Old Drivers

[Daven]

Nope I got it wrong when I wrote it - I was turning right Sorry See my point though - we all make mistakes (said the darlik climing off the dustbin :lol: )

Just back from a day out to the coast and must admit most of the centre lane hoggers had white hair! At one point the inside lane was empty whilst the avarage speed of the middle and overtaking lanes was about 60mph!!

Dave

 

[Digit]

SMIDSY - Sorry Mate, I didn't see you. - is a common repost amongst bikers when relating an accident to their friends.

Oh indeed!
Some years ago I was watching Kilroy-Silk on TV when he was talking to bikers. With him was a man from ROSPA who stated that bikers who turn to cars or also drive cars make the best drivers.
I'm an old driver, 68, and I've been hit eleven times in 18 yrs, all were established by police/insurance investigators to be the other driver's fault.
The last one was an elderly lady and the first one was in his 30s.
Also a friend of mine was recently badly injured when a Polish driver performed the same operation as in Christoph's post.
Any bikers out there remember Griff?

Roy.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Fortunately you folks don't have 8 lane streets (4 lanes each way with a sucide lane in the middle) like they have in Phoenix, AZ. The old blue hairs go pretty much anyway and anywhere they want. Left hand turn from the right lane, right turn from the left. Stop in the middle to read the sign about the ealry bird special at Denny's.

You just have to assume that no one else can see you no matter what you're driving.

 

[filsgreen]

Fortunately you folks don't have 8 lane streets (4 lanes each way with a sucide lane in the middle) like they have in Phoenix, AZ. The old blue hairs go pretty much anyway and anywhere they want. Left hand turn from the right lane, right turn from the left. Stop in the middle to read the sign about the ealry bird special at Denny's.

You just have to assume that no one else can see you no matter what you're driving.

You leave our Miss Slocum alone. If you talk nicely to her; she will let you stroke her pussy cat

Phil

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Phil, you owe me a new monitor and keyboard. I just spewed beer all over them.

 

[Losos]

God, it really is Mrs. Slocombe :lol: :lol: BTW Filsgreen, she was a Mrs. not a Miss, 'tho she lived alone apart from her pussy cat :roll:

On a slightly more serious and on topic note I had a minor accident about two months after passing my test, it was my fault, I pulled out to overtake without properly checking the mirror.

A biker was closing on me quickly (maybe too quickly :?: ) and there was a comming together of car and bike. No injuries, no blood, but very minor damage to my car and slightly more to his bike.

I think I was lucky because that taught me one hell of a lesson and I've always from that day since looked out for bikers. I find that generally they are good on the road and when they overtake in a roar (leaning from one side to 'tother) I usually tell SWIMBO that they are minimising the 'danger zone' by doing so. Which is true.

 

[Losos]

Dave - Mrs. Slocombe was a well known character in a British comedy series called 'Are you being served' which I somehow think would not have made it across the pond (which is a pity 'cos while it was very predictable and without any sensible storyline, it did have some good actors and actresses who knew how to 'ham it up' as they say.) but i could be wrong - is that where you got the picture :?:

References to her 'pussy cat' were always made in a way that could be seen as perfectly innocent by some (Like me for example :wink: ) or in a totally different way which is what the writers knew and exploited with relish :lol:

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Losos, actually, 'Are You Being Served' is one of a number of shows that did make it across and which I enjoyed very much. From sort of the same time frame we were able to see other programmes such as 'Fawlty Towers', 'Good Neighbors', 'Keeping Up Appearances' and others.

Our television doesn't get any outside sources (no cable, dish, nor aerial) but if there was a channel here that played all of those old shows, (they were billed as "Britcoms") I'd probably get that channel. I'm sure there are many I don't know about, too.

 

[Smudger]

Going back to the OP and the French account, it seems that weather conditions were also a factor (mauvaises conditions météo). It didn't happen on a motorway, it happened when the driver turned left onto a main road (to take the exit for the motorway). She simply didn't see the motorcyclist, hence the accident was head-on. The biker must have been moving pretty fast, seeing the damage to the car and the fact that his body was found on the other side of the security barriers. So possibly her age is important, but there are a lot of other factors to be taken into account.

 

[christoph clark]

The weather did play its part. It was peeing down that sunday. The fact that she was English driving on t'other side if road is another factor too.
As i live near Calais There are always lots of UK cars around. Sereval times I have had them coming towards me on my side..
There is even a sign near my house writen in english "drive on right"

I have found another story of 2 english drivers again oldish. one 68 and one 78 crashed in Brittany. It was the youngest driving on the left like in the uk and hit another enligsh car. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Story in french here

 

[Smudger]

Weird idea of correlation, I am afraid.

Of all the factors causing people to drive on the wrong side of the road, why is age the only one chosen? Other factors such as coming off of motorways, coming out of petrol stations etc are also relevant.

The fact that they are bad (or careless), tired or disorientated drivers is not necessarily linked to age.

Mind you, if it's a petite route like we have in some parts of Normandy there isn't a right or left side of the road...

 

[RogerS]

.......

Mind you, if it's a petite route like we have in some parts of Normandy there isn't a right or left side of the road...

Same as Herefordshire then :wink:

 

[devonwoody]

Bikers as well as motorists of what ever age should take precautions when a road junction comes into a driving situation, wether you have right of way or not.
So did the cyclist in this instance make any allowance for this?

Alright did the motorist also do the same?

 

[Digit]

The safest regime when on a bike is to ride as though every motorist is blind and out to get you!
Sorry folks, but that's the survivor's guide.

Roy.

 

[TrimTheKing]

The safest regime when on a bike is to ride as though every motorist is blind and out to get you!
Sorry folks, but that's the survivor's guide.

Roy.

I drive like that all the time, and I drive a car. The number of times I have had people pull out on me and have to slam the anchors on I can't remember.

And every time you get a look to say 'oops, sorry about that'. Safest way is to assume that every other driver on the road is an silly person, and make no assumptions on how the are going to behave.

Cheers

Mark