The new news 24 thread

[red5]

On 5/11/2020 at 5:13 PM, Mrcento said:

As of yesterday, i now own a Vectra.

Mods- how long of a banning offence is this?

I find that hugely offensive. They're all to be desired. Or this isn't AS. 

[richardmorris]

11 minutes ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

I am in the 3C. I think I will have to ask Stan if he's come across anything like this. Incidentally, this has only started happening since the oil and filter were changed. 

After running the engine today,  I switched off, then turned on the ignition without starting. The oil gauge flicked over to about one-third, so it does agree the oil is in there somewhere. 

I’ve always found Stan to be helpful, some don’t. Almost twenty years ago on the drive  he helped me diagnose the cause of no cooling fans by phone - corroded relay.

[Talbot]

2 hours ago, richardmorris said:

Lhm lasts forever being non -hygroscopic , if you had it all hydroflushed when you got it that’s it for the next twenty years.

It may not adsorb water, but it does get absolutely filthy.  I thought 3 years was the recommended interval.  Granted, you might push that out to 5 or a few more, but 20?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

24 minutes ago, Talbot said:

It may not adsorb water, but it does get absolutely filthy.  I thought 3 years was the recommended interval.  ...

3 years or 36,000 miles. I don't think I've covered 3600 since I bought it.

The stuff in the LHM tank still appears green, but even so I'd still like it checked along with the spheres. 

[Talbot]

Most of the silt in the system ends up in the bottom of the tank, under the white plastic disc.  An interim "help" to keep the system clean is to decant out (and filter) the tank contents, clean out the tank and then re-fill it.

However, if you do this yourself be *VERY*careful as the lip of the top of the tank is razor sharp.  I've cut myself on BX/CX LHM tanks several times and it really fucking hurts.

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, mitsisigma01 said:

Can you drive a full size on grandads rights (car test passed before xxxx) but be limited as to how many seats (maybe 9 or 13 or 15) and should Mr Bornite purchased a full size coach and if he say had insurance that allowed others to drive it, would others be covered on his insurance or third party only cover from other persons own insurance ????

Just a thought ?

This used to be clearly documented on the DVLA website, but the page disappeared when the website was redesigned a few years ago.

The rules are:

[] The vehicle must be more than 30 years old on the day you are driving it.

[] You must be more than 21 years of age.

[] You must have held a full category B driving licence for a minimum of three years.

[] No more than 8 passengers may be carried.

[] The vehicle must not be used for hire/reward.

It's basically a loophole there to allow owners of historic vehicles to drive them.

The biggest headache I found by a country mile when I was more involved in this side of things a few years back was insurance.  The vast, vast majority of insurers who will cover full size buses or coaches will only cover you if you also have a full category D licence.  Your normal car insurance will NOT cover you, even if you've got the "driving other vehicles" feature on your cover.

It's a phenomenal buzz driving something like that though, both in and out of town depending on the bus/coach.  I bloody miss it!  Was a huge perk of my job I reckon.

[Talbot]

5 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

The biggest headache I found by a country mile when I was more involved in this side of things a few years back was insurance.  The vast, vast majority of insurers who will cover full size buses or coaches will only cover you if you also have a full category D licence. 

I wonder if the would cover a pre-97 car licence holder who was under instruction by a Category D licence holder?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

I was quite surprised that my 1989 licence made me eligible to pilot a 7.5 tonne horse lorry without needing another test. Having had a difficult experience driving a Ford Cargo based lorry, I'm not sure that's a good thing. 

[Kiltox]

3 minutes ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

I was quite surprised that my 1989 licence made me eligible to pilot a 7.5 tonne horse lorry without needing another test. Having had a difficult experience driving a Ford Cargo based lorry, I'm not sure that's a good thing. 

Can also tow a car transporter trailer (or any trailer), you lucky bastard  

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Just now, Kiltox said:

Can also tow a car transporter trailer (or any trailer), you lucky bastard  

Ah now, if only I could haul one up to Bradford to bring that Ro80 home....

[mitsisigma01]

Even one of these type set ups? 

 

Or one of these 

[richardmorris]

1 hour ago, Talbot said:

It may not adsorb water, but it does get absolutely filthy.  I thought 3 years was the recommended interval.  Granted, you might push that out to 5 or a few more, but 20?

I’ve never had any filthy lhm in 2cvs or cxs- no leaks either which could be a source of contamination I suppose.

[Hertz]

I really need to get out and start using this more. I managed 7 miles last year (3 of those were to the MOT station).

 

[Zelandeth]

2 hours ago, Talbot said:

I wonder if the would cover a pre-97 car licence holder who was under instruction by a Category D licence holder?

Not in the cases we looked into.  The pre-97 thing doesn't really make any odds in this case as it's something completely separate to the grandfather rights for the D1 and 7,5t (C1?) categories. 

