What's made you smile today?

[Cheest]

Getting close to finishing the Gitane track bike.

I'm waiting for a warm and sunny day to wrap the bars. It's just something I prefer to do outdoors. Maybe awhile because it snowed in NE Illannoy last night.

 

[portland_bill]

Getting close to finishing the Gitane track bike.

Looks nowhere near finished to me, no engine.

 

[portland_bill]

At 6pm today, realised I should have moved the clocks forward first thing.

 

[DaveMcT]

I was doing so well yesterday. So far ahead it was unreal. It was unreal - the clock was still set on GMT. :-(

 

[StevenRB45]

Went in to check on my boy..

He was asleep cuddling something I didn't recognise.

Of course I didn't recognise it...it was out of context..it was a flipping kite.

 

[mowermender70]

well done it again sold the black panda easy 2017 and got a quobo trekking at last have nothing to remind us of the 4 1/2 years we had at the hell hole can now drive around whith a big smile on my face.that makes no26 fiat since 1964

 

[AndyRKett]

Went in to check on my boy..

He was asleep cuddling something I didn't recognise.

Of course I didn't recognise it...it was out of context..it was a flipping kite.

Seems legit….

My older brother used to sleep cuddling a millennium falcon…. Born in the 70s and he loved the Starwars films. I think later the falcon got replaced with a slightly less cumbersome X-wing

 

[StevenRB45]

Was off down the hill today to the park...

This gentleman in a black M4 caught my eye as he turned right out of the 30 zone into the 60 at warp speed then anchored up at the corner.

For regular followers of my ramblings the corner to the left is here the mini ended up in the tree, but I was also turning right.

He mainly made me smile for this reason..I had to stop to let a Yaris past and then also turned right and continued my meander down. Until I came across this.

Hello again, have you scared yourself by any chance? I don't think you need 400bhp+ to do 23mph down a steep hill

The road between these two photos is rough as old boots, covered and mud and heavily crested..I wonder what happened between point A and B to turn him into such a Saint?

 

[puntofan01]

Having not been to bangers for more than 2 years, it absolutely bloody fantastic to watch the unlimited bangers at Mildenhall with a couple of good friends. I took my eBay bargain Lumix with me, and hopefully I've got some good snaps, too.

 

[StevenRB45]

Sunday wanders,

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

At 6pm today, realised I should have moved the clocks forward first thing.

It's always the kitchen clock which catches us out. Radio alarms in the bedrooms, and our "devices" - iPad and laptop - update themselves but the kitchen clock dates back to sometime around when we bought our first house - early 1970's - and runs on a double A battery. Then you go out to the car, either one, it doesn't matter, because neither does an auto update, and the delusion continues. Sometimes, being as how we're both retired, it can be a couple of days before we notice the discrepancy between them and we "catch up" again!

 

[Cheest]

Rode the Ural to a bicycle swap meet today where my wife and I used to live. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, more of an excuse to get out of the house and see some friends. This particular swap meet caters mostly to the American bicycle crowd, aka old guys reliving their youth and being charged a small fortune for the privilege. I'm glad I discovered lightweights early on, not that things are any cheaper for the swap meets that cater to my interests. Anyway, I came away with some okay finds. A couple Sturmey Archer triggers, a 430mm handle bar, plus a real nice Fizik saddle. Best find, though, was also the least expensive. A Primus 2260 Grasshopper propane camp stove from the seventies for $2.

This was the first camp stove my wife and I bought for our first camping trip in, cough, nineteen, cough, cough, seventy, cough, five. The one we bought got lost during one of the five moves we've made since we got hitched. It's not a great camp stove. Heck, it's barely a good camp stove. But ours cooked a lot of one pan meals plus brewed a lot of tea and coffee before we could afford a two burner petrol camp stove.

Several years ago, I bought another Grasshopper off the Bay of Evil without knowing that there were two different versions. Propane and Butane. Here they both are. They're actually lit but I had sun shining in the garage this afternoon and kind of washed out the flame.

The haul.

