[kreuzberger]

The Kreuzette was uncharacteristically relaxed about one of those 1950s-style coach fuckers coming at us last week, head-on around a blind bend.

We were on a scooter. He had "KILLER" emblazoned on the front.

[Boiler]

There are excellent reasons why the inva-car was dropped.
They weren't practical or safe.
Disabled people have equipment to move about and (take a deep breath) families who wish to travel with them.

On 31 March 2003, almost all of the remaining Invacars owned by the government were recalled and scrapped because of safety concerns. These included failing crash tests at Mira in 1974, a high accident rate and poor handling test results.

As built, the Type 70 Invacar had a sliding seat that could accommodate a wheelchair alongside the driver, and space behind the driver for equipment or just shopping. But they were just single-seaters which was an issue. Little crash resistance of course, but there are modern cars that fall into the "quadricycle" category that are just as bad - the infamous G-Wiz and the modern Citroën Ami.

The Type 70s could also do over 60mph...

[Bones McCoy]

There are excellent reasons why the inva-car was dropped.
They weren't practical or safe.
Disabled people have equipment to move about and (take a deep breath) families who wish to travel with them.

On 31 March 2003, almost all of the remaining Invacars owned by the government were recalled and scrapped because of safety concerns. These included failing crash tests at Mira in 1974, a high accident rate and poor handling test results.

As built, the Type 70 Invacar had a sliding seat that could accommodate a wheelchair alongside the driver, and space behind the driver for equipment or just shopping. But they were just single-seaters which was an issue. Little crash resistance of course, but there are modern cars that fall into the "quadricycle" category that are just as bad - the infamous G-Wiz and the modern Citroën Ami.

The Type 70s could also do over 60mph...

Showing my age here.
I recall a TV programme (could have been Nationwide) did an investigation.
They got a rally driver to pilot one (with one of the new engines).
At 50mph the steering lurched about like a Reform supporter at a spelling test.
Just below 60 the front fork twisted dumping the whole thing over onto its side.

I think the backstory was the originals used an old motorcycle engine.
When the motorcycles were discontinued, Invacars were transitioned to a much more powerful engine.
This took the chassis well beyond its designed stress tolerances.

The builders weren't complete idiots, so stuck on some improvements.
But there's not a lot you can do to "upgrade" the delicate human inside.
Especially if they already face physical challenges.

Recall these were the days of leaded petrol, cigs that would "open your airways" and seatbelts were for pansies.

[kreuzberger]

Ah, seatbelts - which bring us firmly back on topic with Reflux.

"Why should we wear them when those fackin Sikhs don't have to wear crash helmets?"

[Tubby Isaacs]

Your man for seatbelts, was Ivan Lawrence MP (Con, Burton).

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/ ... 22a.1786.1

Here he manages to take an arguable point about driving instructors, and ends up here.

The harm to justice caused by this legislation will be far more substantial than we think. When will we realise that every little infringement of liberty, for whatever good cause, diminishes the whole concept of liberty? If life is the only criterion, why did we sacrifice so many millions of lives in two world wars? Why did we not in the Second World War lie down and say"Because millions of people may die, we should let our liberty be taken away before the onset of the Nazis "? The answer is that more important than lives is the concept of liberty.

Me neither.

When Nick Hancock handed over Room 101 to Paul Merton, he appeared as Merton's first guest. One of Nick's choices was "people who can't argue properly". Paul gave the example of someone he'd seen on a TV debate about the monarchy accusing a republican of wanting to "bring back Hitler". Ivan Lawrence might have got a mention too.

[Boiler]

Showing my age here.
I recall a TV programme (could have been Nationwide) did an investigation.
They got a rally driver to pilot one (with one of the new engines).
At 50mph the steering lurched about like a Reform supporter at a spelling test.
Just below 60 the front fork twisted dumping the whole thing over onto its side.

You ought to watch some of Ian Seabrook's drives in his. (He's HubNut, as per the YT video). He drove his round Goodwood...

I think the backstory was the originals used an old motorcycle engine.

They did - a Villiers of 197cc, the last to use that being the Invacar 12e. They also kept the motorcycle gearbox which was a bit impractical, so the Model 70 gained a CVT making it a "twist and go" car.

When the motorcycles were discontinued, Invacars were transitioned to a much more powerful engine.
This took the chassis well beyond its designed stress tolerances.

The cars IIRC were redesigned. Fun fact: originally the Model 70 was to have had the engine from the original Fiat 500 but Fiat backed out - so they ended up with a Steyr-Puch 497cc aircooled twin.

The builders weren't complete idiots, so stuck on some improvements.

Fun Fact (ii) - the design of the Model 70 was done by AC Cars - the same company that built the Cobra sports car.

[...] and seatbelts were for pansies.

My neighbour, and my former motor mechanic friend, flatly refuse to wear seatbelts. Both say they're unsafe.

The "Invacar" as conceived by Bert Greeves has a long and interesting history: worth a dive.

[kreuzberger]

The one overarching story here is that Reflux and the six-bob Stürmer would gleefully strip people with disabilities (Erbkranke, as they would put it) of as much dignity as they possibly could.

That's where they would make a start. They are telling us this, quite explicitly.

Niemöller is screaming blue murder.

[Boiler]

It's that poster again...