How safe is a classic?

[SprintMWU773V]

The Renault would never normally get upto 40mph on its own though as it would have an electrical fault stranding it somewhere! Still quite a shocking film though, how old must the Volvo design be?

[MarkVeryard]

I can't take all the credit, I'm afraid. The spike idea originated, I believe, on one of those road safety / police action progs (having been suggested by someone at ROSPA!).

I've felt this to be a great idea from the moment I first heard it - though from memory, it was Clarkson who came up with it.

[xvivalve]

I have to deal with all sorts of health and safety and risk assessments in the building industry because some desk jockey somewhere thinks it will make a difference....it does! If you make someone think they are 'safe' then they become complacent. Put a bloke on a roof wearing a harness connected to a mansafe system and you will find he takes unnecessary or unwitting risks, like unhitching himself at point of work; put the same bloke up there with nothing and he will be careful! Cars are just the same air bags, crumple zones, ABS, traction control, even seat belts all contribute to drivers propelling themselves beyond their ability.

[JPB]

....how old must the Volvo design be?

The same basic Crumple zone construction, reinforced doors and roof and head restraints that actually would serve to restrain the head and not some random point between the shoulder blades as is the case with those fitted to late Dolomites, came along in 1966 with the P140 series.
I had several, a pair of nice 144DLs, a 142S and a 164E, the better of my 144s was bruised when some child in a K10 Micra decided to run a red light behind me at a junction and somehow didn't see that there was a large Volvo in front of him. I polished out the damage myself, the Micra needed a radiator, a grille, a bonnet, a windscreen, and a driver's door. To add insult to the really nasty scratch that the Nissan made in the 144's back bumper (aluminium with rubber cover, but not as big as the later, 240-style hydraulic ones), the child hadn't bothered to get an MOT or to tax his car so, even if he had been insured, they'd never have paid up. He was prosecuted though, since I called a polis out as soon as I noticed that his VED disc was for a different vehicle.....

Sorry, that was a touch o/t, but perhaps a mid '60s Volvo would fair less well against anything from the 21st Century. And the Dolomite? well in spite of the clever way in which the front subframe is designed to move down and take the engine under the floor and out of harm's way in a big collision, the modern car would simply crush whatever was left above the floor in any case, which is why it's an unfair match.
We're more aware of primary safety than drivers of modern cars, I agree wholeheartedly with the point that a modern car, because it's a safer place to be in the event of a bump, makes some remedials feel that they need to try causing one.

[trackerjack]

I'm sure most of us grew up being transported by our parents, in what are now being called 'classics'. When we started driving, again, most of us drove 'classics'. The fact that we're all here today must say something?

As Justyn says, look towards human error, rather than design faults. Look round any car park, and see what computer designed cars look like. Definable only by badges.

Sadly some of my friends of the past have not lived, two in particular were in a Mini when they hit an MGB head on, the mini engine ended up on the back seat together with my friend and the other was thrown from the car and hit by another driver coming up behind (Nick was most likely dead already though). Stuart who is still a friend of 47 years was in the back and crouched down in the footwell before the collision merely broke his arm.....................I had just met my first wife and decided not to be with them for the first time! lucky me. Unlucky you lot
The MGB driver had broken legs.
Common sense says drive modern cars.........................pass my Sprint keys please!

[marty dolomite]

Gotta die someday

That could easily be arranged by bacon butty loving friend (insert evil laughter)

[1300dolly]

Naughty Marty, that wasn't very nice was it?

[xvivalve]

the better of my 144s was bruised when some child in a K10 Micra decided to run a red light behind me at a junction and somehow didn't see that there was a large Volvo in front of him

Was it Adam?

[merlind100]

With the older clasics like that big Chevy it's the steering column attached to the steering box scewering you through the chest that does the damage. I agree that airbags, abs, crumple zones etc do produce compacency, just look at other people next time you're out on the road. Make everybody take their test in an old Mk1 Cortina with three bald crossplys, huge play in the steering box and a broken demister, oh and yes a spike in the middle of the steering wheel and you'll get better drivers. I've run a succesion of classic cars as dailys for years now, the Dollys and TR7 are the newest fleet I've run for ages, and they may not all have steering or brakes or be as good in a crash as a modern car, it just encourages me to pay attention to what I'm doing

[Lewis]

The only downside with that is that regardless of how much attention you pay, it only takes someone else to let their mind slip for a second and collide with you - someone swerving from one lane to the next, or moving into your path suddenly - that kind of thing.

[Spunkymonkey]

The only downside with that is that regardless of how much attention you pay, it only takes someone else to let their mind slip for a second and collide with you - someone swerving from one lane to the next, or moving into your path suddenly - that kind of thing.

Even that can be avoided / reacted to more often than not, Lewis. The times that it really can't are probably as likely as stepping out your door and having a meteorite land on your head - just one of those "acceptable" risks we all take every day

[1300dolly]

The only downside with that is that regardless of how much attention you pay, it only takes someone else to let their mind slip for a second and collide with you - someone swerving from one lane to the next, or moving into your path suddenly - that kind of thing.

And that still wouldn't be an accident as it would have been avoidable by the first car not swerving into your path!!!

[Jon Tilson]

I drive a Spitfire quite a lot.
Its got zero crash survivability. It also has no abs and no wet road grip, So I dont drive it like a tit in the wet and use the highway code on distance to car in front.
Ive never had a crash in it.

I see lots of moderns on the road. They seem to like to tailgate me, even though I use the national speed limit as minimum cruise in all cases.
I bet if they drove spits they would soon kick the tailgating habbit, which must be the biggest single cause of accidents.

Jonners

[SprintMWU773V]

The better the car and the more isolated you become from the outside world the more you are likely to drive badly. I do feel more vulnerable in an old car but like others I tend to adapt my driving to allow for the crappy brakes and less precise handling. What I object to though more than anything are people who deliberately drive up the arse of me even when I'm exceeding the speed limit. People don't tend to do it as much to me in my modern but stick me in an old car and people don't seem to be able to behave. The standard of driving in this country is pretty good though on the whole when compared to some of our European neighbours. What we lack in daredevil antics though we more than make up for with discourtesy, rudeness and generally not paying attention.

[Spunkymonkey]

.... they would soon kick the tailgating habbit, which must be the biggest single cause of accidents.

Jonners

And fairly easy to set up cameras for - two cars pass, measure speed and time between, and nick the ones that are too close. Technology could even analyse the video to stop people getting caught by eejuts cutting in front of them as they pass the camera. Only they'd catch too many people and (unlike speed) they haven't had a multi-million pound campaign to demonise tailgating