Yesterday I was following another biker. We left some traffic lights and he must have got to maybe 37mph for about 3 seconds before he slowed down to take a right. Just then a copper jumped in the road waving his speed camera and stopped him. I appreciate that in the strict sense of the word that would be considered speeding, but in London, getting away from the traffic behind you is a good thing. And for 3 seconds?
Views?
I suppose that a copper with a speed gun can only ever check speed over a short distance and they must get a lot of people suddenly slowing down to 30mph when they spot the hairdryer.
It is speeding when you exceed the speed limit for any length of time.
Whether you’d be done for it or not is another matter.
37 is unlucky to get done in a 30, plenty of people do that most of the time, in cars, vans, motorcycles.
Might have got a warning, or speed awareness.
The cops are hot on motorcycles at the moment, I saw someone get pulled yesterday on the a40 going about 48.
I was doing 44 immediately behind him and didn’t get pulled.
They ignored the cars that were speeding.
Its a strange one, cos on my BikeSafe course when we hit the lanes the copper taking us told me and ChrisB that when we overtake on the lanes he is fine with us gunning it past the cars providing it is in a safe and sensible manor, but…If we were stupid and went over 100mph he will knick us on the spot, i wasn’t too sure about this but when he took off and was doing it himself it was actually quite fun following a copper using proper lines and actually taking cars at 70-80mph knowing you’ve been told it’s OK!!
Sun’s out, annual “start of the biking season crack down” to keep everyone in check maybe? Not just fair weather bikers, but those of us who might get a bit cocky around dry tarmac… Not that I’ve had a bike copper wave a finger at me recently or anything like that.
I think the trick is to overtake as prescribed and then roll back off- Keeping it pinned all day might raise some eyebrows!
but in London, getting away from the traffic behind you is a good thing
Is it? I mean from a safety or legal standpoint? Surely it ought to be fine for everyone if I pull away faster than whatever’s behind me and only accelerate up to the speed limit?
There is a section of road between Elephant and Castle to Borough High Street that has recently been changed from a 30 to a 20. Clearly marked on the floor as such. There are ALWAYS vehicles doing at least 30 through there and the bicycles doing 25. I have only seen one copper with a speed gun there since they changed it. Very frustrating when sticking to the 20 and having vehicles sit on your ass. I don’t particularly agree with the change for that stretch either but law is law.
For a long time the 20s weren’t there in the hope that people would do 20mph, but to make doing 40mph down it a less minor offense. I still find it difficult to take them seriously enough to actually do 20 in them.
I believe that when the speed limits seem sensible then we are more likely to stick to them. When they sometimes suddenly reduce it to something that feels sill with no obvious reason it tends to create this reluctance to stick to it.
In London if you ever get beyond 30mph it’s often for a very short while to get around or away from something.
no comment. 
I think speeding is like cheating, you’re only doing it if you get caught.
I don’t understand the question. its speeding if your speedo has a bigger number on it than the number in the big red circles, and there are NO exceptions. one of the simplest and easy to understand (if admittedly not that easy to follow) rules in the highway code. 37 in a 30 is 3 points and £100
When you get caught normally.
I got caught marginally speeding and did the awareness course on Monday. I won’t be doing 35 in town any more. Or 80 in traffic on the motorway either actually.
Is it when you’re late for work?
When you’ve consumed a prohibited substance and proceeded to rave till you drop?
The speed awareness course isn’t the get out of jail free card it once was. Your insurer may ask you to declare it and bump your premium. That happened to me for 46 in a 40 in the Volvo. I mean come on guys I wasn’t even trying.
Nicked for speeding in a Volvo? I’d have died of shame.
And bike safe courses are great - they (try and) teach you not to be stupid. Overtaking cars on NSL A roads with a battenburg bike 20 feet behind you is aces!
You’ve not seen this then?
