Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: the alarming man on 14 February 2015, 20:54:31
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for Christ sake
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2953376/One-dead-dozens-injured-massive-motorway-pile-involving-30-vehicles-foggy-conditions.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2953376/One-dead-dozens-injured-massive-motorway-pile-involving-30-vehicles-foggy-conditions.html)
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and keep your distance. A lot of folks valentines day ruined there
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The roads are getting scarier than ever,seems to be a culture of 'pressing on' no matter what the conditions are ::)
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I was up there this morning THICK fog tailgating and driving into the fog blind. I was amazed at how many idiots on the m40
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Driving culture has changed so much in recent years, on a trip from Bristol to Birmingham the other week via the M5 I lost count of the number of people that under took. I was led to believe this is illegal, but it seems its all now so normal. Idiots !!!
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Many seem oblivious to the conditions nowadays :(
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There are additional complications at that Bicester junctions, which is why there are frequent smashes there, even before the fog comes down.
Southbound, the outside-laners wait til the last minute to get off, in order to jump the (usually 0.5-1m) queue. Only this means coming to a standstill in the "Middle" lane (just as it goes to 2 lanes), and can't seem to see the danger in a 70mph car ploughing into the back of them.
Northbound, those joining from the A34 have to get in the outside lane ASAP, else they obviously have a small penis. For traffic on the motorway anyway, there is an odd, variable camber as the motorway turns right, then left at the junction. This can cause an avoiding swerve to turn into a slide.
I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of these was the initial cause, then with the fog, pile ups ensued.
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every morning I see people cutting in and rushing plus going through a pubs layby entrance to dodge some traffic lights and its often repeat offenders and I think ffs get up a few mins earlier and is your car/life/somebody elses life worth it cos your an arse and cant allow more time to commute or just be a few mins late
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The standards of driving in this country are absolutely shocking - it's not about (inappropriate) speed, fog or anything else, it's the total lack of awareness of:
a) Everything around you
b) The rules of the road that keep us all safe because we all agree to the same principles (and I'd go so far as to ignore a little speeding there, unless you're doing a ton forty while everyone else is doing 60!)
c) The fact that you are piloting a 1500Kg+ steel killing machine, not a big fluffy ball of dough that will save you and everyone around you in the event you fsck up.
Driving home from Hatfield last night at about 11pm the general lack of awareness of all of the above was absolutely appalling, from the Mercedes who decided to crawl past me in lane 2 as I was approaching a slower car in lane 1 and then, as he drew past me and I started to pull out, brake test a 2.2tonne pickup (twice), to the Mercedes in lane 4 of 5 doing 65mph braking randomly without another car in sight for a good couple of miles (literally, just me and him in sight!), to the Fiat with the satnav stuck to the screen directly in front of her face, to the Citroen Saxo who was so close behind me in the single lane 50-limit roadworks on the M3 that I could only see the roof and aerial of the car.. and that's on a journey with virtually empty roads, it only gets worse with more cars.
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Totally agree about appalling driving standards.Yes people lead busy lives but to then risk theirs[and possibly others]is unforgiveable.Do you know in some ways I blame also modern cars,they now have so many safety systems built in-seat belts,airbags,abs,tc etc.-that a lot of people seem to think they are invulnerable and should by some mischance things should go belly up then the car will save them and as thet now pass some pedestrian safety test or other such tests it will also save the poor unfortunates they inevitably involve in their accident.Again no excuse for the state of driving standards.
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Is it that hard to get up 10 mins earlier to avoid having to be a idiot every morning?
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Is it that hard to get up 10 mins earlier to avoid having to be a idiot every morning?
my point exactly but even if I was late it wouldn't make me rush or do owt daft cos once your late your late but its the same people everyday I see doing same stupid stuff,theres a lad on a bike and most mornings I see him weaving in and out and one day some other retard is gonna do the same and take him off.is it worth it for the sake of 5 mins earlier on the alarm
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Is it that hard to get up 10 mins earlier to avoid having to be a idiot every morning?