 

[portland_bill]

Had a lovely thought to get the conspiracy theorists working hard.
It was announced that energy prices would go up by a big amount, and immediately the weather turned warm, making us feel that it wouldn't be too bad.
Then just as the new prices kicked in, the weather turned cold. Obviously controlled by the energy companies.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

With my recent exploration of how my TPMS works (Tyre pressure warning) very much in mind, I came across a video on one of my favourite You Tube channels - Rainman Ray's Repairs - If you want to view it enter "Rainman Ray's Repairs Ripped off by Dealer Buy here pay here special" The actual video is overwritten with "It's a Cover-up" in yellow lettering. It drew my attention because it's about a car submitted to him because the TPMS light was illuminated on the dash. Turns out this system is an "in wheel" type and, having seen what was involved in fixing it I'm very glad my wee Ibiza has a rotational system based on the ABS sensors.

However if you look later in the video it gets even more interesting? Looks like his customer bought a right old "pig in a poke?" I'll leave you to enjoy.

As a further "entertainment" take a look - Google - into what a "Buy here Pay here" motor dealer is and the "shenanigans" they are alleged to get up to.

By the way I didn't simply copy and paste the video to here because, although I've done that in the past, I've been wondering recently if there can be legal or financial implications by doing so? My previous assumption has been that, as long as I was not attempting to claim in any way that the posted clip was my property, it is Ok to do so. In fact I would imagine the originator of the video might actually thank me for drawing attention to it? However I just don't know what the true situation is - any one who knows for sure? I'd be very grateful to hear your opinion.

PS. I find his 2 poster lift interesting - never seen one with pads like that, the tips of the arms where they actually contact the underneath of the car I mean. Think I prefer ours with their paint protecting rubber pads though?

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

With my recent exploration of how my TPMS works (Tyre pressure warning) very much in mind, I came across a video on one of my favourite You Tube channels - Rainman Ray's Repairs - If you want to view it enter "Rainman Ray's Repairs Ripped off by Dealer Buy here pay here special" The actual video is overwritten with "It's a Cover-up" in yellow lettering. It drew my attention because it's about a car submitted to him because the TPMS light was illuminated on the dash. Turns out this system is an "in wheel" type and, having seen what was involved in fixing it I'm very glad my wee Ibiza has a rotational system based on the ABS sensors.

However if you look later in the video it gets even more interesting? Looks like his customer bought a right old "pig in a poke?" I'll leave you to enjoy.

As a further "entertainment" take a look - Google - into what a "Buy here Pay here" motor dealer is and the "shenanigans" they are alleged to get up to.

By the way I didn't simply copy and paste the video to here because, although I've done that in the past, I've been wondering recently if there can be legal or financial implications by doing so? My previous assumption has been that, as long as I was not attempting to claim in any way that the posted clip was my property, it is Ok to do so. In fact I would imagine the originator of the video might actually thank me for drawing attention to it? However I just don't know what the true situation is - any one who knows for sure? I'd be very grateful to hear your opinion.

PS. I find his 2 poster lift interesting - never seen one with pads like that, the tips of the arms where they actually contact the underneath of the car I mean. Think I prefer ours with their paint protecting rubber pads though?

Sorry folks, just to avoid confusion I should say that the TPMS is in my Ibiza. Becky, our Panda, doesn't have such "refinements" and she's all the better for it!

 

[StevenRB45]

Fell road is closed....so I've had a full week of living in a cul-de-sac rather than having nobbers turning into the road and using past my house as an acceleration zone before they hit the national.

Hopefully it continues to the weekend when all the motorbikes come out to play.

Lovely moment when a bloke in a lowered hatch with a drain pipe exhaust came screeching round the junction saw the closure stopped, tried to turn round in the entrance of the stables opposite.

Unfortunately for him the entrance to the stable is set down from the road so he reversed off the road and as his wheels left the tarmac the difference was more than the available ride height...Crunch...sound of spinning wheels and more crunching.

