The following article took up most of p.5 in The Sunday Age 15/1 http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/drag-racers-rule-streets-as-we-await- tough-new-laws/2006/01/14/1137119007216.html There were 4 pictures shown on the page; unfortunately they don't all pick up with the link. Another was as large as the one shown. It shows a group of youths standing on a corner under some streetlights. They appear to be just talking with various orientations; there are a couple of cars on the road. So, in the 1st picture, the bikes are stationary at a set of lights; nothing wrong with that. In the second they are not in sight. Hmmm, we are told that the bikes were travelling at > 130km\h - how ascertained?? The second is titled "Spectators wait for racers" So the photographer was able to be at the start and further along before the bikes got there? Or perhaps they were doing laps, but strange there is no shot taken of them in transit. Ah well, it's called keeping the public informed. Rockit Hoon1... often thought that I should have that plate, but then it all becomes too obvious and easy to remember..... I did try for BBBad, but some other smart arse beat me to it.
Hmmm, we are told that the bikes were travelling at > 130km\h - how ascertained?? Not hard really if they picked 3rd gear, which you can bet they did..
ahhh.. so they were actually doing 207kph. Lucky for the bikers the journo wasn't very good at measuring speed eh. Nev.. '04 CBR1100XX
Poor journalism. Many non riders see a sports bike and will automatically assume the rider is reckless and fast. I'd say the journalist shares such a stupid view. However one bit of the article did raise an eyebrow, that was the two neanderthal dipshits who were caught by police driving at 130 in a commercial area, I'd assume with a speed limit of 50, were only given a fine of $451. I'm not someone against high speed in the right place at the right time, I know that 130+ on a rural dual carriageway or motorway is safe in good conditions, and am often guilty of doing such speeds myself, but 130 in a commercial area is nothing short of downright stupidity and demonstrates an extreme lack of respect for the lives of pedestrians in the area. An unsuspecting pedestrian who saw the cars in the distance and assumed they were moving at the speed limit or there abouts... you know where I'm going with this. I'm glad to see the 12 month suspension, however a $1500 fine as is the case in other states for 45+ over, would've been more appropriate. That said, I've always felt the XXkm/h over penalties are not fair. Someone moving at 85km/h in a residential street past a packed childrens playground, will get the same fine as someone moving at 135km/h on a dead straight, dead flat country road, with nothing in sight except a bush with a police car behind it. A percentage over system for anyone caught exceeding the speed limit would be fairer for all road users. Of course, having reasonable speed limits in place on all roads is paramount to any penalty system being fair. SL.
Even the cops will do this.. We got pulled up heading through Sutho shire on Sunday, on the way up for Maddy's funeral.. Cop wanted to book us for road racing. My mate on the ZX9 was like 'uhh, what? who were we racing??!' Seems there was a commodore sitting next to us a few lights back who'd taken off trying to race us, and we hadn't noticed, and just taken off normally.. The Cop had heard the ZX9 at 7.5krpm (60k/h in first), and figured my mate was racing the commodore and speeding.. Once my mate explained that 7.5krpm was 60k/h, aka the speed limit, and 'racing' a commodore would be a total joke on my K100RT, let alone his ZX9, he finally gave up after asking where we were off to, and then made the shitty remark of 'well it'll be your bloody funeral instead if you keep riding like that'.. Regards, Damien
