Zelandeth Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 You know...the police around here could be out actually trying do do something about the blatant disregard for the lockdown rules. No, instead there are three speed camera vans within 5 miles on the virtually empty A5. Yeah, that's good use of resources. No...they know the road is quiet so people are likely to let their speed drift a bit higher than normal so they reckon it's a good money maker. Or have I just turned into a cynical, grumpy old man? Rovorsche, Shite Ron, sheffcortinacentre and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Tidybeard Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 3 minutes ago, Zelandeth said: Or have I just turned into a cynical, grumpy old man? hmmm let's think about that for a moment 🤔 😁 The Moog, myglaren, Rusty_Rocket and 1 other 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talbot Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 23 minutes ago, Zelandeth said: You know...the police around here could be out actually trying do do something about the blatant disregard for the lockdown rules. No, instead there are three speed camera vans within 5 miles on the virtually empty A5. Yeah, that's good use of resources. No...they know the road is quiet so people are likely to let their speed drift a bit higher than normal so they reckon it's a good money maker. Whilst I agree completely with your sentiment on this, it's not quite the whole story: The vans are usually run by a speed partnership of some sort (IE farmed out) so it's not actually Police officers manning them, so they can't really be deployed elsewhere. Also, the Police (or speed partnership) do not get to keep a penny of any fines they collect; it all goes directly to central gubbermint, so it makes no difference to the camera operator whether they catch 200 motorists or zero. I suspect you'll probably also find that there's a minimum deployment clause in the contract that the speed partnership group have, so someone has clearly just shoved them out there to satisfy the needs of a contract, rather than actively believing it's doing some good. (which it blatantly isn't). Does send completely the wrong message though. BorniteIdentity, myglaren, LightBulbFun and 7 others 6 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelandeth Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 4 minutes ago, Talbot said: Whilst I agree completely with your sentiment on this, it's not quite the whole story: The vans are usually run by a speed partnership of some sort (IE farmed out) so it's not actually Police officers manning them, so they can't really be deployed elsewhere. Also, the Police (or speed partnership) do not get to keep a penny of any fines they collect; it all goes directly to central gubbermint, so it makes no difference to the camera operator whether they catch 200 motorists or zero. I suspect you'll probably also find that there's a minimum deployment clause in the contract that the speed partnership group have, so someone has clearly just shoved them out there to satisfy the needs of a contract, rather than actively believing it's doing some good. (which it blatantly isn't). Does send completely the wrong message though. Fair enough...I learned something today! Thanks for that. They could do better than having them parked on three consecutive overpasses though! Talbot, myglaren and Stevebrookman 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New POD Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 1 hour ago, Zelandeth said: You know...the police around here could be out actually trying do do something about the blatant disregard for the lockdown rules. No, instead there are three speed camera vans within 5 miles on the virtually empty A5. Yeah, that's good use of resources. No...they know the road is quiet so people are likely to let their speed drift a bit higher than normal so they reckon it's a good money maker. Or have I just turned into a cynical, grumpy old man? Drift ? No. I'm either speeding on purpose. Or I'm keeping to the limit on purpose. And if it's the former, then I'm looking for signs of camera vans well into the distance. Today I went 73 in a 70 on purpose. myglaren 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somewhatfoolish Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 On 1/21/2021 at 3:16 PM, Zelandeth said: City F-ing Fibre. After being utterly screwed around for days week before last by Vodafone who cancelled our new broadband order (then didn't tell us), and ending up significantly out of pocket having had to get our existing service extended by a month, as soonest they could connect us was March 2nd (original install date was 19th Jan)...they turned up half an hour ago. Completely unannounced. Then proceeded to complain bitterly about there being dog's mess in the garden. Yes...we have two dogs, the only purpose that garden serves is to be their exercise space. I clear it up regularly, but the weather's been horrible so it's been a bit longer than usual. If they had given me even half an hour's notice I'd have made absolutely sure it was cleared and the path and area around where they'd be working was all thoroughly hosed down. It's honestly embarrassing! I don't take well to being scolded like I'm a five year old. Between the farce with Vodafone and the attitude of the workers (this is the second of their crews to appear out of nowhere unannounced) I really, really wish I'd never even thought about getting our service upgraded. I'd take great pleasure in taking my business elsewhere to demonstrate quite how pissed off I am with Vodafone if I had any choice. That's having been with them for my mobile since 1998. As it is I have precisely zero choice so I guess I'll be staying where I am then. SpaceX Starlink is available now, not cheap but the initial reports seem promising given the constellation is not complete yet, no more waiting for bobs in vans to connect you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeR Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 drove home today in the daylight and from the vantage point of the high road , I could see the local nature with its couple of ponds ,,, has now become a major lake !!!! , as have the local farmers fields .. give it a few weeks of sun and we should still have a drought ........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelandeth Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 5 minutes ago, MikeR said: drove home today in the daylight and from the vantage point of the high road , I could see the local nature with its couple of ponds ,,, has now become a major lake !!!! , as have the local farmers fields .. give it a few weeks of sun and we should still have a drought ........ Yeah...on a similar subject... Immediately to the left of this photograph used to be a decent sized wild meadow. As of about year ago, there's been an industrial estate there. One of the (many) objections to the planning permission being given to that was worries over surface water run off. We were repeatedly assured that there would be no impact whatsoever. The fact that this now happens every time it rains for more than a day (it was pretty much level with the seat of the bench yesterday) suggests otherwise! Never got flooding there before the industrial estate went up. richardmorris and Asimo 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wack Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 On 1/13/2021 at 11:28 PM, myglaren said: Eldest lad is on his third now - in London, neighbours with JK He has my sympathy , is that why it was cheap Supernaut 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talbot Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 3 hours ago, Zelandeth said: Fair enough...I learned something today! Thanks for that. They could do better than having them parked on three consecutive overpasses though! That absolutely smacks of "just go out there and do something" rather than active consideration of deployment location. The reason I say so is that if someone was caught by all three vans, they could argue (and many people have successfully done so) that it is only one continuous speeding offence that has been detected several times, especially if there is no change of limit between the detection points. Given that someone is either going to go barrelling past all three vans at speed, see one and slow down, (maybe getting a ticket) or pass all three at the speed limit or lower, the "best" they can hope for is one offence, split over all three vans. Were these vans deployed better, that wouldn't be a restriction to their "effectiveness". Hence my belief that they are simply covering contractual minimums and not actually being used properly. chaseracer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaseracer Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 On 21/01/2021 at 15:49, Soundwave said: Well, I survived. Probably going to be sore in the morning though! Excellent news, but how are the teeth? 😉 timolloyd 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mally Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 6 hours ago, Talbot said: The vans are usually run by a speed partnership of some sort (IE farmed out) so it's not actually Police officers manning them, so they can't really be deployed elsewhere. Also, the Police (or speed partnership) do not get to keep a penny of any fines they collect; it all goes directly to central gubbermint, so it makes no difference to the camera operator whether they catch 200 motorists or zero. It may have changed, but I'm sure it was explained at my speed awareness course that whilst, as you say, the gubbermint get the fines. If you are offered and accept a speed awareness course, the fee you pay for that (less expenses) goes to the force who pulled you. Which is why they like full courses. NorfolkNWeigh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddyramrod Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 8 hours ago, MikeR said: drove home today in the daylight and from the vantage point of the high road , I could see the local nature with its couple of ponds ,,, has now become a major lake !!!! , as have the local farmers fields .. give it a few weeks of sun and we should still have a drought ........ High road? Mike, I know Formby, I've worked there, and dated girls from there. It's flat! Where do you work that allows you to commute using a high road? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeR Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 ok , slightly higher you can see Lunt is in a slight dip 8 hours ago, eddyramrod said: High road? Mike, I know Formby, I've worked there, and dated girls from there. It's flat! Where do you work that allows you to commute using a high road? eddyramrod and chaseracer 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddyramrod Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 22 hours ago, MikeR said: ok , slightly higher you can see Lunt is in a slight dip Ah yes, I know where you mean. High road duly conceded, well observed. MikeR and chaseracer 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelandeth Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 Oh FFS. Another friend of mine has just had a cancer diagnosis. That's three in as many months, plus a close friend who died from it at the end of last year when their treatment was stopped during lockdown. All in their late 20s, early 30s. Plus the news has come through that an artist I've followed since before 2000 passed away for reasons unknown last night. I don't know them, but when it's someone whose work you've followed for so long it still stings emotionally. rainagain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeR Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 Bastard tap was dripping again. Turns out the seat has worn in one place ... I look at the underside and 30 years of revenge stared back at me , can't even get the crows foot in to try the nut .. Bigger bastard , I am wondering if the tap will turn in the sink and then twist it off ... But wait do I see putty .... Don't bother looking in the reflection for a naked selfie.... UltraWomble, Zelandeth, myglaren and 1 other 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crackers Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 Walked down to the local EuroCrapRats this morning to pick up a coil and leads to fix the misfire that was making the Focus genuinely dangerous to drive. "Right", says I, "I'll go and fit those straight away." (Let's just ignore the fact that the leads are all wildly incorrect lengths, that's ECP for you and I'm too lazy to go get a better set) Started pulling plugs of, then ran back into the flat to grab a Torx driver. Came back out again, walked past the nearside of the car as I always do, and "HMMMMmmmmmm" something doesn't quite look right there. Now I know I'm parked on a slope, and the rear of my Focus has always ridden a bit higher than the front but... I'll just check the height on the offside, maybe I'm going nuts. ... Nope, I can get most of a hand in that arch gap. ... Back to the nearisde And I can barely get two fingers in (lol) that one. Oh. Oh! So that's gonna have to get recovered back to a garage somewhere and I'm without the car for another week at least. It's not moved in 9 days, and was fine when I parked it (which was, ironically, only the second journey since the MOT!) so I have no idea when this actually happened! Saving grace, I guess, is that it at least hasn't speared through the virtually brand-new tyre. Even still: Oh bollocks. puddlethumper, wuvvum and myglaren 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Jetter Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 1 hour ago, MikeR said: Bastard tap was dripping again. Turns out the seat has worn in one place ... Oh, a supatap - not seen one of those in ages. You can change the washer on those without turning the water off, IIRC. Can you grind the seat flat with a seating tool? myglaren 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeR Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 27 minutes ago, High Jetter said: Oh, a supatap - not seen one of those in ages. You can change the washer on those without turning the water off, IIRC. Can you grind the seat flat with a seating tool? yes they are great for changing washers , the seat has a chunk missing out of it some how and I tried a wetstone on it to flatten the seat a bit but it would need a lot taking off !