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Idiot/dangerous drivers

Andrew C! said:
I just love folk who say they go over the speed limits by daft numbers. It suggests very selfish behaviour, without cause or refection for the consequences on others should something happen to them.

I used to ride a CBR600. I went to a fatal collision involving a very large cc motorcycle v HGV. The M/cyclist was very experienced by all accounts, but didn't cope with the wet inspection hatch in the middle of lane 1 of an empty dual-carriageway r-hand bend when doing nearly 100mph. Lost control and the rest you can work out.

Very traumatic for his family, the HGV driver, ambulance staff, road maintenance staff, police officers etc that had to deal with the aftermath.

Sold the CBR shortly after.
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I rode until 2003 (CBR 600 and then a Firestorm.) The loss of a family friend on his commute and then 2 fatals in 2 days caused me to quit. I'd been thinking about my irresponsibility as a riding father (to children not to a religious flock!) and these events sealed the deal. I still miss riding but happy with my decision. I'm now faced with my nearly 16 yr old son having a love for bikes. It doesn't wash when I tell him that the dead riders can't tell their story. Unsurprisingly.
 
cutting42 said:
If that is a car, that is proper rapid, if it is a bike, why so slow? ;-)

Go on.... what is it?

Oh and that is my copyright on "adenoidal IAM types" btw.
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:) Slow? Fastest bike in the world not that long ago... (OK 20 years ago!) CBR1100XX. I've seen it reported as anything between 2.6 and 2.9 so I went on the conservative side... something you'll never find me doing politically! Standing start 1/4 mile just over 10s :D A midges quicker 0 -60 and SS 1/4 mile than original Bugatti Veyron and available second hand for about £2.5K Read it and weep sports car owners!
Apparently current state of the art for bikes is around 2.3s 0 - 60. It becomes more about keeping the front wheel down and controlling wheel spin than absolute power to weight ratio and I'm guessing that if wasn't for these factors we would be talking more like 1.6S or so for the fastest bikes.
 
Arkless Electronics said:
You and you're type are the problem.... I almost added an extra bit telling those who were thinking of replying along the lines of your own reply not to bother and to take it as read that "the finger" metaphorically awaits any such reply.

Now't worse on so many levels than all the old codgers in high performance cars they couldn't afford when they were young and had the reactions and urges to drive such a thing like it was meant to be driven, but now use it as a prestige/status symbol as they potter along the highways getting in the way of faster drivers/riders and being blown away by yoofs in a 20 year old Pug 205 GTI as they potter at 60 in their brand new BMW M5's, Porsche 911's etc

If I gave a flying fcuk about speed limits I wouldn't have bought a vehicle that does 0 - 60 in 2.8 seconds and 186mph top speed!:p
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Surely anyone doing 60 is a nuisance to 'faster drivers' such as yourself who own the roads, why pick on the old codgers in their nice cars? I think you need to calm down a bit.
No need to reply! you've explained about the metaphorical finger.
 
Hopefully the shame will affect Beckham and the charities that depend on him. But more than likely he’s now in the uk elite who, when it comes down to it, are only interested in making more and more money. It’s all they measure themselves and each other by.
 
Get on the track and compete.....all gets revealed then and you become a touch more humble. Never driven at 180 mph on a public road............however topped out at 102mph (pathetic I know) at a round of the British Sprint championship and got an unexpected 3rd place pot. Much more satisfying than acting a like a cvnt on the road.
 
kennyh said:
Get on the track and compete.....all gets revealed then and you become a touch more humble. Never driven at 180 mph on a public road............however topped out at 102mph (pathetic I know) at a round of the British Sprint championship and got an unexpected 3rd place pot. Much more satisfying than acting a like a cvnt on the road.
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Good skills Kenny. I think you're right but I also get a lot of pleasure from the skills required on road to make progress. Working out the views and overtakes, smoothing your way through swiftly but perhaps not at 10/10ths. I've always thought (and said before on here) that the best improvemnt most people could make to their car is with some training for themsleves. At least it works in every car you might own, and for most people opens their eyes, speeds them up safely and is v satisfying.
 
Ginger said:
Good skills Kenny. I think you're right but I also get a lot of pleasure from the skills required on road to make progress. Working out the views and overtakes, smoothing your way through swiftly but perhaps not at 10/10ths. I've always thought (and said before on here) that the best improvemnt most people could make to their car is with some training for themsleves. At least it works in every car you might own, and for most people opens their eyes, speeds them up safely and is v satisfying.
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Agree with you 100% re. the training, I used to sneer when people mentioned it but realised the error of my ways.

First competitive event I ever took part in shocked me, I even wrote an article for a magazine about it.
I entered with a car that out of the box was on paper one of the fastest accelerating cars in the world at the time, I thought I'd be so far clear of the pack I'd get banned from competing again.

Well on a test day the week before I was 3 seconds a lap behind slower cars (on paper) who would be in my class for the event, It proved correct, I finished 14th out of 14, gutted.
Splashed the cash then on suspension and other areas of car but still languished at the back 1/4 of the field.

I relented and took pro lessons at ARDS from a BTCC racer.........a month later I won my first ever event, with a completely different approach to driving fast. It also then made me realise that driving at anything like that pace on the road was impossible and pretty pointless anyway. So, I sped up in one respect and slowed down in another.
 
