Driving standards

[coachmann]

A major reason for disposing of my last Modeo because of the 'orrible noise from run-flat tyres. I looked around for a same-spec Focus with loverely large spongy tyres!  Now I'm looking at Merc E-Class cars, it looks like the run-flats are on these as well. I was told WV failed the noise test in Japan because of thin tyres so there is hope!

[Jol Wilkinson]

You're just saying that because I had one on at Railex............My sister gave it to me so it's used for grubby days 

 

Any other time and it has to be Ralph Lauren.......

Dave, 

 

I admit I didn't notice. Perhaps I don't react to Designer labels as I am supposed to.

[chris p bacon]

Dave, 

 

I admit I didn't notice. Perhaps I don't react to Designer labels as I am supposed to.

 

Going OT I know but a few years ago (18+?) we were in New York staying near Macy's and Lady Bacon wanted to pick up a few bits and pieces, whilst browsing through the store she said " why not pick up a couple of smart casual shirts" so I wandered from pile to pile and settled at a counter where they had shirts that had different arm length/chest size/shoulder width/ body length/collar size so you could find one that fitted like it was made to measure. I tried a few on and found a combination that was really comfortable so looked at the price and they were $38 (£24) so I picked up 4 in various colours/designs and paid for them.

Later in the hotel my wife said " you went for designer gear then" I had no idea but  she pointed out they were Ralph Lauren.  I didn't have much of a clue what she was on about then but have to say that after all this time they are still very good shirts.

Edited June 19, 2017 by chris p bacon

[PhilJ W]

Splendid - just had the pleasure of emailing to his firm some footage of a Knob in a company vehicle roaring up behind me - tailgating - gesticulating offensively and then cutting me up - all with the face and van details beautifully captured - now explain that away matey

 

 

The company will probably do nothing about it.

Near to where I live there is a fairly busy road with a very sharp right turn. Quite often cars and vans fail to make the turn and end up in the bushes. It amused me one morning to see a Transit van that had failed to take the corner had a sign on the back. 'Well driven? ring 0800 ****.'

[PatB]

Having spent nearly all my career in the motor industry, I would agree entirely. With the exception of the writers working for the major magazines, most "reviews", especially in newspapers are based on manufacturers PR. I wonder to what extent the "reviews" published in the mainstream railway model magazines aren't the sam?

 

Even with the professional motoring writers you are very much at the mercy of their belief in their own godlike views, Top Gear being the prize example.

 

Increasingly in today's society many people want to be seen as successful. Many believe they can show that by owning/being seen using and wearing more expensive, branded, products. BMWs, Audi's, etc. are just one example for these attention seekers, Apple iPhones, Nike trainers, La Coste polo shirts, Louis Vitton bags, Rolex watches are just a few others. 

 

Here in Oz, the big mags (Wheels and Motor) are amongst the worst offenders. They've always been particularly keen to praise the local products, even when they've been palpably rubbish. Fortunately for many manufacturers, a large proportion of the buying public, both here and abroad, seem to prefer to believe what they're told over what they actually experience.

[Jol Wilkinson]

The company will probably do nothing about it.

 

People who drive liveried and identifiable company vehicles should be shown a film titled  "Who killed the Sale" (you can find a clip on YouTube)

 

 

Anyone representing their company should be aware of the impact their behavior has on existing or potential customers.

[Enterprisingwestern]

People who drive liveried and identifiable company vehicles should be shown a film titled  "Who killed the Sale" (you can find a clip on YouTube)

 

 

Anyone representing their company should be aware of the impact their behavior has on existing or potential customers.

 

We had a similar film at British Gas called "who sold you that then?", to try and stop us fitters ondoing all the saled departments good work. Featured John Cleese IIRC.

 

Mike.

[Horsetan]

People who drive liveried and identifiable company vehicles should be shown a film titled  "Who killed the Sale" (you can find a clip on YouTube)

 

 

Anyone representing their company should be aware of the impact their behavior has on existing or potential customers.

 

Fleet vehicles may not be theirs personally, so they don't care.

