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 Post subject: Here's a thought...
PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2007 16:36 
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I confess I like to release my 100+ bhp on the tarmac occasionally, sometimes on the back wheel - just a little. But if you have something you'd like to open up where can you go?

I know there are track days at certain times and various venues around the country, but they are prohibitively expensive for many of us and quite far away.

So, how about making certain sections of road around the country a place where you can openly and legally do your own thing? The roads could be made extra safe with barriers and no trees at the side etc, just in case you gob it and only on dry days perhaps.

Anyone who enters these roads, which would be very clearly labelled at the entrance, effectively signs up for a road which is going to be fast. You could gate it so that it controls the traffic entering to prevent a Hyabusa and a Ferrari rocketing past me because I'm only doing 150mph.

If there is an accident the information is fed back to shut the gate until it's clear and safe again. You pay at the entrance and off you go, a bit like a toll road only without limits. Maybe a fee of £10 or £20 instead of the £200 it takes to get to a track day.

I know it may be regarded as encouraging accidents, but look what's happening on our roads and where people go crazy. It may sound mad but isn't it better to direct the nutters somewhere away from the normal roads so they can get their fix?

Speaking for myself, once I've had a bit of a blast I've pretty much got it out of my system and I'm content to plod thereafter, so you could well see a marked decline in accidents on our normal roads if people were allowed to do this.

I was young once so I know the need for speed urge, although I hold back these days.

How many out of ten this time Paul? :)

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PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2007 17:24 
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Take a weeks holiday on the Isle of Man,
It's the real deal, lots and lots of empty roads especially up north of the island.

I was doing a 120+ when a bike flew past me on the Ballamohda Straight, on the Castletown to Foxdale road. Just watch out for tractors emerging from the fields.

fatboytim


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PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2007 18:39 
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What you are proposing sounds like a UK version of the Nurburging, all 14 miles of it. That is one monster circuit to drive around, incredible that it was used for F1 when todays circuits are barely 2 miles or so in length.
It ain't gonna happen though and I think we all know it.


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 Post subject: Re: Here's a thought...
PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2007 19:06 
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Big Tone wrote:
How many out of ten this time Paul? :)


Well I think it's an excellent idea, so 8/10 for inspiration.

But I don't think anyone can make it happen, so it's 1/10 for practicality.

Possibly we can brainstorm a development of the idea that would make it practical.

What are the hill climbers doing these days? Are they still managing to close public roads? I haven't heard of one for a long time. :(

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 Post subject: Re: Here's a thought...
PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2007 19:47 
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SafeSpeed wrote:
What are the hill climbers doing these days? Are they still managing to close public roads? I haven't heard of one for a long time. :(


Goodwood, but that's only one and certainly private.

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PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2007 20:21 
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This is brainstorming so I guess I don't have to form proper sentences...

Private road.
Air strip.
Abandoned air strip.
Camp site around abandoned air strip which isn't used in the winter.

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PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2007 22:45 
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Slight change of tack but has anyone compared KSI data per 100,000 vehicle KM (or whatever units one chooses) of the IOM and (say) Cumbria, which is topographically very similar? Would such a comparison (maybe excluding TT week and any other "special" cases) yield any useful data?


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PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 11:50 
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fatboytim wrote:
Take a weeks holiday on the Isle of Man,
It's the real deal, lots and lots of empty roads especially up north of the island.


I've always fancied that ta but it is still quite a jaunt for me and again, how much would it cost to get across the water? Soz but I've never been there so I don't know but it sounds like it would be expensive to ferry across. I know it cost a lot to take my bike across to France last year.

I was thinking more along the lines that you can just wake up one day, the sun is shining and know that you can zoom up a road which is maybe an hour away or less. If you've got to go on a mission or if it's expensive it kinda thwarts you.

By the way Tim, what happened with the speed camera they put up and then someone promptly put it back down? :lol: Did they try again?

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You will be branded a threat to society by going over a speed limit where it is safe to do so, and suffer the consequences of your actions in a way criminals do not, more so than someone who is a real threat to our society.


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PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 13:28 
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Don't know why I didn't think to ask this in my last post but does anyone have statisics for the Isle of Man?

If they can speed, as and when, according to the Government and RB the roads should be running with blood shouldn't they? :scratchchin:

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You will be branded a threat to society by going over a speed limit where it is safe to do so, and suffer the consequences of your actions in a way criminals do not, more so than someone who is a real threat to our society.


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PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 15:07 
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Big Tone wrote:
If they can speed, as and when, according to the Government and RB the roads should be running with blood shouldn't they? :scratchchin:

Going on SCP logic if exceeding speed limits is the most dangerous thing ever, and they have no speed limits, then they can't be exceeded. So the roads are perfectly safe at any speed, obviously.

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PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 18:58 
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Big Tone wrote:
Don't know why I didn't think to ask this in my last post but does anyone have statisics for the Isle of Man?


This was all I could find...

http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/dha/police/a ... rt2006.pdf

Page 30.

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