Driving standards

[PhilJ W]

29 minutes ago, Reorte said:

Massive common sense failure, using a bungee.

The military do use multiple bungees to do what is known as a 'snatch tow'. But only if armoured vehicles are involved and personnel are standing well clear.

[Reorte]

28 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

The military do use multiple bungees to do what is known as a 'snatch tow'. But only if armoured vehicles are involved and personnel are standing well clear.

Sounds like something dangerous that you have to know exactly what you're doing in order to do it.

[Enterprisingwestern]

9 hours ago, Reorte said:

Sounds like something dangerous that you have to know exactly what you're doing in order to do it.

 

I thought that was life?

 

Mike.

[boxbrownie]

10 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

The military do use multiple bungees to do what is known as a 'snatch tow'. But only if armoured vehicles are involved and personnel are standing well clear.

All tow hitches (and fixed towing eyes) are tested to a snatch limit, it’s never published of course because that’s not how your supposed to tow. But the manufacturers want the tow rope to break not the rear end of the vehicle, unfortunately it doesn’t stop the brain dead from having a go!

 

And of course stating the obvious all genuine tow ropes are designed with a material that has some “give” in it, else it would fail every time!

 

Safest way to tow is the rigid tow link, there is no snatch as there is no play.

Edited November 22, 2022 by boxbrownie

[Reorte]

26 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

I thought that was life?

 

There's certainly a lot of that in life, and I certainly don't believe in protecting people from themselves (assuming we're not talking about children or vulnerable adults) - too far down that path leads to treating everyone like unruly children, and that's not the world I want to live in. But a basic life skill is recognising when something's a bad idea full stop, or when something is potentially OK if done by the right people so better leave it to them (e.g. I might be able to figure out what needs doing to my gas supply but I'm sure as hell not going to try to do that myself, even if the rules didn't say I shouldn't, but neither am I going to equip myself with enough equipment for a moon mission just to walk to the shops).

[Nick C]

On 21/11/2022 at 00:15, Flying Pig said:

I'm surprised Rufford Mill Ford hasn't cropped up so far (apologies if it has but searching the thread didn't find it).  The cluelessness is almost beyond belief here. Note the chaps fromTrucking Hell rolling up just after 8 minutes.

 

BTW a quick look on Streetview shows that, yes, there are signs both sides of the ford and at each end of the minor road it is on.  The big yellow depth gauge is evident in the videos.  This is sport stupidity.

 

 

The vast majority of them went in way too fast - the very last one shows how to do it, slow to stop a bow wave forming, with high revs to avoid stalling.

 

10 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

The military do use multiple bungees to do what is known as a 'snatch tow'. But only if armoured vehicles are involved and personnel are standing well clear.

For any kind of tow, everyone should be standing well clear!

[kevinlms]

16 minutes ago, Nick C said:

The vast majority of them went in way too fast - the very last one shows how to do it, slow to stop a bow wave forming, with high revs to avoid stalling.

 

I was surprised at the large vans that failed, obviously important parts of their design (air intake?) is at a lower height than the drivers expected!

 

The conclusion is that water, isn't a very good fuel.  😉

[boxbrownie]

5 minutes ago, kevinlms said:

I was surprised at the large vans that failed, obviously important parts of their design (air intake?) is at a lower height than the drivers expected!

 

The conclusion is that water, isn't a very good fuel.  😉

Truthfully, it’s that water doesn’t like compressing……at all! 🤣
 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2022 by boxbrownie

[PhilJ W]

5 minutes ago, kevinlms said:

I was surprised at the large vans that failed, obviously important parts of their design (air intake?) is at a lower height than the drivers expected!

 

The conclusion is that water, isn't a very good fuel.  😉

Most Transit type vans have sloping bonnets ideal for deflecting water into the air vents just below the windscreen.

[PhilJ W]

2 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

Truthfully, it’s that water doesn’t like compressing……at all! 🤣
 

 

 

I wonder how many of those vehicles ended up with bent conrods and/or distorted heads?

[Reorte]

6 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

Truthfully, it’s that water doesn’t like compressing……at all! 🤣

 

There's an old mine in Swaledale that has a (rusting, mouldering, and sadly looking danger of complete collapse as one of its supporting beams is cracking) hydraulic piston engine in it. Always wondered how it worked without smashing itself to bits at the end of every stroke, although from what I can tell reading up on a little of the mine's history the answer was "not very well."

