Tim Harvey Professional Driver?

[gwar]

Whilst leaving Rockingham after BTCC late on Sunday we were following a BMW with a BRDC sticker on the back.
Whilst driving through Corby around the various amounts of roundabouts this car did not use any indicators on the roundabouts or overtaking other vehicles. It wasn't until we got to pass it on the dual carriageway my partner recognised the driver was on the phone with one hand and the other hand on the steering wheel talking away with no care for other road users. This person was Tim Harvey.
I don't know what relation Tim Harvey is in BRDC but perhaps he should remove the sticker from his car as he is giving the club a bad name for driving like an idiot and against the law................Professional driver, what a joke!! Surely he can afford a hands free kit. No doubt this thread will be removed but we know someone who was killed last year by an idiot on the phone.

[White flag man]

I also remember that at the finale at Silverstone last year, he spun the car at Brooklands before he got from assembly to the grid.
I wouldn't follow him too closely

[paddy]

There are far too many people still ignoring the law. I have just retired from the Fire Service and have seen the dreadful consequences of bad driving. Unfortunately the fixation on speeding instead of all driving standards has meant that many people break the law and get away with it.
Perhaps anyone who thinks it is ok to use their mobile whilst drivng should see the possible consequences of their actions.

[lord ponsonby]

many years ago leaving donington aftre a btcc meeting the m40 was used as a race track by numerous drivers all in their company cars.

[Andrew Palmer]

Originally Posted by gwar

BMW car did not use any indicators.

Do BMW's come with indicators?

[Woolley]

Mine does... I use them too. On the other hand, very few cars of any description seem to have them.

None of which has anything to do with marshalling though, so over to... Road Car? Touring Cars? Parc Ferme, even. Could pop up anywhere.

[Adam43]

I hope that everyone who participates in the bash Tim part of this thread uses their indicators at junctions, changing lanes and leaving roundabouts, that they don't use mobiles while, and generally drives with full concentration and obeys the law.

I presume that reduces the number eligible to comment While he is in a position of responsibility here it doesn't mean he should obey these rules more than the rest of us; it means we should all follow these rules.

On a general indicator point, maybe we should change the name to confirminator as they are rarely used before an action.

Of course, I agree that all of the above should be adhered to. Not only does it make everyone safer, but it also helps other drivers complete their journey in an easy and more effecient manner. While it should only ever be used as an indication, indicating while leaving a roundabout helps traffic flow as it gives a useful indication to those who may join from the next entrance. When people don't I presume it is because they are inconsiderate. Not hard, is it?

[paddy]

I'm not bashing Tim. The point is that nobody should be using a mobile phone whilst driving. If you cause an accident for the sake of a phone call then you and any other victims have to live with that. Get a proper kit if you must use your phone or switch it off. Simple.

[Adam43]

Yes.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by gwar

we know someone who was killed last year by an idiot on the phone.

In fact many have died as result of inattention caused by the use of hand held mobiles whilst driving but so many still think that they are quite capable of driving properly whilst using them. It's arrogant, complacent, over confident and shows a complete lack of imagination regarding the potential for dangerous consequences, not to mention a disdain for both other drivers and a sensible piece of law. I actually don't dislike Harvey as a racing driver; I thought he was/is more than adequately competent on the whole, but if this was indeed him, then clearly his road driving skills are questionable.

[paddy]

I agree with you completely John. The vast majority of the population have no idea what the scene at a serious road accident is like and hopefully never will. I was at a fire station that attended a fairly high number of RTAs and they are not pretty. You don't need great speeds to cause enormous damage and the human body is not designed to deal with it. You also need to remember that the people involved are somebody's loved ones and are often the innocent victim of someone else's poor driving. So stay off the phone and be patient, most of the accidents I attended were caused by bad ovrtaking.

[smh]

Ive worked with Tim, and have to say he was a great bloke to work with. Ok so you weren't too impressed with the fact he was using his mobile and no indicators, but its his road licence that would be endorsed, and subsequently his race licence could be revoked... I think this mobile phone thing has got totally out of hand, alot like this global warming crap. What will they stop us doing next while driving? We cant eat, drink or hold a phone. Stop radio volume adjustments on the move? Removing your hand to wind down a window? Turning round to tell the kids "No we're not there yet?" Sure a few accidents are caused directly by phones being used but bad driving is more likely the cause.
In addition He did smash the race car up in one silly accident, but well thats racing!

[gwar]

Originally Posted by smh

Ive worked with Tim, and have to say he was a great bloke to work with. Ok so you weren't too impressed with the fact he was using his mobile and no indicators, but its his road licence that would be endorsed, and subsequently his race licence could be revoked... I think this mobile phone thing has got totally out of hand, alot like this global warming crap. What will they stop us doing next while driving? We cant eat, drink or hold a phone. Stop radio volume adjustments on the move? Removing your hand to wind down a window? Turning round to tell the kids "No we're not there yet?" Sure a few accidents are caused directly by phones being used but bad driving is more likely the cause.
In addition He did smash the race car up in one silly accident, but well thats racing!

