Horse power, why do we need so much?

[Munroast]

As a obsessive cyclist I did have my worries about dangers from near silent electric cars - but thankfully from distance I hear them as well as any other car, you only realise it is electric when it is going past at which point you realise there is no engine noise. You can even hear that distinctive change when the car goes into over-run which is always a welcome noise as that means they have seen you and are starting to slow and consider the pass.

I watch over my shoulder every vehicle pass now, too many people playing with their phones.

 

[ericmark]

When cycling from home, there is only really one route, on the others I just take my bike for a walk, that is not really cycling, and my biggest fear is armaco barriers and being trapped between one and a vehicle.

Doing 16 MPH there is a reasonable chance that a vehicle can slow down in time, doing 3 MPH I wobble more and the vehicle behind me needs to slow a lot more.

I am considering an ebike for me, my wife has one and the extra speed does make them safer, however best option seems to be pop on the train and pay £2.50 for a bike/dog ticket as for me I have season ticket, however Covid19 as resulted in the train not allowing passengers to embark or disembark from the train at Welshpool, I can go on the train to Welshpool and back, but not leave the station at Welshpool, so my bike riding has been curtailed. I did ride on the canal tow path.

I tried the other roads out of Llanfair Caereinion, but not a cycle route, end up taking bike for a walk, I think one in seven as a single chevron on map? one in five for a double chevron it seems. Even on the main road the Golfa hill out of Welshpool is on of the steepest hills found on any non rack railway, and going up that hill I sound like a steam train.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

My 1st car didn't have :-

Power steering,
Fuel injection,
Air con,
Electric Windows,
ABS,
ESC,
Electric Windows,
A Clock,
A radio,
Rev counter,
Fully upholstered interior,
Sound proofing,
5+ speed transmission.

Add to that list, mine had rod brakes on the rear, but it did have a heater

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

My first car was a Reliant! I wouldn't place too much store on surveys, to be honest. Reliants were made in such small numbers that the results would have been statistically unreliable. Given the choice, I now which one I'd rather be driving if the worst happened!

Horrible they were. I had one for a while, using my motorcycle licence, until I got through the car test. I never needed a driving lesson in my life. Motorbike on L plates, test, then Reliant - which was near enough a car, then just borrow a car for the test.

 

[JohnD]

I never needed a driving lesson in my life

"had"

not "needed."

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

"had"

not "needed."

You speak for yourself!

 

[ericmark]

I never needed a driving lesson in my life. Motorbike on L plates, test, then Reliant - which was near enough a car, then just borrow a car for the test.

I was taught to drive at work, and I thought I was a good driver, until I came to do my HGV with two weeks intensive training, and then I realised how bad I was.

The same with motor bikes, I was training the motorcycle maintenance and the Police motorcyclists were teaching the riding, when I went out as a passenger with the police motorcyclist with him talking us through why he did everything, I realised how poor my riding was.

I remember there being a point being made about driving at work with other employees as passengers, as with any other action at work, the employer has to ensure the safety of all employees, so I was to take a firms driving test, until they found I had a HGV and it seems if you held advanced driving licence, HGV or PSV they did not need to do it. But firms do need to at least view the licence.

Same way in spite having my electrical qualifications I still had to attend tool box talks, and attend courses throughout my life. Latest was how to walk across and down a railway line, it was common sense, 200 ton of train will not stop fast and we all know it, but still had to do the course.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The same with motor bikes, I was training the motorcycle maintenance and the Police motorcyclists were teaching the riding, when I went out as a passenger with the police motorcyclist with him talking us through why he did everything, I realised how poor my riding was.

Been there, done that. Maybe how I have got away with 55 years on the road in all weathers and zero accidents.

 

[ericmark]

When I did it the two part motorcycle test had not come in, the county council safety department had bought a number of old motorcycles and had set up the training school in Rhyl, in the grounds of a school on a Saturday, I will guess around 1975. Since we repaired the bikes, we (county council road maintenance department workshops) were asked to do the training, the other guy they did not want as caught riding the bike around the yard showing the lads which he use to do as part of a motorcycle display team in the army when the had same bikes, and safety officer was not amused when he saw it.

Seems your not suppose to stand on the seat.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

When I did it the two part motorcycle test had not come in,

Mine was a matter of riding around a block, with the test centre in the middle. The observer was able to dash through the middle of the building, to watch my progress both front and rear.

 

[Nige F]

the other guy they did not want as caught riding the bike around the yard showing the lads which he use to do as part of a motorcycle display team in the army *when they had same bikes,*.

Seems your not suppose to stand on the seat.

BSA M 20 ?

 

[Avocet]

Horrible they were. I had one for a while, using my motorcycle licence, until I got through the car test. I never needed a driving lesson in my life. Motorbike on L plates, test, then Reliant - which was near enough a car, then just borrow a car for the test.

Ah... mine was the deluxe model with 4 wheels! I felt a cut above all the other Reliant owners! It was a Rebel. Don't see many of those round! I thought it was quite a good car, really, for what it was. A rustproof Mini that was rear wheel drive!

 

[Avocet]

As a obsessive cyclist I did have my worries about dangers from near silent electric cars - but thankfully from distance I hear them as well as any other car, you only realise it is electric when it is going past at which point you realise there is no engine noise. You can even hear that distinctive change when the car goes into over-run which is always a welcome noise as that means they have seen you and are starting to slow and consider the pass.

I watch over my shoulder every vehicle pass now, too many people playing with their phones.

Interesting about the change in noise on over-run. I think above about 30 (unless accelerating reasonably hard) the road noise becomes the dominant component, and there's little difference between an EV and an ICE vehicle. However, below 30, yes the EVs can sneak up on you!

 

[ericmark]

BSA M 20 ?

Yes

 

[ericmark]

Ah... mine was the deluxe model with 4 wheels! I felt a cut above all the other Reliant owners! It was a Rebel. Don't see many of those round! I thought it was quite a good car, really, for what it was. A rustproof Mini that was rear wheel drive!

I thought it was called a kitten? or Simaur?