The automatic wind screen wipers doobrey is quite useful - the car I drive most of the time doesn't have it, and when you get that drizzley damp weather - and we do, a lot - there is no setting on the intermittent wipe that is just the right speed, and constantly adjusting it can be distracting. In the old car, which did have auto sensors, you could turn the sensor on and it would speed up and slow down as the drizzle did, which was useful. I always 'switched control to manual' when it was raining properly though.
I've never had automatic lights. can't really see the point there. I have a red car, which is also apparently invisible, judging by the number of times cars pull out too close in front of me. I think perhaps that red/green colour blindness should be tested in the driving test, so at least people would be more aware of it as a driving hazard. I drive with my lights on quite a lot, even in daylight, if the roads are busy, so I don't disappear into the hedges (visually and literally).
Twice in the last three days I've found myself watching someone reversing in a zig zag between hedges. Generally I reverse when I meet a car in our narrow lanes, even if it's quite a long way to go back, because it's quicker than watching people who simply can't drive backwards in a straight line. But it's not always possible, when there are cars behind me who don't reverse. How can you live in a place like this and not learn how to do it? I'll accept not doing doing it quickly - it's not easy - but these were both occasions when you think "maybe I should go and offer to do it for them?" they were so bad.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Twice in the last three days I've found myself watching someone reversing in a zig zag between hedges. Generally I reverse when I meet a car in our narrow lanes, even if it's quite a long way to go back, because it's quicker than watching people who simply can't drive backwards in a straight line. But it's not always possible, when there are cars behind me who don't reverse. How can you live in a place like this and not learn how to do it? I'll accept not doing doing it quickly - it's not easy - but these were both occasions when you think "maybe I should go and offer to do it for them?" they were so bad.
I ALWAYS have to reverse in my Waitrose van. I think other road users expect it of us?? So they're in a tiny car with windows all round, so of course it's easier for me to reverse?? bless'em
Of course you should Hostafan1 you are the one with the annoying reversing beeper . I would let you go first, never argue with anything bigger even if feeling curmudgeonly.
I avoid going out at school chucking out time because apparently if you have children to pick up/drop off you have right of way over life the universe and everything and highway code does not apply either.
The automatic wind screen wipers doobrey is quite useful - the car I drive most of the time doesn't have it, and when you get that drizzley damp weather - and we do, a lot - there is no setting on the intermittent wipe that is just the right speed,
This I hate not finding the right adjustment too, I find it less annoying to leave it on a betweeny sort of setting and just flick the wiper as and when it needs an extra swipe.
Dunno what you lot are driving but our automatic light system works perfectly well as does the automatic windscreen wiper system with adjustable intermittent wipe for drizzle. We also have a system which flashes little orange lights in the corners of the wing mirrors to tell us when a passing car, or one we have overtaken, is still close. I think in Scandinavia they now make all cars with the headlights permanently on dip whatever the time of day or light levels. Seems sensible to me.
I can, of course, do all this for myself but with these systems on I am free to concentrate on other stuff like where I'm going, pedestrians and speed limits and other drivers being predictable or otherwise. There's even a wee camera to help with reversing - a feature OH needs as he has a history of pranging rear ends. Not so good when it's muddy or wet and muddy. As for passing on narrow lanes, the one nearest a wider bit such as a gateway waits there or reverses to it.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
You really see the worst type of people when shopping in the local Asda. Apart from the usual people coughing and sneezing on everything with no qualms at all, an announcement went out that there was free veg available at the front of the store, one lady blocked the way with her trolly and in front of a queue of people took every single bag of carrots, literally filled a trolly with them and left without even an apologetic shrug to the people waiting. This is exactly why we can't have nice things. I'm going to assume she runs a soup kitchen for the homeless and it will all be put to good use.
