December 2008
Two fairly frightening experiences last night (apart from the generally awful conditions)while driving back from Glasgow to Midlands
1. Big artic on M6 near Preston in dark and torrential rain (and consequent spray) - no rear lights on trailer - virtually invisible until very close .
2. On A50 near Derby - motorcycle (small, going about 50 mph, no reflective jacket or other reflectors) with no rear light - again dark but no rain or spray.
Luckily, I was driving at sensible speeds for the conditions and saw them in time and avoided them without problems. But made me wonder
a. What can one do to alert them of the problem??
b. What could happen if they were come upon by the white van man who went past me earlier in a snowstorm near Lockerbie at 80/90 mph when all lane were covered in snow/slush and everyone else was doing 40/50 in inside lanes.
Hope they all survived unharmed
Phil
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Due to a power steering leak I've not run my Polo for about 1 month now and the battery had gone flat when I went to start it today.
No problem as I used jump leads to get it going. The problem is the engine is really running rough now and it definately not running on all 4 cylinders.
I took off the distributor cap and gave it a good clean - no change. I then changed it for an old one I had when I changed the cap last year - no change.
My next line of enquiry will be to take the plugs out and check them to see if they are sparking.
The only thing bothering me is I seem to recall that using jump leads on the car could sometime cause the electronic 'brain' to stop working properly. Is this likely and if so would it not just stop working all together rather than just on a few cylinders?
What's more likely plugs, leads or something else? Read more
Finally fixed - new leads cured the problem. Runs like a good 'un again.
***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 29 *****
As the title suggests, this thread is for all things Formula One and other general motorsport related stuff.
This is Volume 28.
Usual rules apply. When we get to around 100 posts, the thread will be locked and the next volume will start.
PLEASE NOTE
As with the IHAQ & the Computer threads, When posting a NEW topic, please "Reply to" the first message in this thread, i.e. this one. This keeps each topic in it's own separate segment and stops each new topic from getting mixed up in amongst existing topics. Also please remember to change the subject header.
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"I doubt it made much difference, but you never know"
Martin, it worked, well done!
JH
In my search for a Focus diesel the car I've liked most is actually a Skoda Octavia TDi Estate with Elegance trim. It's a late 2002 in mint condition with a lowish 63k supported by dealer history.
Seems we stand a good chance of 45-55mpg and with a car serviced to date reliability should be fine as far as you can ever say.
I note the dealer has serviced it at 20k intervals though... is that right? Haven't yet asked about the timing belt... ought this to have been done at 60k? Will this be a PD engine.
Any info/experiences appreciated.
David Read more
If you can find one, the very last Octavia 1 L & K came with the 130 bhp PD option. A very good engine:loads of power and same economy as the 110bhp. Still a bit noisy though.
Any ideas out there - my renewal comes up in 4 days - got to insure 2 Jap 4 x 4 's , have 9 years NCD , who are the companies doing ' multi - car ' policies ?
My existing insurers ( E Certain ) were very insouciant on the phone - didn't want to know , told me I need a 2nd policy , and the 2nd car cannot benefit from my NCD. My argument , that the 2nd car will do very low miles and that I can only drive one car at a time - can even do it 3rd party only with high excess... falls on deaf ears.
Had to buy a 5 door car to accommodate a wife and baby - didn't have those a year ago..
It's not worth selling the older car ( Shogun Pinin 3 door Auto on a W ) as the published value is about two grand and i've spent half that in the last year - new cam belt kit, air con recharge , tyres and a full service, so basically I might get offered £1500 or so for it - it's worth more as a back - up car, being totally reliable. Am sure others are in the same boat ?
Any tips on how to best insure ? the main newer car, a 2004 X Trail is coming in below £400 fully comp which is not bad. I can spend another say £200 on the Mitsu , but without NCD I'm being quoted £800 - 1000 , which I won't pay...
Oh, and I want my 63 y.o mother as a named driver on the Mitsu - she lives abroad now but spends 3 months a year living here - has had a full clean UK licence for almost 30 years Read more
Interesting comment about legal cover.
