October 2009
A Black Rat is a fairly common nickname for a road traffic policeman - the type that tend to go up and down the motorway in big cars.
It might be more of a 'police to police' term, but I just wondered where it came from?
I've certainly heard it used in the Northumbria, North Yorkshire and Durham forces.
Is it a regional thing? Or are there any other daft names for traffic officers?
Just to confuse matters, a few years ago I heard the term 'Black Dog' used to mean the same thing.
I'm sure members of the Back Room constabulary - both serving and retired - will be able to help.
By the way, the coppers I've seen called Black Rats don't appear to take it as an insult, and it's certainly not meant to be here - just a bit of fun and interest.
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Help!!
I have been meaning to replace the wifes rear wiper arm for ages (since our youngest decided it would be good to swing from it while no one was looking).
So, got out to the car with a spanner this morning, released the single nut holding the arm in place and thought I would be finished in another 2 minutes! Ooooooh No!!
How on earth do you now remove the wiper arm? I have tried whacking it to loosen it, tried hoiking it off with mole grips, tried wedging it off with a screw driver but it won't budge!
I've got an old Frontera Haynes manual and it says that if it sticks pull at it with mole grips, well if i'd pulled any harder I would have pulled the motor through the boot lid.
Hope someone can help me!! Please! Read more
Hi Peter
I managed to fix this last night with a Screwfix puller for
www.screwfix.com/prods/48634/Van-Car-Accessories/M...r for £13 odd.
Thanks for the tip!
Adam
Hi.
Its time (after a free brake check) 'apparently' to change my front discs as they are below 23mm thickness at 21mm according to one of these fast fit type places.
Ive been quoted £160 for discs and £90 for pads..........anyone know if this is high priced?
{Name removed, following an allegation you were conned by them} Read more
Its the big outfits that have to meet targets and performance figures. Commission as well. Hence the temptation to 'over egg the pudding'.
Heat was stuck in hot so changed the heater valve under the bonnet, now stuck in cold. Have replaced control panel and completely flushed the cooling system no joy. have also tested power to heater valve and steady 12volts. Valve opens to cold but will not switch to hot, have tried two different valves any ideas?
Car runs fine with no over heating to engine etc. Read more
also had few ka suffer with the heater control panel failing to test this get a multimeter and conect it to the twopin multiplug at the heater valve cheecking the voltage it should change as u turn the heater control. do this with the engine runing for best results. it will prob be 13 volts on hot and about 7volts on cold. in the middle of to control u will find the voltage will fluctuate fro 13-7 volts. if it doesnt change at any point then i would suspect the control panel is at fault. but do double check the valve
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I don't have Acrobat installed I used Foxit Reader and the site works fine.
But you have something installed which handles whatever it is the page is doing. If you have nothing to do this, then autoinstall is activated.
Wonder if anyone can help with my Grand Voyager problem - the car is in drive, but when the accelerator is pressed the engine revs but the car doesn't move. Then suddenly it may lurch forward but then stop again and the engine revs again. It reminds me of a slipping clutch on a manual.
Checked the transmission fluid level - very low. Topped it up - the noise that used to be there on engaging drive had stopped, but still revs high, moved a touch (no more than before) and suddenly the steering went stiff, like the power steering has gone.
Any ideas please? I guess the two things are connected (?) but it's the first automatic we've had and I don't know much about how they work.
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Hi, I am not an expert. But I have owned the same car and that had auto box problems.
...
hi, does anyone know what can be done to question a fixed penalty charge before it is paid with the resulting 3 points? The reason I ask is that I received a letter saying that I had failed to comply with a red light. Apparently my time into the red was 0.9 seconds and my speed was 28 miles per hour, not exactly the worst of crimes. The photo they have supplied of my car is very unclear, I cannot see my registration plate or what colour the traffic lights are. Is it reasonable to ask for clearer evidence before making the dreaded payment? Also there are no signs indicating the presence of cameras on this stretch of road, although I don't know if this only applies to speed cameras. I just wondered if anyone has been in this situation. Thanks
{Made non make/model specific. Only compulsory to select this when in Technical Matters. Providing you select a category, then you're able to post in Discussion} Read more
Heh heh.
Looking under the bonnet to see what was wrong with it too.
Hi ? I really need some advise !!!! ?.
.*******
OK ? I drive a 1996 MK3 GSX 1.8 carburator model ? For the past week the revs have been hunting between 950 and 1050 rpm at idle and only when at normal operating temp ? this didn?t bother me to much so I chose to overlook it !!! ?. Tonight, driving home it cut out on me about 12 times in a 8km drive ? When it cuts out , the revs just drop to zero? no stutter ?. no shaking like is running out of petrol ? the rev and petrol needles ?jump? once and the car just dies ?run start while the car is freewheeling does not get it back to life ? also while freewheeling after ?The Cut? the indicator don?t work, I have to turn the ignition off and back on before they start flashing ?. But the hazards flash straight away ?.
Trying to restart ? it sometimes kicked in, the revs jump to 1000 but dies immediately while all hell breaks loose on my dash with all the lights flashing for that couple of seconds ?. Other times it would be like trying to start a motor without petrol ? The thing usually sprang to life after about 5 mins ? then let me drive for ?a? km and die again
Now what I have noticed ? and please take note that I am in no way a qualified VW mechanic and this might have no bearing to the matter at hand and might in itself point to some other underlying issues ? Setting the thing on fire is starting to sound better by the minute ? OK ? 7 out of the 12 times the car died there was no fuel in the fuel filter ? and I noticed that the oily end of my dipstick was covered in tinny bubbles, now this is something I haven?t noticed before as I rarely look at the oily end of my dipstick ? That sounded way to sexual for my liking !!!!!!
Anyway ? I need help ? PLEASE !!!!!! ? Any advise will be greatly appreciated
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What engine trim options are available these days ?
Currently Backroomers seem to be to a large extent aggressive and vitreolic. They hate car dealers, service departments, other drivers, other Backroomers, the police, insurance companies, the government, local councils and practically every other body connnected with motoring. Chill out guys and gals! Read more
L'escargot, it is difficult for some to be dispassionate when putting their point of view, particularly when they feel hard done by. It is true that you get taken more notice of if you do marshall your arguments and put them briefly but succinctly, but hey nothing arouses passion like perceived injustice. It is unfortunate that the motoring world has suffered more than most from 'cowboys' in every department from cars sales, servicing, repairs, parking, speed cameras, bad driving and taxation. We are a prime target for every scam going and people do get upset by this fact. I do agree it would be nicer for some to calm down before going into print, but it is forgivable, and sometimes very amusing. Also, no matter how the argument is put, we other backroomers can always learn from someone else's experience. Long live the back room and all who sail in her! Concrete
A long long time after the accident (years) my insurance company are taking the other driver to court. It was after all his fault. And they want me as a witness.
Only problem is the other driver has insisted that it's heard in a court at the other end of the country. Which will make it a very very long journey for me.
So currently I am down a couple of hundred quid excess, and I'm expected to take a few days off work and cough up for travel and probably hotel night.
All for a scumbag who should have just admitted it. I really wish I'd got the police involved at the time.
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the legal system really stinks in this country
its all setup to help scroats
Not just before trial, even after they are convicted
tinyurl.com/y9aqh3e
This country is a joke, a laughing stock beyond belief.
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DD.