Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

I just has quite a laugh on the highway; I was in the left-most lane (fast lane) going 120 km/h (the normal speed) and I was approaching a late 90's Civic coupe in front of me who was doing the limit (100 km/h). I waited patiently for a few seconds (thinking he would move over like a normal motorist, but no); I then started flashing him for another 10 seconds or so, and he still didn't move over...:glare:... Ok, I then undertook him and glared at him as I passed him. Here's the funny part: for the next 10 km or so, he was like 100m behind me and kept flashing his lights until he exited. :lol:

I had a pretty good laugh after that! :D
 
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I just has quite a laugh on the highway; I was in the left-most lane (fast lane) going 120 km/h (the normal speed) and I was approaching a late 90's Civic coupe in front of me who was doing the limit (100 km/h). I waited patiently for a few seconds (thinking he would move over like a normal motorist, but no); I then started flashing him for another 10 seconds or so, and he still didn't move over...:glare:... Ok, I then undertook him and glared at him as I passed him. Here's the funny part: for the next 10 km or so, he was like 100m behind me and kept flashing his lights until he exited. :lol:

I had a pretty good laugh after that! :D

What's the culture like in Canada regarding flashing lights? In America people tend to treat it as if you'd kicked in a puppy's head, so rarely anybody does it here. They just prefer to ride your ass for as long as it takes.
 
I've been tailgated but I've never had someone flash their lights at me in aggression, only as in indication that they are letting me out of a turn or something.
 
Never meet your heroes :cry:
I was in a c5 corvette for a bit the other day and I didn't like the motor. Its just such a relaxed engine... 3rd effortlessly and quietly wafts you from 30 to 100+. It didn't feel like it wanted to be worked hard. I honestly prefer turbo lag and even vtec - engines that force you to shift gears in a hurry because otherwise you have no torque.

RIP LS1 dreams :no:


Let me translate that for you.

I honestly prefer little weenie engines that you have to rev to the moon to get off the line as you have no torque.

I honestly prefer noisy little engines that don't have any power whatsoever so they make lots of noise and generate lots of drama, yet the car doesn't go anywhere for they are a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

I honestly prefer tiny gutless motors that make lots of noise and sound like they're going to explode - when you're going 20mph.

FTFY. :mrgreen:

By the way, never drive anything with a large displacement or high torque engine. You'll hate it.

On the other hand, it sounds like you're an ideal candidate for a Harley Sportster 883 with open pipes and six tons of chrome. :lol: :lmao:

Edit: I was finally able to add the third bay/unit to my little shop. We're cutting the door/holes in the wall through to the other unit tomorrow - but guess what has taken up residence in there in the meantime?

I'll give you a hint.
evilinside.jpg

:evil:
 
At this rate Spectre you'll own the whole building in a year or so. :p
 
I'm quite comfortable driving in French roads already, so I guess I already have a glimpse of what 'civilized' driving is.
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
So, my question is: can you Germans and others used to the autobahns give me some basic 'do or do not do' advice? However, even if I know I can't (and shoudn't try to) break any speed records, I'm really unaware of what makes a section unlimited, for example or what would be the advisable lane in my little slow econobox, shall the road offer more than 2 of them (yes I know, the left one is for really fast cars or overtakings only).

To answer your questions, if you do NOT see speed limit signs posted regularly, the stretch of Autobahn is unlimited. The speedlimit signs are posted at least at every on-ramp, and more often than not a lot more, generally on dot-matrix signs above the road. The advisable lane is always the rightmost lane where you can drive safely. If you're doing 150ish or less, people expect you to use the right lane when possible. If you're going faster, constantly switching lanes can be dangerous, but you are still expected to yield for faster motorists, if the opportunity arises. Most rural patches of highway are 4 lanes (2 each way), but in metropolitan areas you can get as much as 8 or more, but those stretches are generally limited to 120 or less.
Now for some other general advice: A real DON'T (in terms of police seeing it) is urging people to move over by flashing your highbeams or using your left indicator in the leftmost lane. Another VERY VERY big DON'T is going to overtake someone when someone clearly a LOT faster is approaching. Oh, and undertaking people WILL get you shot :p
 
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:


