Driving is shit

[onemonkey]

I just bought an old ambulance (converted into a campervan) and yesterday was my first day of driving it. Never owned a vehicle before.. so typically i have driven on average of about once a year in the past 14 years since leaving home (when i could borrow family car a fair bit)..

I was fairly shit to begin with and am even more rusty now. empty rural roads, motorways and crawling along in daytime london traffic was okay but getting lost in hackney and dalston in the dark was no fun at all. especially with no rearview mirror and very rubbish wing mirrors.

I went through three different red lights last night (lucky it's an ambulance )

didn't enjoy it at all yesterday but i guess it is just practice.

 

[Crispy]

van porn pics pls!

 

[nadia]

Actually French drivers are far more considerate than British drivers on the whole. There is just the wierd indicating thing they do sometimes do when changing lanes. In the UK you indicate, change lanes stop indicating as soon as you are in. In France its indicate and keep indicating until you have completely overtaken, which can lead t confusion on three lane motorways (its a bit of an old perosns thing)

 

[Spymaster]

In France its indicate and keep indicating until you have completely overtaken, which can lead t confusion on three lane motorways (its a bit of an old perosns thing)

Annoying isn't it?

They do it in Italy too although it's not as common as in France. The trouble is that they often neglect to cancel them after pulling back in, leaving anyone behind confused as to what they're up to.

 

[Herbsman.]

Well I know what you've posted!

Blind spot: Get used to scanning your mirrors every few seconds so you're always aware of what's behind you. When you're moving out or off check the blind spot over your shoulder, looking for bikes as well as cars. Check your nearside again when moving back in to make sure the arsehole that you thought you'd just passed hasn't put his foot down.

Thanks, but I already know how to drive

 

[Spymaster]

Ah ok, sorry then, just didn't sound like that from your OP.

 

[Herbsman.]

Well, I was merely pointing out how dangerous it feels compared to riding a bike.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

I defy anyone to have a go in one of these then say that driving is shit.

 

[Herbsman.]

I wouldnt get in one of them on a racetrack, I wouldn't be able to trust myself

 

[Roadkill]

I defy anyone to have a go in one of these then say that driving is shit.

 

[Griff]

I defy anyone to have a go in one of these then say that driving is shit.

Totally agree with ya.

 

[roryer]

Yeah right! I'm sure all those crappy cars would be great fun to drive in traffic like this! Remember a new car feels sexy for about an hour until you realise its just another bloody car. Getting stuck in traffic might hasten that realisation.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Totally agree with ya.

Bah, ugly cars with the engine in the wrong place.

 

[Griff]

Bah, ugly cars with the engine in the wrong place.

 

[roryer]

Bah, ugly cars with the engine in the wrong place.

Are these cars better looking? I can't tell, they all just look like a noisy, polluting, waste of space and resouces to me, but I'm sure some of these folk were conned by the advertising gurus into believing that all expensive cars zoom down empty roads to meet that sexy woman and perfect family that you can only expect if you buy a 'brand name'.

 

[Griff]

You're a barrel of laughs incha, roryer.

 

[Roadkill]

Are these cars better looking? I can't tell, they all just look like a noisy, polluting, waste of space and resouces to me, but I'm sure some of these folk were conned by the advertising gurus into believing that all expensive cars zoom down empty roads to meet that sexy woman and perfect family that you can only expect if you buy a 'brand name'.

We've had this argument before, and the fact is that if you think people only like cars because of the advertising you're seeing a tiny fraction of the picture.

People like them for all sorts of reasons. Image is one thing - although not necessarily created by advertising - but there's a lot more. Many people genuinely appreciate the engineering that goes into cars. They like the nostalgia value of old cars, and the progressive appearance of new ones. They enjoy driving them: driving is a skill, and when done well it gives a lot of satisfaction.

That's why there's so much interest in aspects of motoring that you can't possibly attribute to professional advertising, such as preserving and enjoying old cars, modifying and personalising cars, amateur motorsport and so on.

Cars aren't just a use-value. Like many other utilitarian objects, they have a following that enjoys them for what they are. They're a means of enjoyment as well as a means of transport. And don't go saying that that's a bad thing, because it's as true of bicycles, buses, trains and other things you doubtless do approve of, as it is of the cars you dislike so much.

