| Author | Message | ||
     Hotredjohn |
I got nailed during my ride through Skyline Drive yesterday. So hard to keep it at the posted 35 riding through the twisties. In those great words of Leon Phelps "It was the fault of the [Buell]". Guess I will just pay up and slow down.  | ||
| Hughlysses |
From what I've heard Skyline Drive is pretty notorious for stiff enforcement. Sorry you had to confirm that. | ||
| Tootal |
Last time I was there we had so many deer running around we couldn't run over 35! Sorry you got nailed, it's not hard on the Uly. | ||
| Hotredjohn |
Yes, I saw lots of deer, even at 3:00 PM. I also rounded a blind corner and found several cars stopped in the middle of the road. At first I was thinking somebody had an accident, that is until I looked up and saw the bear cub in the top of the tree that everyone was looking at. I didn't stick around thinking the momma bear was close by.  | ||
| Hotredjohn |
The park cop was driving in the other direction when she got me. Must be that new fangled radar that can get you while moving, so no longer can you keep an eye out for the parked police car with the radar, it is almost impossible to see the man when he/she is behind four or five cars coming the other direction. | ||
| Froggy |
Welcome to 1980  Also there is no reason to go fast on Skyline, there is no traffic, and going slow will help you achieve 75mpg. | ||
| Towpro |
This brings up a question. Lately I am becoming the "tour leader" because of the routes I have been putting together on my GPS. Keep in mind these are 35-45mph roads. Personally I am happy running the speed limit, maybe adding 5mph. The one group I go out with is always saying "go faster, go faster". At times they have gotten me to run 20mph (or more) over the speed limit. Since I am the tour leader, guess who goes through the speed trap first  . In PA, only the state cops have radar, the local police use Vascar (where they measure time between 2 marks). Local police speed traps are the ones you need to watch for on my routes If one rider gets stopped, is it "standard practice" for the group to split the fine? And don't points on your license make your insurance cost more? | ||
| Volume_eight |
Will an officer really pull over a group of 10+ bikers ?(assuming there are that many) Ive never seen it happen. I can sympathize with your skyline experience, i got mailed last fall, only it was after i got OFF the skyline on another secondary highway that i got nailed. Im honestly tired of speeding tickets on bikes. We are on a different machine, we accelerate and brake faster than cars and we HAVE to be attentive. The real danger on the roads is when someone is driving/riding and not being attentive. There should be different laws for bikers, and different classifications and anyone who isnt paying attention should get the ticket. Then the officers can increase their revenue stream and keep people from being a real danger on the road. Just my .02 | ||
| Towpro |
My question was if one rider gets pulled over is it standard procedure for the rest to kick in and split the fine? I read about this on a internet magazine site. I have never been in the situation. I am to "thrifty" to speed on my own. I don't want to have to part with my money to pay the fine. | ||
| Pso |
Are Radar Detectors legal on Skyline D.? I know they are not in Va. and D.C. But it is a federal park. also I hate the Drive. It is a great road but folks just stop in the middle of the road to look at pigions and other such. Ot they are rubber necking and going over the line, or swerviing in and out of overlooks. I prefer Blue Ridge Parkway, more open better sweepers and good road. | ||
| Hotredjohn |
Radar detectors are illegal everywhere in VA. Also my comment about the new fangled radar is that these new systems can get you while the police car is moving in the opposite direction even with a offset in azimuth. That was unheard of a few years ago, old systems the beam was wider and the new LIDAR (sp?) systems that incorporate laser or very narrow beam radar can pinpoint you very easily. Also with these new instant on systems is a radar/laser detector even any good? When I saw the officer coming around the bend in the road she had me that instant, there was no time to react. I was by myself on this occasion, and if I had been with at group I would most definitely NOT have been going 20 over the limit. I have done many years as a road captain/leader and I always keep the pace down in consideration of the other riders in the group. | ||
| Motorbike |
Several years ago one of my friends was riding with his cousin and three others, 5 bikes total. They were doing around 100 mph when my buddy noticed a highway patrol in his rear view mirror. He thought he would be doing himself a favor by being a "good guy" and pulling over. The cop asked him if he knew the other guys who did not stop. When he replied "no" the officer said "Well then I guess you get this ticket all to yourself!" To make a long story short, he lost his license for the rest of the summer. None of his buddies pitched in to help pay the fine either. He made the comment that if this ever happened again and if he knew that if someone in the group had a bike slower than his, he would run. He said he doesn't need to outrun the cop, just the slowest bike in the group! Sorry, I just had to tell that story again. | ||
| Hotredjohn |
Motorbike: Sounds like that old story of out running the bear, I don't have to outrun the bear I just have to be faster than you!  | ||
| Motorbike |
Right! I think that's how my buddy came up with his plan for next time. | ||
| Arcticktm |
Towpro - if they really want to go faster than the tour leader, then THEY should be the tour leader. No one should convince you to ride faster than you want to. Good luck with your "share the ticket" theory. I have never heard of that happening before. I just go done leading a NC/GA mountain run for a group from the midwest. 4 of them thought they could get back on Saturday faster than the 4 of us still waiting for a guy that got delayed at a gas stop. They ended up taking the wrong way, and cut off some excellent riding that the rest of us did. That's what they get for following the guy on the BMW GS Adventure, and not the guy on the Buell. I have not had any complaints of going too slow, but did get 1 complaint last year that I went too fast on one section. I explained to him that he was old enough to know the the throttle twists both ways, and he did not need to be parked in my tail bag. It was a twisty road through a gorge, so it's not like you can make a wrong turn. The leader sets the pace. Period. If someone doesn't like it, then they can be their own leader. | ||
| Buellerxt |
