Sucking gums...what we all do.

[Motorsport Mickey]

Perhaps like many car owners on these forums the constant conversion of our motorways into 4 lanes but only by the removal and changing the hard shoulder into a free running motorway lane to make up the 4th... makes me suck my gums.

The obvious disadvantages in the event of a breakdown or puncture fills my heart with dread and the gymnastical gyrations required to get myself and wife and likely other family members and 2 dogs from out of a stricken vehicle...now blocking off the farthest left lane on a 4 lane motorway, is the main cause of my gum suckings.

Given I cannot do other than make sure as far as humanly possible that vehicles I drive are as reliable as possible, how do we reduce the likelihood of the consequences of a puncture or a blowout to a minimum. Hmmm I hear some of you say, " well for safety I wouldn't buy a car without run flat tyres". You wouldn't buy a car without them ?... Well I do.

Runs flats are a needless expense which cause you to experience poor drive comfort...there is no way to build a conventional tyre carcass without a supporting cushion of air inside the tyre to prevent it's collapse upon the wheel. Other than making the carcass super stiff like a run flat,...which ruins the ride. 

 If you think the best way to achieve "drive on" safety on our motorways in case of a flat tyre or blow out is to fit harsh riding tyres costing upwards of £200 EACH you need your "bumps" feeling.

Fit smaller wheels and tyres with a soft compound and more conservative side walls 65 or even more profile to give the same rolling radius (look it up), and couple them with ""TYRON" bands fitted to wheels all round. They are proof against flat tyres and even explosive decompressions, (been driving a vehicle at 50 mph when an engineer shot out a front tyre (hardware rig) and completed a slalom course at 50mph and drove a further 2 miles with complete control...they cost about £80 a wheel...once,...which last for the life of the wheel and vehicle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1jYIihDLNk

The centre "well" in the wheel is covered by a plated strap cover (the TYRON) which covers around the wheels inner well radius and is cap bolted (with a protected head cap head) together. It prevents a punctured or blown out tyre dropping into the well, shredding and then coming off the wheel. With a TYRON fitted, tyre fitters push the deflated tyre bead to one side and then undo the protected capbolt to remove the strap which allows the damaged tyre carcass to fall into the exposed inner well for it to be removed and then  replaced with a new tyre and the TYRON refitted in reverse. For about £300 complete (costs vary as to the wheel sizes used) the TYRONS can be supplied and fitted which is a one off cost for the life of the vehicles wheels, rather than a continuing £900 ongoing cost repeated every 2 years for expensive run flats with a degraded ride.

Now THAT makes me suck my gums.

Mick Richards

 

[RobH]

Shades of the Avon Safety Wheel. I had a set of those on my AH Sprite back in the '70s. I still have the long posidrive screwdriver which was needed to do up the fastening of the metal band that covered the wheel well. 

Awkward to fit even on the narrow wheels we had then  - once fitted you have to push the tyre across to expose the well and fit the band - but I can imagine it being a real pain on todays ultra-wide low profile tyres. 

 

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by RobH

[Motorsport Mickey]

Works fine on tyre sizes at 215 60 I've run. I suppose it depends upon how far you extend the tyre width envelope.

I've got the extended length allen key in case I've ever got to adjust them in situ for tyre fitting,but I'm not into fitting tyres myself, and at the various tyre companies after fitting with a machine to push the bead over it's not needed, I think a few quid to a tyre firm using a bead vice machine when new tyres are fitted as we all do is well worth it. 

Mick Richards

Edited November 27, 2022 by Motorsport Mickey

[Andy Moltu]

Using the hard shoulder as part of “Smart” motorways was  always a risky idea.

The trials used refuges at frequent intervals to allow coasting in the event of power failure. 

The roll out ignored the need for frequent intervals with the vast increase in danger which has been proven in real use. Seen a van get run into as a truck pulled out at the last minute only for the one behind to run into the van.

I gather the roll out has been suspended.

[monty]

45 minutes ago, Andy Moltu said:

Using the hard shoulder as part of “Smart” motorways was  always a risky idea.

The trials used refuges at frequent intervals to allow coasting in the event of power failure. 

The roll out ignored the need for frequent intervals with the vast increase in danger which has been proven in real use. Seen a van get run into as a truck pulled out at the last minute only for the one behind to run into the van.

I gather the roll out has been suspended.

That Grant Shapps who dreamed up that stupid idea should be shot!

[ianc]

The further roll-out may have been suspended, but (as far as I am aware) all the existing "smart" motorway lanes remain to endanger folk.

Ian Cornish

[brenda]

As I am a HGV driver doing nights I don’t like the smart motorways. Not only do you not have good vision at night as most of the motorway lights out, or they have been removed altogether for the new concrete centre reservation. I find that most drivers that brake down don’t put their hazard lights on and are still sat in the car. I try to run in the second lane as much as I can but we have been told that because of the cameras if we stay there to long with no one on the inside lane we could receive a fine through the post. (Have you seen the amount of cars that just run in lanes 3&4 and no one in lane 1&2)

Mike Redrose Group 

[Ralph Whitaker]

I hate the things, and under no circumstances will I take the TR on one.  A case in point, my friend ran out of fuel in his van not long after leaving home at Dewsbury. He was stopped on the inside lane of the new 4 lane part of the M1 going south from Leeds, mid way between the emergency pull ins. When his dad got there 40 minutes later with a can of diesel there were still no signs lit warning oncoming traffic, and my pal sat on the grass banking watching all the wagons taking last minute avoiding action convinced that any time at all the van was going to be written off in an almighty pile up.

