got stopped by an unmarked police bike last night......

[Tlrtone]

So there I was, heading home after a lovely evening ride to the seaside town of Weymouth (UK) for fish & Chips with about 10 of our IAM club members.

The last 10 miles heading home I was on my own, making good 'progress' along the country roads, and came across another biker whom I followed for about 3-4 miles.  We were both making plenty of overtakes and were not exactly hanging around!    (although to be fair he did miss a couple of safe overtakes  )

Anyway, I then get the blue flashing lights and an arm signal to pull into the lay-by. 

I pull in behind him and he ushers me to pull up next to him. 

His first words.... "What do you think of the Trophy? I'm thinking of getting one myself."    We then proceeded to have a chat about how good the TT was and how he had been looking at them since the launch and how good they looked on the road.    

So no ticket or warning, just wanted to have a look at the TT and ask me what I thought of it! 

As we got ready to pull away he said to check my headlights as they were quite high - I explained that I hadn't figured how to adjust them electronically yet!

On pulling away he said "We'll make a bit of 'progress' along the dual carriageway shall we?  "


You never know, maybe the UK Police will start riding Trophy's ! 

[Berber]

I think that is brilliant. Mind you, I would have wondered what I was being pulled over for.

Talking about 'making progress', when does it stop being that and start being called speeding or dangerous driving.

I regularly do 90s when overtaking and cruise at a little less to work and I ride on the inside lane of the dual carriageway when the traffic all stays out in the outer lane for more than 100 meters. I suspect that if a police motorcyclist saw me he would probably call it making progress. A patrol car might not.

[cropbiker]

In my opinion UK bike cops are generally fairly pragmatic. Unless you are being obviously stupid, dangerous riding or exceptionally high speeds they will tend to ignore or give a 'light tap on the wrist'.

I too have been pulled over, but by a marked bike, just so he could discuss how I found my previous bike the BMW K1200S.

[RAS]

Bike plods are usually a bit more human (pragmatic!) as they are riding a bike voluntarily as a part of their job. Not always the case though. As for the car patrols,  Wouldn't wee on one if they were on fire!!!

Berber, you would be done for driving without due care or dangerous driving if you pulled an undertake and were seen by a plod who wasn't being pragmatic.

[Tlrtone]

Berber, couple of rules to adhere to:

1. Never speed in plated limits (ie 20, 30,40)
2. In national speed limit areas then cruise at 60-70, and if overtaking means you have to go up to 80-90 to safely pass then that is fine, then return to cruise at 60-70.   

As cropbiker and RAS have said - as long as you are seen to be sensible then 'most' coppers are okay - I have overtaken patrol cars doing 80+ and then slowed down to 65 and not been stopped.     Ride like a moron and you will get stopped though! 

If you haven't already, do the IAM Advanced bike test, I found it very useful and got to see a lot of the local area I didn't know existed!  Also the rideouts are great as everyone is at the same standard so it is enjoyable and very progressive!   Makes you really think about your riding and I started to enjoy biking again - after 10 years of commuting.

[Berber]

My understanding of untakes was that is I did not impede any traffic or cause them to take evading action I was okay. By undertake I do not mean swerving in and out again I mean slowly going along the inside lane at a faster speed than the queue of traffic in the outer lane. On the Bedford ringroad you can have up to half a mile of traffic sitting in the outside lane because they can see a lorry moving slowly up ahead. I drop into lane one and slowly move past them all then indicate to move out past the lorry. Obviously I would not push into the outside lane at this point and most car drivers will let you out.

Another point that concerns me is that Bedford police now have a points system for tickets issued which allows less leeway for the police as they now hacve to make targets.

As regards IAM or similar it will be good to do a ride to see what my skills are like. I just have to find th etime.

[RAS]

"I mean slowly going along the inside lane at a faster speed than the queue of traffic in the outer lane."

THAT is undertaking and you can be convicted of driving without due care or dangerous driving for carrying out such a manouvre.

As for the police having to meet targets and no longer using descretion, surprise, surprise. 
They have been uniformed tax collectors for years.

Watch yourself Berber, otherwise the b :172:ds will get you!!

[Berber]

I dug out this from another forum I am on. It refers to the highway code. It is confusing:

Just to clarify rule 163


•only overtake on the left if the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right, and there is room to do so

•stay in your lane if traffic is moving slowly in queues. If the queue on your right is moving more slowly than you are, you may pass on the left