NC500 and Single Track Roads

[TVRBRZ]

Just back from an abridged solo NC500 and I'm feeling a bit sad tbh. I don't think I'll ever have so much fun in a car ever again! I drove my 1.2 Suzuki Swift as a last hurrah before it gets p/exd for something bigger and more sensible. I can't think of anything I've ever driven that would handle the bumps,ruts,twists and turns with such aplomb. I never exceeded the speed limit but on the twisties kept the pace up. Sure, my old BRZ would have been faster but more difficult to hustle along, I think the Swift pipped it as a NC500 delight.

Thoughts on single track road etiquette:

Most slower cars immediately pulled over to let me pass. Some would then stay put as if to say "I didn't pull over for you, but to take a photo..".

Campervans not so. I developed a technique of having my lights on and sitting back but over to the right so I was clearly in the driver's side mirror view. After 3-4 passing places went by, I put my right indicator on. That usually worked and they pulled over. Twice I had to wait 6-8 passing places and then I bipped my horn twice, every time we went past a passing place. Worked after 2-3 repetitions. Ironically the worst blocker drove past the blue Police "allow overtaking" sign....!

Too aggressive? What do you do with a single track road hogger?

Good stuff - there is satisfaction to be had by timing an oncoming pass so that neither of you need to stop. There were a couple of cars that stopped too soon on the entrance to a passing place thereby forcing me to halt until they drove forward. Possibly may have been a passive aggressive way of slowing me down as I was probably being "progressive". I think I stopped for more people than the other way round, and reversed back a few times too, but with the brakes and visibility in the Swift it was no hardship.

Cyclists on the NC500 are nails so I always stopped for them and gave a wide berth overtaking slowly.

In future I'll do it again but hopefully in something faster, stiffer and more stylish, however I doubt it will be anything like as fun. Especially as most new cars have electric power steering. Perhaps I might even go to the dark side and do it in a campervan....(I'll get my coat!)

[DangerDoom]

Was with you until you mentioned a return trip in a campervan

Personally I don't think that's too aggressive. Sounds like you were pretty respectful and patient in giving several opportunities to pull in. Maybe I'm being a bit generous here... I think some of those drivers have no idea how quickly you'll disappear into the horizon once you're past.

You'll definitely have a good time doing it again in an MX-5, a Caterham, a Boxster/Cayman, etc...

[Lotobear]

On that tedious leg around the penninsula after Applecross, I was held up in my Elise by an utter numpty in an electric EV of some sort never doing more that 30mph. Even though it would have been abundantly clear from my road positioning (which was not in the least bit aggresive) that I wanted to pass he either didn't notice me (more concerning) or just stubbonly refused to yield.

So I get where you are coming from. That said some are unflinchingly polite and will pull over - I always give them a wave and cheery toot in appreciation, but there will always be the bloody minded or simply unaware types that you just have to rise above.

Just to add I pulled in for a cyclist coming down the pass who had almost been cut up by a car in front of me - we had a brief chat and he commented - 'pleased someone knows how to drive'. I met him later on the single track and complimented him on a bloody impressive circuit, all good stuff.

It's so easy to avoid conflict by simply being polite and respectful to one another.

Edited by Lotobear on Friday 6th October 13:35

Edited by Lotobear on Friday 6th October 13:36

[TVRBRZ]

[quote=Lotobear]On that tedious leg around the penninsula after Applecross, I was held up in my Elise by an utter numpty in an electric EV of some sort never doing more that 30mph.

And when you got to a 20 zone no doubt the EV was still doing 30mph and would catch you up!

[sjabrown]

Some muppets in motorhomes round here (Glen Etive road in particular) are oblivious even to blue lights and sirens.

[giveitfish]

I can image a Swift would be loads of fun here. Just had a great run over to Applecross, currently in the bar!

Have been very lucky this time, might be because it’s off season but even the camper vans have pulled over to allow traffic to pass.

If you want to see aggressive single track driving, wait until clocking off time. The locals were heading home at pace this evening!

[Mr Tidy]

I did it earlier this year and had a great time. We only actually found one camper van that was determined not to let anyone past by driving way over the centre-line on a 2-lane section.

Maybe a BMW Z4M Coupe was a bit overkill, but there were some really fast-flowing sections.

I think I'd enjoy it in anything - except a bloody camper-van.

[TVRBRZ]

Locals in pickup trucks and Royal Mail vans were the fastest and most adept at timing the passing. Can't imagine what closing time must be like!

I think much of the enjoyment with the Swift was the softer suspension in the boggo 1.2. I've never driven a Swift Sport and I'm sure the extra power would be welcome but stiffer suspension might not have been as compliant on the bumps. Got me thinking what old stuff would be good - 205 1.6 GTI, AX GT. Light, soft suspension and fwd. Which is odd coming from me as a RWD fan...

Z4M, Caterham, BBR MX5, a BRZ or GT86 with a supercharger, epic but too much power? Academic Q for me as the Swift replacement is probably going going to be a Honda Civic 1.5T which seems to get good reviews. Practicality calls...

[soad]

Quite fancy it myself. I’m currently running a low-powered Swift also.