The MD of one of our local bus operators back in about 2010 really wanted to give me a shot of one of his personally preserved coaches (a lovely B10M Plaxton Supreme IV with the super-high, no-expense spared spec body for continental tours), and his insurers wouldn't have any of it.  Either me driving freely, or with L plates in the window and him instructing (I do have a provisional cat D licence).  It wouldn't be an issue if the bus was owned by the company as their policy obviously has cover for drivers for training purposes!

My sample size in that situation is only one.  Though I did a bit of ringing around myself a bit more recently (must have been early 2014 before my life got turned upside down by my mother passing away suddenly) as the opportunity had come up to potentially pick up a vintage coach which was exactly what I wanted, in a known condition, for a really good price - and I'd even got provisional agreement for somewhere to store it.  However I couldn't for the life of me find an insurer who would cover me for a sane cost.  I did find one company but they wanted something daft like £3500 a year and would only offer me third party cover, with something like a £2000 excess.  As the vehicle (unsurprisingly) sold quickly I never dug any further.

 

Edit: I may have once driven this before the owner had a good "Oh ****!" Moment when he realised that I of course had passed my test after 1997 and of course wasn't allowed to! 

(Registration plate removed to protect the innocent).

This was waaaaaaay back in my driving career before I'd any concept of licence entitlement categories...I was young and stupid.  Apparently had an aptitude for such things though and thoroughly enjoyed it...even though this really could have done with the six pot engine, the four is a bit weedy.  Didn't have a limiter though!

[paulplom]

I changed the address on my license a while back and it came back like this.
Does it mean I can ride large motorbikes? I've never passed the test. I think they've made a mistake.

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

[Mr Pastry]

38 minutes ago, paulplom said:

I changed the address on my license a while back and it came back like this.
Does it mean I can ride large motorbikes? I've never passed the test. I think they've made a mistake.

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
 

I have been told  that "79" refers to some kind of tricycle.  Its not exactly clear is it?  Would be useful to know.

[paulplom]

That would make sense.

I did pass my motorcycle theory test ten years ago. I wondered if it had something to do with that.

[barefoot]

Was just checking online that all my vehicles were correctly taxed or SORN & spotted that the '79 bay had become tax exempt and that it's MOT status was 'nothing recorded'. Looks like it's become a historic MOT free vehicle. Although I'll be getting it tested again when the garage re-opens, I think I might tax it now, just because I can!

[richardmorris]

Not the colour I'd have chosen.

[Spurious]

6 hours ago, paulplom said:

I changed the address on my license a while back and it came back like this.
Does it mean I can ride large motorbikes? I've never passed the test. I think they've made a mistake.

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
 

 

I got it too when I had to change my lovely ROI license for a UK one.  It's only trikes sadly

 

[Six-cylinder]

1 hour ago, richardmorris said:

Not the colour I'd have chosen.

It is ok, but does not really create desire.

[Supernaut]

1 hour ago, richardmorris said:

Not the colour I'd have chosen.

At least it isn't bloody silver!

[egg]

seen this doing the rounds....

[jayroller]

7 hours ago, Mr Pastry said:

I have been told  that "79" refers to some kind of tricycle.  Its not exactly clear is it?  Would be useful to know.

79 - Restricted to vehicles in conformity with the specifications stated in brackets
  (02) Restricted to category AM vehicles of the three-weel or light quadricycle type
  (03) Restricted to tricycles

 

All the codes for that column are here - some real oddments in there!

[anonymous user]

Daft question, what licence would you need for a quad bike and are you supposed to wear a crash helmet?

I just wondered, around here you see a lot of them about, some look road legal, some don't. Usually young lads often without crash helmets. Today I saw the most incongruous in front of me at temporary traffic lights. The quad looked road legal, it was cleanish with lights, the rider was an older lady, no crash helmet but wearing a flowery dress and white cardigan, she turned off up a track, I think there are stables up there.

[Jazoli]

You don't need to wear a helmet but you need a B or B1 (full car) license, they are the worst type of vehicles on the road and fit only for agricultural use.

[Skizzer]

2 hours ago, richardmorris said:

Not the colour I'd have chosen.

I rather like it!

[hairnet]

taste optional - you do drive a bmw tho :P :D

[Tadhg Tiogar]

9 hours ago, paulplom said:

I changed the address on my license a while back and it came back like this.
Does it mean I can ride large motorbikes? I've never passed the test. I think they've made a mistake.
 

For comparison, I have this:

 

[xtriple]

Had my SLK for 8 months and today discovered how the braake assist thing works, brake normally all is, er, normal, stab at the pedal (like in a panic) and the pedal is rock hard and the brakes are a bit, er frantic!