hi panda nut thanks for jogging my memory.i had a gardenmachinery business on the south coast. went to a seminar at paices of felbridge and was able to use the firdt one peter paice brought back from japan. they used them for cutting rice in the paddy fields it was quite heavy as i remember but as you have proved runs for ever and aday (KEEP IT)
Currently reading:
What's made you grumpy today?
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
Cor..... I bet your ears are burning! Mind you serves the silly bug* right. It does show how far away many peoples minds are from the task in hand..... driving. And yes, I'm not a total innocent. I have my moments, but try to exercise a little thought. I'v always been keen to leave a good gap at all times, and its certainly saved me from disaster on many occasions. I can still hear my driving instructor now... "back off a bit" and "get them brakes going early". Very good advice.
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
I have long since given up with the females in the family. They just don't want to know and nothing I can say or suggest will change it. I just don't let them use my car.
Change a wheel.... no chance!
On the subject of auto lights, I used to just leave the lights and wipers switched on all the time on my Golf. The only thing they were no good at were daytime visibility and snow. Two gadgets I wish I could get for the Panda. Not so much of an issue now I do a lot less miles, but still nice to have. Auto wipers particularly really can be a life saver.
Without going off on a "women drivers" rant...as to be fair she drives quite well but just has no interest in the fine details or even learning how the various systems in a car she's now had for 4 years actually work.
I tried to explain the cruise control/speed limiter once...the glazed look was all confirmation I needed she wasn't going to use it. The stalk is behind the wheel she's got no idea it's there so I just leave it on and use it when I'm in the car.
Think I prefer auto wipers you activate on starting the car. I have the type you can leave on on the Mazda and it seems like a good idea. Right until that one morning where you've got 3-4 inches of wet snow on the screen, you lean in to fire it up and start it warming while you clear the windows and to you horror the wipers very slowly start attempting to shift several kilos of wet snow...or blow a relay trying. Wouldn't care I always checked the stalk when doing that but that day I forgot.
I've said it before but her car seems largely designed to be idiot proof. The only thing you can leave on other than the cruise is the auto lights. Even if you leave the wipers in the on position they don't come on when you start the engine, they also always park even if you switch the engine off mid sweep. It also won't let you leave the rear fog light on for days.
Probably a good thing...
To be fair I wouldn't change a wheel unless I bloody had to. Had no problem back in my punto days but when you start getting to 16 and 17 inch alloys they weigh a lot and the car itself isn't light either if it happens to drop off a scissor jack (unfortunately that's an ask me how I know..).
Last edited:
I've got both ends of the spectrum going here. My very dear Mrs who doesn't even know how to release the bonnet and my daughter, a civil engineer, who very competently checks her own levels and tyre pressures etc and can change a wheel if ever needed - I know, I got her doing it when she got her first car.
My daughter's quite a good driver too, although she tends to follow other cars too closely for me to really relax if she's driving me. She also displays quite a good degree of "mechanical sympathy" unlike Mrs J who will have changed up into top by the time she's going 20mph. Sometimes I fancy I can almost count the power strokes from the vibrations going through the car! I'd be happy to let my daughter drive my car but Mrs J only drives Becky, our Panda, as she doesn't like the Ibiza. - which is just as well because asking it's poor wee 3 cylinder engine to pull hard at very low revs would drive me to distraction - and maybe divorce?
Wife is the opposite...sits in 2nd at 30mph. So it's doing 3000 rpm constantly. If you're just cruising it has more than enough torque for 4th and doesn't vibrate. At least the turbo and lack of NVH means it isn't roaring at her....even if it's constantly flashing 3 and an up arrow.
Poor thing is very confused now we're sharing it..got in today and did 40 miles. The fuel range went from 250 to 310 miles..
Actually bothered to sync it up to my phone as it has on board telemetry..with her driving .average of 40mpg. Me driving...admittedly longer trips it's hit anything up to 61 according to the ecu.
I disagree. DRLs serve a very good purpose.
Tail light have very little function other than during darkness.
In fog they’re not visible. In heavy rain hardly visible. So not sure what benefit there is to them being on with DRLs, which serve a purpose, even in bright daylight conditions, of making a vehicle stand out against a camouflaged background in certain conditions.
The tail light has the function of lighting the rear of the vehicle....LED tail lights are not the same as your old 5w bulb. It's a fail sage, if the driver fails to react to heavy rain etc at least the back of the car is lit..
All 4 corners lit would have been sensible, especially in the EV age when someone may select reverse and silently back out but legally only requires a single reverse light at shin height.