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelandeth Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 2 hours ago, MikeR said: Bastard tap was dripping again. Turns out the seat has worn in one place ... I look at the underside and 30 years of revenge stared back at me , can't even get the crows foot in to try the nut .. Bigger bastard , I am wondering if the tap will turn in the sink and then twist it off ... But wait do I see putty .... Don't bother looking in the reflection for a naked selfie.... Wow, haven't seen one of those in a while. Had forgotten they existed. Totally fitting a pair in the Utility Room if I come across a set now I've remembered them. Or possibly in the van... myglaren 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omegod Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 2 hours ago, Crackers said: Walked down to the local EuroCrapRats this morning to pick up a coil and leads to fix the misfire that was making the Focus genuinely dangerous to drive. "Right", says I, "I'll go and fit those straight away." (Let's just ignore the fact that the leads are all wildly incorrect lengths, that's ECP for you and I'm too lazy to go get a better set) Started pulling plugs of, then ran back into the flat to grab a Torx driver. Came back out again, walked past the nearside of the car as I always do, and "HMMMMmmmmmm" something doesn't quite look right there. Now I know I'm parked on a slope, and the rear of my Focus has always ridden a bit higher than the front but... I'll just check the height on the offside, maybe I'm going nuts. ... Nope, I can get most of a hand in that arch gap. ... Back to the nearisde And I can barely get two fingers in (lol) that one. Oh. Oh! So that's gonna have to get recovered back to a garage somewhere and I'm without the car for another week at least. It's not moved in 9 days, and was fine when I parked it (which was, ironically, only the second journey since the MOT!) so I have no idea when this actually happened! Saving grace, I guess, is that it at least hasn't speared through the virtually brand-new tyre. Even still: Oh bollocks. Don't even get me started on bastard Ford coil springs, 2 weeks back our Fiesta one went and caused major headaches involving a psycho mobile mechanic, wife comes in last night saying her focus is making a funny noise, I think the passenger coil has gone near the top, ordered a new spring today from Eurocrapparts and was told they closed at 6:30, arrived at 4:15 and I think you can guess the ending .......... I have a spares focus and know one front spring is shite but will check the other one in case it's useable and can get us rolling again for Monday Crackers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crackers Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 4 minutes ago, omegod said: bastard Ford coil springs They are made of cheese, I swear to christ. This is the third one to fail in a year. I'm sure the final corner won't be far behind. Only got 70k miles on it too... 6 minutes ago, omegod said: passenger coil has gone near the top EXACTLY the same as mine has done. Top's gone and it's fired itself through the bottom of the rest of the spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bren Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 I had a 'mare refitting one of those springy hose clips. Spent an eternity faffing with water pump pliers and mole grips. No joy. I then remember I had purchased a proper set of pliers for the job. Thirty seconds later it's on. I is a dick. myglaren, puddlethumper, Jerzy Woking and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave j Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 29 minutes ago, Bren said: I had a 'mare refitting one of those springy hose clips. Spent an eternity faffing with water pump pliers and mole grips. No joy. I then remember I had purchased a proper set of pliers for the job. Thirty seconds later it's on. I is a dick. I hate those clips! I haven't got the right tool for them so have struggled a few times. A few times my neighbour who is an RAC man has come over and done it in 2 seconds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardmorris Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 Any English teachers able to explain what a fronted adverbial is? Even Michael Rosen doesn’t know. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/jan/23/dear-gavin-williamson-could-you-tell-parents-what-a-fronted-adverbial-is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeB Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 26 minutes ago, richardmorris said: Any English teachers able to explain what a fronted adverbial is? Even Michael Rosen doesn’t know. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/jan/23/dear-gavin-williamson-could-you-tell-parents-what-a-fronted-adverbial-is It's an adjectival phrase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardmorris Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 16 minutes ago, GeorgeB said: It's an adjectival phrase. Yes, and? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeB Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 2 minutes ago, richardmorris said: Yes, and? An adverbial phrase is a phrase used to enhance a verb. it usually comes after the verb. If it comes before the verb it is "fronted" (apparently, doesn't sound like good English to me). myglaren, richardmorris and Cavcraft 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownnova Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 59 minutes ago, richardmorris said: Any English teachers able to explain what a fronted adverbial is? Even Michael Rosen doesn’t know. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/jan/23/dear-gavin-williamson-could-you-tell-parents-what-a-fronted-adverbial-is Sorry I teach RE... I don’t know shit... richardmorris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now