Mandatory speed limiters now a requirement..........

[Hornet3D]

On 7/14/2022 at 4:11 PM, Skincue said:

If you think that’s bad see this coming down the road

As well as ISA and autonomous emergency braking, the new EU regulations for newly-launched cars require a ‘black box’ data logger, emergency stop signals, driver fatigue detection system, lane keep assist and built-in breathalyser. 

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/103530/eu-demands-speed-limiters-all-new-cars-know-rules-and-how-they-work
 

full article here

The above is from 2024

When I was young I hated the idea of growing old, now I am old I am really glad I am not young.  My days of driving are severely numbered which I expected would sadden me as I loved to drive, but the days of care free motoring seem to be well and truly over, for me at least.   In my youth I used to go out for a drive just to enjoy the experience, these days I use the car to go from A to B and back.   Where I used to drive on quiet roads I drive sharing something equivalent to a dirt track with hundreds of other users.  All the time the car starts and stops on it own, bleeps strange codes endlessly and the dashboard resembles something akin to a space ship from a sci fi book of my youth. 

When I finally put my car keys on the hook for the last time there will be some sadness but nowhere near as much as I would have imagined even twenty years ago. 

How much this is down to Old Man Syndrome (OMS) is open to debate but two things facts occur to me on a daily basis, it is not hard to find situations where technology has gone too far and the planet is in a much worse place now than when I arrived. 

[Cyker]

I have to say, the best thing about the pandemic was the traffic, or total lack of - I was just taking ridiculous scenic routes to my different sites because what were normally congested roads would be totally empty, but even driving on normal roads was a joy because the traffic volume was so low!

I don't think I've ever had a happier driving experience!

One of my colleagues was saying it was like going back 30 years to when he was a new driver  

But even now on the way home from work I often take an indirect route just for the fun of driving - This has also had the nice side-effect of helping me dodge the insane amount of roadworks that have been popping up everywhere recently (They always seem to target the most busy places at the busiest times! It's like they're actually trying to make traffic and pollution worse!)

It does help that the Mk4 seems to run on magic  500 miles on 28L of fuel is just ridiculous! I worked out this thing would have been costing me £10-15 to fill if I'd had it when I first learned to drive!

 

[Rhymes with Paris]

Hornet 3D, your post resonates just about exactly with my experience, except for the auto braking etc which I do not have.

The OMS I understand completely,me too as they say.

I don't have the figures to hand, but read somewhere the other day how many times more cars are on the roads now than in the 60s 70s and 80s.

More like a rolling traffic jam today.

A Ford Anglia,a screwdriver,a spare set of points and a tenner for petrol and pasties got me to Cornwall from Lincolnshire on fairly empty roads.1973 ish.

 

[Aamir2892]

It will work together with built in GPS or similar to know what the speed it for each road, if this is updated regularly and correctly of course.

Also how long it will take for people to bypass this system similar to mapping cars etc. because we all know this will eventually happen. 

[Hornet3D]

7 minutes ago, Aamir2892 said:

It will work together with built in GPS or similar to know what the speed it for each road, if this is updated regularly and correctly of course.

Also how long it will take for people to bypass this system similar to mapping cars etc. because we all know this will eventually happen. 

Yep the same system that say navs use to guide the odd car into a field, off of a bridge or into a river, and that is before the satellites are taken over by a nefarious hackers in a rouge state.

[Aamir2892]

3 minutes ago, Hornet3D said:

Yep the same system that say navs use to guide the odd car into a field, off of a bridge or into a river, and that is before the satellites are taken over by a nefarious hackers in a rouge state.

Yep, that also. Like I always say, anything connected to the internet (or in this case satellites), can be hacked.

[Roy124]

Cyker, a few years ago, early day, heavy snow fall and a 4x4 Landie, what's note to like.  Magical journey cross country with virtually no traffic. 

Novice driver backed his MG out into the road, straightened up and seemed to practise his figure skating routine.  I just stopped waited patiently, no pressure, and let him sort himself out.  Got a thankful wave. 

Hornet, I love my Corolla and can find enough fairly empty roads just off the A1. At the moment with both daughters a couple of hundred miles away in diffrent directions, and Southampton cruise terminal too, I think we want the car. 

Realistically, at over £400 per month for our car, a chauffeur driven limousine 3-4 times a year might be cheaper. 

[Yugguy1970]

Trouble is because every new car has to be better than the one before manufacturers have to come up with new and quite often pretty much pointless "improvements".  And once one does it, they all have to follow.

[Roy124]

My MiL is 97 and still drives.  She only drives about a mile to her daughter's and is 'considering' a scooter. She has excellent vision  and avoids school times and rush hours. 

I think she accepts her present car, 27 years old, is her last one.