Driving in the crisis

[Keith Smith]

We went shopping for food last evening, a trip of 20 miles, and saw very few cars about but it seems like speed limits and traffic laws have been suspended during the lock down. We were overtaken by a van going at least 20mph over the speed limit at a blind junction! Then another van blatantly went through the red traffic lights, plus generally people seemed to be driving faster than usual. Anyone else noticed a change in driving standards? Perhaps it's a sign of lock down frustration?

 

[Velma's Dad]

On the times I have been out I haven't noticed any speeding by cars/vans, quite the reverse so far. But maybe in some areas van delivery drivers might be more pressured than usual to get round a larger number of delivery slots (I'm not condoning).

I would have to say, having been neutral in the recent bikes debate thread, that twice this week when out walking on narrow lanes I've had to practically leap into the hedge to get out of the way of riders going far too fast.

 

[TripleBee]

I haven't driven my car yet, but when walking or biking, I have seen and heard cars, vans and motorbikes going way too fast.
Now would be the time for speed controls. Less cars, easier to track down. Now they only do some road blocks for cheching if you may drive there (necessity of travelling), but no other checks.

 

[ArunAlec]

According to the BBC the police are reporting that there are lots of cars racing on open roads! Also they are having an easy time picking up “county lines“ drug trafficking.

 

[soulstyledevon]

I go to work for a few hours each week. The roads are empty.
It’s maybe not so much speeding, but people’s lack of concentration, and where people would normally expect to stop at islands and junctions. They don’t anticipate stopping and travel through these quicker than they should.

Must confess, I’ve wound the flat 6 up and over 6 and a half thousand rpm, chasing the 7s with a nice slip road onto an empty 3 lanes bypass.
Sorry, I’m a bit of a bell end and the temptation is all to much for my tiny mind...

 

[M&E]

I have to say the driving in my area is appalling
I have been walking & cycling to work as a key worker
I was close passed in a 30limit by a car going at least double
Our California & the Golf are staying on the drive until this is over

 

[ArunAlec]

I go to work for a few hours each week. The roads are empty.
It’s maybe not so much speeding, but people lack of concentration, and where people would normally expect to stop at islands and junctions. They don’t anticipate stopping and travel through these quicker than they should.

Must confess, I’ve would the flat 6 up and over 6 and a half thousand rpm, chasing the 7s with a nice slip road onto an empty 3 lanes bypass.
Sorry, I’m a bit of a bell end and the temptation is all to much for my tiny mind...

Is the flat 6 really that much better than the 718? Loads of the latter for sale but few 981s!

 

[Amarillo]

We went shopping for food last evening, a trip of 20 miles, and saw very few cars about but it seems like speed limits and traffic laws have been suspended during the lock down. We were overtaken by a van going at least 20mph over the speed limit at a blind junction! Then another van blatantly went through the red traffic lights, plus generally people seemed to be driving faster than usual. Anyone else noticed a change in driving standards? Perhaps it's a sign of lock down frustration?

My limited experience on the A20/M20 last Friday was of motorists driving much more carefully than usual.

 

[willwander]

Wouldn’t really know. Not ventured beyond Sainsbury’s

 

[flying banana]

I stick to 126mph on the motorway

 

[andyinluton]

Round here I would guess 99% of traffic is slower than normal, with the 1% acting like complete & utter idiots.
There was a single car accident 2 days ago just round the corner, a car clipped the kerb & ended up through a wall & into someones front garden on the other side of the road, in a 20mph zone.

Ive been using the Cali for almost all my trips as it attracts less attention from the plod with regard to essential travel. The alternative, a 2 seat convertible with a noisy exhaust seems wrong at the moment.

 

[andyinluton]

I stick to 126mph on the motorway

If you go just a bit quicker, you will be out of range of the cameras before the flash goes off. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Borris]

Only been out once since the lock down and despite the very low numbers of cars around on that occasion, I did remember thinking that of those I saw there did seem to be rather a lot of drivers speeding. The only reason that I noticed it was that the vehicles concerned were being driven at well above the limit. One driver was overtaking on a blind bend when I met this young man coming in the opposite direction.

 

[pjm-84]

Agreed. I've been driving to the Forest late in the afternoon to walk the dogs each evening and it's been frustrating and annoying. Particularly now at one location I have to park in a layby beside the road. Shouldn't be too bad as it's within the 30mph zone (from a national speed limit) but the majority are ignoring it. Having an HGV thunder past you at 40mph + is somewhat anger-inducing.

 

[Vagophile]

On the times I have been out I haven't noticed any speeding by cars/vans, quite the reverse so far. But maybe in some areas van delivery drivers might be more pressured than usual to get round a larger number of delivery slots (I'm not condoning).

