It was NOT me...

[dmp]

nope - I was wasn't near MN..

Motorcyclist Arrested For Driving 205 MPH

Sep 21, 2004 7:58 am US/Central
Wabasha, Minn. (AP) With a State Patrol airplane overhead, a Stillwater 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."

 

[Mr. P]

"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."

I am sure what happens. Swanson is correct it's not pretty.
Hair, teeth an eyeballs everywhere.
Not to mention the innocent people that may be involved in the accident.

I flew an EMS helicopter for a year an this type of MORON!! Pisses me off!

 

[dmp]

After reading about this, and discussion on motorcycle forums...I'm pretty sure the ticket will be thrown out. If it holds, it will mean a new land-speed record for a 1000cc bike - as even full-bore racing 1000s don't often see 200+MPH speeds.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

nope - I was wasn't near MN..

He would have been liquified. Would you believe that this was the top story on the news, above the Rathergate scandal and other news? Then again...we are known for being liberals, but that is about to change.

 

[dmp]

but he didn't crash.

I doubt there was anything 'reckless' about it.

 

[5stringJeff]

but he didn't crash.

I doubt there was anything 'reckless' about it.

AHEM...

Driving at 205 MPH on public roads, regardless of your abilities or safety equipment, certainly qualifies as reckless.

And, fortunately for him, it was 'wreckless' as well!

 

[Mr. P]

but he didn't crash.

I doubt there was anything 'reckless' about it.

HUH? Nothing reckless about operating a motorcycle or any other vehicle down a PUBLIC highway at 200 mph? You doubt there was anything reckless about that? Man...sit down an think about it for a minute. You're joking, right?

 

[HGROKIT]

HUH? Nothing reckless about operating a motorcycle or any other vehicle down a PUBLIC highway at 200 mph? You doubt there was anything reckless about that? Man...sit down an think about it for a minute. You're joking, right?

No, he is a biker - we have a different mentality - after all, we ride bikes don't we?

 

[dmp]

hey Rick!! wassup buddy? I've missed you!


Tell me P - would it be reckless to do a 12-second speed run down this road?

We have a saying in the Army: "That briefs well."

Saying "XXXmph over the speedlimit is reckless" briefs well, but is not an accurate picture of reality.

200mph - (Or even the 'real speed he was going, likely 170 or so) is DANGEROUS in there is a level of danger there which is likely higher than riding a bike at half or less than that speed.

RECKLESS on the other hand, would be if one were riding those speeds thru-in-around traffic of any variety.
The only traffic we know was present was 'another bike' and an airplane.

 

[HGROKIT]

hey Rick!! wassup buddy? I've missed you!

Not much, missed ya'll too. Would love to take a spin down that road - even on my SLOW hog. :teeth:

 

[dmp]

Not much, missed ya'll too. Would love to take a spin down that road - even on my SLOW hog. :teeth:

when my bike gets fixed, it's a date...if it's not raining.

 

[5stringJeff]

We have a saying in the Army: "That briefs well."

Saying "XXXmph over the speedlimit is reckless" briefs well, but is not an accurate picture of reality.

200mph - (Or even the 'real speed he was going, likely 170 or so) is DANGEROUS in there is a level of danger there which is likely higher than riding a bike at half or less than that speed.

RECKLESS on the other hand, would be if one were riding those speeds thru-in-around traffic of any variety.
The only traffic we know was present was 'another bike' and an airplane.

I'm taking P's side in this one.

First, the picture you posted was not the road in question.

Second, we don't know how much traffic was present on the road. We also don't know what traffic may have been entering or exiting the road - and nor could this rider. An unknowing driver, even merging at 65 mph, is going 1/3 the speed of the bike, and who knows whether there would have been time to adjust?

Third, as has been stated, this is a public highway, bound by public laws. Want to go 205 mph? Great - I personally think it would be a blast. But do it on a racetrack or a private road.

 

[dilloduck]

HUH? Nothing reckless about operating a motorcycle or any other vehicle down a PUBLIC highway at 200 mph? You doubt there was anything reckless about that? Man...sit down an think about it for a minute. You're joking, right?

