Get it off your chest.

[Devcon1]

My understanding is the reverse wearing of baseball caps is rooted in the pioneering days of early aviation in America.

Have a look at some early aviators, they wore some caps back to front in open cockpits for obvious reasons I believe.

Edited By Devcon1 on 27/10/2020 06:41:53

[Devcon1]

People using self service checkouts with a trolley full of stuff. ( it happened before Covid)

People who position their trolley parallel and right up against the shelves/chillers whilst also standing behind said trolley thus blocking a considerable amount of goods, sometimes amplified by the trolley driver staying at the controls whilst their gatherer spends an inordinate length of time dithering over a tin of soup.

[Devcon1]

Self service checkouts in general.

[Maurice Dyer]

I may have missed something here. My heart aches when I hear of Mothers who struggle to feed their children in half term. I also applaud young Mr. Rashfords attempt at helping. But I don't understand why Goverments stopped chasing Fathers to support their families. Back in the 60s, you were terrified of getting a girl pregnant because you had to pay for 18 years to support your responsibility.

Now I hear on the news '.....Ms x is struggling to feed her 4 children....'. And I shout at the television ' where is their father.... 

 

 

I

Edited By David Ashby - Moderator on 27/10/2020 08:13:15

[Brian Hammond]

I think the mindset is if anything goes wrong the state will pay so do not worry about birth control, a house will be found and family allowances etc. There seems to be no problem in finding enough money for tattoos,body decoration,mobile phones and cable tv !

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Just another reminder that using ****** or similar to hide bad language is not allowed on this site.

A moderator's pet hates? Now that would be interesting...

[Jon H]

Clocks have changed so sort your bloomin headlights out. Half the cars on the road either have dead bulbs or they have their lights pointed in all sorts of exciting directions. Usually this means they point straight in my eyes and i cant see anything. How do you even end up with bent headlights anyway? has a bloke been running around all summer tweaking them in the night?

Also, main beams are not for use when there is oncoming traffic. Everyone in my area seems to have forgotten this, along with what their indicators are for and how roundabouts work.

[Matt Carlton]

Supermarkets which open up one or two tills, when the shop is crammed full of people.

In response to Maurice, you are right, but there are a couple of caveats which are probably unpopular, but nonetheless true. When you shout "where is their father?" You are assuming that:

A. The mother knows who the father is

B. The mother knows where the father is

C. The father has a job or other means to provide support

D. The mother wants the support of an ex partner who may be abusive.

E. The conception was consensual

F. The story of poverty is legitimate. The welfare system can be rather more generous than people realise. Yes, it can be beauroceatic and problematic, but there is a wealth of advice and guidance available which many people are unaware of.

G. Relative notions of poverty. I recently heard a woman complain that since becoming a single mother, she could only afford one foreign holiday that year and "only" had a "couple of hundred" spare at the end of the month.

H. In work poverty. When I separated from my first wife, I pledged to pay maintenance for my son. The CSA were not involved, but the suggested payment which I paid left me in an ever increasing level of debt. It is assumed by the media that every separated father is earning £250k and lives in a mansion with an 18yr old waffle waitress.

Sorry for the rant there, but there is always a 'spin' put on these stories which muddies the waters. That way, the parents in real need and poverty get lost in the mire.

[Ron Gray]

Welcome back Jon!

[Shaun Walsh]

Posted by Jon - Laser Engines on 27/10/2020 08:18:20:

Clocks have changed so sort your bloomin headlights out. Half the cars on the road either have dead bulbs or they have their lights pointed in all sorts of exciting directions. Usually this means they point straight in my eyes and i cant see anything. How do you even end up with bent headlights anyway? has a bloke been running around all summer tweaking them in the night?

Also, main beams are not for use when there is oncoming traffic. Everyone in my area seems to have forgotten this, along with what their indicators are for and how roundabouts work.

Some people replace their standard headlight bulbs with HID or LED bulbs which are illegal unless fitted in a type approved headlamp because the beam pattern is incorrect and in the case of HID require headlamp washers and self levelling in order to prevent blinding oncoming drivers.

Also, if you have stopped at traffic lights or junctions take your foot off the brake pedal, its just plain ignorant to keep your brake lights on when there are cars behind you.

[Peter Miller]

Ah!!! Round abouts!

SOme time ago I followed a police car round a roundabout.We both left at the third exit.

The police driver NEVER used his indicators once!

As for other road users, they don't even know which lane to get into at a round about.

Then I have another real peeve. I have to go through Long Melford. This large village has one very long, wide street with shops on both sides and wide parking area each side.

IT is a regular thing to follow some pillock through who can't make up their mind where the shop they want is or which side of the road to park.

So you follow them and they indicate left "Oops! No it is further on.!" "Oh look, a parking slot on the other side" and that can go on for half a mile.

I followed one cretin in a Mercedes who had already loused up his joining a roundabout causing me some stress go down the highstreet indicating first one side and then other for AT LEAST six times before finally parking.

I wanted to stop and ask if he learned to drive at dancing school.

[David Hazell 1]

Posted by Brian Hammond on 27/10/2020 08:12:32:

I think the mindset is if anything goes wrong the state will pay so do not worry about birth control, a house will be found and family allowances etc. There seems to be no problem in finding enough money for tattoos,body decoration,mobile phones and cable tv !

 

Ill thought out opinions beginning with "I think" and laced with "There seems".

