Safe Speed Forums

Ok, I've been volunteered as a driver for a group of friends doing the Three Peaks Challenge (a team of ten) there will be another driver on the team.

Neither of us will be doing the challenge so will be well rested for the driving.

The minibus is a 17 seater (16 passenger seats) and is under 3.5 ton. My licence covers me to drive the thing.

Amy hints, tips and advice that the van drivers here can offer me?

Thanks folks !

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Gordon Brown saying I got the country into it's current economic mess so I'll get us out of it is the same as Bomber Harris nipping over to Dresden and offering to repair a few windows.

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http://www.wildcrafts.co.uk

As it has "8 or more seats not including the driver" it is "a bus" and you can drive it in "bus lanes". (but not one which say "local".)

There will probably be lower national speed limits for it so slow down more if you see any enforcement.

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Andrew.

Depending on how old it is, it might well have a speed limiter fitted - 62MPH max! Also worth making sure everyone wears their seat belts. In the event of a frontal crash, if you get a couple of blokes behind a seat not wearing belts and a couple in the seat in front who are, the backrest of the seat in front gets a double loading (once from the top belt anchorage of the belted occupants and once from behind due to the unbelted ones. Not many minibus seats can withstand that!

Also, as you're obviously going to be driving in hilly areas, it's worth bering in mind that a fully loaded one is going to take a LOT of stopping! It's very hard these days to build a 17 seater on a 3.5 tonne van. I can't remember for sure but I think they're only obliged to allow 63.5kg per passenger (fine for school kids but useless for a big load of hairy-arsed climbers)! If it's not 63.5kg it definitely won't be more than 75kg so I'd go so far as to say that most 3.5 tonne 17 seaters are probably overloaded when filled with adult males.

If you have a choice in the matter (ie the vans on hire) avoid LDV at all costs. slow, uncomfortable, unreliable 40 year old technology with a tarted up appearance to make them look current, if you're gonna be spending any amount of time driving it you'll hate it, unfortunantly they're cheap to buy so very popular.

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Fear is a weapon of mass distraction

Comfort etc -if the Ford Tourneo (based on Transit ) is the same as the transit -can reccommend it ,apart from fuel consumption ---possibly VW / Merc better on fuel . Don't forget to allow for the extra length on corners - else you'll end up clipping the verge (or in town the pavement )

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on