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Spitfire owner killed in blameless crash


JohnD

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Last night I spent two hours stationary on the M6 at J29, after a flurry of snow sent many foolish drivers spinning and crashing, not in front of me, thank goodness.   I was glad of the hazard lights on my modern, and those of some other drivers, that let the back up behind us build up safely, until we were invulnerable.    But the number who kept their foot on the brake and the brake lights lit for half an hour after we were stationary, and then their engines running for another half hour, astounded me.     I switched off after about five minutes, as soon as the situation became obvious, turining on again every half hour, to demist and warm up.

No use in the original incident where it was just traffic lights that stopped the GT6.

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cheers already put hazard lights on the Herald and improved the rear lights (cleaned and LED bulbs) and rear fog light but will probably put on front running lights.

BTW everyone seems to leave the light switch on moderns in the auto position, thats fine until its  foggy and then the lights down come on!

mike

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24 minutes ago, mpbarrett said:

cheers already put hazard lights on the Herald and improved the rear lights (cleaned and LED bulbs) and rear fog light but will probably put on front running lights.

BTW everyone seems to leave the light switch on moderns in the auto position, thats fine until its  foggy and then the lights down come on!

mike

Unless you put the fog lights on - then they come on 😃

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  • 2 weeks later...

This post has scared the living daylights out of me. I wouldn't want our GT6 to be hit by an idiotic lorry driver. Fortunately, London is largely 20 mph now but still, to help mitigate this, I've invested in a high mount third brake light ( at the top of the rear screen). It is a very low car so I'm not sure what else can be done?

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7 hours ago, avivalasvegas said:

This post has scared the living daylights out of me. I wouldn't want our GT6 to be hit by an idiotic lorry driver. Fortunately, London is largely 20 mph now but still, to help mitigate this, I've invested in a high mount third brake light ( at the top of the rear screen). It is a very low car so I'm not sure what else can be done?

I have fitted LED brake lights from classiccarleds

https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/brake-tail-light-bulbs/products/2-x-bay15d-red-stop-tail-led-2835-brake-rear-light-glb380-p21-5w

and like you high level brake lights.

At the front I have now fitted extra bright DRLs, really help seeing the car coming. Not much else we can do.... ( I have been driven into, coming f=home from the Silverstone Classic. Sat in traffic not moving for a few minutes, the lady behind "forgot we were there". Not like she was in a lorry or other high vehicle either. No matter what we do, there is always somebody not paying attention)

 

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Hi

Big Believer in the addage "if the bullet has your name on it". Adding the odd period looking Hi Viz light cannot hurt, let`s face it some where already doing it anyway by the late 70`s?. BUT?????.

I remember, wiring a scrapyard Flasher Unit via a switch to my Mk1 Escourt, which flashed the brake lights to the rear if you where in an emergency roadside stop. Not exactly 4way hazzards, but still?? drew attention.

Pete

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12 hours ago, avivalasvegas said:

This post has scared the living daylights out of me. I wouldn't want our GT6 to be hit by an idiotic lorry driver. Fortunately, London is largely 20 mph now 

A large percentage of road deaths over here are caused by tractors driving out in front of oncoming traffic. They pull huge overloaded trailers and are so slow at moving off from junctions they're only half way across the road when the oncoming car hits them. The tractor driver always seems to survive, though. There was a law a few years back that all tractors had to have roll bars fitted, after a large number of drivers were crushed by rolling tractors on sloping ground, but that seems to have gone by-the-by.

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This is the light I have installed, made by a lovely chap named Hazen Wardle in the US. £100 plus post. It is as OE looking as possible.

I have also installed OSRAM LED bulbs in the brake lights. They do illuminate quicker than incandescents but I may need to repaint the reflectors for more illumination.

image.thumb.png.3d39b9e5feb7ce11b3f248b1c47e1596.png

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1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said:

A large percentage of road deaths over here are caused by tractors driving out in front of oncoming traffic. They pull huge overloaded trailers and are so slow at moving off from junctions they're only half way across the road when the oncoming car hits them. The tractor driver always seems to survive, though. There was a law a few years back that all tractors had to have roll bars fitted, after a large number of drivers were crushed by rolling tractors on sloping ground, but that seems to have gone by-the-by.

