This week, I was pulled over by a police officer for, ahem, travelling down a road rather more briskly than I should. In other words, speeding. Annoying, as I'd come onto the road to find myself behind two vehicles that were dawdling. My intention was to pull out, overtake, then pull back in again, dropping my speed back down once I'd performed the manoeuvre. Unfortunately, I'd chosen a day to do this when an officer was out with a speed gun on that road.
I am not complaining; I was pulled over by a real human being (more on that later). I was going faster than the speed limit for that road (more on that later). "You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time", as the officer who pulled me over said. I am annoyed at myself: that is a 15-year unblemished record gone. I should have seen the officer (I'm big on observation, so a man in a yellow coat shouldn't have been hard to spot). So my fault, I take the rap.
But what I do question is the way that speed limits are applied on UK roads.
The road in question was the second of two, one-mile straights, separated by a traffic calming 'crescent' (like a roundabout, but without the ability to go right round it). They are not close to residences - the only thing close by is the Docklands Light Railway. There are no slip lanes, just well-surfaced, mile long, straight lines. And they have a 40mph limit. Which means they have to be ridden at 20mph LESS than my local favourite set of backroads; roads which I can legally (and safely) ride at 60mph on a nice day.
Why?
The way speed limits are applied seems to be completely arbitrary. Going back to my favourite backroads, 60mph is safe there, according to the speed limit. But a bit further on, there is a wide, sweeping set of roads that I'd say could be ridden at easily the same pace, if not more.
But they have a 50 limit - a limit which appears to be slapped on more and more roads, with little justification other than "If you are slower, you are safer". But even then, they're still legally applying a higher speed limit than two long, straight sections of road. Does this make sense?
Speed is cited as The Root Of All Evil. It really is not. But it is very much the easy option. Speed can be monitored by unthinking machinery. Slap up a GATSO, let it book the speeders. "Look, we are Doing Good Things" say the authorities, "We are catching the speeding drivers". But are you telling me the man driving/riding in full control at 60mph on a 50mph road, on a dry, clear day is a more valid target than the sales rep who is driving at 50mph trying to unwrap his sandwich, controlling the wheel with his knees? Or the woman using the rear view mirror to apply her makeup whilst on the move and weaving all over the road, at 35mph in that 50mph limit? Or what about the growing number of drivers who think it is not only acceptable, but practically compulsory to use their mobile phone while driving? Stick inside the speed limit and they're not detected either.
What we need is to readdress the criteria for applying a speed limit. In town, 30mph is quite correct - I also support applying 20mph limits in street where there are schools/old people's homes etc. But please come up with decent reasons for applying limits on faster roads. Where I was pulled over could easily support motorway speeds - I believe the UK's shortest motorway is about the same length. My favourite backroad works at "National Speed Limit Applies" pace; so the wider, sweeping roads after it should surely also have National Speed Limits applied? After all, they're easier to ride. Admittedly at one stage the road surface was poor, which probably resulted in temporary limits... which ended up becoming permanent.
The other thing that needs to happen is a move back to good, old fashioned policing. As I said at the start of this piece, I was pulled over by a real life, serving police officer. Who caught me going faster than I should. A police officer who would also see the man steering with his knees, the woman ignoring the road as she applied her makeup and the driver with their mobile phone pressed to their ear. All of which fall into the category of "Driving without due care and attention", "Failing to have control of the vehicle" or even "Dangerous driving". And none of which will ever be seen by a GATSO. But a police officer can pull you over, have a chat and apply common sense to the situation and the offending person.
Doesn't common sense sound like a good idea?
Another way of avoiding speeding tickets could be to change tack and buy the Honda VT750S Shadow. This is Honda's full-licence entry-level cruiser. Big, heavy, soft suspension, low slung and unthreatening.
The Shadow doesn't encourage 'spirited' riding. It likes to cosset the rider, amiably floating through life, wanting you to sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery. If you want to drift through your biking life in that way, take a look at one.