Lozzie's petrol consumption article on the main page

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Lozzie's petrol consumption article on the main page
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oddballdave

Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 259
Location: Telford, Shropshire

Posted: Fri May 26, 06 8:29 pm Post subject:

Controversially better things to do:

Remove all speed limits.

Remove air bags, safety belts and all other 'safety' features. Side Impact Systems etc

Place a large spike in the centre of the steering wheel, aimed at centre of drivers chest height.

Best estimates of the think tanks are that in less than ten years the accidental road death count will be approaching zero. Largely because large proportions of the population will already be dead.

The motor car is a dangerous weapon. It should be treated as such.

Lozzie

Joined: 25 May 2005
Posts: 2595

Posted: Sat May 27, 06 9:40 am Post subject:

I can only write based on my own experience. I'm sorry to have to disappoint you by reporting that I have not been honked at, flashed, crashed into, the cause of a major 25-car pile up, swerved in front of, flipped the bird, sworn at, or had a fist shaken at me as a result of going 50 on the motorway.

**sigh**

References for my article, besides my own experience, include the following:

https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/923726.stm

https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/environment/greenissues/greentransport/greendriving.htm

- oh, there are loads of other sites that I looked at but I can't be bothered to list them all.

Would someone kindly go into my work on the front page and change it? Put whatever you like - go with the consensus - whatever - or better still just remove it, if it is going to cause such a great kerfuffle. It was just meant as a bit of fun, you know? Sheesh!

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sat May 27, 06 9:50 am Post subject:
Hey, you should be happy! You've provoked an interesting debate. People have pretty strong views about transport, especially the car, because it's so important. Thanks for writing it.

Mat S

Joined: 07 Nov 2004
Posts: 282
Location: Leicester

Posted: Sat May 27, 06 11:39 am Post subject:
OddballDave's right - and it would make the roads safer for cyclists and other non-motorists too.

water rat

Joined: 15 Oct 2005
Posts: 12

Posted: Sat May 27, 06 12:44 pm Post subject:

as a 44 tonne artic driver i have to say that it is slightly more dangerous driving at a speed that brings you into conflict with heavy wagons.however there are lots of things that get in our way and we have an obvious duty not to ram it up its arse.the risk is that im too tired to notice you.chances are however that i will be awake and alert because i have to watch out for arrogant lexus and mercedes drivers with a death wish who seem to think their pissy little box on wheels with a couple of airbags wont get minced if i dont stop in time.if you want to drive at fifty in your car you are well within your rights just keep an eye on your mirrors.im a tight yorkshireman with an old 1400 cc renault 19 so i actually drive at 50 in my car to save fuel and make my little car last longer.watching out to see who the bullying wagon drivers are and driving defensively.letting the ones that are not bullying but are obviously struggling past.it is better for the environment for a car to slow down and reaccelerate to give way than force a truck to.my wagon does 0.9 mpg when accelerating at full throttle but averages 9.3 on mixed duties. as for speed limits a vehicle as to be legally capable of a minimum of 30 mph or it needs a movement order and an escort which effectively means a legal minimum of 30 mph.a heavy wagon however may well not be able to do this on a proper hill which is legal and acceptable.coasting is im afraid technically illegal.now im mature i never do this in my truck.and in my 55 plate truck this as no economy benefit because my modern fuel pump doesnt inject any fuel at all when rolling down hill in gear and on its speed limiter ....love water rat...

Lozzie

Joined: 25 May 2005
Posts: 2595

Posted: Sat May 27, 06 5:39 pm Post subject:
I need one of these fellows -

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42208
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat May 27, 06 6:43 pm Post subject:

Lozzie wrote:

I need one of these fellows -

Can he do 60mph then?

water rat

Joined: 15 Oct 2005
Posts: 12

Posted: Sat May 27, 06 8:03 pm Post subject:

Lozzie wrote:

I need one of these fellows -

I'd love one of those instead of my wagon. I'd convert it to run on chip oil. That would be a steady job, 20 mile round trip for a days work.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Sat May 27, 06 8:14 pm Post subject:

nickhowe wrote:

You were doing well until now.

More comfortable? Get a better class of car, if what you travel in is less comfortable than an average train carriage. Assuming you can get a seat, and assuming the train runs on time, and assuming it's not covered in vomit, pee, rubbish or Behemoth, the train will smell, and be at a disturbing temperature.

Tut tut. Try getting a traine after 8:45 in the morning. Or before 7:00. Normally I get a seat, a table and plenty of space. I have had bad journeys, such as those you describe, but not for a long time.

Still, if you're happier breathing in exhaust fumes that'll make you sterile (and you're more exposed to them in your car than anywhere else) then feel free. I got shouted at by a man in a car today, clearly he's suffering some kind of nether region problems to have been so very angry.

Quote:

Might take longer? You have to live near a station for that to be true. it will certainly cost you more, especially if you're not travelling alone.

That part is entirely true, our trains in the UK are just stupidly expensive. Can't argue there.

As for living near to a station, well, kind of. I live four miles from the nearest station, and as I can cycle there faster than anyone seems to manage to drive there from this end of town (or even to anywhere else worthwhile) I don't believe you have to live THAT close.

Quote:

And, as for doing things when you're driving, you're not sitting doing nothing. Thinking, working things out, working on the phone, listening to a play, a novel, some music, whatever. Yep, you're not as free to get your laptop out, but it's far from dead time, at least on a decent length journey.

I do wish people wouldn't boast about using phones in the car. Hands free have a terrible rate of accidents associated with them.

I'd be much happier if people going so very, very fast (and when you think about it, even 30mph is bloody fast by evolutionary standards) were concentrating on the road. We're all far too blase about these things.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun May 28, 06 6:44 am Post subject:
OK, please can we take the arguments either to PMs or, if you have to, to a different thread - there are plenty of public transport, cycling arguments laying about. It would be nice if people who have to drive can learn something useful from Lozzies article and if people with other suggestions can post them up and they don't get lost. Thank you.

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