Where's the fire?

[flagreen]

Minn. Trooper Writes 205 Mph Ticket

WABASHA, Minn. (AP) - With a State Patrol airplane overhead, a motorcyclist hit the throttle and possibly set the informal record for the fastest speeding ticket in Minnesota history: 205 mph.

On Saturday afternoon, State Patrol pilot Al Loney was flying near Wabasha, in southeastern Minnesota on the Wisconsin border, watching two motorcyclists racing along U.S. Highway 61.

When one of the riders shot forward, Loney was ready with his stopwatch. He clicked it once when the motorcycle reached a white marker on the road and again a quarter-mile later. The watch read 4.39 seconds, which Loney calculated to be 205 mph.

"I was in total disbelief," Loney told the St. Paul Pioneer Press for Tuesday's editions. "I had to double-check my watch because in 27 years I'd never seen anything move that fast."

Several law enforcement sources told the newspaper that, although no official records are kept, it was probably the fastest ticket ever written in the state.

After about three-quarters of a mile, the biker slowed to about 100 mph and let the other cycle catch up. By then Loney had radioed ahead to another state trooper, who pulled the two over soon afterward.

The State Patrol officer arrested the faster rider, 20-year-old Stillwater resident Samuel Armstrong Tilley, for reckless driving, driving without a motorcycle license - and driving 140 miles per hour over the posted speed limit of 65 mph.

A search of speeding tickets written by state troopers, who patrol most of the state's highways, between 1990 and February 2004 shows the next fastest ticket was for 150 mph in 1994 in Lake of the Woods County.

Tilley did not return calls from the newspaper to his home Monday. A working number for him could not immediately be found by The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Only a handful of exotic sports cars can reach 200 mph, but many high-performance motorcycles can top 175 mph. With minor modifications, they can hit 200 mph. Tilley was riding a Honda 1000, Loney said.

Kathy Swanson of the state Office of Traffic Safety said unless Tilley was wearing the kind of protective gear professional motorcycle racers wear, he was courting death at 200 mph.

"I'm not entirely sure what would happen if you crashed at 200 miles per hour," Swanson said. "But it wouldn't be pretty, that's for sure."

Source - http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040922/D858M7MG0.html

Can you imagine?

 

[Tannin]

That's an extrardinary speed. I rather suspect that it was mismeasured and "only" 185MPH (or some such figure), but whichever way you slice it, it's somewhere in the close vicinity of 300km/h. Awesome.

In short, no, I can't imagine.

 

[Tea]

I can! :roll: :lol:

 

[Pradeep]

I guess he could argue that he was going so fast that it was impossible for the pilot's reflexes to accurately time when he passed the second line. But the judge prob wouldn't be too impressed

 

[jtr1962]

Can you imagine?

Well, that may be blazing fast for a motorcycle but it's not much above the day in and day out speed reached by high-speed trains in Europe and Japan. And if MS Train Simulator is any indication of what the real thing is like, you get acclimated to those kinds of speeds in no time at all. I suppose it feels quite a bit faster on a motorcycle, though.

My own personal best on my bicycle was 65 mph, and I needed a long downhill plus a good tailwind to reach it. It was lots of fun for the few seconds it lasted. Given a long enough hill and a brave enough rider I suppose 200 mph on an aerodynamic human-powered vehicle is possible.

 

[Pradeep]

Having been on the TGV I can say that you really don't feel the speed. Sure the caternaries (sp?) zip by fast but it's all so quiet and smooth. Given that a motorbike is exposed to the wind, and very close to the ground, I can only imagine that it feels very fast indeed. Sort of like a go-kart.

 

[jtr1962]

Actually, it's always referred to as simply catenary. I've noticed the relative lack of sensation of speed in trains myself when traveling 125 mph along the NorthEast Corridor. There isn't that much side-to-side motion, it's fairly quiet, and you're pretty high up. In fact, 70 mph in one of Amtrak's coaches feels painfully slow compared to the same speed in an automobile.

