Aye Michael,
This should be in 'Rants'. I have tried to remain cool, calm and collected, BUT!
After a motorcyclist came off outside the house this afternoon at less than 40mph due to the slimy road conditions, the two Traffic boys asked if they could 'set up' in our drive, as they had been appalled by the driving. One copper was nearly run-down by a 'flat cap' as he was directing the traffic past the breakdown truck, picking the bike up.
We live on one of those "open road" A trunk roads and you can see for getting on for half a mile along the straight. But, half way along is a turning for a "cut-through", "rat-run" and after that the road is convex, vanishing into a concavity that includes a 25° right-hander and the entrance into a gravel quarry on the inside of the corner. Traffic includes everything from tractors, with
large trailers or mounted implements, Ural sidecars laden with firewood at 35mph max., the full gamit of HGV's including timber lorries, fish lorries, grain lorries, horse boxes from the local eventing centre and white van man to Subaru's, Porsche, Ferrari being given "tests" at a ton plus. Add into this mix the scooter and 125 riders commuting into work at Tesco on shift rotas, up to the "Rocket jockey" packs and Hardley 'ride-outs'
; out for their Sunday jaunt to the 'Green Willie' at Tyndrum at well over the ton or 40mph. And don't forget the service bus, running every hour and stopping outside peoples houses beside the road.
A tractor broken in half by the force of the impact, XT600 forks sheared clean off below the bottom yoke etc, all caused by impatience, speed or an inability to read road signs. A 54 seater bus ended up in my driveway thinking that he was making a right-hand turn into the "rat-run"!
After this afternoon's incident we totted up 30 incidents in the 31 years we have lived here, including one motorcyclist fatality, 3 serious where there was critical injury, including one motorcyclist and almost all involving injury requiring hospital admission.
Two weeks wages seems cheap, when compared with the ego and arrogance. Double the points penalty and maybe tweak the insurance group of vehicle you are permitted to drive. Car Group 2 for a year!
Motorcycle Group A2 for a year!
Just go canny and make sure it isn't you that gets caught or sprawled up the road.
As for the 60mph - 70mph in a 30mph or 40mph area, nothing less than a 6 month ban and crushing fits the bill! Wage, rank, or 'Tweetter' rating doesn't count! Harrumph!
Just watch out if you drive past my drive entrance!
Keep safe, Bill
