Billyboy Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 BLATTERS WHO HAVE CRASHED ON THE ROAD! I have been chatting with a mate who has seen the resulting mess of many accidents! I told him "I'm getting a 7!!" GOOD LUCK with that he replyed, The conversation turned to the one my mum had when she was alive about the reasons I should not ride a motorbike.....O they are OK but its the other idiots you cant predict NO YOU ARE NOT HAVING ONE! MMMUUUUUUM............. However thats all in the past until I talk to my mate, I think he has a point, Just how do they fair in a normal sort of RTA??? Now I know a lot of you have had the odd smash on a track, but its not the same IMHO as you are getting hit by a similar weighted vehicle, IMO. Can anyone shed some light on this subject! Also the roll bar - does it protect in a roll or do you need to get the RAC one to be sure?? Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonbell Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 I`ve seen a few crashes and was actually amazed at how well the car came off......I`ve also heard of at least one tragedy and that was in another make of 7 and was largely due to the rollbar not doing it`s job. The Caterham rollbar is one of the better ones out there but I would advise to go with an FIA bar or if you are really concerned then a full roll cage (These still fit under the hood ) The main thing to say is that these cars are quick.......much quicker than people expect them to be so you have to always be on the look out for others. People will pull out in front of you on roundabouts, unaware of the speed that you can carry through the corners. People will pull out in front of you based on there perception of how quick a little car like this might be going ie slowly given that it has a bit of a classic car look to it. The other thing is visibility. I always drive with my headlights on......if you can paint the car a bright colour that will help too. At the end of the day as soon as you go on the road in any vehicle you are putting yourself at risk......the fact that a se7en is nimble and light means that you can often avoid problems where you might not be able to in a normal tintop. To put it into perspective......crashed se7ens is not a topic that comes up that often.....minor prangs and dings yes.....quite often due to overenthusiastic driving 😬 Simon Bell - Caterham 7 Duratec R I`ve seen the future.....and it`s powered by duratec Check out the website here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andycox Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Billyboy I guess it always depends on the crash and all are different in small ways. I crashed mine 4-5 years ago on the road. Met with a Mondeo near the centre line on a straight road at approx 30 MPH bounced off it and ran into the car behind as the front wheel had ripped off on the first impact. Thankfully only physical damage to all the cars involved but the front corner of the 7 looked a mess. It had to have a new front end but is back on the road better that ever. after that event I changed out the roll bar for an FIA bar and will probably lower the floor to get my head below the bar. There was a Low flying articule last year IIRC re the different roll bars. When I drive the 7 I use all the principles I learnt for the motorcycle and that minimizes the risks. Driving on the left side 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 I have had a "big 'un" in my se7en and was very impressed at its strength and my only injury was a graze on my chin...and I did that when I was getting out...I won't bore you with the details of the accident, but it was big....I have an FIA rollbar and full harnessess. The only thing that ever crosses my mind is being hit by a big 4x4 coming out of a T junction and it "hopping" into the cockpit...if you see what I mean.... Other comments I agree with...light and nimble ...you find you avoid hazards with greater ease and the level of concentration you drive with in a se7en really highlights how poor concentration levels are when we are in warm, quiet comfy armchair sound system tin top..... Gordy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Do a search for 'Barberella' on this site & follow the links to their accident in France earlier this year. You'll be grateful the people concerned where OK & be amazed at strength of the car. Hope all concerned dont mind me suggesting this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xflow7 Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Yoink! Andy, when you say it needed a new front end, do you mean the actual frame had to have a new section welded in? If so, did you have that done in the US? Where? Always kind of wondered what I would do if the Seven got bent. Thanks, Dave P.S. What part of the States is home? pinch> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Field Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Bill, I agree with all that's been said. You soon learn that you are not surrrounded by air bags, central heating and stereos, but you are alert to everything around you. The speed and handling of the car helps enormously to keep you away from other idiots, and gets you away from trouble. The two bits of advice I would give is 1)Get used to the car before 'pressing on' too much (if you can afford it go for some tuition with Hugh Noblett) and 2)always use your headlights. A lot of blatters don't, but the attitude of other drivers changes dramatically when they see a set of headlights bearing down on them rather than 'a little car'! Happy se7ening! Terry Q783 OOR. Team Lotus colours with flares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 For an accurate appraisal of how they fair in a RTA talk to Fletch, (often to be found in the sheds) he had a biggy in France this year and lived to tell the tale thankfully. Brent 2.3 DURATEC SV. Gad these things are expensive ❗ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain chaos Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 One of the guys at our area meetings..