# motorhome in outside lane



## kalamitty (Dec 28, 2006)

this evening i was driving my car on the M56 from north wales travelling with the flow at 70mph.( wink wink) when a motorhome shot past me at least 10mph more in the outside lane, shudder to think what would have happened if they had to slam their brakes on at that speed. didnt get the reg or make of van as i was driving.


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## rugbyken (Jan 16, 2006)

And the problem is?????


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## rotorywing (Jul 19, 2010)

Wish mine would do that speed !!


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## VanFlair (Nov 21, 2009)

sounds like a hired van still on the first tank of fuel


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

so a motorhome overtook you on the outside lane. did anything else overtake you as well. Providing the driver was aware of the other traffic on the road, being a motorhomer I am sure they were. :roll: 
why would they need to slam on their brakes.
As to not getting the make or number, why would you need it.

You are entitled to your opinion and to express it on here, but maybe your phrasing could have been better. :wink: 

Can I ask what was the vehicle following it.

cabby

edit. Should point out that when my speedo says 70mph the satnav tells me I am doing 62 mph.


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## prof20 (Jan 11, 2007)

How sure are you of your own car speedo's accuracy, kalamitty? Ever checked it against your satnav? You might be surprised.

THIS is one of many articles on the subject.

Roger

Edit: Sorry cabby, just saw the last line of your post - very true.


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## mistycat (Jan 28, 2014)

Was you hogging the middle lane, so he or she (god forbid   )
had to pass you quicker, 
sorry girls 8) 8) 
Misty


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

Can't really understand the problem. 
Our van regularly exceeds these speeds without any problems.
Actually saw an indicated 105 mph on the Autobahn but chickened out and slowed down.

Just note the Sprinters and other white vans going past when tootling along at 60 +


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## Jiggles (Apr 17, 2007)

I think he thought that Motorhomes should be doing 40 and restricted to the slow lane :-D
John


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

> *kalamitty *..... didnt get the reg or make of van as i was driving.


And if you had got the reg number what would you have done with it? Dialled 999?

I will sometimes go up to 80mph on the speedo if I find myself stuck behind a queue of cars "going with the flow" at 70mph. As for slamming on the brakes, I fortunately haven't had to do it but with disk brakes all round I will probably stop more quickly than a lot of cars.


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## nidge1 (Jul 26, 2009)

Never had a motorhome come past me, it's usually a bus!!!


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

. . . And if it its some Muppet delivery driver foot down & tanking it on his way to deliver someone's new MH to a dealer . . Not really a great way to treat someone's (expensive) potential pride & joy


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

vicdicdoc said:


> . . . And if it its some Muppet delivery driver foot down & tanking it on his way to deliver someone's new MH to a dealer . . Not really a great way to treat someone's (expensive) potential pride & joy


A few years ago a brand new RV on trade plates overtook me on the A1 and must have been doing 90. I saw him filling up with fuel further up the road and guess what?

Yep, he went past me again doing 90. :roll:


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## kalamitty (Dec 28, 2006)

firstly i was not hogging the middle lane, anyone local to the area will know that the traffic is really heavy on sunday evenings in that area, secondly my sat nav was reading past 70, personally i dont care if the idiot was doing 100 but it was the way it was being driven at that speed i noticed the back end seemed light, ie wobbling in the lane, yes i do knock on in my van but not in heavy traffic, tailgating. sorry i mentioned it now and hope you dont come across it yourselves.


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## rowley (May 14, 2005)

kalamitty just made an observation and I am surprised at the severity of some of the responses.


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## mistycat (Jan 28, 2014)

Firstly my post was tounge in cheek,
Secondly he sounds just as bad as the MH.
Any body who knows the area will know the traffic is realy heavy, and he is doing 70+ in it himself ??
Sounds like he got home safely any how
Misty


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

In my younger days, I had two driving modes, hard down on the metal, either flat out on the accelerator or hard down on the brake  
I was a pretty fast driver, but age come along and I learned to still drive pretty fast, but smoothly.
Then as I got older, my cars are just run of the mill and I now cruise at or about the speed limits, with the exception of the 30mph  
Driving along in our van, I tend to run at about truck speed, without getting in their way, and I often have other M/H's overtake our van, sometimes at quite a difference.
Mrs G & I laugh at them, thinking how much fuel they are using :lol: Think of the extra tax they are paying, they must have money to burn :lol: 
This also happens on on dual carriageways in mainland Europe, usually the Dutch, Belgium's and Germans on their way home, or just wanting to get somewhere fast  Often fast driven vehicles will stop more frequently and come by for a second or even third time on a long journey :lol: 
As long as it doesn't effect me, I couldn't give a toss, but would I want to buy a used vehicle which has been driven very hard? No way :!: 
They obviously have more money to burn,  Just laugh at them :lol: :lol:


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## G7UXG (Feb 14, 2011)

We're a righteous lot aren't we? 