To answer your questions, if you do NOT see speed limit signs posted regularly, the stretch of Autobahn is unlimited. The speedlimit signs are posted at least at every on-ramp, and more often than not a lot more, generally on dot-matrix signs above the road. The advisable lane is always the rightmost lane where you can drive safely. If you're doing 150ish or less, people expect you to use the right lane when possible. If you're going faster, constantly switching lanes can be dangerous, but you are still expected to yield for faster motorists, if the opportunity arises. Most rural patches of highway are 4 lanes (2 each way), but in metropolitan areas you can get as much as 8 or more, but those stretches are generally limited to 120 or less.
Now for some other general advice: A real DON'T (in terms of police seeing it) is urging people to move over by flashing your highbeams or using your left indicator in the leftmost lane. Another VERY VERY big DON'T is going to overtake someone when someone clearly a LOT faster is approaching. Oh, and undertaking people WILL get you shot :p


All very good advice...in this case "when in Rome" applies, people in Germany have a grasp of road manners and will let you by if you are noticably quicker, so do the same

flashing lights in the left lane (Ive never even had to do it) is considered very rude and may cause the other driver to braketest you

Even if there are no speedlimits posted, common sense dictates that if noone else is going quicker than 130 kph, you are in a restricted zone.
 
It is also advisable to check the mirrors really well before changing lanes, as many people in Germany won't use their headlamps until they really can't see shit.
 
I'm not sure if you're joking or not anymore. Normally I would assume so but recently I've been having serious doubt about whether or not you have any idea what you're talking about. So I'll just let it go.
 
LeVel, I don't know If I'm on your ignore list or not but Spectre does have a point. 30-100mph effortlessly? I fucking wish!
 
LeVel, I don't know If I'm on your ignore list or not but Spectre does have a point. 30-100mph effortlessly? I fucking wish!
lol why would you be?
And yeah, I think I prefer to have to work the engine to get up to speed rather than just have massive torque propel me. To each his own.
 
Ever since my posts in the EDM thread I thought you had me on ignore, lol

I think I like it all, give me a 250cc engine with some kind of 500hp and I'll find the appropriate vehicle and driving style for it. And on the other hand, I seriously want a diesel powered daily driver.
 
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/07/officially-official-renault-nissan-and-daimler-announce-allianc/

At a news conference in Brussels, Belgium this morning, Daimler AG and the Renault-Nissan alliance officially announced that the three automakers would collaborate on future products and that each would exchange shares in the other companies. The deal has been rumored for months, and Daimler has been looking for a partner to help spread the costs of small car development for years.

Under the new agreement, Daimler will hold a 3.1-percent stake in Renault and Nissan and the existing alliance partners will hold an identical stake in the German company. The partners will develop a combined platform that will be used as the basis for the next generations of the Renault Twingo and Smart cars, including a new four-seater. These new models will launch in 2013 and the current Smart factory in France will continue building the two-seat version. The new four-seater, along with the Twingo, will be built at a Renault factory in Slovenia. All three vehicles will be available from launch in gas, diesel and electric drive variants.

The automakers will also share powertrains for other models. Renault-Nissan will provide small gas and diesel engines to Daimler for use in its smaller cars, including presumably the next generation A, B and perhaps even C-Class Mercedes-Benz models. Going the other way, Daimler will provide some of its engines to Nissan for use in Infiniti models. The partners will also collaborate on light commercial vehicles, with Renault providing a new entry-level van to be sold as a Mercedes.

[Sources: Renault, Daimler]
 
Fantastic, Daimler will wreck another company that's currently doing well!

Will this be a "merger of equals" too?
 
I don't see Ghosn allowing that to happen.
 
Edit: I was finally able to add the third bay/unit to my little shop. We're cutting the door/holes in the wall through to the other unit tomorrow - but guess what has taken up residence in there in the meantime?

I'll give you a hint.
evilinside.jpg

:evil:

How much does a little "shop" like that run a month? I'd like to start a project (I'm broke now though, and with my B Service coming up, I think I'll be staying broke) but I have no space at home for it. Hell, my car sits outside when I'm home.
 
I'm paying $225/mo for the entire space - all three units, total of about 620 square feet. And worth every penny.
 
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