Post by m201 on Jan 2, 2013 6:52:28 GMT 1
It's a bit like reversing sensors. Before they were invented, we somehow managed to park without crashing into things all the time, or for that matter, automatic lights & wipers, personally I've never had a problem working out when it's dark or if it's raining. What I'm getting at is that for donkeys years (and probably a bit more!) vans and trucks were produced without all these fangled gadgets. They were used quite safely without killing everyone who came within range of them because we as the drivers, used our skills to know what a vehicle is capable of and therefore, drive it within those limits. Driving these days is being dumbed down so much that it's almost a case of getting in the vehicle and if only it would steer itself, you'd just set it going and when it reaches your destination, you'd turn it off and get out.
I know it sounds a bit extreme but I think you'll know what I'm getting at and why so many of us are keeping older vehiles on the road
Thank you for your views there Andy, I was actually asking Braders who has a rother pokey engine in his Transit, so driving in his motor's limits is rather different from your case.
I can't go along with you on your arguments even bearing in mind your situation is very different from Braders I'm afraid Andy.
I know a wrinkly who maintains that by the time he was 21, which was before Transits were even a twinkle in their designers' eyes, 22 of his friends had been killed in TAs.
The 'driving within the vehicles limits' argument' is a fine one except that the limits on my daily drive were such that I needed to keep about a car's length per 10mph plus one car length between me and the car in front.
That was 22ft at 10mph.
33ft at 20mph.
44ft at 30 mph.
And so on to about about 65mph.
And believe you me, at 65 it feels faster than an E at 130mph.
How was who said, ' a slow car driven fast is a lot more fun than a fast car driven fast'?
And who doesn't like a bit of fun?
Now gaps of those sizes meant that cars sprinted past me into the gap, so I had to brake to get it back again.
I use the word brake loosely.
I didn't like that so I fitted a vacuum servo.
The purists don't like that, but up theirs.
I fitted a vacuum servo that increases my braking by more than 3 times, and I can keep up with the traffic.
Have you ever driven on cross ply tyres Andy?
My daily drive was a death trap when it ran on cross ply tyres.
Jeeps killed more GIs than the nazis did; period joke.
It runs on radials now, which means it goes round corners rather than straight on, and stops quickly without locking it's wheels.
Mk1s ran on cross ply's; cross plys have little grip; so decent brakes weren't an option when Transits were invented.
My daily ride, in summer anyway, hasn't got anything resembling brakes.
Which is perhaps just as well, since it runs on gripless tyres so brakes would lock the wheels and I wouldn't have any steering.
I reduce the risks by riding looking like an accident about to happen, and people seem to give me plenty of space.
Reversing alarms, well my daily drive has got them.
There's a bit of a clang when I back into things.
Except when the motor behind has daft fibreglass good for nothings on their motors.
Folks drove by feel in the old days.
I'd quite like some of those fancy audible distance alarms of you've got any you don't want.
I live in dread of totalling some motors fibreglass froppery in a careless moment.
If you want a push start anytime, give me a shout, I'll put my front bumper against your front bumper, and give you a sturdy push without bothering with a rope.
If you had a back bumper, I'd push you forwards.
Anyhow, Brader's situation is a bit different from yours, he's got a hot motor under his bonnet, which he probably intends using.
He also plans on towing a biggish trailer, which you don't seem to do.
And, as far as we know, he hasn't got several advanced driving courses under his belt.
Is that correct please Braders?
When your Transit's were built, trailer speed limts were low, and enforced.
When you are towing, Mk1 era brakes need all the help they can get.
Transit era brakes are dead iffy when the motor is pointing up hill.
Quite literally, they only just hold a loaded Transit on a steepish bank.
Add a 2 ton trailer to that scenario, and it will start rolling back on a steep hill.
A load sensing device improves that situation a fair bit in that it increases the braking power on the rear wheels.
Trailer brakes only work when the trailer is pushing the tow vehicle.
Unless you fit something like a Brake Buddy, which aren't legal in the UK anyway stopping on a hill without a load sensing gadget means scotching the trailer into the kerb verge etc as you roll back.
Another fly in Brader's ointment is that insurance companies have become very savvy about getting out of claims.
By and large, they send their man out to check your vehicle if you are unlucky to have been involved in a serious TA.
Cops check very thoroughly post TA these days too.
Then there's the argument that amongst 1965 cars, Transits had reasonable brakes.
Hey, they were King Van in their day. ;D
Compared with modern cars,