Top at 30, Brian? I'm not out of 1st until 80!
If the rest of you could please obey the laws around using gears please - remember not to change up until within 12.7mm of the red line (OK, within half an inch if you're old)
Remember, if you change up that early, you might as well be riding a tractor. BMW sell several of them - look for any model that begins with 'R'....
It all depends on where you are, where you are going, who's going the same way and who you can't see that might be watching you
Leaving my old stomping ground of Newbury for example, A339 (ex-A34) heading north. Final set of lights at the Robin Hood roundabout with the A4 London Road. Big interchange so long wait on red but eventually the lights go green and you pop one in 1st, 2nd, it's taking me longer to type it...
Past the fire station, pulling right onto Western Avenue, 40 to 50 limit, nail it and over the crest and as you are staring into the far distance you see a tiny coloured speck in the lay-by just before the Vodaphone roundabout.
You might as well put the left indicator on now and get ready to pull in cos you've just been zapped.
Of course, taking off more slowly and changing up earlier doesn't mean you are not ballistic at the same spot, just that you might be in a slightly more relaxed frame of mind, might be changing position at a lesser rate and might see the blob in time to roll it off and keep your licence.
Now, coming south from the M4 along the same road, the lights go green and as there is no-one else around you poke it in the eye and hit 6th before you are out of the 40 limit. There is nowhere for them to hide and as long as your mirrors are clear as you slip past the interchange with the A34 by-pass you have a flat-out run south into the Vodaphone roundabout and the 50 limit. Sweet. And that stretch has seen me as flat out as I want to go; 160 easily and I never do less than 130 unless there is traffic. Use it or lose it...just remember that the last 200 metres is plagued by those hideous yellow deceleration strips that can knock your ABS into play at high speed and max braking; unless you don't brake of course
I find the use of the gearbox on the way up is a nice way of reminding myself where I am and who might be watching
