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JiB

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Posts posted by JiB

  4. Posted · Report reply

    Why having a B-road thrash should be left to hillclimbs. I was sent this, it's reasonably sobering. :(

    http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.a...ison?&mid=0

    Scroll down to "10 pence Short"'s posts

    I caused an accident after losing control of my car. It was sideways straddling both sides of a B road, a motorcyclist coming the other way came around a blind bend to be confronted with a car blocking the road. The impact launched him over my (destroyed) car and dumped him on the middle of the road, unconcious. His bike had been thrown some 14 metres back the way it came. My car dangled precariously over the edge of a drop past the verge.

    After about a minute or so of getting my breath back following the airbag deploying, I realised I'd caused a very serious accident. I'd seen the motorcyclist only for a split second before the impact imploded against the B piller behind my head and shattered every window on the car. My sunglasses had disappeared from my face, glass from the door window was mingled with blood dripping from my face.

    There was no way of opening the drivers door, I clambered over the passenger seat and observed one of the worst sights of my life.

    For about 50 metres down the direction I'd come from, were the tell tale black lines of a skidding car. These were only interrupted by gouge marks on the road surface where car had met bike. In the middle of this lay the biker, motionless, unconscious, a mess. Onlookers, other motorists, were out of their cars but nothing more than background fuzz.

    By the time I got out of the car, some other bikers had begun trying to help the badly injured guy laying on the centreline of the road. For a long minute, he didn't move, he didn't seem to breath. I'd just killed a man. Then some movement, some spluttering. Blind panic from someone who's just woken up to wish that he hadn't. His girlfriend, who had been a few minutes further behind on her own bike, arrived. Screaming and wailing, wondering how this has come to happen. No doubt a million thoughts all arriving at once. Most of them fearing the worst.

    First aiders helped on the scene, I didn't know how to help medically. I was guilty, impotent and wondering how I'd gone from an enthusiastic drive to a potential killer in the space of 50 metres. It only took 3 or 4 minutes for the Police to arrive, I volunteered myself immediately as the guilty party. I was breath tested and questioned on-scene, sat in a Volvo, bleeding on the back seats whilst in full view of the prone motorcyclist, by this time being worked on by the paramedics who'd arrived, hoping the patient could last long enough for the air ambulance to arrive.

    I'll never forget that poor man, lying there screaming for his helmet to be taken off, his girlfriend in tears and despair and me, not badly injured, no reason to have caused this, other than wanting to enjoy the road.

    The motorcyclist spent days in intensive care, being treated for most of his right arm being smashed to pieces, his collarbone wrecked, serious head injuries, damaged eye socket, chipped bones on his ankle and a massive nerve injury. A year later and even after a number of operations, he still has many to go to correct his broken body and his impaired eyesight. The nerve damage to his dominant right arm means he'll never regain full use of it. He can no longer support his children by working on the rigs as he did beforehand.

    My car was impounded by the Police and kept from the day of the accident, 30th April 2006 until the July. I was first formally interviewed in June 2006, then again in September. I was charged via postal summons in November last year. Magistrates passed the case to Crown Court on 13/12/06, as their sentencing powers were not sufficient and at that point I knew I was going to prison.

    10 days short of a year after my accident, I pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and banned from driving for 3 years, for dangerous driving. Aside from the odd speeding conviction (I was driving 65,000 miles a year for the previous 10 years), I had never been in trouble with the Police before.

    There was no feeling, no shock, no crying or anger when I was sent down from that court room. Just numbness. As the judge finished his sentencing, I had just one opportunity of shouting to my other half how much I loved her, before being lead into the downstairs of the court. The guard, a nice guy in his late 50s, explained that he had to handcuff me to himself, and down I went. Immediately down, through a number of locked, barred gates, to a booking in counter. All my possessions, and my belt, taken. My height measured. All my details recorded. Then 4 hours in a windowless cell with nothing but a wooden bench and contemplation for company.

    4.30pm on a sunny Friday afternoon, leaving a happy looking Carlisle, but for me, in the back of a paddywagon. Watching people leaving school and work with a smile on their faces, looking forward to a weekend of choices. I was heading to HMP Durham.

    You can say what you like about prison, and how easy it is, how great you think the facilities are, how prison is like a holiday camp. It's none of those things. It's a demeaning, soul-less place full of sad and sometimes evil people who have lives none of us would ever want or even imagine. All the freedoms you take for granted are removed in the name of control and security to the point that you're constantly reminded how little value society as a whole places on your miserable little existence.

