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PostPosted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 11:12 
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Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 23:12
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Location: Lancashire
Cheers !

Will have a look at it :)

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PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 22:41 
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redrose wrote:
Roger,

Thank you for the welcome. I will definately look at the near miss section as 3 weeks after passing my test someone decided to exit a roundabout from the outside lane and didn't see me or my nearly new red micra. Needless to say I have no back or driver's side left and it's still being repaired. At least she admitted liability tho.

This has what has contributed to my nervousness on the roads.



:welcome: red rose of Lancashire 8-)

Bad luck on getting hit so soon after your test. Roundabouts can be tricky and it you do a search on "roundabouts" - yoou should come across dozens of threads where roundabouts and mini-roundabouts from hell and some collectively helpful strategies for diffusing the danger .


I am sure many will give you a link to the COAST advice :lol:

I mention it in nearly all of my posts anyway :lol: :lol: As a young or new driver you have to be extremely careful as you build up your probationary experience - and if there is anything at all which puzzles you or you want some safe and legal tip regarding good practice - then please just post up your query and we'll try to help.

I will recommend you read the following books:

"Driving - The Eessential Skills" - (DfT/DSA publication and available from all good booksellers)

"Road Craft" - (the Police Driver's main glove compartment book. :lol: I renew my edition every so often as mine are well thumbed and used and soon get "tattty" :lol: )

"Highway Code" - Read and read again. Renew each time a revised edition is published.

"Know Your Traffic Signs" - Yellow Book - published by DfT. Again this should be renewed every so often as new signs are introduced.

"How to Be AN Expert Driver" - published by the AA. One very succinct book full of good practice and tips and which complements the above. :lol:

At risk of showing off.. I did post up my memoirs of my Hendon Course - do a search for "Hendon" - and you will find them. :wink: Some folks found these useful when training for an IAM - and I recommend you have a go at this as you approach the first anniversary of your original |L-test as you will have built up some experience as a qualified driver.

As you say you are a little nervous still as a result of the unfortunate prang... you have up to 12 months after the L-test to complete a Pass Plus - and this will give you a supervised drive on a motorway and a night drive.

Book a single lesson with your old driving instructor to rebuild or boost the self-confidence and he will most certainly be able to sort out your Pass Plus as first step to improving as constant.

Shop around for insurance - some companies do offer a very small discount for Pass Plus and a slightly better one for IAM for young drivers - may be small but still not to be sneezed at :wink:

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PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 23:22 
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Location: Northern Ireland
I don't know, but have you tried P plates? I know that's something we don't have over here, we have compulsory R plates, but I always like to think it lets other drivers know I'm not as experienced as they are, and I might do things a bit differently...

I know that if I was in England I would like to display P's, just to let other drivers know that I may be nervous, and to sort of 'warn' them of my presence, to tell them to give me a little bit more space... I know it all sounds great in theory, and in practise it doesn't exactly work out, but maybe it would be worth a shot, might help you feel a bit more confident.

I've only been driving about 6 and a half months myself, but the whole really new inexperienced driver thing is quite fresh in my mind... I haven't actually exchanged paint (yet) but I've had quite a few 'near misses' or really, near hits... A near miss would be a hit, in the words of George Carlin.

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PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 09:36 
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We REALLY need to keep this special thread for its original purpose and not drift into discussions. I'll make up some sort of rule and shift the discussion posts somewhere else. In the meantime, please don't continue any discussions in here.

No one needs to apologise! Topic drift is not normally discouraged in these forums.

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 Post subject: Another newcomer
PostPosted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 19:59 
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Hi all,
I've been hanging around this site for a while, and finally decided to join because I see more sense here than anywhere else.

I live in Blackpool, work in IT, been driving since 1982, and got my motorcycle licence in July 2005, since when I've sold my car and use the bike every day.

I was drawn to the site after being caught 'exceeding the speed limit' ('speeding' is too emotional) twice in five days (second time before I even knew i'd been caught once) on a dual carriageway in Blackpool that was dropped from a 40 to a 30 for no apparent reason. (Locals will know the one).

