Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Nic Jarman · Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 1:35 am Post subject: Testing brakes

Thank you very much to the elderly biddy for testing the brakes on our '36 Morris 8. She turned across us and made me hit the brakes big time. I knew what was happening but my partner was very surprised and narrowly avoided headbutting the windscreen. I have always been scepticle about classic cars and accidents but now I am converted. How the hell can you not see a Morris 8 coming at you? You can not say we are going too fast.
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1936 Morris 8 Series 1
1973 MGB roadster
1977 MG Midget 1500
Dax Rush

bluto · Joined: 24 Jan 2011 Posts: 10

Having ridden motorcycles for most of my life I can honestly say ''People don't see fire trucks! Much less any of us''

Good job you we're hurt

Richard H · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2150 Location: Lincolnshire, UK

I had some old duffer turn out of the doctor's surgery car park right in front of my A35 without looking. Luckily being used to old cars, my foot was hovering over the brake the moment I saw his nose sticking out. I still had to do an 'emergency stop' with the drum brakes locking up and the car screeching to a stop with my hand hard on the horn and ending up about three feet from his Saab. He looked really surprised I was there Rolling Eyes

Riley Blue · Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 1751 Location: Derbyshire

It's surprising that whilst they know their cars are faster than ours, they think our brakes are better.....

lemansvk · Joined: 16 Aug 2010 Posts: 12

baconsdozen · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1119 Location: Under the car.

I nearly had a collision with a silly old twerp yesterday.It was in WH Smith the old boy was on one of those ruddy mobility buggies.
Later on I saw he'd had a miracle recovery and was able to walk in a shop his buggy couldn't get into.Pushing and shoving past people ,a task made easier by the size of his gut it struck me that selfishness isn't confined to the road.
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Thirty years selling imperial hand tools for old machinery(Now happily retired).

BigJohn · Joined: 01 Jan 2011 Posts: 954 Location: Wem, Shropshire

First rule of Police Driving, " treat everyone else on the road as someone who wants to kill you", 2nd rule "Look for the softest piece of roadside furniture to hit in evasive action", and the difference between a Traffic Officer and a normal Police driver, Traffic have faster accidents!! Shocked

Roger-hatchy · Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 2135 Location: Tiptree, Essex

They can't see a 40 ton articulated lorry,

Don't have enough fingers and toe to count how many times I've had the same with 8'6" wide, 13' 4" tall and 50' long, and still can't be seen.

How do you expect them to see a little thing like a car.

Roger

RobMoore · Joined: 16 Jan 2011 Posts: 105 Location: Peterlee

People are in so much of a rush these days. One of the reason I got rid of my modern for the morris. Now I actually do drive a car Smile

What annoys me now is that people see me and just think Oh an old car = slow car and just pull out in front of me.

Nic Jarman · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 12:06 pm Post subject:

Peter_L · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 6:40 pm Post subject:

I know this is a little off topic but I would be interested in the views of "real" motorists rather than the "armchair to supermarket and back" variety

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2011/02/04/montreal-speeding.html

This is a hefty penalty for not having an accident. Speed causing accidents is something that comes up in the media on a regular basis.

Inappropriate speed, can be as low as 20mph, if it is a busy carpark.

When hard core car thieves are given very little punishment, is the fine and penalty for the above appropriate.

I have, on a handful of occassions in the past, stretched the legs of my Senator in the early dawn light. Choosing stretches of motorway between junctions and service areas and providing the horizon remained clear I would hold it about 145mph for a few minutes.

We had freezing rain here in Winnipeg this morning. I let the streets air a bit before venturing out. As I passed McDonalds drive through there were three vehicles all caught up in a nose to tail shunt in the entrance.
Expensive breakfast eh !!!

BigJohn · Joined: 01 Jan 2011 Posts: 954 Location: Wem, Shropshire

Well Peter,,,,, without seeing the location it is difficult to give a complete comment, but on the facts given, 3.5 times the speed limit at 3am in an suv into a tunnel (I have been professionally trained to drive at speed and when I retired 15 yrs ago I was a Police Divisional Accident Investigator) I'll give it a go;

3.5 times limit and caught, tough.
3.5 times limit in an suv, stupid
3.5 times limit into a tunnel at 3am, Now then when would it be likely for maintainence/cleaning work in a tunnel? Oh lets do it when there is no traffic, WTF is this coming at the back of our truck at 3.5 times the speed limit...
Get my drift
John.

FrazzleTC · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:37 pm Post subject:

On the subject of brakes, I had to brake very hard the other day when a woman in a Mondeo pulled out in front of me while I was travelling along a street in a 40 mph limit. It didn't lock up and pulled up very well, but her next move was rather stupid. Whereas you'd have thought if someone had pulled out in front of another car, they'd try to accelerate harder to get out of the way of the car coming towards them. However, this woman just stopped right across my lane! I decided to toot the horn, at which point she made a rude gesture and mouthed off. Wishing to remain above such childishness I ignored this and waited for her to get out of my way before continuing on my way. Surely if you can't see a large yellow car with its lights on, you really shouldn't be driving.
What's just as annoying, is that yesterday evening on my way home, I was coming up to a roundabout at the end of a dual carriageway at a normal speed, and just as I entered the roundabout, a woman in a Corsa decided she was going to try to overtake me on the roundabout, cutting me up in the process, and roaring off. If she'd waited just 2 minutes she could have overtaken me if she'd really wanted to!
Although the penalty for the Canadian motorist's actions may appear harsh, the speeds he was doing were ridiculous given that he was in a tunnel, and in an SUV which weighs over 2 tons. Bit daft really, although I'm sure a great many forum members will have, at some point or other, gone slightly quicker than they're supposed to, when nobody has been looking, though, but driving on an empty motorway is possibly not very different to driving through a tunnel. It's best to avoid driving like that on any road at any time, not just because you might get caught, but also because, we may all think we're great drivers, but what would you do if your car suffered a serious fault at that speed?
Sounds like perhaps the chap has been made an example of, but, if it saves a life, I suppose it's worth it. He's obviously not short of a penny or two if at 20 he can afford an X6!

Roger-hatchy · Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 2135 Location: Tiptree, Essex

RobMoore · Joined: 16 Jan 2011 Posts: 105 Location: Peterlee

Deserved fine tbqh.
There is driving at speed then there is driving at speed well, I have done both in the past and learnt the hard way.
Whilst we all assume we are very good drivers, myself included, one can never account for the unexpected idiot that will sooner or late appear from nowhere.
I really can't understand why vehicles are not limited. the max speed you are permitted to do in the UK is 70 period. What is the point in having the ability to go 170?
Speeding kills be it on motorway or back street.