Speeding

Leadfoot · October 9, 2005

Normally I do not condone speeding, but my recent trip to the German autobahn really opened my eyes to how much fun it can be. It felt great to take the old girl up to 120 mph, but I found that the handling became quite "floaty" and was not willing to push on any faster. Series 1 brakes are fine too, never a problem even on steep alpine roads.

Also found out it is a lot of fun to take an LS400 around the Nurburgring, as long as you watch your mirrors.

All this and around 25mpg, not bad for a 150K miler!

Strangest thing has been re-adjusting to the congested London roads again.......

Cheers,

Leadfoot.

Rillo · October 10, 2005

Glad you enjoyed the high speed blast. Just wondering though...

Funny how 120mph in Germany is completely safe but 120 mph here is the work of the devil. It would appear speed kills but only if it's British Speed.....

Exactly what is the difference between a German 120 mph and a British one??

Perhaps speed doesn't kill but it's crap driving that does??? Shame the old GATSOs don't spot that one though....

simontaylor · October 10, 2005

The thing that makes me really laugh is the annual MOT test.

YES, we all have our cars checked annually for major mechanical defects and potentional defects that could become dangerous.

I ask myself "how many road accidents are caused by mechanical failure"? and "How many accidents are caused by human error"?

Surely it would be wise to test drivers once a year too. This would be a revenue earner for the government, employ lots of people as testers etc, reduce our insurance premiums (maybe offset by cost of annual test), save lives, reduce pressure on the A&E wards and long term health care for casualties and with less blockages from road accidents, increase taffic flow for us all.

Its a no brainer !!!

javadude · October 10, 2005

Bugs me that there are roads I've driven on safely for years and never seen an accident on and the speed limit of them has been reduced. There's no new housing or anything and its just fields at the side of the road. Oxfordshire seems to be the worst for this. If the roads were safe before at 60mph why do they now need to be 40mph?

Leadfoot · October 10, 2005

Exactly what is the difference between a German 120 mph and a British one??

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I found the main differences were the very low traffic volume and excellent lane discipline. There were times when I felt I was the only car on the road, I can't tell you how refreshing that is. Also everyone gets over into the slow lanes as soon as they can, clearing up the fast and middle lane. Occasionally a truck might pull into the fastest stream but they indicated well in advance, so it was never scarry.

I noticed that as soon as the built up areas were reached everyone travelled at the posted limit. Laws work if everyone feels they are fair and follow them dutifully.

Like when the congestion is high they open the shoulder up to assist flow.... :duh: if only they would do that on the M4...

Cheers,

Leadfoot

Chris Skelton · October 10, 2005

Exactly what is the difference between a German 120 mph and a British one??

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I found the main differences were the very low traffic volume and excellent lane discipline. There were times when I felt I was the only car on the road, I can't tell you how refreshing that is. Also everyone gets over into the slow lanes as soon as they can, clearing up the fast and middle lane. Occasionally a truck might pull into the fastest stream but they indicated well in advance, so it was never scarry.

I noticed that as soon as the built up areas were reached everyone travelled at the posted limit. Laws work if everyone feels they are fair and follow them dutifully.

Like when the congestion is high they open the shoulder up to assist flow.... :duh: if only they would do that on the M4...

Cheers,

Leadfoot

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Let's all move to Spain!! Great main highways, little traffic (though cambers a bit wierd at times!)

Nitmoi · October 10, 2005

Saudi Arabia is worth a visit if only for a blast.

1000's K 3 /4 lane motorway on a 600k trip from Jeddah to Medina ealy in the morning you might pass 40 cars 20 trucks and 5 police cars with the occupants sleeping under the bridges in the shade.

We ran out the Mercedes 450SEL 6.9 (1977) upto about 125mph before it felt a bit dicey

the 450SEL 4.5 (1978) went better but only trusted it up to 115mph

Watch out for goats camels pedestrians lumps of wood and pallettes then cars and trucks on the wrong side of the road doing U turns.

Leadfoot · October 10, 2005

Watch out for goats camels pedestrians lumps of wood and pallettes then cars and trucks on the wrong side of the road doing U turns.

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Man I would not want to hit a great lump of tuds at that speed, it would be very unsettling. I remember Carlos Sainz hitting a sheep in the rally of New Zealand in '99 and that was scarry enough.

Still I suppose the visibility would be pretty good so it probably isn't so dangerous. Good thing about the autobahn's is a medivac chopper is always only 15 minutes away if it all went to custard.