Modern cars are bad
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From: Mrcheerful on 12 Jun 2010 18:46 DavidR wrote: > "johannes" <johs(a)sizefi435335353tter.com> wrote > >> Because you can't see out of them. The MPV type window arrangement >> feels claustrophobic; you can see straight ahead and through the >> side windows, but the view at an angle is obscured by heavy pillars. >> Why this backward step in car design? > > Because manufacturers are following a fashion that believes crash > survival has higher priority than crash avoidance. > > As well as poor visibility, there is also a suggestion going round > now that, with cars having recently bloated out so much in width, more > crashes really are occuring. my old cf van is narrower than a mondeo, so I am not surprised at all.
From: johannes on 13 Jun 2010 01:48 Mrcheerful wrote: > > Stu wrote: > > On Sat, 12 Jun 2010 20:26:58 +0000 (UTC), Tunku <none(a)none.com> wrote: > > > >> johannes <johs(a)sizefi435335353tter.com> wrote in > >> news:4C137EB6.B02B6251 @sizefi435335353tter.com: > >> > >>> The MPV type window arrangement feels > >>> claustrophobic; you can see straight ahead and through the side > >>> windows, > >>> > >> > >> I move my head about to see, just like I do on my motorbike. Is this > >> a problem for you? > > I'm with you. Any car has plenty of glazing to see out of, all that's > > needed is a slight movement of the head when looking to join another > > road etc. > > > > If there's one desirable aspect that modern cars have lost, for me, > > it's character. > > > > Stu > > some of the modern vehicles have massive blind spots, I was quite surprised > by how bad the view is from a Honda thing (Jazz?) I drove a little while > ago, it had massive A pillars with a little triangle window, and it was > very obstructive. Why anyone would test drive one and then buy one is > beyond me, you could miss a bus in that blind spot !! Ford Focus has a > large blind spot each side when you look to the rear. Quite. I noticed this problem once when I hired a Fiat Grande Punto, and then a Vauxhall Corsa (essentially the same car). It felt somewhat claustrophobic with the forward tunnel-vision windscreens, and these cars aren't even MPVs. Style over substance IMO.
From: Ret. on 13 Jun 2010 04:06 DavidR wrote: > "johannes" <johs(a)sizefi435335353tter.com> wrote > >> Because you can't see out of them. The MPV type window arrangement >> feels claustrophobic; you can see straight ahead and through the >> side windows, but the view at an angle is obscured by heavy pillars. >> Why this backward step in car design? > > Because manufacturers are following a fashion that believes crash > survival has higher priority than crash avoidance. > > As well as poor visibility, there is also a suggestion going round > now that, with cars having recently bloated out so much in width, more > crashes really are occuring. Yes - this 'up-sizing' in all sectors is very strange isn't it? It seems that every time a new model comes out, the manfufacturer's boast about how much extra space there is compared to the old model. 'Large family cars' such as the Mondeo and Citroen C5 are now as big as the next sector up were a few years ago. It doesn't seem to occur to them that many people may want a car that is small in physical size for easy manoeuvring. -- Kev
From: Gordon H on 13 Jun 2010 06:03 In message <rn1816pm3palva9o2r6lfrtovumi2dc9pr(a)4ax.com>, Stu <no(a)spam.com> writes >On Sat, 12 Jun 2010 20:26:58 +0000 (UTC), Tunku <none(a)none.com> wrote: > >>johannes <johs(a)sizefi435335353tter.com> wrote in news:4C137EB6.B02B6251 >>@sizefi435335353tter.com: >> >>> The MPV type window arrangement feels >>> claustrophobic; you can see straight ahead and through the side windows, >> >>I move my head about to see, just like I do on my motorbike. Is this a >>problem for you? >I'm with you. Any car has plenty of glazing to see out of, all that's >needed is a slight movement of the head when looking to join another >road etc. > Exactly, and some drivers obviously don't take enough care. Think bike... >If there's one desirable aspect that modern cars have lost, for me, >it's character. > >Stu I can remember when you could get a quick glimpse of a car and identify it, now they are so similar in styling that it takes an anorak to I/D them. (Except for the really ugly ones). -- Gordon H Remove "invalid" to reply
From: Gordon H on 13 Jun 2010 06:09
In message <87igpfFff8U1(a)mid.individual.net>, DavidR <curedham(a)4bidden.org.uk> writes > >Because manufacturers are following a fashion that believes crash survival >has higher priority than crash avoidance. > >As well as poor visibility, there is also a suggestion going round now that, >with cars having recently bloated out so much in width, more crashes really >are occuring. > So that's why I have had two starboard side scrapes in the last 12 months, I thought it was lack of concentration. ;-) The bodywork on my Mondeo (MkIII) has expanded compared with the previous model, and you can no longer rely on side mirrors to act as feelers. Touch wing mirrors and the bodywork gets it, too. -- Gordon H Remove "invalid" to reply |