Tell me why I don't like convoys
Discussion
Am I alone in hating a drive out with other drivers?
I know it looks nice seeing a load of sports cars in a group out for a drive, but I hate being part of it.
I even hate it if someone wants to follow me to a venue, rather than using their sat nav or finding their own way there.
I find in those situations I seem to be forever looking in my mirrors to make sure they are keeping up or waiting ages at a junction to make sure there is enough time for both of you to get out. Or if I am following someone, I find that I might feel pressured into taking risks to keep up.
I always thought that the unwritten rule in a convoy was to make sure you could see the car behind.
Either way, it's not for me. I'll meet your there thanks.
I know it looks nice seeing a load of sports cars in a group out for a drive, but I hate being part of it.
I even hate it if someone wants to follow me to a venue, rather than using their sat nav or finding their own way there.
I find in those situations I seem to be forever looking in my mirrors to make sure they are keeping up or waiting ages at a junction to make sure there is enough time for both of you to get out. Or if I am following someone, I find that I might feel pressured into taking risks to keep up.
I always thought that the unwritten rule in a convoy was to make sure you could see the car behind.
Either way, it's not for me. I'll meet your there thanks.
Another with you.
Becomes a high power race across country roads with the lead trying to lose the rest and the rest trying to out do the lead. And then there's someone who's driving skill isn't up to the level of the others and someone out for a sunday drive not expecting a dozen loonies and the convoy trying to pass in inappropriate places....
Becomes a high power race across country roads with the lead trying to lose the rest and the rest trying to out do the lead. And then there's someone who's driving skill isn't up to the level of the others and someone out for a sunday drive not expecting a dozen loonies and the convoy trying to pass in inappropriate places....
If you're confident, skilled and able to find the right group of people and spend enough time together to build trust in each others' capabilities and abandon the egos, nothing comes close to the thrill of being part of a convoy of like-minded, well-matched drivers making progress in unison over the ground.
It's how I imagine being a Red Arrows pilot must be like.
Don't knock it until you've experienced it. By 'it' I don't mean a gathering of 25 strangers of wildly varying abilities who have no idea where they're going, inevitably get split up and straggle to the end destination one by one. I mean a squadron of 4-6 experienced drivers who know each well, with routes pre-loaded in the satnav, times and places plotted well in advance to avoid traffic. Bonus points if you're communicating via two-way radios.
It's how I imagine being a Red Arrows pilot must be like.
Don't knock it until you've experienced it. By 'it' I don't mean a gathering of 25 strangers of wildly varying abilities who have no idea where they're going, inevitably get split up and straggle to the end destination one by one. I mean a squadron of 4-6 experienced drivers who know each well, with routes pre-loaded in the satnav, times and places plotted well in advance to avoid traffic. Bonus points if you're communicating via two-way radios.
A guy I used to work with went on rides out with the Harley owners group, or (wait for it...) the hogs (shudder)
The amount of faffing about who rides next to who, staggered riding, lining the bikes up and ride captains just seemed to sap the life out of a bunch of accountants who have spent their inheritance on a shiny mid life crisis.
He sold the "hog" and got a s1000rr, and after retiring, went on regular trips with the retired old gits, ( "rogs" )
This seems to be an exercise in seeing who can carry out the most suicidal overtake, though to be fair they're mostly advanced riders, and knew their stuff.
All very strange. I guess if I want to do some stupid s
t in a car, I'd rather not have other people watching.
The amount of faffing about who rides next to who, staggered riding, lining the bikes up and ride captains just seemed to sap the life out of a bunch of accountants who have spent their inheritance on a shiny mid life crisis.
He sold the "hog" and got a s1000rr, and after retiring, went on regular trips with the retired old gits, ( "rogs" )
This seems to be an exercise in seeing who can carry out the most suicidal overtake, though to be fair they're mostly advanced riders, and knew their stuff.
All very strange. I guess if I want to do some stupid s
t in a car, I'd rather not have other people watching.I realised I didn't like convoys the first time I went on hols with Mrs D's family... Her dad insisted on leading, and he decided to take the back routes the entire way... Much as I love a backroad route, I don't love it when we have 300 miles to go, it's a sunny Saturday morning, and we're setting out an hour later than agreed.
Then we lost her sister who had decided that going over 56mph would burn through far too much petrol, and whose tight partner refused to turn on his phone data to use Tom Tom (this was pre Google maps) but hadn't brought a map. (ETA and invariably got separated from us, then lost, and we had to spend two hours driving around all the places they normally went in that particular area until we found them... Negating any possible savings in fuel she had made by keeping her speed down).
All in all it was rather fraught and I would have rather we all just found out own way there. Lovely holiday though.
Then we lost her sister who had decided that going over 56mph would burn through far too much petrol, and whose tight partner refused to turn on his phone data to use Tom Tom (this was pre Google maps) but hadn't brought a map. (ETA and invariably got separated from us, then lost, and we had to spend two hours driving around all the places they normally went in that particular area until we found them... Negating any possible savings in fuel she had made by keeping her speed down).