[kevinlms]

We had a similar film at British Gas called "who sold you that then?", to try and stop us fitters ondoing all the saled departments good work. Featured John Cleese IIRC.

 

Mike.

I expect lots of employers received lawyers letters, telling them in no uncertain terms to desist in showing pirated versions, or buy legitimate copies. I know a previous national employer did!

[Southernman46]

The company will probably do nothing about it.

Agreed but made me feel better and depends whether they believe I've forward a copy to Hertfordshire constabulary (Traffic division) also

[Jol Wilkinson]

Fleet vehicles may not be theirs personally, so they don't care.

True for Hertz, etc. vans with livery, but if the van/truck carries the operating company livery/ID, then it would still send out a message about that company and their employees.

[njee20]

Manufacturers often make a small car  becuase they are forced to, in some countrys the average MPG of their car range has to be below a certain level, so they make or buy in and modify it a small car so it becomes one of theirs..

The Jelly mould shape is mostly caused by crash regulations, forcing certain heights for bumpers, curved non pedestriain injuring bonnets etc.

The fashion for rubber band tyres is a pain in the AXXX literally, it's copying racing cars for no good reason.

Was the case with the Aston Martin Cygnet as I understand it, not many other examples, so not quite sure it really holds true. Plenty of brands that don't offer anything small/eco (basically every dedicated supercar brand).

 

Big wheels and small tyres look better, but give a crashy ride, cost lots and are more prone to damage. Only one of those things matters in photos and on the forecourt though

[stewartingram]

The company will probably do nothing about it.

Should have sent a copy to the Police as well, and included with each copy, the fact that you had included the other party.

 

Stewart

[newbryford]

Should have sent a copy to the Police as well, and included with each copy, the fact that you had included the other party.

 

Stewart

 

From my traffic police mate - Unless there's been damage/injury, then the police usually don't/can't/won't (delete as applicable) do anything about it. No disrespect to the boys in blue, but they do not have the resources to chase every dashcam offender.

 

Even when I showed one to my mate who was based about 1 mile from the depot where the truck came from. His Sergeant said as much.

(The link to the video is further back in this thread, sometime last year)

 

I did however receive this reply from the fleet manager of said firm

Thank you for your email dated 24th March regarding dash cam footage of our vehicle.

 

I would like to thank you for bringing this to my attention, I have successfully identified the vehicle and driver by the information you provided along with out tracking and dash mounted cameras installed in our vehicles. We have conducted an investigation and the incident has been dealt with in accordance with our internal policies.

 

Once again, I would like to thank you for bringing this to my attention and I would like to apologise for any inconvenience or alarm caused to yourself or your learner driver.

 

Whether that was just a standard reply or not, I can't say, but at least I received a reply.

 

The video was also linked in a local paper who were running a campaign for dashcam footage - not good advertising for a local firm!

[Horsetan]

Was the case with the Aston Martin Cygnet as I understand it, not many other examples, so not quite sure it really holds true.....

 

In any event the Cygnet (a Toyota iQ with David Brown grille, swanky interior and LED tail light clusters) was only sold new to those who had bought a new Aston previously. Not surprisingly it didn't sell all that well at £30,000+ each.

[jjb1970]

Magazines printing what they're spoon fed by corporate PR departments and press officers is not unique to motoring magazines. A while ago when diesel emissions were a topical issue for British trains certain railway magazines published articles which were blatantly just regurgitated press releases from industry. I recognised the syntax in at least one article and have a pretty good idea who actually wrote it (the world of large engine emissions isn't especially large). Remember, when we were assured it was beyond human scientific knowledge and invention to make an engine meet the latest emissions standards, at least until they did meet them..... If they properly attribute the source of their material then there is nothing wrong with that, what I do object to is this stuff being presented as serious journalism.

