Cars, cars, cars...

pinno

The (AI) FA glitch bot posted at 1.01am.
That's poor programming.

briantrumpet

I couldn't remember where the stuff about drivers having no awareness of the width of their cars is, so I'm putting the evidence here. Jeez, the whole point of these things is to see how fast you can drive through them.

https://twitter.com/_david_ho_/status/1678141807283118086

focuszing723

I like the white van driver straight through (dents and scrapes par the course). I get it though, is it worth the risk of having a scrape down the side of your car?

Pross

Biggest problem with those is they penalise lower cars over big SUVs / vans whose wing mirrors are above the level of the barrier.

briantrumpet

Pross said:

Biggest problem with those is they penalise lower cars over big SUVs / vans whose wing mirrors are above the level of the barrier.

That's easy - make the barriers higher.

briantrumpet

Those speed bumps which are rounded squares, whose width is only just about the width of a car intrigue me... if you know where your wheels are, you can go over them at any speed, let alone the 20 or 30 they are supposed to be for.

Stevo_666

briantrumpet said:

Those speed bumps which are rounded squares, whose width is only just about the width of a car intrigue me... if you know where your wheels are, you can go over them at any speed, let alone the 20 or 30 they are supposed to be for.

Quite handy for larger cars

Although I recall the reason is so that they don't slow up fire engines or ambulances. Best prioritise that above a spot of big car hating I reckon.

Pross

briantrumpet said:

Those speed bumps which are rounded squares, whose width is only just about the width of a car intrigue me... if you know where your wheels are, you can go over them at any speed, let alone the 20 or 30 they are supposed to be for.

Yeah, the idea is that they make it better for emergency vehicles and more comfortable for bus occupants. The problem with traffic calming is that to slow vehicles using vertical methods affects those vehicles and also using horizontal methods that allow large vehicles to pass smaller vehicles can usually fly through without slowing. Things like the barriers in the video are pretty good as they make it feel tighter than it actually is. There are 'intelligent' speed bumps being tested that are filled with liquid, if you go over them at the correct speed they go flat but if you don't slow down enough they stay firm and give quite a jolt.

pinno

briantrumpet said:

Pross said:

Biggest problem with those is they penalise lower cars over big SUVs / vans whose wing mirrors are above the level of the barrier.

That's easy - make the barriers higher.

Nope - have a height limiting bar.

Wheelspinner

pinno said:

briantrumpet said:

Pross said:

Biggest problem with those is they penalise lower cars over big SUVs / vans whose wing mirrors are above the level of the barrier.

That's easy - make the barriers higher.

Nope - have a height limiting bar.

That’ll help for people in little hatchbacks with bikes on the roof racks.

rick_chasey

Pross said:

briantrumpet said:

Those speed bumps which are rounded squares, whose width is only just about the width of a car intrigue me... if you know where your wheels are, you can go over them at any speed, let alone the 20 or 30 they are supposed to be for.

Yeah, the idea is that they make it better for emergency vehicles and more comfortable for bus occupants. The problem with traffic calming is that to slow vehicles using vertical methods affects those vehicles and also using horizontal methods that allow large vehicles to pass smaller vehicles can usually fly through without slowing. Things like the barriers in the video are pretty good as they make it feel tighter than it actually is. There are 'intelligent' speed bumps being tested that are filled with liquid, if you go over them at the correct speed they go flat but if you don't slow down enough they stay firm and give quite a jolt.

You have some speedbumps in the Netherlands which are very smooth; if you go over them below the right speed there's no jolt to speak of; if you go faster, it really bangs.

katani

Pross said:

briantrumpet said:

Those speed bumps which are rounded squares, whose width is only just about the width of a car intrigue me... if you know where your wheels are, you can go over them at any speed, let alone the 20 or 30 they are supposed to be for.

Yeah, the idea is that they make it better for emergency vehicles and more comfortable for bus occupants.

The idea is a good one, but only for streets with prohibited roadside parking.
We have a street over a mile long with those installed every 100m in my neighbourhood, but also lots of cars parked on the carriageway either side, and always close enough to a speed bump to make a car have to move towards the centre of the carriageway, which would make them have to slow down, and would be good. But instead they prefer to keep going at the same speed, but go over the opposite lane speed bump if there is no car parked next to it. As a result, we still have lots of cars speeding there, but now on the "wrong" side of the road which makes it dangerous for pedestrians crossing the road, and cycling there is a suicidal mission at the busier times of the day, as cars seeing a cyclist coming in the opposite direction will often "race" towards an opposite lane bump to get there quicker than the cyclist and avoid having to stop to give them way.

