(T) Autobahn experience

But at 70 you'll still get there and in good time and you'll be able to react more easily to unexpected hazards.

Also, you shouldn't be driving when there's a risk you'll fall asleep.

My dearest 306maxi,

It is time for you to realise there are drivers out there, given their experience; both in high performance driving cars and conditions at high speed as well as a lifetime of experience driving in snow who may have a very different perception of driving in "those" conditions. This would be similar to your grandfather repremanding you for driving too fast. And doing it from his armchair.
You were not there. You have no reliable way to judge the conditions, my driving skills nor my good judgement of anticipating and adjusting to conditions of speed.
The focus of my OP was about how well those tires performed, as opposed to the OE Conti's.

For the others out there: the latest Top Gear magazine has run a feature on "Winter weapons of choice", in which they compare the Audi RS6, Porsche 911 4S, Discovery, Panamera 4 and, yes, the Panda Cross! They explain perfectly well in the feature why the Panda is superior in marginal conditions, even amongst this company.

(I know 306maxi probably hates Top Gear, so this is for everybody else).

Well you did describe the conditions as 'crazy blizzard' and from the photos you posted visibility isn't exactly great.

It is very unsafe to drive wintertyres in summer.
Above 7 degrees Celsius, braking distance will increase.
At summer temps, emergency braking on, lets say highway driving, will under certain conditions double.....!!!
So stay on the safe side, and don't even consider it...

LOL you could so easily be British

I could be...except that "British" isn't what it used to be, is it?

Jeremy Clarskson and others were very concerned a few years ago that Health & Safety was turning Britain into a nanny state.

"Too late!", she cried.

And worse, it would appear as if "certain" individuals have succumbed to too much brainwashing that they almost seem like Health and Safety officers themselves!

Really can't be bothered with this tbh.

I'm more than happy to risk my own life when I see the risk as being minimal, but risking other people's lives is a no no.





A couple of photos of me in full health and safety mode

Anyway I don't care anymore tbh......

Why is it every driver that owns a lotus / porsche are always so quick to slide it in their post, as if it gives them more authority ?

May be they forgot to read is fiat forum ? What does what car they had/have got to do with anything?

I share your view point MAXI and looking at the picture, plain daft driving at those speed mate.

Wait wait, maybe i forgot something, may be having a faster car give you the right to drive like mongo?

Ming

Yes I always LOL when someone brings up the fact that they have a Porsche or a Lotus or whatever. All that means is that you've got money, doesn't mean you've got anymore driving skill than anyone else. Tbh driving crappy cars which handle badly probably gives you more driving skill!

I rest my case about the ninny's of the UK.

Let me put this straight once and for all. I was doing 120-140 on a bloody autobahn!! That is 20 km/h above the legal limit for you ninny's in the UK!
Sometimes we slowed down to a crawl at 40-60-80 km/h, due to conditions. Even at doing 120-140, I was overtaken several times by Germans in large SUV's and some larger cars. I was not doing anything unuasual except for the tiny Panda doing very well in conditions which obviously "seemed" to favour large, expensive SUV's. I wanted to make a goddamn point about the bloody tires. Once, again, stop making idiotic conclusions when none of you were present. I thought I was on a Panda board, where we talk about the amazing capabilities of our cars with fellow enthusiasts. Not a bunch of idiots citisizing driving of a fellow poster without sufficient information. At the point we took the picture, I was doing 145 km/h - the picture obviously shows much worse than reality.

By the way, in my 23 years of driving, I have never been in an accident nor have a single speeding fine. Who of you can say that??

Quite correct, I have mentioned my other cars a few times here on the Fiat forum - mostly to point out that the Cross has been the best car I have ever owned!

Idiots.

"Once, again, stop making idiotic conclusions when none of you were present. I thought I was on a Panda board, where we talk about the amazing capabilities of our cars with fellow enthusiasts."

"Despite the fact that I am the previous owner of two Porsches and currently a Lotus Esprit Turbo"

Then why did they mention you lotus turbo and the 2 porches on a panda board?

We are just expressiong our opinions on the situations, is just a speed i personally wouldn't do regardless of what car or tyre i am in/using.

Oh and nevermind the other germans SUV, what they do doesn't affect my decision on how i drive. Just because they drive like pricks, doesn't i mean i do too.

Ming

If you took the time to check, you'd find that lots of Porsche and Lotus owners actually have additional driving instruction beyond their spotty teenage years. Every new car comes with a Porsche driving experience, now undertaken at a purpose built facility (previously they used various track and proving grounds across the country including Millbrook). Lots of owners like myself pay for their own advanced driving courses, whether they be part of ROSPA accreditation or otherwise. All my closest friends with Porsches and one Lotus all have either regular tuition or are ROSPA silver/gold standard drivers. ROSPA retest are anually dependent upon the level you achieve. I don't drive the girlfriends Panda any differently to the Golf or the Porsche, the same rules apply whatever the vehicle. How many 500 drivers have ROSPA / IAM or advanced driving credentials ?

For someone who spouts on about not harming anyone else, i've seen no comment yet about whether your insurance company is happy with your 'non standard' wheels fitted and hence you do have insurance cover. Additionally, like myself, there are a further 2 VW Golf owners on another forum who have now switched to winter wheels and both pay an additional £20 for the priviledge. I'm very happy in the knowledge that both my cars, irrespective of the badge, are suitable equipped and suitably insured for the current climatic conditions.

Always drive at an appropriate speed and distance to suit the conditons and you and your cars ability, bearing in mind other road users might not be as well equipped.

If anyone wants to see the difference in winter to summer tyres then there is an article in this months EVO magazine, albeit its very brief.

I know the difference between winter and summer tyres. I'm running the same tyres as the OP.

Insurance taking issue with winter tyres? harming people? That's got nothing to do with it. With my winter rubber I'm LESS likely to get involved in an accident and that is a fact. If my insurer want to take issue with me running better tyres then I'll take them to court and rip them a new butthole if they try and say it opens them up to additional risk/higher payouts. But DO NOT try and infer that I'm more of a danger on better rubber than on worse rubber.

yes I know some marques give driver training with a new car, but not all of these cars are bought new and just owning one doesn't make you a better driver.

Then why did they mention you lotus turbo and the 2 porches on a panda board?
Can you read:

"Quite correct, I have mentioned my other cars a few times here on the Fiat forum - mostly to point out that the Cross has been the best car I have ever owned! "
In this case, I mentioned it to make a point that I am used to driving fast responsibly -something which is obviously alien to the ninny's on this forum. Except to Percymon.

We are just expressiong our opinions on the situations, is just a speed i personally wouldn't do regardless of what car or tyre i am in/using.

What situations? Do you have all the facts? Were you there? Can you drive like I do? How long have you been driving? Have you ever driven on an unrestricted German Autobahn? Thought so.

Oh and nevermind the other germans SUV, what they do doesn't affect my decision on how i drive. Just because they drive like pricks, doesn't i mean i do too.

German Autobahn's have the lowest accident and fatality rates (except Switzerland) than any other European country. Even compared to 'normal' roads in Germany. This means these people can drive. According to your words then, the pricks all live in another country. Maybe yours?