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23 Jun 2003, 13:23 (Ref:640163)
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#1 | |
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CCNA
 Royalridge ComputingA LARGE Teapot Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 10,691
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How safe is your car?
Those of you with access to BBC2 may have caught Top Gear last night.
There was a section on NCAP testing and what the star ratings really mean - and it was very scary. I've always thought that our car - a 99 Renault Laguna - was very safe - after all, Renaults consistently score highly with NCAP. However, because ours is a '99 it turns out that it only gets 2 1/2 stars not the 5 stars awarded to the 2001 model. This means that in a head on impact at 40mph, we can expect deformity in the bodywork, shifting of the steering wheel and the pedals to lift and deform. Pretty scary. For anyone who'd like to check their own make/model/year of car, visit http://www.euroncap.com/index.htm I'd be interested in what other people find out about their cars...... |
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__________________
If you feel that the circuit is not safe for racing, please go into the pits and retire. 
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23 Jun 2003, 13:47 (Ref:640182)
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#2 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 4,936
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Mine's a deathtrap, but I could have told you that already.
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__________________
"Put a ****ing wheel on there! Let me go out again!" -Gilles Villeneuve, Zandvoort, 1979
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23 Jun 2003, 13:56 (Ref:640198)
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Weasel Wrangler Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,885
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Mine isn't listed (Subaru Impreza WRX Sportwagon), but as a 2003 model with some significant changes to the previous car, I would hope it's at least 4 stars. The car shell is quite strong as it's a base for a WRC, but obviously they do make a change or two...
Not sure how it would fare on the pedestrian test - the bonnet is aluminium and would deform very easily, but it has a big air scoop with a very solid looking intercooler directly below it. Hmm - I'll try to avoid running anyone over I think...  Looking at high end performance cars, I've seen enough big accidents on the circuit to know that the only one I'd feel confident of walking away from after a major RTA is the 911 (993/996). |
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__________________
"Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose."
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23 Jun 2003, 14:03 (Ref:640209)
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#4 | |
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CCNA
Royalridge ComputingA LARGE Teapot Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 10,691
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garcon you have a Scooby? I'm shocked! Please tell me it isn't Scooby Blue with stars painted on it?!!!?
 To be honest, the only car I'd feel confident of walking away from after a major RTA is one that hadn't been in the RTA. There's just so many things that can go wrong.
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__________________
If you feel that the circuit is not safe for racing, please go into the pits and retire.
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23 Jun 2003, 14:07 (Ref:640216)
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#5 | |
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Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,979
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I wonder what the stars of a '96 Alfa 146 would be.
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23 Jun 2003, 14:09 (Ref:640219)
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#6 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 1,074
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Have just look at mine its got 4 stars for safety but look out if your a pedestrian as it only get a 1 star for that (but im not going to get hit by my own car am I???)
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23 Jun 2003, 14:13 (Ref:640222)
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#7 | |
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CCNA
Royalridge ComputingA LARGE Teapot Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 10,691
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Well a 2001 Alfa 147 gets 3 stars....so it's not looking hopeful for the 146....
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__________________
If you feel that the circuit is not safe for racing, please go into the pits and retire.
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23 Jun 2003, 14:14 (Ref:640223)
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#8 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,482
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My Saab 9-5 earns 4-stars, but I notice they tested a LHD model, it would be interesting to know a RHD version would fare.
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__________________
"Not the pronoun but a player with the unlikely name of Who is on first."
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23 Jun 2003, 14:23 (Ref:640230)
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#9 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Apr 1999
Posts: 1,631
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My car's waaaay too old to even be listed!
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23 Jun 2003, 14:23 (Ref:640231)
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#10 | |
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CCNA
Royalridge ComputingA LARGE Teapot Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 10,691
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Just while we're on the subject of Top Gear, what did everyone make of that Koenigsegg thing? I loved the look of it!
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__________________
If you feel that the circuit is not safe for racing, please go into the pits and retire.
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23 Jun 2003, 15:01 (Ref:640266)
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#11 | |||
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Weasel Wrangler Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,885
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Quote:
Once upon a time I did own a Terzo special edition in rally blue with gold alloys - known to my friends as the pimp mobile  But I'm glad to report that Terzo no. 265 was sold some time ago, and the current one's a little more "sensible" - it's a 5dr for a start, and it's black with graphite alloys (std on the 2003 car). My only concession to boyhood Scooby-itis is a Prodrive back box, which does sound rather splendid! One piece of footage in particular inspired my comment on the 911 - Porsche Cup a few years ago, two 993s side by side at Cadwell (I think). They both went straight on at turn one and hit the earth banking at around 90mph. Both cars and drivers were perfectly fit to race at the next round two weeks later...  (though I'm guessing their budgets were a little tight for the remainder of the season after two front end rebuilds...) |
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__________________
"Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose."
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23 Jun 2003, 16:23 (Ref:640358)
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#12 | |||
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Veteran
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 625
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Quote:
 Luckily it just needed a quick squirt with the powder. I did think about using the foam on Pete himself as he was generating so much heat......
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__________________
Like all who stand before the inquisitor, your judge shall be... yourself! Oh smeg..... Oh smeg indeed, matey!