I usually drive on the motorways at 55mph or so, in amongst the lorries. I also don't have the luxury of being able to go away in the motorhome for 3 months at a time; I have to work for a living. That means that if I want to get somewhere in the limited time I have, I might drive at 70mph.

It's not an offence to drive a 4.25 tonne motorhome at 70mph on the motorway in the UK and it's not an offence to use the outside lane.

Provided the motorhome is in tip top condition (and mine is) it's no different than doing it in a car.

I know, some will say the extra 15mph doesn't save much time but that depends on how long the journey is in the first place.

It's my time. It's my choice. It's my money.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

I bet the OP regrets putting pen to paper, or should that be finger to keyboard?.


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Hey up.

Most of the time it is nice to pootle along at a couple of miles an hour faster than the HGV's, but sometime you need to be somewhere which might mean you have to get your foot down..

Bugger why am I always late :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol: 

ray.


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## cheshiregordon (Sep 24, 2011)

its usually caravans that overtake me as I doodle along between 50 and 60 MPH. For me going away in my motor home is a form of relaxation (and although my van can still exceed 70 mph easily) I leave road racing to the workers.


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## MEES (Apr 20, 2006)

Can I ask are any of the posters ladies ( on this thread) I feel most of the replies are unnecessarily aggressive.

Margaret


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## mistycat (Jan 28, 2014)

MEES said:


> Can I ask are any of the posters ladies ( on this thread) I feel most of the replies are unnecessarily aggressive.
> 
> Margaret


There not aggressive, it was a sunday and they weren't out in there van, so they were jealous,
touchy lot us motorhomers :lol: :lol:

No it was about driving, Mans world not cooking and cleaning, :wink: :wink: :wink:

opps here we go, :lol: :lol: :lol: 
Misty


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

When hiring my various RVs into film 'location' work, I often chatted to the RV company drivers about fuel and mpg.
Our RVs were similar in size and weight but where I usually managed 10 to 11 mpg the company drivers only managed 5 or 6 mpg.

Says it all I guess.

Ray.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

It's all about smoothness Ray, no vicious acceleration or heavy braking! Just keeping a constant speed!
One of my pet hates, is when I am driving along at a steady cruising speed and a car behind who has no single carriageway overtaking skills.
You then come to a short dual carriageway and they overtake, only to slow down at the first little bend after rejoining the single carriageway!
This seems to happen mainly in France :lol:


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## kaacee (Nov 29, 2008)

rowley said:


> kalamitty just made an observation and I am surprised at the severity of some of the responses.


Totally agree and that is the reason I am reluctant to post in this forum anymore. Oops I just have.........now I await the sarcastic comments. 

Keith


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Well if someone wants to post what is obviously a complaint about a MH being in the outside lane that's up to them. The main point of the post, evidenced by the title, was that the van was in the outside lane. You can't expect to post that, giving the impression that you believe that being in the outside lane was somehow wrong, and not have it pointed out to you that it is perfectly OK.

The speed was a secondary point. I take the view that if anyone wants to go faster than I do that's a matter for themselves, I will let them past if possible, and if they are speeding that's between them and the Police. I have no interest in what they are doing unless they endanger me, Alan.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

I have read through the posts and have found none that are aggressive. The member is fully entitled to post any opinion on here, within the rules of course. 
We have responded with our opinions. Some of us are not quite sure if it was about the speed or using the outside lane or if a 3 lane motorway the "overtaking lane".
As it was such a busy time and full of traffic I really not sure what was the point being made. But have decided that it was just an observation as this was an unusual occurrence for that member.

cabby


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## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

Never travel at that speed, relaxation is the name of the game; 60-65. However, is others want to and it does not have any effect on me, let them get on with it. I cannot see what the problem is.

Dave


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

They're a vicious lot on here, one comment and they're on you like a pack of wolves, Bar stewards  

MH doing 70+ in the BMW lane, not something you see every day.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Middle lane hogging at 50 to 55mph is far more likely to light my fuse.

That really is a pain in the ar$e, and a real nuisance when towing a small trailer, as that's one time when you are not allowed in the outside lane.

