Welsh Roads: cops and rainy days,

bigwelsh · Nov 17, 2003

hi! Right about the cops, be carefull on any of the roads at weekends in spring and summer, police are targeting groups of bikers, but you can see their point, as 15 died on North Wales roads this year, 13 from outside the area! Not so bad weekdays, and not so bad if you are on your own.
Anglesey is a great place to head if its raining, we get less than 1/2 the rain the mountains get. Try the A5025, right round the island to start. Also remember to call into Moelfre for a panad(cuppa in welsh) and a burger at the Caban, right by the beach, or the Ann`s Pantry if the weather`s not so good.

Les Wassall · Apr 20, 2004

Couldn’t believe how many plods out on Easter Monday, there were three, one in each cul-de-sac on the A5025 heading out of Benllech towards Pentreath, then the white camera van was at Betws-y-Coed, with another six plods on the 483 down towards Wrexham.
Its the first time I've seen so many together on the same stretch of road just spaced out, is this a new tactic?

Zoton · Apr 20, 2004

Went up 2 llanidloes today for a Yamaha off road school ( the kids not me ), no cops up or back just noticed 3 sets of flowers positioned at various spots on the roadside on the A470 all the way up > 90 odd miles !

Keith Chapman · Apr 20, 2004

I would rather see real life police rather than money making speed cameras.
The police can make a decision, a camera will just earn you a NIP with no chance to talk your way out of it.

sven · Apr 20, 2004

Keith Chapman said:
I would rather see real life police rather than money making speed cameras.
The police can make a decision, a camera will just earn you a NIP with no chance to talk your way out of it.

My in-laws live in Llanfechel near Amlwch (or however you spell them) and I received my one and only ever speeding ticket on the A5025 (?) heading towards Benlech - the f*cker was hiding behind a bush pointing it towards the exit from a 40 zone 1200 ft away as I accelerated into the 60 zone - I thought hiding and taking reading on motorcycles over 1000 ft away were both against the ACPO guidelines

I got the usual spile that he was a biker too, and that he should give me a summons for 63 in a 40 (it looked like a 60 to be honest), but as I had a clean licence and was riding a nice sensible (boring) R850R, he'd let me off with a fixed penalty.

Good job they didn't catch me thrashing around Bala on my Thundercat the summer before at similar three-figure speeds to the 3 off duty coppers from Anglesey who got nicked on their bikes

Shorty Mac · Apr 21, 2004

We have T*&T in a van man near us most mornings, he sits in his van just where it goes from a 60 to a 40, no houses or pedestrians for 3 miles, one day someone actually dragged him from the van and gave him a slap !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This morning I actually drove 3 miles out of my way just to flash the poor sods coming towards him.

There have been no accidents here before - its just a money spinner - I'd be happy to pay for more traffic cops as they target bad driving as well.

Wales is a great place to ride, shame about the cameras and a shame people that ride at 3 figures plus (yes i used to so i was as bad - old too soon & smart too late etc)

rocks · Apr 26, 2004

Apparent new police policy.. maybe?

Following a recent chat with Allan,, owner of A&D's motorcycles in Denbigh ( Sadly not a BMW dealer but still a great bunch), who sits on the community liason group.
The police recently were giving out warning on the matter of illegal cans and number plates.

But the digital camera vans, were out and about.
They have their own wedsite:
http://www.arrivealive.org.uk/

The vans are now BLACK.. or at least the one I saw on sunday was, which is a change from the WHITE.

Last year saw 11 dead in two weeks at the start of the season, so far this year, I have not heard of any..

However by the end of last year, tourists and riders were starting to avoid north wales and so the police were getting a battering for their attitude. I hope this year heralds a new era of decent policing and not money grabbing fascists.

The roads of north wales are outstanding.. I will be shortly all being well, be putting a website up with for those looking for nice routes to ride in north wales, but its a project on going, so will post some details once its up.

But the general note for north wales, is. Cruise on a Sat or Sunday.. it just aint worth it otherwise..

Horseshoe pass saw packed this sunday,, sadly didnt get any pics..

fish800 · Apr 26, 2004

North Wales

Having been a regular visitor to this beautiful area for the last decade or so I feel reasonably qualified to comment. The roads are truly fantastic but the scenery is more so. I have to concentrate even more than usual so as not to be distracted by the surroundings. I support the idea of more police if it makes things safer. There are too many twats out there ruining it for the rest of us. You want to go mental? - Go to a trackday. You want to race on the road? then F**k off elswhere and stop giving the rest of us a bad name. before you start slagging me off for my "wacky views" of advocating advanced riding etc, have you ever tried to keep up with (or get away from!) a police trained rider - virtually impossible on both counts and they rarely go over 85 or so ! So let's not spoil another wonderful place by tolerating the idiots who treat North Wales as their own personal race track.
There ! I feel much better now - pass me my pipe and slippers - I'm going for a ride!
:shout

ter

Ned Flanders · Apr 27, 2004

Re: North Wales

fish800 said:
...I support the idea of more police if it makes things safer. There are too many twats out there ruining it for the rest of us. You want to go mental? - Go to a trackday. You want to race on the road? then F**k off elswhere and stop giving the rest of us a bad name. before you start slagging me off for my "wacky views" of advocating advanced riding etc, have you ever tried to keep up with (or get away from!) a police trained rider - virtually impossible on both counts and they rarely go over 85 or so ! So let's not spoil another wonderful place by tolerating the idiots who treat North Wales as their own personal race track.
There ! I feel much better now - pass me my pipe and slippers - I'm going for a ride!
ter

Very well said that man.

