Delta's Earl Grey Break 2014

[Tim Falce]

Here's one for Max (midgetman) as I know he loves his karts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U-grFuXZ9U

[midgetman]

Love that Tim!

[Mike Bell]

Santa has been spied in Norwich trying out his new transport for next week-

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/father_c..._car_1_3888951

[gary396]

Look's a bit fast for those Norfolk roads.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by gary396

Look's a bit fast for those Norfolk roads.

Ha! Talking of roads, the A11 Elevedon by-pass was opened last week, so it is now all dual carriageway from Norwich to M25 and Midlands motorways. So no more excuses about the slow road network stopping anyone from racing at Snett! (I'm sure other excuses are available.....)

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Ha! Talking of roads, the A11 Elevedon by-pass was opened last week, so it is now all dual carriageway from Norwich to M25 and Midlands motorways. So no more excuses about the slow road network stopping anyone from racing at Snett! (I'm sure other excuses are available.....)

Thanks Mike, very timely; we have to go to a funeral in Norwich on Friday...

[morninggents]

You obviously have a lot of influence, Mike. Can you get them to dual the A17 from Newark to Kings Lynn - preferably before 13th June next year?

[terence]

Ithought the only good things to come out of Kings Lynn are the A17/A10 and A47 so why the rush to get back to it?
Mike , a possible excuse could be the number of camera vans parked along it.I heard there were specialy chosen vantage points incorporated into the layout.?

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by morninggents

You obviously have a lot of influence, Mike. Can you get them to dual the A17 from Newark to Kings Lynn - preferably before 13th June next year?

Peter, if I had influence the A11 would have been open weeks ago! Cynics suggest delay to do with the opening ceremony having to fit in the ministers diary. And where's the A17? Only joking, know it well from when lived in North of the county! May be worth considering now continuing on A1 down to Cambridge and then North to Snett on 'new superfast' A11.....

Not sure about camera locations Terence, there is the odd bridge across but no ramps on edge of road like used to be popular! There were / are safety concerns over the use of wire rope crash 'barriers' between the carriageways. Apparently according to the authorities 'risk assessment' they are OK- and much cheaper......

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

There were / are safety concerns over the use of wire rope crash 'barriers' between the carriageways. Apparently according to the authorities 'risk assessment' they are OK- and much cheaper......

There was a time when the wire ropes were all the rage as being cheaper and safer than the previous regime of badly installed armco. I recall the A449/A40 from Newport up to Ross on Wye being re-vamped in the late 90s and the central barrier was entirely changed to wire rope.

More recently the road "planners" seem to have opted for sodding great concrete barriers presumably to try to eliminate crossover accidents involving larger and heavier trucks. The rationale, presumably, is that modern vehicle design is based on deformability and in any half decent bump it is the vehicle that has known injury prevention properties and will be a disposable item. So to attempt to provide any additional active safety through road furniture is an expensive waste of time. It may even be dangerous if the results during a collision do not fit well with the design expectations of the vehicle. EURO NCAP angled impact with a solid concrete block for example.

I heard many rumours that the wire rope solution was just as bad for bikers as looks.

With so many of the rope systems apparently being "upgraded" to solid concrete barriers one has to wonder why Norfolk has not taken the opportunity to review what was a 20th century policy. Not that I think the concrete barriers are hugely safer - more that other developments have made the wire rope solution look less than optimal. Maybe there are some numbers out there that prove otherwise.

[Colin McKay]

Nothing wrong with "sodding great concrete barriers" (vested interest previously declared) apart from the fact they don't always work as evidenced by a horrific M25 incident last week. The argument is that they almost stopped the crossover and with any alternative system it might have been a lot worse. Apart from a 20 foot trench I'm not sure what can be done to stop a determined 44 tonner.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by grantp

I heard many rumours that the wire rope solution was just as bad for bikers as looks.

With so many of the rope systems apparently being "upgraded" to solid concrete barriers one has to wonder why Norfolk has not taken the opportunity to review what was a 20th century policy. Not that I think the concrete barriers are hugely safer - more that other developments have made the wire rope solution look less than optimal. Maybe there are some numbers out there that prove otherwise.

There was a bikers protest a while back on the A11 about installation of the rope barriers. All comes down to cost, it would appear. Just hope no motorcyclist ever has to prove the authorities wrong....

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Colin McKay

Nothing wrong with "sodding great concrete barriers" (vested interest previously declared) apart from the fact they don't always work as evidenced by a horrific M25 incident last week. The argument is that they almost stopped the crossover and with any alternative system it might have been a lot worse. Apart from a 20 foot trench I'm not sure what can be done to stop a determined 44 tonner.

There is that Colin. Must confess I couldn't recall the aerial images well enough to decide whether they were permanent concrete barriers or something temporary.

I think as a car driver I'm not totally convinced by concrete blocks. They do lead to a form of tunnel vision and lessen the visible changes in the surroundings.

On the one hand one could say that reduces distractions from "other carriageway watching" but the brain tends to respond and stay alert doing "wide area coverage" sort of stuff with changing visual stimulus. Cut that down and it automatically goes into reduced activity mode. Driving in a 3 or 4 lane concrete gulley (in a car, less so in a 4x4, van or truck) for extended distances may not be a great thing. I have no idea if any research has been done.

The other concern would be spray in wet weather together with moisture not escaping readily and so slower drying times. Again I have no idea if that is a real problem but there are days when think to myself that I would prefer to be travelling in something with a higher driving view.

