[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by FlatOut

85mph is the standard. Many motorways have the third lane full of cars at around 95mph. Plenty exceed 100, too.

Hi, FO. I guess that would be severely stressful and tiring. Cruising at 150-160 km/h in the third lane which is chock-a-block with cars (and in all probability, some not maintaining enough space in between), and all this while trying to keep a watchful eye on where the next speed camera or policeman is - we don't face this kind of traffic situation in India. Here it's more about an overloaded truck hogging the overtaking lane at 50 km/h or less, while one tries to overtake from the left as a matter of convenience (dodging a few cows and cyclists and tractor-trolleys while doing so).

Come over to India if you haven't visited already. It's a whole different world out here!

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Deeply sorry if I have offended anyone, esp. a Scot. We (Indians) do tend to use England/ UK interchangeably. But we don't include the Continent when we say England/ UK!

Regards
Sutripta

LOL. Did you know when Murray was called English, it almost resulted in WW-III.

[BlackPearl]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

A quick clarification requested here, since I have never driven in UK - I understand that since 1965 the maximum speed limit on any UK road has been 70 mph (113 km/h). Is traffic & speed limit enforcement so lax that people get away with driving at 100mph+ all the time?

Yes Shamindra Da, the speed limit is 70 mph on the motorways and people usually drive at around 80 mph. Occasional bursts of 100+ are also common, but not in continuous stretches.

[FlatOut]

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

I wanted to know the place because I happen to be in UK for the time being. So I don't need any introduction to the way people drive in Britain. I drove last week for about 1300 miles in 2 days. To be very frank, the journey ended before I could call it a long drive. Compared to the distances that I do in India it was really peanuts. I am generally a humble person and don't brag about my drives, but the last 2 months of staying in London has taught me not to be humble in front of the English :-) One more point is that in the northern part of India, we are used to travel at average heights of 16000 + feet which takes its toll on the cars and drivers; compared to that driving Britain is way too easy. Ben Navis is a hillock compared to those :-D

I think you Indians simply have more stamina than us Westerners, simple as that. It is years of poor food, lack of exercise, pollution and excess alcohol. Also, the human being tends to adapt to local conditions, so many successful long-distance runners come from Kenya, for example. Having said that, I have managed a similar distance to you BlackPearl without much problem. What sort of car were you driving?

Your comment about humility is very apt indeed - Londoners are a breed apart, just as Parisiens are - the French cannot stand them. I always try to look for the good in people, it is almost always there, just a little more concealed in some than others. But a lack of humility is never a pleasant trait.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Hi, FO. I guess that would be severely stressful and tiring. Cruising at 150-160 km/h in the third lane which is chock-a-block with cars (and in all probability, some not maintaining enough space in between), and all this while trying to keep a watchful eye on where the next speed camera or policeman is - we don't face this kind of traffic situation in India. Here it's more about an overloaded truck hogging the overtaking lane at 50 km/h or less, while one tries to overtake from the left as a matter of convenience (dodging a few cows and cyclists and tractor-trolleys while doing so).

Come over to India if you haven't visited already. It's a whole different world out here!

Thanks, I intend to at some point in my life, and hope to travel overland if at all possible.

You're correct about driving in England, it can be extremely stressful and tiring, even if the journey is just for three or four hours. Your eyes are everywhere - on your speed camera warning devices, for police, dangerous drivers, in your mirrors and so on. As well as maintaining a safe distance with the car in front, but not so large someone cuts right in front of you. I guess we have different types of difficult driving. It is remarkable our accident stats are as low as they are, given the proximity to the car in front when congestion builds. Over recent years speed limits have been enforced on extra-busy motorways to speed up flow - if everyone tries to go too fast in these conditions, you get a concertina-ing effect where you speed up, then slow to a crawl or a stop for no apparent reason before speeding up again.

But get away from the large population centres and driving can be delightful - roads can be almost empty and you have a clear view ahead. I do not advocate any form of dangerous driving but at times our 70mph limit is a little silly - almost all police road traffic officers would agree. Seasoned motorists with vehicles in good condition adjust their speed to suit the circumstances, perhaps cruising at 80-90mph where possible.

My favourite motorway section (and they are hard to like compared with 'normal' roads) is the M6 North of Kendal, which then turns into the M74 across the border into Scotland. It's usually very quiet, the scenery is truly amazing and the road climbs and turns, at times alongside a main railway line. Anybody who can rigidly stick to 70mph on this road needs a check-up!

Other main roads worthy of note are the dual carriageway A30 from Exeter down into Cornwall and the A66 from Barnard Castle to Appleby over Bowes Moor. Perhaps the most wonderful of all is the road between Lochinver and Ullapool, in the far North-West of Scotland.

[mpksuhas]

What saps the energy out of me most on any long journey or any journey for that matter is the idiots who has no regard for traffic rules or safety of others.

[sagarpadaki]

For me , one of the factors till now that cause tiring is those broken roads(not potholed ones) which shoot up the tire noise through the roof and also cause all the objects in the car to vibrate annoyingly. These are mostly state highway roads(Ex - Bellary to Siruguppa) . Couple this with a car with soft suspension that does not glide over these irregularities and fatigue will set in within half hour. Oh and driving the car tilted to one side because of the unscientific banking of some of these state highways is also bad!

