Any more ideas for my new motor?
- Thread starter Akagi
- Start date
I'll just say what I already said a few posts ago.
If I wondered why it happened, then it indicates that I perhaps shouldn't have a more powerful car yet. But I knew exactly why it happened, exactly what I did wrong, I saw it coming before it happened, and I felt like an utter plank before I even hit it.
Does the fact that I have driven 20,000 miles (18,000 of which were on mismatched ditchfinders) on all kinds roads, at all times of day and night, in all kinds of weather, without a single incident, scare or near miss, count for nothing? What about the fact that my accident was minor, at low speed, in the dark, on a narrow NSL B-road, I know exactly why it happened, I feel a fool, and I have admitted it? Does that not count for anything either?
Just because I have admitted to having a bit of fun at times, doesn't mean that I am a bad driver, nor does it mean that this happened because I was driving like a bell-end.
You seem to think that if I tried to go round a <20MPH corner at 30MPH in a 50HP car, that I will try and go round it again at 120MPH in a 200HP car and certainly be killed instantly.
I understand mortality, I feel fear, I understand the laws of physics, I screwed up, I learned from it.
I suppose the elderly often look like prunes.
It might have been, I mean, if I had 10HP then I probably wouldn't have been going 30 in the first place. Clearly what I need, is a 2CV.
If I wondered why it happened, then it indicates that I perhaps shouldn't have a more powerful car yet. But I knew exactly why it happened, exactly what I did wrong, I saw it coming before it happened, and I felt like an utter plank before I even hit it.
Does the fact that I have driven 20,000 miles (18,000 of which were on mismatched ditchfinders) on all kinds roads, at all times of day and night, in all kinds of weather, without a single incident, scare or near miss, count for nothing? What about the fact that my accident was minor, at low speed, in the dark, on a narrow NSL B-road, I know exactly why it happened, I feel a fool, and I have admitted it? Does that not count for anything either?
Just because I have admitted to having a bit of fun at times, doesn't mean that I am a bad driver, nor does it mean that this happened because I was driving like a bell-end.
You seem to think that if I tried to go round a <20MPH corner at 30MPH in a 50HP car, that I will try and go round it again at 120MPH in a 200HP car and certainly be killed instantly.
I understand mortality, I feel fear, I understand the laws of physics, I screwed up, I learned from it.
I suppose the elderly often look like prunes.
It might have been, I mean, if I had 10HP then I probably wouldn't have been going 30 in the first place. Clearly what I need, is a 2CV.
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![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Track record? Maybe I've missed all of the previous crash posts.
I'll say it again, his accident was not due to power.
You don't think it would have been worse with more power?
[TW]Fox;27033508 said:
I don't think it would have been worse with more power. Because like I said, in a car with twice the power, you aren't suddenly able to go round corners faster.
Have you ever crashed when you were at fault Fox? If so could you kindly drop it? Or I might start calling you stupid for owning a powerful car.
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You can approach and enter corners at a far greater speed much more easily with a higher powered car.....
Probably worth mentioning I don't really give a flying whether your next car is 20bhp or 200bhp, front mid or rear engined, driven by whatever wheels imaginary or not.
Probably worth mentioning I don't really give a flying whether your next car is 20bhp or 200bhp, front mid or rear engined, driven by whatever wheels imaginary or not.
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Yes but what I meant was, you don't suddenly have the mindset that you can go round them faster than before...
On a faster car you also have better brakes, wider tyres, and I would hope, better suspension. So you can correct your speed more effectively and more quickly if you catch yourself out.
On this car I have good tyres on narrow wheels, so its grip grip grip grip and when you reach the limits of grip the grip falls off quite sharply. I have 12 year old knackered suspension, awful brakes, and ABS which I would describe as primitive.
Yes I took the corner too quickly, but those factors certainly didn't do me any favours.
On this car I have good tyres on narrow wheels, so its grip grip grip grip and when you reach the limits of grip the grip falls off quite sharply. I have 12 year old knackered suspension, awful brakes, and ABS which I would describe as primitive.
Yes I took the corner too quickly, but those factors certainly didn't do me any favours.
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I know that, I'm not disputing it, I have said a few times that I took the corner at 30 because I thought it was a 30 corner. It is the only tight corner on the road, and it only stopped looking like a 30 corner as I was at the corner and thought "oh bugger". I would have had the same "its a 30 corner" mindset in a GTI 1.8T, I would have thought "oh bugger" at the same time, but I would have stood more chance of putting it right.
I wasn't even particularly trying to argue the point that faster cars are safer, that came up when someone else mentioned it. All I'm trying to say is that this incident was not indicative of my driving ability and it should be the thing on which our base your advice. It was unfortunate in its timing, in that it screwed up this thread and the way people post in it...
I wasn't even particularly trying to argue the point that faster cars are safer, that came up when someone else mentioned it. All I'm trying to say is that this incident was not indicative of my driving ability and it should be the thing on which our base your advice. It was unfortunate in its timing, in that it screwed up this thread and the way people post in it...
Yes I have - because I was an amazing driver, obviously, and now look, I've got a quick car too. 2 months after buying my 530i, 8 years ago, I ended up off the road because I was over-confident and lacked the experience to handle the car properly near the limit. It's shaped my views a lot - so I'm not preaching from a holier than thou situation, I've been there, I've done that and I've got the t-shirt. There are plenty on here who didn't do the same thing and never crashed and doubtless they think it's because they are driving heros - they are lucky driving heros, IMHO.
You didn't crash because you didn't have wide tyres, or because your brakes were not as good as those on a Polo GTI, or whatever. You crashed because you drove outside of your ability and consequently made a mistake from which you cannot recover. The fact you even mentioned that if you had a faster car it'd have wider tyres is a clear demonstration that you've probably not realised why it happened yet.
All a faster car is going to do is increase the speed at which the accident happened. There is nothing wrong with pushing your car to enjoy yourself - we've all done it, but it's all about having the experience and ability to learn where the limit is, how to avoid it, etc etc.
Experience that few people have when they've not been driving very long.
The answer to 'I crashed my 54bhp Polo driving like a prune' is not and never will be 'So I bought a hot hatchback more or less straight away'. Certainly not whilst you still partially blame the car for the accident!
In my opinion, anyway.
If there was no additional risk then why are 17-21 year olds charged so much for insurance? And why are they charged hugely more for insurance on hot hatches etc? Because they represent a much bigger risk.
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At least now I know the basis of your opinion. Thanks.
But clearly, no matter how many times I say that I KNOW why I crashed, it isn't going to register. I have said numerous times that I know it was my fault.
All I said was that having wider tyres, better brakes and better suspension could have helped me save myself from actually hitting something.
But clearly, no matter how many times I say that I KNOW why I crashed, it isn't going to register. I have said numerous times that I know it was my fault.
All I said was that having wider tyres, better brakes and better suspension could have helped me save myself from actually hitting something.
Narrow tall profile tyres are going to be the most forgiving around the limit of adhesion. Typically wide low profile rubber is much less progressive. The tyres are not your problem.