Yesterday evening, along the A40 (3 lanes) heading out of London I caught up with a police escort of VIPs with three outriders, thier policy is to keep their VIP excort moving no matter what even if it is at a crawl. So they clear the road ahead and create a protection bubble around the cars. Now, in the rush hour this means they are moving slow, and I mean creeeeeping along. They hold back the pack of motorbikes (about 15 of us) that are immediatly behind the convoy as they clear lane 3 ahead so they can keep moving. Now, I see lane 1 is quiet and plenty of space so i'm thinking, it isnt near their escort, their bubble is perfectly safe from me so I safely progress through the traffic between lane 1 and 2, when there is space I move to the far left of lane 1 and I am past the outriders. It was clear there was no way I imposed on their duty to 'protect their vips' and once I am past I stay filtering between 1 & 2 and later on back to lane 3. I am now wondering, perhaps this wasn't the smartest thing to do, and should have stayed behind, but then we would have been moving slower than walking pace for the next 20 mins until the next junction at least. I am bracing myself for a ticket through the post or a knock on the door.
You haven't interfered with there protective bubble so I can't see a problem. If you get a visit from a man in blue lets us know. I doubt it thou
You won't get a ticket, they have better things to do. Youll just disappear one day! I had the same, heavy london traffic, police unmarked cars escorting some Range Rovery type, so I thought I'd tag along behind, as you do, anyway I kept a reasonable distance and managed the whole of Cromwell road with them, at Knightsbridge I must have crept closer, too close for comfort as one of the rear doors opened slightly to reveal one hand holding a gun of some description and the other politely waving me back!
I just reviewed the footage on my cameras, and at the point I joined the back of the convoy was at a crossroads with traffic lights. The police had held up the traffic and as I pulled up behind them they had just gone through the junction as the light turned red, I was at the back and on my rear camera I see the camera flash!!!! Bollox, maybe three points and £100! I thought they had held up the traffic at the junction and it was police managed, but when I arrive they were moving off, the junction was clear and I was behind a few other bikes. Plus heading West means I was driving into the sun and there is a high contrast to being able to see the lights, god that sounds like a right string of clichés. Totally my fault and should have been paying more attention to the lights than what the old bill were up to, so not looking for ways to get out of it. If I get a ticket and points then so be it - my first in 23 years of biking. Maybe it is time to reign it in and stop being so...'optimistic/riding with hope/opportunist' and/or Maybe time to find a job closer to hope where I don't have to commute, including the 40min through London traffic.
Reviewing the cameras frame by frame I can identify the moment the camera flashed and although 'just' over the line, I think the camera was triggered by the car and other bikes in front of me. I may be very lucky and escape a ticket! Rear photo Front as same moment Dont get me wrong, I deserve it, but I may have dodged it. As cumeuppance though I will force myself to ride 1mph below all speed limits for a week, would be an interesting project to see how it affects my MPH. This includes the A40 flyover towards Acton which is 3 lanes and 40mph...which no-one keeps to
I am not sure where the idea has come from that I am leaving the forum! You nutters are crazy and I have far to much fun here to leave
you guys are giving me nightmares, should I watch Shawshank Redemption and Sleepers by way of a survival guide! Nothing through the post yet, but another two weeks to wait before I can relax.