I presume there is a number you can ring to warn Highways, and they would then have been able to illuminate the relevant signage, but he did not know it and was too far away from a refuge with a phone.  I thought they were supposed to be monitored all the time, but that is clearly not the case. There have been 4 deaths on that section of M! between Sheffield and Leeds since they conversion to no hard shoulder.

Ralph

[Andy Moltu]

21 hours ago, ianc said:

The further roll-out may have been suspended, but (as far as I am aware) all the existing "smart" motorway lanes remain to endanger folk.

Ian Cornish

Agree, there needs to be a roll back.

Cheapo but dangerous alternative to building additional lanes. 

[RogerH]

4 hours ago, Ralph Whitaker said:

I hate the things, and under no circumstances will I take the TR on one.  A case in point, my friend ran out of fuel in his van not long after leaving home at Dewsbury. He was stopped on the inside lane of the new 4 lane part of the M1 going south from Leeds, mid way between the emergency pull ins. When his dad got there 40 minutes later with a can of diesel there were still no signs lit warning oncoming traffic, and my pal sat on the grass banking watching all the wagons taking last minute avoiding action convinced that any time at all the van was going to be written off in an almighty pile up.

I presume there is a number you can ring to warn Highways, and they would then have been able to illuminate the relevant signage, but he did not know it and was too far away from a refuge with a phone.  I thought they were supposed to be monitored all the time, but that is clearly not the case. There have been 4 deaths on that section of M! between Sheffield and Leeds since they conversion to no hard shoulder.

Ralph

Hi Folks

I had a Motorway awareness course last December. In all fairness it was quite interesting.

Two things came out - 

1 - (according to the main at the end of the computer) 

         The police 'could' prosecute you for running out of fuel. You are supposed to be fully prepared   when entering a motorway.

2 - I asked when the over head sign operatives were going to be educated.   Because on a daily basis the pantomime they put on is disgraceful (that was a quote)

He jumped to their defense giving every reason why they were magnificent. I nodded, passed the course and still think they are useless.

 

Last year I was slowed down to 40 mph about 2 miles for a dead motorbike in a yellow refuge. IT WAS IN THE REFUGE.- why were we slowed down.

Apprx 1 mile down the road there was a dead SUV in the inner lane - NO SIGNAGE AT ALL

Perhaps we should be fitted with Maroons and flares.

 

Roger

[spyder dryver]

Another case in point Mick...

Drove past a Nissan Micra ( I think) on fire on the hard shoulder near M1 J27 last night. The overhead gantry warning system gave advance warning but didn't indicate which lanes might be safe to use. Thankfully traffic was light so everyone was able to pass in L3 and L4. A tyre exploded just as we were passing. Occupants were well away on the embankment.

Had it been a weekday morning on a Smart (?) motorway the occupants would be hurriedly exiting on a live lane and traffic might  have been at a standstill leaving emergency vehicles with no easy access. Barmy!

G

[RogerH]

The DVLA type people have a lot to answer for

HiD headlights - being used inappropriately - they are DANGEROUS  -  have them ONLY as MAIN beam or spot lights.

Cyclists to be allowed to cycle with no regard

Smart motorways.     I have seen very few examples of anything smart in this 21st century

 

Roger

[Spit_2.5PI]

42 minutes ago, RogerH said:

Cyclists to be allowed to cycle with no regard

I'm going to be allowed to cycle on Smart Motorways Roger? The DVLA are more crazy than even I thought!

Cheers, Richard

[Harbottle]

As you mentioned cyclist Rog. Why are they not required to have a rear view mirror? cars have to have two. I bet that would upset a few cyclist's mirrors.

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by Harbottle

[RogerH]

16 minutes ago, Harbottle said:

As you mentioned cyclist Rog. Why are they not required to have a rear view mirror? cars have to have two. I bet that would upset a few cyclist's mirrors.

 

............and insurance............ and a licences............and a decent dress code.

 

Roger

[Drewmotty]

6 minutes ago, RogerH said:

............and insurance............ and a licences............and a decent dress code.

 

Roger

AFAIK…A cycle comes under the umbrella definition of “carriage” and so uses the highway by right rather than licence. 
You would probably be surprised how many cyclists are insured through the blanket cover included in the various cycling clubs and organisations. 

As for dress code it’s my pet hate to see cyclists in dark and sometimes even camouflage kit. 
Happy to be put right from my hiding place below the parapet

Edited November 28, 2022 by Drewmotty

[Harbottle]

They keep banging on about making cycling safer, so mirrors seem the obviouse step . They would probably say they can easily glance over their shoulder-well so can I (although things are a bit stiffer these days and in all the wrong places)

[RogerH]

2 hours ago, Drewmotty said:

 

As for dress code it’s my pet hate to see cyclists in dark and sometimes even camouflage kit. 
Happy to be put right from my hiding place below the parapet

Here in West London we now have a population that has not heard of the Green Cross Code or look Right/left etc

All  dressed in Dark cloths or bikes with no light - they must be immortal.