All in all it was rather fraught and I would have rather we all just found out own way there. Lovely holiday though.
Edited by donkmeister on Tuesday 11th April 19:43
Convoys can be more stressful than fun, depending on the circumstances.
They work best when you know the group well, and there aren’t many of you - and the ‘always see the car behind’ rule is followed meaning that you only go at the pace that the slowest guy is comfortable with.
When you have a large group, with unknown people and those who are happy to take significantly more risks than you are comfortable with, it becomes less enjoyable. If you bow to peer pressure and try to keep up, it could be dangerous too.
Agree with the original post that being a part of a long line of cool cars is great, but the environment has to be right for it to be fun.
They work best when you know the group well, and there aren’t many of you - and the ‘always see the car behind’ rule is followed meaning that you only go at the pace that the slowest guy is comfortable with.
When you have a large group, with unknown people and those who are happy to take significantly more risks than you are comfortable with, it becomes less enjoyable. If you bow to peer pressure and try to keep up, it could be dangerous too.
Agree with the original post that being a part of a long line of cool cars is great, but the environment has to be right for it to be fun.
I once went in convoy to Southport following my sister in law. It's only 10 miles.
We were 10 minutes late. A woman who may have passed a driving test, but coukd t drive.
We stopped at give way signs. Waited for none existent cars, pulled away without accelerating, never got to a safe cruising speed on a dual carriage way. And yet, she panic braked for hazards I'd anticipated ages prior.
On the way home, I went a different way and had a cup of tea made and drunk before she arrived back.
We were 10 minutes late. A woman who may have passed a driving test, but coukd t drive.
We stopped at give way signs. Waited for none existent cars, pulled away without accelerating, never got to a safe cruising speed on a dual carriage way. And yet, she panic braked for hazards I'd anticipated ages prior.
On the way home, I went a different way and had a cup of tea made and drunk before she arrived back.
I quite enjoy convoy driving, it's just a different challenge, understanding and predicting what the other people will do. Obviously if you go in expecting to do your normal drive then you'll inevitably be disappointed.
I also like it when you pick up an ad hoc convoy. It's happened to me a couple of times in the last year coming south down the M74/M6 where you'll get two or three other fast drivers and take it in turns to take point. I always feel slightly sad when one of us turns off.
I also like it when you pick up an ad hoc convoy. It's happened to me a couple of times in the last year coming south down the M74/M6 where you'll get two or three other fast drivers and take it in turns to take point. I always feel slightly sad when one of us turns off.
Got to have appropriate tunes.
"We was headin' for bear on eye-one-oh, about a mile out of Shakey town,
I says, 'Pig Pen, this here's Rubber Duck, I'm about to put the hammer down."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqYTX7parRw
"We was headin' for bear on eye-one-oh, about a mile out of Shakey town,
I says, 'Pig Pen, this here's Rubber Duck, I'm about to put the hammer down."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqYTX7parRw
Rumdoodle said:
Got to have appropriate tunes.
"We was headin' for bear on eye-one-oh, about a mile out of Shakey town,
I says, 'Pig Pen, this here's Rubber Duck, I'm about to put the hammer down."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqYTX7parRw
I thought it was Big Ben. That song always reminds me of racing the Nascar-analogues in GTA."We was headin' for bear on eye-one-oh, about a mile out of Shakey town,
I says, 'Pig Pen, this here's Rubber Duck, I'm about to put the hammer down."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqYTX7parRw
I quite like convoys. Refuse to lead though. That's really down to the fact that I've got the same sense of direction as Captain slow. I tend to adjust my driving to those I'm convoying with. It's quite easy after a few miles following someone to understand their driving style, strengths and weaknesses. And if the person in front of me is a more capable driver I have no objections on going my own pace. But then I do have a bunch of 2 way radios purely for convoying.
plenty said:
If you're confident, skilled and able to find the right group of people and spend enough time together to build trust in each others' capabilities and abandon the egos, nothing comes close to the thrill of being part of a convoy of like-minded, well-matched drivers making progress in unison over the ground.
It's how I imagine being a Red Arrows pilot must be like.
Don't knock it until you've experienced it. By 'it' I don't mean a gathering of 25 strangers of wildly varying abilities who have no idea where they're going, inevitably get split up and straggle to the end destination one by one. I mean a squadron of 4-6 experienced drivers who know each well, with routes pre-loaded in the satnav, times and places plotted well in advance to avoid traffic. Bonus points if you're communicating via two-way radios.
Strong cringe...It's how I imagine being a Red Arrows pilot must be like.
Don't knock it until you've experienced it. By 'it' I don't mean a gathering of 25 strangers of wildly varying abilities who have no idea where they're going, inevitably get split up and straggle to the end destination one by one. I mean a squadron of 4-6 experienced drivers who know each well, with routes pre-loaded in the satnav, times and places plotted well in advance to avoid traffic. Bonus points if you're communicating via two-way radios.
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