My wife's car has auto everything. I hate it. Especially the wipers which are embarassingly enthusiastic. As most properly reserved British people know the extra fast setting on the wipers is a bit audacious and only really used by overly dramatic people like the Americans. I guess that's why the windows are tinted, so no one can see your shame when the wipers are making rather too much of a fuss about the weather.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
The auto wipers on mine are dreadful. Far too slow to clear the windscreen to the point of being dangerous. No intermittent, so I have to choose between on steady [often too fast] or off , and just doing the quick swipe regularly. The intermittent option is a far better one. Don't get me started on the 'surround sound' cameras.....
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Some modern cars have the dash and instruments permanently lit. It's then all too easy to drive through town where it is bright, not realising you haven't switched your lights on. I would expect people to realise once they get into areas with poorer lighting but that doesn't seem to happen.
I agree with the comment about 'auto lights'. They seem to be confused by bright but low sunlight into thinking the lights need to be on, but don't react to horrible grey days when they should be on.
I often see lights come on as I drive under the canopy of trees as the sensors must pick up on the sudden drop in light levels. A useful gadget, but no substitute for just being aware of what's going on around you.
I totally agree Hostafan1. Autolights can make you lazy. I'm so used to them coming on in my car when I get in when it's dark that I really have to think about where the light switch is on my wife's car. Auto is useful if you do hit a dark patch such as when I'm going into one of our local car parks.
The automatic wind screen wipers doobrey is quite useful - the car I drive most of the time doesn't have it, and when you get that drizzley damp weather - and we do, a lot - there is no setting on the intermittent wipe that is just the right speed, and constantly adjusting it can be distracting.
On my car the auto wipers are worse than useless. They will fly back and forward like demented things in light drizzle and sit there doing absolutely nothing in heavy rain. It's a common complaint on Nissans so presumably also on Renault as they took Nissan over.
I had this discussion with the salesman when I bought my car recently. There's a light comes on on the interior [ roughly where the wing mirror is] to indicate there's a car overtaking. A: it comes on when they're miles away, and B: it's f***ing irritating and distracting. He said 'But it's useful to see when a car overtakes, isn't it?' I said, 'No, I have wing mirrors for that'.
I agree with that one too Fairygirl. The courtesy car when mine was in for service had them and they are extremely annoying and distracting. If door mirrors are properly adjusted they are not needed.
Posts
I've never had automatic lights. can't really see the point there. I have a red car, which is also apparently invisible, judging by the number of times cars pull out too close in front of me. I think perhaps that red/green colour blindness should be tested in the driving test, so at least people would be more aware of it as a driving hazard. I drive with my lights on quite a lot, even in daylight, if the roads are busy, so I don't disappear into the hedges (visually and literally).
Twice in the last three days I've found myself watching someone reversing in a zig zag between hedges. Generally I reverse when I meet a car in our narrow lanes, even if it's quite a long way to go back, because it's quicker than watching people who simply can't drive backwards in a straight line. But it's not always possible, when there are cars behind me who don't reverse. How can you live in a place like this and not learn how to do it? I'll accept not doing doing it quickly - it's not easy - but these were both occasions when you think "maybe I should go and offer to do it for them?" they were so bad.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
So they're in a tiny car with windows all round, so of course it's easier for me to reverse??
bless'em
I would let you go first, never argue with anything bigger even if feeling curmudgeonly.
I avoid going out at school chucking out time because apparently if you have children to pick up/drop off you have right of way over life the universe and everything and highway code does not apply either.
This I hate not finding the right adjustment too, I find it less annoying to leave it on a betweeny sort of setting and just flick the wiper as and when it needs an extra swipe.
I can, of course, do all this for myself but with these systems on I am free to concentrate on other stuff like where I'm going, pedestrians and speed limits and other drivers being predictable or otherwise. There's even a wee camera to help with reversing - a feature OH needs as he has a history of pranging rear ends. Not so good when it's muddy or wet and muddy. As for passing on narrow lanes, the one nearest a wider bit such as a gateway waits there or reverses to it.
Don't get me started on the 'surround sound' cameras.....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...