Before that I'd never had any convictions - OK, I'd had a talking-to, but that was all!

I can now be seen riding my bike down Blackpool prom everyday at 30 on the button, with a long line of car drivers trailing behind me....


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 Post subject: Re: Another newcomer
PostPosted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 20:50 
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Chris The Sheep wrote:
Hi all,
I've been hanging around this site for a while, and finally decided to join because I see more sense here than anywhere else.
:clap:

Chris The Sheep wrote:
I live in Blackpool, work in IT, been driving since 1982, and got my motorcycle licence in July 2005, since when I've sold my car and use the bike every day.

:clap: and
:welcome:

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 15:20 
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Hi all,
My name is Mark, I work as a design consultant for the H.A. (indirectly) and have been given a ticket for speeding about a year ago. 32mph through Menai Bridge YUKKK.
I am also currently trying to help out a charity that helps car accident victims. I have a website that's just meant to be a bit of fun really and a bit of a stressbuster for people that have been tailgated or cut up on the motorway ect. It's called platebreaker (dot com of course). Just a database that I hope will get massive so people can look for their own number on there in a years time maybe.
This Safespeed site seems pretty cool. Some of the speeding tickets that have been handed out to people seem as ridiculous or even more unreasonable than mine!
Have fun all and stay safe on the roads x :D


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 21:06 
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I am a JP.
I used to post here but stopped partly due to the site becoming more political and partly due to ill health.

I can't post as often as I would like and usually restrict myself to correcting the more blatant errors about courts and court procedure.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:22 
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Location: Merseyside
I've been reading this forum for ages, so I thought i would pop in and say "Hello".
I've been a motorist for 23 years, most of that on bikes. I've seen motoring in the UK go from being fun to being hellish. I havn't had a speeding ticket since Scameras have been brought in, I can't afford to waste money on fines.


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 Post subject: Better late than never?
PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 09:58 
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Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 17:12
Posts: 618
Location: Borough of Queens, NYC, NY USA
Some of you already know me.
I'm a 33 year old taxidriver, born and raised in New York, NY, USA. I've driven an average of 150 miles per day since the age of 18, despite being unlicensed until 20.

Upon passing the LTest, I became what you might call a 'hoon'(?). I've always followed the rules in my sig. Beyond that, I generally consider the Vehicle and Traffic 'Laws' of my state and country to be guildelines that would prefer to pretend that drivers of my experience, style, and caliber are freaks of nature.

However, I have good reason to expect that I will be irking other drivers well into my eighties by driving like I'm in my twenties ... but doing it well.

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1) No one gets hurt
2) Nothing gets hit, except to protect others; see Rule#1
3) The Laws of Physics are invincible and immutable - so-called 'laws' of men are not
4) You are always immediately and ultimately responsible for your safety first, then proximately responsible for everyone's
Do not let other road users' mistakes become yours, nor yours become others
5) The rest, including laws of the land, is thoughtful observation, prescience, etiquette, decorum, and cooperation


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 19:37 
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Albiet a bit late a very BIG welcome to Safe Speed, to all the above 'newcomers'. Do let me know if there are things that you, like / dislike or would like ... :-)
Thanks Claire

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 13:16 
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Location: Somewhere between a rock and a hard place
Tony, or just plain Tone. I work for the NHS in rehabilitation, nine years now.

My apprenticeship was in electronics and mechanical engineering back in 1975 to 1980. These days I use mechanical and electronic means, (microprocessor controlled devices), to help people who are severely disabled - often terminally ill. I wont use all the fancy terms but most commonly I meet patients with MND, MS, CP and Stroke but also RTA victims.

These devices can be programmed to control anything in the home which uses an I/R remote. The signals can be copied into the device and then all that is required by the patient is to operate a single switch. When pressed it will scan through all the options and when you arrive at the one you want, you select again. Sometimes obtaining the switch movement can be a challenge but there are many ways of doing it these days, thank goodness.