[Riley Blue]

Of all car attributes, I think 'power' is the least necessary to enjoy the NC500.

[TVRBRZ]

soad said:

Quite fancy it myself. I’m currently running a low-powered Swift also.

Nice!

Amiss of me, Ben Loyal from the causeway at Tongue and the Kyle of Sutherland from the B9176:

[mikeiow]

TVRBRZ said:

Nice!

Amiss of me, Ben Loyal from the causeway at Tongue and the Kyle of Sutherland from the B9176:

Ah, that brings back great memories!
We did the NC500 long before it was a thing (early 90s, my Mitsubishi Colt Turbo - lorra laffs….so isolated!

…but the memories were from my LEJoG a couple of years back. Cycled up past Lairg and stayed at the Crask Inn, before a pedalling north & staying one last night in Bettyhill, & a final ride east to JoG. Spectacular scenery, the road past Crask northwards was just so quiet, isolated & beautiful!

I think doing the NC500 just out of season would be my goal. Maybe one day in a camper

[coppice]

I'm planning to return in early Spring . Like you , I first drove up there decades ago, in the early 80s , and I've done many trips in everything from a Citroen visa to an R400 Seven . My challenge will be to enjoy it as it is and not as it was . Talk of passing place etiquette was almost irrelevant back then , so little traffic was there, and most of it was locals.

Somebody above described the Applecross peninsular drive as 'tedious'. Good Lord , they must be awfully hard to please ...

[Lotobear]

coppice said:

I'm planning to return in early Spring . Like you , I first drove up there decades ago, in the early 80s , and I've done many trips in everything from a Citroen visa to an R400 Seven . My challenge will be to enjoy it as it is and not as it was . Talk of passing place etiquette was almost irrelevant back then , so little traffic was there, and most of it was locals.

Somebody above described the Applecross peninsular drive as 'tedious'. Good Lord , they must be awfully hard to please ...

That was me but I am actually very easy to please - it's a poorly made, potholed, sinuous single track road which seems to go on forever that is difficult to make even moderate progress on. The views are lovely of course but cannot be appreciated when focussing on the task of driving and avoiding potholes and oncoming vehicles on unsighted bends.

[TVRBRZ]

Lotobear said:

That was me but I am actually very easy to please - it's a poorly made, potholed, sinuous single track road which seems to go on forever that is difficult to make even moderate progress on. The views are lovely of course but cannot be appreciated when focussing on the task of driving and avoiding potholes and oncoming vehicles on unsighted bends.

I think this highlights my experience with the Swift and why it made the single track roads less of a burden than they would have been in something lower, stiffer, wider and more powerful.

The Swift is relatively high, narrow, soft suspension, good visibility and low mass so abrupt direction changes or braking is all part of the fun.

I do agree that too long a stretch of single track can become tiring and repetitive. The flowing two lane sections, especially north and south of the Kylesku Bridge were exquisite and if I had of been in a BRZ/GT86/Lotus etc I would probably have stopped, driven back the way I came and repeated that bit till I was sated.....

[POIDH]

Lotobear said:

That was me but I am actually very easy to please - it's a poorly made, potholed, sinuous single track road which seems to go on forever that is difficult to make even moderate progress on. The views are lovely of course but cannot be appreciated when focussing on the task of driving and avoiding potholes and oncoming vehicles on unsighted bends.

Let us be honest - the NC500 was never designed as a driving enjoyment route. There are better roads to drive. I would go as far to say as some of the driving from a 'driving enjoyment' perspective is ste.

It was and is a route all about the scenery, the people and places you can visit, culture and a different way of life to what many in cities / south experience.

[Lotobear]

POIDH said:

Lotobear said:

That was me but I am actually very easy to please - it's a poorly made, potholed, sinuous single track road which seems to go on forever that is difficult to make even moderate progress on. The views are lovely of course but cannot be appreciated when focussing on the task of driving and avoiding potholes and oncoming vehicles on unsighted bends.

Let us be honest - the NC500 was never designed as a driving enjoyment route. There are better roads to drive. I would go as far to say as some of the driving from a 'driving enjoyment' perspective is ste.

It was and is a route all about the scenery, the people and places you can visit, culture and a different way of life to what many in cities / south experience.

That's probably fair; I live in the North Pennines and would say the roads are better here, and just across in the Borders, than much of the NC500, in terms of condition and being well 'sighted'. But it's a bit of an adventure to do the NC500

[POIDH]

Lotobear said:

That's probably fair; I live in the North Pennines and would say the roads are better here, and just across in the Borders, than much of the NC500, in terms of condition and being well 'sighted'. But it's a bit of an adventure to do the NC500

Or a commute, depending on your life choices... 😉 😎

But yes, some much, much better roads all around Scotland than those on much of the NC500.

[Steve_H80]

You're passing etiquette sounds fine, it's just that most tourists who don't 'get it'. It didn't used to be like that, generally people pulled over for closing vehicles.
Pity the locals who have to put with this kind of ignorance all the time.

[Pent]

i have done it in my R55 Mini cooper S clubman which was modified and also an M140i both great cars for cruising and the twisties