Unless Ulster has an  exemption (not unknown) then they have been required for some time.  This, dated 2003:  https://www.farminguk.com/news/wise-up-on-new-tractor-law-say-hse_560.html     It's rae now to see an actual cage on a tractor, as they all have sufficiently strong cabs.

That seems to have stopped such deaths, as of the 21 in farming in 2019/20, none were due to overturning tractors, showing in my humble opinion, the value of such protection in a dangerous industry.      Still, howevr, about half were run over by their own machines, or caught in the mechanism.    But the one over turning death was under an ATV ( a 'quad'?)     Those will be next!

See: https://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/pdf/agriculture-fatal-injuries-1920-summary.pdf

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On 07/01/2021 at 09:23, Colin Lindsay said:

They pull huge overloaded trailers and are so slow at moving off from junctions they're only half way across the road when the oncoming car hits them.

Interested in this. Are they pulling out on blind bends, but still think it's ok, otherwise I'd assume as soon as you see something pulling out, with some distance, then drop speed yourself. 

Edited by daverclasper
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19 minutes ago, daverclasper said:

Interested in this. Are they pulling out on blind bends, but still think it's ok, otherwise I'd assume as soon as you see something pulling out, with some distance, then drop speed yourself. 

It's usually at junctions on the dual carriageways, when they're crossing from one side to the other; they drive out broadside and many drivers will block the inside lane while the cars go out round them in the overtaking lane, then they'll move on across. It can be scary as you approach... you're thinking: I'm doing 70 and surely he's not coming on out...

205353822-f9230f2a-7bc3-4c17-a6eb-f1b195d2debc.jpg.dd0783a07af9d5003814c648048f2864.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

I'm with Clive and "lavivalasvegas". I will be putting the brightest lights I legally can (LED headlights are not allowed yet, nor are brake lights I think). But I will be adding front and rear fog lights (though I will likely try for more subtle, smaller, LED ones than the originals available for the car) as well as a 3rd brake light that will be integrated into the lip of the trunk/boot (I have to replace the chrome piece anyway...).

I am trying to find daytime running lights that don't look too daft....

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42 minutes ago, DVD3500 said:

I'm with Clive and "lavivalasvegas". I will be putting the brightest lights I legally can (LED headlights are not allowed yet, nor are brake lights I think). But I will be adding front and rear fog lights (though I will likely try for more subtle, smaller, LED ones than the originals available for the car) as well as a 3rd brake light that will be integrated into the lip of the trunk/boot (I have to replace the chrome piece anyway...).

I am trying to find daytime running lights that don't look too daft....

classiccarleds sell some natty bulbs that replace the rec=verse light bulb. Except they have both a clear and red bulb built in. So you retain the reverse light, but it can also be used as a fog light. Their brake lights are VERY good, and without taking them out you would never know (apart from the fact they are nice and bright)

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27 minutes ago, clive said:

classiccarleds sell some natty bulbs that replace the rec=verse light bulb. Except they have both a clear and red bulb built in. So you retain the reverse light, but it can also be used as a fog light. Their brake lights are VERY good, and without taking them out you would never know (apart from the fact they are nice and bright)

As an example

DSC01145.JPG

DSC01146.JPG

AW - 3rd Brake Light.jpg

AW - Reversing Light.jpg

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On 07/01/2021 at 10:59, JohnD said:

  But the one over turning death was under an ATV ( a 'quad'?)     Those will be next!

Didn`t some T-V star/actor. Roll his ATV and either kill or seriously damage himself?. Back some years (Rick Mayall??)

Pete

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I might put standard bulbs in to pass TÜV/MOT and replace them with LED for actual use.

BTW: Here is an LED License/Number plate:

https://www.gelumic.de/

The whole thing is an LED...

I will be putting that on as well!

I have no connection to this company and I am only posting this as an FYI. I admit I don't remember seeing anything in the T&C about posting such things so apologies and feel free to delete if that is an issue...

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