In the most extreme cases, for instance, someone who has suffered a brain stem stroke will have no movement whatsoever. A healthy brain trapped in a body which serves only to keep itself alive; no movement at all, no speech, but they can see and hear and feel pain. The only control he/she may have is to blink and look around. (Makes you count your blessings I can tell you).

In such a case we may use an eye blink switch. This is something of a misnomer since it actually monitors the eye for movement, so a look upwards can be translated into a single switch press by some more clever electronics.

It doesn't sound like much but to regain any control over the basic things we all too often take for granted is a massive step. Depending on which options are required, a patient may go from being unable to do anything for him/her self to having complete control over: TV, Hi-Fi, DVD, Telephone, lights, pager or nurse call etc.

It's very humbling, and saddening :( but it's nice to make a difference in someone's life. As you can imagine, I see people from all walks of life: every race colour and creed, both the rich and poor.

I'm based in Birmingham and cover the whole West Midlands, although it does sometimes take me beyond. Last week I went to Llandudno and back. (Phew) So, for various reasons, I am quite passionate about road/speed & safety. I can't continue with my job if I loose my licence. If/when that happens I'll go back to America where I worked for two years. Luckily for me, that door is still open.

Well, that's as brief as I can make it. Take care everyone. Stay safe and healthy if you can. Prevention is better than cure.

Tony

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The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of Safe Speed.
You will be branded a threat to society by going over a speed limit where it is safe to do so, and suffer the consequences of your actions in a way criminals do not, more so than someone who is a real threat to our society.


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 Post subject: Hi!
PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 02:28 
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New member here, hi everyone. Been 'lurking' for a while, well a couple of years to be honest. I drive a Corrado and love it, really a fantastic car, last service cost £139 ha ha ha! cheap, fast and a joy to drive. Managed to realise a boyhood dream a few years ago and bought a Ferrari 412! Drove it off and on for six months, couldn't afford the petrol (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and sold it for a profit. Which was nice! Lovely motor.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 16:55 
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Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 01:55
Posts: 235
Location: Bristol
Never formally introduced myself...

I'm 30, been driving for 5 years (passed my test 5 years ago today!). My first car that I bought after passing my test was a 1995 M-reg 1.1 Fiesta. I ran that for 18 months then bought a T-reg Audi A3 1.8. Since then I've had a Y-reg Audi A4 1.9 TDI, a 52-plate A4 1.9 TDI Quattro and now I'm driving an A4 2.0 TDI 170 Quattro. (I really like my Audis!)

Been done for speeding twice, the first one was a fair cop (I was stressed out and taking my then-gf home one Sunday morning and got pulled by an unmarked car, 89mph on an NSL dual carriageway). The second was for 85mph on the M5 northbound in light traffic, I was in a loan car (Merc C200) after someone had smashed into my A4 on the Headington roundabout in Oxford - basically he'd tried to go straight ahead in a left filter lane and T-boned me on the roundabout.

I did the IAM test last year, I've also had some unofficial training from a Class 1 police driver. I've driven round Castle Combe track in an RS4 (and took my diesel A4 round there last year as well).

Until the end of January I was a self-employed computer consultant racking up around 35,000 miles per year - I bought my current car new at the end of September 2006 and it rolled over to 40,000 miles in January!

I'm currently working as an IT contractor and my commute to work is 12 miles each way through quiet B-roads - much less stressful!

In the last 5 years I've seen driving standards deteriorate noticeably, I believe much of this is down to an over-simplified road safety policy. A large percentage of drivers now seem to believe that their responsibility to road safety begins and ends with "not breaking the speed limit".

I do feel fortunate that I managed to speak to Paul on the phone one Sunday morning while he was still around - people may have seen my posting regarding a clone of my vehicle getting pulled for speeding and the driver giving my details. This has now gone to appeal and I will of course post an update.

I think that's about it...