(Jez)..crashed his seven into a telegraph pole and the seven went clean thru the pole!! and he stepped away completely unharmed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arukum17 Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 The advantage of the Caterham you can have fun at well under legal limit speeds, so you are tempted to speed less often then in another car... Also most other drivers will notice you... Thefts and accident are a rare thing in the specialty British car market Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billyboy Posted November 19, 2004 Author Share Posted November 19, 2004 Thanks All for your replys! I am feelin better already!! I think years of driving a 4x4 then getting into a 7 makes you realise how low to the tarmac you are! On my test drive I was very aware of the bumper and number plate on the wagon behind! I could not help but think what if ........ I suppose the "ever aware driving stance" is the order of the day in a car that makes you so vulnrebal. Bill Edited by - Billyboy on 19 Nov 2004 17:07:15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shn7 Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Two comments: 1. Light things bounce more easily. I remember seeing ultralight models (wings covered in a film barely 1 micron thick IIRC) being flown in a hangar. When they hit the ceiling/walls they simply bounced off with no damage. same principle applies to the seven. 2. Consider the active safety of the seven with it's highly agile, highly accelerative abilities and remember there's three ways to get out of trouble on the roads: Brake, steer and accelerate. The sevens abilities in these areas exceed most other cars on the roads so allowing more avoidance. HTH. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old captain slow Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 A few of the posts above mentioned other people not anticipating the speed of the 7. On the other side they generally don't anticipate how fast it will stop either, especially from high speed. I must say I tend to allow a bit for the stopping distsnce of the car behind if I'm in a queue. C7 CDW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shn7 Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 *thumbup*DavidW, quite right. I was always taught when learning to drive that when slowing down you need to control the guy behind you too. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xflow7 Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 On the other side they generally don't anticipate how fast it will stop either, especially from high speed Easily solved by fitting crappy granite tires. 😬 Must get around to getting some decent boots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonbell Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 DavidW.....good point! I`ve had to come off the brakes in the past so that the guy behind didn`t run into me........this only works if you have left enough stopping distance for you and him. You do find some people will drive very close to you and if they are intent on doing so it`s often best just to let them go by..........remember in a Caterham you don`t need to prove anything 😬 Simon Bell - Caterham 7 Duratec R I`ve seen the future.....and it`s powered by duratec Check out the website here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strangely Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 I had quite a large prang in my first Seven. Details here: http://www.strangely.org/owned/seven1.html#Crash I thought it coped very well. For many reasons, there's no car I'd rather be in, in an accident or normal driving. As proven by the fact that I've had a Seven as a daily-driver for nearly nine years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Jones Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 If you drive into or are pushed into the rear of a lorry you will just go under the idiot bar and you head will press against the idiot bar and the FIA bar will then push the back of you head into the idiot bar this will hurt I prefare to have a cage Paul. See My Car Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Simulated 7 crash: here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewenm Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Randy - that crash doesn't look too bad. Almost no deformation of the footwells Approaching 77777 miles... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micky Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Is rear-ending liable to cause injury? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old captain slow Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Re the cool crash silulator you would defimitely need a new rad ❗ Is it just a demo or is it based on a 7 - if so what speed and into what C7 CDW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frying Pan Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 If you look at the site there is a bit more detail - It's a sim of a Locost that hit the barriers at Silverstone See some pictures of the build here. 4000 miles completed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevefoster Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 I was thinking of taking the cage off this winter and going back to FIA bar. for ease of offering passenger rides etc. I'd still have the side impact bar and wheel intrusion bar. Perhaps I will keep to the cage... it does make you feel safe and sound. I've seen some huge shuts on video. One where the 7 landed upside down on the armco and another where fellow 7 came up over the bonnet sideways on. For those you need a cage... Jason shunted his white 7 pretty badly into a Nissan Premier and his current one at Cadwell into the barriers. This gave rise the site Cars I owned (crossed out) crashed! See here Hants (North) and Berkshire Area club site here My racing info site here Edited by - stevefoster on 19 Nov 2004 22:15:55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bemeco Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Hello Some pictures from my accident with a live axeld 1989 caterham with a lovely Bastard Twincam motor (711M block 1660 cc) Nice wheather 1st gear and of, second gear and a slight bend vith gravel. Lost controll and slided into a container with right frontwheel and right side. No harm to me, but car was scrap. Pictures http://community.webshots.com/user/bemeco / Bengt Metz Bengt Metz +4640546729 bengt.metz@tele2.se Edited by - Bemeco on 20 Nov 2004 13:35:06 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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