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The GTVeloce blog, where all things of interest may be discussed. Let's start with cars and (human powered) bikes, shall we? Technology? Humanity? History? Why not!| We do try to cover our costs by selling mugs, teeshirts, hats, bags, stickers and images... | ||||
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Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Recent posts from GTVeloce
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Cars and the psychology of Malls
An excellent article entitled 'More mall pall than Pall Mall' By Elizabeth Farrelly (May 24, 2006, Sydney Morning Herald). It begins, "Fantasise this: for some reason - dollars a barrel, airborne particulates or, conceivably, government backbone - petrol is all but prohibited. Car use, while not banned, has shrunk to maybe one-20th of present levels. Sydneysiders drive only as absolutely necessary. For the rest, we walk, cycle or take trams. What would change?". Indeed, lots would change - for the better, as Elizabeth goes on to say ...
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A summary of my recent posts
Hotcakes and hydrogen By Robert Russell in http://thespiel.com 1 day ago cost via the small ongoing fuel saving, depending upon how much driving you do. They are also a 'safe' buy in that they still use the fuel you buy at gas stations (as against some alternative home brew, cold fusion or risky hydrogen). Read more... http://thespiel.com By Robert Russell in http://thespiel.com 1 day ago Rob's Guide, part 2 Track race tips Sydney's Velodromes What do those lines mean? ...
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Forbes on Google
Let's face it, Google has entrenched itself. Why is that? When it first came to my notice - I guess around 1999? - they were just a cute name with a reputation for good search results. That reputation was a cult, underground groundswell much like that which had driven Altavista to be the previous search tool of choice - or arguably Yahoo!? Google entered the fray with a new idea - results based on the popularity of links to each site. That seemed to work, and they grew ...
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Read this post
Hotcakes and hydrogen By Robert Russell in http://thespiel.com 1 day ago cost via the small ongoing fuel saving, depending upon how much driving you do. They are also a 'safe' buy in that they still use the fuel you buy at gas stations (as against some alternative home brew, cold fusion or risky hydrogen). Read more... http://thespiel.com By Robert Russell in http://thespiel.com 1 day ago Rob's Guide, part 2 Track race tips Sydney's Velodromes What do those lines mean? ...
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Can't resist this one from Wharton on...
Entitled 'Microsoft's Multiple Challenges' the argument goes like this: (1) Microsoft's size can be a handicap. Updates take ages, new products even longer. Google is nimbler, for example (2) there's "brain drain" and Microsoft's ability to develop a new generation of leaders is questionable, especially when it's harder to offer the 'ground floor' opportunities of the past. It makes me wonder if Wharton isn't thinking of IBM rather than Microsoft, but there you go. However they also don't count Microsoft out - yet ...
Understeer - 116 style
OK, I like sustainable motoring in an equitable balance. But in 1982 I owned an Alfa Giulietta which cornered on rails with just a touch of understeer. 1.8 litre, high compression motor. Front engine, rear gearbox and clutch. Inboard rear disc brakes. Good economy, excellent performance. Apart from wearing out the tyres I wasn't as wasteful as some... was I?
Friday, May 26, 2006
Hitting the nail on the head
Indeed, lots would change - for the better, as Elizabeth goes on to say. There have been reports in Sydney that the rising cost of petrol is driving people out of their cars and back onto public transport. Whilst we are a long way from returning to villages and corner shops, it's a start. I think also that the hypermarket malls will fight back, possibly by investing more heavily in public transport that feeds directly to their shopping plazas. We shall see.
More from Elizabeth here.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Recent posts - a summary
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Hotcakes and hydrogen
cost via the small ongoing fuel saving, depending upon how much driving you do. They are also a 'safe' buy in that they still use the fuel you buy at gas stations (as against some alternative home brew, cold fusion or risky hydrogen). Read more...
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http://thespiel.com
Rob's Guide, part 2 Track race tips Sydney's Velodromes What do those lines mean? Automobile links Mustknow links Philosophy links Music Links Images of the Russell, Matthews, O'Brien and Brown families in Australia Rob's Amateur Art Gallery
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addicted2wheels
Rob's Guide, part 2 Track race tips Sydney's Velodromes What do those lines mean? Automobile links Mustknow links Philosophy links Music Links Images of the Russell, Matthews, O'Brien and Brown families in Australia Rob's Amateur Art Gallery
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the gtveloce.com-munity of interests
Links GTVeloce.com ...cars, bikes and com-munities The bike racing forum ...for racers only The general purpose gtveloce forums ...for everyone MBA related resources ...with an HR spin The KlausenRussell Com-munity ...please visit! OODB ...out out damned Blog GTVeloce.com blog
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Velodrome 101
too so keep away - it can get a bit hairy if you get stuck in that transition zone, especially if you are on the duckboard at speed and try to get onto the banking before a turn. It's a good way to fall and bring down the pack. Read more...
