High-speed 'stupidity'
Illawarra Mercury
Friday May 9, 2008
POLICE have branded two alarming cases of speeding in the Illawarra as "random acts of stupidity" that they likened to playing Russian roulette.
In one incident, a motorcyclist was clocked travelling 203km/h in a 90km/h zone along the Northern Distributor at Towradgi."A person who travels at that speed ... They might get away with it once or twice, but if you're going to try and do something like that, there's only one result. There are no good odds," Sergeant John Klepczarek said.At 9.32pm on Wednesday officers in an unmarked car saw a rider accelerate from traffic lights on Towradgi Rd.Police followed the 2007-model, 600cc Kawasaki to the Northern Distributor, where it allegedly reached a speed of 203km/h.The rider, a 24-year-old man from Sylvania, had his licence suspended on the spot and will appear in Wollongong Local Court on June 10, on a charge of driving at a speed dangerous to the public.An hour later, a motorcyclist on a 2005-model, 1000cc Suzuki was allegedly checked travelling at 225km/h in a 100km/h zone on Mt Ousley Rd at Cataract Creek.The 33-year-old Padstow man had his licence suspended and he will appear in Wollongong Local Court on June 6, for driving at a speed dangerous to the public.Sgt Klepczarek said cases of motorcyclists travelling at such high speeds were fortunately rare."We can only put it down to random acts of stupidity. The person who travels at that speed is virtually playing Russian roulette," he said."After travelling at that speed and having an accident, it's not as if you are going to walk away with a graze or a sore foot."At 225km/h on a bike ... if you're going to go into an Armco railing or a tree, there's only one result," he added.
© 2008 Illawarra Mercury