Date:         Wed, 24 Aug 94 11:50:31 bst
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         A.C.Erskine@lut.ac.uk (Andy Erskine)
Subject:      Re: pre-coffee whining

>
>Perhaps the people we bus owners piss off the most are the ones who
>race from red light to red light when driving in the city (and other
>places with traffic lights).
>
>I learned to drive in a '63 Bus, and learned at an early age to time
>the approach to the traffic signal, so that I wouldn't have to stop.
>
>Unfortunately (for the people behind me), it meant that I approached the
>red light at 20mph or so, instead of the 45 or 50 that they wanted to
>drive.  But I always breezed by the speedsters stopped at the red light
>in the adjacent lanes when I blazed through the green light at 
>20 or 25 mph!
>
>This "skill" became useful later in life, when I bought a diesel Jetta.
>
For years I drove a Mini (you know, one of those tiny things) with a 
full-race 1000cc engine. It didn't like to run at anything below 3000 rpm so 
driving it in traffic took some forethought. It would pop and bang as I 
trickled along at 20 mph in 1st gear holding everyone up approaching red 
lights. Other drivers would try and pass (usually in the most dangerous way 
possible) just because they thought it was old and slow, but the slightest 
whiff of throttle and it left anyone standing. I embarrassed quite a few 
faster cars (including a 911) on twisty roads because, although it was 
gutless on the straights, I didn't need to slow down for corners
Now I drive the bus I like to cruise along and watch the country roll past. 
On narrow, windy roads it becomes a challenge to see how long a queue of 
cars I can build up behind me. I saw a great cartoon of two VW campers 
approaching each other, waving and flashing their lights, with huge 
tail-backs behind them. The caption read 'The joys of the open road'. On the 
motorway I find the bus real relaxing. There's no need to change lanes or 
battle it out in the fast lane with company-car mounted lunatics (90mph 
bumper-to-bumper, phone in one hand, frantically flashing their headlights 
at the car in front with the other). Just sit back and trundle along, 
looking down on all those sad car drivers stressing themselves out because 
they can't get one car length further up the traffic queue.

Andy E.