Chief

Hi JonD You wrote  'Go on - I am intrigued. Not that I doubt your word, but how about posting a link to this "fact?" I don't mind being proved wrong, but I'd like to have a look at the evidence myself. Maybe it's only 7% because people hit the brakes just before impact...' I will try and dig the link out mate.  Saw it sometime ago on home office website while researching an article i had read on road safety, when i find it i will post it.  Whetehr people hit the brakes or not to avoid an accident is irrelevent really. If we start going down the might have been if this and might have been if that road, the combinations are endless, and equally bountifyul for both sides of the argument. Reality is we measure what happens and not what might happen if... cheers mate chief

Ali....quoteed as replying that  I.A.M . stands for??  Possibly, I'm A Moron. Well Ali...You are debasing your arguements by resorting to futile childish insults.  It is not clever and demeans you as an individual. I guess you have had someone injured in a road accident, which obviously entitles you the the moral high ground, with substantiating any of your points with empirically based evidence, unless of course insults are evidence now...not sure.... Just watching

 A couple or so crashes, some my fault as a younger man, some not. Experiecned drivers, who think they are good drivers, can get away with breaking the law & speeding, are only deluding themselves.  Unfortunately it's the other road users, misfortunate enough to meet them, who have to pay the price.    I speed all the time and no one has met me yet.  I am not the worlds best driver, but have advanced training, sound judgement about where i speed (unsound judgement is something alcazar aludes to up above), and a healthy respect for the people who also use the roads but who may desire not to speed (hence the judgement about where i speed). Most near misses i see on the roads (i do about 800 miles a week and see quite a lot) are caused by people doing say 50mph on a motorway full of traffic travelling at 70mph, people who manouvere without signalling, late signalling, cars towing caravans without mirror extensions so they can see oncoming/approaching traffic, the list is endless.  As i have said elsewhere, 93% of accidents are caused by drivers within the posted speed limits (ie: nothing to do with speeding, and everything to do with an abundance of other bad driving habits).  The government has sold you this speed kills catchphrase because it makes money.  Look at the stats, a worst only 7% of deaths and serious accidents are caused by speeders, that means that the remainder are caused by you so called goody goody drivers. And you lot are knocking speeders....weird.  I would rather a car passed my son at 100mph than hit him at 25mph!!! chief

Fact...(police accident records/Home Office Records).... 93% of accidents occur at speeds below the posted speed limit.......and involve your good old law-abiding, "sorry mate i didn't see you, those bloody motorcyclists are all trouble with their greasy hair", citizen!! I know which cars i am worried about.

What was your position on speeding before the accident. Reason i ask, is that it always amazes me that i never hear of many who pontificate that this or that is bad and everyone but them is wrong before the accident, always after when they have had a bad experience. I am not being unsympathetic, or attacking you personally, but have you never sped in a car, or done anything wrong. Have you ever reported anyone for speeding, or are you one of those people who by their silence gives tacit approval to the actions of 'criminal road users'. If using the maxim "your either part of the solution or part of the problem" where does your silence leave you. For my partt, i speed everyday, and don't have a problem with it. If i am caught i won't complain, if i lose my licence i won't complain either. I enjoy driving fast. I personally think i drive reasonably well, i pick and choose my moments to put the foot right down, just like i know when to ease right off, and i don't need anyone to tell me how or when to do that. The only accident i ever had was at 15 mph when my motorbike clipped a kerb on a roundabout and flung me sideways onto a grass verge. I have never had a speeding ticket, which i see as some degree of testimony to my sense of awareness. I appreciate we are not all the same, but i object to being legislated against in a hammer and nut fashion, and i consciously choose to ignore any law i personally feel inappropriate. Not a position i advocate to others, my own personal choice for which i am happy to accept the good bad or ugly repercussions if any.