Pradeep, was the acceleration at low speeds on the TGV at all noticeable, let's say comparable to that of a subway train? Or somewhat less? How long did it take to get from a standing start to line speed? Maybe five minutes or so? I did the physics for the TGVs in MS Train Simulator and I'm wondering how close I am to the real thing.

 

[ddrueding]

In my exiting and foolhearty youth, I managed some rather significant speeds. I used to own a Honda CBR 600F4i, and took it to redline in 6th. The spedometer only went to 160mph. While driving a company 360 Modena, we got pretty close to the aforementioned 200mph (if the speedo is to be trusted).

Of course these days I wouldn't dream of such a thing; at least until I get my licence back...

 

[Pradeep]

Actually, it's always referred to as simply catenary. I've noticed the relative lack of sensation of speed in trains myself when traveling 125 mph along the NorthEast Corridor. There isn't that much side-to-side motion, it's fairly quiet, and you're pretty high up. In fact, 70 mph in one of Amtrak's coaches feels painfully slow compared to the same speed in an automobile.

Pradeep, was the acceleration at low speeds on the TGV at all noticeable, let's say comparable to that of a subway train? Or somewhat less? How long did it take to get from a standing start to line speed? Maybe five minutes or so? I did the physics for the TGVs in MS Train Simulator and I'm wondering how close I am to the real thing.

I went from Geneva to Paris, return. From Geneva it goes pretty slowly, until it hits the TGV lines, I guess in France. Couldn't feel the acceleration from normal speeds to TGV speeds at all, I only realised we were moving fast when I looked out of the window. I guess even in France they have to navigate the switching gear at the stations etc before they can crank up. Haven't been on a NYC subway but if it's anything like a London one, they accelerate with bursts of acceleration that could well cause you to fall over. Definitely not the case with the TGV.

 

[Pradeep]

In my exiting and foolhearty youth, I managed some rather significant speeds. I used to own a Honda CBR 600F4i, and took it to redline in 6th. The spedometer only went to 160mph. While driving a company 360 Modena, we got pretty close to the aforementioned 200mph (if the speedo is to be trusted).

Of course these days I wouldn't dream of such a thing; at least until I get my licence back...

When did you lose your license? I thought you were driving just the other week?

 

[ddrueding]

In my exiting and foolhearty youth, I managed some rather significant speeds. I used to own a Honda CBR 600F4i, and took it to redline in 6th. The spedometer only went to 160mph. While driving a company 360 Modena, we got pretty close to the aforementioned 200mph (if the speedo is to be trusted).

Of course these days I wouldn't dream of such a thing; at least until I get my licence back...

When did you lose your license? I thought you were driving just the other week?

I lost my licence proper in 2001. Since then I've been operating under a probational licence specifically for business purposes only. Typically these are restricted to certain routes at certain times of day; but due to the nature of my work, it's basically free-reign. The only certainty is that if I get pulled over for any reason at all, I lose it for up to 5 years. As the deadline for my freedom approaces, I become ever more cautious that something might happen (even being not at-fault in an accident might do it).

My car is now past 55k miles; I still average nearly 150mi/day.

 

[sechs]

Another reason not to drive... they can take your license away.

 

[Buck]

You don't need a license to drive.

 

[jtr1962]

Most of the people I knew in school and at my first job drove without licenses or insurance. As long as you don't get in an accident or get pulled over it's no big deal. A license doesn't replace your eyes and ears. Quite a few who have licences really shouldn't, and many who don't are actually better drivers. I had no problems riding with one of my friends even though she had no license.

 

[sechs]

The fact that drivers without licenses must drive carefully in order to not get caught without one is a really good reason to have a licensing system. We just need to keep more bad drivers from getting licenses, so that they are forced to drive carefully....

 

[Jan Kivar]

The fact that drivers without licenses must drive carefully in order to not get caught without one is a really good reason to have a licensing system. We just need to keep more bad drivers from getting licenses, so that they are forced to drive carefully....

Drivers that drive way too carefully are either drunk or have no licence. :lol:

Jan

 

[Jan Kivar]

Drivers that drive way too carefully are either drunk or have no licence. :lol:

Maybe I should read what I typed 5 mins ago before hitting Submit...

"Who" would ultimately be the correct word.

Jan