Most of them shouldn't be allowed in civilised society no matter what time they get up.
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I take my lad to school every morning and what he said just about sums it up. "Dad, I never want to learn to drive".
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I take my lad to school every morning and what he said just about sums it up. "Dad, I never want to learn to drive a Daewoo".
Good lad!
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Oh, and of course, cameras and letters in the post just don't cut it. Cameras and letters don't put the shits up you like a jam butty car with blue lights. Cameras and letters don't pull you over for twenty minutes and make you really late. Cameras and letters can't tell you that you're a stupid, gobby tw**, and make you feel like an idiot. But cameras and letters is all we've got.
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I take my lad to school every morning and what he said just about sums it up. "Dad, I never want to learn to drive a Daewoo".
Good lad!
;D ;D ;D
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BUT....I drove to Liverpool today and, before I even got near the motorway, I had about ten miles of single carriageway, 60 mph limit with roundabouts every mile or so. I got so pissed of with the ermmmm, lady, in front of me doing 45 in her vitara that I overtook her when I shouldn't of. It was a real gritted teeth, squeeze the steering wheel, snarly overtake which I completed successfully.
Afterwards I realised I had my wife, son and dog in the car and I was really disappointed that I'd let myself get so het up to, as has been said before, save five minutes. So I am guilty of the odd rush of blood to the head and, I guess, so are most people.
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like Tyson fury what an arse
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2953793/I-m-superstar-m-going-report-jealousy-controversial-boxer-Tyson-Fury-told-two-police-officers-stopped-overtaking-hard-shoulder.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2953793/I-m-superstar-m-going-report-jealousy-controversial-boxer-Tyson-Fury-told-two-police-officers-stopped-overtaking-hard-shoulder.html)
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So I am guilty of the odd rush of blood to the head and, I guess, so are most people.
Yup, everybody is human (well, I'm still not convinced about one or two, but..) and to err is human, as they say.
I was thinking this morning (as I drove back from McDeath) that we're all guilty of occasionally misjudging something, pulling out when perhaps we shouldn't, braking a little later than we should and so on - but part of the knack of driving is driving far enough inside your envelope and with enough awareness that when you do suffer a temporary lack of perfection it doesn't usually result in utter catastrophe..
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I think that we actually take it personally. It's a stupid way to look at things but I really think we do. That woman in front of me was deliberately holding me up. She knew I was there and she didn't give a shit. How dare she? Bitch.
That's the feeling that people get.......I think.
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I take my lad to school every morning and what he said just about sums it up. "Dad, I never want to learn to drive".
Just need to get your lad to buy one of these classic items for father's day. ;D ;D ;D
http://www.anthonykeithuniforms.co.uk/collections/chauffeurs-uniforms (http://www.anthonykeithuniforms.co.uk/collections/chauffeurs-uniforms)
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STMO already has one of those along with the nurses uniform etc... ;D
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I have always wondered whether it would work better if we implemented similar rules as they have in marine colregs such as rule 16 whereby regardless of who should give way (there is little or no priority on the water) that it is everyone's responsibility to avoid a collision.
It could be interpreted by UKIP as Sharia, where in every accident no one is 100% responsible as even a stationary car shares the blame (if it wasn't there then there would not have been a collision)
I believe that aircraft have similar rules to marine vesels where rule 16 is concerned, maybe KW can confirm?
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Another perspective perceived safety. Does anyone recall the QI episodes regarding safety - that if you want to increase safety, perversely you should make something more dangerous. Research shows (I don't like the phrase, but here a valid point is made) that if you want to make a junction safer, make it more complicated - you increase the singeage, make it a slight bend, lots of slightly confusing traffic signals, filter lights, etc. If it's a perfectly easy-looking junction where you can barrel through at speed without really paying much attention by the time you realise that actually you just missed that solitary red light, it's too late, type of thing.
