Sonner

will be along again, without the missus this time.... good to meet you all last week.

As always I look forward to attending, let's just hope nothing comes up this time.

We need someone to offer to run and organise this event, Maidstone meet is a little trek for me. If I had a local meeting then I know it would be easier for me to attend. If someone wants to rise to the challenge and offer to set one up that would be great. By the sounds of this thread I reckon there are at least 5 or so peeps that will defo come along.

Driving when you have a cold has been scientifically studied too and found to cause all of the above also.

recently test drove the countryman cooper D 4x4 and i must say it's frustrating slow and the engine felt very unresponsive, hopped into a clubman straight after and being just fwd it felt a little better but considering the weight of the clubman cooper d being similar to a 1.8tdci focus and both having around 115bhp, the focus is significantly faster and more fun to drive, not talking about the newest focus though, it was an 09plate 115bhp 1.8tdci zetec 5dr. made the clubman feel slow and dull. never been a ford man personally but the focus is a great handling hatch. never driven a modern a3 diesel, only the original a3 with a 1.8t and that was okay and an octavia 1.6tdi 105 diesel which felt useable and comfortable but nothing to write home about. if i was doing 30,000 miles a year i would have an a3 1.6tdi over the clubman. on the assumption of it feeling similar to the octavia on the road which is more comfy and refined than the clubman

wow reading this has kept me busy this afternoon. gotta let me know when you sell this. gotta be worth 10-12k once finished if you only put a few thousand miles on it. though i guess the total spend will probably be closer to 20-23k on the build. I'm assuming you haven't been keeping a spreadsheet of the build costs incase the missus finds it?

No not really Bossfox, I was only joking, unfortunately I can't use a sarcastic voice or face via the Internet. I am a mega mega mega skyline fan though, all started at the 2000 earls court motor show where I laid eyes on a gtr. Never had enough SPARE money to own one but they are my dream cars. I've been in the r32 r33 and r34 gtr's all running between 450-800bhp. Never driven one until the most recent one, but that was just a quick test drive around tunbridge wells when the 480bhp first model came put. I'm worried that if you bring the gtr I might not make it into the pub, instead will spend the evening in the car park gently caressing the tight yellow vinyl wrap of the gtr. Haven't been to a Maidstone meet for a long while, I hope chris remembers me cos he's the only one I remember.

I know my views on this subject are not 'with the crowd' but they are my views, and I am probably classed as an observant, conscienctious and patient driver and am generally considered to be a decent member of my local church community and a helpful go to type person at work, i'm not some evil road rage lunatic with an arrogant selfish attitude to life. Thought I would get that in before people accuse me of being devil worshiper or something.

FYI, my van has a aftermarket Bluetooth, my company BMW has a built in Bluetooth but my mr2 doesn't. When I have Bluetooth I use it, when in the mr2 on the phone I keep an eye out for police and tend to not talk on the motorway whilst driving as it's too easy to get caught but on single carriage roads if the phone rings I answer it. Yes I get colourful language, yes I get horns and beeps. In fact I had this rather intimidating looking guy in an old land cruiser follow me when I had the roof down on the mr2 and was on the phone, he gave me some colourful language and beeped and flashed a few times etc, in the end I rose to it and even after my call had eneded I just pretended to be on the phone and rested my other hand on the roof and used my knees to steer which as anyone with a mk3 mr2 will know is very easy. When I arrived at my location ( he had followed me for over 20mins) he blocked my car in and got out and made a beeline for me, thankfully I had just arrived at football practice and some of the older blokes intervened and removed him! It was hilarious! I accpreicate this particular post may be slightly inflammatory for some people and understand if it gets removed but thought I would share my entertaining story

Not doing this to set anyone off, and there are always horror stories to be told But I don't think twice about talking on my phone whilst driving! And yes I get reported and no the police can't do anything even with video evidence, I have had people take pictures of me whilst driving and send it into the police and I've had a total of three letters from the police telling me I have been reported talking on the phone whilst driving but the letter also states that they can't take any action against me unless they catch me red handed. I think driving distractions can be dangerous. But I said many times, that texting whilst driving is significantly more dangerous than talking whilst driving as your eyes are not on the road. I think the downside of the phone ban has meant that more people text whilst driving now in fear of getting caught for talking whilst driving. Infact around 9 weeks ago I was six cars back on the motorway when a young black man driving a golf tailgating in the fast lane passed me, I was in my van so nice and high up and could see him texting whilst driving, around 20secons after he passed me he went crashing into the central barrier; obviously from not looking at the road and drifting off course. The result was him ploughing into a small transit in the middle lane at 60 odd mph and a 8 car pile up, thankfully being in the van meant I saw it happen earlier than the surrounding cars and managed to stop safely, but sadly the driver of the transit van died at the scene of the accident. This was the first dead body I had ever seen in my life and it really upset me for the rest of the day. Also my auntie as killed in a car collision 7 years ago with a drink driver, she was the mother of 3 children under the age of 10. So I like to think I have a good a reason as any to think poorly of dangerous driving but I don't see how having a conversation with the passenger next to you whilst say picking your nose is any different to talking on the phone whilst driving. And I will be damned if I ever get points on my license for picking my nose. I understand why the police have made it illegal and good on you if you choose to obey that law but I don't think talking on the phone is that bad, that said I believe I have seen it negatively affect people's driving and overall awareness of their surroundings, arguably they are just crap drivers. I hope I don't offended to many people, but in the grand scheme of things some of us do whilst driving talking on the phone isn't the worst. For example has anyone ever eaten a packet of crisp, a sandwich or a McDonald's burger whilst driving. Anyone ever had a child in the back that has dropped something under the seat that you reach for, have you ever reached over to your glove box to change a cd whilst driving or perhaps opened a bottle of fizzy drink; ever had an argument with your partner whilst driving, what about checking your makeup in the mirror whilst in slow moving traffic. What really is the difference between talking to the person next to you and talking on the phone?

Might come along, Bossfox what car are u bringing, would really love a passenger ride in the leaf!!

i'm gonna get in trouble for watching porn at work. I get all light headed watching those track action videos

Chris are you going to any other meets, like an mr2 in august so we can catch-up and so i can get your opinion on my car?

count me in this time, girlfriend aware and in the diary early. so shouldn't have any issues, oh and if everything goes to plan she will be my fiancé by that point!!!

thats the day i'm in Paris proposing to my girlfriend! shame though :(