Chatsworth plus a small rant!
Discussion
Today was the werse driving conditions I have experienced in 30+ years of driving. The Girlfriend an I left home at 6.30am this morning in my S2, the rain was torrential most of the was an the cross winds were very strong, the overhead gantry signs were warning drivers about standing water etc so how can I manage to drive over 400 miles in a 20+ year old car with no mod cons and almost primitive compared to the 9 smashed up care we sore on the journey up with only one probably repairable the others were totalled!
Perhaps because the car is so old and lacking ABS, traction control, etc etc I kept my old girl at 55 mph and left a decent gap.
All the smashed up cars we sore on route were not involved with anyone else thank god, they must of aquaplaned on the standing water etc.
So many cars went past me at well over 70 in terrible conditions with one VW Golf passing my at speed only to be seen 20 or so miles down the road smashed into a tree up and embankment.
Our journey up to Chatsworth from Jctn 11 M25 took us 4 hours but 6 hours returning home due to another pile up on the M25 nr Iver.
Anyway rant over the turn out seemed very good although this was my first time at Chatsworth also the House was worth the visit.
I hope everyone else that went returns home safe.
Perhaps because the car is so old and lacking ABS, traction control, etc etc I kept my old girl at 55 mph and left a decent gap.
All the smashed up cars we sore on route were not involved with anyone else thank god, they must of aquaplaned on the standing water etc.
So many cars went past me at well over 70 in terrible conditions with one VW Golf passing my at speed only to be seen 20 or so miles down the road smashed into a tree up and embankment.
Our journey up to Chatsworth from Jctn 11 M25 took us 4 hours but 6 hours returning home due to another pile up on the M25 nr Iver.
Anyway rant over the turn out seemed very good although this was my first time at Chatsworth also the House was worth the visit.
I hope everyone else that went returns home safe.
So many people don't believe the laws of physics apply to anymore 'cos they, have ABS, ESC, ASC, ITV, BBC SKY etc etc and as a result they don't think they have any need to tailor their driving style to the road conditions this allied with the drop in the standard of driving on todays roads (possibly related to the above technology) you get the carnage you saw yesterday.
We of course know different.......
We of course know different.......
I do understand air bags and driving aids as they make us all very safe, my daily Audi Quattro with all its air bags and safety is a very nice place to be if I was in a accident so I suppose individuals drive the way they do. I tend to drive quick at Race meetings and when conditions and environments allow me - you do not drive my Sag quick in the wet unless you have a really death wish.
If we all had a up turned knife on our steering wheel pointing at our face - I bet we would all drive a lot slower?
If we all had a up turned knife on our steering wheel pointing at our face - I bet we would all drive a lot slower?
V8 GRF said:
So many people don't believe the laws of physics apply to anymore 'cos they, have ABS, ESC, ASC, ITV, BBC SKY etc etc and as a result they don't think they have any need to tailor their driving style to the road conditions this allied with the drop in the standard of driving on todays roads (possibly related to the above technology) you get the carnage you saw yesterday.
We of course know different.......
We saw exactly the same on the way back up the M1 / A1 - people just battering along 2 inches off the car in front, people cutting across the front of you to get into a slip road they should have been in a mile ago, and all of this in spray and standing water that meant that I could barely see the last car in the group I was supposed to be following. We of course know different.......
Absolute nutters. And the worst bit, as you say, is that they honestly just do not appreciate how close to the edge they are... until it's too late.
couldn't find a drowning smiley, which would have been the result of that yesterday!
.When the black Golf spun off the Motorway shot up the grass embankment then must of it the tree so hard in made the front of the car horse shoe shape which then explained the very bizzarre position it ended up in with the car on the other side of the tree pointing down the embankment!!
I'm glad I'm not alone with these thoughts.
I too have a every day car with all the safety / driver aids but still take extra care, I feel sorry for the passengers namely young children who don't get a day in how there parents are driving.
On a more positive note my S2 drove great and didn't miss a beat which made the day worth while as a couple of weeks before it had a terrible miss fire, non working hand break, leaking wind screen so my couple of evenings in the garage paid off. I very proud of my little S and perhaps one day will be in a position to own a V8!!
I will post a few photos soon, as soon as I put my umberella up the wind not only turned it inside out but bent most of the metal supports so trying too keep my camera dry, stand still in the powerful wind with the rain driving at you was a real handful.
I'm glad I'm not alone with these thoughts.
I too have a every day car with all the safety / driver aids but still take extra care, I feel sorry for the passengers namely young children who don't get a day in how there parents are driving.