The real bar stewards are those who seem to consider the nearside lane beneath them, and hog the middle lane at 50mph on a virtually empty motorway. OK - it's not too difficult to pull across two lanes to overtake, assuming you have no trailer, but if you are towing they are a real pain.

A polite hoot usually results in the raised finger, after which some of them deliberately vary their speed to make overtaking difficult. They seem to resent being overtaken by a motorhome, even when they are dawdling themselves, and we have all met a few of those!

Dave

Enjoyed the rant - but what's the point. Posting on here won't change the behaviour of the selfish few! :roll: Vents the spleen though! :lol: :lol:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I tend to tuck in behind a truck on Motorways, but out of the wash, I'll pass them going up hills, they'll pass me going down, life's to short I'm on holiday let the nutters go, it's fun when you see them later with the bonnet up, or surrounded by blue lights.

I've seen 39mpg average on my dash meter, yeah right, but I'm aiming for 40.


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

No one seems to have picked up on the effect of sharp and heavy braking at high speed. 
I suspect that very few of us have any idea of what will happen to our 4-tons if we slam on the brakes at 70+ mph. The chances of your load distribution front to back and side to side and your tyres being perfectly inflated accordingly are so slim that straight line stopping would be almost impossible. Even if no skid ensued, there would be veering left or right.
Add to that the fact that no matter how carefully stowed away, the contents of the van are going to shift forward under heavy braking, and some may well break loose and fly towards the cab. All to the distraction of the driver who is fighting to avoid a smash.

Worth thinking about before a high speed dash ?


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## bigtree (Feb 3, 2007)

I wish I could afford to go that fast!


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## valphil (Sep 5, 2012)

I wish I could go that fast


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

ThursdaysChild said:


> No one seems to have picked up on the effect of sharp and heavy braking at high speed.
> I suspect that very few of us have any idea of what will happen to our 4-tons if we slam on the brakes at 70+ mph. The chances of your load distribution front to back and side to side and your tyres being perfectly inflated accordingly are so slim that straight line stopping would be almost impossible. Even if no skid ensued, there would be veering left or right.
> Add to that the fact that no matter how carefully stowed away, the contents of the van are going to shift forward under heavy braking, and some may well break loose and fly towards the cab. All to the distraction of the driver who is fighting to avoid a smash.
> 
> Worth thinking about before a high speed dash ?


At last ..... a sensible post amongst the dross.

I did not include the humourous ones in that.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

747 said:


> ThursdaysChild said:
> 
> 
> > No one seems to have picked up on the effect of sharp and heavy braking at high speed.
> ...


OI you Tart, I resemble that comment :x


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

Your comments ARE humourous Kev.  

In a weird sense. :lol:


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## klyne (May 10, 2005)

I did check the date to make sure it wasn't me :wink: 

David


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

> No one seems to have picked up on the effect of sharp and heavy braking at high speed.
> I suspect that very few of us have any idea of what will happen to our 4-tons if we slam on the brakes at 70+ mph. The chances of your load distribution front to back and side to side and your tyres being perfectly inflated accordingly are so slim that straight line stopping would be almost impossible. Even if no skid ensued, there would be veering left or right.
> Add to that the fact that no matter how carefully stowed away, the contents of the van are going to shift forward under heavy braking, and some may well break loose and fly towards the cab. All to the distraction of the driver who is fighting to avoid a smash.
> 
> Worth thinking about before a high speed dash ?


maybe so - but isn't that decision of the driver?? they may understand those points but chose to drive at that speed and know the consequences. I'm sure that's the same for all of us when we drive fast in whatever vehicle.


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Hey up.

It's not peculiar to motor homes it applies to everything on the road, drive fast you hit things fast.. Everybody gets into a groove and turns off, how many times would you be able to say yes to all that is happening if someone said "did you see that", "see what?"..

There are so many variables in a days driving all waiting to bite yer in the bum, perhaps it is safer in the middle lane at 50mph, everybody should do it in an orderly line, should save on tarmac and land :wink: .

ray.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

747 said:


> Your comments ARE humourous Kev.
> 
> In a weird sense. :lol:


OK, How much do you need to borrow, and you already know the answer.


