What's made you grumpy today? (Part II)

[AndyRKett]

As the old saying goes

"Absolute Power Corrupts, absolutely".

With all the controversy that first surrounded Alex Salmond, then the serious money issues being investigated around Nicola Sturgeon, Now the current SNP leader Humza Yousef having been a minion to both of them in the past, you have to wonder how much of the SNPs desire to liberate Scotland comes from handing more and more power to those who want to stay in power, Especially given the some what gaping wide chasm in the plans on how Scotland would run if is were separate, such as the lack of any armed forces, no currency of its own and no ability to be able to immediately join Europe, and there is about £15Bn a year in deficit that the UK has to top up on what the Scottish Government spends versus what it takes in tax revenue and a large portion of money that is counted in what Scotland takes as tax comes from north sea oil and gas which has been declining in recent years.
You have to think that any politician who wants to take a country into independence in the face of all that is not doing it for the good of the country but for there own personal/political gain.

If they are so hell bent on independence why are they not doing there best to balance the books? at the moment the Scottish public benefit from some of the best public spending in the country with free university and free prescriptions they get a much better deal than in the UK yet they are having to lean on the UK to keep funding that. I think the plan is to just keep the SNP in power until a time they can make Scotland independent, then once the damage is done there is no going back for the Scottish people and therefore the SNP and anyone associated with it, basically has free reign to do whatever they want.

 

[vexorg]

Scotland giving free education and prescription should never be seen as a benefit, england (and wales) not getting that should be what's addressed south of the border. Charging for water is immoral.

The Scottish government have simply fixed some issues that the public should be entitled to as post of a civil society.

As for currency, that's a non-argument (or worse still as some English shops refuse Scottish currency!!). Scottish pound, US dollar, finding a currency was never a stop to setting up a country.

I hated salmond, and felt he lost the referendum rather than darling winning. A bit like Brexit, there would be only one outcome of independence, and those facts should have been put to the people rather than the usual political nonsense. Squabbling rather than giving good clean facts meant the majority had no real facts.

Covid and ukraine have probably changed my view to 50-50 again. But no part of Westminster in the past several years makes me want to be ruled by them

 

[AndyRKett]

As for currency, that's a non-argument (or worse still as some English shops refuse Scottish currency!!). Scottish pound, US dollar, finding a currency was never a stop to setting up a country.

That’s actually one of the biggest barriers, to have a currency you need to have a national bank, to then print a currency you need something to underwrite it.

When you have a massive deficit that represents about a fifth of your GDP as a country you can’t get credit. The “Scottish pound” is still underwritten buy the GBP so it’s value lays only in the GBP.

Without all of the above you’re basically plunging Scotland into being a third world country.

You can’t just print some pieces of of paper and expect them to be worth anything.

 

[vexorg]

You can’t just print some pieces of of paper and expect them to be worth anything.

Every other National bank does
We do have a few treacherous banks, Scottish banks that threatened to move to England or Europe.

If we had just switch to the euro, since there can or were supposed to be accepted in the uk then who'd complain?

There are ways to solve everything, currency was never an issue, if anything the English shops not accepting Scottish notes gets our back up more than you'd believe.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Poor Noop collided with a muntjack on saturday morning. Crash stop from 60 to virtually zero and I thought it and we were both fine but the bumper has popped out along the front edge of the wing. Im hoping this will be fixed without more cost. Its the same corner that has only just been repaired. The first repair which was a 9" tear in the lower section seems fine so a testiment to the quality of the plastic welding. I suppose its something to do if its wet over the next couple of days. I hope I can get away with just undoing the one side of the bumper and not having to undo the whole thing. Its but a massive pain in the rear end. I just hope its not yet more expense.

 

[bugsymike]

Poor Noop collided with a muntjack on saturday morning. Crash stop from 60 to virtually zero and I thought it and we were both fine but the bumper has popped out along the front edge of the wing. Im hoping this will be fixed without more cost. Its the same corner that has only just been repaired. The first repair which was a 9" tear in the lower section seems fine so a testiment to the quality of the plastic welding. I suppose its something to do if its wet over the next couple of days. I hope I can get away with just undoing the one side of the bumper and not having to undo the whole thing. Its but a massive pain in the rear end. I just hope its not yet more expense.

It's not the "rutting "season is it.
What you need is one of those massive illegal 4X4 Bull Bars

 

[AndyRKett]

Every other National bank does
We do have a few treacherous banks, Scottish banks that threatened to move to England or Europe.

If we had just switch to the euro, since there can or were supposed to be accepted in the uk then who'd complain?

There are ways to solve everything, currency was never an issue, if anything the English shops not accepting Scottish notes gets our back up more than you'd believe.

Scotland doesn't have a national bank.

You have to join Europe to use the Euro. Joining Europe is not an instant thing and last time around while the EU said they would be happy to take an application to join they would still need Scotland to meet all the criteria of any other country that joins the EU.

one of those criteria is

The country must have a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU, as well as capable of effectively implementing the obligations of the membership.

