Things I have noticed today

[AdamW]

Improvements in people:

1) People were driving more calmly, presumably to save fuel. Round here they usually sit on your back bumper unless you drive at 10mph over the limit, but this evening they were all going about 5 under the limit. Made for much less stress, reminded me that someone on here said it was nicer to drive when they reduced the speed limits during a fuel crisis.

2) None of the usual "I'll race up to the roundabout, that way I get on first and don't have to worry about gearchanges cos they are too hard for an ape like me" mentality.

So, driving was really quite... nice. Only word to describe it. Wasn't exciting, wasn't fun, was just "nice".

Unfortunately, wasn't all good news:

1) My local supermarket garage had a queue of about 6 cars to fill up, so I thought "what the hell". As I waited in the queue, engine off, windows down, I noticed that not one other driver turned their engine off. Now, usually I think that is just wasteful. However, it is likely that at least some of these people were worried about a "fuel shortage", yet because they were about to get their 60 litres they weren't concerned about wasting some that might come in handy later on.

2) I was the only person I saw who stopped at the compressors and checked his tyre pressures. It is my experience that underinflated tyres can reduce my mileage by up to 10% (and I have low-rolling-resistance tyres!)

They had run out of diesel, presumably because tradesmen and taxis were all filling up to ensure they can work. I considered nipping into the supermarket to see if they had sold out of veggie oil, but I couldn't be a**ed!

 

[petewood]

1) My local supermarket garage had a queue of about 6 cars to fill up, so I thought "what the hell":

Forgive me for not checking this but didn't I read earlier where you said you would not follow the rest of us 'sheep' and you woud wait until next week to fill up?

Actually I know how you feel, I was also not going to bother filling up until it had all blown over but I drove past a filling station this evening and there was a queue about 2 cars long and so I stopped and filled up on half a tank, which I would never normally do. There is always that element of doubt in your mind.

 

[andy]

. As I waited in the queue, engine off, windows down, I noticed that not one other driver turned their engine off.

so im not the only 1 to do that...

 

[AdamW]

Forgive me for not checking this but didn't I read earlier where you said you would not follow the rest of us 'sheep' and you woud wait until next week to fill up?

Baaaaaah!!

Plus it was "only" 93p a litre there, and that is the cheapest petrol I've seen round here in a couple of weeks.

 

[securespark]

If your motor is not a carnoisseur of the black pump, why consider buying veg oil?

Unless you promised the g/f a frenzied night of oily passion......

 

[AdamW]

Not for me, I just wanted to see if crafty derv-burners had snaffled up all the cooking oil to dilute down their fossil-diesel.

I did start to calculate the costs for making my own ethanol the other day (if you think C&E would be miffed at someone for using red diesel, what would they make of a still! ), but I gave up when my colleague couldn't tell me the price of sugar (she does a lot of baking, yet she didn't know)

Turns out they are making use of Brazil-esque petrol/ethanol duel-fuel cars in Sweden. Clever chaps, those Swedes. Must be all the fish they eat.

 

[ohmygodwhathaveyoudone]

saab are making a tri-fuel 95 260 bhp.don't know if we'll ever get them over here though?

 

[AdamW]

Gaw, what will they think of next?

They'll be turning out tall blonde chicks and high-quality pr0nography next!

 

[WoodYouLike]

I did start to calculate the costs for making my own ethanol the other day (if you think C&E would be miffed at someone for using red diesel, what would they make of a still! ), but I gave up when my colleague couldn't tell me the price of sugar (she does a lot of baking, yet she didn't know)

This link will bring you to the company I used to work for (before we 'floored' to Kent). click on Bio-ethanol (last of the links on the left hand side) for more info on the progress etc.

 

[kendor]

Gaw, what will they think of next?

They'll be turning out tall blonde chicks and high-quality pr0nography next!

They already have!....Er, so i'm told

 

[Steve]

People were driving more calmly, presumably to save fuel. Round here they usually sit on your back bumper unless you drive at 10mph over the limit, but this evening they were all going about 5 under the limit.

Where were you? They always do that round here too, today was no exception. Guy in a Volvo (they are the worst) overtook me going at least 20mph faster than me, then slowed down to about the same speed as me when he was 200 yards in front. Then everytime i got close to him (i was doing constant 65 on a dual carriageway) he sped off into the distance. Talk about showing off his p***s extension, and wasting petrol in time of crisis

Anyway, i have enough fuel to last me through tomorrow, then ive got friday off, then work on saturday IF i can get to a pump.

 

[Zampa]

Ive noticed the same....traffic has certainly slowed down...it was the same after the last fuel demos

There definatly arn't as many BMW or Audis driving up my ar* flashing their lights because i have the audacity to drive at a snails pace of 85 mph in front of them while their Rep owners are on their mobiles chasing another deal..so they can be paper clip salesman of the year!

And they wonder why they are judged to be the worst and rudest drivers on the road

Sorry any of you decent bmw drivers out there reading this....but whenever someone flashes me to get out of their way its either some flat top psycho in BM or Audi or a fat bloke in a Merc

Or the burberry capped numbnut covered in the obligatory Maori tatts (why???) in the Chavs Rolls Royce....the Subaru Impreza

Am I generalising?.....

well ok....one more then.....why do women who drive posh cars always look like someone has just farted in it?.....and never say thank you to us lesser mortals?

 

[AdamW]

From my experience it is only low-spec or very old (i.e. last facelift!) BMWs that are driven like that. Not all of them, of course, but enough to make it a trend! I have never had any problem with someone driving a brand new M3, for example. Presumably because they don't feel they have anything to prove. Their car is fast and desirable, I know that, they know that. Nothing to prove.

VW Golfs are another one. Someone pointed this out to me and I see it everywhere now, but if you are on a motorway and you see a new(ish) Golf, 9 times out of 10 it is in the outside lane. If you see a Golf joining from a sliproad, 9 times out of 10 you will see them cut across to the outside lane as quickly as they can.

But then there are so many cars that never cut you up or tailgate you, no-one ever notices them. I don't think I have ever been cut up, tailgated... or overtaken... by a Nissan Micra or a Daewoo Matiz.