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## rugbyken (Jan 16, 2006)

My original comment of "the problem is " means that my motorhome drives better & safer than any veh I drove in the 60s70s or 80s and probably into most of the nineties , I learnt to drive in the army and am possibly a bit anal about tyres pressure and condition still check oil & water before a long trip etc , drive the wife mad about balancing the load and packing & securing , but after a career lorry driving & van driving plus taxi driving etc a modern motorhome is a doddle and indeed apart from obvious size issues I do drive mine like I drive my car, 
I learnt in the days when load and road decided your speed this quote from an advanced driver course refers to the traffic conditions as well as the vehicle your driving ,
Speed is an issue that will always be divisive personally the 10% tariff that speeding puts on fuel consumption is a price that sometimes I choose to pay if I have travelling to do but if I'm just tootling around at my destination I may choose not to,


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

10%, you'll be lucky


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

If anyone is driving any vehicle without knowing how it will behave should a quick stop be necessary they are very foolish. In a strange vehicle I wait for an empty bit of road and try the brakes. If they don't feel right and stop me safely and in a straight line I would find out why and put it right or stop driving it.

Maybe it's just me but I can't imagine driving anything without knowing how good or bad the brakes are. Perhaps it's due to me having driven everything from diggers and tractors through various trucks and vans to rally cars but I need to get the feel of any vehicle to be comfortable driving it.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Be very careful with rentals too.

We have an assortment of holiday trips during the year and 2 of them involve car rentals - in 2 different counties.

We invariably use Avis as we've had good service from them over the years but, from previous experience, when collecting the car and doing the usual walk around looking for dents and scratches, I check all 5 tyres and on a number of occasions have found serious defects and have rejected the cars. Mostly wheels that have been "kerbed" and spares that are bald and flat (in other words - no spare).

How anyone can pick up a rental and just drive off, I'll never know.

I know it's a pain in the butt when you have a trolley full of suitcases but make that effort and check those tyres - all of them.


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

I will happily drive at over 100 mph (when legal) in a car, but in my motorhome naaa.

I imagine all the stuff secured with a few wood screws, TV, microwave, fridge, etc. coming to get me if I need to do an emergency stop from speed 8O apart altogether from the rest of the stuff which will follow them if the whole thing ends in an instant stop against an immovable object 

On a 100 mile journey the time saved if travelling at 70mph instead of 60mph will be 14.28 minutes  

Formula is, 60 *(d/rate1 - d/rate2) = time difference in minutes, where d = the distance and rate = the speed.
60 *(100/60 -100/70) = 14.28


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Thanks for the maths lesson Sir.

  handy that, simple too, once you've seen it written down.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

> I will happily drive at over 100 mph (when legal) in a car, but in my motorhome naaa.
> 
> I imagine all the stuff secured with a few wood screws, TV, microwave, fridge, etc. coming to get me if I need to do an emergency stop from speed 8O apart altogether from the rest of the stuff which will follow them if the whole thing ends in an instant stop against an immovable object
> 
> ...


14 minutes over 100 miles of stages would leave you well down the field.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

> erneboy said:- 14 minutes over 100 miles of stages would leave you well down the field.


But with far more chance of being alive and well . . . and unstressed, the better to enjoy your holiday. :wink:

Dave.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

It was a joke Dave. No doubt Jean-Luc will get it.

As far as I know there is no timed competition on open roads. Though admittedly, you might think there are at times.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

I know it was Alan.

I was moderately successful driving in club rallies in the days when they were held on the open roads.

Biggest disadvantage - I needed the car for work on Monday morning, and rarely beat those who towed a Cooper S to the start on a trailer.

Tulips were my favourite. My navigator was brilliant at those. :wink: 

Dave


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Never tried that Dave, we could rally on closed roads, though mostly in the south.


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

Zebedee said:


> I know it was Alan.
> 
> I was moderately successful driving in club rallies in the days when they were held on the open roads.
> 
> ...


Way better than plotting 30 or so waypoints with arrival and departure directions on to an OS map. 
Although with an OS map you knew where you were when you got lost :? 8O  :roll:


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

erneboy said:


> Never tried that Dave, we could rally on closed roads, though mostly in the south.


Night Navs were on open roads 'though similar driving was required to recover after the navigator made a mistake :twisted:

 Former member of the MMCCC and founder member of the CMC  :wink:


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

I'll stick to my steady 55-60 in lane 1 thanks.

Can't see the point in doing the sort of speeds the OP described in a motorhome,I concur with others who say it could be more of a problem when emergency braking at 70mph in a vehicle of that size and weight.

