Rally Drivers Banned for Speeding

Former Member

I hate to quote Richard Littlejohn, but you really couldn't make it up.

Details here

You'd have thought that space would be set aside for these tests, or that the Police had something more important to do...

Former Member

What was wrong with that exactly?

They were speeding on a public road and should be prosecuted.......

Former Member

Originally posted by Toadborg
What was wrong with that exactly?

They were speeding on a public road and should be prosecuted.......

Hence why I said about space being set aside. Why are they having to test on a public road, which is still open to the public. Or do they have to stick to speed limits during the actual rally too?

Former Member

Well that is not the polices fault, it is their obligation to find somewhere appropriate.

I assume that it is not a 100% necessary to drive very fast to perform these tests.

One of the guys was clocked doing 50ish, significantly slower than in a race I assume........

Former Member

Its their own fault to be honest, I could get a fine for speeding so they should receive the same treatment.
They obviously knew they were on the pulic highway, they knew they were speeding so they only have themselves to blame.

Former Member

Guys, I'm not saying it was wrong for them to be convicted. They were caught, simple as.

What I am suggesting is that either:

a) The Rally organisers should have ensured that there was a place where these checks could take place. Preferably away from a public highway.

b) That the Welsh police, who are well known for their speed traps amy have only been there because they suspected that this might happen. My problem with this is that there are probably other crimes happening which have a higher profile locally which should also be getting their attention. So rather than spend man-hours chasing people who are only going to be there for one day, they could have been tracking down the habitual criminal to prey of the area in a regular basis.

Former Member

MOK I agree that the onus should be on the track organisers to make sure that these guys had a safe place where these checks could take place, making sure they were not on the public highway. What you have to remember is these drivers are very experienced, they are good drivers other wise they would not be in this profession the people we need to worry about who could cause an accident are the other idiotic drivers on the road. Even the most experienced driver could be in a serious accident purely through another irresponsible driver.

With regards to the Welsh police they are not the only force in the country to do speed traps of this nature. My hubby was caught coming out of work at 11:00 ish pm on an evening, now why were the police not catching the idiots who speed in built up areas near the town centre ? they caught him on a stretch of road that was well out of town, nobody about and basically they probs knew they would catch workers coming out of work so thats why they were there, so you see it happens everywhere.

Former Member

The RACMSA actually did have the shakedown track away from public roads- it just took a two mile drive along public roads to get to it. The rally drivers should have stuck to the speed limit.

During competition at the end of each special stage it is necessary to drive on public roads to get to the next special stage, and the RACMSA time the distance- any driver who does it in too short a time (i.e. over the speed limit) gets disqualified or gets a time penalty.

But of course the Welsh police had set that speed trap up simply because they knew there was a chance of catching them speeding. And thats what upsets everybody- besides which, as the RAC have claimed today, speed cameras dont actually prevent speeding, they exacerbate it because instead of drievrs doing a steady 75 on a motorway, theyll slam all on for 300 yards, then speed up to 85 to make the time back up once theyre past the cameras.

Cameras are replacing the traffic police- its no sodding wonder that driving standards are getting worse in this country, because speed cameras dont catch the stupid old duffer doing 22mph on a trunk road, just the guy doing 70.