I noticed this story in the Telegraph: tinyurl.com/374xhqf
I found it interesting, because most of my driving is done on narrow country roads - a lot of it on single track roads, and there have been many times over the last few years that I was very glad I wasn't driving a wider car.
In fact, when I drove the new Berlingo (tinyurl.com/3ad4l3z) my main conclusion was that I preferred the old one, basically because the new one is just too wide.
|
Funny you should say that. I was only yesterday driving around central London in my Qashqai which I don't see as a particularly big car. Even the trade sees it as a Focus / Golf alternative on stilts.
Anyway, at one point in the traffic there was an original little Fiat 500, obviously someone's pride and joy. Now I know it was always a tiny car but alongside it at one stage was another Qashqai. It simply dwarfed the wee Fiat. Later there was a Range Rover beside it and they were preposterously different in size given that at one level they fulfill exactly the same purpose.
The average size of vehicles simply must have contributed to congestion in addition to the increased numbers of course.
|
Some here (not me of course, oh no) might find an amusing irony in the BMW spokesman saying "Drivers simply have to be more courteous".
When I first got the S60 I was acutely conscious of its extra width compared with my old 9-3. I'd always found that easy to drive in town because it was relatively narrow for a big car. I've had time to get used to the S60 since then and the width no longer bothers me.
What the article doesn't mention - except indirectly through Mr BMW - is that there seems to be an increasing reluctance among urban drivers to wait for a gap in oncoming traffic before pulling out to pass a stationary obstruction on their own side of the road. Combine that with reduced space because of wider cars (both moving and parked) and accidents become more likely.
|
|
I wonder if parking space widths will ever be increased as lane width have allegedly been?
|
One thing I love about my Panda, its so narrow I can park it in places I normaly would have not tried to. I do find that I am having to give way to people a lot more though.
|
...parking space widths...
Good point.
The CC3 is quite wide and having two doors makes the space needed to get in and out even wider.
Perhaps I need to lose a bit of weight...:)
|
|
But you always have the option of getting out over the top :-)
|
I don't get it. Rural roads are 7' 9" wide, the article said. What difference does the car's width make?
In my experience living in the country with tractors, horseboxes, wide trailers etc, the wider the vehicle the less chance that some idiot will try and squeeze through a non-existent gap.
|
In the Telegraph article it says -"The problem has been managed on main roads by widening lanes. Rules on lane sizes were changed in 2005 so that major A roads and motorways are now 3.65 meters wide. But smaller rural and urban are just 2.43 meters wide on average."
When I was working on road and bridge design in the 1970s all Motorway and Trunk Road lanes were 3.65metres wide. So I don't what changed in 2005.
More minor roads were designed for 2.75m lane width.
|
Its not just the increased width, but the lack of many people to be able to judge the width of their car... try asking how wide their car is - not many people will know! Added to which the view out of the car to its extremeties is a lot worse these days due to "crash protection" and "styling"...
Anyone else use the phrase "He/she could get a double decker bus through that!"?!
|
>> Anyone else use the phrase "He/she could get a double decker bus through that!"?!
>>
Frequently, and often with the added word "sideways"!
A lot of drivers simply forget that the widest point of the vehicle is the outer edge of the door mirror; if they will go through the rest of the car will follow, given that your route through is straight.
I was plodding happily along the mountain road near Treorchy in the lorry yesterday, comfortably on my own side of the white lines, when the female driver of an approaching car slammed her brakes on, blasted the horn and glared at me. I stopped, wound the window down, and was promptly accused of trying to run her off the road!
|
>> In the Telegraph article it says -"smaller rural and urban are just 2.43 meters
>> wide on average."
Hell's teeth, the Telegraph can't spell "metres". Stupid people, stupid "spleeing checkers", no proof readers.
>> When I was working on road and bridge design in the 1970s all Motorway and
>> Trunk Road lanes were 3.65metres wide.
I notice you can, though. Well done!
|
Yes, I did spot that. :-)
But I missed out a word from the next sentence. :-(
Should have read - "So I don't know what changed in 2005."
|
|
It's the people who drive them. Narrow roads are not littered with combines, tractors, lorries etc. that have scraped down each others sides. No-one's fault but stupid-heads.
|
It's not just the width of car bodywork, we then get silly shaped mirrors about as much use as the proverbial choc teapot inside huge steamlined stylised housings that stick out far too much simultaneously being totally useless for manouevering, being unable to see down the side of the bulging overwide doors to see where the nsr wheel is....''s.c.r.a.p.e'...we know where it is now.
One of the reasons we have the two cars we presently own is that neither is particularly wide and can negotiate narrows easily.
|
You can't have the suit of armour that a modern car has become without it becoming a bit unwieldy, can you?
I was sitting in traffic today and looked at the car opposite mine, thinking it was a Renault Scenic. It wasnt, it was just an ordinary latest model Clio. Cars have become too big.
French rural drivers deal with the width problem simply by driving in the middle of the road. Taking to the verge to get out of the way is taken for granted around here. Woe betide you if there's a hidden hole or stump though...
|
|
Driving on a two way road in Southern Italy some years back. A car coming the other way decided to overtake the car in front. The car behind him took the opportunity to overtake both. So now you have 3 lanes of oncoming traffic on a two way road. A heart stopping moment for me, but everyone else appeared to take it in their stride by merely pulling a bit further over to make the road space wider. No gesturing, flashing of headlights, blocking the overtaking car(s) or other outward signs of aggression. Hardly makes for relaxing driving though.
|
Found the C5 took a few days to get used to. Only time I find it an issue is when I park in a space and realise that the car has filled it leaving little room for me to get out. Caught me out a couple of time in the first week, but tend to park on the end of a row when possible
My better half has no sense of width - often in the car with her and she will stop and give way when I would have gone as I can guage the cars size better
|
>> In fact, when I drove the new Berlingo (tinyurl.com/3ad4l3z) my main conclusion was that I
>> preferred the old one, basically because the new one is just too wide.
>>
Yes, I've noticed how wide the new 'lingo is - presumably to make space (so to speak) for the little Nemo?
|
Yes, I've noticed how wide the new 'lingo is - presumably to make space (so to speak) for the little Nemo?
If they want to tempt me to buy a Nemo, they'll have to put more powerful engines in it. Petrol is 0-62 in 16.6 seconds, diesel in 18.4 or thereabouts.
|
"But smaller rural and urban are just 2.43 meters wide on average."
If that's the average, I wonder what the narrowest is!
|
Wider cars and accidents - Runfer D'Hills