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 18:38 
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Hi all

I'm Jimmy, a 26 year old civil engineer from Dorset. I drive a 1995 Volvo 480ES (getting quite rare now) and I love it.

Unlike a lot of the members earlier in this thread, I have yet to receive a speeding ticket - I appear to be in the minority, although I could also just be plain lucky.

I am going to stick my head above the parapet now, and am prepared to take the flak for my opinions in due course:

I personally feel that if you get a speeding ticket and you were actually speeding, then you have little to complain about. You were breaking the law. End of Story

However, before you all descend on Dorset looking to hang me, I must say that I strongly believe that speed cameras are not the right tool to reduce road casualties. I wholeheartedly support the Safespeed campaign and am firmly of the opinion that Speed (not Safety) Cameras in general have a negligible impact on road safety (if any).

I am an observer for the IAM and will be taking my RoARDA test shortly. My opinions are in conflict with some (not all) members of both of these groups and it makes for very interesting (and heated) debates at times.

The safespeed campaign and website is excellent and has given me a lot of very useful and well thought out reasoning to help justify my opinions to my peers, and for that I thank both Paul and the new team continuing his work. I hope that, as soon as funds permit, I will be able to donate to the campaign to ensure it continues long into the future.

Kind regards

Jimmy


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 20:05 
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Location: Dorset/Somerset border
:welcome:

There was a poll way back when that showed an awful lot of regulars have never had a ticket in actual fact.

By the way:

Dorsetspeed


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 21:17 
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Welcome Jimmy and don't worry about your head Image I haven't met any ogres here - yet ;)

In the forum rules, Claire has stated that "We will never delete posts or disbar posters because we disagree with their opinions... All opinions are welcome if they are honestly held." And that's the truth so no worries Jimmy.

As Johnnytheboy said, you may actually find that many, or most here, have a clean driving licence - myself included, (so far).

I could yabber on about why I dissagree with your point but that's not a very nice welcome and I've said so much so often I'm getting sick of my own voice, or words realy. (I'm sure I'm getting on other peoples nerves too)

I actually don't like to see conflict or hatred and at times it bothers me to the point that I overstep the mark, for which I want to kick myself but oh well. Forgiveness is a strength and sometimes we can be too hard on ourselves. :oops:

It's taken me a while but I have started to realise that repetition is a necessary part of any campaign. If you stand for something you hold as true and dear you can't just state your case without defending the wrongs as-and-when they appear. And so one starts to sound like a broken record. This is how I feel, but never mind. :(


Anyway :welcome: and I look forward to seeing you here :)

Take care

Tony

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The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of Safe Speed.
You will be branded a threat to society by going over a speed limit where it is safe to do so, and suffer the consequences of your actions in a way criminals do not, more so than someone who is a real threat to our society.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 23:57 
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Jimmy wrote:
Hi all

I'm Jimmy, a 26 year old civil engineer from Dorset. I drive a 1995 Volvo 480ES (getting quite rare now) and I love it.


Jimmy


Welcome aboard Jimmy.

480ES? Hmmm. As you say, rare these days and - for me - interesting. Especially as Volvo have recently resurrected the 480's glass tailgate on the C30.

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 Post subject: Re: Flynn
PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 18:08 
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Afternoon, my internet name is "Flynn" unless it's already taken on a forum I visit, have loved cars all my live from the way they look (at least between 1980-2000, they seem to be getting rather ugly now) to the thrills excitment and freedom they provide. I have no time for people who dislike cars, if we listened to them we would still be in the stone age. And I can quite simply not understand how they ignore all the benefits they provide, I wouldn't even entertain the idea of creating a list there are simply too many.

I am 18 year old lad, nearing the end of my "learning to drive career" and plan to take pass plus after getting through my L test, having mostly payed for lessons from my Education Maintence Allowance that I get from college, luckily most of my work is computer based meaning that I don't need much in the way of stationary. However it means going without lunch a few times, but hey, it'll be worth it in the end. After that I am going to have a look at advanced driving. I also don't like those tiny dodgem like cars which most teenagers like. A Focus or Corolla or 306 is the smallest size I would choose.