Roofer/chippy I know says he's had more 'near misses' and trips etc with the safety harnessing and so forth when working on roofs than ever before; he used to hope between joists and over sheer 50ft drops like there was no tomorrow. Because it's dangerous and if you know that one slip and you'll plummet to your death, your natural instinct just keep you safe.
Basically bringing me to this simple point. In 1990-5 pre-NCAP days if you wanted a safe car, buy a Volvo/Saab. then there was a few makes such as Vauxhall who sold their cars with Airbags, pretensioners and side impact door beams, ABS, then there was everyone else. If you drive a tin box AX/Metro/Micra etc and you drive at 70 down a winding country lane and you hit that tree, you WILL DIE- SO DON'T. Now, you're in your 5-star NCAP rated supermini/Megane or whatever, you've got 10 airbags, EBD, TC, highly advanced safety cell and crumple zones and all manner of things that will save you.....so you think. Well, no. Designing cars 'safer' is simply raising the speed of which you can drive, and giving a larger margin of error for the moron to drive like an idiot - as said 'I'm all right in my safe car - sod everyone else' attitude.
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The Air Navigation Order does establish rights of way between different types of aircraft and when converging so there is the basis for "blame" to be established.
However, the first word on collisions is as follows:
8.—(1) Notwithstanding that a flight is being made with air traffic control clearance it shall remain the duty of the commander of an aircraft to take all possible measures to ensure that his aircraft does not collide with any other aircraft.
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Designing cars 'safer' is simply raising the speed of which you can drive, and giving a larger margin of error for the moron to drive like an idiot - as said 'I'm all right in my safe car - sod everyone else' attitude.
Agreed. I firmly believe that all new drives should drive a Westfield / Caterham / etc. for their first year, and graduate to comfortable cars once they have .proven themselves survived. :y
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And of course, I'm not against car safety - and I'm just getting that in before anyone says they/their daughter/whoever had a crash that wasn't their fault, and were it not for the safety of the car, they wouldn't be alive to tell the tale. I know, and that's why I've got one of the, then, safest cars in the world around me - in 1996, don't forget the Omega was designed pre-NCAP and still managed 3 stars when tested, when all of a sudden car makers were beign shown up big-time with 1 and two stars. But there has to be a 'meet in the middle approach'
Yes, indeed, 'make the bus shelter vandal-proof', but also try and raise kids to not be vandals in the first place, type-of-approach. In theory we should be making cars less safe and lighter and therefore faster and more economical and greener year-on-year, as driving standards improve and people become less reckless on the roads, and there therefore isn't the need for all the safety blah blah, until cars are 500kgs and do 100mpg. Instead we're simply making that metaphorical bus shelter more and more vandal-proof, as the vandalism increases in severity. Which is the wrong direction entirely.
Jesus, I need less spoons in my morning coffee next time! ::)
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Designing cars 'safer' is simply raising the speed of which you can drive, and giving a larger margin of error for the moron to drive like an idiot - as said 'I'm all right in my safe car - sod everyone else' attitude.
Agreed. I firmly believe that all new drives should drive a Westfield / Caterham / etc. for their first year, and graduate to comfortable cars once they have .proven themselves survived. :y
That is a terrific idea. I've actually an idea akin to that for a while. It may sound a bit 'fascist' but imagine a 'National Car' - the nearest example in history being the Beetle, coincidentally. But every new driver has one of these neat, simple, standard 3-dr hatch design, be made in Britain, would do wonders for the economy, and you get your immaculate brand new or refurbished as-new machine, which is then inspected after a year. You've got a black box tracking your driving style, and if, after that year you've covered it in parking dents or worse, well, tough titty, you haven't graduated. Stay on in 'Year 1', until you can drive better. Potentially a second driving test after a year, as well? Until you've proven you can cope with that, then you can't move on. Potentially for Year 2 you have a bhp or cc limit, and then on off you go, get a Scooby or whatever, but it's almost like any idiot can try to drive properly for the duration of the 10-15 hours 'learning to drive', but then you can drive like a complete prickend the instant you're let loose on your own vehicle.
