I checked it on DVLA at the time I took the photo. It's a grey 2.slow tdi se apparently. Though the amount black crap on the back suggests it had a sick remap..
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What's made you grumpy today?
I checked it on DVLA at the time I took the photo. It's a grey 2.slow tdi se apparently. Though the amount black crap on the back suggests it had a sick remap..
Everyone who learns to drive should be restricted to engine size something along these lines
1st year - 1.0
2nd year - 1.2
3rd year - 1.4
4th year - 1.6
5th year - 2.0
6th year - 2.0+
...or has the EU actually made it a 'human right' at this point to be able to floor it into shop fronts at the cost of other good (or just moderate attention giving drivers) all around them..
Maybe not my gradings above.. but more similar to how motorbike licenses work?
portland_bill any immediate flaws in my proposal?! I know you teach people so would have a good perspective on it
1st year - 1.0
2nd year - 1.2
3rd year - 1.4
4th year - 1.6
5th year - 2.0
6th year - 2.0+
...or has the EU actually made it a 'human right' at this point to be able to floor it into shop fronts at the cost of other good (or just moderate attention giving drivers) all around them..
Maybe not my gradings above.. but more similar to how motorbike licenses work?
portland_bill any immediate flaws in my proposal?! I know you teach people so would have a good perspective on it
This is the sort of nonsense my parents used to complain 20 years ago, only back then it would have worked as power versus engine size was a fairly linear chart.
These days, you can buy a 1litre Fiesta with 140hp which is not that far short of the 500 abarth (which under your rules you’d not be able to drive until year 3).
My 2.0 Litre you’d not be able to drive till year 5, yet it only makes 150hp, though you could buy an A45 AMG in year 5 with nearly 400hp (376hp), but you couldn’t buy a Focus RS till a year later with only 345hp. Engine size means nothing these days and these rules would never work with modern cars.
Okay, so choosing the most appropriate measure of power? OR does the logic still fall short of being a good idea?
Still falls short, bigger cars need more power (more power doesn’t always equal faster)
People with bigger families need bigger cars, more weight, more power needed.
Having a big car with low levels of power can get you in just as much of a mess as little cars with big power, as anyone who has ever driven a classic car along a motorway or up and down the hills of Scotland, Wales or Cornwall will tell you.
Tbf power to weight would be more a sensible measure although still not the be all and end all of how safe a car is.
Restricting all new drivers is punishing them all because a small number are irresponsible. You could create a lot of havoc and damage with your Panda, it'll do at least 80mph, and it'll hurt if you hit anything at those speeds.
When I passed my test I was already working in a garage, weekends and college holidays. Day after test pass, I had to take a Chrysler across to another garage for an MOT, all 6-7 litres of it. 1970s American thing, bonnet the size of a small country, no way to reach the passenger door from the driver's seat, etc. You've seen them in old films I guess. Access to the other workshop was up an alley, barely wider than the car, but that's another issue.
Following week we went on holiday, and I drove the whole lot, in our old converted ambulance motorhome.
To restrict new drivers would have prevented all of this.
Two years later I was driving everything from a Fiat 126, all 650cc and less than 30hp, to Jag 5.3 V12. And 7.5 tonne trucks.
It's all about attitude. Instructors do what we can to control that, but we can't be there once they've passed. I've had a few 'brisk' lads. I will get them out on a clear road and get them to go faster. Then change seats and do a demo drive, with commentary, like you see the police do, then ask them to do the commentary on their next drive. So much they've not seen, or not dealt with. Opens their eyes to how much could go wrong, even on a quiet road. You want to go fast, show me you can do it safely.
(I really don't want to share the road with any more slow drivers, we have enough already.)
When I passed my test I was already working in a garage, weekends and college holidays. Day after test pass, I had to take a Chrysler across to another garage for an MOT, all 6-7 litres of it. 1970s American thing, bonnet the size of a small country, no way to reach the passenger door from the driver's seat, etc. You've seen them in old films I guess. Access to the other workshop was up an alley, barely wider than the car, but that's another issue.
Following week we went on holiday, and I drove the whole lot, in our old converted ambulance motorhome.