And as I've said before in these debates, you won't find me cheering for the 'car good, public transport bad' mentality. I think we use cars too much, prioritise their use where they're not the most appropriate form of transport and pay too much heed to an overly powerful and vocal motoring lobby. But saying that they're a bad thing all round is just prejudice: the car is a good thing, and long may it continue. Btw, my taste in old and quirky cars, such as the thirty-year-old Ford in the picture I posted, is more likely to get me laughed at than to attract beautiful women!

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Are these cars better looking? I can't tell, they all just look like a noisy, polluting, waste of space and resouces to me, but I'm sure some of these folk were conned by the advertising gurus into believing that all expensive cars zoom down empty roads to meet that sexy woman and perfect family that you can only expect if you buy a 'brand name'.

You're a bit of a simplistic idiot really, aren't you?

 

[roryer]

You're a bit of a simplistic idiot really, aren't you?

Now now, keep it civil. I accept the argument is very simple, but I would regard those car addicts that remain in denial of the facts as the idiots.

Just to reiterate the facts:

A highly car dependent urban transport system is the most expensive to build and run.
It has the slowest average travelling speeds
It is the least efficient in terms of energy use and space.
It has the highest externality costs in terms of noise, danger, KSI, pollution.
It encourages urban sprawl meaning people travel further, and swallow more green space.

Since congestion levels are very closely linked to levels of car dependence and Britain has amongst the highest level of congestion and car use in Europe, and congestion is something motorists often find stressful I would conculde that cars suck.

 

[Poi E]

Since congestion levels are very closely linked to levels of car dependence and Britain has amongst the highest level of congestion and car use in Europe, and congestion is something motorists often find stressful I would conculde that cars suck.

No, congestion sucks.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Now now, keep it civil. I accept the argument is very simple, but I would regard those car addicts that remain in denial of the facts as the idiots.

Just to reiterate the facts:

A highly car dependent urban transport system is the most expensive to build and run.
It has the slowest average travelling speeds
It is the least efficient in terms of energy use and space.
It has the highest externality costs in terms of noise, danger, KSI, pollution.
It encourages urban sprawl meaning people travel further, and swallow more green space.

Since congestion levels are very closely linked to levels of car dependence and Britain has amongst the highest level of congestion and car use in Europe, and congestion is something motorists often find stressful I would conculde that cars suck.

You seem to be confusing commuting with driving.

Do try harder

 

[Roadkill]

I accept the argument is very simple, but I would regard those car addicts that remain in denial of the facts as the idiots.

But you're the one who's in denial of the facts, as your prejudice against cars is so great that you refuse to see any positive side to them.

You're the flip-side of the Jeremy Clarksons of this world, the other side of the stupid dichotomy between those who think cars are all good and those who think they're all bad. Neither approach has anything to commend it.

 

[bodach]

I want one of these

 

[roryer]

But you're the one who's in denial of the facts, as your prejudice against cars is so great that you refuse to see any positive side to them.

You're the flip-side of the Jeremy Clarksons of this world, the other side of the stupid dichotomy between those who think cars are all good and those who think they're all bad. Neither approach has anything to commend it.

 

[roryer]

 

[Roadkill]

An anti-motoring cartoon is supposed to prove what, exactly?

btw, the point I made above is an important one, because as long as the debate over transport is conducted as a slanging match between a pro- and anti-motoring faction, we're not going to get anywhere. Maybe you could address that? And maybe also the points I raised above about cars being something that people enjoy?

 

[Pie 1]

Blah, Blah, blah,
Blah, blah, blah, blah,blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,

 

[rubbershoes]

I want one of these

they look a bit less impressive in the flesh.

the two tone side panel ruins the look of it IMO. not that i'd say no if you offered me one

 

[editor]

I mainly prefer the look of old cars as most modern cars look just like a shiny, boring, homogeneous wedge to me. Bizarrely enough, I am quite interested in new car technologies and will even sit and watch Top Gear.

I reckon people will look back in amazement at the selfishness and madness of our current car culture though. Big cars with a single driver, roads clogged to fuck, villages choked in car fumes, more and more countryside ripped up while cars merrily burn though a heavily polluting, finite resource that remains at the core of global conflict.

Car culture has fucked up things good and proper. But they're still handy things at times.

 

[mentalchik]

really miss driving (haven't driven for almost 3 years now)


most of the time i get by without a car but it would still come in handy at times !


(sigh)