As I say, potentially 'fascist' in its appearance, but the advantages are massive - and not dissimilar to how you learn to ride a motorbike - with 125cc limits etc..
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That is a terrific idea. I've actually an idea akin to that for a while. It may sound a bit 'fascist' but imagine a 'National Car' - the nearest example in history being the Beetle, coincidentally. But every new driver has one of these neat, simple, standard 3-dr hatch design, be made in Britain, would do wonders for the economy, and you get your immaculate brand new or refurbished as-new machine, which is then inspected after a year. You've got a black box tracking your driving style, and if, after that year you've covered it in parking dents or worse, well, tough titty, you haven't graduated. Stay on in 'Year 1', until you can drive better. Potentially a second driving test after a year, as well? Until you've proven you can cope with that, then you can't move on. Potentially for Year 2 you have a bhp or cc limit, and then on off you go, get a Scooby or whatever, but it's almost like any idiot can try to drive properly for the duration of the 10-15 hours 'learning to drive', but then you can drive like a complete prickend the instant you're let loose on your own vehicle.
As I say, potentially 'fascist' in its appearance, but the advantages are massive - and not dissimilar to how you learn to ride a motorbike - with 125cc limits etc..
Not a bad idea. Will be good for UK manufacturing and also remove the "my willy's bigger than yours" factor from young drivers, as they'll all be the same. ;D
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There are additional complications at that Bicester junctions, which is why there are frequent smashes there, even before the fog comes down.
Southbound, the outside-laners wait til the last minute to get off, in order to jump the (usually 0.5-1m) queue. Only this means coming to a standstill in the "Middle" lane (just as it goes to 2 lanes), and can't seem to see the danger in a 70mph car ploughing into the back of them.
Northbound, those joining from the A34 have to get in the outside lane ASAP, else they obviously have a small penis. For traffic on the motorway anyway, there is an odd, variable camber as the motorway turns right, then left at the junction. This can cause an avoiding swerve to turn into a slide.
I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of these was the initial cause, then with the fog, pile ups ensued.
TB has got this exactly right. I see it everytime I go Brackley or return from there. I was caught up in that accident traffic and it took 3 hours to do the 45 minute journey.
But what really got me was those ******* ******** that decided to jump the queues and use the hard shoulder. And I bet not one got prosecuted. I sat there for two hours without moving and had to watch that. To say I was annoyed would be a massive understatement. >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
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That is a terrific idea. I've actually an idea akin to that for a while. It may sound a bit 'fascist' but imagine a 'National Car' - the nearest example in history being the Beetle, coincidentally. But every new driver has one of these neat, simple, standard 3-dr hatch design, be made in Britain, would do wonders for the economy, and you get your immaculate brand new or refurbished as-new machine, which is then inspected after a year. You've got a black box tracking your driving style, and if, after that year you've covered it in parking dents or worse, well, tough titty, you haven't graduated. Stay on in 'Year 1', until you can drive better. Potentially a second driving test after a year, as well? Until you've proven you can cope with that, then you can't move on. Potentially for Year 2 you have a bhp or cc limit, and then on off you go, get a Scooby or whatever, but it's almost like any idiot can try to drive properly for the duration of the 10-15 hours 'learning to drive', but then you can drive like a complete prickend the instant you're let loose on your own vehicle.
As I say, potentially 'fascist' in its appearance, but the advantages are massive - and not dissimilar to how you learn to ride a motorbike - with 125cc limits etc..
Not a bad idea. Will be good for UK manufacturing and also remove the "my willy's bigger than yours" factor from young drivers, as they'll all be the same. ;D
Over here everybody has to display an 'R' plate for the first year after passing their test. Its the same style as a 'L' plate. Means that they are restricted to 45mph. Works well untill motorway!
Once you see the r plate you know what to expect. Also a good target for the police. Fines and usually an extension if not displayed, I should know!
