Re: Speedo accuracy

["Mike Bostock" <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In your message regarding Re: Speedo accuracy dated Mon, 22 Jan 2001
19:28:56 EST, Jconne6305@xxxxxx said that ...

>J-  There was an article in the BMW owners magazine about speedo inaccuracy.  The 
>J-  determination was that pretty much all brands err on the positive side up to 
>J-  10 percent.  Probably helps keep tickets down.  However, the odometer reading 
>J-  was found to be pretty much correct (some warranties may be based on mileage) 
>J-   so who really cares??  i am pretty much always in the passing lane anyways.  

I don't suppose anyone cares who obeys the letter of the law and rides at
the speed limit as indicated by an optimistic speedometer, but how many of
those exist on this list?

My recent experience, not knowing the error on the speedo, was that I had
car drivers trying to either crawl up my exhaust pipe or worse still,
because a bike does not occupy the majority of the width of the lane (as
does a four wheeled vehicle and even though I was riding 1/3 or the lane
width in from the line), trying to overtake in a built up area by forcing
me into the kerb.

Unfortunately the law of this land dictates that you have to drive within
the speed limit, NOT that you must drive at an appropriate speed according
to nature and condition of the road (unless you happen to be driving a
politician or a senior police officer).  The result is that nearly all
drivers/riders see the speed limit as a target and drive to that target. 
Most informed drivers know that they will not be nicked if they are below
the speed limit + 10% + 3mph and view this as the target speed.  The more
inaccurate your speedo is the harder that that piece of mental arithmetic
becomes until it detracts from the pleasure of riding a bike.  Even harder
in the counties that have a zero tolerance to exceeding the speed limit.

Of course this is not a problem, as a rule, where the national 60 mph
speed limit applies, due to a bike's superior acceleration. But it is in
urban areas where a lower speed limit applies and car drivers can't tell
the difference between a 50cc moped and a 955cc Sprint and think that you
are travelling at 30 mph (less > 10% = 26-27 mph) because you are
incapable of going any faster!  The result is some idiot in a car tries to
overtake you where he would not even dream of overtaking a four wheeled
vehicle and, due to the lack of space, completes this manoeuvre 6 inches
from your front wheel!

The way that most bikers tend to avoid this is by increasing the distance
between themselves and the car behind, regardless of the speed limit. 
This equals caught by nice gentleman wearing dayglo jacket and equipped
with laser speed gun...  "Sorry officer, I was was trying to get away from
this car driver who was driving to close to me." is not a valid excuse.

An accurate speedo means that you know what speed you are doing - not
guessing.

http://www.transtat.detr.gov.uk/tables/tsgb00/4/41300.htm  is convincing.


- -- 
Mike Bostock
http://www.toothfairy.co.uk/
Wales & SW ST Riders
http://www.unicorn-k9.fsnet.co.uk/

'99 Red ST

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