December 2001
I know what a "Home Zone" IS:
> A home zone is a street or group of streets designed primarily to meet the interests of pedestrians and cyclists rather than motorists, opening up the street for social use. Legally, neither pedestrians nor vehicles have priority, but the road may be reconfigured to make it more favourable to pedestrians. For example, traffic calming features and benches or *play areas* may be introduced.
> Home zones are streets where you can enjoy taking time to stop and chat with your neighbours. Streets where cars are allowed, but the car driver is a guest.
From: www.homezonenews.org.uk/html/what_ahz.htm
But how do they *actually* work:
- neither pedestrians nor vehicles have priority
But:
- designed primarily to meet the interests of pedestrians
- opening up the street for social use
- reconfigured to make it more favourable to pedestrians
- streets where you can enjoy taking time to stop and chat with your neighbours
- where cars are allowed, but the car driver is a guest
EG:
- You drive through a home zone (at under 10mph - try it!)
- Two pedestrians have decided to have social intercourse in the middle of the street
- Do they have to get out of your way - doesn't sound like it
- Can you move forward -2 doesn't look like it
- Will you have to reverse out - hopefully the pedestrian now behind you is big enough to see!
Or am I missing something somewhere?
Anyone got any practical experience of them? Read more
I am thinking about buying a 406 next year (probably HDI model) I do a reasonably high annual mileage, and intend to keep the car for 4-5 years. What tends to go wong wth this model over a high mileage, what should I watch out for. Any advice appreciated
Graham Read more
I tried a new 406 diesel a few weeks ago on the advice of Back Room contributors. I tried one, it was useless, wallowed all over the road and the vibration through the pedals was unbelievable. Tried a second and it was even worse.
See "Car" magazine which rates these heaps as "depreciation disasters".
As we have such wet conditions in the UK and use so much salt in the winter, BL / Rover should have been world leaders in preventing corrosion decades ago. Look at Volvo and Saab and the weather in Scandinavia.
BL's plan of building cars to last only 5 years, hoping that customers would buy another, seriously backfired on them and on the British tax payer.
I speak from experience having owned a mid 80s Rover 213 then a 1990 Montego - serious rust problems at Montego's first MoT. That was after the motoring press waxing lyrical in the late 80s about Rover having the most advanced paint plant in Europe ? {just no corrosion protection}.
Rover 213 and 216 from mid 80s to early 90 were totally appalling on corrosion.
How many early 90s Montegos / Maestros Rover 213 / 216s are still on the road - not many - lots of similar Ford, Vauxhall, VW, Audi, still going. Basically anything German, French and indeed Swedish.
Not only does such a reputation depress re-sale, what happens in a crash when the car is structurally unsound due to tin worm?
I used to buy Austin / Rover cars out of some sense of misguided patriotism, but no more. Give me German, French or Swedish.
Tom Read more
I assumed that Sweeden used as much sall as we do, however this appears not so?
No doubt though the such cars last much longer than our home grown ones.
Thanks to everyone who made posts.
Ta
Tom
Hi folks not posted for a while so thought I would relay the good news story of the day, for me anyway.
Im not one to make calls on the mobile in general when driving, but crossing the M62 to Manchester at 06:30 on the way to work this morning, (Frost in Huddersfield so used the car and not the Blackbird) I was behind an Escort type van. I was braking but still catching it up and cars in front had their brake lights on. The van had one DIM rear light on. Then as the other brake lights went out the rear lights came on at normal brightness. A poor earth somewhere I think, but also a major problem for anyone behind! The van has a phone number on it, so as I am passing I stick it in the mobile (ensuring a very good distance between me and traffic in front) and ring the number. Leave a message on the answer phone " the van on the M62 has no brake lights" and carry onto work. This afternoon got a call on the mobile, Leeds number I don't recognise, " are you the man that phoned about the van? thanks very much we would never have known unless you had told us"
It felt so good that someone had recognised that I had tried to help with a proper response. So I know trying to dial in a phone number at 70 is daft but maybe the guy will do the same for me one day, or one of you.
BUT it also raises the question, how often do we check things like our lights, especially now in winter? This vans may have been like that for weeks. Our Panda failed its MOT on a brake pipe at the front. And the rear fog light for gods sake, I check the oil, water, tyres and screen wash etc (The bloody Mondeo has a slow puncture now) but I never get SWMBO to check the lights and things while I press the buttons and levers. How many in this forum can honestly say that they do on a regular basis?
Bill Read more
You can easily check your real lights and brake lights. Just wait until a car with those huge new clear headlights e.g Focus Mondeo, Clio ect You can see the lights in the reflective material. Easy don't even need an assistant or to get out of the car.