 

Edited By David Ashby - Moderator on 27/10/2020 11:09:46

[Fun Flyer]

The "Get Go" instead of the Start and of course "Influencers"

[Phil Green]

Indicators used in an 'autopilot' fashion, ie every time without thought, is a Bad Thing. Advanced riding teaches that indicators are used to signal TO someone. Your first thoughts should be "who benefits from this signal, who am I signalling to?". If there is no particular target for your indicators, you dont use them. Many people use them to turn left or right when they are in a lane which only turns left or right. This is wrong - if you are not deviating from your lane, regardless of where that lane turns, you do not indicate.  Most roundabouts have lane controlled exits, you shouldnt indicate on these unless you have a genuine need to change lane - where you should really see your mistake through, take the 'wrong' exit and correct it at the next safe opportunity. There are many practises which the untrained might see as 'wrong'. Anyone genuinely interested in roadcraft should do a motorcycle fast pursuit course, it teaches so much and changes your perception forever!
Cheers
Phil

 

 

 

 

 

Edited By Phil Green on 27/10/2020 09:59:05

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Phil Green]

The headlight reflector design on some modern cars is really bad, making night driving quite stressful, even though its the very same H4 bulb that gives good light in a different car. I think thats the reason for a lot of LED/HID/xenon replacements - drivers trying to correct manufacturing deficiencies. My VW T6 campervan has appalling lights, they're renowned for it - yet the Pug which uses the same H4 is 'brilliant' at night!

[Richard Acland]

Posted by Jon - Laser Engines on 27/10/2020 08:18:20:

Clocks have changed so sort your bloomin headlights out. Half the cars on the road either have dead bulbs or they have their lights pointed in all sorts of exciting directions. Usually this means they point straight in my eyes and i cant see anything. How do you even end up with bent headlights anyway? has a bloke been running around all summer tweaking them in the night?

Also, main beams are not for use when there is oncoming traffic. Everyone in my area seems to have forgotten this, along with what their indicators are for and how roundabouts work

The reason there areso many dudheadlights is that some cars have to have major surgery to change the bulb which normally costs a packet

[Richard Acland]

The reason there are so many dud headlights is because modern cars require major surgery to change the bulb which costs a packet

[David Ashby - Moderator]

No politics or PC-style taunts please folks, this is a light-hearted thread, let's keep it that way. 

 

Edited By David Ashby - Moderator on 27/10/2020 11:26:36

[Bob Burton]

Posted by Phil Green on 27/10/2020 09:46:22:

Indicators used in an 'autopilot' fashion, ie every time without thought, is a Bad Thing. Advanced riding teaches that indicators are used to signal TO someone. Your first thoughts should be "who benefits from this signal, who am I signalling to?". If there is no particular target for your indicators, you dont use them. Edited By Phil Green on 27/10/2020 09:59:05

Do you always know that there is nobody who will benefit from the signal ? I think not

Why not always give the appropriate signal whether or not there is anyone to see it as far as you know ?

[J D 8]

The headlamps on my old landy are so poor no one will flash me even if I forget to dip!

On the odd time I may go on a main road at night those HID headlamps are a pain in the er eye.

[Engine Doctor]

Posted by Jon - Laser Engines on 27/10/2020 08:18:20:

Clocks have changed so sort your bloomin headlights out. Half the cars on the road either have dead bulbs or they have their lights pointed in all sorts of exciting directions. Usually this means they point straight in my eyes and i cant see anything. How do you even end up with bent headlights anyway? has a bloke been running around all summer tweaking them in the night?

Also, main beams are not for use when there is oncoming traffic. Everyone in my area seems to have forgotten this, along with what their indicators are for and how roundabouts work.

I have to agree with John here. plus there is another reason for my anger. Walk around any car park and you will see many cars with cloudy or brown headlights that shouldn't be on the road as they dazzle instead of producing a clean beam of light.. This is a MOT failure but it appears that many MOT testers don't fail cars on this as its left "In their opinion" . The problem started with the introduction of polycarbonate head lamp lenses that don't break like the old glass headlamps . They are sprayed with a coat of clear lacquer . The UV light breaks this down and it goes cloudy and brown. Its a simple temporary fix for any motorist with a soft rag and a drop of rubbing compound . A more lasting fix is to get the headlamps sanded and resprayed with a good quality to pack lacquer with built in UV protection

I guess the culprits who dazzle oncoming drivers are too lazy to clean the lenses or just don't care.

Sad but it reflects on society who don't seem to care about others anymore together with the the bad driving that

John also points out

[Shaun Walsh]

Posted by Doc Marten on 27/10/2020 10:47:01:

Posted by Shaun Walsh on 27/10/2020 08:40:12:

Some people replace their standard headlight bulbs with HID or LED bulbs which are illegal unless fitted in a type approved headlamp because the beam pattern is incorrect and in the case of HID require headlamp washers and self levelling in order to prevent blinding oncoming drivers.

Xenon lamps require self leveling and washers (and are over £100 a pair for genuine), not sure it's a legal requirement for HID though?

They are one and the same.

[Jon H]

Im glad its not just me with a headlight beef.

To clarify my comment though, most of the headlights causing the problem are on cars that i strongly suspect do not have HID's fitted. Old clio's, trasits, normal school run cars, etc.

I know that fitting bulbs in some cars is a nightmare, but even with a slightly crooked bulb the reflector should still be able to sort out the beam.

Anyway, i have vented, feel better now.

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