Suspended sentence for 156 Mph Biker!

[ZXR400Lee]

Watch the video again..

I have no doubt the fiesta driver checked mirrors, signalled and moved out.. correctly..

The fiesta driver would have checked mirrors, indicated and began to move out when all that person could see in there rear view mirror was a Peugeot 406 taxi.. not a green motorbike..

The bike was accelerating too fast.. most of us know how quick a litre sportsbike can accelerate and i'm pretty sure its faster than you can react.. to then be able to slow down after noticing you have no road left.

[mattr6]

Hmmmm, watched it again and I still stand by what I said. In the time it takes to get from the roundabout to where the accident happened, the fiesta driver should have checked mirrors at least once (I know I would have), to which a light would've been apparant (the biker) passing traffic.

We're only second guessing this, only the fiesta driver knows.

Also passing on cross hatchings with oncoming traffic is a nono in my book (esp in a car!!)

[Plunger83]

I agree about the fiesta driver. Would be interesting to know if he/ she was charged with anything??

As for the sentance being too light?? No, I don't think so. He's got to live with the fact that he was part of the accident that killed his best mate. Can imagine he'll see that image for the rest of his life which to me, is enough punishment.

Also agree fully about the lack of consistancy in sentancing.

I'm not going to condemn the speed. All of us on here who own sportsbikes like to open it up now again, maybe not to the level in that video but we do. Even if he had been doing 80, would that have prevented the accident occuring?? I think not. (obviously thats ifs and buts)

Finally someone speaks som sense, Totally agree with the inconsistant sentancing, but i didnt feel from the video that i watched that they were riding dangerously, i know they were speeding but they had good distance's between themselves and other road users and the road (a30) wasn't busy, I have to say, no matter if you guys think its bad driving/riding if i were out with my mates on the same road with the same traffic, we would have been overtaking there aswell.
After watching the video three times I think the fiesta driver does have a part to play, ok they were speeding ect, and even if he did indicate that doesnt mean he checked his mirrors, so many people do that, they indicate but dont use their mirrors.
Im glad the guy got a suspended sentance and i wish him the best of luck getting over the tragic death of his close friend.

[TLS-Moose]

I must say, having watched the packet video, that the majority of the riding didn't seem much different to other "spirited" rides I've been on - maybe a bit faster speed-wise - but other than one over-take that seemed a touch close (and film always distorts perspective) it certainly wasn't as bad as the one with the guy running from police on the A380/Teignmouth road

The final overtake is one I would quite possibly have done (it is certainly not "illegal" as the surrounding lines are broken rather than solid), and anyone who has used both that bit of road (particularly the section over the viaduct to the roundabout at the other end) or the Ilminster by-pass would be quite used to seeing that manouvre regularly - indeed often the only opportunity to get past summer traffic.

The Fiesta driver, whilst perhaps not expecting the acceleration of the bike, should certainly have been paying more attention, and must carry some burden of the accident. I have been on rides where others on this site have had similar things happen to them - overtaking a car and it decides to pull out on them too. I will even hold my hand up and say I have done it whilst driving the car too ... a motorcycle is very easy to miss at that angle when driving a car

I made no comment on the severity of the punishment (and won't) but merely drew attention to the inconsistencies of punishment handed out by the courts

[deej]

Crikey!! Was he really doing 156mph in that vid?

It's just that that appeared so effortless.

I agree. Although films can be very deceptive, that really didn't look like 150+mph



Seems odd, that a film captured 156mph speeds plus dangerous riding, etc., that resulted in a death warrants only a suspended sentence when 125 with no injuries or accidents deserves time in jail

The lack of consistency in the justice system really is quite appalling

yep would say it was genuinely showing those speeds on the speedo,after owning a 06 zx10 myself its quite easy to get top those speeds especially along that stretch of road, i know of a fair few have done similair speeds on the way to hayle bike nights

[deej]

On here as well, don't know why 170 wasn't quoted in court. Beware, end of video does show how the fatal accident happened.

http://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/videonews/

Awful video, harrowing to watch at the end. Apparantly the police say that when the speedo was tested it was innacurate and 156 mph was probably the accurate speed.

The riding speaks for itself and provided the police with all the evidence they needed. The fatal overtake was extremely risky in the face of oncoming traffic and the speed delta between the bike and the cars, but the car driver who pulled out in front of him must bear at least some of the blame. He/she clearly didn't check in the mirror before beginning the overtake. I wonder if he/she was charged?

Tragic!

jim link didnt work or the clips been removed

mike can you find a speedo that is accurate bike or car, 156 genuine speed would be about right for a speedo showing 170.

the riding was dangerous but not exactly uncommon on the roads in the clip,been there done it thats why i stick to the track now. the fiesta driver was partly to blame,shouldnt have pulled out on the bike but the biker should have been more aware of the fiesta and not attacked the road so quick when the dual carriageway was just a few more metres away. tragic accident and one they'll have to live with just for the sake of 15 mins fun for a couple of bikers. thats the sad part in it,one persons fun has ruined the lives of so so many

[VTR]

On here as well, don't know why 170 wasn't quoted in court. Beware, end of video does show how the fatal accident happened.

http://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/videonews/

Awful video, harrowing to watch at the end. Apparantly the police say that when the speedo was tested it was innacurate and 156 mph was probably the accurate speed.

