Idiots & Near Misses

[hauser]

I gave the Pagoda a workout today.  We set off this morning about 8:15.  I am about 10 miles from home and here comes this 6 point buck out into the middle of the road and stops.  The deer seems to be looking straight at me!  Or perhaps he was just checking out the car.  Of course I'm making light of it now but this morning I was freaking out.  Not untill you hit a deer you can't understand the damage it does upon impact.  I have had 2 suicidal deer in my path before!  The first was with a Mitsubishi p'up and the other was with the wifes Maxima.  The Maxima impact was scarry becuse the hood opened and lay flat on the windshield.  I had to lower my head and look under the open hood.

We finally arrive to our destination where it just happens to be idiot day!  Here we are in the Pagoda surrounded by these behemoth SUV's (a periscope would've come in handy)and out come a p.o.s. Isuzu  with some old fart at the wheel and comes out from the far left turning lane while I'm cruising along on the far right lane.  That was the worst of todays idiots!  Every tenth car car or so had an ass h---e driver.  There must have been a convention going on today!

1969 280sl 5 spd        1999 ML320          Gainesville,Fl.

[Bob G]

My wife's family is from Pittsburg PA up around the mountains were the roads wind through feels of farm land  the kind of place a Pagoda SL could streach its legs and wind out. I do hear that the preditor that roams these woods is the deer or Buck , I guess that is why you see more Ford trucks back in thoses roads than Mercedes-Benz SLs.
Bob Geco

[TheEngineer]

Hey, watch what you say about those "old farts"! I'm 72 and one of my big pleasures is to let a big one: It feels soo good. So where is it I shouldn't be driving? Around here we have bears and cougars in addition to deer. Oh dear!

1969 280SL,Signal Red, A/T, P/S, A/C, Both tops, 3.27 axle. Retired engr. West Seattle, WA

[hauser]

I'm talking about Floridian Old Farts!!

1969 280sl 5 spd        1999 ML320          Gainesville,Fl.

[Douglas]

I know what you mean, Hauser. I took the SL out for a spin this past Saturday and nearly had a collision on the freeway. Someone in a van passed me on the right then slowed down dramatically. In almost 10 years of driving a Pagoda, I never made a panic stop in one until this weekend. Nothing happened, but it's unnerving.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

[Malc]

You want to try commuting here in Aberdeen Scotland[:p]

most cars on the road are "company" cars so the drivers don't care plus being grippy Scotsmen they hardly ever use the indicators, turn signals, in case they wear the bulbs out!  

The usual thing is on the dual carriageway (divide highway) they overtake one lorry, truck, and sit at 70mph 6 feet apart in the outside lane while the inside one is clear for miles (its illegal to "undertake" in the uk)
Malc

[bluedipper]

I was driving my 250SL on the freeway last summer and had to hard brake in a panic when an accident occured in front of me.  The brakes locked up.  I'm used to driving a modern car with ABS and didn't think to pump the brakes right off.  It was frightening and I had to work to keep the car under control and steer around tumbling debris.  I've heard of aftermarket kits that give an ABS like effect to hard braking on older vehicles.  Does anyone know if these kits are still available and can they be adapted to our cars.

Chuck

[Malc]

Chuck,
Yes they are available, but very expensive. If you what to go down that route I would suggest you buy a "wrecked" mercedes which has ABS then canibalise it for parts.
THis is the route I am going down for the 1974 BMW 3.0Csi I am restoring, I have bought a 1986 BMW M535i where I can mix and match parts as required. ABS 5 speed gearbox, more modern fuel injection etc etc (Whole car cost me £600   )

99% of drivers follow too close to the car in front as they can't judge distances properly. I know because I do it too. However with modern traffic if you leave enough space four cars dive into the gap you leave!!

My final comment when driving an older car you have to drive it in an "older" manner I do this in my 1962 MGA which has great brakes but rather primitive handling. Same for my 2002tii etc etc
I think, and I am not being rude here, that people have become so "cocooned" by modern saftey equipment (Nothing wrong with the equipment) that they have forgotten the basics of driving. I think that's why here if there is a crash its usually a bad one as people drive well beyond thier capabilities and when they drive "beyond" the abilities of ABS traction control etc etc they don't know how to cope with a skidding car, look for escape routes (gates, junctions, wide grass verges)
Malc