Driving standards

[Horsetan]

... has anyone had the misfortune to follow an Ambulance at night recently?...

Not as such, but I see plenty of people who try to follow in its wake in order to make quicker progress in traffic.....

[newbryford]

It's a Sunday.

The weather's nice.

Cue Ethel and Bert out for a Sunday drive.

 

In fact, cue Ethel and Bert's entire family out for a Sunday drive in a fleet of cars.

 

[Baby Deltic]

It's a Sunday.

The weather's nice.

Cue Ethel and Bert out for a Sunday drive.

 

In fact, cue Ethel and Bert's entire family out for a Sunday drive in a fleet of cars.

 

40mph all the way!

[newbryford]

40mph all the way!

 

40? I wish.

 

It was enough to drive me up the verge.................. and then I thought better of it.

Edited April 9, 2017 by newbryford

[Baby Deltic]

40? I wish.

 

It was enough to drive me up the verge.................. and then I thought better of it.

You must have been verging on the point of insanity then? Mind you, the grass is always greener on the other verge, and all that.....

[Gwiwer]

 has anyone had the misfortune to follow an Ambulance at night recently?

 

 

 

Nocturnal lawyers, perhaps???

[njee20]

The two-wheeled mobile organ donors were out in force too. The main road past me was shut all day because one took himself out of the gene pool.

[45568]

It's Everyday.

The weather's nice.

Cue Ethel and Bert out for an Everyday drive.

 

In fact, cue Ethel and Bert's entire family out for an Everyday drive in a fleet of cars. TOYOTAS!!!

 

Welcome to my world in West Oz Bryan!

Cheers,

Peter C.

[Giles]

----

 

Not impressed with 'two wheeled organ donors removing themselves from gene pool' regardless of any supposition of how they died.

 

If I used such language to refer to cyclists I think it would cause some offense.

 

There are clots riding/driving all vehicles, and numerically, I see more idiot cyclists than motorcyclists- yet more motorcyclists are killed (generally smidsy's I dare say)

 

Attitudes such as the above do not help, neither do they engender any sympathy for those who use them.

 

Both my wife and I are motorcyclists- she commutes to work on hers every day, and I for one will be extremely sorry if she is removed from the gene pool.

Edited April 10, 2017 by Giles

[chris p bacon]

The two-wheeled mobile organ donors were out in force too. The main road past me was shut all day because one took himself out of the gene pool.

Weren't they just. 

 

The A1 is at the end of the road and is a continuous 50mph around the town, it has a large roundabout as well as numerous crossings hence the limit. Yet yesterday I actually wondered if there was some sort of road race on, as bike after bike could be heard accelerating hard away from the roundabout and shuffling through the gears. then to cap it all we had a run of them in the road (30mph) passing the house in excess of 60mph ( easy to calculate with the distance covered and the gear)

None of these are youths but 30/40+ year olds bringing the bike out on the first sunny day of the year. You'd think they would know better. 

[njee20]

Absolutely, I've never noticed it quite as acutely as yesterday, some horrendous overtaking going on! I can only assume they get more tempered/remember how to ride/crash as the summer wears on.

[chris p bacon]

...... in the same way that cyclists take themselves out of the gene pool...???

 

Both I, and more importantly my wife are motorcyclists - she commutes to work every day on hers, rain or shine. The mortality rate of motorcyclists more than twice as great as that of cyclists, yet it's a tragedy when a cyclist is killed (however it happened) but merely the removal from 'the gene pool' when it's a motor cyclist (however it happened). Mobile organ donors....

 

Really not impressed at all 

 

Giles, I rode a bike for many years after passing my test when 17, I did over 200,000+ miles on them until the carrying of tools became just too awkward.  I look out for them and give them room but you have to admit that the first sunny day of the year brings out the fair weather riders with machines beyond their capabilities and instills in them a belief that they are somehow indestructable.

 

Here is one from 2+ years ago.

The first rider you see is Alan Huckle who I know from childhood, he is also the brother in law of my plasterer, less than a second after you see him on the video he is dead as he hit a telegraph pole, the road at that point is a 90 degree left blind bend on a rising road.

