Kent police officers have had huge success with their unmarked camera bike which has been effectively used to pursue motorbike users who flout the road rules, potentially causing accidents. Such accidents may involve the bike itself, but in a large number of cases it is found that speeding motorcyclists cause accidents in their wake, leaving the scene without suffering injury while those that have been forcibly involved are left to quite literally pick up the pieces.

Such accidents are likely to increase the bike insurance premiums for those affected despite the perpetrator getting away unscathed. Kent’s unmarked motorbike may bring the number of such occurrences down as finally the perpetrator will be held accountable for their actions.

Kent’s cops have been hot on the trail of those that nonchalantly break the law, leaving a trail of costly damage in their wake and as a means to deter future lawbreakers they have taken the bold step of putting a video of one of their high speed action chases online for all to see. The unmarked camera bike has an almost 100% conviction rate for those that have been unfortunate to be caught in its glare which has no doubt had a negative impact on the riders.

Online video

The clip that has been posted online highlights just how dangerous bike riders can be when they exempt themselves from the laws other road users adhere to. As the 46 year old biker screeches his way around a country lane in Mereworth in West Kent, his speeds reach a whopping 90miles an hour, a speed that would almost certainly kill a pedestrian if they crossed his path; no doubt severely, if not doing the same level of damage to himself.

The rider was given three points on his license and was made to pay a fine of £60, a very small price to pay on the surface of it; the reality is the rider with the new endorsements on his license is guaranteed to see an increase in his motorcycle insurance premiums which will force him to pinch his pocket tighter for the next few years. This comes as good news to those that have had to make a claim on their insurance due to the reckless riding of rogue motorcyclists.

Penalising drivers

Since the camera bike was introduced 18 months ago, some 84 motorists have been caught breaking the road rules and have been penalised accordingly, the positive news lies not only in convictions but their implications. For each road user breaking the law and caught there is a potential life saved as a result which is the important fact to keep in mind. Of those caught on camera, 68 of these were penalised for speeding, 5 for dangerous driving and a further 11 for careless driving.

Chief inspector Roscoe Walford, head of roads policing commented on the success of the camera bike and how “the use of the unmarked bike” no doubt “contributed to” achieving “that great result”. He went on to “warn motorists to think about the consequences of being caught committing an offense”; the best case scenario would see a fine being dished out, however there are much worse consequences such as driving ban which in itself has its own negatively impacting results such as “losing your job”. Worst case scenarios include a “criminal record...or going to jail” which are from worthwhile if one speeds so as to shave a few minutes off their journey’s time.