The riding speaks for itself and provided the police with all the evidence they needed. The fatal overtake was extremely risky in the face of oncoming traffic and the speed delta between the bike and the cars, but the car driver who pulled out in front of him must bear at least some of the blame. He/she clearly didn't check in the mirror before beginning the overtake. I wonder if he/she was charged?

Tragic!

jim link didnt work or the clips been removed

mike can you find a speedo that is accurate bike or car, 156 genuine speed would be about right for a speedo showing 170.

I read it as an answer to graham's question, in as much to say why the 170mph seen on the clocks in the vid wasn't mentioned in court & not saying that the speedo was/is accurate.
Interestingly BBC Spotlight did say this in their report.

the riding was dangerous but not exactly uncommon on the roads in the clip,been there done it thats why i stick to the track now. the fiesta driver was partly to blame,shouldnt have pulled out on the bike but the biker should have been more aware of the fiesta and not attacked the road so quick when the dual carriageway was just a few more metres away. tragic accident and one they'll have to live with just for the sake of 15 mins fun for a couple of bikers. thats the sad part in it,one persons fun has ruined the lives of so so many

Agreed, tragic

[Funky]

I'll put my hands up and say that I have ridden like that, also passed oh hatched lines (though I do try to avoid it as dirt chronicly collects there). Sadly This is just one of those things that happens, both parties at fault for various reasons and none more so than the other. Sadly it ended in the loss of a man's life.

I echo moose in that the justice system has to get some sort of consistency.

[Plunger83]

I'll put my hands up and say that I have ridden like that, also passed oh hatched lines (though I do try to avoid it as dirt chronicly collects there). Sadly This is just one of those things that happens, both parties at fault for various reasons and none more so than the other. Sadly it ended in the loss of a man's life.

I echo moose in that the justice system has to get some sort of consistency.

Agreed

[Mervin]

I'll put my hands up and say that I have ridden like that, also passed oh hatched lines (though I do try to avoid it as dirt chronicly collects there). Sadly This is just one of those things that happens, both parties at fault for various reasons and none more so than the other. Sadly it ended in the loss of a man's life.

I echo moose in that the justice system has to get some sort of consistency.

Agreed

Justice system consistency in this country??? never, what hope is there when you thugs and thieves were once being sent on safari holidays and single parent mothers locked up for not paying their tv licenses
merv

[AndyCBR]

Sorry, can't see anything dangerous until maybe the final spurt away from the roundabout, even with the undertake there was plenty of room. Clearly the unfortunate rider was not expecting the fiesta to overtake & must have let his level of concentration drop, (probably, looking in his mirror to see what progress his mate was making having just undertaken him) otherwise he had plenty of time & room to either brake &/or thread between the fiesta & the other car.

Who's to blame...the rider is & always will be at fault! (& I'm not trying to be sanctomonious) because you really should always expect the unexpected & ride with full concentration & the awareness that every other idiot is out to get you (unfortunately none of us do or there would hardly ever be any accidents).

Every near miss & accident I have ever had (incl. 7 car write offs, plus 1 motorbike & 1 JCB (don't ask)) I could & should have avoided... just don't tell my insurance company though..

Its alright I am safe to ride with... my last accident was nearly 12 years ago now; just went through a little phase in my 20's...

Sentencing...well it wasn't his riding that caused the accident or played any part in his mates death, as for dangerous, that is subjective & depends on your own ability & the way you assess risks, I suspect the judge felt he had suffered enough with the tragic loss of his mate.

Have fun, but ride safe.

[deej]

I'm not sure there was a undertake, the guy was in front going into the roundabout and then reappeared in front on his mates camera once the road opened up. As moose said earlier cameras can distort the view

[purpledragon]

I feel sorry for the van driver, there were lots of things wrong with the ride.

I dnt see why everyone is bitching about the speed he was doing, it wasnt his speed that killed the ninja rider.

I also dnt quite see where the fiesta was going, seeing as tho there was a van oncoming, like I say lots of things that were wrong with that ride, more than a shame that someone had to pay the ultimate price!!

[mel1208]

if that rider wasnt recording that ride then knowone would have known what speeds they were doing previous to the accident.
so its neither here nor there that they were speeding before hand its completley irrelevant.
the guy who was recording had no part in the accident except being a witness to it,it was through the ninja riders own riding and that complete pillock drving the car that there was an accident and the poor bloke driving the van has to live with that for the rest of his life through no fault of his own.

[sevenofninecelica]

if that rider wasnt recording that ride then knowone would have known what speeds they were doing previous to the accident.
so its neither here nor there that they were speeding before hand its completley irrelevant.
the guy who was recording had no part in the accident except being a witness to it,it was through the ninja riders own riding and that complete pillock drving the car that there was an accident and the poor bloke driving the van has to live with that for the rest of his life through no fault of his own.

+1 frrom what I saw in that video.