This is the road and the point you see him on the video and the pole is dead ahead

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.1254373,-0.237434,3a,75y,92.52h,78.86t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sEHwDotznElG5cNum9j5tqw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

His speed was 80+ possibly nearer 100 and he's just passed over a crossroads,  The machine he was on was a Hyabusa.

 

The sad thing is the bike which was following him and saw him crash and hit the pole did not stop for him or even call the Police and has never been traced.

[Horsetan]

The difference today is that the motorbikes are generally more capable than their riders....

[PaulCheffus]

For the legal situation regarding DRL's, see;

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/daytime-running-lights

 

Regarding automatic lights, I have had those on cars going back to the late 1990s. They have always had the facility on the light/indicator stalk to select  Auto -  Off - Side - Head. I am sure that most makes do, as the systems used by (European, at least) car manufacturers tend to come from OE manufacturers such as Bosch, Magenti Marellii, Valeo, etc.

Hi

 

The new Vauxhall Astra only has auto, sidelights and headlights. There is no off position.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[Horsetan]

For the legal situation regarding DRL's, see;

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/daytime-running-lights

 

Regarding automatic lights, I have had those on cars going back to the late 1990s. They have always had the facility on the light/indicator stalk to select  Auto -  Off - Side - Head. I am sure that most makes do, as the systems used by (European, at least) car manufacturers tend to come from OE manufacturers such as Bosch, Magenti Marellii, Valeo, etc.

 

Volvo were doing this on their 244/245/264/265 models back in the 1970s - they seem to have practically invented the idea of the DRL, and you could certainly switch them off if you didn't want them. The only drawback of these early ones was that owners hardly ever checked the bulbs in them, so you would see them grow ever dimmer over time until they got very weedy indeed.

[Jol Wilkinson]

Hi

 

The new Vauxhall Astra only has auto, sidelights and headlights. There is no off position.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

Paul,

 

then that's down to the car manufacturer opting to define what they want.

 

My  Peugeot 308 has auto lights and wipers, both with Off settings on the operating stalks. IIRC, on earlier Peugeots and Citroens the Auto option could be switched on/off by depressing the button on the end of the stalk with the ignition switch in the Accessories position. It's clear however, looking at "owner" sites on the internet, that people often don't bother to read their owner manuals (if they've got one) and much confusion arises.

 

From memory, a Transit Custom I rented last year had Auto lights, which were selected from the facia mounted switch, in the same way that the Peugeot stalk works. Other aspects of the Transit controls make me believe that they both use a OEM system from the same supplier, possibly Bosch. 

 

I like the Auto lights facility, but the ability to simply turn it off is also an asset. My wife appreciates the "get you home - stay on headlamp" option on the Peugeot, again something Ford provide.

 

Jol

[Reorte]

Not really sure about the point of auto headlights, it's hardly a difficult chore to turn them on and off, but at least they work. It's the auto wipers on my car instead of an intermittent setting that I find irritating, they're pretty hopeless in very fine drizzle or spray.

[njee20]

----

 

Not impressed with 'two wheeled organ donors removing themselves from gene pool' regardless of any supposition of how they died.

 

If I used such language to refer to cyclists I think it would cause some offense.

 

There are clots riding/driving all vehicles, and numerically, I see more idiot cyclists than motorcyclists- yet more motorcyclists are killed (generally smidsy's I dare say)

 

Attitudes such as the above do not help, neither do they engender any sympathy for those who use them.

 

Both my wife and I are motorcyclists- she commutes to work on hers every day, and I for one will be extremely sorry if she is removed from the gene pool.

No offence intended, very very few cyclists die in incidents not involving other vehicles, overwhelmingly they're hit by other vehicles. Many motorcyclists die without intervention from other vehicles, and those where another car is involved excessive speed is often a significant contributory factor. Yes SMIDSYs occur far too often, but there's often shared blame.

It is by far the riskiest mode of transport on the road, and as Chris says the first sunny day certainly sees a colossal reduction in the average skill level. There's a NSL A-road near me I was on yesterday, dead straight, Roman Road. I was doing about 55, in a queue of traffic. A motorcyclist came from at least 5 cars back, doing (I would guess) 80mph+, over a blind crest, he seemed surprised when the back end twitched slightly, and even more surprised by the oncoming traffic he clearly hadn't anticipated.