    I could write reams and reams about the prison system and the feelings being in it evoke, but I fear to do so would be heavy reading for the casual PHer. I would be happy to answer any questions people have about prison or my ordeal, though.

  7. Posted · Report reply

    Yup, Mike's on to it. Just plug numbers into Posted Image

    But you'll have to make assumptions about material, etc.

    With a U-bar, there's always a bending moment about the mounts, which gets bigger the stiffer it gets. But not sure how much it matters on a road car.

  13. Posted · Edited by JiB · Report reply

    I had to LOL too when I saw the thread title! :D

    So accidents never happen on the weekends? That's good to know!

    Haha, to top it off Mum wants another E46 (she seriously regrets selling hers).

    I think the idea with the "safe car" thing is that I drive through the ports with the big trucks, through the masses of Remuera tractors, and deal with nutcase South Aucklanders on a daily basis - so having a tiny/invisible/tin can E30 wasn't "safe enough".

    Hey jonathon-I can vouch for this one-100% genuine car including FSH right down to original sales & import documentation

    http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...n-316828285.htm

    Neither a facelift nor is it a 325i, but have passed it on to him. I really dig it though.

  15. Posted · Report reply

    On behalf of Dad.

    Must be:

    -Coupe

    -Factory manual

    -318i or 325i

    -Completely standard

    -Working Aircon

    -No rips or tears in the seats

    -Facelift

    -Open to a prepurchase inspection by Glenn or similar

    Preferably:

    -No sunroof

    -Tech1 or Tech2 wheel

    -Full service history

    -Very mint

    We are in no rush, please make sure your car fulfills the requirements before asking. We have a 1.8L manual MX5 if you're interested in a swap.

    Cheers.

  17. Posted · Report reply

    Yea, mine looks good from the front yours looks good from the back, if your car is blue we could just drive bumper to bumper and it might look ok ;)

    Yup, I do indeed have a blue one, you'd have to paint your rims gold to match though :P

    Not even. :lol:

    Yeah, sometimes I'm glad I'm on the inside of the car (secretly the bugeye is growing on me)

    I didn't like the price, interior, driving position, or seats of the Evos. I'm sure they're quicker - but as a daily, I'd much rather the STi!

    P.S. My insurance on the Subaru is cheaper than the touring's 'cos it's stock. But insurance companies wouldn't even look at me when I said "evo". Weird.

  18. Posted · Report reply

    Are you going to the illegal drags tonight :P

    Keep for a cruise Jono :D

    No even auuu. (I've always wondered how people knew where to go for those congregations)

    Haha, a cruise with the Megane and the bugeye STi? Two very awkward looking turbo vehicles :lol:

  19. Posted · Report reply

    Im thinking STI V7, its AWD and has 8k red line, airbags as well i think.

    Great cars, but yea the looks....

    :P

    (Cant see trademe link at work)

    Haha, bang on.

    Do they rev to 8, always thought that was great optimism, even I want one now.

    Do do you know something? My link was a shitty Honda as I know Jono has a penchant for Honda’s and V-Tec.

    Could be on the ball, I keep thinking how the heck do you get revs and torque without displacement??

    Guilty as charged - went to see some type R's but couldn't justify the money when a slowbaru was the same money. Yup they rev to 8, but to be honest most of the poke is gone by 7 and a bit rpm in standard.

    I also went to see some 328's but couldn't really deal with the looks and the falling apart interiors. Lol.

    This is all I could think of, here is my guess:

    http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...n-307107066.htm

    Revs to 8k, 4WD, air bags, new (ish), plenty of power, in the price bracket

    that legacy is not a bad deal, but not very exciting in terms of track day ability.

  21. Posted · Report reply

    the old tyres may have been stale

    but yea huge difference good tyres make eh

    Fully agree, an expensive old tyre is usually no better than a cheap new tyre!

    Tyre age is as important as tread depth imho. The rubber breaks down and the compound is no longer as the manufacturer intended. The compound is what makes a tyre, the tread pattern/brand are what sells the tyre.

    Been playing with some tyre data recently - 2+ years after manufacture, tyres start becoming poor. Compound and condition dependent of course.

    It's even worse with race/semi slicks where life is generally the number and type of heat cycles rather than available tread (unless of course you're doing an enduro!)

    If you wanna get serious about tyres, buy a durometer!

    My (possibly erroneous/invalid) 2c worth.

  23. Posted · Report reply

    Going for something that I can go snowboarding in (awd), trackdays, comfy, quiet, good brakes, good handling, lots of revs to play with. And new lol.

    Only one car that ticks all of the above in the 10-14k bracket....it's really ugly though :lol:

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