So today I was in a car chase...

[Speedy_Pete]

Day off today, so I thought I'd get some odd jobs and some shopping done. Ran around town, got them all done and I'm cruising back up the A5 heading home when a white Volvo S80 blasts past sounding decidedly non-standard... Game on!
Dropped it down a couple of gears and nailed it. It took the best part of 4 miles to catch him, and when I finally did I could see it was UK registered, LHD, sitting a little higher than normal and had a full roll cage inside.
I followed it for several miles (well it was a nice day for a drive) and before I know it we are heading into Wales... He wasn't hanging about but I managed to keep him in sight. Fortunately he had to refuel at Welshpool so I finally caught up at the petrol station.
It turns out the car is the M Sport recce vehicle for Marcus Gronholm, and the driver more than happy to let me take a few pics once I mentioned I used to work with his boss' son. It's a small world!
Sorry, no pics yet, my phone is still new and bugger me if I can figure out how to transfer the pics to my pc!

 

[Sarastro]

Hmmmm...doesn't the existence of speed cameras take a lot of the fun out of this? Last time I was in the UK, there was a stretch of one M highway which had an average speed limit--they photograph your car's plates at various points and determine your average speed. Too high, you get a citation in the mail. This seems like a big step beyond the simple practice of a radar connected to a camera.

 

[Speedy_Pete]

There are speed cameras, but they aren't as common as you'd think. You soon learn where the fixed ones are, and if they set up a mobile unit you know all about it with all the on-coming traffic flashing at you... whether road deaths have fallen or not as a result of these cameras, at least we all work together to stop them taking our cash!!!

 

[Sarastro]

Mainly, I suspect, they just catch us visitors in our rental cars! (But, so far, I've eluded them...)

 

[Speedy_Pete]

If you are from another country they'll not bother trying to chase it up. Do you do the rental car challenge: see if you can match the manufacturers figures... for 0-60 I'd recommend 4000rpm and simply slide your foot off the clutch onto the footrest!