Overtake ban to be brought in on danger 'TT' road

[PeterE]

Link to Evening Gazette

Overtake ban to be brought in on danger ‘TT’ road

Oct 12 2007 by Sam Beattie, Evening Gazette

OVERTAKING is about to be banned on one of North Yorkshire’s deadliest roads.

The snaking B1257 between Stokesley and Helmsley has been dubbed the Helmsley TT by locals after becoming a cult run in biking circles.

Riders meet to thunder down the 20-mile rural route at three-figure speeds and even post shocking films of their white-knuckle rides on the internet.

Its accident record is so bad, North Yorkshire County Council now says it is “essential” something is done and has decided to outlaw overtaking anywhere along the road.

Three motorcyclists have already been killed on the route this year and several more have been injured.

But that hasn’t stopped bikers filming themselves screaming down the lethal stretch at breakneck speeds and posting the videos on home-movie websites, including You Tube.

One video shows a biker narrowly escaping a high-speed, head-on collision with a car while travelling at an estimated 90mph.

On the same site, bikers swap messages about the “Helmsley TT”.

One Teesside biker, who didn’t want to be named, told the Gazette: “It’s a wicked road. It’s good for scraping, getting your knees down, which is the term for leaning the bike over on corners.”

The B1257 has long been a target of police safety campaigns.

After the double white lines are painted next week, anyone caught overtaking could be given three penalty points and a £60 fine. They could also be fined £1,000 in court and banned from driving.

North Yorkshire Police said it welcomes the move.

For a fortnight beginning on Monday the route will be closed in four sections while work is carried out.

Diversions and information about access will be available from Highways staff who will be stationed on the road.

Seems more than a little over the top - 20 miles without even being able to overtake a tractor

[PeteG]

*shakes head*

I know that road well, it's a terrific length of tarmac, with some great stopoff points. I can't see the DWLs having much effect on the road users its targetted at... there are a handful of places where overtaking is possible even in a relatively low-powered car, like a 1.4 307.
"Suicidal" bikers are going to overtake whereever they like, only visible police are going to have any real effect on their driving...

[jont]

Overtake ban to be brought in on danger ‘TT’ road

After the double white lines are painted next week, anyone caught overtaking could be given three penalty points and a £60 fine. They could also be fined £1,000 in court and banned from driving.

And just how will they police it properly? If the road is that twisty then is there going to be anywhere for the police to park up and observe road users? And if they can't enforce it then it's a waste of money and will more likely lead to drivers taking rash decisions getting fed up stuck behind slower vehicles as there will be no clues to separate the really dangerous sections that genuinely do need double white lines from those where overtakes may be safe and appropriate.

[Big Err]

After the double white lines are painted next week, anyone caught overtaking could be given three penalty points and a £60 fine. They could also be fined £1,000 in court and banned from driving.

Technically wrong I'd guess. A bike could overtake another bike, or possibly a car if the lane is wide enough without committing the offence of straddling, crossing or being to the right of the solid line as per the regs.

I'd have thought to prevent overtaking they'd have promoted an Order for such, signed with the red circle containing the red and black car.

However, I suspect the riders they are trying to target will continue to ride in an 'innapropriate' manner and ignore the lining, which may increase the risk of loss of control due to the drop in grip they'll experience each time they ride over the 'extra' lining....