Are Our Victorian Streets Secretly an Obstacle Course? 🚗😅

[Lebanums]

Is it just me, or are some of the cars around East Dulwich now roughly the size of a modest one-bed flat?

Our lovely Victorian streets were designed for horses, carts and the occasional penny-farthing — not rolling apartment blocks on wheels. Earlier today someone tried to pass me while driving squarely down the middle of the road, seemingly too terrified to move over in case their wing mirror brushed a leaf. We ended up in a sort of slow-motion standoff that felt less “road sharing” and more “Wild West showdown”.

I completely understand wanting a safe, comfy car — but when the vehicle is wider than the street and both drivers need a deep breathing exercise just to squeeze past each other, it might be time to ask whether the car fits the postcode.

Maybe we need Victorian-era width limits reinstated… or complimentary tape measures issued with every CPZ permit? 😉

[Insuflo]

We don’t even need Victorian values. Many of theses monstrosities are made by Japanese companies but would never be sold in Japan because in Japan the dimensions of cars are strictly regulated due to their narrow street layout.

I grew up in terraced streets in the 1970s, playing football and even cricket among the then relatively few parked cars. To walk through ED and see every square inch of every street taken up by a parked car and not a child playing is like a Silent Spring.

[Jah Lush]

That'll be the Chelsea tractor then. Which first appeared on our streets as a Range Rover.

[malumbu]

Interesting.

Many of these monstrosities are also made in Germany and in Britain, and for the UK this is seen to be important for our international trade.  Some of the worst in America,  And more and more in China.

Many people drive them but never seem to post on threads such as this one.

[Pugwash]

My neighbour has one of these cars and I have never seen her with passengers or carrying goods. Can understand if they need to carry a wheelchair or small mobility scooter. Must admit I do not drive down certain roads as I know that there is insufficient room for 2 cars to pass.  

[Lebanums]

It just feels unnecessary.

I do laugh though — I’ll be pulling out of a space in my tiny car and a tank rolls up, indicator on, full of hope.

“Are you coming out?”

“Yes… but you’re absolutely not getting in.”

The optimism is admirable. The physics, less so.

[Sue]

1 hour ago, Lebanums said:

It just feels unnecessary.

I do laugh though — I’ll be pulling out of a space in my tiny car and a tank rolls up, indicator on, full of hope.

“Are you coming out?”

“Yes… but you’re absolutely not getting in.”

The optimism is admirable. The physics, less so.

They do often have very small turning circles (is that the correct term?)  though.

Many many moons ago I won a very long Volvo estate car.

It could get into a space not much longer than itself, which  was impressive!

[Lebanums]

4 hours ago, Sue said:

They do often have very small turning circles (is that the correct term?)  though.

Many many moons ago I won a very long Volvo estate car.

It could get into a space not much longer than itself, which  was impressive!

That takes skill!

[HeadNun]

Pretentious status vehicles. 

Last year I was trying to drive down my own street but, being in a little, inferior car, was expected to make way for a stream of SUVs / Chelsea tractors as they barged along beside me. After what felt like an age, I saw a window of opportunity, but was beaten to it by yet another tank. By this stage I was irate (I hate the things) and having a full on shouting match with myself behind the wheel. 

A Tesla in the oncoming queue pulled in, flashed and courteously allowed me to take my moment. The Tesla's windows were tinted, but not so much that I wasn't able to make out the driver, as I passed him. I'd recognise that mega-watt smile anywhere. It was Peter Crouch, laughing and giving me the thumbs up, clearly entertained by my tantrum. 

[CPR Dave]

There are two causes for this problem

 

The first is that modern safety requirements for cars (to protect pedestrians and cyclists in collisions) mean huge amounts of excess spacing in crumple zones to provide a cushion on impact. For example, in the past a lot of pedestrians suffered catastrophic head injuries when they ran in front of a car, because the bonnet was close to the engine block, so their heads bent the bonnet into the solid immovable engine and their heads cam off worse. To mitigate that there is now a huge amount of flex and space so that the head is cushioned from the engine. Naturally, the rest of the body work and car frame has had to increase to accommodate this safety measure.

 

The second issue is electrification.

 

Electric cars are massive because they have to carry huge batteries around to make them work. Massive amounts of space and height is given over to batteries in electric cars. The new electric Renault 5 (described as a "compact" hatch back) is nearly 4 metres long 2 metres wide. 

 

That makes it longer and wider than the original Range Rover. 

[Alan Medic]

I suffer from being annoyed by this too. Would it not be feasible to make certain narrow streets one-way? Would that work? I'm sure someone will tell me why it wouldn't........

[Jules-and-Boo]

is it April Fools Day yet?

[Lebanums]

16 hours ago, CPR Dave said:

There are two causes for this problem

 

The first is that modern safety requirements for cars (to protect pedestrians and cyclists in collisions) mean huge amounts of excess spacing in crumple zones to provide a cushion on impact. For example, in the past a lot of pedestrians suffered catastrophic head injuries when they ran in front of a car, because the bonnet was close to the engine block, so their heads bent the bonnet into the solid immovable engine and their heads cam off worse. To mitigate that there is now a huge amount of flex and space so that the head is cushioned from the engine. Naturally, the rest of the body work and car frame has had to increase to accommodate this safety measure.

 

The second issue is electrification.

 

Electric cars are massive because they have to carry huge batteries around to make them work. Massive amounts of space and height is given over to batteries in electric cars. The new electric Renault 5 (described as a "compact" hatch back) is nearly 4 metres long 2 metres wide. 

 

That makes it longer and wider than the original Range Rover. 

EVs don't have to be huge. I used to work for Th!nk in Norway. We put the battery under the seat & had a 2 + 2. It was also 98% recyclable & the first car that could communicate to with a phone. Sadly went into receivership in 2012. Note that we were developing a battery with Tesla in the early days but they pulled out as they didn't have the funding. Musk wasn't as much of an upstart in those days but we still thought he was a *fill this space with your own version*

Crumple zones also don't have to be that big either, there are several small cars that meet the Euro N Cap rating. There is more danger in larger cars for pedestrian impact as they can damage vital organs or head injuries due to the height of the impact.

Edited 7 hours ago by Lebanums
Update

[malumbu]

EVs don't have to be huge, nor do ICE vechicles, but sadly many owners and drivers do choose heavy vehicles, egged on no doubt by manufacturers, influencers and the like, and a misguided view on road safety.

As regards to 'safer' vehicles, the increase in weight goes back decades and is not a sudden thing.  Again 'safer' vehicles do not need to be huge.