Evening all
Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 11:53 pmI recently found this forum and would like to introduce myself as TimH. My late father was a keen driver and very early IAM member, no. 3461, passing his test in 1957. In turn he encouraged me to take the test, which I passed 40 years ago, after first having a couple of runs observed by a Class 1 police driver I met through a local motor club.
I am now retired, living in Hertfordshire. I have clocked up about a million miles involving a succession of company cars, my own cars, hire cars and father's. Frequent trips to France and Belgium and holidays in the US give me extensive experience of driving outside the UK. I always aim to drive with skill, consideration, restraint and mechanical sympathy, as, I am sure, do all on this forum. My style is: first to slow at any hint of danger and first to go when it is again safe to get on with it. I am my own worst critic should I fall below the standard I set myself by, e.g., being in the wrong lane in an unfamiliar town or city due to a failure in observation or slightly unbalancing my car by sharp steering or a late secondary brake application.
CURRENT CARS:
VOLVO V70 D5 -- Safe,comfortable,highly practical, good mid-range urge and reasonably frugal for a large estate. On the downside somewhat wallowy and uninvolving, not really a driver's car. The headlamp dip switch design is a persistent annoyance; it's spring loaded, flick for dip and flick for main beam. WHY oh WHY not just a simple two position switch?
HONDA JAZZ -- The wife's car, which I mostly drive when we are out together. Cleverly provides great interior space in a small overall package, a smooth gem of an engine, very frugal but no ball of fire. Exceptionally thick "A" pillars call for vigilance.
TRIUMPH TR4A -- Bought new by my father in 1966 and now my pride and joy. Modified by me over the years to improve comfort, safety, reliability and performance. Overdrive on 2,3 and 4 gives seven forward ratios and a gear for every occasion. On Club Triumph's recent biennial 2,000 mile 48-hour Round Britain Reliability Run (my nineteenth in this car) it returned 32.5mpg at a running average speed of 50.6mph, not bad for a basic four-cylinder wet liner engine design dating back almost 70 years. I do 5,000+ miles annually in the TR. it is never SORNed, I'd much rather be driving it!
As for dislikes, I wish that more drivers would restrict the use of front and rear fog lights to conditions of poor visibility (i.e. less than 100 metres) HC 114/226/236. Having come to a halt, particularly at night, why cannot a driver set the parking brake and come off the foot brake, once another vehicle has stopped behind, as a simple courtesy to reduce glare for the other driver? (The wonderful HC114 again) For the same reason, if stationary at night and signalling a turn then when another vehicle has come to a halt behind you in your lane why not cancel the flashing indicator and reapply it before moving off? On the rare occasion another driver does this for me I really appreciate their thoughtfulness.
Regards to all,
Tim
I am now retired, living in Hertfordshire. I have clocked up about a million miles involving a succession of company cars, my own cars, hire cars and father's. Frequent trips to France and Belgium and holidays in the US give me extensive experience of driving outside the UK. I always aim to drive with skill, consideration, restraint and mechanical sympathy, as, I am sure, do all on this forum. My style is: first to slow at any hint of danger and first to go when it is again safe to get on with it. I am my own worst critic should I fall below the standard I set myself by, e.g., being in the wrong lane in an unfamiliar town or city due to a failure in observation or slightly unbalancing my car by sharp steering or a late secondary brake application.
CURRENT CARS:
VOLVO V70 D5 -- Safe,comfortable,highly practical, good mid-range urge and reasonably frugal for a large estate. On the downside somewhat wallowy and uninvolving, not really a driver's car. The headlamp dip switch design is a persistent annoyance; it's spring loaded, flick for dip and flick for main beam. WHY oh WHY not just a simple two position switch?
HONDA JAZZ -- The wife's car, which I mostly drive when we are out together. Cleverly provides great interior space in a small overall package, a smooth gem of an engine, very frugal but no ball of fire. Exceptionally thick "A" pillars call for vigilance.
TRIUMPH TR4A -- Bought new by my father in 1966 and now my pride and joy. Modified by me over the years to improve comfort, safety, reliability and performance. Overdrive on 2,3 and 4 gives seven forward ratios and a gear for every occasion. On Club Triumph's recent biennial 2,000 mile 48-hour Round Britain Reliability Run (my nineteenth in this car) it returned 32.5mpg at a running average speed of 50.6mph, not bad for a basic four-cylinder wet liner engine design dating back almost 70 years. I do 5,000+ miles annually in the TR. it is never SORNed, I'd much rather be driving it!
As for dislikes, I wish that more drivers would restrict the use of front and rear fog lights to conditions of poor visibility (i.e. less than 100 metres) HC 114/226/236. Having come to a halt, particularly at night, why cannot a driver set the parking brake and come off the foot brake, once another vehicle has stopped behind, as a simple courtesy to reduce glare for the other driver? (The wonderful HC114 again) For the same reason, if stationary at night and signalling a turn then when another vehicle has come to a halt behind you in your lane why not cancel the flashing indicator and reapply it before moving off? On the rare occasion another driver does this for me I really appreciate their thoughtfulness.
Regards to all,
Tim