Cars dont kill people - stupid drivers do.

Yet another example today of a stupid driver causing potential risk to lives.

On the on slip to a busy motorway i was following four cars, about to merge onto the motorway at 60mph. The traffic was light and there was adequate space for us all to merge onto the motorway.  All of a sudden the car in front braked heavily and i had to stamp on the brakes to not hit it.  What appeared to have happened is that the front car had decided to stop at the end of the slip road, instead of merging into traffic. I can only assume they'd suddenly remembered they'd left the iron on at home and the house was currently burning to the ground, or that they'd just found out they'd won the lottery.  Surely it must have been something important to stop like that?

No - it would appear that they forgot the rules of the motorway and was treating it like a normal road junction.  If the cars behind them hadnt been on the ball, this could have been a major pile up, and potential risk to lives.  These sort of people are the ones who should be banned until they can prove they are a good driver. A lap of the nurburgring in under 10minutes, in a mini cooper s would be a good basis for passing and demonstrating this.

Electric cars

Topgear did a great section on electric cars last week - in which the outcome was that if you wanted to spend £30k+ on a car that takes you to the corner shop and back, and then needs charging for 13hrs - you should get one.  Also there aren't any charging points on the road network, and the only place you can charge them is off you own home supply.  I would imagine that by the time electric cars are popular, the price of electricity will be double that of petrol and diesel right now - so what is the point?

Today BMW have apparently been doing some research into electric cars.  They provided an electric mini to members of the public for a period of time, and they have been pleased to announce that 93% of the people who took part would buy an electric car, and most of them would this year.  Out of the 5 people, it would seem that 4 people live upstairs from the corner shop then. Why would you buy a car that will only get you around 100 miles, and cost you a bomb in electric bills?

Topgear also found that the engine and battery packs would last a max of 10 years, probably 5. What can you use the car for after 5 years? A secondary battery for your calculator?

The city of Loughborough where Clarkson and May came to halt in due to low batteries have said today that they are installing two free electric outlets so that they can come back and charge their cars.  No offence to this idiot, but do i have to spell out the obvious? Clarkson isn't THAT interested!!

Once the cars can actually do 500miles at least on a charge, the outlets are as common as fight in a Manchester bar, and the price of running the cars are half that of Petrol or Diesel - then please do come and tell us all about it.  In the meantime, don't insult us with your claims that people (probably BMW employees) would buy one now.