The perils of driving in Cornwall!

Since moving to Cornwall one of things that I have found quite shocking is how dangerous the roads are. I have seen more accidents here in two years than I saw in 10 living in the South East. Ive become used to seeing cars in hedges and fields on my morning travels. Its not just the holiday makers - the locals seem to have penchant for the most dangerous overtaking that I have seen in 40 years of driving. I guess that the local geography and layout of the roads is a key factor - but that cant be all of the story. All I can say that its truly frightening at times!

Anyway, I guess my luck was due to run out sooner or later.

https://i.ibb.co/WzqLQdS/20220414-113925.jpg
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Rear ended by a 4x4 on the A38 - I had slowed down for stationary traffic. He just carried on coming and as I looked in the mirror I know he was going to hit me. Fortunately I was shunted off to the left and not into oncoming traffic which was moving at a pace.

Felt lucky to walk away from this without a scratch. Looks as though my VW and his Mitsubishi Shogan are write offs.

Insurance company has given me a hire car - partner and daughters are pressurizing my not to buy another small car. Not much pressure needed, I am looking for a big Volvo!

Glad you walked way from that okay

Glad your ok - ouch

Pleased to see you got out of that OK Ian. As I know only too well from my time in work, seemingly minor collisions can result in serious injury and death.

Thanks guys!

Time for another Volvo 940 I think!

Looks like the Up! stood up to a rear end collision well for such a small car hit by a 4x4

I’m glad you are OK, Velorum.

I feel the same when I am home in Northern Ireland. Speed a big factor there especially out on the country B-roads.

We moved to North Norfolk and my son - who passed his test last year - drives an Up. Scary stuff. I’ve also noticed more accidents here than when I lived in London - although I think that’s partly because you actually get to drive around here as opposed to moving from one slow moving queue to the next. It’s also easier to leave the road because there are ditches and fields as opposed to bollards, fences, signs etc which you get in more urban areas. Glad you’re ok - looks to me like the Up crumpled as it should. I wonder if the old adage of big cars being safer still applies with modern safety standards? - insurance and fuel costs etc limit my sons choice tbh.


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I was seriously thinking of buying a weekend cottage in the same small South Devon village that my Grandmother lived and her father was born in. It was chocolate box picture stuff, cob houses etc and very tempting.

I didn't for one reason, the roads both in and out were dangerously narrow and were designed for horse and carts and if nothing else, the paintwork of a modern car would be scratched to high heaven because todays vehicles are almost as wide as the road itself.

Most importantly, all involved are physically ok.

I do think the vast array of safety that are built into modern cars give many drivers a sense of being invulnerable to collisions, as someone once said 'if there was a steel shaft sticking out of the middle of the steering wheel we'd all be driving more carefully'!

R

I hope that they write it off!

I reckon that new(er) small cars may offer more protection than people think and be safer than older larger cars or 4x4s for example.

I think that I would prefer to place my trust in an old RWD Volvo.

When I was rear ended by an HGV on the M25 7 years ago I was able to drive my 240 estate away. OK, it was written off by the insurance company and it was 2ft shorter than before the collision but most cars would have faired worse I am sure of it!

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Originally Posted by vagabond

I reckon that new(er) small cars may offer more protection than people think and be safer than older larger cars or 4x4s for example.

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I believe this also. Try bending a short piece of steel compared to a long piece the same thickness.

Glad you're unscathed OP. Seems a shame to ditch the Up for a 940. The Up is such a cracking wee car (bought our daughter one last year). I trust the 4x4 driver was suitably apologetic (and gets hammered on their premium). You get so many idiots on the roads these days...

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Originally Posted by Velorum

I hope that they write it off!

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glad your ok

and to answer your question as someone who used to do bodyshop assessments in a previous life.

Yes they will as 'Beyond Economical Repair'

if you have a private plate on it get it on retention as it can be a pain once wheels in motion.

Lordy! Glad you’re ok. Surely there’s a case against the 4x4 driver for driving without due care and attention?

Just bought this as a replacement.

Have had a number of these over the years so looking forward to some comfort and safety - just need to drive slowly to keep the mpg down!

https://i.ibb.co/2n48t4j/940d.png

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Originally Posted by Velorum

Just bought this as a replacement.

Have had a number of these over the years so looking forward to some comfort and safety - just need to drive slowly to keep the mpg down!

https://i.ibb.co/2n48t4j/940d.png

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That’s perfect if you need to drop the up off- it will probably fit in the boot 😂

Imagine if you'd been on a motorbike !

'Lucky' to have hit you square into the back, i was hit from behind and the driver turned the steering wheel trying to avoid and caught my drivers back corner which caused my car to twist badly. I had back problems for 3 months after the accident (no i didn't claim damages). Fortunately I was driving a hire car and after taking it back and filling out a form I never heard again.

I have driven in Cornwall and Devon and the roads and driving are generally appalling we were in Devon last year and the road in and out of the town spoiled the holiday it was very narrow and twisty with rough stone walls and was full of local lunatics in clapped out cars and delivery drivers driving as fast as they could and getting very annoyed at you taking up “their” road

I’m glad to hear you’re ok and walked away from the accident. It’s difficult not to dwell on the ‘what if’. My experience of driving in Cornwall matched my experience of driving in Wales and Northern Ireland and all had me wishing I was driving something much larger.

Firstly, it's good to hear that no-one was hurt! If you don't mind though, OP, whilst I understand the thinking behind bigger is better/safer you seriously cannot underestimate the advancement of both active (things that stop you having an accident) and passive (things that protect you should an accident be inevitable) safety systems in the last couple of decades.