Which scotland would not have till they have established their own national bank and currency.


There are ways around this... one of them would be to balance the books before any further vote for Scottish independence.
SNP want to put the cart before the horse on this one.

 

[The Panda Nut]

It's not the "rutting "season is it.
What you need is one of those massive illegal 4X4 Bull Bars

It's not the "rutting "season is it.
What you need is one of those massive illegal 4X4 Bull Bars

I decided to ask Mike Ashton who only just repaired it which fixings to undo. He beamed his big smile and gave it three short sharp slaps and hey presto its back. I hoped it might clip in and it did. I need to get a hair dryer on it now as I can tell its been off. Only half a mm and right in the very edge, but I can see it. .........And No its not character its bent! just under the corner of the black headlamp frame. At least I can go back to my other jobs now. Blood pressure allowing it was on the floor yesterday.

 

[bugsymike]

I decided to ask Mike Ashton who only just repaired it which fixings to undo. He beamed his big smile and gave it three short sharp slaps and hey presto its back.

Are you allowed to slap wild animals like Muntjacs?

 

[The Panda Nut]

Are you allowed to slap wild animals like Muntjacs?

I dont rightly know, but if the B thing hadnt run off it would be in my freezer now, as the penalty for upsetting Noop is DEATH!!!!

 

[portland_bill]

It's not the "rutting "season is it.

Something to consider, as the animal behaviour will change.

Another thing to think about, for all of us, is every time we change the clocks, we move the peak traffic times by an hour, and take the wildlife by surprise. Peak killing times are the fortnight after each clock change, twice a year.

I dont rightly know, but if the B thing hadnt run off it would be in my freezer now, as the penalty for upsetting Noop is DEATH!!!!

Many years ago, a guy I worked with hit a deer, wrote his car off.
almost exactly a year later, in almost the same place, he hit another one. Less damage that time, although the deer was still dead. Thsi time, instead of leaving it at the roadside, he heaved it into the boot and took it to his friend, who'd trained as a butcher. Together they dismantled the animal and filled a chest freezer. Over the next couple of months, selling the meat, he made enough to pay for the repairs. Reparation sorted.

 

[bugsymike]

Like the American Restaurant advert for road kill " From your Grill to our Grill"

 

[The Panda Nut]

Something to consider, as the animal behaviour will change.

Another thing to think about, for all of us, is every time we change the clocks, we move the peak traffic times by an hour, and take the wildlife by surprise. Peak killing times are the fortnight after each clock change, twice a year.


Many years ago, a guy I worked with hit a deer, wrote his car off.
almost exactly a year later, in almost the same place, he hit another one. Less damage that time, although the deer was still dead. Thsi time, instead of leaving it at the roadside, he heaved it into the boot and took it to his friend, who'd trained as a butcher. Together they dismantled the animal and filled a chest freezer. Over the next couple of months, selling the meat, he made enough to pay for the repairs. Reparation sorted.

I too have seen deer write off vehicles round here. Most notably one of the Ford Rangers pickups at work was totalled by a muntjack. I was lucky here. With maybe just another two feet I would have stopped. We both got away pretty lightly. I think my big learning was that I'm out of practice at emergency stops and need practice as the ABS was not in play and it and the EBD need to be operating for the quickest stop. In my defense it was a main A road and there was following traffic albeit some way back. I didnt want to be hit up the back.

You make a very good point about clock changes, and children are affected. The thought of hitting a child sends shudders down my spine.

 

[porta]

I e hit a fair few creatures, and this rings true every time…except for pheasants, who seem to have a deathwish

 

[portland_bill]

I too have seen deer write off vehicles round here. Most notably one of the Ford Rangers pickups at work was totalled by a muntjack. I was lucky here. With maybe just another two feet I would have stopped. We both got away pretty lightly. I think my big learning was that I'm out of practice at emergency stops and need practice as the ABS was not in play and it and the EBD need to be operating for the quickest stop. In my defense it was a main A road and there was following traffic albeit some way back. I didnt want to be hit up the back.

You make a very good point about clock changes, and children are affected. The thought of hitting a child sends shudders down my spine.

Some years ago, Mercedes and a German university did some research into emergency stops, and concluded that most drivers do not brake as hard as they could. They determined that sub-consciously we were afraid of breaking something, or losing control, where in reality this is unlikely. As a result, they developed, with Bosch, 'Emergency Brake Assist'. When the driver applies the brakes harder, or faster, than a set limit, the system assumes an emergency, and applies full braking pressure, using the ABS system. If you've ever experienced this, it is quite violent. The Vauxhall Corsa D, from around 2006 had this as standard. Doing emergency stops with learners was quite exciting. After a while, most examiners would not ask for an emergency stop if the learner was driving a Corsa.