New sports bikes are far far too capable given the minimal training required to own one. Even if you are the best rider in the world, if you're utilising even 10% of your R1s capability you're asking for trouble.

Edited April 10, 2017 by njee20

[chris p bacon]

New sports bikes are far far too capable given the minimal training required to own one. Even if you are the best rider in the world, if you're utilising even 10% of your R1s capability you're asking for trouble.

I know of 2 riders that passed their CBT and tests on 125's and rode for 2 months before the wet weather came, they then stopped riding for 6 months over Winter.  When the good weather came, one purchased a Ninja and didn't make it beyond 2 weeks.  I'd actually said at the time that having the key in his hand was probably the nearest he should get to the bike.

 

It could be argued that they could have bought a powerful car and done the same thing,  but the required skill level between a Porsche and a Ninja/R1/Hyabusa is worlds apart.

 

Much as I'd like a bike again,  I know that even a modest machine would carry too much risk especially when coupled to drivers that overtake on verges or blind you with high beam.

[njee20]

I think the key things with a properly fast car are:

 

- barriers to entry are higher, they cost a lot more, tax is higher, insurance is higher etc

- you just can't exploit the performance on the public highway in the same way

 

It's pretty mad that you can buy a bike that'll do 0-60 in under 3 seconds and do 200mph with ease for less than the cost of a Fiesta!

 

I'd love one, but sure I'd end up as a statistic!

 

Driving with your main beam on is ok though if you're dazzled by someone's rear lights, right?

Edited April 10, 2017 by njee20

[TT3]

 

My  Peugeot 308 has auto lights and wipers, both with Off settings on the operating stalks. IIRC, on earlier Peugeots and Citroens the Auto option could be switched on/off by depressing the button on the end of the stalk with the ignition switch in the Accessories position. It's clear however, looking at "owner" sites on the internet, that people often don't bother to read their owner manuals (if they've got one) and much confusion arises.

 

 I have auto lights and wipers in my 2007 Citroen C4 but luckily a manual overide. I figured being French they would probably break very soon anyway and be no use. Lights can be useful sometimes but the wipers are pretty hopeless.

[TT3]

I think the key things with a properly fast car are:

 

- barriers to entry are higher, they cost a lot more, tax is higher, insurance is higher etc

- you just can't exploit the performance on the public highway in the same way

 

It's pretty mad that you can buy a bike that'll do 0-60 in under 3 seconds and do 200mph with ease for less than the cost of a Fiesta!

 

I'd love one, but sure I'd end up as a statistic!

 

Driving with your main beam on is ok though if you're dazzled by someone's rear lights, right?

What about people driving behind you with high beams on, now that's annoying.

[Reorte]

I think the key things with a properly fast car are:

 

- barriers to entry are higher, they cost a lot more, tax is higher, insurance is higher etc

- you just can't exploit the performance on the public highway in the same way

 

It's pretty mad that you can buy a bike that'll do 0-60 in under 3 seconds and do 200mph with ease for less than the cost of a Fiesta!

 

I'd love one, but sure I'd end up as a statistic!

 

Driving with your main beam on is ok though if you're dazzled by someone's rear lights, right?

Another thing about a fast car is that you're better protected than on a bike. It's no guarantee of course

[Guest]

Driving with your main beam on is ok though if you're dazzled by someone's rear lights, right?

 

It's a splendid idea until someone decides to dazzle you back with their brake lights.

[Kickstart]

I know of 2 riders that passed their CBT and tests on 125's and rode for 2 months before the wet weather came, they then stopped riding for 6 months over Winter.  When the good weather came, one purchased a Ninja and didn't make it beyond 2 weeks.  I'd actually said at the time that having the key in his hand was probably the nearest he should get to the bike.

That would have been at least 20 years ago, given after that would require direct access to ride a full power bike, or 2 years riding a bike of under 25kW before being able to ride an unrestricted bike.

 

The rules now are really hideous to get an unrestricted licence.

 

All the best

 

Katy