December 2001
Driving south from Leeds last night on the M1. Whilst the weather was foggy, the normal rear lights were visible on cars over one hundred metres away. Inevitably, certain drivers had their fog lights on. However, the motorway was still relatively free flowing.
However, further south, around Worksop and Nottingham, the overhead motorway signs displayed "Fog < new line> Use lights". Firstly, what does this sign mean? Should it have read "Use fog lights"? Or just normal headlights?
By no coincidence whatsoever, in my opinion, the majority of cars immediately turned on their fog lights, despite no deterioration in the conditions or visibility. As I am sure everyone knows, when fog lights are turned on, brake lights are harder to spot on many cars. Increased concentration was needed on the car in front, with the result that many drivers appeared to slow down to, in my opinion, unnecessarily slow speeds, and, because they were fixated on the car in front, understandably so, forgot to change lanes. Result, slow moving traffic spread out over three lanes with a minimum of traffic flow.
What caused all of this chaos was the overhead signs, in my opinion, stating the obvious, resulting in monkey see, monkey do. In my opinion, these signs should be used in a much more constructive way than to teach people the Highway Code. I have, for example, never seen one proclaiming that drivers should pull in once they have overtaken, etc. Added to the fact that these signs never appear to be updated to reflect current driving conditions, particularly in the case of fog, which can clear very quickly, and you have a very annoyed driver who only just made last orders. Mine's a Stella.
Yours
Andy Read more
May I ask you all to re -read the thread.... Citroen BX Suspension. (Mel Woods) dated 10/12 . I think that the last couple of entries by Rich L and DW are so relevant and useful and, as they're tucked right at the end of a slightly specialist topic, they might not be seen. I think they are well worth reading and offer an insight that might otherwise not be appreciated. Read more
KB
I'm very new to this forum so I'd not seen it before. Having found it had disappeared off the first page I thought I'd share with you the two sentiments that really smacked me in the face. Firstly taking a more objective view and reading the post properly when misc motoring matters are concerned. Secondly sometimes these subsidiary aliases are quite well disguised, sometimes less so, but in the main the purpose is to have a pop at someone or get a bite. I have to agree with you that they are well worth reading and offer an insight that might otherwise not be appreciated.
NH
My partners 95M 1.1 Fiesta has finaly given up the ghost and is only running on three cylindars. It was using loads of oil anyway so there doesnt seem much point in taking the head off for a look.
What should I do get a recon engine or just ship it to my local auction and get rid and start again?
I know it is worth nothing but im sure someone will buy it, hopefully!!! If I get rid I was thinking of getting her a Rover 214 to keep her on the road untill she can afford something better, these seem to be prety cheap now are they any good?
Thanks in advance! Read more
Personally I'd put a good S/H engine into it. If you really want out email me.
Had to use SWMBO's BX Estate today. This car stands out and, due to a high moisture level inside from muddy wellingtons/wet mats the ice is as much inside as out.
Thought I'd try the mains fan heater trick as mentioned in previous threads. Absolutely brilliant!
Popped the extension lead out from the shed and put a small fan heater on the passenger floor. Set the 1KW output, thermostat to medium and left it for ten minutes.
On returning not only was the car warm but all the ice had gone from the outside of the windows as well as the ice/condensation from the inside.
Just like driving it away on a summers day.
David Read more
John,
I chuckled at your earliar comments.
I also remember my bedroom windows frozen on the inside in the morning. Like you I'm 55 too so decided to treat myself - hence the recent aquisition of an MB. Up until then I had been quite content doing large annual milages with my old Cavalier. My Uni' based daughter continues motoring with the old Vauxhall.
Some science to support contributor argument or (otherwise) is much appreciated - thanks
Regards,
Julian
Yesterday I got caught defending one aspect of the new company car tax regime, so to show that I?m not working undercover for the treasury, I?d like to make the following point:
Imagine you have just chosen your next company car, let?s assume a popular choice - because it?s a lovely car and has an attractive CO2 g/km tax rating (but any car would do) so, you?re looking forward to collecting a Peugeot 406 2.2HDi 136 GTX.
