January 2005
Has anyone else had the misfortune of driving around Plymouth recently?
A year ago, Plymouth was a free-flowing city centre. I rarely, if ever, got stuck in traffic.
Now, it's traffic-hell all day, every day. The local council has replaced every underpass with a surface level crossing, added numerous additional surface level crossings, and singled the main route through the city, which used to be a reasonably busy dual-carriageway route.
The result, as you can guess, is gridlock.
One particular road is barely 300 yards long but has no less than 7 traffic light controlled pedestrian crossings. Two of the crossings are so close together that you can fit only 3 cars in the gap between the two crossings.
What are they playing at? Read more
How easy is it??
Re this thread... www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=26271
The noise went away, but came back with a vengeance last week, so I had it on ramps this morning (cheers Kwik Fit) and one of the gaskets has had it, soot on the block etc, and another one looks like it's going a tiny bit as well.
Is it do-able with axle stands??
Once again, it's an Alfa 145 with a Boxer engine. Read more
I wonder if anyone can tell me the make/model of this "award winning" car?
The tinyurl points to my webspace on my ISP's server.
Any help gtatefully received! -- Roger. (Costa del Sol, España) Read more
Fair piont, I generally use the "spell it as you say it" philosophy (sp?).
Just picked myself up a second hand wheel from a 306 XSi to replace the knackered one in my 306, which the surface of has died totally.
However after picking it up and getting it home - i found to my dismay that the rim cover is loose in the top half of the wheel around to where the spokes join it half way down the wheel. I cant be bothered to take it back as its in good condition apart from this. Anyone got a good way to re-adhere the rim outer to the rim inner? Read more
well i might have a go at something like that then! Someone else yesterday suggested i slit the covering and use something like no more nails as its a bit flexible when dry - so it wont shear again but will hold it firmly? Not sure which would be best to try.
Andy
Could one of our legal eagles advise us on what obligations the highways authorities are under to provide road surfaces suitable for the purposes of motor transport? Read more
I provided some local councils' websites links in this thread:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=2&t=28...1
They outline councils' responsilities for roads etc maintenance - however they are not responsible for major truck roads, motorways etc.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Hello all
Recently another driver hit me a glancing blow as she emerged from a side road. I have a dent but she says the cars never touched, so our insurance companies have two different stories.
My insurance company now says that to progress matters I need to get the damage repaired so they know the cost they are trying to recover (I am fully comp covered). I'm reluctant because if I do that and don't win the argument (or it goes 50/50), I lose my NCB.
My question is this: Is it normal to have to know the precise cost of the damage before being able to determine who is responsible? Seems to me that those are two completely independent questions, but I'm no expert in the field.
If I have no other option, I'll keep the dent and keep my NCB. If anyone has experience or knowledge about this sort of thing, I'd be interested to hear it.
Thanks
Gavin Deane Read more
Thanks for the comprehensive answer Mark
>> but she says the cars never touched
Any witnesses ? Did she stop at the time ? If
there was no collision, why did she stop at the time
? If she did not stop, then has she said anything
at anytime different to the story she's given her insurer ?
No witnesses :(
100 yards down the road I stopped at the traffic lights. She stopped behind me and I got out and talked to her. She accepted she was wrong to emerge at me, but claimed we never touched. I think she was surprised when I said we did. Her story has been consistent throughout.
>> My insurance company now says that to progress matters I
need
>> to get the damage repaired so they know the cost
they
>> are trying to recover
A major point to make is that if she sticks to
her story, then you will lose. Even if she were to
concede that the collision occurred, then you'd have to prove it
was her fault. And I suspect that this incident was in
traffic, so you'll struggle. And if fault is anything other than
100% hers, you will lose your bonus.
Not in traffic actually. It was in the estate where I live, away from the main road, with no other cars around. She came out of the side road (which was on my right) without looking, intending to turn right. When she saw me late, she turned hard right and the nearside corner of her front bumper rubbed a glancing blow on my offside rear door, denting it.
I felt the contact and heard the squeak, but it wasn't dramatic. I can believe that she felt nothing as the corner of her car rubbed mine.
Is there any physical proof of the collision ?
Only the dent, which could have been there before. I know it wasn't, but it's only my word against hers on that.
Unless you have more details about conversations at the time of
the incident, or witnesses, then its not a good outlook.
Frankly I'd probably cut my losses and withdraw my claim if
I were you - and your insurer should allow you to
do so since as she says there was no collision, it
will not result in a later claim for them. Uless of
course it has already cost them money, in which case they
might be funny about it.
My insurers are quite happy for me to withdraw the claim if I want to. I've been careful to always keep that option. Just a little irritating that I now have to take it. It's not a big enough issue for me to take up the case against her personally.
Anyone got access to CAP or Glass Guide?
Need the trade price for a Nov 2002 reg, SAAB 3.0d ARC Estate
with metalic and reverse sensors.
Its got 60k up hence the inquiry. FSH with SAAB.
ta Read more
Thanks HJ
My Megane ('98 1.6 8v engine) has been very difficult to start recently. The starter turns, but the thing really struggles to fire up. It is much worse when the car has been left for a day or two. It has also been kangerooing while moving, particularly when cold.
The HT coils were replaced about a year ago, so I don't think they could have died by now. Would a fuel problem be possible?
Read more
Have a look for some recent posts on '98 Clio RXE 1.6's, same engine. A forum search should do it.
Could be the flywheel sensor.
Does anyone know how easy it is to retrofit cruise control to a W reg diesel (the 115bhp version) VW Bora.
It would make going up and down the motorway much easier. I read it is s/w enabled, and you just have to have the stalk fitted.
Thanks Read more
Here it is
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=7651
HTH
Folks,
My 3.1 Monterey (rebadged Trooper) has just passed the MOT (aahhh...!), but with an advisory on the front tyre.
It's down to 1.5mm on the inner edge of the O/S/F, but has 10+ across the rest. Enough to trap a small mammal, in fact.
The outer edge of the N/S/F has some significant "rounding" as well, but not as bad as the inner edge of the other one.
There is a small amount of play in the steering box, but this should not affect tyre wear, plus the MOT should have brought up any wear in anything else. Tyres are BFG semi-knobblies.
It looks like a classic tracking problem, but my local tyre independent (Derek Campbell in Yarm) has checked it and says that it's spot on.
He says that body roll can be a contributory factor, camber, and the fact that we go clockwise around roundabouts. I seem to recall that this is true of the Citroen Xantia as well..
Now, if this was some typical tyre place, I would seriously doubt their explanations, but I've been using them for around fifteen years, and they about as far away from a fast fit outfit as you can get in terms of skill and advice. At least their staff have started shaving.
Has anyone else had a similar experience on their 4 x 4?
Cheers
rg Read more
Hello Mark!
Thanks for the reply.
On reflection, the fronts have fairly scabby alloys, and have generally run slightly underinflated for extended periods. A contributory factor?
rg
Browse
Well lit or not, women tend to avoid them, especially at night -- and that's the headline advice from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, in its guidance on "Personal safety on foot":
Avoid danger spots like quiet or badly lit alleyways, subways or isolated car parks (see www.suzylamplugh.org/tips/safetyonfoot.pdf )
Any subway is going to be quiet at some stage of the day, and when they are installed it's not uncommon for there to be no overground alternative -- so anyone who wants to walk has to use them.
Gimme a bridge or a road-level crossing any day.