Re: Lets get ready...to Rant

Yeah, i wen't on one of those as part of a team building exersize...

It was about 6 years ago now and i was well up for it, i though i would be taught how to make my car go sideways, handbrake turns etc...boy was i wrong...

I was taught how to control the car during an unexpected mishap, like spinning out in the wet etc...

I certainly learned more that day, than i would have doing handbrake turns...

Daz

Re: Lets get ready...to Rant

What would you guys say would be the ideal speed limit would be for you in these circumstances - dark night, not much trafic other than the odd truck, no rain and no heavy winds with good visabilty. I'd be a lot more happy with 80mph, I'd probably go over this to be honest. But limiting it to 70mph in these condition to me is a bit slow, as the majority of people will go over this anyway.

Re: Lets get ready...to Rant

hhmm see ur point, I was on M62 @ 2am one night and it was dry etc doing 85mph and everyone else was still passing me inc. the irish wagon driver coming down windy hill!

Re: Lets get ready...to Rant

They need to invent 'moronic driver' cameras , TWATSOs

But you should get done for tailgating, weaving, driving a bimmer etc.. even if you are doing 60. And set a minimum limit of 50 to keep coffin dodgers off the motorways.

Speeding in towns etc.. has no excuse and I still have no sympathy with people who get caught like that.

Re: Lets get ready...to Rant

I agree with that! Even at 1:00AM going more than 30 in a 30 zone is not good. It's there for a very good reason as you often don't know what's round the next corner, and it's generaly in built up estates. Not worth it, but on the motorway I find it's a diffrent story. As you say, there is always idiots who'll take it too far. Nothing worse than someone being up your arse at 80mph. One suddern stop and they will literaly be up your arse.

Gary

Right misery-guts, aren't you Tom? If you got your head out of your car manuals for a while and weren't an 'ageist', you would read elsewhere that the ACPO guidelines usually work (mebbe not in Brunstrom land!). Try the SafeSpeed forum and read what BiBs have to say on the subject.

Re: Lets get ready...to Rant

Some cars are actually lighter, so that is a moot point. Also, with advances in LED brakelights you will probably get an extra 20* yards or so braking distance at 70mph.. do the math, filament lights take far longer to turn on than LEDS ( * from memory, and well covered on the web, do a search to find the figures). Some things that I will say are deadly are :

- mobile phones - texting while driving - even reading.

- GPS - fiddling

- music - fiddling with those single slot cd's

- kids going nuts with the DVD/console/whatever in the back of your headrest

- and eating an apple. yeah right.

far more.. but all those many of us have been guilty of no doubt.

seriously though, far more distractions inside the car now!

Re: Lets get ready...to Rant

The braking distances in the highway code are from a Morris Minor, which weighs just over 700kg. Unlike our Bravos which weigh in at over 1100kg. (over 1200kg for the HGT)

So you've got 40% more kinetic energy for starters.

Alfa 147 - 1270kg
Fiat Coupe turbo - 1310kg
2005 VW golf TDi - 1425kg
Porsche Cayenne turdo - 2355kg (LARDY!)
Merc S55 AMG - 1885kg
Paxo 1.6 16v - 935kg (and people wonder why they are quick)

brakes

Cars can brake in shorter distances than the highway code states, there always proving it on top gear, they had some super car do it in HALF the distance.

I know cars are heavier but also tyres are fatter offering more resistance.

Brakes...don't actually know if their better but from the example above it seems that you'd think they would be better ( and i mean better in a brake to weight ratio not just flatly better).

I'd go for:

On Motorways
1) Minimum speed limit of 50mph (fineable but not points)
2) No lorries or caravans in the last lane (so no overtaking on dual carriageways)
3) Reduce speed limit to 60mph in rain and 50mph in snow
4) 80mph speed limit in last lane
5) Tailgating is fineable and points but only if proven by traffic cop, not camera's


Make everyone do their test again, you to have done it by 2010. To re-establish "best practice driving conditions" as lots of things have changed since the 60's

Note, i will become a driving instructor, will be rolling in it

Re: brakes

That was the McMerc doing 120-0 in the highway code 60-0 distance. The thing is the highway code distance of 73m includes 18m of thinking.

The top gear test did not include the thinking distance.

Also the McMerc brakes were glowing orange and on fire after the stop.

Re: brakes

What do you reckon to Emergency Brake Assist?

How does the system work, what's being monitored before it decides that it's time to pump up the pressure?

Re: brakes

I believe it monitors how quickly you stamp on the pedal.