[boxbrownie]

26 minutes ago, Reorte said:

 

There's an old mine in Swaledale that has a (rusting, mouldering, and sadly looking danger of complete collapse as one of its supporting beams is cracking) hydraulic piston engine in it. Always wondered how it worked without smashing itself to bits at the end of every stroke, although from what I can tell reading up on a little of the mine's history the answer was "not very well."

Just a pump I would guess, as long as the water has a way out its fine but in a compression engine obviously the clue is in the name when both valves are shut on the comp stroke any water within makes a determined effort to get out, always with nasty consequences.

 

Yep, it's a pump, but using pressured water to make it work instead of pushing water.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_engine

[Nick C]

34 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I wonder how many of those vehicles ended up with bent conrods and/or distorted heads?

Quite a few - you see them coming to a sudden stop and making horrendous noises when they try to start them!

 

Many of them seemed to be electrical though - turning over but not firing. Those will probably be ok once dried out. 

[Reorte]

1 hour ago, boxbrownie said:

Just a pump I would guess, as long as the water has a way out its fine but in a compression engine obviously the clue is in the name when both valves are shut on the comp stroke any water within makes a determined effort to get out, always with nasty consequences.

 

Yep, it's a pump, but using pressured water to make it work instead of pushing water.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_engine

 Sounds like it, although it's bigger than the pictures on there. I've not got any handy pictures (I'm at work) but a Google image search of "Sir Francis level" turns up quite a few. It's quite an impressive piece of kit, although getting to it involves dropping down a small air shaft a little way in (the proper entrance is open but there's a collapse not far in), and walking the best part of a mile underground, some of it in chest-deep water. Looking at the pictures someone's wedged some bits of metal under the cage in the shaft that the engine is still supporting to take some of the weight off it, I can't think of any way of getting to the damaged beam to support it that wouldn't be hideously dangerous.

[geoffers]

On 17/11/2022 at 18:28, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Any modifications are supposed to be notified the the owners insurance company, I doubt many of them are.

 

Mike.

We had a spate of catalytic convertor thefts around here a while back (even the main dealer suffered) so we fitted a Catlock. Informed the insurance company by phone but they were not interested in the info. Guess it was because the performance was not altered even though it might have saved them an insurance payout,

[Nick C]

45 minutes ago, geoffers said:

We had a spate of catalytic convertor thefts around here a while back (even the main dealer suffered) so we fitted a Catlock. Informed the insurance company by phone but they were not interested in the info. Guess it was because the performance was not altered even though it might have saved them an insurance payout,

There does seem to be some inconsistency with what they count as modification - especially when it comes to 'accessories' such as towbars and roof-racks. Best approach tends to be phone and check.

[boxbrownie]

1 hour ago, Nick C said:

There does seem to be some inconsistency with what they count as modification - especially when it comes to 'accessories' such as towbars and roof-racks. Best approach tends to be phone and check.

They are usually more worried about modifications that make the vehicle “look” more desirable to theft, they hate stickers, spoilers, aftermarket tinted windows and big shiney alloy wheels.

 

Oddly I had quite a few diesel cars which had chips or tuning boxes fitted and when notified my insurance company were fine with it, they sometimes asked what the reason was and I always said drivability and economy……it worked.

[AyJay]

Did anyone in Oxfordshire catch sight of the Ninja-Motorist yesterday evening at going home time?

I had just passed Witney and heading south towards Kingston Bagpuise, when I joined the tail of a queue of vehicles going somewhat slugglishly.  As a bend came, I saw the reason why.  In front of the bus ahead was a saloon car doing about 35-40 with NO LIGHTS ON!  This was about 5pm, it was raining and absolutely black.  Nobody coming the other way flashed at him/her, which was suprising.  Eventually, the car turned left before Standlake, along a road that I have once ridden down, narrow, twisty, unlit.  The indicators and brake lights were working, so I doubt it was an electrical failure. Utter madness!  Surely everyone realises that you are taking your life in your hands if you drive at night with no lights.

[johnofwessex]

3 hours ago, geoffers said:

We had a spate of catalytic convertor thefts around here a while back (even the main dealer suffered) so we fitted a Catlock. Informed the insurance company by phone but they were not interested in the info. Guess it was because the performance was not altered even though it might have saved them an insurance payout,

 

What about something that when it detects the Cat being tampered with flips the wheels up and deposits the body of the vehicle straight onto the floor?

[Pete the Elaner]

23 minutes ago, AyJay said:

Did anyone in Oxfordshire catch sight of the Ninja-Motorist yesterday evening at going home time?

