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[HolyCount]

I wiil conceed that if your going to do it you can expect a severe punishment in todays world.(unless your a policeman)

Still no excuse, they have to drive with in the letter of the law and it's only us other road users that give them the right of way to travel in the manner that they do.

Speeding is accepted, but must be done in a safe way if the roads and conditions allow.

If they were caught doing 166mph on the same road road and not in pursuit they , I am sure would suffer the consquences.

I was referring specifically to the case a few years back,when a policeman took a new car (3.2 vectra ?) for a test drive.Iirc he was doing around 75 in a 30,95 in a 40,130 in a 60 and 160 ish in a 70.He wasnt in an emergency he was just testing the car.The judge accepted his defence that he was a highly skilled driver who was honing his skills and let him off scot free.

That judge was a pillock as well as the copper, if those are the facts

[Mr Skrunts]

I wiil conceed that if your going to do it you can expect a severe punishment in todays world.(unless your a policeman)

Still no excuse, they have to drive with in the letter of the law and it's only us other road users that give them the right of way to travel in the manner that they do.

Speeding is accepted, but must be done in a safe way if the roads and conditions allow.

If they were caught doing 166mph on the same road road and not in pursuit they , I am sure would suffer the consquences.

I was referring specifically to the case a few years back,when a policeman took a new car (3.2 vectra ?) for a test drive.Iirc he was doing around 75 in a 30,95 in a 40,130 in a 60 and 160 ish in a 70.He wasnt in an emergency he was just testing the car.The judge accepted his defence that he was a highly skilled driver who was honing his skills and let him off scot free.

We aint mind readers. 

[Andy B]

.....I was referring specifically to the case a few years back,when a policeman took a new car (3.2 vectra ?) for a test drive.Iirc he was doing around 75 in a 30,95 in a 40,130 in a 60 and 160 ish in a 70.He wasnt in an emergency he was just testing the car.The judge accepted his defence that he was a highly skilled driver who was honing his skills and let him off scot free.

Which is what I was hinting at .......   

If he had perhaps kept his speed down to 159 while "familiarising" himself with the bike he might have got away with it!     

This is what you wanted ...... 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/4559173.stm

[Gaffers]

I wiil conceed that if your going to do it you can expect a severe punishment in todays world.(unless your a policeman)

Still no excuse, they have to drive with in the letter of the law and it's only us other road users that give them the right of way to travel in the manner that they do.

Speeding is accepted, but must be done in a safe way if the roads and conditions allow.

If they were caught doing 166mph on the same road road and not in pursuit they , I am sure would suffer the consquences.

I was referring specifically to the case a few years back,when a policeman took a new car (3.2 vectra ?) for a test drive.Iirc he was doing around 75 in a 30,95 in a 40,130 in a 60 and 160 ish in a 70.He wasnt in an emergency he was just testing the car.The judge accepted his defence that he was a highly skilled driver who was honing his skills and let him off scot free.

That judge was a pillock as well as the copper, if those are the facts

 Seconded

[albitz]

.....I was referring specifically to the case a few years back,when a policeman took a new car (3.2 vectra ?) for a test drive.Iirc he was doing around 75 in a 30,95 in a 40,130 in a 60 and 160 ish in a 70.He wasnt in an emergency he was just testing the car.The judge accepted his defence that he was a highly skilled driver who was honing his skills and let him off scot free.

Which is what I was hinting at .......   

If he had perhaps kept his speed down to 159 while "familiarising" himself with the bike he might have got away with it!     

This is what you wanted ...... 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/4559173.stm

Thats the one Andy.The case is so famous and has been brought up so many times on OOF, I thought everyone would know what we were alluding to.

[JamesV6CDX]

Death crash Police Constable jailed:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8326133.stm

[Bent valve]

Death crash Police Constable jailed:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8326133.stm

He looks like that bloke off 'life on Mars'

[albitz]

That idiot should never be allowed out imo.
But I see what your saying James, - being a copper doesnt automatically mean you get away with it,which is fair comment imo.

