What makes you grin? Antidote to grumpy thread

[Ghosty]

That can't be right, it doesn't say DCi on it anywhere.

[DVee8]

Oh Karma

 

Sitting in the car in Asda car park this morning waiting for MrsV8,parked in front side by side are 2 Astra's a 02 and a x plate.

Now i am just watching the wildlife wander around,along walks a bloke mid 20's with a slab of Stalla,dumps it on the boot lid of the 02 plate Astra in front,reaches around to the rear door,flinging it open onto the x plate Astra parked next to it.

 

He puts the slab on the back seat looks at the Astra door parked next to him,just as his phone rings.He jumped in and starts the car while still on the phone. He must have forgot that he had left the car in gear and reversed into the bollard behind.Didn't bother to get out to look just drove off.

[quicksilver]

Got chatting to my Swedish friend at the uni, who had already proved his shite credentials last term by correctly identifying an Isuzu Piazza and showing me pics of the beige Volvo 240 he uses for drifting back in Sweden. He was happy as he'd been to a 1980s car show over the holiday and seen an Alfa 90 and an Autozam AZ-1 and was delighted that I also knew what they were. He then informed me that per capita Sweden has more fifties Yanks than the US, and we ended up discussing the merits of the Tatra 603 For one so young he has impeccable taste in cars.

[DeeJay]

Renault diagnostic machine.

If you hit the bull does it rev its tits off and burst into flames?

[hairnet]

At long last. I managed to get hold of issue 1 of practical sportsbikes for much less than £64.50 that I saw one being offered for.

 

I did have issue 1, but it was in a bag that was stolen.

they pop up as a set on ebay now and again 1 2 and 3 some paid 125 quid for the 3

 

if they did back issues itd be a tenner

[Aston Martin]

Having 5 pages of the Ebay thread to catch-up on.

[andrew e]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06g0x7s/formula-1-2015-qualifying-replay-japan

 

On the Iplayer, 47 minutes in Jenson Button describing how his Dad sold FSO's!

[skattrd]

A good day today, the garage computer is fixed and backed up. The Sera passed it's MOT. Then this evening I popped up to see Vin of this parish to collect some unobatnium Tipo spares, thanks for the spares mate, much appreciated.

 

Oh, and I'm enjoying using the quirky Japanese section of the fleet at the moment. The Sera and Aerodeck are both gr9 in completely different ways, but have grown on me quite quickly.

[cms206]

What makes me grin?

 

Hirst. Hirst makes me grin.

[TagoraSX]

[hairnet]

in ur stadiums stealin ur expectations......

[Pillock]

Saw this in B&M Homestores, it appears to be a Ford Focus on a HiAb.

 

 

Immediately thought of Cavcraft.

[quicksilver]

Just remembered a grin from last Sunday. Family went to Woburn Safari Park in the old Zafira. The monkeys were all over the car in front and when they jumped down my dad thought "this is it, the car's about to get trashed" but they ran straight past it and jumped on the car behind. It seems even monkeys know that all Vauxhalls are shit

[Des]

Or spared it as clearly built by monkeys.

[EssDeeWon]

Spotted this on TV this morning. Watch out at 12secs

 

[Vin]

A good day today, the garage computer is fixed and backed up. The Sera passed it's MOT. Then this evening I popped up to see Vin of this parish to collect some unobatnium Tipo spares, thanks for the spares mate, much appreciated.

 

 

 

No problem Chris, better the bits be with 'a car' than gathering dust in my loft. It was good to catch up. And stroke the velour in the Aerodeck obvs :-D

[jakebullet]

Yesterday I had a beautiful woman sat on my lap jiggling about in a most acceptable manner. She whispers in my ear that she has a latex allergy just in case I've any plans for Friday.

 

5 minutes later the vulcan display started. I felt quite the winner!

[Timewaster]

5 minutes later the vulcan display started. I felt quite the winner!

That is the best euphemism I ever ever heard!

[jakebullet]

Lol. We was actually at the air show.

