Poll Re Driving Original Model "A"

Can a purist safely drive an originally equipped Model "A" in modern traffic?

  • Total voters
    94
Pete said:
I know from observation a lot of the DE teachers would fail the beginner's course at the Bondurant school.

It is difficult to teach people anything when their age matches their IQ.
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At least in my day Driver's Ed and Health were taught by the football coaches.
 
I remember back when we had Drivers Ed (Classroom) but also Drivers Training (practice) after school. I remember the car had duel brake pedals, one for the driver and one for the teacher.

Pass them both and you would get a discount on your auto insurance.
 
My mom got her driver's license at 13 by sending away for one from Sears. Her driver's training was driving a Model T in a large field, ignition switch by twisting some wires together.

I used to be an aggressive driver but as I wised up with age and realized that the best drivers were the safest drivers, not the fastest. I see drivers making bad decisions and doing stupid mistakes all the time. Just last week the person in front of me blew past a stop sign at 45 mph at a major intersection.
 
Look at page 18 & 19 of the current Restorer. The two occupants are lucky to be alive. Even though I drive them ;they are no match for modern vehicles. I used to ride motorcycles also; about the same. I guess when its you day its your day. Just enjoy each day we have.
 
To the purist: Agreed, there are a few safe roads out there however, there are wacko drivers everywhere. Driving your A without some of the mentioned added non-original safety items simply stated is insane. I drive my A mostly on backroads and have learned you can never let up your guard for the possibility of encountering that idiot driver.
 
nkaminar said:
My mom got her driver's license at 13 by sending away for one from Sears.
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That licence would be a real collectors item today.

Driving a Model "A" safely is becoming difficult. Most places today, have no back roads. Driving rules are only rules, it doesn't mean people understand or abide by them. We are left altering our Model A's to fit in safely.

I'm reminded of a police officer stopping a person for speeding. When told they were doing fifty miles an hour in a thiry zone, the driver said it was impossible because they hadn't been out of the house for more than half an hour!

Can you picture the day we are left driving a modern car with a bumper sticker that reads; MY OTHER CAR IS A MODEL "A" FORD!
 
Y-Blockhead said:
I remember back when we had Drivers Ed (Classroom) but also Drivers Training (practice) after school. I remember the car had duel brake pedals, one for the driver and one for the teacher.

Pass them both and you would get a discount on your auto insurance.
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Yup, same here, although I don't remember anything about insurance discounts. I think I took both Drivers Ed and Drivers Training during the summer session. My birthday is in January so I became 15-1/2 (and hence eligible for Driver Training) in early July. Got my first [legal] job when I turned 16, and was driving my first Model A ('29 station wagon) shortly thereafter.
 
Not anymore. In the sixties I drove my A cabriolet anywhere in Northern California and southern Oregon without worries. The freeways weren’t built, cars didn’t have radial tires or disc brakes, and traffic volume was much lighter. Even then I had seat belts, sealed beam tires and hydraulic brakes.

A few years ago I took a 500 mile trip by myself from the SF Bay Area down US 101 and back. I needed full attention all the way, primarily to keep safe distance from drivers of newer cars. In spite of all the care, I had one close call due to a driver pulling in just in front of me in slowing traffic. I nearly had to drive off the road to avoid a collision.

An original or nearly original A can be driven in moderate safety in rural, low traffic conditions.
 
I daily my pickup in Charleston, now I am 95% purist with only mods from stock being a led bulb in the original taillight, a strip brake light in the rear window and a driver's side mirror. I had the mirror on the truck when I bought it so that was already done. all other lights in the car are bone stock. I added the strip led light mainly because you can't see a pickup's taillight when you are bumper to bumper, I wouldn't have it if it was a passenger car A. I don't have turn signals and don't need them; people respond well to a hand going out the window. I also have a special signal for drivers that make me mad, that rhymes with piddle linger. My 2 cents is, if you drive in the slow lane and don't drive on the interstate, absolutely can drive an A today. if you live in a druggie or text-a-holic filled area, might want to consider otherwise.
 
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mleder said:
if you value your health and the effort you have put to keeping a Model A on the road, at a minimum upgrade to LED tail lights, put in the brake lighter aftermarket 3rd brake light and hopefully install turn signals. There are cheap removable bicycle turn signals requiring no wiring that you can quickly remove when needed.If you want to go all the way install permanent turn signals, two tail lights and add a mirror on the passenger side. People- why spend weeks in the hospital or weeks in the garage when you could avoid an accident by installing some or all of these items.
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My experience with the bicycle lights was they were too small to be effective. Like myself, I think Other drivers expect to see larger signal lights on motor vehicles.
 
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