Something that annoys me is the scandalously high insurance prices for young drivers, we are not all chazy yobbos you (insurance companies) know! :roll:

As for all this speed obsessiveness that the government are going on about, I champion the idea of a "speed appropiate for the conditions" policy. I am sure everyone knows the ins and outs of that on this forum. I would like to see this policy implemented on the motorway and trialled on other roads although I realise implementing it in a town for example would provide more challenges than the motorway. I also want to see all the limits which have been unfairly reduced increased back to appropiate speeds on all roads if the "speed appropiate for the conditions" policy is unworkable on those particular roads. It's not fair that the government blatantly ignore the fact that speed is a contributary factor in a small percentage of most road accidents, and even then, it is inappropiate speed for the conditions.

I take a hard line against environMETALISTS saying "Oh, cars are bad for the environment" because road transport in general counts for a fifth of all emissions and that includes trucks and buses which is not nearly enough to need to compromise machines as great and beneficial as cars.

I also hate all the dumb government campaigns with that kid who says "If you hit me at 40, there's an 80% chance I'll die etc" well if you look both ways thus seeing the car coming and don't blindly step out there's a 100% chance you'll live! If they don't understand that then their parents should not dream of letting them out in the first place. Even the most basic cave men learnt to dodge boulders because they could make the connection that a fairly heavy object moving fast is going to hurt you if you stand in it's path. Although it is a bit dumb the way the driver never reacts in those adverts either, pretty poor show all round. And adults who wonder aimlessly out into the road, you should know better, roads are for cars, sidewalks are for pedestrians.

And I hate cyclists who go on the environmental side and say "I'm goood for the environment, blah blah blah" and they think just because they go out of their way to brave the elements and get all hot and puffed out riding up a hill everyone else should! No thanks, I've got a car! When I get up the hill I'll send you a post card and you'll still be at the bottom :D
The simple fact is when you upgrade to an engine you'll never want to go back. I used to cycle off road for the thrill, but then when I tried Motocross I didn't look back! Not for a second!

Finally, I love most motorsports involving cars, although the ones I follow are; the British Touring Car Championship, the World Rally Championship and Formula One, but not nearly as much as the first two.

I have no time for the people who drive cars and then moan that they feel "guilty" and say it's not "green" yet continue to drive them around, all I can say to them is be careful what you wish for! I would love to take their cars away, I doubt they would even last a few days without them before begging for them back! :lol: Normally they are posh people who think it's trendy to just moan about "green" (I hate that stupid buzz word, btw) issues. Also I don't like the posh people who complain that the roads are too crowded and that tax should be raised even higher to get all the bad drivers off, they just want it for themselves the greedy so and so's :x If you want the right to drive then you should let everyone else have that right, if not it is simply hypocritical and selfish. We motorised vehicle users in general need to stick together :wink:

At the end the day, if people are putting forward reasonable proposals then if I don't agree I will put in a reasonable counter argument, but if it is completely blantantly single minded like "speed kills" or "cars are bad for the environment" or "lower the speed limit to stop people who don't give a damn and are obviously going too fast for the conditions anyway" (infact there was an article which was using that stupid logic in my local newspaper just this week) then I get very, very angry :x

There are also other issues which I cannot even remember right now! Wow, this post has got long, I just keep adding things lol :)


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 Post subject: Re: About our visitors
PostPosted: Sun May 25, 2008 03:02 
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Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 02:17
Posts: 7355
Location: Highlands
Welcome to the Safe Speed Forums :D

I have taken what were the following posts that were off topic in here, to here, if you want to follow the new thread called Car & environment - does it really make any difference ? !!

A little reminder that if you wish to visit the main webpages, you can always do so via the logo at the top of all forum pages, or click here.

Any queries just ask ... we are always happy to help.
Enjoy.
Claire

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