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[Terbs]

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. 

[candyman]

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.

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!

[aaronjb]

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.

Fixed that again for you, Kevin..

[Marks DTM Calib]

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.

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 

[Kevin Wood]

I was thinking more along the lines of an Invacar 

Or.. Could this be a market for the Sinclair C5 at last? Is there anything in which they could feel more vulnerable?

[Diamond Black Geezer]

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!

[Diamond Black Geezer]

I was thinking more along the lines of an Invacar 

Or.. Could this be a market for the Sinclair C5 at last? Is there anything in which they could feel more vulnerable?

Hmm... A Citroen C5? I'd feel pretty unsafe in one of them, compared with a Sinclair C5 

[Kevin Wood]

I was thinking more along the lines of an Invacar 

Or.. Could this be a market for the Sinclair C5 at last? Is there anything in which they could feel more vulnerable?

Hmm... A Citroen C5? I'd feel pretty unsafe in one of them, compared with a Sinclair C5 

True. They're both made from recycled tupperware boxes, after all.

[Diamond Black Geezer]