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23 Jun 2003, 16:39 (Ref:640384)
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#13 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,760
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Hrrmmm.
Put it this way: I hope to hell I never have a crash in mine, of any form. Jesus. This is annoying, I might have to force myself to stop drive so fast all the time... Man, decisions. Driving way too fast is so much fun though! :-(. Hrrrmmm. Decisions. :-( |
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__________________
"The world is my country, and science is my religion." - Christian Huygens: 17th century Dutch astronomer.
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23 Jun 2003, 17:15 (Ref:640434)
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#14 | ||
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Weasel Wrangler Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,885
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Aha! Neilwaynesmith, thanks for that! Had a hunch it might've been at Castle Combe.
I used to help a mate of mine in the Porsche Classic, but we never quite made it to the Cup. No money or car to race with at the moment though - just a 924 Turbo in bits in the yard... Are you still in the Porsche club racing fraternity? (Apologies for thread hijack! Back to the topic...) |
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__________________
"Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose."
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23 Jun 2003, 17:24 (Ref:640450)
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#15 | ||
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Weasel Wrangler Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,885
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Oops - just answered my own question reading another thread - you're a marshall!
If you've ever marshalled the Porsche Classic at Castle Combe, you may have heard of my friend. At first practice he got to the pit gate and asked a marshall which way the track went. Not the best timing - the Clerk of the Course was stood behind him! Proper b  cking in race control and one less signature on his novice licence!!Er, sorry. Back to thread!! It's good that car programs are taking safety seriously. I know Top Gear were (ok, Clarkson was) a little tongue in cheek last night, but they still got the point across. The one that really made me think about my own driving was when 5th Gear drove a Volvo and a BMW at each other head on at 60mph. Impact 120mph, total carnage. The message: ONE mistake overtaking someone and only fate will decide if it'll be your last. |
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__________________
"Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose."
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23 Jun 2003, 18:23 (Ref:640527)
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#16 | |
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Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,727
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Our 2001 Skoda Octavia has 4 stars ...
But I'll have to turn it in next week
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23 Jun 2003, 18:28 (Ref:640532)
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#17 | ||
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Take That Fan
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 9,104
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Just checked - my Rover 25 gets 3 stars for Front and Side Impact Rating and 2 for Pedestrian Test Rating........
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__________________
There is only one way of life and thats your own ! ! !
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23 Jun 2003, 18:33 (Ref:640545)
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#18 | ||
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Weasel Wrangler Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,885
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Which isn't bad for a car designed in the 1930s...
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__________________
"Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose."
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23 Jun 2003, 18:36 (Ref:640553)
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#19 | ||
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Ten-Tenths Hall of Fame
Veteran
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 3,797
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They're interesting, these tests, and I suppose they help to rate one car against another. But it has to be said, no two accidents are alike, and someone could walk away from one which could do serious damage to the next person.
Case in point, I saw a Vauxhall Corsa torn open in an accident this morning. I don't hold out much hope that the occupants walked away from it, and all for a banal error of judgement during a passing manouvre at no more than 40mph. Forty head on would have been nasty, but forty while spinning into a tree is something else entirely. |
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24 Jun 2003, 05:58 (Ref:641067)
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#20 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 412
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My truck is not the best when it comes to safety. It is a 1968 Chevy pickup, with drum brakes on all four sides! Add to that the fact that the gas tank is in the cab directly behind the seat!!!! It's all good fun though! Being that the beast is one massive hunk of metal, any slow crash the other car would be totaled, as I found out in a parking lot fender bender. The truck had a small ding and the bumper was a little out of line, the other cars whole front side was messed up!
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24 Jun 2003, 17:06 (Ref:641638)
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#21 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 601
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Full race spec Clan Crusader. Probabl not very safe as it is still 240bhp/tonne and drums all round
Disc conversion waiting however
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__________________
I love the deadlines. Especially the sound of them screaming by...
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25 Jun 2003, 07:32 (Ref:642305)
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#22 | |||
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Veteran
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 625
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Quote:
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__________________
Like all who stand before the inquisitor, your judge shall be... yourself! Oh smeg..... Oh smeg indeed, matey!
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27 Jun 2003, 17:40 (Ref:644966)
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#23 | |
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Rookie
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 62
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My car has 4 stars but I have no intention of just ramming it into a stationary car like they did on top gear - scary to watch!
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__________________
If I was a cat I'd only have about 5 lives left
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29 Jun 2003, 22:54 (Ref:646589)
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#24 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 809
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2001 Audi A4. 4 Stars for me, but only one for any poor pedestrian I might hit. Let's hope I stick to hitting other cars, walls and hedges, as has been my track record up to now.
That's woken me up a bit actually. Quite a scary thought. At the risk of stating the obvious, I do hope I never hit a person |
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30 Jun 2003, 13:29 (Ref:647193)
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#25 | ||
 Race OfficialVeteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,279
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Ooops. Pedestrians seriously want to get out of my way - 1 star. Hitting anything else 3 stars (seems to have done ok so far, I've been hit head on by an XR3i and a 7 ton truck and the old girl's still going).
Pug 306 Dturbo in case you were wondering (probably not). |
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