[Dishevelled Den]

It's always nice to see debate on such matters, however in this case no amount of analysis can detract from the more than justified decision of the court.

There are speed limits imposed for very good reasons and I can see no excuse for exceeding them on public roads.

The short time I spent performing uniform duties taught me that while some people may have thought that it was exciting to take chances, their attitude soon changed when something went wrong and it was too late to do anything about it.

If any driver, rider or pedestrian had the unpleasant task of removing limp, broken bodies from the scene of road collisions perhaps they would think twice about their behaviour when using the road network.

[albitz]

We will have to agree to disagree on this one I think uncle Zulu.I believe that there should be a seperate and pretty stringent driving test for motorways and that the upper speed limit should then be removed from motorways,similar to the German Autobahns.
I have btw been a victim of a serious RTA and still suffer the consequences 33 years and 16 days later.

[HolyCount]

We will have to agree to disagree on this one I think uncle Zulu.I believe that there should be a seperate and pretty stringent driving test for motorways and that the upper speed limit should then be removed from motorways,similar to the German Autobahns.
I have btw been a victim of a serious RTA and still suffer the consequences 33 years and 16 days later.

I feel that before we remove the speed limits on the motorways we should improve their standards of construction and maintenance.

(By "we" I mean "Them" not "us"!)

[albitz]

Fair point HC,I realise I am being a tad unrealistic,but it is what I would like to see happen.

[KillerWatt]

There are speed limits imposed for very good reasons and I can see no excuse for exceeding them on public roads.

To be honest, I really don't think there is one day in my entire driving career where I haven't exceeded the speed limit.

However, there is a big difference between exceeding the speed limit and driving at excess speed.

[omegadan67]

166mph on a public road is dangerous and stupid the affects of what could have happened dont bear thinking about.

I think the sentence given out might have been a bit harsh given the situation however he did break the law and as such he has to take what ever punishment he is given.

We all speed at some point on the road weather we admit it or not weather on the motorway of our favarite strech of road how many of us have had extra training to drive fast to be able to read the road and conditions. 

Personally i have a competition license,I am also an advanced driver and have sat the police roadcraft test
I am licensed to drive bikes,cars and hgv/lgv class 1
ive been driving 25 years and i am still learning the art of driving.

I think it is time we started to educate all drivers on how to drive,the driving test as it stands is outdated and dose not include skid control,motorway driving,basic machanics,or speed and its affects either too fast on a road or to slow, you could pass your test tomorrow go on to the road on your own and be a danger to all road users with out ever speeding.

I have suffered the aftermath of a serious RTA 14 months in hospital 3 months in intensive care 9 months of physio-therepy metal in both legs back and forehead, AND i was stationary when i was hit from behind by a high court judge his speed estimated to be 80-90mph in a 30 zone. He was in a jaguar and i was on a motorbike to say i am lucky to be alive is a understatement.

[cruisetopoland]

Good points omegadan67 

I too have a bike, car and coach licence and have done roadcraft training, IAM assessment, skid pan training etc, but I still learn every day and still make mistakes.

I cannot understand the UK licence system where there are no updates on new rules and no periodic training, plus find the fact you can pass a car test and drive a Ferrari (if you caninsure it!) staright off.  The bike system is better, but should have an intermediate power limit for a few years after a full test, only lifted after advanced training.

I taught my wife to drive (mostly) and have since gone down the roadcraft and skid pan training route with her and she is good at hazard perception and smooth progress.

I look back at some of the speeds and antics I took part in years ago and now shudder to think...its an age thing.
What I would have considered fine a few years back, now makes me indignant....what a hypocrite  :-/

I side with the earlier points though that repeat burglary offenders get a slap on the wrist and they have caused more misery than this guy who has been made an example of.

What does anyone think of peridoic compulsory driver training?