I have always done this costing around £30 per year.
Always thought this was expensive but have heard of insurance companies washing their hands of any technical problem.
I have discovered that both rear windows (manually operated) in my golf MK V are not operating. There is no movement in handle. Seems odd that both give up at the same time. Anyone any thoughts? Would repair be a suitable DIY? Read more
This seems to have done the trick. Many thanks for you help.
Can you please tell me what the causes of high fuel (petrol) consumption are and what other symptoms would my car have if it was suffering from this.
Thanks Read more
Colder days takes longer to warm up,head lights in use,blower on, front and rear screen demisters working more.I bought a 04 1.6 petrol in june and week in week out always returned between 38 to 42 mpg depending how it was driven.In the last month to 6 weeks the best iv got is 39 mpg worst 34 and that is brim to brim every friday covering between 370 to 400 miles every week.I have always noticed a difference in the winter months
{reformatted to use the whole width of the text box, rather than just half of it}
Have they finished the M1 roadworks between J6? and J10?
It seems as though they have been going in forever. Read more
You will all be pleased to know, I am sure, that I safely made it oop t'North and back darn Sarf again yesterday (Saturday).
As has been reported, the work between J6 and J10 is complete, it seems that there just isn't anyone left to remove all the cones! I saw one workman fiddling around on the hard shoulder with two accomplices watching him - this was on t'Northbound section, whilst curiously on the Sarfbound the same work - or lack of work - scenario was being repeated. It was great theatre!
It was an interesting trip for a number of reasons. There had obviously been a National meeting of CLOG somewgere to t'North of Watford, I saw many happy members making their way home after the meet.
The highlight of the day must have been when I caught up with what I can only assume must have the Grand Poobah of CLOG making His/her? (are women allowed to take committee office in CLOG?) driving anti-clockwise on the M25 in the THIRD lane - this was CLOG driving of the highest order. He/she had their rear foglight switched on, so I greeted them with several flashes of my own headlamps, then overtook His Excellency in lane four and resumed my rightful place in lane one.
Joy of joys! This person must also hold high office in See and be Seen (Let there be light section) they were driving on headlamps and foglights, I could not believe my luck! I slowed down to see if I could recognise His Greatness, but no such luck. I think deep down I must have a wish to be a member of both CLOG and See and be Seen, so I gave him a number of flashes of my headlamps to let him (it must have been a man) know that I was a kindred spirit..
A friend of mine driving my car last night got too close to a nasty jagged kerb and badly grazed my immaculate alloy wheels on the offiside. These are the shiney polished alloys with the grey painted inserts. They were also an option on the Focus.
I have been quoted £148.00 plus VAT each by a Ford dealer. Is there anywhere else you can buy these wheels cheaper?
Thanks Read more
Thanks very much, I will have a look.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7766458.stm
Quote:
Police have arrested six pedicab drivers over claims their vehicles have been modified to make them go faster.
A number of the pedicabs, described as "death traps" by Westminster City Council, have been seized in the operation on Thursday evening.
Police said about 80% of London's 1,000 pedicabs have been illegally adapted to run partially on car batteries, allowing them to reach speeds of 20mph.
End quote.
Ok, I can see these things are dangerous, but if they're 'death traps' presumably even the battery-less ones can't be that safe? It wouldn't take much of a downhill slope to allow a reasonably fit pedicab driver to get up to 20mph.
F Read more
I have no major thoughts one way or another on pedicabs but there is one form of transport I would like to see a crackdown on and have banned from the road. I think these small plastic and alloy trailers which people hitch behind bicycles in order to drag a couple of toddlers around must be one of the most lethal things ever invented.
I cannot understand any parent putting their children at such a risk from a rear end collision....and at bumper height to trucks and vans where they may be invisible. Oh, and at exhaust level as well. Ban them before it happens, not after.
Ted
Browse
Ive tried several times switching my rear fogs on and off as I pass them, but they prob think its me braking!!