It all depends on how much you wanna spend on a lawyer. Justice is for sale in America

 

[dmp]

I'm taking P's side in this one.

First, the picture you posted was not the road in question.

Second, we don't know how much traffic was present on the road. We also don't know what traffic may have been entering or exiting the road - and nor could this rider. An unknowing driver, even merging at 65 mph, is going 1/3 the speed of the bike, and who knows whether there would have been time to adjust?

Third, as has been stated, this is a public highway, bound by public laws. Want to go 205 mph? Great - I personally think it would be a blast. But do it on a racetrack or a private road.

As i said when you were down in my office a few minutes ago...

Since we weren't there, we don't know the circumstances. We know he was going pretty fast - likely well below 205mph, however, due to simple physics...BUT...speed in itself should not be the determining factor in what is or isn't reckless.

 

[Mr. P]

Tell me P - would it be reckless to do a 12-second speed run down this road?

Yes, it would be. I know you may not think so...but I've picked up Idiots from roads like that too.

I think the problem here is you think safe means "I didn't crash". As you've seen
yourself, it'll catch up to you. You probably were being safe that day, at what 40mph? Right?
When you contact a firm object/surface, D, at 200 mph, no matter how you justify it, is not safe, period.

Keep fooling yourself pal..you're a candidate for the Darwin award.
I just hope your joking. If not, I hope you have a nice insurance policy for your child.
Of course that won't replace you...But, she'll just have to deal with that, alone.

 

[dmp]

Yes, it would be. I know you may not think so...but I've picked up Idiots from roads like that too.

I think the problem here is you think safe means "I didn't crash". As you've seen
yourself, it'll catch up to you. You probably were being safe that day, at what 40mph? Right?
When you contact a firm object/surface, D, at 200 mph, no matter how you justify it, is not safe, period.

Keep fooling yourself pal..you're a candidate for the Darwin award.
I just hope your joking. If not, I hope you have a nice insurance policy for your child.
Of course that won't replace you...But, she'll just have to deal with that, alone.

You sound suspiciously like a liberal. Not that all liberals are nuts - but you comparing my low-side with arguments I wasn't even making is 'nuts'.

It makes our population FEEL better to marry "Speed" and "recklessness" without justification. It makes them feel 'safer'. Good for them. The marriage has NO foundation in reality however.

You are getting borderline 'personal' now, too...so please back off. I didn't attack you or otherwise comment on your relative level of intelligence; please don't start with me.

 

[Mr. P]

You sound suspiciously like a liberal. Not that all liberals are nuts - but you comparing my low-side with arguments I wasn't even making is 'nuts'.

Nope it all goes together..that's what you don't understand.

It makes our population FEEL better to marry "Speed" and "recklessness" without justification. It makes them feel 'safer'. Good for them. The marriage has NO foundation in reality however.

You miss the point entirely...If you have responsibility to a child, reckless is reckless despite
the speed.

You are getting borderline 'personal' now, too...so please back off. I didn't attack you or otherwise comment on your relative level of intelligence; please don't start with me.

Hey...you posted it pal..not me...Deal with it.
__________

 

[dmp]

Bringing my kids into a discussion is borderline personal - calling me a candidate for 'ways stupid people die' is a candidate.


My 40mph low side, thru curves and gravel does not relate in the least to a high-speed run.


Basicconversationskillz.com

 

[HGROKIT]

when my bike gets fixed, it's a date...if it's not raining.

cool

 

[dmp]

ON topic data from another forum:

According to the Tachymeter on my watch, 5 seconds in 1 mile means you are going a little over 600 mph. Divide that by four for the 1/4 and you get around 200mph. Still he was sitting at a 1/4 mile marker and he could have easily pushed the button too soon. It would be hard to push it the exact momnet he crossed that marker, and plus the cop was a 1/4 mile away. If he pushed it one second too soon and the biker really crossed the marker in 6 seconds instead of 5 that would mean he was really going ~140, over 60mph off

LOTS of room for error.