Driving standards

[johnofwessex]

It seems rather surprising in the current climate that manufacturers dont ensure that vehicles can run easily at 20 - 30mph

 

My wife & I have a 60 reg Diesel Kia Karens & a 57 reg Diesel Rio, both are pretty good at low speed however trying to keep my previous car, a Diahatsu Charade 'on the line' at 30mph was a nightmare

[beast66606]

8 hours ago, Reorte said:

 

Was is INCREDIBLY dangerous before the limit was reduced to 20 from 30? Or did you have a few cases of people incapable of looking after themselves, stepping out into moving traffic, and some more of people paying no attention to the 30 limit (or just generally driving inappropriately to the conditions)? I live in a village with a 30 mph limit and no pavement through some of it, there's no real risk even in the dark as a pedestrian as long as you act sensibly and don't encounter the type of driver who's dangerous wherever you encounter them whatever the limit is.

 

I have no idea how you can conclude there's no risk when walking on an unlit, no pavement road in the dark (and we have very little light pollution, it really is near enough pitch black) - utter nonsense. You seem to fail to realise that if there's no pavement you do not "step out into moving traffic" you are already IN IT - and walking into headlights, which idiots don't dip of course because you're not a car who can dazzle them back flash them to remind them, so they don't give a flying fudge.

 

 

 

 

[Hobby]

I does seem to vary from car to car, my 7 speed auto Golf is fine with 20mph but the 508 we had on holiday in Germany with an 8 speed auto box kept hunting at 30kph (the German equivalent of the 20mph and very common and in many cases enforced by a forward facing camera!).

 

 

[kevinlms]

The other evening, I was driving along the highway and up ahead of me was a bus. Between us was a motorcyclist, who insisted on being about a cars length behind the bus and in its centre line. So totally blind at 90 kmh (55 mph to you lot).

So what did he expect would happen if the bus suddenly braked? I had vision of a motorcyclist shaped indentation in the rear of the bus. So I dropped back, so as to not run over the remains!

Eventually after several hundred metres, he pulled out to the right (blind of course) and went around.

[Nick C]

15 hours ago, Titan said:

 

The rear lights are only there for poor light conditions, not low visibility. That is why cars are fitted with rear fog lights for such conditions, unless you are proposing that all cars should have rear fog lights illuminated during the day?  Anything less will be insufficiently bright to make a significant difference during daylight.  In any case the DRL is mostly for the benefit of  pedestrians, which may not have as good eyesight as drivers, being able to see the car more clearly so less likely to walk out in front of it. They are not there for the benefit of drivers.

I'm not talking about broad daylight, I'm talking about dawn/dusk, rain, light mist etc - times when it's dull enough to need to be seen, but not extremely low visibility which warrants fog lights. The sort of situation you get almost every morning at this time of year.

[Reorte]

14 hours ago, beast66606 said:

 

I have no idea how you can conclude there's no risk when walking on an unlit, no pavement road in the dark (and we have very little light pollution, it really is near enough pitch black) - utter nonsense. You seem to fail to realise that if there's no pavement you do not "step out into moving traffic" you are already IN IT - and walking into headlights, which idiots don't dip of course because you're not a car who can dazzle them back flash them to remind them, so they don't give a flying fudge.

 

I assume then that there are no verges either, it's basically a considerable stretch with just walls on either side and no room for pavements? The lack of lights shouldn't be an issue though, if these cars are on full beam that'll light you up much more than street lights. The problem is that you're trying to paint a situation where it sounds impossible for someone to take care of themselves sensibly under any circumstances, but then going on to claim that somehow a 30 mph limit is dangerous and a 20 mph limit safe. And going on to describe the type of driver who sounds like the sort of person who doesn't pay much attention to speed limits anyway as being part of the problem. The problem isn't the speed limit, it's drivers not driving to the conditions by the sounds of things. Speed limit changes mostly change the behaviour of the drivers you should be least worried about, and are generally a symptom of "something-must-be-done-itis" (often as a result of people hurtling through way over the old limit, barely in control and relying on luck, i.e. breaking all the existing rules anyway).

Edited December 7, 2019 by Reorte

[Titan]

35 minutes ago, Nick C said:

I'm not talking about broad daylight, I'm talking about dawn/dusk, rain, light mist etc - times when it's dull enough to need to be seen, but not extremely low visibility which warrants fog lights. The sort of situation you get almost every morning at this time of year.

 

But it is specifically daylight conditions that the DRLs are supposed to be for, the clue is in the name, Daylight Running Lights.  They are not designed or intended for low light conditions as that is not their purpose, when ordinary lights should be used instead.

[davefrk]

16 hours ago, Titan said:

 

Does your car have DRLs?

 

Yes, but it was midday in good light conditions, just arrogant stupid kids not looking where they are going.

 

Dave.

[Nick C]

57 minutes ago, Titan said:

 

But it is specifically daylight conditions that the DRLs are supposed to be for, the clue is in the name, Daylight Running Lights.  They are not designed or intended for low light conditions as that is not their purpose, when ordinary lights should be used instead.

Precisely my point - people don't put their lights on in those low light conditions, presumably because they have DRLs, and so think they don't need to. If the DRLs included the tail lights, that would not be a problem.