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Image gallery
Rob's Guide, part 2 Track race tips Sydney's Velodromes What do those lines mean? Automobile links Mustknow links Philosophy links Music Links Images of the Russell, Matthews, O'Brien and Brown families in Australia Rob's Amateur Art Gallery
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Aviation images
Links GTVeloce.com ...cars, bikes and com-munities The bike racing forum ...for racers only The general purpose gtveloce forums ...for everyone MBA related resources ...with an HR spin The KlausenRussell Com-munity ...please visit! OODB ...out out damned Blog GTVeloce.com blog
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Airliner art
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Airliners, automobiles and art
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Welcome to the image resources at GTVeloce.com
Folks Copyright is reserved, but feel free to browse. Reuse is often possible by arrangement and some images may be purchased. The content starts here . Image gallery
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Welcome to Aviation images and postcards @...
Folks Copyright is reserved on all images, be it my own or other attributed work - please ask before using. Otherwise feel free to browse the content here . Aviation images
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OffLine
Links TheSpiel.com TheSpiel's Business Blog OODB GTVeloce.com OffLine Addicted2wheels Site Feed
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Musings on traffic flow
(1) On the freeway especially they will stay in the 'slow' lane (here it's left but right in the US) only if there is no-one about. Any sign of other traffic and they head for the middle. Why is that? Fear of having to change lanes at some point, so let's get it over with now?
(2) Again, on the freeway, when faced with increasing traffic volume the centre lane (assuming 3 lanes each way) is vacated increasingly and the far right (or left, y'know - the 'fast' lane) becomes over-crowded. This continues until saturation is really obvious, so more cars are in the fast lane, fewer in the centre lane and often very few in the so-called 'slow' lane. Why is it so? Read on...
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Hybrids and ROI
Monday, May 15, 2006
Musings on traffic flow
(1) On the freeway especially they will stay in the 'slow' lane (here it's left but right in the US) only if there is no-one about. Any sign of other traffic and they head for the middle. Why is that? Fear of having to change lanes at some point, so let's get it over with now?
(2) Again, on the freeway, when faced with increasing traffic volume the centre lane (assuming 3 lanes each way) is vacated increasingly and the far right (or left, y'know - the 'fast' lane) becomes over-crowded. This continues until saturation is really obvious, so more cars are in the fast lane, fewer in the centre lane and often very few in the so-called 'slow' lane. Why is it so? What is gained by saturating (and often tailgating) one lane to the point where it's actually no faster - and possibly slower - than the 'slow' lane?
(3) I mentioned tailgating, so I'll ask 'why'? What is the gain in driving too close to the vehicle in front? Is it fun? Even more so when the road is wet?
(4) Lane changing. What is actually gained by constantly adjusting your lane? Anecdotally I would suggest nothing, or very, very little over most journeys. It may be fun, perhaps, as you get to do more driving (especially accelerating and braking to get into tiny spots).
(5) Accelerating to bridge a gap and shut the door on others. You know, you are 10secs behind the cars in front and you feel the urge to get closer, as in 2 secs maximum. Why? What's wrong with holding station at 3-6 secs? Do you feel there's safety in numbers? Are you hoping to draft the car in front to save fuel?
I'm going to suggest that risk is one aspect in common, in that some people like a bit more than others. But I suspect ignorance plays a role too, in that many people do not self-analyse their actions and thus don't even realise that what they are doing is actually contributing to the slowing traffic flow. That urge to catch the guy in front, even when all you are doing is catching up to traffic and adding to it, is one twisted competitive urge that really doesn't need to be expressed on public roads. Does it??
Cheers, Rob.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
IMHO
All original material is copyright 2006 by myself, too. Other than that, please take advantage of the site, just remember to ask first or attribute fragments in the normal, polite way.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Traffic calming - what works?
Before the revamp the only things slowing drivers were the bumps - pot holes, really - and the narrowing. So I was interested to see what the revamp would look like in terms of traffic calming. Taking the bumps out was going to speed the traffic - a v. bad thing.
Well it's pretty good actually. The footpaths have been widened (and a cycle path included!)and landscaped and the road is smoother but narrow. The wharf area is neatened and the blind corner eased slightly. The curbing is rounded. Best of all - 2 circles. Both on the straight to the north, one just past a gentle curve. No intersections, these are pure traffic calmers. The road is widened in a circular fashion and then narrowed with a roundabout to slow traffic. Buses squeeze through.
I wonder how long before people go right over the top? Hopefully there will be some further landscaping to dissuade off-road adventurers. Gosford Council, I salute you!
Here's an interesting read on what traffic calming works, btw.
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