Post #89
On the roads cars are safer than they’ve ever been. With airbags packed into every cubbyhole and sacrificial crumple zones threatening to turn your car into scrap if you slam the door to hard, we should have nothing left to worry about compared to a Morris Minor driver of 40 years ago.
Over my 13 year driving career I’ve noticed a worrying trend, one that strikes at the heart of anyone who is enthusiastic about cars and driving: I reckon overtaking is now socially unacceptable in Britain.
I’m not talking about a tyre-squealing boy-racer charge in the face of oncoming traffic - I’m talking about legitimate, smooth manoeuvres on empty roads. Nowadays, they all get the same reaction - when I look in the mirror after passing someone, I see shocked faces, flashing headlights and hand gestures. I need a sign in the back of my car saying ‘What?’
Living in amongst long national speed limit country roads, I pay a premium to own a car that’s capable enough that I don’t have to spend my life behind the wheel of a motor car. Its sharp, responsive and quick enough to skip down a line of traffic like a pebble across a pond, each move made in utter control and confidence by the driver. But it doesn’t go down well with the modern British driver; it’s like brandishing a gun at a childrens party.
Now, more than ever, we follow each other on autopilot in a 40mph queue, absorbed in some mindless local radio and totally oblivious to the machinery underneath us. In an environment like this, overtaking someone is like walking into a strangers house and switching TV channels while they’re in the middle of watching ‘Celebrity Vet Airport’ - in milliseconds they switch mode from dribbling imbecile to affronted civic leader ; ‘How dare you overtake me!’
Some people even close up the gap so you can’t squeeze in front of them, happier to see you pulverised in a head-on collision than get away with getting in front of them - because, while they have no intention of overtaking, your not allowed either. Others even speed up and sit an inch from your rear bumper -’How dare you break rank!’ Then theres the 40mph in a 60mph brigade and those who put their main beam on for the duration of you being in front of them. Total c*unts!
So to all the people around the world who are enthusiastic about driving and don’t want to drift along in a fog, but drive along with their brain engaged kepp at it in my opinion. Is this dangerous? I think not! Don’t let the bast*rds grind you down!
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Team Peugeot Sport 308 Gti�
Black T'99 Gti - may she rest in peace - written off in a shunt on the A329m