My Commute

david balmer · Post by **david balmer** » 06 Jul 2006, 22:58

laugh, not likely. before comming to canada i underwent an eight week advanced motorcycle course with the police, high speed and traffic. what i learned i have put to good practise here and in the US.
My four years on the highway have not been good, i've seen everything from driving in snow storm at 120km or 65mph with white out conditions, dead and dying bodies being pulled from mainly car/ SUV drivers. onlt wice have i seen a trk. one because the driver was drunk in charge of a liquid hydrogen trk. west va, he went straight to jail. the other was a steel carrier, he did not make another trip as his load went through the back of this trk.
everyday i have to put up with all kinds of fools, the biggest the suv drivers who try to push me off the road.

to finish off, some time ago i was travelling from north yorkshire on my motorbike, this being a BMW RT750. you can't help but notice it, also i was wearing high viz clothing as the police wear. this did not stop the arse who ploughed into the back of me. he was also on a motorbike. his bike was a right off, my bike was badly damaged and i was left on the road to fend for myself. eight weeks later i was able to return to work.
as FOR LA, I have travelled in the county and it ain't nothing like montreal on the rush hour.

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 06 Jul 2006, 23:05

David, have to agree with you on the "SUV" drivers. Over here its common to call them four-by-fours or offroaders, but I prefer to call them "Tonka toys", especially the modern sort that dont even look like they could cope with rugged terrain all that well and are basically an executive car on stilts.

They have actually surpassed drivers of BMWs (although the BMW X5 is the worst offender!) as the most annoying arses on the road IMHO. They drive like they own the road in their armoured tanks and for people in ordinary cars like me, they restrict your visibility ahead. To cap it all, theres usually only 1 idiot in them and getting about 5-10mpg :huf:

andy · Post by **andy** » 06 Jul 2006, 23:09

TobyVickers wrote:David, have to agree with you on the "SUV" drivers. Over here its common to call them four-by-fours or offroaders, but I prefer to call them "Tonka toys", especially the modern sort that dont even look like they could cope with rugged terrain all that well and are basically an executive car on stilts.

They have actually surpassed drivers of BMWs (although the BMW X5 is the worst offender!) as the most annoying arses on the road IMHO. They drive like they own the road in their armoured tanks and for people in ordinary cars like me, they restrict your visibility ahead. To cap it all, theres usually only 1 idiot in them and getting about 5-10mpg :huf:

Toby..............I resemble that remark, and my Frontera does 30 MPG, and it's petrol.

andy · Post by **andy** » 06 Jul 2006, 23:13

David, if everyone had to take a driving test, pulling steel, driving standards would change overnite. Done some of that. No matter how well you chain it down, if you have to slow quickly, the steel doesn't.

Fortunately I spent my last years driving for TESCO.
I don't mind a box of Kelloggs hitting me on the back of the head.

Post by **Garry Russell** » 06 Jul 2006, 23:15

andy wrote: I don't mind a box of Kelloggs hitting me on the back of the head.

Crunchy nut? :roll:

Garry

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 06 Jul 2006, 23:17

Hmmm.... guess it depends if you drive like an arse in it

I'm astounded by that mpg figure? Take it you mostly do long journeys and dont flog it too hard? Just checked and I see they were still making it as recently as 2004... didnt know that. I am thinking more of the Range Rover / BMW X3 / X5 / Merc G-Wagen / Porsche Cayenne / Hummer / Mitsubishi brigade. Proper Landrovers are exempt

migeater0 · Post by **migeater0** » 06 Jul 2006, 23:25

Good to know that it isn't just UK roads that are full of Winkers...

My trusty fiesta does 500 mile on a tank (Motorway)

andy · Post by **andy** » 06 Jul 2006, 23:28

TobyVickers wrote:Hmmm.... guess it depends if you drive like an arse in it I'm astounded by that mpg figure? Take it you mostly do long journeys and dont flog it too hard? Just checked and I see they were still making it as recently as 2004... didnt know that. I am thinking more of the Range Rover / BMW X3 / X5 / Merc G-Wagen / Porsche Cayenne / Hummer / Mitsubishi brigade. Proper Landrovers are exempt

I just park my arse in it.

No. It only does local mileage. I take the dogs "off road" every morning on Saddleworth moor. They run about 5 miles, I do about 500yds.

Before I bought it, I did some research about them.
On one of the forums, one guy was complaining that he had just got rid of his due to the "poor" fuel consumption.
He'd loaded the family into it+dogs+caravan on the back, and was only getting 24mpg. I thought, that'll do for me. I just need the caravan. Then I'll be the complete tw*t.

migeater0 · Post by **migeater0** » 06 Jul 2006, 23:35

http://video.google.com/googleplayer.sw ... 3828109740

http://video.google.com/googleplayer.sw ... 0868060713

andy · Post by **andy** » 06 Jul 2006, 23:38

BTW, I've just replaced the rear disc pads. After jacking up the vehicle, and removing the wheels, pull one securing bolt and the whole caliper assembley swings down from the disc. Easy access to the pads.
40 mins to replace all the rear pads................and the cost Â£18. Top quality.