I'd wager that your old VW would stop in much shorter braking distances, steer away from trouble in a more stable manner, have more effective crumple zones, a peddle box that won't smash your ankles in a head-on, seat belt pretensioners (I'm guessing), more airbags (does the Volvo have any?), is smaller therefore easier to place on the road, anti-submarining seats etc.

Here's a older Renault than your VW against a 940, and take note that these are just the passive systems being tested.

https://youtu.be/emtLLvXrrFs

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Originally Posted by vagabond

I reckon that new(er) small cars may offer more protection than people think and be safer than older larger cars or 4x4s for example.

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True, but a smaller car of the same age will always offer less protection.

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Originally Posted by Velorum

Just bought this as a replacement.

Have had a number of these over the years so looking forward to some comfort and safety - just need to drive slowly to keep the mpg down!

https://i.ibb.co/2n48t4j/940d.png

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Excellent choice safety wise Ian. Knowing what I know you really couldn't pay me to get in things like this . . .


https://car-images.bauersecure.com/u...lcarreview.jpg

I'm glad you're OK Ian, and you can't go wrong with a Volvo of course! :thumbsup:

I get the same… I generally breathe a sigh of relief once driving out of London… but, having driven Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, most of Kent, as soon as you get a country lane, some think they’re straight out of a Colin McRae rally stage/school.
I guess they think they know their local roads, but even when I was overtaken once in some twisties, that doesn’t allow for anything that may have been coming head on.

Edited to add, you get idiots on all roads.
Glad the car stood up to a 4x4, and you walked away to tell the tale without injury…

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Originally Posted by Michael 38

I have driven in Cornwall and Devon and the roads and driving are generally appalling we were in Devon last year and the road in and out of the town spoiled the holiday it was very narrow and twisty with rough stone walls and was full of local lunatics in clapped out cars and delivery drivers driving as fast as they could and getting very annoyed at you taking up “their” road

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Glad your ok. Ok a side topic how have you found the move to Cornwall as we have been planning the move for awhile now and very close to being ready. We re currently south London.

Crikey- glad you're safe and well.

Very glad you’re safe and well, but I’d much rather have been in the vw you were in than that Volvo. Modern crash protection is light years ahead, especially in side impact protection, cabin intrusion etc.


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I am glad you are ok but agree with the above.
The fact the 4x4 was also totalled shows that size isn’t the issue. Your Up protected you perfectly, in the circumstances.
You had a small car for narrow roads and you will now have a barge. It may tell the locals to slow down, though when the VW gave them the illusion they could squeeze in maybe?
I understand why you changed and you’ve got a great safe mile muncher but you will regret the Up.

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Originally Posted by WarrenVrs

Very glad you’re safe and well, but I’d much rather have been in the vw you were in than that Volvo. Modern crash protection is light years ahead, especially in side impact protection, cabin intrusion etc.


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Indeed, those Volvos were safe relative to the other cars of their time. Things have moved on since, massively.

I know from bitter experience that the Up! Is pretty good if its hit front or back. It doesn't take much to cause a lot of damage if it's hit on the side though.

The roads round here are awful when the grockles turn up.

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Originally Posted by Scrubnut

I know from bitter experience that the Up! Is pretty good if its hit front or back. It doesn't take much to cause a lot of damage if it's hit on the side though.

The roads round here are awful when the grockles turn up.

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Out of curiosity were you born and raised in Devon or did you come in from grockleland in midlife.

I was born in Plymouth and grew up in Newton Abbot so I be no grockle.

I always have this nostalgic urge to retire back there as my brother as done but the roads and overcrowding in summer puts me off.

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Originally Posted by Mick P

Out of curiosity were you born and raised in Devon or did you come in from grockleland in midlife.

I was born in Plymouth and grew up in Newton Abbot so I be no grockle.

I always have this nostalgic urge to retire back there as my brother as done but the roads and overcrowding in summer puts me off.

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You're a Janner then!

To be fair Ive lived down here for many years but i was born in Woking. They say in my pub, that if you've been here 25 years you are local.

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Originally Posted by Scrubnut

You're a Janner then!

To be fair Ive lived down here for many years but i was born in Woking. They say in my pub, that if you've been here 25 years you are local.

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Yes I heard the 25 year rule when I was but a kid back in the 1950s.

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Originally Posted by Mick P

Yes I heard the 25 year rule when I was but a kid back in the 1950s.

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It's 25 generations now.

Glad you are safe. Sometimes makes me wonder about riding my motorcycle!

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Originally Posted by samswatch

Glad you are safe. Sometimes makes me wonder about riding my motorcycle!

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I sold my motorcycle two years ago after I tripped up, fell over and dislocated my right shoulder. It was a slow and painful recovery and I thought if a fall at walking pace was that painful, how bad would it be at say 50mph. So the bike went.

Nowt wrong with Cornish drivers, it’s the tourists who can’t bloody drive on a road without pavements that struggle.

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Originally Posted by Scrubnut

You're a Janner then!

To be fair Ive lived down here for many years but i was born in Woking. They say in my pub, that if you've been here 25 years you are local.

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Blimey, small world, I too was born in Woking, Stanley Road to be precise,
Long before Weller made it famous :encouragement:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=5tuVGST_1gE

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Originally Posted by Mick P

Yes I heard the 25 year rule when I was but a kid back in the 1950s.

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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5tuVGST_1gE