French Run - The Story So Far

Update from TOG:

BGN has set some kind of new record - attending a French run but
never actually making it onto foreign soil, but still leaving the UK...

Apparently he needed some oil for the bike, as in "most of it". It
took 3/4 litre to bring it up to the oil window, but the damage was
already done. He never made it off the ferry and elected to stay
on instead and get recovered from Dover.

Just to add insult to injury, while waiting to be recovered at Dover,
a seagull shat on him.

Still at Dover, Sniper decided that programming his GPS was more
important than getting the ferry. So much more important in fact,
that he missed it.

WUN takes the prize for arriving first, even though Champ caught
him up en route and went past. It's just that Champ got lost.

More updates as they arrive.

 

Twice, now.

The TC.

 

BWAHAHAHAHAHA.

 

I think we've heard that particular tragedy already.

I knew I should have arranged to mysteriously turn up at the hotel by
train as it looks like a room would have been guaranteed given the last
minute drop outs - shame French train services in Ardennes are so shit.

Oh FFS. Some things don't change - ISTR similar faffing around when I
lead a convoy to the Black Horse for an *OSM some time back. I'd
memorised the route and apart from road works on the very final stretch
of road that required a diversion no other map or electronic
consultation was required.

Hah! Sets an interesting precedent for finding their way round the
Ring.

<rooted to the spot>

 

They had a spare room anyway, wot I booked on Wednesday.

He still got there earlier than many, AFAICT.

Everyone got wet, it seems, and they still haven't decided wether to
do the Ring or not - I've checked the forecasts, and it looks like I
can get a dry run up to that part of the world, so I'll do it anyway,
Ring or not.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2
`\|/`
`

 

Paul Corfield wrote

If that was the one I was on there was no problem. At last not from my
perspective which was for much of the time firmly centred on Aide's
black leather clad arse squirming about atop a yellow motorcycle.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, antonye

This isn't technically true, others arrived before me. But I am quicker
than Champ.

Especially when sailing past him chatting to a couple of coppers beside
the M20...

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Podium Placed Ducati Race Engineer

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha GTS1000

 

Really?

 

Bwahahahahaha. I look forward to this particular story - old uncle
tease.

 

<vvvbg>


--
Dnc

B1200 - +30bhp ~|~ ZZR1100 - faster when upright
V2300 - flat cap and rug ~|~ A6 2.5TDi V6 Quattro Sport

MIB#26 two#54(soiled) UKRMMA#26 BOTAFOT#153 X-FOT#003

 

That might be my fault that. Perhaps my comment of "that's a cheeky
plate innit?" as you left the Relais carpark was play knockey-go-whatsit
with thingamy.

Sorry.

--
Dnc

B1200 - +30bhp ~|~ ZZR1100 - faster when upright
V2300 - flat cap and rug ~|~ A6 2.5TDi V6 Quattro Sport

MIB#26 two#54(soiled) UKRMMA#26 BOTAFOT#153 X-FOT#003

 

You're only 12 years behind me in finding this out. They had a system in
place yonks ago, but it was shit and coppers weren't at all surprised
when it produced nothing useful most of the time.

You're only 12 years behind me in realising this. The UK is fucked up
and lots of people have voted with their feet. I said for years, long
before I left, that coppers demanding ID from people is a damned
un-British way of doing things. Gets more and more like Bloody Europe
every year.

 

You shouldn't use two metasyntactic variables in one sentence, you
know.

 

You're just bitter that Champ credited me with your recent version of
above statement aren't you. Oh. Hang on. You weren't there. Umm, never mind.


--
Dnc

B1200 - +30bhp ~|~ ZZR1100 - faster when upright
V2300 - flat cap and rug ~|~ A6 2.5TDi V6 Quattro Sport

MIB#26 two#54(soiled) UKRMMA#26 BOTAFOT#153 X-FOT#003

 

I think you're right about that, but I'm sure you're wrong about point
1. It is in fact a requirement to carry licence and insurance with
you, but one that is normally waived. The 'producer' is allowed in
lieu of reporting you for the 'offence' of not carrying documents.

