Unless it was an M4, rather than a 4 series, then he's telling porky pies about the acceleration. The fastest of the 'normal' 4 series, the 435d, does 0-60 in 4.7 seconds. Thankfully, it's also AWD, so maybe that explains why he feels able to chuck it into corners at such speed.

Even so, he sounds like a bit of an eejit.

Obviously somewhat of an ego driven show off....best avoided at all costs usually.

One can only hope that a)...his luck holds...and b) when he finally has to reach into his bag of talent he doesn't find it empty.!

Craig the type of riding (and driving just as hard) you descibe has always been around, usually but not always the preserve of young men.

Road vehicles are now capable of far more than they used to be, in performance braking and handling, speeds and resulting G forces have increased, but on much more crowded roads amid cars that have the increasingly poor all round visibility.

What hasn't improved is driver competence, arguably that has deteriorated because many drivers never learned just how little grip there can be as the modern car sorts their mistakes out before they get anywhere near having to take deliberate corrective measures.

The experienced driver uses common sense when using the performace of their car but all to often misjudgement at high speed has bad conseqences. However someone dawdling along a busy motorway at 45-50mph can be equally as culpable. Modern cars with their better brakes and safety devices have much improved stopping distances than when the speed limits of 30 and 70 were introduced. I think that they are still set at sensible levels although 75 -80 seems to be the acceptable limit on the motorway.

The experienced driver uses common sense when using the performace of their car

Experienced does not mean competent, two very different things. And common sense is not as common as it should be.

My whole area is full of people that drive like this in their clapped out dented BMW / Audis.

The Mercs are driven just as aggressively but they are of the new PCP ilk.

What is it about German cars?

They produce so called driver’s cars, with high performance, high status and a go fast image. Japanese cars don’t really have that image. Incidentally a colleague sold his car - Toyota Supra I think - to his younger cousin who killed himself in it. He wasn’t used to the power.

Edited by Leif on 21/05/2018 at 23:36

You don't have to immediately stick your foot down. All it takes is exuberance and a lack of caution. I've seen people in a powerful car lose it on a roundabout, all it takes is a bit of showing off, and "oops, I misjudged that one". There was a recent case near where I live where a middle aged chap was showing off his sports car to the son of a friend/relative. He lost control, and the child was killed. Do you have to do something crazy? Surely just corner a bit too fast, the car skids, and you have a high speed head on collision. (Well, okay you might call that crazy if you wish, but I assume you mean really mad as in full on racing on a public road.)