Driving standards

[Flying Pig]

10 hours ago, Nick C said:

Definitely - I miss the old "three dials" HVAC controls - if the windscreen started misting up you could just turn all three to the right and know without thinking or looking that it was set to demist; wheras in my current car demist is on a flat button in a row of other flat buttons...

 

Air accident investigators learnt years ago that this sort of confusion kills.  Operating the wrong control may not be so dangerous in a road vehicle but distraction still is.

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

If you think 20mph is bad, Benidorm has 20kmph restrictions on all side roads, 30kmph on arterial roads.

Not that your average Spanish motorists takes the slightest bit of notice, neither do the police, who could clear the Spanish national debt in a week if they had the slightest bit of interest, I get beeped and waved at when observing the limits.

 

Mike.

[kevinlms]

Australia's road toll is starting to go backwards!

 

You should be able to see the You tube videos.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-04/road-safety-history-australia-toll-increase/102903364

[Coldgunner]

On 03/10/2023 at 00:01, Flying Pig said:

 

Air accident investigators learnt years ago that this sort of confusion kills.  Operating the wrong control may not be so dangerous in a road vehicle but distraction still is.

I guess that's why on Flight Simulator the altitude dials look distinctive lol. I watch a lot of Mentour Pilot and 74gear online and its interesting listening to the breakdown of air incidents.

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, Coldgunner said:

I guess that's why on Flight Simulator the altitude dials look distinctive lol. I watch a lot of Mentour Pilot and 74gear online and its interesting listening to the breakdown of air incidents.

 

I watch those too. Functions that operate in different modes to what the pilot thinks he's in along with automated systems bailing in tricky situations the the pilot hasn't fully grasped are common themes.

[Coldgunner]

Although autopilot does a lot of heavy lifting, I really do understand why pilots get paid the amount they do.

[PhilJ W]

I filled up with petrol this afternoon and  there was a bit of a queue at the pumps. two cars in front of me a woman was filling up a container concealed in a plastic supermarket bag. I caught a glimpse of the container, a five litre plastic one for screenwash with the top cut off. What is more she then placed it in the passenger compartment of the car!

[johnlambert]

On 03/10/2023 at 00:01, Flying Pig said:

 

Air accident investigators learnt years ago that this sort of confusion kills.  Operating the wrong control may not be so dangerous in a road vehicle but distraction still is.

One of the things I appreciate about my current car (2007 Ford Fiesta) is the three-dial heating and ventilation control system (no AC, sadly). I tend to keep the direction always on the demist setting with the fan blowing gently. It is easy to adjust either the fan speed or the temperature without looking. I would prefer if the grip on the dials was a slightly different shape, but their action (the fan in steps, the heat in a smooth rotation) and the fan volume makes it easy to tell if you turn the wrong one.

 

The only justification I can imagine for touch-screen HVAC controls would be if it is something that you can set and forget.

 

Sometimes it feels like people who design dashboards and controls are more concerned with appearance, symmetry and aesthetics; rather than function. In my view, instruments should be analogue with white (or yellow) on black calibrations. Speedometers should be marked in 10mph increments. Tachometers should be marked in integers. Minor gauges should be oriented so that the optimum/all OK position is vertical. In right-hand drive cars with a centre gear-change, or transmission control, the lights and indicators should be on the right-hand side. Switches for minor functions should be identifiable by touch, obviating the need to look for the desired control.

[Guest]

22 minutes ago, johnlambert said:

The only justification I can imagine for touch-screen HVAC controls would be if it is something that you can set and forget.

 

Mostly it is but sometimes things mist up, which is why the 'I want to see!' button on the Peugeot is a physical one.

[Reorte]

13 hours ago, johnlambert said:

One of the things I appreciate about my current car (2007 Ford Fiesta) is the three-dial heating and ventilation control system (no AC, sadly). I tend to keep the direction always on the demist setting with the fan blowing gently. It is easy to adjust either the fan speed or the temperature without looking. I would prefer if the grip on the dials was a slightly different shape, but their action (the fan in steps, the heat in a smooth rotation) and the fan volume makes it easy to tell if you turn the wrong one.

