the drive to brooklands during the royal wedding wasn't to bad
when i first started driving if you was on a motorway at 3am often you wouldn't even see another car
the drive to brooklands during the royal wedding wasn't to bad
ive not seen a quiet motorway for years even at 3am
oh apart from 1 time i went to ace cafe and it snowed i got home in an hour instead of the normal 1 1/2 - 2 because everyone else stayed in
It's not that stupid if you extrapolate the figures. You know the kind of thing, you work out what the average fuel consumption of for example, FIAT 500 MJ is. Let's say, for argument's sake, that at 70mph it's 50mpg and that at 80 it works out at 10% more, in other words 45mpg. You take the average annual mileage and from that multiply by the number of those cars in your country. Then you do that for every car and from that you can work out how much more, or less, fuel will be consumed. It's all theoretical as many drivers will drive just as they did before.In fact, that is so stupid. You can't work out a fuel saving, some people drive economically, some drive everywhere in 1st. Some cars do 60+mpg at 70/80 some do 12mpg.
Personally I think poor lane discipline is more of a problem, compounded by those who at the same time drive below the limit or aren't overtaking. If anyone knows the Sharston By-Pass which is where the M60 from Stockport merges onto the M56. This is a two lane link which is (probably) around 1.5 miles long and has signs warning of an "Advisory" speed limit of 50. Yet everyday large numbers of drivers negotiate that stretch at 50.....in the right hand lane while making no progress on the car ahead in lane 1.these people that brake every 3 seconds just because they ahve gone 0.0000001 mph over the speed limit need shooting, cant they just lift off the accelerator??
i think driving instructors need to teach a lot more than clutch control, braking and manouvers
Lurking P.O.C., as per usual. During my younger days - no ageist comments please, I used to have the seat reclined quite all the way back until I could climb on to any unsuspecting fema.....er, sorry about that, wrong seat. I used to have the driver's seat reclined quite a way because that was how Jackie Stewart, Peter Revson, Clay Regazzoni and the rest of my GP idols drove. I've tried it in a number of FWD cars but either I was wrong all those years ago or front drivers have an entirely different driving position as it really doesn't feel as if I have as much control as sitting in the text book manner.Now people who sit lying down virtually on the back seat are just as daft as those who sit on the dashboard I reckon. I was always taught the perfect position is so that you can operate the pedals without your ankle leaving the floor, and with arms outsretched you can rest your wrists on the top of the steering wheel.
I bet The Beard knows. Where is he?
Anyone care to list how many cars today can hit 150? Well, the Audi S3, S4, S6, A8 to name a few. The point I'm finally (and painfully slowly) getting round to is that in 1965 the vast majority of cars would have been at 80 or 90% per cent of their engines capabilities at 70. Today, even my Panda MJ can hit 99 mph and I'd warrant that almost every model in the FIAT can pass 80 so the speed limit is far more appropriate now than at any time before. Tyres are better, as are brakes and steering. Modern cars have stronger structures and are fitted with ABS, ASR, airbags front. rear and side. In fact the only component in a car that hasn't improved is................ yup, the driver.
I think that whilst mechanicals are improving, the drivers are getting worse - and I wonder if some of this is down to drivers being cossetted with their power steering, abs etc etc.
Took youngest out on a driving lesson last night. Every start he had to boot it to get the car to the limit in the shortest time possible, he said this is how his instructor had taught him - WTF are they teaching kids these days?
Haha! That sounds a bit like me when I told my Mum&Dad that the reason my school report from my English teacher (that was so bad it was quite amusing - I can still remember it now) was only because the teacher didn't like me. In other words a porky!Took youngest out on a driving lesson last night. Every start he had to boot it to get the car to the limit in the shortest time possible, he said this is how his instructor had taught him - WTF are they teaching kids these days?
I find myself agreeing with virtually everything you say. Much of what I perceive as being deteriorating driving standards is, I believe, down to the improved passive and active safety equipment. One edition of 5th Gear a couple of years ago had Tiff Needell driving (I think) a Jag where he put it into an almost uncontrollable skid on ice and the car responded to his imputs and came out of the skid. If the system was that good it would be on current models and no Jaguar would ever crash. It isn't and they do.I think that whilst mechanicals are improving, the drivers are getting worse - and I wonder if some of this is down to drivers being cossetted with their power steering, abs etc etc. They are shut in their nice, warm coccoon set at just the right temp, sunk into their luxury comfy seats with so much padding behind the exterior that you'd be hard pressed to hear anything but a nuclear explosion. It's your own little sensory deprivation tank, heck the glass is even darkened for you.
Whereas back in the day, you had to stay awake to drive a car, it was a complete seat of pants experience - the simple act of parking required the strength of a Russian weightlifter - these days you can take the wheel lock to lock with your little finger - and that's on tyres twice the width they ever were!
Took youngest out on a driving lesson last night. Every start he had to boot it to get the car to the limit in the shortest time possible, he said this is how his instructor had taught him - WTF are they teaching kids these days?
get some of the old people off the road that never even sat a test (Grandfathers rights).![]()
Perhaps we need to get a sense of perspective here with regards to age. Young drivers, and I was one, once upon a time, have quick reflexes and generally good eyesight. What the lack is a sense of their own mortality and that of others. They often think they'll live forever and although there are times when braveness/stupidity are useful, on the road is not one of them.are any of them still alive?