Pedants at the DSA

Someone I know was sent home from the driving test centre this week when
she turned up on an imported 1995 Bandit 400 with a Motrax kilometer
converter fitted. Apparently the examiner wouldn't let her take the test
because her speedo must by law read mph *and* km/h, and with the
converter it only reads mph. This bike has passed MOT tests with the
converter fitted, but that's not good enough for the DSA. How fucking
stupid is that?

It's now costing her another test fee, and the cost of having a dual
read speedo face fitted.

 

Obviously the examiner wanted to go home early. From what I can gather
talking to CG Sean[1] some examiners will be very pragmatic in that sort of
situation and will even bend over backwards to still undertake the test when
something is not quite right. OTOH some others are cunts of the first order.
Looks like your friend got the latter.

1. A DAS instructor.

 

Miles *and* Kilometres? What the f*ck for?

In hindsight she could have said "It does read kilometres, when it's
removed" but that's easy to say from here.

FWIW I don't recall the examiner either looking or asking me about
mine and I took my test on a faired bike, so it's not something he
would have casually observed, IMHO of course.

On the plus side, she's got more time to practice.

 

HooDooWitch says...

I just checked the construction and use regs and found this:

"Every motorcycle first used on or after 1 April 1984 and capable of more
than 25 mph must have a speedometer which reads in both miles per hour
and kilometres per hour either simultaneously or separately by the use
of a switch. A speedometer which is approved to Community Directives
75/443/EEC as amended by 97/39/EC, 2000/7/EC or to UNECE Regulation
No.39 is acceptable."

That makes the Motrax kilometer converter officially illegal on all post
April 1984 bikes then, which is basically what they were designed for.
Just as well my CeeBee is pre '84 cos the digital speedo reads mph only.

Lets hope she gets enough riding in and passes.

 

Looks like Claire's^H^H^H^H^H^H Lady Nina's ZXR is okay then, with
stickers placed on the outside of the glass for mph...

Good luck to her.

 

But *why*? How many times have you gone from one _county_ to the next
and had to switch into Km? I know I'm doing it all f*cking the time.

And if it's some f*cking EU directive[1], why don't the Euros have to
have their clocks in Miles too[2]?

[1] Obviously I'm just guessing
[2] Here too.

 

HooDooWitch says...

I dunno, probably because we're one of the few countries in the world to
still use good old mph, so we have to bend a little to suit the rest of
the world. Just like we are one of the very few markets where RHD cars
are sold. I have said here before that imported EU model R1s and R6s
have kmh only speedos, which when converted will only read mph.

 

But Euro vehicles are all KMH only...

--
Veggie Dave
UKRMHRC#2 BOTAFOF#08
IQ 18 FILMS http://www.iq18films.com
Extreme Racing http://www.veggie-dave.co.uk
Toxic Shock Syndrome Gets More Girls Than Me

 

Get her to buy a sticker even if she doesn't remove the convertor, He
wouldn't be able to tell it is underreading as he aint going to be able to
see the speedo when shes moving. She would know to read km's for mph, the
take it off whe shes passed, Preferably right in front of said tosser.

 

So even if this lass has no intention whatsoever of leaving these
shores, she's got to have klicks on the speedo...?

I wonder why we are so cynical and disrespectful towards authority...
any thoughts...?
--
O
1 Black, shortly to undergo extensive surgery.
1 Red, undergoing lightweight surgery. -----
1 Blue, for Power-Ranger baiting. | o |
Numbers ... | o |
Stuff ... | ooo |
Life ... -----

 

Does the possibility of removing the convertor not count as the
speedometer having a "switch"?

 

But doesn't C&U only apply to the bike when it's manufactured?

 

This is quite interesting
http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/driving on the left.htm#histo
ry

 

Also on the left, which is why a lot of quality classic cars have been
imported to the UK from there.

 

sweller wrote

and if you play with the contrast you can get a map with loads of pink
bits on it. Pretty much only Canada missing to make the right effect.

Impressive really.

 

Shirley that would just be construction then

 

Don't forget Malta either.

 

entwisi says...

<waves little red and white spiccy flag>

 

Would now be the right time to contact the person I know who just got
interviewed for DSA head of PR and see if (a) they got appointed; and (b) if
they did, what they think of this case....?

Dave

 

I haven't heard of this happening before.