Regards

Tim

~Stef~ · Apr 27, 2004

Keith Chapman said:
I would rather see real life police rather than money making speed cameras.
The police can make a decision, a camera will just earn you a NIP with no chance to talk your way out of it.

That'll be why 142 bikes where ticketed on sunday in Glen Coe by Police officers then ?

boxer · Apr 27, 2004

The roads of north wales are outstanding.. I will be shortly all being well, be putting a website up with for those looking for nice routes to ride in north wales, but its a project on going, so will post some details once its up.

Top idea!

Rollo · Apr 27, 2004

Keith Chapman said:
I would rather see real life police rather than money making speed cameras.
The police can make a decision, a camera will just earn you a NIP with no chance to talk your way out of it.

errrr.... give me a speed camera any day.

rocks · Apr 27, 2004

Why are the roads so dangerous..

I dont know if anyone has ever wondered why North Wales has so many accidents..

I know a lot are directly due to speed. And i am fully in support of making the roads a safer place. But another factor got mentioned to me.

One factor which people forget about north wales and having had a good natter with a police officer and an old civil engineering friend is that north wales road were originally cart tracks.

When a horse and cart take a bend you dont go in even circles. This means most of the bends tighten up as you go through it.. and
over the years the roads simply replaced many of the cart tracks, and so you get bends which start out ok but then get tighter and tighter..

And if you go in pushing your bikes/skills limit.. you get a nasty surprise as the bend tightens..

Now i cannot honestly vouch for the truth of the horse cart bit, but from personal experience, i can say there are a lot of bends that do this tightening up trick up here. But it makes sence.

North Wales does have some cracking scenery..

PW Cymru · May 29, 2004

This means most of the bends tighten up as you go through it..

If you look at it from another point of view you could say that some rider's fail to read the road and just approach it too fast and in the wrong position.

Just a thought

andy leett · May 29, 2004

Re: This means most of the bends tighten up as you go through it..

PW Cymru said:
If you look at it from another point of view you could say that some rider's fail to read the road and just approach it too fast and in the wrong position.

Just a thought

Hi Paul

I heard youd been spending some time with Andy Smith

rocks · May 30, 2004

Reading the road..

Yeh could put it that way.. either way sadly, there are still too many people winding up in stone walls, under trucks, or in the back of tractors.. for my liking.. and it aint just north wales..

I came very close to being a statistic last sunday.. when car pulled across me.. without indicating. Luckily front brake worked well.. first time i have had the rear wheel off the ground on any of my bikes..

Jam · Jun 3, 2004

Rocks ,

as it looks like i will being spending a week in Tywynn in the near future have you finished your Welsh roads website yet?

cheers

Jam

Bob Jeffries · Jun 3, 2004

Went over to Ireland on the Holyhead to Dublin ferry for the BSB a couple of weeks ago. Arrived at the Holyhead ferry terminal and joined the queue of about 20 bikes to go through the check-in. Followed them through to the security check - they all rode straight through, I got pulled over by a P.C.

The conversation went along the lines - Sorry mate this is supposed to be a police security check but I really only want to have a quick chat about the GSA. I’ve got a Fireblade and 9 points so am looking to get a GS as a few of my mates have them and they all have loads of fun without the silly speeds we get up to on the Fireblades, tell me about it ………… He may now be on here getting into the GS way

rocks · Jun 3, 2004

ridden.co.uk.. soon to be active. if i can get the cash!

Jam,
Sorry for lack of reply.. didnt see your question till just now..

I hope to have the site back up around start of July time.
I am struggling to find a reasonable hosting company..
easy space want £120 a year.. and right now in the middle of the thesis its a bit too pricy..
I need at least about 50mb of space for the site, due to forums and pictures..

My plan is to do a GPS set of waypoitns for the routes..
probably starting with, three points per ride.. ie start, middle finish.. But to do this i will need a gps.. another cost i cant really justify at the moment.. but hope to get it back up and running soon..

I may go along the lines of these forums and charge a few quid, (probably £4 or £5) to post adds etc..?

The site will cover UK.. and some favorite routes in europe.

If you want some routes in the meant time let me know.. I have passed on a few glorious tips to people..

As for coppers on Gs's.. hmm i guess it cannot hurt.. unless they are part of the new "Two unmarked police bikes".. that they have bought to allow them to park them in 30 zones where they cannot physically park a camera van.."..
sneaky gits..

Keep the roads safe, but dont rip us off please..

sven · Jul 27, 2004

Not as bad as I thought.....

We ride down to SWMBO's parents this weekend;down on Friday via the Horseshoe pass and A5, a ride around Snowdonia on Saturday and back along the A55 on Sunday (it was p*ssing down).

Apart from a couple of marked Volovo's and a Pan European on the A55 near the Jubilee Bridge, we saw no police all weekend.

I did keep the speed down to 70 in the NSL areas, 80 on the A55 and stuck to the limit in 30's & 40's though (as I normally do).

According to my GPS, the VFR's speedo over reads by 10%, so I think I was safe from being nicked anyway.

The roads around the Horseshoe pass were fun at 70 anyway.

The A5 was a bit dull at those speeds between Llangollen and Betws, but at least I could enjoy the scenery around Snowdonia a bit more.

However, I would have objected to being pulled for a "routine check" over simply because I rode a bike.

At least North Yorks and Lancs use spotters to select which bikes they're going to pull - normally the race rep/dark visor/loud can/small numberplete power rangers.

Welsh Roads: cops and rainy days,

bigwelsh

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