I would have to say, having been neutral in the recent bikes debate thread, that twice this week when out walking on narrow lanes I've had to practically leap into the hedge to get out of the way of riders going far too fast.

Please! Please! Don't start that one up again!

 

[Vagophile]

Round here traffic is very light, but I do notice that most are travelling at or above the urban speed limit, including me. It takes a real conscious effort to stick to the limit.
On a Sunday, it's still normal to hear the early bird motorcyclists on the by-pass accelerating to god knows what speed then powering down, a time honoured ritual which doesn't seem to have been affected by the current situation.

 

[Norfolk Jim]

I travelled about 180 miles round trip on Friday to a building project of mine - problems could not be dealt with via WhatsApp video and required a visit before £40k of curved glass arrives. Roads all the way were dual carriageway - A11, A14, A45. 90% vehicles were lorries, rest a mix of vans and cars. Generally this route is mad with lots of fast i out traffic round Cambridge but on Friday I was shocked at how civilised everyone was! Having said that I was stopped by the police on outskirts of Wellingborough and asked where I was going (they'd obviously been doing ANPR checks and found I was travelling away from registered address). I explained what I was doing and the officer asked if I had any proof of this so I pointed to destination on Sat Nav and showed drawings of mine with that address on - also in back of my rather dirty X Trail was hi-viz coat, hard hat, site boots, gloves and protective glasses. Officer apologised for stopping me and thanked me for being so co-operative. I said I didn't mind at all and they should keep safe. Quite pleasing to know they are on the watch out for idiots flouting the regulations. Had a smile on my face though on the way home. On A11 there was a police car in layby and looked like officer was writing out a ticket for driver of a car (Range Rover with bikes on roof) with a v large caravan on back!!!! Karma

 

[larrylamb]

I've been driving to work throughout the crisis and the past 2 weeks have been noticeably busier especially this week. I would presume after the initial 3 weeks lockdown more and more people are restarting work if they are safe to do so.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Is the flat 6 really that much better than the 718? Loads of the latter for sale but few 981s!

718 interior is lovely.
We had a loan one about two years ago and was offered a great part ex deal...
718 is fast, it’s a rapid machine but then so are Audi estate cars these days.

It just feels a bit soulless with that turbo 4 engine. It didn’t feel very special after you got over the initial lower end grunt it had compared to the 6...

I know it’s had a lot of stick over the sound it produces.
Honestly, this weekend I was cycling and I heard something approach from behind and cycled quickly to a passing point to let the old transit van past.
Turned out to be a 718 boxster...

 

[Gavin123]

Do you think those that speed always do but now less traffic they can a) go faster and b) its more noticeable?

 

[bigmac77]

When I was in my teens (early 90’s) We used to try to drive the 20 miles to the nearest town in under 20 mins and if we were lucky with traffic we could do it. Since the late 90’s this has been impossible but yesterday I did it in 19 mins, didn’t see more than two cars the whole way.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Please! Please! Don't start that one up again!

What?

 

[Norfolk Jim]

In mid 80's I lived on west side of Norwich and worked on outskirts of Fakenham, a distance of 18 miles and like you it took me roughly 20 mins in either direction. Slowly over the years they built a large housing estate behind us which put more cars on the road and then highways started playing with speed limits. When we left in 2015 that same journey even out of rush hour then took min 35 mins! The oddest journey though was from where we lived on outskirts of Norwich to the A1 at Newark; exactly 100 miles. No matter what time of day it took 2 hours +/- 10 ins either side (unless blocked by an accident). That timing is still the same now!

 

[clarinetbcn]

718 interior is lovely.
We had a loan one about two years ago and was offered a great part ex deal...
718 is fast, it’s a rapid machine but then so are Audi estate cars these days.

It just feels a bit soulless with that turbo 4 engine. It didn’t feel very special after you got over the initial lower end grunt it had compared to the 6...

I know it’s had a lot of stick over the sound it produces.
Honestly, this weekend I was cycling and I heard something approach from behind and cycled quickly to a passing point to let the old transit van past.
Turned out to be a 718 boxster...

For similar reasons preferred my atmospheric Mustang 5.0 V8 over the turbo 4, and still miss the sound of the Cali 2.5 TDI compared to the 2.0.

 

[Norfolk Jim]

For similar reasons preferred my atmospheric Mustang 5.0 V8 over the turbo 4, and still miss the sound of the Cali 2.5 TDI compared to the 2.0.

Something about a 5 cylinder - I loved the sound of my Volvo V70 D5