If you allow your employer to provide fuel for private use in this company car, the Inland Revenue will include in your income tax affairs an annual ?fuel scale charge? of £3,620. In other words you will be taxed as if you received an additional £3,620 income i.e. the fuel provided for private use is worth £3,620 p.a.(£302 per month).
Your employer will also have to include an adjustment in their VAT return as they are not allowed to reclaim the VAT paid on private fuel provided. They too impose a ?fuel scale charge? but for this car it would be £1,145 p.a.(£95 per month).
So for the same fuel provided for private use to the same company car is assumed to be worth £95 per month for VAT purposes and £302 per month for income tax purposes.
Why such a huge discrepancy between H.M. Customs and Excise and H.M. Inspector of Taxes??? Absurd isn?t it! Read more
40 degrees here today, and the aircon is struggling.
However, I would have thought that if I have the aircon on recirculate then the air in the car will get colder than if it is using outside air.
I assume this becaue if it is using outside air it has to cool it down from whatever horrendous temperature it is whereas the air in the car is already something lower than that.
However, using approved scientific measures (I held my face in front of one of the vents) the air actually seems colder when it is not on recirculate and is using outside air.
Am I imagining things or is there something involved in this that I don't know.
M.
p.s. I am prepared to accept that vodka may have tainted my scientific measuring process a little, but since one of the dogs buried the pool thermometer and can't remember where, I haven't got any other way of measuring the air temperature. Read more
There's an 'African Telephone Cables' in Brits and a rather sad little Cafe.
my dads hyundai sonata has broken down, the automatic transmission tried to change down a gear, a bang was heard, and it lost drive, the engine works but the car has NO drive in any gear. please help me find the problem, and let me know of a good specialist. plus about how much will it cost (i just want a guide price)
the car is a hyundai sonata, 1994 M, 2.0 cdi, automatic. Read more
i just wanted details of what could be wrong with the car.
Watched the Frank Skinner show tonight, very good observation / joke.
Speed camera's are to be painted a bright colour so that everyone knows where they are. Why don't they paint store detectives a bright colour ? Read more
I thought that we environmentalists were the only jokers allowed to decide presidential policy, and it was the luvvies and meejas job to sell it to the public?
Now we've got comedians proposing traffic policy, and motorists seconding it.
I'm going to be out of a job soon.
Or would be if I didn't rely on all that fuel duty you chaps so willingly hand over.
Piers :-]
Scanning the franchise sites found this resale of an established Chips Away franchise. Now I know nothing really about these car maintenance business but thought established business and fitted out diesel van for £12000. Perhaps something for LAS!
Location Peterborough PE Postcode
Trading 18 Months
Price £12,000
Reason For Sale Ill health
Vehicle Included Toyota Power Van 1.4 Deisel 18 months old, fully fitted includes work bench 11,000 miles
Contact Mr Brian Brown
14 Lyndon Way, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 2RX 01780 751922 Read more
Depends what your geography's like.
If the daughter of some friends started out from Essex, heading for Bedfordshire and landed up in Surrey, I'm sure we could argue that Newcastle and Stamford are only a stone's throw apart!
War Graves Could be Bulldozed to Make Way for Motorway
.............in Belgium
Story filed: 12:02 Saturday 8th December 2001
From: www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_468586.html
So how come they are building motorways anyway - haven't they got enough?
Great Britain has 3,200 km of motorway (and plans to build a further 105 km)
Belgium ....... which ha[s] much less land area than the UK, ha[s] 1,666 km
Great Britain has 15,400 km of National Roads
Even tiny Belgium, with a much smaller land area, has 12, 750 km of National Road.
From: www.abd.org.uk/trd-abd.htm
So why on earth do they need more?!
And we are eight times as big, and six times as populous.
Where on earth are they going to fit it. The country must be completely tarmac'd over already. We nearly are!
Piers :-] Read more
Even the large war cemeteries do not extend very far. What about a [deep] tunnel?
Browse
Seen on the school-run in Basingstoke this morning :
A Mitsubishi SWB 4X4 containing mum and two kids. On the front of the 4X4 were two high intensity fogs in the front chin spoiler and FOUR 7 or 8 inch diameter yellow tinted fogs mounted in two rows of two on the bullbar. ALL of them switched on (plus dipped headlights).