To restrict new drivers would have prevented all of this.
Two years later I was driving everything from a Fiat 126, all 650cc and less than 30hp, to Jag 5.3 V12. And 7.5 tonne trucks.
It's all about attitude. Instructors do what we can to control that, but we can't be there once they've passed. I've had a few 'brisk' lads. I will get them out on a clear road and get them to go faster. Then change seats and do a demo drive, with commentary, like you see the police do, then ask them to do the commentary on their next drive. So much they've not seen, or not dealt with. Opens their eyes to how much could go wrong, even on a quiet road. You want to go fast, show me you can do it safely.
(I really don't want to share the road with any more slow drivers, we have enough already.)
Fair enough then, the tossed around 'do it like the motorbikes' argument isn't as effective as it seems.
Though tbh there's reckless people my age and they do drive what are considered decent cars like Audi A3's with the 1.9TDI and equivalent Golfs/Leons etc with the same pretty damn quick motors in them. They write them off. Their parents buy them new cars. And it's always a 'better' car each time. Do they learn from the accidents? Nope. They just get a faster, nicer car than before and do the same.
Two idiots in 2015 going 100mph+ in a 90s Golf lost control and crashed. Three guys and a girl. Two cousins, two brothers. One survived. Everyone was sympathising but TBH when I asked friends of mine who went to the same school these guys were real scum, dirt bags. Same guy wrote his mums newish Focus off a year prior.
Don't think it'll ever end, but a lot of people on here seem to make similar remarks about how these young drivers go mad behind the wheel.. as one guy said... at least when they were Corsa's and Saxo's you could have a right old laugh. Now... they legitimately are passing you on the motorways!!!
Though tbh there's reckless people my age and they do drive what are considered decent cars like Audi A3's with the 1.9TDI and equivalent Golfs/Leons etc with the same pretty damn quick motors in them. They write them off. Their parents buy them new cars. And it's always a 'better' car each time. Do they learn from the accidents? Nope. They just get a faster, nicer car than before and do the same.
Two idiots in 2015 going 100mph+ in a 90s Golf lost control and crashed. Three guys and a girl. Two cousins, two brothers. One survived. Everyone was sympathising but TBH when I asked friends of mine who went to the same school these guys were real scum, dirt bags. Same guy wrote his mums newish Focus off a year prior.
Don't think it'll ever end, but a lot of people on here seem to make similar remarks about how these young drivers go mad behind the wheel.. as one guy said... at least when they were Corsa's and Saxo's you could have a right old laugh. Now... they legitimately are passing you on the motorways!!!
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Indeed, it is sadly the attitudes of some younger drivers which is the problem. Unfortunately, in some cases, even being involved in an accident won't cure them.
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In this instance I was driving in a queue of traffic that was travelling at a steady 40mph. The convoy included 3 or 4 lorries ahead travelling at their 'required speed'. I think the frustrating thing for the driver following was no opportunities to overtake, and the fact I was leaving a braking distance to the car in front. The latter does seem to annoy some drivers. It seems butting up to the car in front as though I'm being towed is preferable! I noticed as I turned off that he resumed the tailgating position behind the driver in front of me. Maybe it's because they were never taught about braking distances.
I never quite understand this behaviour. My original post about the Seats and Audis was inspired by following an Ibiza complete with rip scottyboi stickers and a no smoke, no poke remap that was following a clearly lost delivery van.
The delivery van was going slower than I would have liked and nearly stopping every junction to read the signs. But once you've realised what they are doing and assessed the overaking opportunites at 0 sitting on their back door just makes it more stressful for you given you can't see around them at all and they keep on nearly braking to a halt. I just positioned myself at about 15 car lengths back. Lad in the Ibiza was ahead with the van a head of him...so he would slow down to let the van get away then floor it up to about 50 in the 30 and jam the brakes on behind the van..few interesting moments when this performance coincided with the van slowing to read a sign. Of course he then commenced swerving from side to side.
