Why do we?

[richard btype]

It seems unfair to hijack the 'Geneva' thread with comments on our degenerating roads and driving conditions. Why do we put up with the increasing dumbing down of poor roads, deteriorating driving standards and the lane hoggers who just aren't concentrating on the job in hand?

I can still recall being driven the length of the M1 by my father in 1963, the speedo hovering around 90 to 100 with the occasional slowing when coming across a slower car in the outside lane. :x :x [/b]

[Heuer]

Because the motoring enthusiast has been replaced by the commuting family who have zero interest in 'driving'. It is a means of transport and successive Governments have introduced legislation to make the commute ordered and skill less. Driver less cars are going to be a huge leap forward for these people. Most of us have various 'hobbies' but in every questionnaire I have come across that asks for your interests there is never 'motoring' or 'driving' in the list.

[cactusman]

I remember the day I bought my MG home 25 years back. Collected from Ipswich late Sat eve so found my self driving very gently back around the M25 at about midnight. Following my lift to Ipswich car! All of a sudden a Sierra Cosworth flew past. He must have been flat out but quite safe as there was sod all about. Now adays every camera would have nabed him and he would have 100 points! How things have changed.

[tim wood]

For me it's just the constant thought if getting caught by cameras. This is to the point that I'm seriously considering changing my daily driver from the current 3l turbo diesel to something less provacative.

The M25 is just an ongoing opportunity to get nicked, mind you that's only when it's moving.

I used to enjoy driving as part of my job, now I always look to see if the "train can take the strain". But then we all get older and that could be it.

So thus is where the E type comes in - the occasional hooligan in me comes out to play.

Tim

[SEJohnson95]

I cannot proclaim to have been driven at excessive speeds up the M1 in an E-type, maybe I'll put that down to my age. Missing a ride out in the E actually, think it was September when I last had a ride in Richard's? Alas I shall have to wait until the bronze 3.8 is on the road in July before I get another ride in an E.

There was a potentially dangerous situation the other day as I was heading home to uni for the weekend. A woman just sat in the right hand lane of the A38 for a good few miles, people undertaking and everything. We all tried blowing horns, flashing headlights, everything. Hadn't got a clue what was going on. Downright dangerous

[SEJohnson95]

That being said the family toy is also locked away in the garage away from the salt. I think I've convinced the old man to put me on the insurance for a week this summer. You may see me in it at this year's run

[265bhp]

Having been faced with 2 cars hogging the A3 on my daily commute today, first a female who was utterly oblivious to anything behind her this morning, "I am driving at 50 therefore I have a right to be here.....".....and then 3 male trolls in a salon car (only 1 headlamp working) this evening.. who just stuck in the outer lane for the hell of it, I can only concur that driving standards are abysmal most of the time in this country

Jonathan

[Simon P]

I can only concur that driving standards are abysmal most of the time in this country

Yep. I'm afraid that for most people out there, time behind the wheel is just something that interferes with their otherwise God-given right to check their phone and update their TwitFace status or whatever (same sadly goes for most pedestrians)....

[SEJohnson95]

I can only concur that driving standards are abysmal most of the time in this country

their otherwise God-given right to check their phone and update their TwitFace status or whatever.

Clearly people don't have a lot to do Quite happy using TwitFace, everything in moderation

[JagWaugh]

My take on this is as follows:

Sooner or later there will be an app that warns you, or possibly even halts your car by detecting the phase of the lights at the roundabout. You won't even have to take your eyes off the screen while texting. Lets just hope that all the lamps are compatible with both the Microsoft cloud AND Apple.

Now that better tires, crash testing, ABS, safetybelts and airbags and all the other improvements have sunken the risk of an accident as low as it is, people are no longer aware that they are doing something which is potentially dangerous when driving a car (I think of this every time a Smart goes past me at 130 km/h in the rain). Since people are no longer aware that they may be doing something risky, the only response is to change the technology to inhibit accidents. People aren't necessarily getting dumber, but the dumb ones are surviving and procreating MUCH more than used to be the case.

"Come the day of the revolution"??? The revolution was over by the time a 64 bit CPU became less expensive than having even a small dent repaired.

Andrew

[cactusman]

Well I do still buzz around in my MG. Fun car and seems fast even though it isn't really. Have seen possibly slightly more than 70 on a few occasions in the past!!!

The E type I have not seen the needle past 75 ish. Have to say as she is now nearly 54 and worth rather more than your average ford mundano she gets driven extremely carefully. Most people whiz past on a dual carriageway although an awful lot wave as they go by....in a nice way.

The trouble with modern cars is they are mostly so quiet, so comfy, so cocooned that people are completely cut off from both others around them and the driving experience itself. That is probably why so many seem to find themselves doing far more than 70 probably without even realising it. The same cannot be said of my MG.

My major irritation driving either is the idiot with an "it's a sports car ahead so I must get past at all costs" mentality. I can spot em a mile off in my rear view mirror. Always male. Always driving a pile of dull junk and doubtless lacking between the ears. Sooner or later they will find somewhere to have an accident. Just hope it is just them that hurt. Rant over![/b]