Why the Island needs speed restrictions...

[Amadeus]

Yawn....

[Terminal]

There’s never anything in the press about the countless dozens of bikers that would’ve crashed on the mountain doing similar or greater speeds during TT. Why’s that then?

[The Duck of Atholl]

47 minutes ago, Max Power said:

I agree with you wrighty, he's lucky nobody was killed, but young people do tend to modify their cars and drive to impress their friends. That's why I feel a certain amount of sympathy, because it's not something unusual in that respect, it's always happened and I was probably guilty of the same thing as a youth. They just didn't have the same construction and use regulations in those days.  

Just for interest, insurance companies will find all sorts of reasons not to pay up these days, adding alloy wheels, better brakes and suspension are all non standard modifications. I'm not saying that's the case in this instance.

The point is if he hadn't of crashed he wasn't breaking the law by way of speeding. Does anyone really think driving at speeds circa 140mph on a public highway   like the Mountain is acceptable? When closed for racing and raced upon by skilled professionals it's use at such speeds  is still  questionable at best 

[trmpton]

3 minutes ago, The Duck of Atholl said:

The point is if he hadn't of crashed he wasn't breaking the law by way of speeding. Does anyone really think driving at speeds circa 140mph on a public highway   like the Mountain is acceptable? When closed for racing and raced upon by skilled professionals it's use at such speeds  is still  questionable at best 

I would guess people travel at those speeds up there everyday, and that during TT in particular it’s a very regular occurrence.

Not saying it’s right, just pointing out that it happens all the time without actually causing an issue to anyone

[Uhtred]

1 hour ago, x-in-man said:

We'll all have flying cars by the time it's finished, so not a problem.

Imagine the scrap metal showering down on Peel Road after the multiple collisions as they all try to land in McDonalds car park.

[Twitch]

1 hour ago, x-in-man said:

They have speed restrictions in the UK.  Guess what

We have speed restrictions along the prom, does not stop old twats in gold Volvo estates doing 40 and over taking me.

 

They have half our death rate on the roads..?

[Bobbie Bobster]

1 hour ago, Twitch said:

They have half our death rate on the roads..?

...and different road types, population density, vehicle mix, journey durations, et al.

[quilp]

1 hour ago, Uhtred said:

Imagine the scrap metal showering down on Peel Road after the multiple collisions as they all try to land in McDonalds car park.

Rambo would be delighted... 

[The Phantom]

I think the 'Dick' plate is a genius idea. 

For mid range driving offences, that probably wouldn't get a ban, but some points and a fine. 

Or maybe you could reduce your ban slightly if you wore your Dick Plate?

[Derek Flint]

There is a very real cultural issue to overcome here. What follows is purely my own personal opinion.

for the record, I like a fast run as much as the next bloke. But nigh on 20 years as a traffic cop, and Road death senior investigating officer put something of a different perspective on things for me. My personal viewpoint is that, in an environment where there is multidimensional use of a Highway (cars, motorcycles, vans, trucks, wagons, buses, bikes, pedestrians) there is a need for an upper speed limit as part of the overall mitigation of risk on that route. 

A number of local individuals have treated me as something of a pariah for having that view, arguing that it isn’t speed that is the problem, but “inappropriate” speed. And I get that entirely. There are circumstances where it is of relatively low risk to traverse the mountain road in a high performance car or on a bike at speeds well over 100mph. There are riders and drivers with lots of high speed experience that are more than capable of doing so. But that isn’t when there is the aforementioned multidimensional use in play.  Other road users are brought into that risk envelope, and that isn’t their choice. It also changes the risk profile because suddenly you aren’t just dealing with road conditions and topography.

Government have actually complicated the picture further. During closed roads, official cars and bikes, on a one way road, with marshal cover, medical and rescue cover, are limited to 120mph on the Mountain Section. They are generally deconflicted as well, with the cars not running at the same time as live race bikes especially (Ignore Mercer for now).

Once the race is over,  and the road returns to public use, that same car or bike then has no upper restrictions on its top speed other than the design performance and the mettle of the driver. In MGP this is further compounded that the traffic is of course, two way.

The state has a positive obligation to protect life under art.2 of the Human Rights Act. I personally think the circumstances they create will, in due course, provide for a very difficult time at an inquest. 

[Rushen Spy]

How about making people take a renewal test every ten years?

[doc.fixit]

I think I'd say there should be mandatory 5 year refresher courses.

[Ham_N_Eggs]

5 hours ago, trmpton said:

I would guess people travel at those speeds up there everyday, and that during TT in particular it’s a very regular occurrence.

Not saying it’s right, just pointing out that it happens all the time without actually causing an issue to anyone

And if you follow the police Twitter / Facebook there is a crash up there at least twice a week.

[display name]

Why?

 

[Ham_N_Eggs]

Introduce speed limits with speed cameras to enforce them. I really don't see the logic in not having speed cameras on the Island.