Safe Speed Forums

Almost everything affects appropriate speed.

• vehicle
• driver
• road width
• slope (uphill or downhill)
• hazards ahead
• possible hazards ahead
• weather
• road surface
• light (day or dark, oncoming headlights, low sun, glare, etc
• and plenty more...

'Vehicle' is a funny one. Under most circumstances, and especially at lower speeds, vehicle capabilities aren't that different. Some vehicles (Maestros and Allegros come to mind) tend to lose stability with increasing speed.

I remember a loan Maestro on the A3 at an indicated 75mph - I actually needed all three lanes clear to be confident that I could gather it up. You won't be surprised to hear I didn't keep the damn thing running at 75mph. At 60mph it seemed OK. I suppose there was something wrong with it (dampers?) to make it as bad as it was.

I've also noticed several German saloons where 'everything smooths out' somewhere around 110mph. I guess this is 'autobahn tuning' in the suspension, and when conditions are suitable it's a shame not to be able to take advantage.

The bottom line is this: Up to about 50mph the vehicle does not make much difference to maximum safe speed. Above 50mph some vehicle designs may become progressively less stable and controllable and yet others may become more stable and controllable even at very high speeds.

I've often wondered how the drivers of the likes of the dangerous Maestro perceive the drivers of the likes of the German saloons passing them at 50mph faster. If they've based their impression of speed on the capabilities of their own vehicle, the higher speed traffic would seem suicidal.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

That's the first I have heard about the Maestro having stability problems at higher speed-I used to drive one and can't say I ever noticed any problems however I had a Sierra as well and this was absolutely terrible in cross-winds, I have since heard that a simple addition of a small spoiler thingy on the back quarter light cured the cross-wing problem.


Regards


Andrew

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It's a scam........or possibly a scamola


Homer Simpson

I disagree

A well built car, with traction control etch, will handle better at all speeds.

A big car is not always a safe one

Caddi STS, is rubbish, low or high speed, yet is a £30,000 motor.

Alot of sport hatches, from most manufact'rs, handle better than most would expect. Then there is the Boy racer hatch, which can be just a change to the cosmetic appearance, right up to, brake & suspension improvments, which make a huge differance to the safety of the vehicle.

German saloons, they do have a better standard, however that standard has to be paid for, which is reflected in the retail price.

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Steve

As far as I recall I only ever drove the one Maestro.

The Sierra side wind thing is interesting. The story is that it was the first wind tunnel designed body shape. They made the 'classic' mistake of designing the air flow ONLY across the body straight ahead - in other words they put the models in the wind tunnel facing exactly into the wind.

Bad side wind stability was their reward.

These days the models sit on a turntable in the wind tunnel and are tested with various wind directions.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Given that the car is modern, *NOT* built for the American market (no shockers wort speaking of and about as stable on the straight ahead as a drunk with his eyes shut), I agree 100% with Paul. At low speeds all the mod cons make most cars much of a muchness. However, at serious speeds, you really can't beat a big wheelbase, a big track, and a C of G down near the tarmac. Surprise surprise, that's what F1 cars have. For sheer mile-eating power give me a big car any day.

It takes more than the car being big to make it handle safely.

I would rather be in a small sports hatch than alot of large cars on the market.

Then take a 7 series, i would rather be in that at any speed than a sports hatch, 30 mph or 130 mph it is outstanding.

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Steve

Whel, kind of a late response, but 'speed' is viewed as active tobacco use. It kills, whatever quantity you inhale... Nonsense of course, but it sticks, doesn't it?
In 1999 I went on a holiday in the UK with my Alfa33 (the factory tuned version). In about an half hour I learnt (so did my wife) to drive left instead of right. We were both astonished at the driving skills of most of the automotive community. Rondabouts everywhere when possible made our task the simpler. The UK is (was) a driver's dream with gentle non-aggresive drivers. We had a very good time with the children in Cornwall and I can only recommend to every nation to adopt the conscious driving the British adopt. Not always whitin the speed limit, far from that, but 'looking ahead' seemed to be their chorus. I've driven the narrow hedgerow lanes, but néver I was surprised by reckless driving, in the circumstance. I've had some very good speeding expieriences on open lanes in the countryside, of course only when visibility was good. The UK was for me an example how to drive whithout a speedometer. Me in km/h, so I had no real clue - but it is then that the idea ripened that you simply don't need that thing. It's our experience that counted! When they take that away, every one becomes a villain. Whe came back to our little-minded Belgium to see new and foolish speed bans enforced. (hidden cameras, hidden mobile units etc... ) The thing here is that you simply pay the fine (150 euro minimal) and the bloody thing NEVER reaches the Courts. So here people are now steadely driving like drunk brainless monkeys and nevertheless causing accidents in far greater number. (And I should know because I have acces to the statistics). Speed traps and enforcement 'at will' do NOT work. As a silly anecdote the Begian Police only 'flash' people on normal roads between 8:30 and 16:00 hrs. That are their 'working' hours. In our zone the 'flashpoints' never have ANY relationship with accidents, certainly not in that time bracket. EVERYONE in the force knows that the 'flashing' is a means to fill the (more then empty) National Treasury, and has NOTHING to do with road safety.
But Who am I?
Only a Police officer?

But I told the truth.

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People kill, not speed

Traffic legislation is written by numpties in suits, and need no driving qualifications to make their decisions

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Steve