There were some harsh replies on this thread initially but I think it's a valid point to make that it is more dangerous driving at those speeds on a motorway.Personal choice of course and if people want to travel at 70mph in lane 3 driving a motorhome they will,I just hope I'm not near them when they have to carry out an emergency stop.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

I cannot agree that there were harsh comments, a few tongue in cheek maybe. As to doing that sort of speed, it would be much safer on the motorway than other roads.
As I said earlier everyone is free to have an opinion and express it on here, that is what makes MHF so good and interesting.


cabby


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## goldi (Feb 4, 2009)

Morning folks,

I n my view there should be aminimum speed for motorways of 56 mph. Which is the max speed hgv,s are limited to.


norm


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Preferred tarmac stages Jean-Luc though stuck to 1600cc so we could hope to compete in our class. Those were great times and I still miss it.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Jean-Luc said:


> Way better than plotting 30 or so waypoints with arrival and departure directions on to an OS map.
> Although with an OS map you knew where you were when you got lost :? 8O  :roll:


Oxymoron, you can't both be lost and know where you are, 10 points away.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

It's quite apparent that most of you, think you are the worlds best driver  WRONG  I am :wink: :lol: :lol:


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I don't think there can be many experiences more guaranteed to illustrate that you are not the worlds best driver than comparing your stage times to those posted by the best. You find yourself wondering just how it's possible to be as fast as they are.

If you want to see the a man who may be one of the best in the world have a look here 



 not rallying but it would be great if he did, maybe he has, I don't know.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Now there's a lad/lass who can drive.

The car seems to go well too.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

> *Grath wrote :-*It's quite apparent that most of you, think you are the worlds best driver  WRONG  I am :wink: :lol: :lol:


Would there be any mileage in starting a "The last driver to post on here is the best ever driver" thread?

:roll:

Pete

mileage, see what I did there.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

peejay said:


> > *Grath wrote :-*It's quite apparent that most of you, think you are the worlds best driver  WRONG  I am :wink: :lol: :lol:
> 
> 
> Would there be any mileage in starting a "The last driver to post on here is the best ever driver" thread?
> ...


No Pete, cause I have already said " I am" :wink: :lol: :lol:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

No, probably not, as in NO please *NO*

We have enough pointless threads cluttering up the site, I did wonder if they were part of the slow down having to load umpteen pages of pure unadulterated rubbish, just to keep your post count up.

Ok who's moved me coit.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

No he was rubbish, there was absolutely no lane control, excessive braking.Hate to see him drive a motorhome. :roll: 

cabby


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## emmbeedee (Oct 31, 2008)

Zebedee said:


> I was moderately successful driving in club rallies in the days when they were held on the open roads.
> 
> Biggest disadvantage - I needed the car for work on Monday morning, and rarely beat those who towed a Cooper S to the start on a trailer.
> Dave


RDCC by any chance Dave?
Founder member here, still have my badge!
Happy days, loved my rallying.


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

I can't decide between the moron trying to wreck a perfectly good car and the morons in yellow jackets standing in his way.


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

erneboy said:


> I don't think there can be many experiences more guaranteed to illustrate that you are not the worlds best driver than comparing your stage times to those posted by the best. You find yourself wondering just how it's possible to be as fast as they are.
> 
> If you want to see the a man who may be one of the best in the world have a look here
> 
> ...


That guy is brilliant, got my pulse racing and a tear to my eye watching him on the limit and so smooth  

How about the Group B cars, nothing looks better than a Quattro lifting its nose as the power is applied :twisted: Serious fire spitting Group B machines in action


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

These for me til they banned them, the only decent car they ever made as a group


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

NOW NOW can we please keep on topic on here. this is about outside lane on a motorway doing more than 70 mph in a motorhome.

By the way was it a 2 or 3 lane motorway does anyone know.

cabby


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Sorry about that Cabby, I thought the motorway thing had been done to death and a change might not be a bad thing.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

+1 (sorry Cabby), I like rally cars, cept when the kill people though


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## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

Now how about the idea of rallying a motorhome, that would be a skill getting a winnebago round some of those Irish lanes.

PS Did I ever tell you about the time I beat Gwyndaf Evans on a stage around Oliver's Mount?


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## valphil (Sep 5, 2012)

Sorry Cabby , dont know what for but I'm practicing to be a sheep . not welsh I must add , before the comments start 8O


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

> JP"]Now how about the idea of rallying a motorhome, that would be a skill getting a winnebago round some of those Irish lanes.
> 
> PS Did I ever tell you about the time I beat Gwyndaf Evans on a stage around Oliver's Mount?


Hey up.

There you go. 




ray.


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## valphil (Sep 5, 2012)

JP said:


> Now how about the idea of rallying a motorhome, that would be a skill getting a winnebago round some of those Irish lanes.
> 
> PS Did I ever tell you about the time I beat Gwyndaf Evans on a stage around Oliver's Mount?


 With a large stick I presume


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