Simviation Forums

There you go Chums!

So... who is the better/safer driver?

An old fogey like me, or a young whipper-snapper!... ...>>>

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35831313

At the age of 82 now, I have been driving motor cars, and riding motorcycles, for the past 66 years of my life, most every day, to and from work, and pleasure touring.

A clean Driving Licence with no traffic accidents or traffic violations, in all that time, so I am very proud of that!

I have always classed myself as a very careful, observant driver/rider, which I feel has increased over time.

I ceased driving my motor car(s) in 1990, mainly due to the increasing traffic jams, but also the cost of running and maintaining a motor car; and reverted to riding my various motorcycles ever since.
My experience of motorcycling has always held me in good stead, regarding safety and observation to maintain my survival on the road.... ...!

My motorcycle, being physically smaller, is much more manageable amongst traffic, and allows me to observe and hear all that goes on around me.

I really cannot foresee the time when I will own and drive a motorcar again with perfect safety, mainly due to its physical size and remoteness from all around me!

Drivers; Old Folks, versus Young Folks?.... .....

...I take care to observe, and avoid them all!....(including Pedestrians with Mobile Phones and Sony Walkmans).... ...!

What do you reckon, Chums?.... ...!

(All the knees-down, high-speed stuff, I leave to our Ozzy!)... ...!

Paul....Meep-meep.... ...!

I'm not sure that I give much creedence to the results of the test. For starters they were in a simulator, as we no around here simming is not the same as flying/driving. I suppose it could be argued that the younger generation are more used to simulators, but there is no penalty for doing something bad/wrong. I think that, as with most things in life there are good and bad drivers young and old. I've observed young drivers driving who seem hell bent on causing and accident and older drivers that scare the living daylights out of me and vice versa.

As for me, at the ripe old age of 50, of course I think I am a good driver, one endorsements but no accidents, well not really, like most of us I have the occasional lapse of concentration. How many of us, and think very hard about this, have forgotten the last few corners or have gone past or a particular stretch of road and can't quite remember doing it. I totally agree that riding a motorbike does hone the senses a lot as the self preservation gene kicks in. In today's cars we are cosseted in our air conditioned tin boxes with no real feeling of the real world, cars of yesteryear were unheated, draughty and you had to dress up to drive em. They we also slower had dreadful brakes and handled like a Tesco trolley, we were a more careful then because we had to be. I well remember driving my E93A Ford Pop (Sit up and beg) which had a side valve engine and rod brakes, wipers driven by vacuum fro the engine which nearly stopped when you put your foot down, and tyres that were narrower than one of today's motorbike tyres, happy days. Driving today is now a chore, not the fun it used to be. Ah yes the endorsement well I was young, 17yrs old and I was pulled over by the lads in blue who thought it would be fun to do a spot check because they thought that my pride and joy, an Austin A40 was crabbing (rear wheels out aligned wit the front ones). Then the fun started after finding that I also had a indicator light that was on the blink It was decided to test the brakes and speedo, So with one of the lads driving my car we set of down the road on reaching 30 mph the other lad flashed his lights to confirm that my speedo was correct. We then speeded up to almost her top speed of 50mph he then stamped on the brakes. I will never forget the sight of the policeman gripping the wheel and standing on the brake pedal in an effort to get her slowed down we did eventually stop and I was given a fine, £10.00, and the endorsement . The A40 had a strange combination of hydraulic front brakes and rod rear brakes, together with the a leaking seal, which I was getting around to fixing, the braking performance was less that one would have liked.

Sorry for rambling on chaps.

Cheers
Rich

Shadowcaster wrote:

Sorry for rambling on chaps.

...its what elderly drivers do... ...!

Paul.... ... ...!

Where I live, it's a necessity to have a vehicle. We live 100 miles (80 odd km) from the nearest city and for the most part there are no vehicles to be seen between 6pm and 6am. It's imperative to have a fully serviceable vehicle, but also as a septuagenarian have to be always on the right side of the Queen's cowboys, who have the right to report to take away my privileges. By the way, we don't have any rights, only privileges, which can be removed or restricted for any reason if you are over 70. God help if you are over 80 because they will come to your house and shoot you!
Mind you, I'm still glad I live in Canada. If things get too bad in my old age, I can just shoot a politician. That way, I'll end up for the rest of my life with my own room complete with butler. Four meals a day (including snacks). TV, conjugal rights and fully paid medical care. At the same time I will have gotten rid of another parasite.

Fozzer wrote:no traffic accidents

Just remind us who dropped a motorcycle on their foot Paul..........

However, back to the question at hand, I think it is fair to say when I was a lot younger, I drove, well, like a dickhead. I drove way to fast although I always had a great sense of self preservation and did not overtake with inches to spare etc. Today a couple of years short of a half century, I am quite happy to wait, sit behind etc some one until it is nice and safe to pass. Driving through villages or small roads, my speed is a reflection of the state of the road and the surroundings.............However, on the Autobahn on a nice day with minimal traffic, then cruising at 120mph, still puts a smile on my face....

Matt

expat wrote:

Fozzer wrote:no traffic accidents

Just remind us who dropped a motorcycle on their foot Paul..........