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

May be worth considering now continuing on A1 down to Cambridge and then North to Snett on 'new superfast' A11.....

I think you are right and this year I'll try that route. Looks to be more miles but probably less time as the A17 is pathetic when you get behind a lorry doing 40 (sorry Colin) and a couple of elderly car drivers behind who won't chance overtaking.

Also, it will cut out Swaffham which I now try to avoid as in 2013 when returning from Snett I was caught by a policeman with a hand held camera and had to be breathalysed for the first time in my life. He said I wasn't going fast enough for a speeding ticket but as I was going more than 30 he could breathalyze me! I asked what speed I was doing as I thought I was just keeping up with the flow and he said it was 31 mph! They obviously weren't really interested in keeping speed down but were looking for drink drivers (not that I have any problem there) but at around 5-30 on a Sunday evening in a Transit towing a race car I thought it a complete waste of public funds.

I always used to stop in Swaffham on the way down to eat but won't now on principle so that cop has lost Swaffham traders a bit of income.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by morninggents

They obviously weren't really interested in keeping speed down but were looking for drink drivers (not that I have any problem there) but at around 5-30 on a Sunday evening in a Transit towing a race car I thought it a complete waste of public funds.

Perhaps they have found a niche for trapping competitors and teams leaving Snetterton after a couple of post race beers?

We spent a few days in Norfolk to the east of Norwich back in September.

Used the A52>Grantham>Kings Lynn>Wherever>Norwich ring road when it was busy for some reason and it took just over 3.5 hrs from my Daughter's house. When her husband followed us down the next day after work commitments he used the Find the A1>A1>A14 route (albeit in the early evening) and reckons it was about 2 1/2 hours. I can't remember whether he said he used the A52 to get to the A1 or cut across country to join somewhat south of Grantham.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by morninggents

I think you are right and this year I'll try that route. Looks to be more miles but probably less time as the A17 is pathetic when you get behind a lorry doing 40 (sorry Colin) and a couple of elderly car drivers behind who won't chance overtaking.

Bet it wouldn't be one of Colin's trucks at 40! Only the likes of supermarkets seem to stick to that limit. Wonder if they will allow their drivers to increase to 50 when it changes....

We now wait patiently for SatNav maps to incorporate the new road! At moment mine throws a right wobbly when on the changed route round Elvedon. As matter of interest, with old single carriageway A11 my software here showing 16 minute time saving from Newark over KL route, even though 23 miles further. I would hope time saving will be greater now! (If not the government have wasted an awful amount of money...)

[Colin McKay]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Bet it wouldn't be one of Colin's trucks at 40!

If it was, let me know. We have a robust disciplinary process for when drivers are identified sticking to the speed limit

The Tescos etc which are limited to 50/52 could be my topic for a Friday Rant but as it's only Thursday I'll stick to the facts.

99% of HGV's are limited to 56mph and the operators and manufacturers go to great lengths to ensure the gearing plops that needle right in the middle of the green sector at 56, so you can imagine how it feels when they're stuck behind one of these "fuel saving" supermarket lorries for mile after mile at 10% off the optimum speed and in a lower gear. Same effect as when you're on a dual carriageway in a car and stuck behind overtaking trucks with a 0.001mph speed differential. I'll never understand why they do that.

[midgetman]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

Here's one for Max (midgetman) as I know he loves his karts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U-grFuXZ9U

You'll like this one then Tim, and it's even "Historic". I don't think this is a closed FB group, you should be able to read it.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=312357135631524

Claire, we should get the 360's LM start a bit more exciting like this.

[Moosehead]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Only the likes of supermarkets seem to stick to that limit. Wonder if they will allow their drivers to increase to 50 when it changes....

I don't work for a supermarket but we have a black box in our trucks which records speed amongst other things.(its linked to the tracker so knows what the max speed of the road is) We have an 'allowance' of 0.5% for over speeding. Single carriageway roads are the bane of my working life, trying to sit at 39 - 40 mph is a PIA, can't wait for next year if the proposed speed increases come to fruition.
Personally I believe 'our' speeding policy is dangerous as unless you drive at way under the limit you spend more time monitoring speed than watching the road.
BTW, I often have supermarket trucks blow past me on single carriageways.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Moosehead

BTW, I often have supermarket trucks blow past me on single carriageways.

Probably delivering to Lidl.

[Moosehead]

Yep, Aldi and Lidl are the fastest supermarket trucks

[Robyn Slater]

Originally Posted by Moosehead

Yep, Aldi and Lidl are the fastest supermarket trucks

They've got more work to do than the others..

[zefarelly]

They need to deliver cheap meat/fish before it defrosts!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Robyn Slater

They've got more work to do than the others..

I wonder if there is a correlation between speed of a supermarket truck and whether said supermarket chain is in growth or decline......

Not got an Aldi around here but the other one mentioned does some good stuff and cheaper.

[Nick JM]

Chaps I'm reading this with wry smile. I'm in France atm for the inaugural Morrison family hols away at Christmas for the first time. I've driven the thick end of 700 miles in the last 11hours in appalling driving rain.

Empty roads there are a plenty but the the number of of wagons I've passed (throwing up an inordinate amount of spray) at around 80-85 which I have passed with some effort ( Disco 3, full tank, roof box, 5 up with full luggage) in the weather leads me to believe that the continentals have a different attitude to HGV speed limits and the alleged restrictions which are supposed to govern them