Last edited:
Reminds of a gearbox we pulled apart at college, sometime in 1974.
Car was a classic Fiat 500, and 2nd gear was melted. 1st gear showed some wear, 3rd and 4th looked unused.
Questioning the owner, a middle-aged lady, it seems that she'd read the handbook, which somewhere stated maximum speeds in each gear. Misunderstanding the message, as she never drove anywhere above 30mph, she used 2nd gear everywhere.
At least the noise would ensure pedestrians knew she was coming.
What a lovely story PB. It reminded me of a Morris minor estate we looked after when I worked in the wee country garage (BL dealership) just south of Edinburgh when we first returned to Scotland after my earlier years "Dawn Sath". The owner was a very elderly gentleman who, poor chap, was very arthritic. He pretty much went through a clutch every year! One time it was my turn to replace the clutch and I'd remembered seeing it having a clutch fitted by the chap who had the work bay next to mine the year before so I asked the boss what the story was. Apparently the old fellow got it rolling in first and then shifted into second and went everywhere in second because his arthritis caused him a lot of pain to change gear. I was told that he kept his left leg as straight as possible to minimize the pain. If he came to a corner or anywhere that he had to slow down more than second gear could cope with he would just lean on the clutch pedal with his straight leg until the clutch slipped so allowing the car to progress more slowly. Then, once round the corner (or whatever) he would slowly relax the pressure on the pedal thus allowing the clutch to slip excessively and the car to eventually get up to a speed where the clutch could again be fully engaged. He was a well known character in the area and you could hear him coming - and smell him (the burnt clutch that is!) after he'd passed - even if you didn't see him in the car!
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2009
- Messages
- 19,899
- Points
- 3,413
DRLs do serve a purpose but when everyone is using them the vulnerable roads users are even harder to see. Rear fog lights are a menace because (in UK at least) there is almost never any need for them. Heavy mist will slow you right down at night (headlamp glare) but dazzle for rear fogs on the car ahead can be extremely dangerous.
If you can see well enough to drive faster than 30mph, you don't need them.
If you can see other car's tail lights you don't need them.
If other's fogs are causing dazzle you don't need to add to the glare and dazzle by using yours.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2009
- Messages
- 19,899
- Points
- 3,413
That reminds me of a tail (who knows if it's true) about an American couple on holiday in UK who hired a Mini 1000. Their car at home was a two speed auto so they drove the Mini around the country in second gear.
It wouldn't surprise me any if it were true.
I got a call from one of the senior sales guys yesterday to tell me that he was throwing in the towel and resigning. He wanted me to know before he told management because we both started in this gig at about the same time. He was sick of the mismanagement of the company and the stress of trying to do the right thing when his boss is ethically challenged.
As Ed is the top sales guy in the outfit to say "Screw this", I expect to see more resignation come down the pike. I may be the last one standing.
Once his house is sold, Ed is moving back home to Mexico.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2009
- Messages
- 19,899
- Points
- 3,413
He should try talking to Tesla in Austin. Musk hires capable people long before he considers qualifications.
I actually brought this up to him today.
My son being the sharing type has brought hand foot and mouth back from nursery...he's pretty much over that but now sounds like he's getting croup.
I on the other hand have wonderful red spots on my hands and feet that do a good impression of pins and needles whenever you put any pressure on them.
So today's activity plans are...go to pharmacist, go to a toy shop and buy us some lego to play with...go home and stick a film on.
I on the other hand have wonderful red spots on my hands and feet that do a good impression of pins and needles whenever you put any pressure on them.
So today's activity plans are...go to pharmacist, go to a toy shop and buy us some lego to play with...go home and stick a film on.
Ive said before.. usually to bleary eyed co.workers..
The first 20 Years are the worst !!
But we still have fond memories
Savour any time you can get with your youngsters, you can't get any of it back later. I missed so much of my kids when they were really young because I was always working, often not even in the same country. Now, spending so much time with the grandchildren, I'm only now realizing some of what I missed. Luckily the "dice of life" rolled me a wonderful wife who has built a wonderful family around us so that retirement is panning out pretty well!
It was a very productive day...
Aye Jock there are times when you don’t know things that are staring you in the face at times. Obviously working silly hours back in the day to make money for the family good. Like yourself I missed out on the kids growing up. However I’ve helped financially towards my Daughters house. The Grandkids are living local. Granddaughter is in Perth at University but back home at times. Again like yourself I was extremely lucky with my wife who has sorted e everything out over the years. Retirement is panning out nicely.