I think it takes a strange mentality to keep doing it..I drove like an arse for many years but..I saw a lad I used to downhill bike with left for dead by his "mates" when the car they were in hit the lampost in front of my dads house at 70 in a 30 zone. Another friend got clean swideswiped of the road by an artic straight in front of me when we were convoying to a car show...same lad nearly killed himself and the guy who was my best man at my wedding going backwards into a tree on a corner within 20 seconds drive of where I'm typing this..also a friend knocked a child over, (not his fault ran out from behind a parked car 10 ft in front) who survived thankfully.
But if this sort of stuff is going on in your circle of friends (which the rip stickers say it is) you still choose to drive like a jeb end you are a special kind of special.
The bald patch ****wit in the Nissan eco-shoebox who beeped me for not pulling out of a junction when it wasn't clear. And then tutted and shook his head.
I stared him dead in the eyes and blew him a kiss.
I stared him dead in the eyes and blew him a kiss.
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Me too - so in some ways my criticism is a tad hypocritical - although I have never been a tailgater (because it's something that really irritates me). However - inappropriate speed and driving too quickly for the conditions was the norm. But it wasn't my own accidents that slowed me down - I had a few family members who had accidents that could so easily have ended in fatalities. That, and the fact that driving like a nutcase is exhausting (and really bad for your fuel economy!) , gradually transformed my driving over the years. That doesn't mean I don't occasionally enjoy rapidly driving along a well-known B road anymore - but I no longer race anyone else in the process.
Capital Gains Tax. What a dose of information to try and understand!!!
Getting called a mug for doing preventative maintenance by someone whose passat has been moored in a garage for the last fortnight..
Not worth the argument..but yeah I still think I'll keep doing it.
Not worth the argument..but yeah I still think I'll keep doing it.
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Liquid Knight II
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1981-1983 Mk1 Fiat Panda registered as a 1990 Mk2 Panda CLX
Passed the MOT less than a month ago.
Even left hand drive it's worth a lot more with the age correct registration. However I think this has been imported and ringed to avoid DVLA hassle rather than a stolen Panda. Ringing is ringing so...
Authorities and VOSA aware.
Just as I was getting used to the boiler running well again, after the fan seized a couple of weeks ago, woke up to a gently cooling house. It appears that the fan seizing causes the control unit grief, understandably, so that's failed.
Choices:
1. £30, but wait while old one returns to refurbisher, then they send out a refurbished unit. So several days of a cold house then.
2. £60 for a refurbished unit to be sent, to arrive tomorrow, but likely too late to fit before I have to go out. So still not fixed until Friday, and then send old unit back for surcharge refund.
3. Go fetch a brand new unit. Nice drive in the countryside, 9 miles each way, available immediately. £168. Half hour to fit, warm and reliable again.
So we went for a drive in the country. Sometimes the price is worth it for the comfort. And I still have the old unit, although it being 22 years old, doubtful I'll need another any time soon. New unit is latest type, so inherent faults fixed apparently.
Poor, but warm and cosy.
Choices:
1. £30, but wait while old one returns to refurbisher, then they send out a refurbished unit. So several days of a cold house then.
2. £60 for a refurbished unit to be sent, to arrive tomorrow, but likely too late to fit before I have to go out. So still not fixed until Friday, and then send old unit back for surcharge refund.
3. Go fetch a brand new unit. Nice drive in the countryside, 9 miles each way, available immediately. £168. Half hour to fit, warm and reliable again.
So we went for a drive in the country. Sometimes the price is worth it for the comfort. And I still have the old unit, although it being 22 years old, doubtful I'll need another any time soon. New unit is latest type, so inherent faults fixed apparently.
Poor, but warm and cosy.
I was going to read a satirical article about the EU...
But there must be a some sort of subliminal messages going on because for some reason I just find Porsche irrationally annoying now..must be brexit related...
But there must be a some sort of subliminal messages going on because for some reason I just find Porsche irrationally annoying now..must be brexit related...
My gosh what a horrendous web page layout!
I'm tempted to go to the Porsche website to see if there's a reciporical agreement so when configuring a Boxster 3 quarters of the page is taken up with this article..
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/...-its-not-a-total-waste-of-money-2015062699657
Because I'm sure people who buy Porsches from opcs are totally into left wing satire..like totally.
