We've all seen video clips of drivers doing stupid things haven't we - well yesterday on the nearby bypass we came across a guy driving along with what looked like the best part of a 3m length of timber (approx. 2x2) protruding diagonally from his front o/s window. The car's tailgate was wide open and unsecured and inside the boot space were a number of sheets of what looked like plywood or mdf precariously resting on the top of the rear seats and partially sticking out of the back. The guy was doing about 30 mph on a 50mph stretch of in fairly heavy traffic but seemed totally oblivious of the danger he was posing to other road users on either side of the carriageway!
This morning I heard a piece on Radio 5 concerning how little many drivers know about the basic controls and warning lights on their cars. Can't recall all the figures exactly but 1 in 8 had no idea what the rear demister switch was for, about 30-40% had no idea what the air-bag failure warning light was and a similar proportion couldn't identify the coolant temperature gauge!
The mind boggles.
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1 in 8 had no idea what the rear demister switch was for, .......
And even if they know what the controls are for, a large number have no idea of the best way to demist a screen, nor the best way to keep it demisted.
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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Count me in with the morons then. I've often carried long bits of furniture etc sticking out the back with the tailgate open.
I do tie them in however - it stops it all falling out when going uphill.
With the tailgate open you don't need to know how to turn on the demister.
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Don't be too offended Cliff - I did say the wood was unsecured :) I'm also wondering what would've happend to this guy's tailgate had he been required to stop quickly.
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I wonder if this guy didn't think it was worth getting the timber delivered for a tenner or so by the timber yard lorry which probably drops off in his area every day rather than risking a fine.
Presumably his DIY project would be delayed by a day.
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Couple of Timber merchants in my area deliver free. And same day.
Rubbish Vans and lorries are as bad.Followed one the other day with bits and bobs falling off the back. leaving a trail on the M20 motorway
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Steve
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>>protruding diagonally from his front o/s window.>>
Not only is it highly dangerous to pedestrians or other road users, it is illegal.
By the way there's a story in the Mail today about a German driver caught steering his car with his knees at 80mph on a Bavarian motorway; the reason was because he was having a shave using an electric razor, peering at his rear view mirror to see what bits he had missed and, at the same time, overtaking a lorry.
His punishment? A hefty £51 fine....
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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There should be a reward system for shopping numpties: discreet video cameras fore and aft, hands free operation of course. Police or road safety partnership provide the camera, competent drivers can take on the role the police used to fill!
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Whose definition of competent should be used? The guy shaving or the driver watching him?
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Correct - highly dangerous. As I followed this guy for a short while and at a safe distance, I couldn't help thinking what would happen if we came across a motorcyclist overtaking traffic on the opposite carriageway. The 2x2 probably would've gone straight through him. What can be done about people like this? Of course there was virtually zero chance of any police being in the area.
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I have often wondered about ladders on the roof of vans as well....especially Escort height vans. What would happen if they had a frontal impact. Even if the ladder was secured, surely the G force would cause them to brake free? How many pedestrians would be climbing a horizontal ladder? Would it go through a rear window on a front/rear shunt?
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On the subject of insecure loads.....I keep getting this vision in my head.... the first aid kit on the rear parcel shelf....emergency braking....first aid kit delivered....on the back of the head!!
Clive.
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The foreman at a builders merchant I use told me a story of one idiot that had bought all this timbe at a cost of a few hundred to build a fantastic deck in his garden, however he wouldn't pay the extra £5 delivery.
So, he fastended the timber, some 100Kg of it, to his latter racks on his brand new car. Drove down the lane and before he left the site his windscreen and bonnet had been demolished by said timber!
Ow, well he got free delivery cos the foreman felt sorry for him.
H
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There's a thread on the subject of the dangers of unsecured items inside cars somewhere here. It stemmed from an interesting report on 5th Gear IIRC. Basically, don't carry stuff on the rear parcel shelf, try to secure loose items together, keep heavy shopping (tins etc.) etc in the footwellS behind the seats, make sure any tools are kept in proper containers in the boot, again close to the seat back and secured and don't be tempted to carry large sheet materials etc. inside the car resting on the seat backs etc. In an impact at just 30mph such things become highly dangerous.
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last year i spent some time in vietnam.
one day i saw a man on a honda moped with a cage on the back. in the cage were 4 live dogs on the way to market.
a few days later i saw 3 live pigs on their back tied to a motorbike. swaying from side to side as the pigs tried to free themselves!
thinking i'd seen it all i then saw a motorbike with a live young water buffalo on the back. (i've got the photos to prove it)
yes he was foolish. but what may go wrong doesn't always go wrong.
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Surely if you drive along with the tailgate propped open, the low pressure at the rear of the car caused as it moves forward will allow exhaust gases to be drawn into the car?
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Not if you open the windows, or roof.
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