[quote user="Nichthewood"] I don't understand. Same in France as the UK. IF YOU DONT SPEED YOU WON'T GET FINED. [/quote] Actually you are wrong there.  Much of the equipment used is defective and uncalibrated.  Tests run in the UK have revealed a number of things which may interest some readers: Our cameras were NEVER tested or approved for use on motorbikes, and yet they are used on motorbikes, which is illegal Signals often bounce of other metallic objects giving false readings in the process. Under test conditions a stationary car was shown to be travelling in excess of 45mph by bouncing the signal off a moving bus The white lines painted on the floor to track the distance covered throughout the trap zone, and thus calculate speed have often been shown to be wrong.  Research has shown that over 10% of the lines in the UK are wrong!! AND THE KILLER BLOW...when using a handheld speed trap device, once you catch a speeding car and show the driver the reading, the officer can actually keep that reading on the screen and show it to any number of drivers he so chooses.  How do i know this, well me and a freind were stopped on our bikes, my friend was shown a reading of 82.4mph in a 70 zone. We know the reading was fixed, because we know what speed we were actually doing, so he just accepted the reading like you would!! The officer actually admitted in court that the readings could be set and left all day to show one speed.  

Teledoofer ordered on monday from France, arrived thursday morning in Cumbria, Interview letter sent to wife from town hall in Cumbria to our house in Cumbria (2 Miles Away) on 20th April arrived thursday morning with the teledoofer, and they wonder why we are leaving in droves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi I am looking for your unused language learning stuff.  I have done a few CD based courses (OU, Linguaphone, Learn french while your asleep, etc) and have hit the wall somewhat.  Been on a one week immersion course in La Rochelle (Nice wine) and looking to reinvigorate myself with different learning methods. I am happy to buy from you any of the following: French DVDs with english sub-titles, french magazines (Sport, culture and current affairs)  old french newspapers (Sun, Daily Mirror standard vocab) CD based audio books in french (CD only so i can transfer to Ipod) Other items you may think would help. Please email details of what you have to: [email protected] i am away until 26th June, so doubt feel ignored if there is no immediate response to your emails.  I am also over in Brittany (Combourg Area) in the New Year, so can collect from that area as well. I can pay by cheque (French Account) or paypal if you have an account. cheers Dave

Many thanks for the responses.  Will be checking outt he websites this weekend. Thanks again folks

Hi I am wanting to take my wife on a luxury short (5 day) break to France in February 2007 (Son away on school trip for week)....yes!!!  Will consider anywhere within 300 miles of a ferry port or eurotunnel.  Travelling by car.  Please note, i want a luxury break for her, fine food and wines either on premises or nearby, quality accommodation, excellent service, i want her to feel special.  If you can provide please email location, details and costs to [email protected] cheers

Many thanks..... with my passable written french interpretation, i gathered i could use it if from a member state, etc cheers dave

Can anyone help regards the rules for Blue Badge holders from the UK in relation to parking regs in France.  I appreciate there may be regional variations aroundn  france, but the general gist of the rules would be really helpful. thanks in advance dave

Many thanks for all the help.  I ordered today, so looking forward to the arrival of the card shortly.  Went for the 12 month option as we travel over reasonably often, and for the sake of £7 figured what the hell.  Also got my french bank account sorted as well at last, even though i have no french property (it can be done..... www.barclays.fr and click on the english flag).  Over in Brittany at xmas and the Languedoc feb - march. Looking forward to some trouble free toll roading. BTW.  Anyone got any information on disabled blue badge usage in france, are the regulations pretty similar to over here. Dave

Many thanks, will give it a go. cheers dave

Hi Guys and Gals I am after one of these telepeage gizmos, but struggling.  Has anyone got the precise web address for purchasing online.  I have visited sanef.com, but not managed to get further than the british language bit (yes i am learning french) and am finding that any reference to the Liber-t card is always in french, so i have no idea what i am buying.  Is there a full english language version of the purchase pages?????   cheers in advance   Dave