Confusing or what.................... Read more
Vin,
whats sanity got to do with politics??? thought the two were mutually exclusive. my company have changed their policy, yes you guessed it 1 month after my new car on a 30 month lease arrived. like others the news wasn't hidden as such, but like ALL employees we can only do what we are allowed by our masters. if they dont pull their fingers out of their fat backsides, as many havent then what can we do.
i totally agree that the perk car v's job car argument will run and run. however, i cannot for the life of me see why if he wants fewer miles driven, and hence less CO2 emissions why by the Inland Revenues own figures MORE perk cars will be on the road to the tune of 100,000.
is it me or does this seem just daft. next we'll have bus lane on motorways
I have seen many articles on this subject, some saying that although expensive, which they undoubtably are, extremely, they are better than anything else that money can buy. Apparently, some dealers use them. I am thinking of getting a set of snap-on sockets myself, my question is are they worth it or are they just too expensive.
Comments and opinions please
Many thanks,
Andy Read more
Snap on trade on name. I have an Elora socket set that cost my mum a fortune even with 40% discount. The only thing i have found that is any better in the Elora set than the Halfords professional is the racket, but as the Halfords stuff has a lifetime garuantee its not really an issue. The Halfords tools are the best value i have seen. One thing im not sure about is whether they do six point sockets- cant remember. If i bought a new set now, id go for a six-point set, as i think they are less likely to round off nuts.
Ben
Hiya,
Thanks for all the replys.
We took the car to Graham Harper, (what a nice man he is) and he wasn't altogether sure what was calling the noise, however, his best guess was a big end rattling. He gave three options:
1. Leave it and see if it gets worse
2. Try renewing the big end shells and see if it fixes the problem and at the same time, see how the crank looks. (Cost about £150)
3. Put a thick oil such as 20w-50 in the car to try and deaden the noise and get rid of the car at an auction.
In your experience, guys do you think renewing the shells is worth it, and is this a fair price for doing it, or is it only a temporary fix before a crank regrind.
Cheers
Andy
Again please see previous posts on 306 woes for the whole saga Read more
I would junk the engine altogether and fit a guaranteed second-hand replacement from a reputable dismantler. The 1.4 petrol motor has been around for donkeys years, and turns up in Citroen AX, BX, ZX, Saxo etc etc as well as millions of Peugeots. You should be able to find a good one for around £250 and get a garage to fit it for a couple of hundred more.
If your existing engine really has a major mechanical fault, there could be little bits of metal swarf in all the oilways by now. Once you have sourced a replacement, you can take apart your old engine for fun, and see if you can spot what went wrong...
I should get out more.
Well I thought so.
Most important thing is to ensure that the seat fits the car properly - everything else is secondary. This was buried at the bottom of the article and with no advice on how to check that it is fitted properly.
There was also a mention of ISOFIX seats, but no mention of the problems that associated with them - risk of them twisting in an accident.
Article seemed more suited to Hello that the DT's usually good motoring bit. Shame 'cos I thought Sue Barker a good journo.
Just thought I'd post it here for a bit of comment - not sure how to advise the DT. Read more
sue barker is that tennis player who presents 'a question of sport'.
My first really foggy morning of the winter, visibility
less than 50m so I use dipped lights and front and rear
fog lights (and turn them off when conditions improve before
you all start flashing lights at me!). 20 minutes
later a car towing a large trailer pulls out from a side lane,
and while I see it because the car briefly displays its rear fog light this is soon masked by the trailer and despite normal rear lights becomes almost invisible again.
I have never seen fog light repeaters on a trailer, caravan or
temporary light board. Is this correct? Is this not a safety issue for towing in bad weather? Read more
Inadequate earthing on trailers and caravans is a perennial problem.
On my van I have two front lights, two rear lights, two stop lights, a set of indicators (usually only one on at a time), and a fog light, fed through a total of six cables.
The seventh cable is supposed to earth all that lot.
Result: when you brake the side lights dim.
When you indicate all the other lights come up and down in sympathy.
Conclusion: inadequate earth.
It would seem logical for the earth cable to be MUCH heavier duty, but all seven seem to be of equal weight.
And the situation is compounded if the pins are tarnished or the earth cable connection at either the trailer or car end is a little corroded.
this make intersting reading.
www.press.dtlr.gov.uk/0112/0517.htm
does this mean what every sane driver has known for years that the councils adn police have'nt been playing by the book??
for those who cant follow links, heres an intersting comments from the minister
"We have chosen the colour yellow, and are permitting the use of reflective strips to maximise visibility. In time safety cameras across the country will be yellow. That consistency and the tightening of the rules on cameras being obscured and signposted should serve to give motorists plenty of warning that a camera is present."
Home Officer Minister John Denham said:
"By giving ample warning to motorists as to where cameras are located, we aim to deter excessive and inappropriate speeds on our roads. Our aim is not to catch speeding motorists but to reduce injuries and crashes at known accident hotspots. These new rules on camera visibility will ensure that motorists know exactly what the speed limit is, and there is now no excuse for getting a ticket." Read more
It's already been revealed that Gordon Brown and his chums expect to collect £40 million from the speed camera blitz so not all money is going to police and councils.
Also, if he expects to collect all this loot, then it is clear that he does not expect a reduction in speeds.
Browse
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Yes but 30 is the max if conditions permit.
If the authorities clamped down on dangerous driving (which the above obviously is) instead of concentrating on collecting speed taxes.................