Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

Back to that persona garinda?

ian

Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

I totally disagree with this one. I would not have been able to do my job on community if I wasn't allowed to drive. Some drivers are sensible and do not speed in built up areas. I never do more than 15mph around my own area until I get to the main road. There are always kids playing in the road round where I live which is another issue, as it is no longer safe for children to be playing in roads.

The main culprits for speeding in my area seem to be young men in souped up cars. The law should be changed to prevent anyone under the age of 25 having a car with an engine capacity of over 1000cc. The age at which you can learn to drive and take your test should be increased from 17 to 19 and a mandatory 3 yearly re-test as a refresher. Anyone being banned should automatically have to do a refresher driving course and be re-tested when the ban is lifted.

Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

Enforce a 20 mile an hour speed limit in built up areas and prosecute transgressors. First offence should be a substantial fine and two points, second offence should be a substantial fine and a three month ban, and third offence should be disqualification and have your vehicle sold (Proceeds to the local Health Authority) or crushed. You could better employ some of these bloody community and traffic wardens to assist the police in enforcing local speed limits in and around town.

Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

I agree with the engine capacity for young/new drivers.

They restrict them for motorcycles; I only bypassed that because of my age and I was therefore allowed to take the direct access test, so that I could buy pretty much what I wanted.

I am a coward, so I went for another 500cc bike, and that was fine for me to start with.

I have been riding for about 4 years now, and feel it is time to move to something bigger, but want a house with a garage before I do that.

But yes, a restriction on cars would be a very good step.

Although I think that people should either spend a year on 2 wheels, or at least do a couple of compulsory basic training courses, one in the dry and another in the wet, to enable them to appreciate different road surfaces and act accordingly.

You tend to find that people who have motorcycles and use them regularly have better roadcraft than those that don't. This opnion is shared by a lot of people, RoSPA included

Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

Sorry Tinks but how can you be a safe driver when you can't see over the steering wheel?

Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

Cars should be limited to 70mph like trucks are limited.
There is no need for any car to have more power than about 100-110bhp. It is better to limit power than engine size - if not we would soon see 1000cc turbo cars appearing. :D

Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

Very simple......bring back trams!!

You can't overtake trams on the outside and you can't overtake them on the inside if they are stopped with their doors open!!

It also has a useful benefit in improving the public transport!!!

Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

Can a tram get me to work in preston for 5:45am? Or bring me home at 2am when I get stuck at work?

Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

Compusory motorbike use or training! The idea is well meant and has some real roadsense value...BUT compusory?? I too rode a bike for many years when younger, and I always watch out for them and understand their road mannerisms. Uncertainty is the worse driving attribute. As the wife said " I use to be unsure, but now I'm not so certain!"

Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

And I wonder what the horsepower of Neils cars are ????????? ;)

I would be in favour of having a few advanced tests, So if you want more than 90bhp cars to drive, you can take an advanced test to prove you can handle it ??
Then another few tests at higher power level's. OK I know it aint never gonna happen :(

But in reality (and it happens) Once that women on the telly(worst driver) or young lad... Passed there test they can go out and (funds permiting)and buy a Ferrari ?????
Surely more dangerous than me doing 80mph on the motorway..

Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

I live in a cul-de-sac and the road is made from concrete. Ideal conditions if you are a young lad and love to put your foot down and then do hand0brake skids and turns. This was going on all last summer.
Best bit was when one young lad did it and swerve to badly on the back end and smacked all his back axel in on the kerb !

Now its coming summer and the yobs are out again in their souped up Nova's etc, they are gradually coming back on the road again.

Oh, and they dont seem to bother that our road is full of kiddies average age 6 years old playing !

Idiots, the lot of them. And the ones that do it dont even live on this street. :(

Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

Late 80's early 90's a lot of Jap companies created pocket rockets. In Japan if you don't have a parking space you can only has a (very)small car. IIRC it was under 800cc, no more than 4' wide and 9'long. They ended up with 600cc 3 cylinder turbo intercooled things putting out over 100bhp in a car that weighed nowt. I remember jeremy clarkson taking one INSIDE Halfords and driving up and down the isles. To get something off the shelf he just stuck his arm out the passenger window. :)

Automotive power does not corrupt(unlike political power). With appropriate training there is nothing wrong with having 200bhp. I am in the middle of changing my car. I need practical(pram space etc), comfy(long distance 30K+ a year), safe(Mostly on motorways) yet I also enjoy driving so I want something that is rewarding to drive. I'm looking at Volvo V70 T5's, all the erquirements met and 250bhp to boot. It does not mean I will be doing 90mph up willows lane. I also as most bikers do regularly consider their driving/riding to think about if they could have done better.

Training is teh answer, regular retests will help. I agree about having different classes of car license for those who want to drive more powerful vehicles. Unfortuantely these would be unpoopular and costly in teh short term so goverments will never implement them.

Ian

Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

90 bhp in the book

There is no need for more power.

But you do 80mph with the caravan on the back:D

Re: How Can We Slow Down Cars In Built Up Areas?
 

Pah, my motorbike has more power than that ;)

There is always the need for more power. Theer is no limit on acceleration, this can get you away from trouble as much as it can get you into it. I don't want a nanny state that decides what I can and can't do.