[BDG]

Coming back from Raid the Lakes foillowing MartinH we turned off the A65 to use one of Martins nice little short cuts. This proved to be a very lucky move as just down the road there was a police and Ministry of Transport checkpoint.

I've just been speaking to one of my lads at work who was stopped at this checkpoint on Sunday. He had to wait for 2 hours in the Q of over 50 bikes (no cars were stopped) in a large layby awaiting their turn for 1 of the 2 examiners to check visors, number plates, exhaust, and free motorcycle safety check.

There was no discrimination against sports bikes, everything from BMW's Pan Euro's, Harleys and sports bikes were benefitting from this check.

I fully appreciate it is great if someone on a stolen bike is caught (no datag check, or the likes of though), or an accident is prevented by finding an unsafe bike.

However my questions (preferably to someone who knows what they're talking about, any police folk, solicitors, judges or motorcycle riding lawlords please, rather than my mates a bar room barrister) is it OK to just select one group of society, i.e bikers, and if stopped but you feel that waiting 2 hours in the Q to be checked is unfair because you have to get home in time to watch Coronation Street, could you argue the case that as an illegal, one legged, partially sighted immigrant from Mars, who must get home to cash his giro, can you claim some sort of breach of human rights and bog of home.

I presume not unless you want your collar felt, but just wondered if there is a valid reason to say i'm not staying here for a couple of hours.

I should add that my Duc does have termi's on, but numberplate is legal as is my visor.