What's the point of a fast car in Switzerland?

What's the point of a fast car in Switzerland?

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Bruce Fielding

Original Poster:

2,244 posts

289 months

Wednesday 19th May 2010
quotequote all
I appreciate that a quick car which can whizz around hairpins at the maximum legal speed is fun in the hills, and have no objection to the odd bit of posing, but why would one want to use a very fast (as opposed to quick) car in a country where they hate excess speed with a passion, don't really even like cars that much, and most of the public drive like numpties.

I was debating bringing a 430 out, but decided against as there didn't seem much point.

...or is there?

swissrob

26 posts

177 months

Wednesday 19th May 2010
quotequote all
you have 1 thing right.. numpties, the state of the driving I see on the highway everyday is shocking. Dont even get me started on lane control!

Also be aware on roundabouts, they have no clue which lane they should be in


Bruce Fielding

Original Poster:

2,244 posts

289 months

Wednesday 19th May 2010
quotequote all
I drive to and from London every month and I can always tell when I'm in Switzerland...

The standard of French driving on the Autoroutes is surprisingly good, though (apart from Audi drivers).

Oh, and given that my cars all have the steering wheel on the correct side of the car, and that it's just me and the dog in the car, I have to say I am deeply in love with my telepeage gizmo. I giggle at every toll booth.

smilerbaker

4,071 posts

222 months

Wednesday 19th May 2010
quotequote all
Its better to have power and not need it, then need it and not have it wink


And yes, the swiss are some of the worst drivers on the planet, all the bad habbits of the french, germans and italians mixed into 1.

Stig

11,822 posts

291 months

Wednesday 19th May 2010
quotequote all
There must be some point to it - ask AndrewD on here wink

UltimaCH

3,163 posts

196 months

Wednesday 19th May 2010
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Well, I just enjoy driving my cars, be it fast or slow. Just have to show respect (I admit sometimes it's hard to do so) for others and nobody will notice you fly by biggrin

AndrewD

7,592 posts

291 months

Wednesday 19th May 2010
quotequote all
This thread needs to be moved to EF

Edited by AndrewD on Wednesday 19th May 19:09

marcusjames

783 posts

268 months

Wednesday 19th May 2010
quotequote all
Bruce Fielding said:
I appreciate that a quick car which can whizz around hairpins at the maximum legal speed is fun in the hills, and have no objection to the odd bit of posing, but why would one want to use a very fast (as opposed to quick) car in a country where they hate excess speed with a passion, don't really even like cars that much, and most of the public drive like numpties.

I was debating bringing a 430 out, but decided against as there didn't seem much point.

...or is there?
I'll show you some roads that will make it all seem worth it.

Bruce Fielding

Original Poster:

2,244 posts

289 months

Wednesday 19th May 2010
quotequote all
marcusjames said:
I'll show you some roads that will make it all seem worth it.
You're on!

Bruce Fielding

Original Poster:

2,244 posts

289 months

Wednesday 19th May 2010
quotequote all
AndrewD said:
This thread needs to be moved to EF
Noooo! I'm in enough trouble with them as it is!

All I did was suggest that they aren't the least cliquey bunch in the world...

Whitean3

2,191 posts

205 months

Thursday 20th May 2010
quotequote all
Bruce Fielding said:
AndrewD said:
This thread needs to be moved to EF
Noooo! I'm in enough trouble with them as it is!

All I did was suggest that they aren't the least cliquey bunch in the world...
Classic comments! There is some point to having a fast car here- Germany is just over the border (for me at least); stunning mountain passes (where having plenty of power is lot's of fun); Italy is south of the border and they don't seem to mind too much if you hoon down the autostrada. And in my experience of driving a few of the passes in Graubunden, everyone ignores the 80 kph speed limits in the mountains! It's just the bl00dy cameras and constantly variable speed limits on the autobahn that annoy me

dicktracy

241 posts

200 months

Thursday 20th May 2010
quotequote all
Bruce Fielding said:
AndrewD said:
This thread needs to be moved to EF
Noooo! I'm in enough trouble with them as it is!

