There is no hope
Discussion
This morning I was astonished to be following a car which had a 4 or 5 (small version anyway) year old kid walking around on the back seat. The reason I was amazed was that this was a DRVING INSTRUCTORs car - one WAZI instructors in fact.
My g/f then texted me to say "we'll never get rid of middle lane numtpies...there was one doing about 57 mph in the middle lane of the M1 this morning....oh, and it was an AA advanced driving instrauctor". Apparently he was driving alone (so not person under instruction) and there was absolutey nothing in the inside lane for at least 1/2 mile.
If they can't do it, what can we really expect of everyone else?
My g/f then texted me to say "we'll never get rid of middle lane numtpies...there was one doing about 57 mph in the middle lane of the M1 this morning....oh, and it was an AA advanced driving instrauctor". Apparently he was driving alone (so not person under instruction) and there was absolutey nothing in the inside lane for at least 1/2 mile.
If they can't do it, what can we really expect of everyone else?
why does that surprise you? Its patently not against the law to drive really slowly not matter how much distress you cause others.
All the worst driving I've ever seen has come from people who consider their driving skills are above average.
And I bet if you ask a driving instructor or even an advanced driving instructor how good they are compared to the population, they'll tell you their above average
All the worst driving I've ever seen has come from people who consider their driving skills are above average.
And I bet if you ask a driving instructor or even an advanced driving instructor how good they are compared to the population, they'll tell you their above average
Slightly off the main topic...
yesterday I saw an AA driving instructor out by himself. He stalled the car twice when trying to turn out of a junction up a very steep hill. Once he'd pulled out of the junction he then sat behind a bus at a bus stop without bothering to overtake, the road was empty and perfectly safe.
I often wonder how these people became driving instructors.
yesterday I saw an AA driving instructor out by himself. He stalled the car twice when trying to turn out of a junction up a very steep hill. Once he'd pulled out of the junction he then sat behind a bus at a bus stop without bothering to overtake, the road was empty and perfectly safe.
I often wonder how these people became driving instructors.
I often hear the, 'if he'd braked hard the child would have gone through the window'. I would respectfully suggest this is urban myth. Have you ever tried to brake as hard as you possibly could and see if anyone came out of their seats let alone sailed through the window.
I think the only g impact sufficent to do this would be a dead stop, eg plunge into a concrete wall.
I think the only g impact sufficent to do this would be a dead stop, eg plunge into a concrete wall.
Julian64 said:
I often hear the, 'if he'd braked hard the child would have gone through the window'. I would respectfully suggest this is urban myth. Have you ever tried to brake as hard as you possibly could and see if anyone came out of their seats let alone sailed through the window.
I think the only g impact sufficent to do this would be a dead stop, eg plunge into a concrete wall.
Ive hit the anchors and had a front seat passenger come clear out of the seat. This was at less than 20 mph iirc.
Try pulling an emergency stop at about 40-50 with something reasonably heavy on the back seat (ie a couple of bags of shopping) and it will go flying forwards.
Simple physics, the car is slowing down, the passengers arent until they hit something (ie seatbelt they are wearing - if not then front seat passengers, driver, dashboard, windscreen)
I can only suggest that you havent tried an emergency stop for a considerable time, or you DESPERATELY need to get your cars brakes attended to.
Probably brakes then. When I hit the brakes in the TVR is grinds to a halt pretty quick but it wasn't enough to even move my wife out of her passenger seat, and she wasn't even wearing her seat belt.
Can a road car pull 1G in braking? I suppose my simple physics should be able to work it out from stopping distances etc. I would be surprised if it could.
Can a road car pull 1G in braking? I suppose my simple physics should be able to work it out from stopping distances etc. I would be surprised if it could.
[quote=TheLemming]
Ive hit the anchors and had a front seat passenger come clear out of the seat. This was at less than 20 mph iirc.
quote]
Have to concur with this. I had to pull an emergency stop on the M6 a few years ago, using the Passat in front of me to assist my deceleration
I was in an Avensis hatchback and hit the Passat at way less than 20mph, and both my dogs which were in the boot ended up in the passenger footwell, having hit the dash on their way. Kids should be tied down at all times, and especially in cars
Ive hit the anchors and had a front seat passenger come clear out of the seat. This was at less than 20 mph iirc.
quote]
Have to concur with this. I had to pull an emergency stop on the M6 a few years ago, using the Passat in front of me to assist my deceleration
I was in an Avensis hatchback and hit the Passat at way less than 20mph, and both my dogs which were in the boot ended up in the passenger footwell, having hit the dash on their way. Kids should be tied down at all times, and especially in cars 
We have a bunch of driving instructor students in the building. They display some of the worst parking I've ever seen such as: (sign- xxxxx parking only) oh that must mean me then.... and its the entrance to the car park lets park so close on the road my rear overhangs the entrance that should make it nearly inmpossible for anyone in asports car to see to pull out...
Oh well
Oh well
Nightmare said:Erm, and what speed were you travelling at whilst you were reading this text message? Was it a 'hands-free' unit (in which case your eyesight is extremely good
[snip]My g/f then texted me to say "we'll never get rid of middle lane numtpies...there was one doing about 57 mph in the middle lane of the M1 this morning....oh, and it was an AA advanced driving instrauctor".[snip]
)? If not, then I presume you were holding it in one hand. Mind you, in my book that's marginally safer than an unbelted - therefore illegal (?) - child in the car.
I've stopped counting the stupid things I see so-called 'advanced drivers' do ... and that includes some of the emergency service drivers!
Julian64 said:
I often hear the, 'if he'd braked hard the child would have gone through the window'. I would respectfully suggest this is urban myth. Have you ever tried to brake as hard as you possibly could and see if anyone came out of their seats let alone sailed through the window.
I think the only g impact sufficent to do this would be a dead stop, eg plunge into a concrete wall.
Its a guaranteed way to get the kids in the back to belt up - emergency stop from about 20 mph soon gives them black eyes .........
streaky said:
Erm, and what speed were you travelling at whilst you were reading this text message? Was it a 'hands-free' unit (in which case your eyesight is extremely good
I was actually at work by the time I got said text message...I have never and would never attempt to read something like that whilst driving... Im too scared for my own life! I edited the story for the convenience of typing it into P/Heads
I can personally vouch for the effects of emergency braking. When I was a sprog (around 10) my Dad had to throw out the anchor as we crested a hill (NSL) in our Hillman Super Minx to find an RTA a few minutes old. He managed to pull up inches from the back of the carnage - I sailed between the front seats (no rear seat belts back then), cracking my head on the dash, breaking my nose and ending up in the passenger footwell. Just as mother stopped screaming and was about to say that was close, we were rear-ended by the prat behind who wasn't so quick on the brakes and my parents ended up with severe whiplash as he shunted us into the earlier accident. To this day my only involvement in an RTA.
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