I'm definitely no racing driver. But I have spotted that on tracks, one thing they do is to use all of the road in an attempt to 'straighten' curves. On a typical British rural 'two lane blacktop', I'd see that as a rather flawed plan. :)

And Kenny, you are right that it's pretty pointless on public roads. You might shave a few seconds, but quite apart from the risk of killing someone, or yourself, and ending up in gaol or a box... your journey time is 99% dictated by traffic lights, junctions and other drivers.

ISTM that the only place you can have any influence on your journey time is motorways. Clearly, if you can safely maintain a high speed, say 70 mph for one hour, you will travel 70 miles. This is 20 miles further in an hour than if you average 50 mph. (I always was good at maths!) Thing is, that average speed plummets the minute you come off the motorway.

My most frequent 'longish' drive is from here to Nottm. 2 miles on a 30/40 road, three or four on a '60' DC then the rest is pretty much all motorway/fast DC. M6/A50/M1 then a couple of miles at the other end. Total a smidge over 100 miles.

If I drive like a nutter all the way, it takes about 1 hour 40. Driving normally saves loads of fuel and stress... and takes ten minutes longer.
 
Good post Mull. As for using all of the road then that point is true. However I reckon the more impossible thing to do is braking on the road as you do on a circuit, pretty impossible and again pretty pointless to try.
 
Ginger said:
Good skills Kenny. I think you're right but I also get a lot of pleasure from the skills required on road to make progress. Working out the views and overtakes, smoothing your way through swiftly but perhaps not at 10/10ths. I've always thought (and said before on here) that the best improvemnt most people could make to their car is with some training for themsleves. At least it works in every car you might own, and for most people opens their eyes, speeds them up safely and is v satisfying.
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Spot on and exactly what the Roadcraft system promotes.

My company had a series of quite serious incidents with company cars and the then General Manager decided to implement a mandatory policy of all company car drivers taking the IAM training and test. I, along with many others were horrified that we would all have to learn to talk like John Major and toodle around at 22mph causing chaos around us.

To my surprise the whole experience was amazing. I had a great (female) instructor who was a realist and brilliant driver with a tweaked Honda Civic VTR that she spanked ruthlessly but with amazing awareness and respect for other road users. It was a real education about taking pride in making smooth and rapid progress within the rules of the road. Everyone needs to try a commentary, it is really hard but makes you think so much more about your surroundings and

I have banged on about this on many occasions especially on the recurrent speeding threads that the most important element of driving is not speed but situational awareness and anticipation. I think all drivers should be retested on a regular basis (5 years?) and although the UK test is one of the most comprehensive, more should be done.

Advanced driving is a joy and can be done in a £200 shitbox just as well as in a 911.
 
cutting42 said:
Spot on and exactly what the Roadcraft system promotes.

My company had a series of quite serious incidents with company cars and the then General Manager decided to implement a mandatory policy of all company car drivers taking the IAM training and test. I, along with many others were horrified that we would all have to learn to talk like John Major and toodle around at 22mph causing chaos around us.

To my surprise the whole experience was amazing. I had a great (female) instructor who was a realist and brilliant driver with a tweaked Honda Civic VTR that she spanked ruthlessly but with amazing awareness and respect for other road users. It was a real education about taking pride in making smooth and rapid progress within the rules of the road. Everyone needs to try a commentary, it is really hard but makes you think so much more about your surroundings and

I have banged on about this on many occasions especially on the recurrent speeding threads that the most important element of driving is not speed but situational awareness and anticipation. I think all drivers should be retested on a regular basis (5 years?) and although the UK test is one of the most comprehensive, more should be done.

Advanced driving is a joy and can be done in a £200 shitbox just as well as in a 911.
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Absolutely, I have done a few courses and some IAM lessons in my time. I agree it doesnt need a 911 to enhance road craft. The most interesting was the 3 Porsche experience days I have been on. Throwing a Macan round a slippery track was most illuminating.
 
Another thing I thought about today is cars emitting visible fumes. Should be prosecuted.

Dual standards, I know, but as I get older I start to think more about the environment etc...
 
Mullardman said:
I'm definitely no racing driver. But I have spotted that on tracks, one thing they do is to use all of the road in an attempt to 'straighten' curves. On a typical British rural 'two lane blacktop', I'd see that as a rather flawed plan. :)

And Kenny, you are right that it's pretty pointless on public roads. You might shave a few seconds, but quite apart from the risk of killing someone, or yourself, and ending up in gaol or a box... your journey time is 99% dictated by traffic lights, junctions and other drivers.

ISTM that the only place you can have any influence on your journey time is motorways. Clearly, if you can safely maintain a high speed, say 70 mph for one hour, you will travel 70 miles. This is 20 miles further in an hour than if you average 50 mph. (I always was good at maths!) Thing is, that average speed plummets the minute you come off the motorway.

My most frequent 'longish' drive is from here to Nottm. 2 miles on a 30/40 road, three or four on a '60' DC then the rest is pretty much all motorway/fast DC. M6/A50/M1 then a couple of miles at the other end. Total a smidge over 100 miles.

If I drive like a nutter all the way, it takes about 1 hour 40. Driving normally saves loads of fuel and stress... and takes ten minutes longer.
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I used to do regular trips to Birmingham. I timed myself obeying to speed limits and driving relaxed, and driving at speed. The difference was always less than 5 mins
 
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