General motoring ignorance
Discussion
Inspired by QI, I'm compiling a list of corrections to common and irritating motoring myths. Contributions gratefully received.
The NSL for cars and bikes on a single carriageway is 60, not 50 not 70 and certainly not 40.
The difference between single and dual carriageway is the absence or presence of a central barrier or reservation. Nothing to do with the number of lanes.
When a slip road joins a main carriageway the traffic on the main carriageway has priority. It may be courteous for them to move over when possible, but not required and shouldn't be expected.
Revving to the red line on occasion doesn't mean the engine will explode. The performance is there to be used.
Driving unnecessarily slowly does not mean that no danger can possibly arise or that nothing that happens can possibly be your fault. You still need to concentrate.
Double the engine size does not mean double the fuel consumption.
Your cars reluctance to pull away from a tight corner in 4th gear is not a astonishing fluke phenomenon any more that it was last 997 times you tried it. Try changing down in advance in future.
Tailgating is unlikely to encourage the driver in front to speed up, rather the reverse.
There is no such thing as a Robin Reliant. It's a Reliant Robin.
The NSL for cars and bikes on a single carriageway is 60, not 50 not 70 and certainly not 40.
The difference between single and dual carriageway is the absence or presence of a central barrier or reservation. Nothing to do with the number of lanes.
When a slip road joins a main carriageway the traffic on the main carriageway has priority. It may be courteous for them to move over when possible, but not required and shouldn't be expected.
Revving to the red line on occasion doesn't mean the engine will explode. The performance is there to be used.
Driving unnecessarily slowly does not mean that no danger can possibly arise or that nothing that happens can possibly be your fault. You still need to concentrate.
Double the engine size does not mean double the fuel consumption.
Your cars reluctance to pull away from a tight corner in 4th gear is not a astonishing fluke phenomenon any more that it was last 997 times you tried it. Try changing down in advance in future.
Tailgating is unlikely to encourage the driver in front to speed up, rather the reverse.
There is no such thing as a Robin Reliant. It's a Reliant Robin.
Amongst other things:
- Servicing schedules are there for a reason and are a bare minimum of maintenance required if you want your car to last.
- Cars aren't automatically "knackered" after 5, 10 or 15 years provided that you've looked after them.
- Your modern car is not fastest in third gear.
- There is no such thing as a "slow" or "fast" lane.
- A 2.0-litre, 140-horsepower diesel Audi or BMW is not a "sports car".
- Four wheel drive doesn't improve (foot)braking performance on snow/ice.
- German cars are not automatically more reliable than rivals from other countries.
- A car that does everything for you is not an excuse to play with your phone or do make-up when driving.
- Having children is not an excuse for inattention and poor driving, nor does it give you more right to be on the road.
- Doing 45mph everywhere does not equal good/safe driving.
- The middle lane of the Motorway is generally for overtaking only.
Top Tip: Remember the old "Mirror, Signal, Maneuver"?
That means you look in the mirror first, then you indicate where you're going, THEN you pull out. Not any other order
Top Tip: When joining a Motorway from the slip road, the big lorries will be doing at least 56mph and the cars probably 70mph.
You should not join the motorway inside lane at the 34mph you poodled up the slip road at.
Top Tip: Motorcyclists. You need to look for them. Just because they've seen you, it doesn't mean that you can pull out in front of them.
That means you look in the mirror first, then you indicate where you're going, THEN you pull out. Not any other order
Top Tip: When joining a Motorway from the slip road, the big lorries will be doing at least 56mph and the cars probably 70mph.
You should not join the motorway inside lane at the 34mph you poodled up the slip road at.
Top Tip: Motorcyclists. You need to look for them. Just because they've seen you, it doesn't mean that you can pull out in front of them.
Clivey said:
- Servicing schedules are there for a reason and are a bare minimum of maintenance required if you want your car to last.
paulwirral said:
When you go to the expense of buying winter tyres , if you can only afford 2 at least put them on the driving wheels , sat at the lights today beside a girl in a corsa with snow tyres on the rear and almost bald summer tyres on the front !
I'm going to question mark this.Most generally ignorant people think new tyres should go on your driven wheels (when only buying two), but (unless you are off-roading) new tyres should always go on the rear tyres.
Surely winter tyres on the front wheels and summer tyres on the rears would make the car horribly twitchy at the rear in snowy conditions. Most girls who drive Corsas are probably better and controlling understeer than oversteer.
Edited by JmatthewB on Sunday 16th February 19:02
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