If the ABS kicks in, the braking distance will be longer than if the brakes could be held at the point just before a wheel stops turning. In reality, that's not achievable. When reacting, we tend to jump onto the brake pedal abruptly. A better result is achieved if we can press quickly, but progressively. Let the front load up, then push harder to force the front wheels into the ground. If practised, this is very effective, and again, quite violent, and stops the car incredibly quickly. If you have any mechanical sympathy, you'll hate it. Difficult to do with impending danger ahead. Easier when the car is not your own, like when I had the AA Fiesta school cars. Never managed to break one, kept trying.

If you observe well, looking well ahead, spotting potential problems early, and reacting in good time, an emergency stop becomes rarer. The downside of this, is that when one is needed, you're out of practice.

 

[portland_bill]

I e hit a fair few creatures, and this rings true every time…except for pheasants, who seem to have a deathwish

Most animals have evolved with the car, seeing it as a predator, albeit one that is very territorial, hunting only on its own territory, the road, and ignoring potential prey alongside. Animals know they are safe on the grass, and crows on the motorway hop across the line to the hard shoulder to let vehicles pass.
Many animals are attracted to the grass beside roads, as the salt makes the grass taste different.

Pheasants are not indigenous, having been brought from Mauritius, where they had no natural predators. Then, kept in captivity, they were safe, being released only just before being 'hunted' for sport. The few that got away, and their descendents, are the ones we see wild, who still have centuries old brains, not expecting predators. In captivity, the farmer arrives to feed them in a vehicle, so they associate vehicles with food. That is why they are likely to step out in front of us, when other animals will step away.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Most animals have evolved with the car, seeing it as a predator, albeit one that is very territorial, hunting only on its own territory, the road, and ignoring potential prey alongside. Animals know they are safe on the grass, and crows on the motorway hop across the line to the hard shoulder to let vehicles pass.
Many animals are attracted to the grass beside roads, as the salt makes the grass taste different.

Pheasants are not indigenous, having been brought from Mauritius, where they had no natural predators. Then, kept in captivity, they were safe, being released only just before being 'hunted' for sport. The few that got away, and their descendents, are the ones we see wild, who still have centuries old brains, not expecting predators. In captivity, the farmer arrives to feed them in a vehicle, so they associate vehicles with food. That is why they are likely to step out in front of us, when other animals will step away.

I think we hae a considerable glut of deer in Norfolk. I had a conversation with a conservator a few years back it was estimated there were over 800,000 in Norfolk. Muntjack are everywhere here and can be seen any night in the village. Im told (reliably) they are very tender and tasty so perhaps I should catch a few. No repairs to pay for (Porta) but payment for shredded nerves?

 

[AndyRKett]

I think we hae a considerable glut of deer in Norfolk. I had a conversation with a conservator a few years back it was estimated there were over 800,000 in Norfolk. Muntjack are everywhere here and can be seen any night in the village. Im told (reliably) they are very tender and tasty so perhaps I should catch a few. No repairs to pay for (Porta) but payment for shredded nerves?

I’ve had a few in my time driving as well as some bigger deer.

They do wonder around where I live at night and regularly set off our cameras which record on picking up movement. In near by town deer are not uncommon wandering down the middle of the street at the quieter times of night. Quite a few years back now my wife was working in kings lynn and having to commute back and forth to south norfolk which was quite a distance through thetford forrest, she never hit one but at midnight she’d do 30mph on 60mph roads passed dozens of them lining the sides of the road some nights

 

[The Panda Nut]

www.evo.co.uk/fiat/panda/100hp

I sold one of the best if not THE best unmolested origianl condition ones for £1000 just a handful of years ago. I have regretted it ever since. Now it appears it could be worth quite a lot more.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Some years ago, Mercedes and a German university did some research into emergency stops, and concluded that most drivers do not brake as hard as they could. They determined that sub-consciously we were afraid of breaking something, or losing control, where in reality this is unlikely. As a result, they developed, with Bosch, 'Emergency Brake Assist'. When the driver applies the brakes harder, or faster, than a set limit, the system assumes an emergency, and applies full braking pressure, using the ABS system. If you've ever experienced this, it is quite violent. The Vauxhall Corsa D, from around 2006 had this as standard. Doing emergency stops with learners was quite exciting. After a while, most examiners would not ask for an emergency stop if the learner was driving a Corsa.

If the ABS kicks in, the braking distance will be longer than if the brakes could be held at the point just before a wheel stops turning. In reality, that's not achievable. When reacting, we tend to jump onto the brake pedal abruptly. A better result is achieved if we can press quickly, but progressively. Let the front load up, then push harder to force the front wheels into the ground. If practised, this is very effective, and again, quite violent, and stops the car incredibly quickly. If you have any mechanical sympathy, you'll hate it. Difficult to do with impending danger ahead. Easier when the car is not your own, like when I had the AA Fiesta school cars. Never managed to break one, kept trying.

If you observe well, looking well ahead, spotting potential problems early, and reacting in good time, an emergency stop becomes rarer. The downside of this, is that when one is needed, you're out of practice.

Its a hell of a long time since I had to anchor up this hard. I dont like it. Probably does the brakes good though ocasionally.