 

Roger

[Drewmotty]

1 hour ago, RogerH said:

All  dressed in Dark cloths or bikes with no light - they must be immortal.

They wouldn’t last long out here in the sticks of deepest Devonshire. 

[Nigel C]

Mick, 

I really don't like them either and wish they would not be referred to as "Smart Motorways" as they clearly are not. Unfortunately I am surrounded by them now but still cut though the back roads and get on further away when I can.

Joining the rant with headlamps, when sitting with my arse 8" off the road and a dash top mounted rear view mirror night driving is becoming increasingly difficult. Can anyone fathom why, when going through the torturous  process of an I.V.A. test or similar, your headlamps have to be at a certain height. To the point were when testing a Westfield 11 you have to "loan" a pair of raising lamp pods (also have to be low enough) from the manufactures to get the car through the test. So why do SUV's?4x4's and even Vans not have the same height restrictions for their lamps?

[John Mellor]

the BriteAngle LED flashing warning triangle advertised in TRAction is a well worthwhile purchase. Stunningly bright at night and almost as bright in daylight; could be a gamechanger on so called smart motorway for any stationary car let alone my TR without hazard warning lights

[Ralph Whitaker]

Just some points that spring to mind on all the above posts,

In my friends defense for running out of fuel, his fuel light came on just as he got home on the Friday night, on the Monday morning he set off to a job 5 miles away just off the next jct down (he lives 1/2 mile off the motorway). and knew there was a fuel station (his nearest) just on that same Wakefield junction. He should have had plenty of fuel to get there. What he didn`t know was that while he was away for the weekend his dad had used the van to collect something from Ikea and not put any fuel in , so he blames his dad. On a recent Police Interceptors program a motorist was issued with a ticket for running out of fuel, so yes it is an offence.

I also have a pet peeve about high intensity headlights, and I also read somewhere that the motoring organizations were campaigning for the rules to be altered for light to be judged on Lumens rather that wattage, because even on dip the lights still destroy the night vision of oncoming drivers. I have a car with those same HID lights and tried to lower them, but then found on a dark night I had a brilliant pool of very bright light just in front of the car that ended in a very sharp line with total darkness beyond, and had to raise them again. I think that as we get older our eyes don`t adjust as quickly to changing light conditions and that doesn`t help.

Regarding cyclists, I`m fine with them, used to be one myself, and well done for saving the planet and all that, but be sensible and wear clothes that can be seen and lights at night. In all honesty most hardcore bikers do just that, but some take it too far and don`t realize that the Led headlight they have fitted, though tiny, can be blinding to oncoming traffic, please angle them down a bit in a dipped position, do you really need to see 200 meters ahead. And please do not have it strobing. It tends to be young kids I see riding about in black hoodies with no lights, which in my day would have got you pulled over by the village bobby and given a warning.

Finally regarding the height of headlights, I know that there used to be a maximum height in the old Construction and Use Regulations that governed British traffic, but that seems to have been supplanted by European regulations, but even back in the 60s Transit vans and similar had the headlights a lot higher than cars were allowed, but if you think about it, the higher the light the more angled down (dipped) it would have to be to shine on the road, which in days before inside headlamp adjusters probably allowed for some leeway when the van was loaded, and were in any case designed around the limitations of (mostly) the old Lucas sealed beam unit.

I am sorry for waffling on, it`s just I am bored at the moment, having just tested positive for Covid this morning I have stayed at home so as not to spread it around and these nothing on the telly.

Ralph

[RobH]

I believe that part of the problem with over-bright headlamps is the very sharp cut-off of modern lamps that makes the designer think they won't dazzle - and they don't on a straight flat road or one with gradual bends.  On the usual UK road however, with bumps, dips/crests and sharp bends they are frequently directing straight at an oncoming car even when on dipped beam and the changes are so abrupt that no adaptive mechanism can cope in time.  

[Nigel C]

 Hope you're not to bad with the covid, Ralph. The beauty of the old Lucas 7" lamps; they were cone shaped, so all the light went roughly in one direction and there were no facets/angles for the light to bounce off in all directions...

A friend of mine was very proud to take me out in his new Merc estate the other night, when his lamps came on, they did have this complete break line between dark and light. they also were "interactive" with the surrounding i.e. they would move up and down the hedgerow dependant on what it was like and would automatically dip for oncoming traffic (when it detects light in the opposite direction) and there was no "dip bulb", the whole lamp dips!

this explains a lot.

Firstly, when it was scanning the hedgerow and found a reflective sign it blinded you.

The automatic dip I could beat with my eyes shut so this is why some oncoming traffic doesn't dip its lights until after they see yours

and by dipping the lamp it means it still full beam in brightness

surely this practice is illegal........ 

Edited November 29, 2022 by Nigel C