[FlatOut]

This thread has twisted and turned in a very interesting way from the original question, "Which characteristics of a car create the most fatigue on a longer, faster journey?". Returning briefly to this thought, I read a report in the Swedish motoring magazine 'Teknikens Värld' today which links low frequency sound to sleepiness. At 90mph, I find this type of noise does become very tiring over a day's travel - whether from the tyres or a particular engine. An inline six cylinder engine has a much higher, purer note, as does one of my favoured boxer engines!

http://translate.google.co.uk/transl...en-US:official

Further to the discussion regarding car (dis)comfort, a couple of weeks ago it was very hot in Britain, around 30C. (I hear your sniggers but you don't have a foot of snow and -10C for weeks on end, either - we acclimatise to our own situations). A friend's car which has a rather poor ride seemed ten times worse in the heat - it seems excess heat magnifies other discomforts. I think perhaps a loud, unpleasant-sounding engine may be much more bearable - even able to be ignored - if the rest of the car is comfortable. But as soon as the brain has to deal with more than one serious discomfort, they become amplified.

It also seems that the volume of a noise is influenced hugely - with regard to the brain's ability to deal with it over a journey - by the quality of that noise. Make a car so quiet you cannot hear the engine and maybe other sounds or even other discomforts come to the fore? At the moment I have a very noisy wheel bearing, which happens to be a truly horrible job. The sound is quite bearable, but it is the thought of tackling the job and finding out if any damage has been done to the hub (even more nasty work) as I listen to it which provides the most discomfort!

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

Yes Shamindra Da, the speed limit is 70 mph on the motorways and people usually drive at around 80 mph. Occasional bursts of 100+ are also common, but not in continuous stretches.

Well, I have been driving in Britain since the 1980s, and I would say that continuous stretches of 100mph+ are as common, if not more so than occasional bursts. The speed of the majority of the third/outside lane (in uncongested conditions) varies according to which motorway you are using, from 65mph to 90mph. The M5 from the Midlands to the South West is notoriously fast, particularly between Worcester and just North of Bristol. The M1 is usually a fast motorway, too - South of Northampton. It is all done quite surreptitiously, though - rarely do you see dangerous driving. There are unmarked police cars to keep you on your toes!

Some of the most dangerous driving I see is the driver who proceeds everywhere at 45mph - in built up areas where the speed limit is 20 or 30mph, and on the open road where the limit is 60. His brain is quite obviously disengaged from what is going on around him.

[BlackPearl]

Originally Posted by FlatOut

What sort of car were you driving?

A Volkswagen Touran in UK. In India I drive a bare bones Bolero 4x4 with leaf springs all around

Originally Posted by FlatOut

Well, I have been driving in Britain since the 1980s, and I would say that continuous stretches of 100mph+ are as common, if not more so than occasional bursts.

My observation was based on the M6, M74, M80, A9, A82, M4, M3.... Hopefully in another 10 months of my stay here I will be seeing the roads where 100+ mph is common.
Off topic, I have driven and ridden close to 150 thousand miles in USA in 3 years of my stay there, the notable difference that I find here is that the people are much better drivers and the average speed is much higher on twisty roads. Also the number cops on roads are much less. Driving was extremely boring in USA

[Superleggera]

I voted for excess heat.

Slow moving traffic is another factor. Any vibrations, mechanical issues with the car is likely to make the driver nervous thuis feeling more tired.

[ramases6]

An overloaded truck or a slow moving vehicle crawling along at 40 kmph on an expressway killing the joy of cruising is a stress inducer. Add bus drivers who move diagonally from left to right or vice versa. I can cope better with potholes and speed breakers on city roads but find it more irksome on highways.

[FlatOut]

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

My observation was based on the M6, M74, M80, A9, A82, M4, M3.... Hopefully in another 10 months of my stay here I will be seeing the roads where 100+ mph is common.
Off topic, I have driven and ridden close to 150 thousand miles in USA in 3 years of my stay there, the notable difference that I find here is that the people are much better drivers and the average speed is much higher on twisty roads. Also the number cops on roads are much less. Driving was extremely boring in USA

Speed doesn't kill, inappropriate speed does.

The M74 is a fairly fast stretch of M-way. The others not so great - Lancashire police have long been notorious (M6) - they had wide fast roads in the 30s before motorways and seem to have developed their skills in a genetic way , the A9 is notoriously policed and with cameras I think, the A82 great when quiet in a sweet-handling car. M3 fastish, M4 not so in my experience. Just watch out for unmarked cars, they are very crafty in goading motorists into going faster.

Don't think I said 100+ was common, just that those holding a steady 100mph+ as common as those who venture briefly above the ton. Keep your eyes out and radar on!!

[Vihari]

I for one went with the poor suspension / uncomfortable ride since on personal front, I am suffering from back pain and hence that is the most important part for my comfort.

Originally Posted by KarthikK

I'll however bring in a new aspect...some people start to get stuffy noses when the AC blower jet is directed at their faces

I agree with you Karthik since I had the same problem many times.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

I find that setting up the seat to be a bit more upright than I'd prefer, or a little too close to the steering
Try running repairs or changing a flat tyre on a summer afternoon and you'll know what tiredness is!

Sir, could not agree more.

Originally Posted by vb-san

And a few kms on bad roads like the one shown below can be quite tiring.
Attachment 1122922

Thats a nightmare for me!

BTW FO, pardon me if I am wrong but should not the Question should be - Which characteristic .......on a LONG and FAST journey? instead of Longer - Faster, which are terms used when comparing a particular journey with another one.

- Sai