit would obviously be more expensive than if factory fitted from new. Whether making them mandatory is desirable or not I’m not sure. In general I’m against the State imposing restrictions or conditions that prevent people from breaking the law. (I would not, for example, consider it acceptable to ban the sale of alcohol to prevent drink-driving). But this is, perhaps, slightly different as an alcohol ban would affect non-drivers whereas this would only affect drivers.

I must say I’ve never really understood why anybody would want to spend huge sums on a vehicle that can exceed the speed limit by such a huge margin (and the cost of each extra 10mph capability seems to increase exponentially) unless it is with the intention of breaking the speed limit excessively and regularly. But there’s now’t so queer as folk.

[boxtops]

This particularl idiot wasn't even using a road when it was quiet - it was in mainstream daytime traffic.

[R1Geezer]

how man did he kill? What damage was done? Can we be a little less hysterical!

"Our maximum speed is 70 mph why do they sell vehicles that can obtain such high speeds. "

Oh perlease, breathtaking niavety. The answer to your question is, ironically because they are safer, much safer.

[AlBags]

Yeah .. Get real Suspect.
Thankd God you're not running the country.

[dotty.]

It's not just the chance you have of seeing them, it's not being able to guage how fast they are going, looking in your rear view mirror and seeing nothing then moving out and he's right there, it's bloody dangerous and wreckless.

[Booldawg]

Most road going vehicles are capable of going above the speed limit. But I've always maintained that there will never be a restriction on the speed of cars/motorbikes purely because fast, powerful machines are the toys of rich, influential people.

[HabDabs]

Another unwashed smelly piece of filth off the road for 18 months.

[starone]

I cannot understand anyone who supports this kind of behaviour. It is not only himself he puts in danger but others on the road. Don't forget there are all kinds of people driving on the motorway which includes families pottering along at a fairly slow speed, huge lorries and some going at a faster speed. but keeping to a sensible amount. I am at a loss to understand the reason for such speeds except for the thrill of it which they could probably get somewhere else where they would not be putting other people's lives in danger. How can you see and react to others at that speed? Sorry, I am ranting a bit but am so amazed at the whole episode.