I've been a bit subdued lately, waiting for a letter from the Police about an alleged driving offence. Well it arrived yesterday morning. I think i had better start at the beginning.....
On Good Friday the weather was brilliant, so out came the BMW, on with the new leathers and crash hat and off to meet a couple of mates on the bypass near where I live. This was the first ride out this year on this bike, though I did 1000 miles on it at the back end of last year. I've also been out quite a bit on the FZ1 this year. Anyway off to the local bikers cafe called Seaways. Every biker in this area knows the place. A quick cuppa, a look at the bikes and a chat with some of the riders and off we trot on our merry way to Scarborough. Travelling line astern, we all overtook a line of slower vehicles. I was following my mate on his Blade, when we approached a left hand bend. My mate managed to tuck himself in where as I was a bit later doing the same. That's when I saw a black 1400 Kawasaki coming the other way with a Police BMW bike right up it's arse. My first thought was for the Kawasaki rider being followed by plod. Anyway, we carried on a couple or so more miles towards Scarborough, only to see a police officer standing in the middle of the road with his hand up:dread: He pulled the blade and me, on the BM into a side road and said that there was an issue about the manner of our riding/driving and that we would have to wait until he got the video footage:eek-new: Then two bikes turned up. Yeh...you've guessed it.....a black Kawasaki and the marked BMW Police bike. The cop who had stopped us (I think he was playing the good cop) asked us for our ID. Blade man gave him his driving licence, while I offered him my bus pass! He didn't believe it and asked me how old I was. (now I'm not repeating my age again on here, but those who read my earlier posts will know already) I told him and he shouted across at the bike cops and told them. They told me that I should be on the track with it and not on the roads. I think they were a little surprised that I didn't have a Zimmer frame strapped to the bike. Then the nice cop saw the bit of wet cloth pushed into the hole in the top yoke (I use it for cleaning off dead flies from my visor) He said to me that I was from the old school of bikers, to which I replied that no the rag was my incontinence pad. He had a good laugh and I thought all was going ok. Then the bike cops called us over to see the footage that the Kawasaki rider (a lady!) had recorded. To be honest, it didn't look too bad, just two bikes, the Blade with it's wheels JUST on the dotted white line, and yours truly with my wheels 6 or 8 inches on the wrong side. I reckoned I was in for a good bollocking at the most. But the woman cop started going on about nearly killing her and that she was an advanced Police rider etc..etc. I told her that I'd been riding for 54 years and I was still here, so must be doing something right. Anyway the long and the short of it was that they did me for driving without due care and attention!! That's 3 to 9 points. To say I was worried was an understatement. I've just got rid of 3 points for speeding FFS. If they gave me 9 points, (especially if Mrs Plod went on about nearly getting killed) then I'd spend the next 3 years riding like Mary Poppins.
Now the good news..... The letter told me, that after due consideration the would offer me National Driving 4 Change Course. I can't tell you how bloody relieved I am at the outcome.
I'll keep you posted
On Good Friday the weather was brilliant, so out came the BMW, on with the new leathers and crash hat and off to meet a couple of mates on the bypass near where I live. This was the first ride out this year on this bike, though I did 1000 miles on it at the back end of last year. I've also been out quite a bit on the FZ1 this year. Anyway off to the local bikers cafe called Seaways. Every biker in this area knows the place. A quick cuppa, a look at the bikes and a chat with some of the riders and off we trot on our merry way to Scarborough. Travelling line astern, we all overtook a line of slower vehicles. I was following my mate on his Blade, when we approached a left hand bend. My mate managed to tuck himself in where as I was a bit later doing the same. That's when I saw a black 1400 Kawasaki coming the other way with a Police BMW bike right up it's arse. My first thought was for the Kawasaki rider being followed by plod. Anyway, we carried on a couple or so more miles towards Scarborough, only to see a police officer standing in the middle of the road with his hand up:dread: He pulled the blade and me, on the BM into a side road and said that there was an issue about the manner of our riding/driving and that we would have to wait until he got the video footage:eek-new: Then two bikes turned up. Yeh...you've guessed it.....a black Kawasaki and the marked BMW Police bike. The cop who had stopped us (I think he was playing the good cop) asked us for our ID. Blade man gave him his driving licence, while I offered him my bus pass! He didn't believe it and asked me how old I was. (now I'm not repeating my age again on here, but those who read my earlier posts will know already) I told him and he shouted across at the bike cops and told them. They told me that I should be on the track with it and not on the roads. I think they were a little surprised that I didn't have a Zimmer frame strapped to the bike. Then the nice cop saw the bit of wet cloth pushed into the hole in the top yoke (I use it for cleaning off dead flies from my visor) He said to me that I was from the old school of bikers, to which I replied that no the rag was my incontinence pad. He had a good laugh and I thought all was going ok. Then the bike cops called us over to see the footage that the Kawasaki rider (a lady!) had recorded. To be honest, it didn't look too bad, just two bikes, the Blade with it's wheels JUST on the dotted white line, and yours truly with my wheels 6 or 8 inches on the wrong side. I reckoned I was in for a good bollocking at the most. But the woman cop started going on about nearly killing her and that she was an advanced Police rider etc..etc. I told her that I'd been riding for 54 years and I was still here, so must be doing something right. Anyway the long and the short of it was that they did me for driving without due care and attention!! That's 3 to 9 points. To say I was worried was an understatement. I've just got rid of 3 points for speeding FFS. If they gave me 9 points, (especially if Mrs Plod went on about nearly getting killed) then I'd spend the next 3 years riding like Mary Poppins.
Now the good news..... The letter told me, that after due consideration the would offer me National Driving 4 Change Course. I can't tell you how bloody relieved I am at the outcome.
I'll keep you posted
. The speed awareness is tedious but surprising how many people in the room seem to know f*** all about speed limits or the Highway Code. Scary.
