I have just returned from an Easter family visit to an old colleague who now works in admin for the EU in Brussels.
It is an open secret in his department that EU moves are afoot to compel Tony Blair to agree to make us DRIVE ON THE RIGHT BY 2010.
Anticipated rejection by UK Government will be circumvented by throwing the measure in when Blair is looking for concessions.
The barmy idea was proposed by a French EU Commissioner, Mons. A. P. Rille d'Wonne, after a British driver crashed into his car in Paris. His car was extensively damaged and blamed on the Brit's mental lapse when emerging from a junction on the wrong side of the road.
It appears the Commissioner has much personal influence and has gained the support of most EU member countries without TB's knowledge.
I was asked to keep this "under my hat", but cannot bring myself to comply. After all, it's the other lot who drive on the wrong side and, the sooner they grasp this, the better.
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What day is it today? I seem to have mislaid my calendar.....
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Well, it was the last day of March yesterday so that means..............
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Actually it says that commercial traffic must drive on the right by 1st April 2009 and that private traffic will switch a year later if the experiment is a success.
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Seriously,back in the 50's,Sweden changed from driving on the left to the right and,yes, commercial vehicles changed sides two days ahead of private cars.The two days were a weekend and cars were instructed to stay off the roads-there were however a number of crashes.
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They also used it as an excuse to make the "speed" limit even slower.
That could be an attraction to our anti-motorists.
Needless expense, no problem. Put up petrol again.
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2010.....In that case I think I will shortly begin the conversion of my wifes Maestro to left hand controls.
By then I should have got it right....
alvin
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There is also an EU directive for the introduction of a 'Decimal Day.' The day will be divided up into ten euro hours, each hour in turn will divide into 100 euro minutes. All clocks manufactured after 2005 will have to comply with eurotime.
An EU spokesperson said that this is the first step towards the introduction of the Decimal Year, which will be ten euromonths long.
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No wonder there were a number of crashes if people in Sweden started driving on the right in the 1950s - I seem to recall it was not done officially until 1968!
Prior to that, Swedes drove on the left in left hand drive cars, so presumably the changeover was not too traumatic for them when it came.
Jack
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No wonder there were a number of crashes if people in Sweden started driving on the right in the 1950s - I seem to recall it was not done officially until 1968!
Prior to that, Swedes drove on the left in left hand drive cars, so presumably the changeover was not too traumatic for them when it came.
Jack
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Oops! Apologies for finger trouble - must be Huntiegowk!
Jack
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Are you taking the Euro-nation?
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No need to worry - the change will be made gradually...
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