 

[portland_bill]

Unfortunately for him the entrance to the stable is set down from the road so he reversed off the road and as his wheels left the tarmac the difference was more than the available ride height...Crunch...sound of spinning wheels and more crunching.

That's a satisfying moment.
Like the time a couple of years ago, was overtaken by a Corsa, 3 lads, so lowered it was nearly scraping on a flat road. Moments after the overtake, entering town, he beached it on a speed bump. I did give a cheerful wave as I passed gently.

 

[Cheest]

I had a think today.

Next year I will be 67 and my Illannoy drivers license will expire. I'm pretty sure that I will be required to take both the written and road tests to renew my license. I can ace the written test in about 15 seconds. I'm thinking about using the 48 DeSoto for the road test. That should be fun for me. No seat belts, no stereo, no A/C, semi auto transmission, 'poorer ' steering, 'poorer' brakes, roll up windows, not even any back up lights. The Jeep would work well, too. Even though it does have A/C and a stereo, it also has the rare in the US 6-speed manual and I do stir the box. I want to do this not to be a dick, but to see how Patty or Selma would react to a vehicle outside the box. Okay, maybe a little bit of dickishness.

I did have hardass examiners twice since 1971. First was when I did my first road test at 16. I think that guy was a former drill instructor. My dad was, too, so I knew how to deal with him. A panic stop that threw him into the dash quieted him down some. He told my dad and dad told him there are days he won't mess with me either. Got my license. When I took my Class C(27000lb truck)road test, that lady scared me. She was a tough old broad. I was almost 40 at the time and I needed the C license for my job at that time, so I curbed my attitude towards bureaucrats that day.

When I turn 70, I have a bunch of hoops to jump through to maintain my Class M motorcycle license. The bulk of it has to do with balance and handling. I have the sidecar rig to fall back on if that doesn't go well but the day I can't ride on two wheels will be a very sad day for me.

 

[portland_bill]

In the UK, there are a few restrictions about the vehicle used for the test. It has to have all-round visibility, so no cabrios, and it must have head restraints on the seats and seat belts, so the De Soto would be out, I'm afraid.
Once the test is passed though, that's it. We renew a photocard licence every 10 years, to renew the photo, but our driving entitlement is permanent. At 70, we have to sign a declaration of fitness, self-certification, so open to abuse, and renew this every three years, no tests unless ordered by a court after a driving incident.
There are often calls for older people to be retested, but statistically they are involved in few collisions, possibly due to driving more slowly, but also due to driving less. It is easy to identify older people driving poorly, but I believe that the majority of these have always driven poorly, their age is a contributory factor in their poor decision-making, but not the root cause.
There are also calls for retests of everyone every 10 years, but the test is one of ability. The poor driving we see is mostly about attitude, which can be turned off for the test.

I met a few Indian guys recently, one described his driving test in India:
Move away from the side of the road and drive to a roundabout about 100yds away. Circumnavigate the roundabout to drive back down the road you approached on. Continue to the next roundabout, about 200 yards, around that and return to the start. Done.

A guy from Burundi (Somewhere in Africa), described his test as, "not as high a standard as the UK". I quipped, "as long as you don't crash?". His reply, "No, as long as no-one goes to hospital." That's a good standard.

 

[Cheest]

Interesting. There are fifty states and each has its own requirements.

Though it's been awhile, I think the only vehicle requirement was that it had to be in good nick and proof of insurance in Illannoy for the road test. To be able to qualify for a drivers license here, you need to be breathing and have at least partial vision in at least one eye. I don't recall head rests being a requirement but slip on ones are available for older vehicles.

Roundabouts are becoming a thing on this side of the pond and they confuse the sh!t out of about 90% of the drivers out there. I have no problem with roundabouts but most can't seem to grasp the concept of 'in the circle has the right of way' or 'if no one is in the circle, just fcuking go, it's a yield sign, not a stop sign'. Okay. I say that last one a lot. More than once, I've had to lock up the binders in the circle, too. Either the goober in front of me stops to let incoming traffic into the circle or some moron just flies into the circle without looking or yielding. Never a traffic cop there when you need one.