Highway Safety

[Steve_Mack_CT]

For those with pre-war cars especially who do some highway driving, it may make sense to consider what safety equipment is on board. I did not see the need but had an interesting experience yesterday. My wife and I were coming back form a trip Sunday and encountered a Model A having a bit of a tough time in heavy traffic and driving rain on 78 between PA and NJ. the traffic was not slowing down a bit, all lanes 65 - 75 MPH, including trucks and RVs and coming up really close to the A before reallizing his speed, which was a tad under 50 MPH. Probably the max without overdrive and given the conditions certainly the max you could safely drive that car (I know, I had one). He had a flasher but it was not easy to see. We got behind him, and put the four ways on, and hung back. Modern flashers are much more visable and the cars behind us moved over much further back, we were comfortable doing this and hopefully reduced his stress to his exit maybe 10 or 15 miles down the road.

Makes me re-think having some type of LED or high power device to warn oncoming traffic, there were a few fender benders due to the rain yesterday that delayed our trip, and I think it can be risky at times with our older cars.

[28 Chrysler]

It would not be hard to put on temporary lights ( magnetic or clamp on ).

[MCHinson]

You shouldn't have any safety equipment if it didn't originally come on the car.

You are incorrect. Legitimate Safety items do not result in deductions in AACA Judging. They do have to be installed in an appropriate manner with good workmanship....

[R Walling]

Barry, you are being a bad boy! Go ahead and put radials on your truck, I approve! (

[Guest martylum]

The real issue here is the wisdom of putting a 50 mph cruiser on a 70+ mph highway. I too have a a 50 mile cruiser and would not consider traveling on a high speed highway. If you throw in a driving rain with even more limited visibility and longer stopping distances, it seems to me a very unwise decision.

Surely there is almost always a parallel highway with 55 mile speed limits?

Martin Lum

1930 DeSoto owner

[LINC400]

The real issue here is the wisdom of putting a 50 mph cruiser on a 70+ mph highway. I too have a a 50 mile cruiser and would not consider traveling on a high speed highway. If you throw in a driving rain with even more limited visibility and longer stopping distances, it seems to me a very unwise decision.

Surely there is almost always a parallel highway with 55 mile speed limits?

Martin Lum

1930 DeSoto owner

My thoughts exactly. My Lincoln is more than capable of keeping up with (and passing) current traffic. Yet there are always idiots that feel the need to pass it/ cut it off/ slam on the brakes after cutting it off, etc.

I can only think that in a car unable to go much more than 50 with less effective brakes and wipers, it really is a bad idea to not only drive it on a 70+ mph highway, but especially so in a driving rain or any kind of inclement weather. I'm not familiar with PA roads, but there must be some more appropriate alternative route for it.

[poci1957]

I can only think that in a car unable to go much more than 50 with less effective brakes and wipers, it really is a bad idea to not only drive it on a 70+ mph highway, but especially so in a driving rain or any kind of inclement weather. I'm not familiar with PA roads, but there must be some more appropriate alternative route for it.

Hi Linc400, actually this would be the kind of driving conditions that make people afraid to drive old cars in the modern world. The alternative was probably city/suburban surface streets, but I probably would have chosen that route rather than the expressway. It was very nice of Steve to give that driver an escort to the exit.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Linc & Marty , I agree, but I wonder if he just got caught, we were not traveling together so I have no idea. This is one of those things where different "A" owners have different opinions, For me it was not just speed so much as handling and overall stability over 50 mph. I did not like the feel of the car over 50 when I had mine. Sometimes though you need to travel some limited time on the highway to get where you need to be. It is amazing the difference 10 years (and 4 more cylinders) makes. I used to avoid the highways in my "A", but can occasionally be seen in the left hand lane now!

Poci, credit to my wife who was driving and insisted we help a fellow "A"er out!

Barry and Don, I don't know details, but understand the thread we were participating on got ugly over the weekend, too bad, I do not think any of us drove that. I was not around so I do not know the details, but the overall rod vs. stock thing always seems to go that way...

Edited August 23, 2010 by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history)

[LINC400]

My cars have always been driven. And I have more respect for owners that drive their cars than just trailer them everywhere. (although I can see not wanting to drive the ultra rare 1934 X that just finished a complete $250,000 restoration and have some idiot rear end it on the way to the concours). But it does not make sense to drive a car that has a top speed 20 mph less than what everyone else is driving on an expressway. And then to do so in bad weather with semis bearing down on it on top of that. I can see where there might be instances where there is no option other than the expressway. But then I would pull off until driving conditions were safer, or look for an alternate route even if it is going to be extremely inconvenient. It just isn't worth the risk of having the car damaged or totaled by someone else.