Whilst my 2017 Fiesta has a screen it's not a touchscreen, thank heavens. Last model without one. The screen's only used for the stereo and satnav (and a few car options there's no need to adjust whilst actually on the move); I'd prefer no screen at all, but I can live with that. Everything else is on physical buttons, sounds like the heating and ventilation hasn't changed from yours, three dials. Mine does have aircon and it has the nasty habit of automatically putting the aircon on if you leave it pointed at the windscreen, but that's a fairly minor annoyance.

 

I'd also rate it as the nicest car to drive that I've owned, rather stiff clutch notwithstanding.

[Titan]

1 hour ago, Reorte said:

Mine does have aircon and it has the nasty habit of automatically putting the aircon on if you leave it pointed at the windscreen, but that's a fairly minor annoyance.

 

There is a good reason for that, air conditioning de-humidifies the air as well as cooling it. This means that slightly cooler, but much drier air will not only dramatically improve the rate of demisting, but will also reduce the amount of misting as the air in the car will be drier too, and therefore less water in it to condense on to the screen.

[Reorte]

7 minutes ago, Titan said:

 

There is a good reason for that, air conditioning de-humidifies the air as well as cooling it. This means that slightly cooler, but much drier air will not only dramatically improve the rate of demisting, but will also reduce the amount of misting as the air in the car will be drier too, and therefore less water in it to condense on to the screen.

I make use of the aircon for just that purpose but I don't want it to come on by default when I start the car if I've left the airflow pointed to the windscreen.

[Coldgunner]

Had to get a crash sensor replaced in my golf, £223 after parts, labour and VAT. Those German parts are damn expensive when things go wrong. The choice was to get it fixed to pass the MOT, or fail the MOT due to the airbag warning light being on. Plus its safer now its fixed, as there's no guarantee the airbag would've gone off in a collision.

 

Think I might ride my bike more.

[jbqfc]

Driver stuck in narrow lane after flowing sat nav 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-67032246

 

John

[Flying Pig]

1 hour ago, jbqfc said:

Driver stuck in narrow lane after flowing sat nav 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-67032246

 

John

 

It seems someone read the story of Pooh stuck in Rabbit's front door and thought the Puke would come out easier if they left it a week. Obviously it was more obese than they reckoned with.

[PhilJ W]

3 hours ago, jbqfc said:

Driver stuck in narrow lane after flowing sat nav 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-67032246

 

John

Pratnav strikes again.

[Sidecar Racer]

 

 Oh well , here's the answer .

 

 

the American women blamed the sat-nav

 

 I mean , the average American believes everything they're told .   😄

 

Edited October 7, 2023 by Sidecar Racer

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

I would have liked to watch them exit the car!

 

Mike.

[Sidecar Racer]

 

 

[Guest]

6 hours ago, Sidecar Racer said:

 

 I mean , the average American believes everything they're told .   😄

 

 

Maybe when they picked up the car, the man from Hertz said 'The roads here are a bit narrower than you're used to but don't worry, you'll be fine'

[Pete the Elaner]

2 hours ago, 30801 said:

 

Maybe when they picked up the car, the man from Hertz said 'The roads here are a bit narrower than you're used to but don't worry, you'll be fine'

 

"I'm sorry the roads aren't wide enough for you. Some of the English cars have steering wheels"

[jcredfer]

2 hours ago, Pete the Elaner said:

 

"I'm sorry the roads aren't wide enough for you. Some of the English cars have steering wheels"

 

...  and some, actually need you to look out of the windows, to see where you are heading....

 

I know, confusing, ain't it...

 

[kevinlms]

7 hours ago, 30801 said:

 

Maybe when they picked up the car, the man from Hertz said 'The roads here are a bit narrower than you're used to but don't worry, you'll be fine'

It would have fitted fine, if she was driving a LHD car!

[Jonboy]

Had a Audi overtake a couple of cars behind me and then myself at around double the speed limit; drew up to the next car and attempt to overtake it approaching a blind bend only to have to throw out the anchors for a police traffic car coming the other way on patrol….was slightly surprised the driver just stopped after the imbecilic manner of his overtaking…

[johnofwessex]

1 hour ago, Jonboy said:

Had a Audi overtake a couple of cars behind me and then myself at around double the speed limit; drew up to the next car and attempt to overtake it approaching a blind bend only to have to throw out the anchors for a police traffic car coming the other way on patrol….was slightly surprised the driver just stopped after the imbecilic manner of his overtaking…

 

 

Pity it wasnt a telehandler in the middle of the road,

 

Did the Police Car turn round and go after him?