As for the Insurance register, well quite clearly it's not 100%
correct, as it didn't include your new bike. I guess it's probably
using reg. no as a unique key, so if you have a multi-vehicle policy
it's not going to show under each plate covered.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2
`\|/`
`

 

Not strictly speaking, hence the old producer.

About 99%. Fall off is usually due to a check being done within 24hrs
of a policy being taken out, so the InsCo database hasn't been updated
yet. It's not actually a Police database as such. It's the InsCo's,
which Police now have access to via the PNC.

Works like this. Database is, for all intents & purposes, extremely
accurate. Multi vehicle policies sometimes cause a bit of digging
about, as does CIHAGM insurance. However, most people can remember
the index of at least one of their "fleet" for a multi vehicle, or the
index of their own bike on CIHAGM riding. This will clear up the vast
majority of the ones falling through the gap. If a chap were to still
be having problems, but still insisting that he is insured, then a
phone call to the InsCo's' Police Liaison line will clear that little
problem up. I have to confess that it sometimes takes a little bit
of reminding to the driver/rider about the whole power to seize that
brings forth the truth. To be perfectly frank, most forces have
limited space to store seized vehicles, so not too many are actually
being taken off the road on an ad hoc basis. It's generally reserved
for pre planned operations. In any event you have to be pretty damned
certain that no policy exists before you take the vehicle away.

I've yet to seize one where an error has been made on the D/base.
For ones that are uninsured but aren't seized, it's a fixed penalty
notice of a £200 fine and 6 points. The seized ones get the FPN and
points, as well as a removal fee and a per diem storage charge. More
often than not the person will just sign a disclaimer for the vehicle,
and it's then disposed of.

Producers are a pain in the cajones for everyone. With Driving
Licence, Insurance and now MOT records being (gradually) computerised,
Police Forces have been told to cut down on their issue, as checks can
now be done roadside. Less hassle for the motorist as well,
particularly if you find you've misplaced one of the docs.

I can certainly see why you're annoyed, when you clearly have
insurance, and do have great sympathy with you for having been on the
wrong end of the threat of vehicle seizure. However looking at it
from the "Dark Side" as it were, it's a fairly satisfying feeling to
get an uninsured vehicle off the road straight away. One less to
cause problems for everyone else.

HTH

 

We followed Snipers GPS through the centre of Cambrai. Did the by-pass
on the way back. Twice as quick

 

It's not. You've really got to show that you checked every other
which way before you take the thing. Phone calls to InsCo's, checking
of other policies and the like. Or at least that's the way it works
in the Met. Also, in the Met, it's only the Traffic Police who are
permitted to seize the vehicles anyway. Partially due to the fact
that the officers in Traffic have a much better understanding of
vehicle documentation, and can generally be relied on to do the
necessary checks to an acceptable standard.

It really isn't a case of "if the database doesn't show insurance on
one check, then your vehicle's off to the pound, chum", honestly.

 

That fucking sucks. Sorry, but it does. The sort of twonk who drives or
rides uninsured isn't going to give a **** about a derisory fine, and it
would take half a dozen fines to equal the size of one premium.

OK, so that would mean 36 points too (!) but the sort of shitbag who
drives around in an uninsured untaxed vehicle all the time isn't going
to be overly bothered about licence niceties either.

I've mentioned this before, but I far prefer the attitude of a friend
who's a beak in the Midlands. His bench has the attitude that it
shouldn't be cheaper to flout the law than to obey it. They have a tame
broker on hand, and every time they have an uninsured driver they
contact the broker and ask (for example) how much TPO insurance would be
for a 19 year-old with a chavved-up Nova GTE. And they then set the fine
at that plus 50%. Job done.

Small fixed penalty fines for something as serious as no insurance are,
IMHO, the sign of a contemptible system that doesn't GAF.

 

The Older Gentleman wrote

Nice. Please pass on my good wishes to your "friend" for his endeavours
and suggest he seeks some more publicity for his cause.