On a more positive note my S2 drove great and didn't miss a beat which made the day worth while as a couple of weeks before it had a terrible miss fire, non working hand break, leaking wind screen so my couple of evenings in the garage paid off. I very proud of my little S and perhaps one day will be in a position to own a V8!!
I will post a few photos soon, as soon as I put my umberella up the wind not only turned it inside out but bent most of the metal supports so trying too keep my camera dry, stand still in the powerful wind with the rain driving at you was a real handful.
blackiepaul said:
I do understand air bags and driving aids as they make us all very safe, my daily Audi Quattro with all its air bags and safety is a very nice place to be if I was in a accident so I suppose individuals drive the way they do. I tend to drive quick at Race meetings and when conditions and environments allow me - you do not drive my Sag quick in the wet unless you have a really death wish.
If we all had a up turned knife on our steering wheel pointing at our face - I bet we would all drive a lot slower?
Paul the whole knife and face thing very worrying, dark thoughts If we all had a up turned knife on our steering wheel pointing at our face - I bet we would all drive a lot slower?
dbv8 said:
I had a can of red bull balanced on the steering wheel once at York.
It fell into my lap with embarrassing consequences.
Not quite a knife in the face.
I must remember that great excuse in case it ever happens to me.It fell into my lap with embarrassing consequences.
Not quite a knife in the face.
Oh, and I'd better always carry an empty Red Bull can!
ETA. Didn't need it yesterday though.:drowning smiley:
Edited by glenrobbo on Monday 30th April 15:25
If you missed it this year.....consider yourself lucky! So we will all have to try to make it the biggest gathering next year.
The weather was definitely a bit special! We drove down the Saturday night and stayed with friends at Chesterfield (hood down..please note Norman!) cold, windy and damp but big grins nevertheless. Got a good run over the Cat and Fiddle, despite the cameras, well worth it.
Sunday morning however was so bad that we delayed setting off for Chatsworth....have another coffee....perhaps we could stay for another...(repeated several times). Finally decided the weather wasnt going to let up so off we went. Nearly had a door blown off getting in to the car. My newly restored heating system and repaired wiper system proved their worth by coping, just, with the conditions. No chance of any speed with the amount of leaves/branches down. I am afraid we only stayed at Chatsworth long enough for lunch and to get thoroughly wet going to and from the cafe(and for my umbrella to get 'reversed' in the wind). The drive home was interesting (!) the Cat and Fiddle was absolutely wild and there was so much water that the speed limit was never in any danger. We had to drive most of the way up the M6 in the middle lane, the water in the'tramlines' on the inside lane was b....y dangerous and the outside lane was too hairy with fast cars and poor visibility.
We both came home grinning though!!! Good old S1
The weather was definitely a bit special! We drove down the Saturday night and stayed with friends at Chesterfield (hood down..please note Norman!) cold, windy and damp but big grins nevertheless. Got a good run over the Cat and Fiddle, despite the cameras, well worth it.
Sunday morning however was so bad that we delayed setting off for Chatsworth....have another coffee....perhaps we could stay for another...(repeated several times). Finally decided the weather wasnt going to let up so off we went. Nearly had a door blown off getting in to the car. My newly restored heating system and repaired wiper system proved their worth by coping, just, with the conditions. No chance of any speed with the amount of leaves/branches down. I am afraid we only stayed at Chatsworth long enough for lunch and to get thoroughly wet going to and from the cafe(and for my umbrella to get 'reversed' in the wind). The drive home was interesting (!) the Cat and Fiddle was absolutely wild and there was so much water that the speed limit was never in any danger. We had to drive most of the way up the M6 in the middle lane, the water in the'tramlines' on the inside lane was b....y dangerous and the outside lane was too hairy with fast cars and poor visibility.
We both came home grinning though!!! Good old S1
It wasn't just me then, i was thinking there must be
something wrong with the S having a job to stay on the road
at times,got stuck behind a lorry tried to pass it but couldn't
see a thing so just pulled back but cars were going passed it
at very high speed they must have been driving blind.
but stopped at Cambridge for petrol and the sun came out
then ,I had dried out to,and my trousers had soaked up most
off the water in the foot-well by then
I don't think they get a lot of rain at Spa do they.
something wrong with the S having a job to stay on the road
at times,got stuck behind a lorry tried to pass it but couldn't
see a thing so just pulled back but cars were going passed it
at very high speed they must have been driving blind.
but stopped at Cambridge for petrol and the sun came out
then ,I had dried out to,and my trousers had soaked up most
off the water in the foot-well by then
I don't think they get a lot of rain at Spa do they.
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