I had just passed Witney and heading south towards Kingston Bagpuise, when I joined the tail of a queue of vehicles going somewhat slugglishly.  As a bend came, I saw the reason why.  In front of the bus ahead was a saloon car doing about 35-40 with NO LIGHTS ON!  This was about 5pm, it was raining and absolutely black.  Nobody coming the other way flashed at him/her, which was suprising.  Eventually, the car turned left before Standlake, along a road that I have once ridden down, narrow, twisty, unlit.  The indicators and brake lights were working, so I doubt it was an electrical failure. Utter madness!  Surely everyone realises that you are taking your life in your hands if you drive at night with no lights.

 

Driving at night without lights seems to be common.

I did have a lighting issue years back with a Mk2 Cavalier. I was on the M25 getting flashed by a few cars behind & I wondered what they were trying to say. I could see my headlights were working. That dash would have been totally dark without lights on. It seemed that my light switch had become faulty & although the front lights were working, the tail lights were not. I pulled over for a while until I realised my rear fogs were working & although they were too bright, they would at least get me seen while I drove home.

[big jim]

44 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

They are usually more worried about modifications that make the vehicle “look” more desirable to theft, they hate stickers, spoilers, aftermarket tinted windows and big shiney alloy wheels.

 

Oddly I had quite a few diesel cars which had chips or tuning boxes fitted and when notified my insurance company were fine with it, they sometimes asked what the reason was and I always said drivability and economy……it worked.

that’s me screwed then, my mini is all spoiler and alloy wheels!
 

It’s insured through a specialist modified car insurer and all my mods are of course declared, cosmetic and performance, as I know if I didn’t tell them about something on the car should anything happen they would easily be able to wriggle out of a pay out!

 

My skoda Diesel has a tuning box, again  declared as it’s raised the BHP by 50 horses but it’s not effected the premium a massive amount, probably only £20 difference 

 

 

[boxbrownie]

11 minutes ago, big jim said:

that’s me screwed then, my mini is all spoiler and alloy wheels!
 

It’s insured through a specialist modified car insurer and all my mods are of course declared, cosmetic and performance, as I know if I didn’t tell them about something on the car should anything happen they would easily be able to wriggle out of a pay out!

 

My skoda Diesel has a tuning box, again  declared as it’s raised the BHP by 50 horses but it’s not effected the premium a massive amount, probably only £20 difference 

 

 

It would be fun to have a chat to NFU Mutual and see if they would insure your Mini.

 

Actually better not others often ask “have you ever had insurance refused?” 😂

 

Who is the Skoda insured with?

[boxbrownie]

46 minutes ago, AyJay said:

Did anyone in Oxfordshire catch sight of the Ninja-Motorist yesterday evening at going home time?

I had just passed Witney and heading south towards Kingston Bagpuise, when I joined the tail of a queue of vehicles going somewhat slugglishly.  As a bend came, I saw the reason why.  In front of the bus ahead was a saloon car doing about 35-40 with NO LIGHTS ON!  This was about 5pm, it was raining and absolutely black.  Nobody coming the other way flashed at him/her, which was suprising.  Eventually, the car turned left before Standlake, along a road that I have once ridden down, narrow, twisty, unlit.  The indicators and brake lights were working, so I doubt it was an electrical failure. Utter madness!  Surely everyone realises that you are taking your life in your hands if you drive at night with no lights.

It might have been a fairly new car with DRLs some of them are so bright at night it looks like the old dim halogens of the 70’s, hence the reason they have to dim almost completely at night when headlamps are on, they are so bright you can actually see a fair bit at night but of course you’ll have no rear side lights on!

 

The driver probably was so thick they thought their headlamps needed cleaning 😁

Edited November 22, 2022 by boxbrownie

[geoffers]

33 minutes ago, johnofwessex said:

 

What about something that when it detects the Cat being tampered with flips the wheels up and deposits the body of the vehicle straight onto the floor?

Tempting isn't it. 

[big jim]

24 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

It would be fun to have a chat to NFU Mutual and see if they would insure your Mini.

 

Actually better not others often ask “have you ever had insurance refused?” 😂

 

Who is the Skoda insured with?

the mini isn’t too bad, just over £300 a year fully comp with everything declared, they are both insured with Adrian flux,

 

unfortunately the skoda costs £500 to insure as it’s in my wife’s name as we had a joint policy and I didn’t realise that if she didn’t have a policy of her own (despite being named on my policy and her car being insured in her name) she would lose her no claims bonus I’d she didn’t insure herself for 3 years so she’s had to start again from scratch despite having 20+ years of NCD, they wouldnt mirror it into her new policy despite insuring with them for years, I would have looked elsewhere but the mini is a problem for ‘standard’ companies due to its mods