[Guest windjamer]

O.K., maby its not a good idea for that older car ( yes I said older,not just a model A ) to drive on a super H/way,but at the same time he has every right to be there. He bought the plates and the gas and paid his fair share to build that road. I dont know about all states,but in NY we have a law that says YOU I say again YOU must have your vechicle under control at all times. I guess PA. should tell the Amish folks to keep there horse and buggy in the barn. If the speed demons would get off the phone pay attention and obay the limit,Maby the older cars wouldnt cause a problem:rolleyes: Yes thats a sarcastic smilie.

Returning from New Bern (A ex. show) my 05 GMC broke down. I grabed my trusty set of truckers flairs and walked back about a hundred yards and placed a flair on the edge of the lane,I walked foward and placed a second slightly in the lane.I walked anouther 25-30 yds. and placed a thired smack in the middle of the lane. I watched as traffic ran over all three at about 85-90 mph. Yes the posted speed limit was 70, still not fast enough for all them Jimmy Johnsons.BTW a prior poster was correct, A half hr. job to mount a set of flashing magnitic tow lights at maby $30.00 a set:D

[LINC400]

O.K., maby its not a good idea for that older car ( yes I said older,not just a model A ) to drive on a super H/way,but at the same time he has every right to be there. He bought the plates and the gas and paid his fair share to build that road. I dont know about all states,but in NY we have a law that says YOU I say again YOU must have your vechicle under control at all times. I guess PA. should tell the Amish folks to keep there horse and buggy in the barn. If the speed demons would get off the phone pay attention and obay the limit,Maby the older cars wouldnt cause a problem:rolleyes: Yes thats a sarcastic smilie.

I won't say that they don't have a right to be there. But it is about knowing your car's capabilities and limitations. I know a guy with a 1916 Packard Twin Six. He says he drives it 85 mph on expressways. If it can handle it fine. My car has excellent handling for a car its size. However, I am not going to run it on a slalom course against Ferraris and Porsches. My car has 4 wheel disc brakes with anti-lock (factory), and it has still had close calls. And if your car's top speed is 20 mph below what most people are driving on an expressway, and has brakes inferior to mine or even 1955 cars, then I would have to say that driving it on that particular expressway is not a good idea. Even less of a good idea in driving rain with semis bearing down on it.

My antique car was rear ended and totaled on a road where it was more than capable of keeping up with traffic. Does it make me feel better to know that my car had every right to be there? No, it does not. So why put your car at extra risk instead of taking simple precautions such as stopping until bad weather passes or finding a more appropriate road?

[West Peterson]

Steve

You very well could have saved that man's life, and whoever was in the car with him! Kudos to your wife, and to you for listening to her. As you said, he may have gotten "caught," and this type of trip may have not been normal for him. But after hearing of several very serious and deadly Model A accidents last year, this could have easily been another.

That said, there's not much safety equipment you can put onto a Model A that's going to help in the case of collision, so BRIGHT LIGHTS is about the only thing that's going to help.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Agree, I did get a look at the fellow as he was on the exit ramp, I gave him a wave since I was on the passenger side, and let me tell you he looked pretty frazzled. From personal experiecne I can tell you that Model As are happiest all around on country roads in cooler weather for sure!!

[Guest windjamer]

Linc400, I readly agree with what you say,I dont dispute that.I will say I didnt brake down on purpose,it was pretty scarry,and truth be told I bet the poor guy with the Model A was Da** thankful for Steve:D

[Guest]

The real issue here is the wisdom of putting a 50 mph cruiser on a 70+ mph highway. I too have a a 50 mile cruiser and would not consider traveling on a high speed highway. If you throw in a driving rain with even more limited visibility and longer stopping distances, it seems to me a very unwise decision.

Surely there is almost always a parallel highway with 55 mile speed limits?

Martin Lum

1930 DeSoto owner

Have any of you all seen the October 2010 issue of Hemmings Classic Car?? One of the articles is of a 41 Chevy pick up. Take a look at the lower left side of page 91. The speedometer has got this red danger zone marking from 50 mph on up to 100.

Don