The general rule with LBC's, in my experience, is DRIVE
>>DEFENSIVELY, and give people LOTS OF ROOM. People are ignorant on the road
>>as it is, and it's even worse when your car isn't as big as a boat. I can't
>>imagine how people stay alive on motorcycles. As annoying as it is, I can
>>see why "Loud pipes save lives."
A couple notes on that; it seems some of the following might be beneficial
for LBC drivers (and other small-car drivers) who haven't thought about it
before. I'm assuming USA rules here, so others may need to transpose.
1)When on a four lane street, use the left lane as much as is convenient.
It used to be that people just didn't look carefully and would pull out
into your path, but now with the proliferation of SUVs parked along the
streets, the problem is worse than ever; the vision of even the most
cautious driver is partially obstructed, and the same goes for you; if they
have trouble seeing you, then you might not see them pulling out in front
of you until the last moment. (I think there should be laws against SUVs
and vans parking right on a corner, but that's just IMH(?)O). Staying
toward the center also gives you a better angle to watch for pedestrians,
and leaves you with room to dodge if a *left-turning* vehicle doesn't see
you and cuts across your path (hard to believe, but it happens all the
time, just ask any motorcyclist or serious bicyclist). (Speaking of serious
bicyclists, are there any out there on the list who would like to buy a
couple of Merlins? My only excuse for asking is that I want the money to
supplement the B budget, especially since I plan on going back to school
this fall...)
2)When parking in a parking lot, don't pull as far into a space as you can.
Leave the back bumper at an equal point with most of the other vehicles
parked along that row. It might make it a bit harder for people in adjacent
spaces to back out, but no more difficult than if someone in a medium-sized
vehicle had parked next to them. Many people in a hurry have pulled into a
space they thought was empty only to smack a very small car (or more often
a motorcycle). Granted, they were driving far too aggressively for the
confines of a parking lot, but that won't make you feel any better,
especially if they decide to leave you with a big dent and a piece of paper
on your windshield that says "The people who saw me hit your car think I'm
leaving you my name and phone number. They are wrong" or somesuch. Also,
not parking all the way in gives the SUV who backed in right in front of
you, and now decides to back out (right in front of you) a better angle to
see you by.
Sorry to be long and sorry if I sound preachy, but I thought it might be
helpful for some. I don't mean to infer any blame on those who have had
their MG's crunched, because accidents happen sometimes no matter what
precautions you take.
I'm not surprised that some people who hit MGB's take off like a shot,
though. They are probably thinking they just hit a Ferrari Dino...=)
Nevin
78 B
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