Stevo_666

Sounds like the best solution for everyone is not have speed bumps.

rjsterry

Pross said:

Biggest problem with those is they penalise lower cars over big SUVs / vans whose wing mirrors are above the level of the barrier.

The SUV clearly couldn't even see the bollards once close. Was half expecting them to get out and check.

focuszing723

New Lotus EV SUV reviewed as being very good.

Stevo_666

focuszing723 said:

New Lotus EV SUV reviewed as being very good.

Thank you - back on topic.

veronese68

Was talking to a supplier about electric cars the other day. The company doing new electric MGBs is doing well. But we were saying it's the luxury barges that are really well suited to it. Wafting along silently.

wavefront

focuszing723 said:

New Lotus EV SUV reviewed as being very good.

Lotus is going through a regeneration, and I expect their new line up to all drive very well. But with the sizeable budgets they now have from Geely they’ve been able to take a leap forward with quality and other areas that perhaps have let them down on the past. It’s a great brand but have had more ups and downs than most.

ddraver

So...help

Old car has rather spectacularly failed its MOT. Previously I took it to a different garage and it had no advisories on it and they usually were quite complimentary about its condition.

It's failed on a whole bunch of welding, some bulbs and an anti-roll bar.

Should I try and take it to the "old" garage and see if they pass it or is this just a conspiracy theory about MOT Stations all being dodgy, unwillingness to believe that it's gone from safe to dangerous in a year, and me not wanting to say goodbye just yet...?

It runs out tomorrow (monday) so a decision needs to be made before it goes to the great road in the sky...

briantrumpet

ddraver said:

So...help

Old car has rather spectacularly failed its MOT. Previously I took it to a different garage and it had no advisories on it and they usually were quite complimentary about its condition.

It's failed on a whole bunch of welding, some bulbs and an anti-roll bar.

Should I try and take it to the "old" garage and see if they pass it or is this just a conspiracy theory about MOT Stations all being dodgy, unwillingness to believe that it's gone from safe to dangerous in a year, and me not wanting to say goodbye just yet...?

It runs out tomorrow (monday) so a decision needs to be made before it goes to the great road in the sky...

As an serial owner of old cars, it's been a relative joy to have found a local garage whose MOT assessments I've learned to trust... previously I always ended up thinking that garages pull you in then after a two or three years see how much they can sting you for.

My previous Clio's fail had been forecast about three years before its ultimate demise, but it still came as a bit of a "Oh, what now?" moment. The Almera came from a friend after I'd put a "Anyone got a car they want to sell me?" post on Facebook.

Advice? Dunno, really. Sorry.

carbonclem

ddraver said:

So...help

Old car has rather spectacularly failed its MOT. Previously I took it to a different garage and it had no advisories on it and they usually were quite complimentary about its condition.

It's failed on a whole bunch of welding, some bulbs and an anti-roll bar.

Should I try and take it to the "old" garage and see if they pass it or is this just a conspiracy theory about MOT Stations all being dodgy, unwillingness to believe that it's gone from safe to dangerous in a year, and me not wanting to say goodbye just yet...?

It runs out tomorrow (monday) so a decision needs to be made before it goes to the great road in the sky...

I think the system would now mean the new place would have to counter the failings found by the place that have officially tested it as it’s all logged on the system. If they test it and it genuinely passes then you should report the garage that failed it.
If that garage that gave no advisories originally were doing you a favour and ignoring stuff then I doubt they will back that up now.

Stevo_666

Sell it as a non-runner/scrap and buy a car in better nick.

pinno

carbonclem said:

ddraver said:

So...help

Old car has rather spectacularly failed its MOT. Previously I took it to a different garage and it had no advisories on it and they usually were quite complimentary about its condition.

It's failed on a whole bunch of welding, some bulbs and an anti-roll bar.

Should I try and take it to the "old" garage and see if they pass it or is this just a conspiracy theory about MOT Stations all being dodgy, unwillingness to believe that it's gone from safe to dangerous in a year, and me not wanting to say goodbye just yet...?

It runs out tomorrow (monday) so a decision needs to be made before it goes to the great road in the sky...