[hairnet]

Further to mega bus up there

 

Found out today they're doing gig at local Irish club in Dec

 

No mega bus no overnight and the ticket is cheaper to get in

 

 

Woot

[nacho man]

Two weeks off work, catching up on this is England90 and there are some top motors. Plus it's a outrageously good show in my eyes.

[KruJoe]

Spotted this on TV ...

[sD1 content]

 

I normally switch channels when ads come on, I at least press 'mute',  but there are a couple others shite-ridden adverts just now; the one with the cool kids in the brown Chevette saloon, and that hipster camping scene with the white 240 estate.

[xtriple]

My car looks mint!

[cobblers]

I hadn't spoke to my dad for a bit. Turns out the other month one of his neighbours came round and asked if they could borrow his early 2000s Sprinter for a few weeks - He uses it every day to do Yodel delivery so obviously he was a bit confused and said "well, no I use it every day"

 

Anyway, turns out this neighbour is a regional manager or something at Mercedes, and they wanted a tidy SWB sprinter to put in a lineup for a "20 years of the Sprinter" lineup at some event. So they lent my dad a brand new Sprinter for three weeks in exchange.

The best bit is when he got his old van back it had two brand new front doors on (the others had both been bashed in hit and runs) and the whole thing had been resprayed and all the missing/scuffed bits of trim inside and out had been replaced, and the whole van totally detailed like a new one.

 

I'm yet to see it, but my dad is absolutely over the moon - He loved that van and he deserves a bit of good luck more than anyone really, he was gutted when it got ran into because it was otherwise mint.

[scaryoldcortina]

Spent some time this afternoon measuring the road and taking photos for my PCN appeal, then sat down and wrote out a first draft of my appeal. I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions (well, mostly. Or you could just Tl;dr it...)

 

 

 

Appeal against PCN DU*********

 

Stanley Strings and Other Things is a small musical instrument sale and repair shop located at 6a Front Street, Stanley. The door of the shop opens onto Thorneyholme Terrace South, a cul-de sac with a hammerhead turning area. Directly outside of the shop is a recently installed Loading Bay replacing the previous double yellow line. The rest of the road is still marked with double yellow lines. It is the only shop along this stretch, the rest of the road is back yards or walled. (picture)

 

On 19^th August I visited the shop to collect some speaker cabinets that the owner, GW, had asked me to test for him. This is an ongoing arrangement, I do electrical repairs and testing for him on a casual basis. I arrived at around quarter past two – I cannot confirm the exact time, but the PCN records first sight by the CEO at 2.19. I parked my car in the loading bay, with the rear seats folded down ready to accommodate the speakers. This can be seen clearly in the photos submitted by the authority as evidence.

 

As the cabinets were heavy and located at the back of the cellar it took a short while to retrieve them – again I do not know the exact timing, because we were working and time was not given any consideration. This is because the presence of the loading bay led us to believe that so long as we were engaged in activities pertaining to the loading of goods my vehicle was legally parked and therefore there was no reason to watch the clock. During this time the door of the shop was propped open.

 

We completed the loading as quickly as possible, but on getting into the car to leave I found the ticket which was timed at 12.24. I checked the time, it was 12.26 according to my phone. The CEO was not in sight. I went straight home and logged an informal appeal by email.

 

Argument -

 

I believe the PCN to be invalid, as no contravention occurred. Regardless of the fact that there was no loading activity observed for five minutes, this is not absolute proof that loading was not occuring and there is no maximum period marked on the sign.

 

“a time limit should be avoided, so that the loading operation is allowed to take as long as is necessary.â€Â

Traffic signs Manual chapter 3 section 7.28

 

“Loading or unloading must be continuous while the vehicle is parked in restricted areas. It is therefore important to clarify to CEOs that loading or unloading includes taking goods to where the recipient may reasonably be taken to require them in the premises, waiting for them to be checked, getting delivery or collection documents signed and returning to the vehicle. Delivery staff are expected to secure their vehicle when they are not with it and a vehicle can legitimately be locked during some of these stages. Once the delivery process is complete, however, the driver must move the vehicle even if it is within the maximum period allowed for loading or unloading. “

