Hi All,Motorcyclists at the head of a group of riders will face stiffer penalties forspeeding under a crown court ruling.Being the lead rider in a group is an aggravating factor making you partlyresponsible for speeding offences of those behind you according to the decision.The ruling can be applied in any future cases where two or more motorcyclistsriding together are accused of speeding. The head rider might be only a few mphover the limit but could be given the same penalty as the worst offender behind.Road traffic solicitor Robert Dobson said: "Any crown court decision can bestated in future cases. This is potentially a very dangerous judgement formotorcyclists."Riders in a group change position frequently."If you are riding at the front any group at excess speed, then the very factyou're at the front is an aggravating factor."Ken Clark, 49, reached 85mph on his Yamaha R1 while leading a group of threeriders on the 60mph A272 near <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Rogate</st1:City>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Sussex</st1:country-region></st1:place>, last June.The speed is within the usual threshold for a fixed penalty of three points anda £60 fine.But <st1:place w:st="on">Chichester</st1:place> Crown Court ruled he should receive the same penalty as afollowing rider accused of going 103mph.Barrister notes on the ruling given to <st1:place w:st="on">Clark</st1:place> after the hearing state: `Althoughhis was the lesser speed, [the bench] found it an aggravating feature that hewas the lead motorcyclist, was setting the pace and he knew that the other twomotorcyclists would want to catch him up and would be speeding to do so.'Sign the petition to overturn this ruling. do not allow the establishment todescriminate against us SIGN IT.http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Lead-Biker-Fined/
I believe there's more to this than is being reported.
Quite agree about a dangerous precedent but in that particular case, the guy pleaded guilty. They'd swopped places on numerous occassions and the group as a whole were travelling at the same speed.
Will happily sign the petition, but tbh this govt will take absolutely no notice whatsoever. The petition system is simply window dressing, to let us think they give a monkeys
In future, when I ride with my two buddies we will ride three a breast.....
Ned Flanders: "You were cycling two abreast?" Homer Simpson: "I wish. ....We were cycling to a lake."
unbelievable!!! I'm sure that goes against human rights in Europe of not inocent until proven guilty etc. i.e. you can't say someone is guilty of riding 100+ mph unless u can prove it
I guess Matt its the old ... well if you were leading you should be doing a pace that the whole bunch is OK at doing all the time so that no one has to speed to catch up with you.
It is silly tho, take when we all went out from Roses... our group had over 20 in it ... or what about the toy runs that you can get 200+ bikes in ... is the leader going to be held accountable for everyones speed ?
What happens then , if you are the lead rider but are not part of the group . I have been caught up by several groups of hyperspeed jockeys(as i'm sure most of have) , who have tailed me for several miles b4 passing me , i ride at a fair pace altho am not a complete bonkers loonatic .
Got to admit there is some logic on the ruling. One reason I don't ride in groups very often is because of the very reason of people playing catch up. I have lost count of the number of TA's where a biker was riding out of their comfort zone to keep up purely because of bravado.
I don't think that the leader should receive any points or a ban but should receive a fine if it can be PROVED that their riding was the cause of others speeding to catch up.
At the end of the day the lead rider can always slow down to allow the others in the group to catch up at a safe speed. likewise the others in the group should ride their own ride and not try and keep up with others in the group if it means they are riding outside of their comfort zone or having to speed or take risks to keep up.
At the end of the day we have laws for speeding and everyone is individual,,,,you cant blame one person because others follow..
If the lead rider rides off a cliff would everyone be stupid enough to follow!!!!!!!!!!!
I believe its a case of lets get more biker bad press........
i hope this gets sorted and is illegal....
Ive got nine points and deserved them because i was caught speeding at the speed on a calibrated machine,,,i would accept nothing else.............................................craig
Think i know a few that would too...............................but still think its an attack the biker by the boys in blue....
what about all the groups of petrol heads in there pug 106 gti's racing round in groups....licence still wet!!!!!!!
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