[Enterprisingwestern]

16 hours ago, beast66606 said:

 

I have no idea how you can conclude there's no risk when walking on an unlit, no pavement road in the dark (and we have very little light pollution, it really is near enough pitch black) - utter nonsense. You seem to fail to realise that if there's no pavement you do not "step out into moving traffic" you are already IN IT - and walking into headlights, which idiots don't dip of course because you're not a car who can dazzle them back flash them to remind them, so they don't give a flying fudge.

 

 

 

 

 

It is also a good idea in those situations to wear reflective clothing and carry a torch and not leave it up to the motorist to avoid the pedestrian?

 

Mike.

[beast66606]

1 hour ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

It is also a good idea in those situations to wear reflective clothing and carry a torch and not leave it up to the motorist to avoid the pedestrian?

 

Mike.

 

cough

 

Quote

and this despite me wearing high viz gear and carrying a strong torch.

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

3 hours ago, beast66606 said:

 

cough

 

 

 

Oooops.

I thought I was keeping up!

Obviously not, apologies.

 

Mike.

[jonny777]

I know this is O/T with regard to driving standards, but it was the most suitable thread I could think of where folk might be able to identify this car? 

 

 

[steve1]

You would be better off posting it in the "Those interested in old cars" thread.

 

My guess, going on what I ca see of the rad, is an Alfa from 1930s. (But I'm probably wrong)

 

steve

[jonny777]

12 hours ago, steve1 said:

You would be better off posting it in the "Those interested in old cars" thread.

 

 

 

steve

 

 

Is there one?

[Hobby]

A quick forum search produces:

 

 

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, Hobby said:

A quick forum search produces:

 

 

Someone's just posted on that thread so if you go into Wheeltappers it will be near the top of the list of posts.

[dvdlcs]

In the 1990s I worked in an industrial estate in the Cambridge area, where I encountered a 20mph limit for the first time. At the time I was driving a 1.2 litre Renault Clio, which you might think would be ideal for low speed city type driving. But, as others have said, 20mph wasn't a good number for it as it was either revving too high (IMO) in third gear or revving too low (IMO) in fourth gear on the manual gearbox.

 

Where I am now, in Western Australia, the school zones are 40kph (circa 25mph) between 0730 and 0900 and 1430 and 1600 on school days. Between these time periods electronic signs with the 40 limit are illuminated. Outside of these times, the normal road speed - whatever that might be - applies.

[Baby Deltic]

15 hours ago, jonny777 said:

I know this is O/T with regard to driving standards, but it was the most suitable thread I could think of where folk might be able to identify this car? 

 

 

 

Daewoo Maserati Mk VI which had the three-pipe rack on the dashboard and twin match strikers.

Edited December 8, 2019 by Baby Deltic

[Titan]

2 minutes ago, dvdlcs said:

In the 1990s I worked in an industrial estate in the Cambridge area, where I encountered a 20mph limit for the first time. At the time I was driving a 1.2 litre Renault Clio, which you might think would be ideal for low speed city type driving. But, as others have said, 20mph wasn't a good number for it as it was either revving too high (IMO) in third gear or revving too low (IMO) in fourth gear on the manual gearbox.

 

Where I am now, in Western Australia, the school zones are 40kph (circa 25mph) between 0730 and 0900 and 1430 and 1600 on school days. Between these time periods electronic signs with the 40 limit are illuminated. Outside of these times, the normal road speed - whatever that might be - applies.

 

My first car, a Mini 1000, was quite happy at 20mph in fourth gear...

[newbryford]

1 minute ago, Titan said:

 

My first car, a Mini 1000, was quite happy at 20mph in fourth gear...

 

And unhappy at 70mph in 4th...….

 

 

 

[Titan]

5 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

And unhappy at 70mph in 4th...….

 

 

 

 

Oh I don't know, it had a top speed of 85mph so cruising at 70mph was not too much strain on the engine. My ears on the other hand...

[peanuts]

36 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

And unhappy at 70mph in 4th...….

 

 

 

sounds like my current Kia rio chronically under geared fantastic nipping around on A roads through the gears but screaming its bits off on the motorway at 70  in fith gear badly needs another cog for cruising 

 

[jonny777]

Oh well, as the local used to say where I grew up "If you want summat done proper, do it yersen" 

 

It might be a 1938 Dodge Speedster. 

[kevinlms]

36 minutes ago, dvdlcs said:

In the 1990s I worked in an industrial estate in the Cambridge area, where I encountered a 20mph limit for the first time. At the time I was driving a 1.2 litre Renault Clio, which you might think would be ideal for low speed city type driving. But, as others have said, 20mph wasn't a good number for it as it was either revving too high (IMO) in third gear or revving too low (IMO) in fourth gear on the manual gearbox.

 

Where I am now, in Western Australia, the school zones are 40kph (circa 25mph) between 0730 and 0900 and 1430 and 1600 on school days. Between these time periods electronic signs with the 40 limit are illuminated. Outside of these times, the normal road speed - whatever that might be - applies.

In Victoria, it's way more complicated than that.

 

The times are the same, but not all have the illuminated sign, just a fixed board advising of times on school days & the 40 kph speed limit. The problem I have is that I have no kids, so how do I know if it's a school day or not? Some schools have a permanent 24/7 speed limit of 40 kph.

 

A road I drive along most weekdays, has 2 schools about 800 metres apart, one has illuminated signs, the other just the fixed board. There is no significant intersection in between, so the traffic flows are the same! There is a short section of normal 60 kph limit. A bit of consistency would be good!