How can this mobile phone thing get totally out of hand when innocent people get killed through no fault of their own?
Alot of new cars have radio tuning equipment on the steering wheel and a hands free kit is cheap enough to be in the car. At what expense to the person who was killed?
Bad driving is caused by just using one hand on the steering wheel and changing gears etc. It's not hard is it?? But obviously it is for some people.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by smh

I think this mobile phone thing has got totally out of hand, alot like this global warming crap.

It isn't alot like.
In addition using a hand held phone is not like adjusting the volume. Although interestingly most modern cars have the adjustments on the steering wheel to make it safer.

Originally Posted by smh

Sure a few accidents are caused directly by phones being used but bad driving is more likely the cause.

Driving while holding a phone is bad driving! Clearly.

[John Turner]

Absolutely correct gwar and Adam. Your statements, smh, are flawed and, frankly, quite worrying. I guess it tells us precisely why some people still think it is OK to use hand held phones whilst driving.

[silver bullet]

I agree that holding a mobile phone while driving is wrong, but I also agree with smh when he says it has all got out of hand.
There is too much emphasis put on mobile phones. It should be made clear that we all need to concentrate on our driving while we are behind the wheel. I know some people who are very able to hold a mobile phone and concentrate on their driving, but equally I know some who are distracted at the slightest thing they see out of the corner of their eye.

It's not just mobile phones that are the problem, but its a general lack of concentration from a high percentage of drivers. Phones are just an easy target for the powers that be, to latch onto.

I was following someone yesterday and they were talking to their passenger, waving their arms around and actually looking at their passenger for several seconds at a time. It was clear they were not concentrating on what they were doing and I dread to think what might have happened if someone had stepped out in front of them.

[BertMk2]

A friend of mine is quite open about the fact that she doesn't enjoy driving "it's just a means of getting from A to B" consequently she uses her time "trapped" in the car to do other things - like talk on the phone, write notes (I kid you not) and generally anything else to pass the time. It is a truly scary experience being in a car that she's "driving".

So it's not phones that are the problem - it's poor driving that's the problem (no matter what the cause - phones, inattentiveness or whatever).

[johnh875]

Bert I think using a phone equals inattentiveness whether it is hand held or not, it is holding the conversation that takes your attention. You need to be aware of the potential for distraction and make sure you keep your eyes and attention on the road. People may make comparisons to changing the radio station or talking to a passenger but it is very different. Changing a radio station (or whatever) is a quick operation only, it does not continue for 5min. When chatting to a passenger they can also see what is going on around you such as a major intersection approaching, and shut up for a moment while someone on the other end of a phone does not make such allowances - you need to take this on and the person who is talking while you are driving should understand if you say "hang on a sec".

I'm not saying don't use phones in the car (I do myself), just be aware of the dangers.

What is worse is texting where you have to look at the screen. There was a case out here a few years back where a young woman ran down a cyclist on a straight semi-rural road (80 or 100km/h speed limit) while writing a text message.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by silver bullet

I agree that holding a mobile phone while driving is wrong, but I also agree with smh when he says it has all got out of hand.

smh's level of "out of hand" is quite different to yours I suspect.

While I agree that there is too much nannying from the government, some people do show that they need it!

There is too much emphasis put on mobile phones.

When I say that holding a phone makes for bad driving I am not saying that other things don't. It is bad driving generally that is the problem. Agreed. However if you can't see what is wrong with the mobile phone thing then you haven't got a prayer with understanding what is generally bad driving.

[Craig]

And remember... speed kills

[Adam43]

Nah, it is rate of change of speed that kills.

[Bluebottle]

'driving without due care and attention' should be enough to cover all the things mentioned in the last few posts. but since the police don't seem interested in stopping dangerous drivers you can do whatever stupid thing you like as long as you're not speeding when you pass the camera while steering with your teeth because your hands are busy writing your will, picking your toenails, making tea or whatever.

[Adam43]

Agreed, I always thought that the mobile thing was covered by that catch-all. However highlighting phones was a good thing to do because it is evident that some don't make a connection that it is 'driving without due care and attention'. The side effect is that, as with speeding, the police have an easy way to nick you and don't actually stamp out 'without due care' as such.

[Mulsanne Bleu]

Originally Posted by Andrew Palmer

Do BMW's come with indicators?

In the future, BMW may fit an automatic indicator for every one of their car, all the driver have to do is say "indicate left/right" and the car will indicate itself automatically...just something I am dreaming of

alternatively, BMW could include a indicator lesson for their driver's course

...just saying this as I had my fair share problems, when I am on the motorway in my "March", they simply hate it when they get overtaken by small cars on fast lanes, especially them, so all they want to do is illegally undertake me on the middle/slow lane

[Rockmunky]

Originally Posted by johnh875

It is holding the conversation that takes your attention.

If holding the conversation is the distraction, then, surely we shouldn't have conversations with passengers?


Can't win really...