+1 on Arcticktm's post, and that cuts both ways. If the leader is trying to impress folks that he 'is fast', let the sucker go. Ride your own ride and NEVER let peer pressure get you to do things you otherwise wouldn't do. Yeah, you guessed it, I like riding alone and making all the decisions! LOL | ||
| Tootal |
I was leading a pack of BMW cars and Porsche's down highway 94 in Missouri. Great twisty road. We were heading to a German car show in Herman, (located in the Deutschheim, home of the German's). After arriving I had a Porsche driver tell me that's the slowest he's ever gone down that road. Then I had a BMW driver tell me that's the fastest he's ever driven his car before and thought I should have gone slower. With that I figured I had hit perfect mediocrity! | ||
| Towpro |
I discussed it with some riders at work, they agree "no sharing". They said the last rider would be the one pulled over anyway. They also agreed when you get invited on a ride, you don't hassle the leader to speed up (as long as they are going at least the speed limit). And thanks Jim. that is good advice I will follow. I ride the way I do (speed limit) because that is how I want to do it. If they are not happy following me, they can go ahead. Once I come to my next turn our routes will be different anyway (because they don't know the route), which sort of solves the problem for the day anyway BuellerXT, I also ride alone, but I have one riding buddy that also enjoys touring at the speed limit, we do most of our trips together. It comes in handy when someone (him) brakes down. (Message edited by towpro on May 03, 2010) (Message edited by towpro on May 03, 2010) | ||
| Whisperstealth |
When by myself I tend to go a little fast. But seeing as how later today I'm going down to sign up for community service, due to a very kind officer letting me off with a simple city ticket; I'm getting tired of the hassle and am learning to slow down. I went by the cop at 105. When he caught up he paced me at eighty, then gave me a "dangerous and unatentive" driving ticket. It's a city ticket, stays off my record The officer was a cool guy; but at over $1500 in fines the last 18 months, it's time to slow down. | ||
| Kellaupat |
My buddy got a ticket last April up there by a woman cop also. He was doing 53, and got pulled over the same way. I saw her turn her Tahoe around so fast I thought she was going to flip over. When I pulled up to them, she pulled her gun out on me and told me to stay on my bike with my hands on the bars. I think I almost pooped myself. Not everyday you get a pissed off woman drawing a 9 mm on you. I can understand her reaction if we looked as if we just left a Hells Angels convention, but we are both 42 year old dads fully dressed in Tour Master coats and pants, and he was only speeding for cripes sake. She was a complete and utter NUT! He ended up with a ticket and a 25 minute lecture on speeding. And she told me I should have never stopped where I did. I was supposed to go to the next pulloff. I did not realize there was a rule about this. I live 2 miles from the enterance of Skyline Dr. and put alot of miles on my bike up there, but never had a day like that in my life. | ||
| Idaho_buelly |
The leader controls the speed,so in our group,he pays ALL of the tickets!!  | ||
| Buellerxt |
That's crazy, Kellaupat! You ran into a doozy! Hey, there are STUPID cops just like there are stupid people in all professions. I hope I, and all of you, never run into one. That one has a confidence/stability problem, among others probably. (Message edited by buellerxt on May 03, 2010) | ||
| Nevrenuf |
paintshaker and jerry_houghton are two of the best ride leaders that i've seen and had the pleasure of riding with. sets a good pace and always waits for the slowones to catch up to make sure everyone stays together. | ||
| Oldwesterncowboy |
Kellaupat hope you got her name and badge # call her supervisor, about pulling a gun. that is behavior unbecoming an officer.  I drive by the seat of my pants and the general flow of traffic.(just a little faster) then you dont need review mirrors.  I have a radar detector just to let me know when I should look at the spedo.   | ||
| Kellaupat |
I talked to her supervisor the next day. I got her name from my buddies ticket. He explained that in light of recent events up on the drive that his rangers were well within their rights to do what they felt necessary for their own safety. The "recent event" was some idiot about 2 weeks before was chased down the mountain, and shot at the rangers. They returned fire and killed him at the gate in Front Royal. To top it off I heard he was wearing clown makeup! So there was no sympathy for me from her super. I did learn that I never want a gun pointed at me again though. I suggested to him that she may want to find a less stressful job. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Kellaupat, Good to hear the women was an Equal Opportunity gun puller at lest. And not just pulling a gun on those HA types leaving "conventions" LOL. Road Captain sets pace period. Stay in formation. Have respect for the person leading, and those around you. It's about safety if nothing else! If you can't do that, you can stay at the back or ride alone. That's the way I was taught, and the way I try to teach others. Never seen a pack of 4 or more pulled over, but I'm sure it happens. I've heard and talked about the "Faster than the guy next to you" theory. Don't think I'd go that route for a speeding ticket, big risk / little reward. It would have to be a little more important. That said, I ride with guys on road kings and electra glides; would not be hard to loose'em. | ||
| Thepod |
What is it with skyline drive. The one in Portland is a favorite motorcycle route too. I haven't gotten nailed on it yet, but give it time. | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Hotredjohn Hate to jump on the bandwagon but these "new" radar detectors have been out for quite some time. I got pulled over for doing 101 in a 55 from a statey up in Michigan while he was traveling in the opposite direction on a four lane median highway. I was 17 so that puts this event in the 2001-2002 timeframe so at least 8 years ago these things were common amongst state troopers in MI. | ||
| Hotredjohn |
Terrible1one3 HAHA, I guess one could gather that it has been a long time since I have gotten a speeding ticket! True that.  | ||
| Oldwesterncowboy |
I think- cops have always been able to clock you going the other way. radar measures speed. if they are diving 60 and you are driving 60 it will show 120. anything over.....your speeding. Im sure newer ones do the math for the cop. if you use a radar detector, I do know that most state cops are trained and tested to be able to visually guess the speed of a vehicle. they will see you. then turn on the radar at the last second. |