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Agreed. I firmly believe that all new drives should drive a Westfield / Caterham / etc. for their first year, and graduate to comfortable cars once they have .proven themselves survived recovered from the pneumonia. :y
Fixed that again for you, Kevin.. ;D
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Designing cars 'safer' is simply raising the speed of which you can drive, and giving a larger margin of error for the moron to drive like an idiot - as said 'I'm all right in my safe car - sod everyone else' attitude.
Agreed. I firmly believe that all new drives should drive a Westfield / Caterham / etc. for their first year, and graduate to comfortable cars once they have .proven themselves survived. :y
That is a terrific idea. I've actually an idea akin to that for a while. It may sound a bit 'fascist' but imagine a 'National Car' - the nearest example in history being the Beetle, coincidentally. But every new driver has one of these neat, simple, standard 3-dr hatch design, be made in Britain, would do wonders for the economy, and you get your immaculate brand new or refurbished as-new machine, which is then inspected after a year. You've got a black box tracking your driving style, and if, after that year you've covered it in parking dents or worse, well, tough titty, you haven't graduated. Stay on in 'Year 1', until you can drive better. Potentially a second driving test after a year, as well? Until you've proven you can cope with that, then you can't move on. Potentially for Year 2 you have a bhp or cc limit, and then on off you go, get a Scooby or whatever, but it's almost like any idiot can try to drive properly for the duration of the 10-15 hours 'learning to drive', but then you can drive like a complete prickend the instant you're let loose on your own vehicle.
As I say, potentially 'fascist' in its appearance, but the advantages are massive - and not dissimilar to how you learn to ride a motorbike - with 125cc limits etc..
I was thinking more along the lines of an Invacar ;D
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I was thinking more along the lines of an Invacar ;D
Or.. Could this be a market for the Sinclair C5 at last? Is there anything in which they could feel more vulnerable? ;D
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Fair point. How fast/reckless a driver could you be in one of them? I know the obvious joke is 'well you couldn't speed if you tried' but dangerous driving, as we know, isn't down to speed, but inattentiveness. You can drive like a nun at 29mph and damn near run someone over because you're in a world of your own, or cruise down a completely empty straight well-lit motorway at 95mph, and you know who'll get penalised as the 'dangerous' driver out of those two scenarios. :-\
Imagine a British built 3-dr Corsa-esque or similar car, all safety gear removed so you cock up on a bend = you face the consequences. 70mph speed limiter, functional, simple trim level, wind up windows, pop-out style rear windows, large glass area with nice slim pillars, no parking sensors or any of that rubbish. Skinny tyres and no power steering and a decent size wheel (so people can learn HOW to manoeuvre a car, like used to be taught, NOT to dry steer the chuffing wheels, it's bad practice) Little 3cyl revvy engine, manual box of course. I'm not laying this down as a concrete list of what it 'should' be, but that's the kind of thing I'd see it as.
I suppose the counter-argument would be that soon as someone in one of these is hit by another driver driving their Lexus SUV and killed, the Government gets sued by the parents, because they wanted to buy their child a nice 'safe' Civic Type R, but I don't know, a man can dream, I suppose...
Either that or just increase the minimum length you must take of driving lessons to a compulsory 1 year and 25 hours, or similar. And a re-test 1 year later, or something. The thing is the stuff you can scrape by without knowing now is ridiculous. Just keep taking the theory test until you pass through blind luck, same with the hazard perception. Click the screen once every 5-7 seconds and I flew through with a pretty high pass mark. Seriously. Stupid!
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I was thinking more along the lines of an Invacar ;D
Or.. Could this be a market for the Sinclair C5 at last? Is there anything in which they could feel more vulnerable? ;D
Hmm... A Citroen C5? I'd feel pretty unsafe in one of them, compared with a Sinclair C5 :y
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I was thinking more along the lines of an Invacar ;D
Or.. Could this be a market for the Sinclair C5 at last? Is there anything in which they could feel more vulnerable? ;D
Hmm... A Citroen C5? I'd feel pretty unsafe in one of them, compared with a Sinclair C5 :y
True. They're both made from recycled tupperware boxes, after all. :y
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:y