[Coryton]

Magazines printing what they're spoon fed by corporate PR departments and press officers is not unique to motoring magazines. A while ago when diesel emissions were a topical issue for British trains certain railway magazines published articles which were blatantly just regurgitated press releases from industry. I recognised the syntax in at least one article and have a pretty good idea who actually wrote it (the world of large engine emissions isn't especially large). Remember, when we were assured it was beyond human scientific knowledge and invention to make an engine meet the latest emissions standards, at least until they did meet them..... If they properly attribute the source of their material then there is nothing wrong with that, what I do object to is this stuff being presented as serious journalism.

 

It's much more obvious in newspapers nowadays since it's often easy to read the same story on-line from different newspapers - sometimes pretty much word-for-word the same. It was harder to compare in the days when newspapers were print only.

 

Then again regurgitating press releases may be more common in newspapers now as reduced circulations mean less money for real journalism. 

[Nearholmer]

There were syndicated press agencies as far back as the invention of the telegraph, and articles were "wired" all over the world.

 

Examples are now dead easy to find, because a lot of Australian local newspapers archives from the nineteenth century have been digitised, and turn up in google searches, and you will find bizarrely detailed accounts of things of pretty much local interest in Britain, syndicated, and reproduced on the other side of the world ....... did anyone in Ballarat find local news from Blackpool interesting???

 

Anyway ........ I looked at this thread for the first time, because it must be one of the biggest, if not THE biggest on RMWeb.

 

Given that we all think, indeed all know for certain, that other drivers are a bunch of dangerous lunatics, and that so many people have contributed here, I wonder whether RMWeb members are unknowingly pointing fingers at one another through this thread ......

 

Does anyone here drive a dark-coloured BMW registration R23 SSS? If so, I have to say that you drive very interestingly for a person with such an easily memorised number plate.

 

Kevin

[Coryton]

There were syndicated press agencies as far back as the invention of the telegraph, and articles were "wired" all over the world.

 

 

True.

 

But that's a bit different from the press-release-masquerading-as news such as the staple of Metro News*, the short article that such-and-such-is true according to a survey by the <insert name of company getting some free publicity>

 

* Don't get the idea that I don't like the Metro News. It's extremely useful. If it wasn't for the Metro News I'd have to buy newspapers to make my hills out of.

Edited June 19, 2017 by Coryton

[njee20]

Anyway ........ I looked at this thread for the first time, because it must be one of the biggest, if not THE biggest on RMWeb.

It's the 4th biggest on the first page alone when sorted by recent posts!

[Southernman46]

Just seen the latest Audi TV advert for the A6 (or whatever p*nis enlargement it was) and apparently it now thinks !!

 

Well - it would have too wouldn't it - nice to know there's going to be at least one brain in an Audi .............

 

 

 

This is meant to be tongue in cheek banter (just in case anybody takes offence  ) 

 

I drive a Mazda CX-5 - knock yourself out

Edited June 22, 2017 by Southernman46

[jjb1970]

Nothing wrong with the Audi A6, Mrs JJB has confirmed that my has expanded in length by a most satisfactory amount since I bought one.

[Jol Wilkinson]

Nothing wrong with the Audi A6, Mrs JJB has confirmed that my ###### has expanded in length by a most satisfactory amount since I bought one.

With a ######, it's more about what you do with it rather then how big it is, just like "upmarket" car brands.

Edited June 22, 2017 by Jol Wilkinson

[PhilJ W]

I had the misfortune to be behind the ultimate henwomble a couple of days ago. The car was a flashy 17 reg. Mercedes coupe, almost certainly brand new. Despite being no other traffic at all she stopped at every road junction and mini roundabout, opened the drivers door and knocked the ash off of her cigarette. Obviously she didn't want to get the ashtrays of her brand new car dirty.

[Legend]

I had the misfortune to be behind the ultimate henwomble a couple of days ago. The car was a flashy 17 reg. Mercedes coupe, almost certainly brand new. Despite being no other traffic at all she stopped at every road junction and mini roundabout, opened the drivers door and knocked the ash off of her cigarette. Obviously she didn't want to get the ashtrays of her brand new car dirty.

I hear that's when they have to get a new car.........when the ashtrays full