However, back to the question at hand, I think it is fair to say when I was a lot younger, I drove, well, like a dickhead. I drove way to fast although I always had a great sense of self preservation and did not overtake with inches to spare etc. Today a couple of years short of a half century, I am quite happy to wait, sit behind etc some one until it is nice and safe to pass. Driving through villages or small roads, my speed is a reflection of the state of the road and the surroundings.............However, on the Autobahn on a nice day with minimal traffic, then cruising at 120mph, still puts a smile on my face....

Matt

Will I ever forget my painful foot, and the photo to prove it!..... ...!
...that was the bike slowly toppling over on me and trapping me underneath, when at a standstill at a road junction, with no-one else around!

...>>>> ...... ...!

(That Honda CB 500RR is still resting/sulking in my garage, (like my 1982 Austin Allegro 1.5 HL), since the occurrence, a few years ago!.... ...!

When it comes to speed and over-taking; since purchasing my new, laid-back, not a care in the world, feet up, Honda Twin Cruiser Motorcycle, I am perfectly happy for everyone and his dog to overtake me as I gently survey the countryside around me... ....!

It was always my various "Sports Bikes" which encouraged reckless, high speed!

Sensible speeds and big grins are the order of the day now!

...and my foot has healed up nicely!.... ...!

Paul.... ...!

What I see here in Miami: The catch here is that all streets are NS or EW in a grid, with some exceptions, and all level terrain, so it's easy to nav around.

But you gotta keep yer eyes wide open, all sorts of drivers, good & bad, at all ages. Some elderlies look like they never knew how to drive even when younger, and lots of youngerlies oughta just cool the heavy footing. And then there's the cell phone obsessives. New Year's Eve used to be when you had to be most careful, now it's every day.

I guess that's true everywhere now.

Me: Drive fast when I can and slow when I have to. I wear driving gloves always, actually Zildjian drummers' gloves, my hands get very dry and slip on the smooth leather wheel, so I can get a grip on the wheel, plus it really helps driving. Cell phone only for an emergency. Wide awake all times, and never drink when driving, not a drop. That's for safety, but I sure wouldn't want to get stopped for anything while under. Happened to a friend of mine long ago, he wasn't really drinking much, just had a beer or two, cop tested him, no ticket, but test results came back DUI. Thousands of dollars legal fees.

My tickets: Since 1964, 1 basic moving violation, 2 or 3 speeding tickets (driving very safely but a bit over limit, usually turnpike or expressway, but heck, one was for doing 40 in a 35 mph zone locally). Last ticket was in 1984.

DUI....

...Driving whilst Under the Influence....of Alcohol or Drugs.

That's what I cant figure out in the USA, at present.... ....

I imagine that "smoking" certain drugs like "Marijuana", would have the same effect on a motorist's inability to safely control a motor vehicle, as consuming alcohol....

...and yet most States in the USA are now relaxing the Law, and making it legal to do so, with all its mind altering effects.....

http://www.governing.com/gov-data/state ... ional.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_ ... risdiction

It all sounds crazy to me!.... ...!

Smoking Pot and drinking Alcohol is all the same to me!

My biggest dread, on my Bike, in Britain, is being flattened by a driver out of his or her mind on mind altering substances, whether alcohol or drugs...or both!

...its scary!

Paul.....just a small glass of H2O....Your Honour!.... ...!

Here in the mexican province, the mountains of Morelos state were Cuernabullets is located (the Hacienda is a mile up North from Cuernabullets, city of Eternal Spring NO MORE) the big big HUGE peril is people texting while driving, alcohol & pot rate a distant second in driver deaths. When I drive my Perica...

...I leave my Cellphone muted in my pocket. It has memory (much better than mine!!) so, what's the rush to answer?? In my teens I was lucky enagh to have a rally driver training me at the wheel of my Renault Dauphine.

Good thing, since I learned about swing axles & rear engines, to pump the brakes if sliding, to counter steer & toe & heel when skiding in a curve. Also piloting some aircraft (the pilots handed me the controls AFTER take off & BEFORE landing) gave me a sense of being the Captain of the vehicle, no mater what type: terrestrial, acuatic or aerial. No matter the circumstances KEEP piloting your craft!! When I have the proverbial One Too Much, there is allways a free couch to stay (and sometimes, breakfast included!!).

We had a Ford Pop in Madrid, from 1952 to 1955, when it cracked the engine block one cold morning & never was repaired. All cars in Madrid, specially those black Ford 1920's taxis, had marginal brakes if any!!

Nice pic of a Dauphine there. I had one for a short time in Nairobi. It had an electric clutch, which of course never worked at night with the lights on. Had fun when I wanted to change gear. Other than that it was a good vehicle. I changed it for a Fiat 500, what a disaster, with the Missus and 3 kids inside, it would hardly get up the hills. The silencer kept falling off and waking the neighbours up. I loaned it out to a friend one weekend. Good job I did as a gang of thieves struck and stole all the wheels off every car in the compound. After that I got a Nash Statesman 8 seater, which carried all the family plus the kid's nanny. Ho hum