I think the system would now mean the new place would have to counter the failings found by the place that have officially tested it as it’s all logged on the system.

No because that does not allow for the fact that the faults originally logged have been fixed since.
...and please don't report garages. If you are not sure, just use another one. MOT testers have to go through so many loops and many of those loops are just bureaucratic belt and braces. The interpretation of what constitutes a fail is very much like health and safety. It's a bit like schools banning an egg and spoon race because of the apparent risk whereas other schools are quite happy to hold them.
One guy locally puts a whole list of advisories on my pass sheet but that pass sheet is logged permanently as the vehicles history. It's infuriating especially when there's nothing materially wrong with the car. Eg: 'Tyre showing signs of excessive wear' and when I got to the local tyre garage, they tell ne that there is nothing wrong with ithe tyre.
Another example: I had a classic Merc which I had professionally undercoated with Dinitrol and the rules are that any thick underseal needs to be classed as an advisory. This rule was brought in so that any potential buyer is aware that the underseal could be hiding problems. A rule brought in because MOT testers are no longer allowed to get a screwdriver or hammer and start prodding away. This after complaints that 'over enthusiastic' MOT testers were deliberately causing damage to create work and/or how hard you strike an area of metal is arbitrary.

@ddraver : Back to what you wanted to know. Fords: once they start to go (rust) you'll just end up chasing it eternally. Get a quote for welding and weigh up whether or not that expenditure is worth 12 months MOT.
The problem with welding is that a really good welder will charge you and a cheap one will not do a lasting job, so you need to go on reputation.

ddraver

pinno said:

@ddraver : Back to what you wanted to know. Fords: once they start to go (rust) you'll just end up chasing it eternally. Get a quote for welding and weigh up whether or not that expenditure is worth 12 months MOT.
The problem with welding is that a really good welder will charge you and a cheap one will not do a lasting job, so you need to go on reputation.

Fair enough. I think I need to be told to let it go basically...

dannbodge

Well after 14 months of being a one car family we're back up to two.

Eldest child starts school in september fo to give us some flexibility it was time to get something.

Luckily, the only requirement was to fit a single child seat (and be significantly less than £5k) So I had basically free reign of choice.

Ended up gettting a BMW E46 (2003) 330i saloon.
Satisfies the child seat requirement and I get another straight 6 BMW (number 4 of my car history)

pinno

Nice ^. Last of the proper B ems.

carbonclem

pinno said:

carbonclem said:

ddraver said:

So...help

Old car has rather spectacularly failed its MOT. Previously I took it to a different garage and it had no advisories on it and they usually were quite complimentary about its condition.

It's failed on a whole bunch of welding, some bulbs and an anti-roll bar.

Should I try and take it to the "old" garage and see if they pass it or is this just a conspiracy theory about MOT Stations all being dodgy, unwillingness to believe that it's gone from safe to dangerous in a year, and me not wanting to say goodbye just yet...?

It runs out tomorrow (monday) so a decision needs to be made before it goes to the great road in the sky...

I think the system would now mean the new place would have to counter the failings found by the place that have officially tested it as it’s all logged on the system.

No because that does not allow for the fact that the faults originally logged have been fixed since.
...and please don't report garages.

I meant that the faults would have to be conclusively sorted, not overlooked or advised.

If a garage is making work by way of overly harsh mot tests, or passing dangerous cars to the detriment of an owner, then they need reporting I reckon.

First.Aspect

ddraver said:

So...help

Old car has rather spectacularly failed its MOT. Previously I took it to a different garage and it had no advisories on it and they usually were quite complimentary about its condition.

It's failed on a whole bunch of welding, some bulbs and an anti-roll bar.

Should I try and take it to the "old" garage and see if they pass it or is this just a conspiracy theory about MOT Stations all being dodgy, unwillingness to believe that it's gone from safe to dangerous in a year, and me not wanting to say goodbye just yet...?

It runs out tomorrow (monday) so a decision needs to be made before it goes to the great road in the sky...

Did I miss the part where you got a repair estimate and it was uneconomic?

DeVlaeminck

Yes with the second hand car market check the cost of a replacement Vs repair before scrapping. Last car I scrapped it turned out it would probably have been marginally cheaper to repair but I hadn't realised use cars were quite so expensive.

DeVlaeminck

And if you do scrap it get some quotes on line - you can often get a few hundred more than the (or at least my) local breaker will offer you.