All I did was suggest that they aren't the least cliquey bunch in the world...
Yeah you really made yourself known there.

Btw, you are so right re Audi drivers (sorry). Drow back to Denmark last weekend and the few times I had a car up my trumpet it was always an Audi. Guess Clarkson is right then...

Dicktracy (aka Jako)



smallgun

256 posts

240 months

Thursday 20th May 2010
quotequote all
Bruce Fielding said:
I drive to and from London every month and I can always tell when I'm in Switzerland...

The standard of French driving on the Autoroutes is surprisingly good, though (apart from Audi drivers).

Oh, and given that my cars all have the steering wheel on the correct side of the car, and that it's just me and the dog in the car, I have to say I am deeply in love with my telepeage gizmo. I giggle at every toll booth.
I've got one of those Telepeage things, wouldn't be without it, by the way what to you call the correct side left or right?

Bruce Fielding

Original Poster:

2,244 posts

289 months

Thursday 20th May 2010
quotequote all
Whitean3 said:
There is some point to having a fast car here- Germany is just over the border (for me at least); stunning mountain passes (where having plenty of power is lot's of fun); Italy is south of the border and they don't seem to mind too much if you hoon down the autostrada. And in my experience of driving a few of the passes in Graubunden, everyone ignores the 80 kph speed limits in the mountains! It's just the bl00dy cameras and constantly variable speed limits on the autobahn that annoy me
Great! I think I'm about fifteen minutes from Germany (Opfikon)so I'll give that a go in the Atom and happy to hoon wherever, whenever so long as I can get home for dinner - still my main meal of the day despite the local preference for big lunches.

Top speed on an autoroute isn't the main attraction as a) I think it's boring and scary at the same time, and b) I can do it more safely and enjoyably on a race track. It's more about the twisties for me.

Oh, and no front plate on the Atom (assuming Euro standard front-facing cameras!)

Bruce Fielding

Original Poster:

2,244 posts

289 months

Thursday 20th May 2010
quotequote all
smallgun said:
...by the way what to you call the correct side left or right?
Another word for correct is...right, of course! For dexterous drivers...

(Although the new company car with CH plates will have it on the wrong, or 'sinister' side...)

WelshBoyo

1,403 posts

182 months

Thursday 20th May 2010
quotequote all
Welcome, and great selection of interesting cars Bruce. There are plenty of stunning roads to open up the throttle without a speed camera or copper in sight. Even if you do get caught it's only a matter of paying the fine, no points on your licence or insurance premium rise unlike in the UK.

Although the Swiss do seem to love driving in the middle of the road (into oncoming traffic) just to pass cyclists or kids on scooter, I find that most of them drive pretty fast (unlike the 20MPH grandads in the UK). I've had many a fun drive chasing behind exotic vehicles and them not being to afraid to show me what a real car can do!

doppioexpresso

171 posts

190 months

Friday 21st May 2010
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Driving up to St. Moritz in a few hours. And I am very happy to do that im my Maranello! To fast? Why? With only a few very short straight lines where you can take over and a lot of hairpins where you actually need to bring your car back to 80 Km/h it not only makes sense to have a fast car but also is soooo much fun ;-)

Cheers


Bruce Fielding

Original Poster:

2,244 posts

289 months

Saturday 22nd May 2010
quotequote all
Y'see... you guys understand that my thread title wasn't a challenge but encouragement! (unlike the interpretation that EF would have put on it!)

More, more!

Whitean3

2,191 posts

205 months

Tuesday 25th May 2010
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Bruce Fielding said:
Y'see... you guys understand that my thread title wasn't a challenge but encouragement! (unlike the interpretation that EF would have put on it!)

More, more!
But think of the polar bears and lentil crops.

As you were....