Operational Guidance to Local Authorities: Parking Policy and Enforcement 8.58

 

“However it should not be considered conclusive proof, even after a relatively long observation period, as there are circumstances which could prevent the CEO from seeing the loading or unloadingâ€Â

Operational Guidance to local authorities: Parking Policy and Enforcement 8.51

 

I accept that the ticket was issued on the basis of five minutes continuous observation, but I argue that this was not sufficient to establish the case. The car was outside of the only shop on the street (photo) and the door was clearly open (photo) but the CEO chose to apply only the minimum required observation and made no effort to enquire with the shop as to the purpose of the car parked outside in the loading bay. Doing so could have avoided the issue of a PCN in the first place.

 

On reciept of my informal appeal stating my case, the authority had the opportunity to cancel the ticket on a number of grounds. Firstly as a matter of goodwill (see section 11.14 on benefit of doubt) – I have been living and driving in Stanley for over 20 years and this is my first parking ticket. Also, there was obvious doubt about the circumstances, I was prepared to provide a witness and gave his contact details for verification purposes.

 

The reply requested a reciept as proof of purchase, and indicated that the PCN could be cancelled if I provided one. I replied with a clarification that I didn't have a receipt because I was collecing for repair not purchacing and offered a statement from Mr W (enclosed) as proof instead. This seemed to be completely misunderstood by the Appeals officer who instead gave some spurious and not verifiable advice about the use of loading bays. I enclose the email chain as attachment, and suggest that perhaps the unnamed Appeals officer might be given some retraining.

 

 

Second argument -

 

The PCN is invalid because the road markings are not correct.

 

On researching the regulations for this appeal I have noticed that the loading bay marked outside of Stanley Strings and Other Things does not comply with the requirements laid down in TSM chapter 3 Section 7.27 to 7.29 and the diagrams in TSM chapter 5 section 20.

 

The requirements for a loading bay specify sign 660.4 with a bay marked to either 1028.3 or 1032 with the legend “LOADING ONLY†to the outside of the bay. The bay in question seems to be marked to 1028.4 – it is too narrow for 1028.3 which has a minimum width of 2.7m except in special circumstances and does not have the double line end closure or bay markings required for 1032. In addition I have measured the width of the bay and found that because it has been drawn from the property edge rather than the presumed edge of highway it is only around 1.6 metres wide, this is much less than the required minimum of 1.8 metres.

 

The highway edge had to be assumed here because recent resurfacing has obliterated the footpath. I used the double yellow lines as my baseline as these maintain 200mm gaps from the kerbs around the rest of the area. (photos, diagram)

 

The special circumstances that allow for diagram 1028.3 to be less than 2.7 metres and therefore closely resemble a 1028.4 do not apply here – TSM chaper 5 section 20.13 states that it can only be reduced if the full width would prevent a fire engine passing. The road at this point is 9.8 metres wide, so clearly sufficient.

 

“PCNs may not be valid if they are issued where traffic signs and road markings are incorrect or in poor condition. Representations demonstrating this should be accepted. If such representations are not accepted, any subsequent appeal may be successful. “

Operational Guidance Annexe D part D2

 

 

[Ghosty]

Been to York today.

It really is true that Volvos gravitate north.

2CVs too apparently - seen two.

[catsinthewelder]

Seems fine SOC, 

 

SWMBO is disputing a pcn at the moment where the warden watched her buy the ticket then took a photo of the other side of the dashboard where an old parking ticket still sitting.  Annoyingly they let her get a good way through the process before announcing that they could only deal with the registered keeper of the vehicle (me) so we're back to square one.  Further back than square one really as I can't really state what happened to a court of law as I wasn't there at the time.

[scaryoldcortina]

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/416617/operational-guidance.pdf

 

Read this, then beat them to death with it. Good luck!

[KruJoe]

Page 

[steve_earwig]

Tl;dr

Nah, I read it all. Obviously I can't comment on all the legal stuff but I didn't spot any errors and it reads fine. Kick their bottoms mate.