Friday 14 October 2011

No Mercy in Switzerland

Wipeout: A motorcyclist in Switzerland sets off a speed camera by sliding along the ground without his bike
Sparks are flying from his bike, which he is thought to have lost control of after noticing the traffic camera ahead of him.

The incident happened between the towns of Cibourg and La Chaux-de-fonds, close to Bern and the French border, on October 2.
A police spokesman said: ‘It appears that he suddenly saw the traffic control measure ahead and lost control as he tried to slow down.
Police say the motorcyclist, who was wearing protective leathers, was unhurt apart from minor cuts and bruises, as well as a degree of shock.
He confirmed that the man was still facing a fine and the withdrawal of his driving licence for up to three months.
The officer said some 18 motorists had been caught speeding on the same stretch of mountain road on the same Sunday morning.
 
Its a moot point, but I’d be on to any old defence solicitor I've known if I was him! I can hear the glorious bullshit as I type this: 
“Your worships, it was the bike that was speeding, not my client. My client was actually travelling at 3 Kmph below the limit as he had a jammed throttle and, not wishing to break the law, threw himself onto the road in order to prevent a crime from being committed. His bike, being on it’s side, picked up speed due to less friction and so exceeded the limit – oh and his mother dropped him on his head when he was two, so he should be acquitted”.

11 comments:

Unknown said...

He just dropped himself on his head. I wonder if it has occurred to him yet, that one of the reasons for speed limits is most riders' inability to control a bike at high speeds! I'm surprised he was smart enough to wear protective gear.

Anonymous said...

Nah! You've got this one all wrong Hog. It's a clear case of the Invisible Man.

Hogdayafternoon said...

Suz: As a biker of some 43 years experience, 30 of those years in law enforcement, I totally concur with your summation. That is why I still take training from time to time, that way, 43 years experience doesn't become 1 years experience repeated 43 times.

ACO: Who said that?

Dude: Designed and engineered by highly skilled people. Modern tyre technology a world apart from when I first started out. Power-to-weight ratios remarkable (except for my Road King which has a weight to weight ratio;) Handling and braking has never been better. You can buy a secondhand bike for under £3k that can out-accelerate a Ferrari. I wonder what the problem is? A bit like in weapons training, the most dangerous component part of a firearm is the nut on the butt.

Conan the Librarian™ said...

I remember the early eighties, when the accident and emergency rooms were full of white sock and trainer sporting teen "bikers" who had come off their Yammy LCs while trying for the ton.

I remember trying to tell a young laddie that going on a motorway with a bike that had asymmetrical handlebars, two left hand indicators and half an "L" plate was a sure way to get done.

To literally cap it all he had a blue polycarbonate full face that he'd "dried out" in front of the fire, which now looked like something Joseph Merrick could have worn.

He's now a retired police officer by the way...

Hogdayafternoon said...

Conan: :)) As a yoof, I did, foolishly ignorant, paint my old Cromwell helmet with acrylic paint, but then the law said I didn't have to wear one anyway!

TonyF said...

Oddly, the most damage I did to a bike and me was on a diesel soaked roundabout. I was only doing about 10MPH. I landed on my elbow, and pivoted around, screwing my Belstaff and the road into my skin. Still have bits in there. The bike's sump hit the kerb and was broken open.

Bugger

Old BE said...

There was a brilliant case where a legal mind challenged the council's fine for parking his scooter on the pavement by placing the scooter on bricks. He claimed that the scooter was not on the footpath.

He lost.

Kimpatsu said...

Apostrophe abuse should be a crime to,, you know...

Hogdayafternoon said...

TonyF: Most of my drops were at the rest or walking pace when the foot steps on loose gravel, the beast quickly leans, passing V1, and I step off feeling stupid. Diesel is the bane of our roads.

Blue: The ingenuity of the brief knows no limits.

Kimpatsu: I had no idea that a Postrophe had been abused.How awful. Was it the Postrophe family from Clapham North, as I think I knew them?

JWest said...

1. Liked your comment on Roller Dude's blog.
2. Been around the block a time or two....
3. Good stuff, thank you very much. Will probably steal some of it.
V/R JWest

Hogdayafternoon said...

JWest: Thanks for that. The Roller Dude and I could become drinking buddies, but for the 6000 miles between us. Stay in touch.