RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 14, 2014 Good morning all,. Blue sky and sunshine here, 5oC. Looks like being another nice day. Domestic tasks are on the cards this morning then I shall probably go to my "workshop" aka the railway room aka the spare bedroom to continue with ballasting. It may seem to you that I'm taking a long time to do this so the new board must be big. Err - yes I am and no - it's not. It's more to do with the fact that after about an hour my back seizes up & I get bored - not necessarily in that order. Was thinking of going to the Tadworth show tomorrow but would only be able to spend a maximum of 2 hours there because "they" have scheduled all the remaining 6 Nations matches for tomorrow starting at 12.30. Have a good one, Bob. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 14, 2014 Morning all. Happy birthday, Neil! Off work till the end of the month for reasons which I suppose will be too extensive to outline briefly. Let's just say I need some time in order to regenerate and re-establish some peace of mind...and perhaps come up with a more lasting solution. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 14, 2014 (edited) Morning all, man with a cold which I hate a runny nose with facial hair is not good news. Still it is Friday and I think I can look forward to a lie in tomorrow.... Forgot to add Happy Birthday Neil! Edited March 14, 2014 by skipepsi Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 14, 2014 60 is the new 40........I feel good at 62. My favourite decade was my 30's but I was totally shagged out throughout it.....(for reasons that I've explained before). Best, Pete. Pete, try telling that to a traffic cop with a speed camera and see where it gets you! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon G Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Same here! Thick fog which will no doubt clear mid morn. In fact, we often find that, as we travel downhill towards Torquay, the fog disappears! Hope you all have sunny skies at some point today! And rejoice: it's Friday! Thick fog here too. Local radio said yesterday that the fog would clear mid morn - it didnt clear all day! Visibility was about 20 yards driving home from my MRC last night, only to find that we had a power cut when I got home. Came back on later though. As Ashcombe says - rejoice, its Friday! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 (edited) Morning All, Belated Birthday Greetings to Neill. Hope you didn't get legless. If Neil's Avatar is just a red rectangle this morning - then we'll know he did! A belated Happy Birthday Neil. It is another nice sunny morning here, but the forecast says it is set to cool down over the weekend. I was lucky enough to pass my driving test first time - having driven a very circuitous route of Hastings with the Chief examiner. I also had to do a real emergency stop on the sea front when a language student (of which Hastings is full) looked the "wrong way" at the kerb and stepped out into the road. When I came to Germany, it was just a case of swapping my license - which it has to be said is one of the advantages of the European Community! Have a good day everyone... Edited March 14, 2014 by Robert 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete 75C Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Thick fog here too. Local radio said yesterday that the fog would clear mid morn - it didnt clear all day! Visibility was about 20 yards driving home from my MRC last night, only to find that we had a power cut when I got home. Came back on later though. As Ashcombe says - rejoice, its Friday! The North Norfolk coast had the fog last night too, it's completely gone this morning. Driving back along the Holt Road having collected my son from Air Cadets around 9.30 last night, I had full fog lights on and was driving at around 30mph in a 50 limit. Near to the recycling centre, out of the gloom appeared a cyclist heading towards me on the wrong side of the road. No lights, no reflective clothing. Madness. Had I hit the cyclist, I'm sure it would somehow have been my fault! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonBradley Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 (edited) HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEIL! Driving test: I have only one usable arm. On observing this, my examiner went to his chief saying "I can't test him. He's only got one arm". The chief replied; "Test him. If he can't drive fail him" I had done most of my learning on a normal floor change but my test on a steering column change so my hand didn't leave the steering wheel when changing gear, but gave normal hand signals, during which I steadied the steering wheel with my knee! I passed! and was issues with a normal, no restrictions, licence.This was in 1959 so maybe the testing was less strict in those days. Clear blue sky, no clouds, no wind at present, but a strong wind forecast for later. Happy Friday folks. Edited March 14, 2014 by DonBradley 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 I never took a driving test in the 'States - they accepted my UK Driving License as proof I could drive. I did have to take the written test in order that I understood local signs and rules. That was in North Carolina - because every 'State has it's own license - but once I got that one I never took any kind of test again. I've still got my folded paper UK Driving License. I've no idea whether it is still valid (although it says I can drive until I'm 70). I use my New Jersey license in the UK. Best, Pete. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 14, 2014 (edited) Don, The driving requirements have changed considerably since you took your test. However, the fact that you passed shows that despite only having the one arm, your driving met the standard required, and that you operated the vehicle in a safe and proper manner. Seeing the way that some drivers behave these days, you sometimes wonder if they ever passed a test. We had a teacher at our school who used to drive around in an Austin Champ and since he only had a left leg, had the accelerator rigged so that it was operated by a hand lever. Totally acceptable in it's day, but nowadays there is a small but thriving industry that does all sorts of specialist fittings for cars for people who have mobility issues. When I was teaching people to drive (I specialised in training those with mobility problems) the boot of the car was half full of all sorts useful fittings to clip to pedals, the steering wheel etc to make life a little bit easier. Whilst we are on the subject, I hate the expression 'wheelchair bound'. They are wheelchair users, and are certainly not bound in it.. Edited March 14, 2014 by Happy Hippo 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 When I came to Germany, it was just a case of swapping my license - which it has to be said is one of the advantages of the European Community! There is a time constraint though. Both my ex and her sister passed their test in Italy, but were not in a position to run a car when they came to live in the UK. By the time they were they had to have lessons and take the UK test. My sons tell me my ex still can't drive! Ed 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewC Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Morning all. Bright but still a bit misty in the boring borough this morning. Its becoming obvious that local elections are just around the corner. Our recycling bin is filling up with propaganda. Some of the pamphlets contain more waffle than a Belgian food stall. All quiet at work. The bun fight continues. At least there is now some agreement in place. I may do some actual work next week after all. Shock horror. Driving. In Alberta the law was class 7 (escorted or off public road learner) by the age of 14 and full class 5 (car, small truck) at 16. These days its all graduated licensing and such. On my 15th birthday I was given a summer job and a broom. The intention was for me to keep clean a roofing supplies warehouse and help out with some of the shipping and loading. By the end of the day I was given the keys to the forklift and an hour's worth of operating lesson. Took the written portion of the driving test and got my class 7 license. I spend the rest of the summer driving the forklift and doing everything in the warehouse. While the lazy old git that was supposed to be in charge sat in his little office drinking coffee and smoking around 50 unfiltered a day. As a foot note he dropped dead 6 months later of a massive heart attack. Fast forward 12 months and another summer job. Paid for my own driving lessons and on the last day the instructor decided to spring a surprise on us. Instead of practicing parking in the examination lot he had booked our road test. No time to panic or worry. Amazingly passed the first time. A week later I had my first sh*t box of a car and the rest is history. If we hadn't moved to the UK my average annual mileage would have put me well over 2,000,000 km by now. Went from averaging around 80-90 thousand km a year to less than 6 thousand km. Traded in my Alberta license for the UK one. No test needed. Going the other way though a UK holder has to take the full written and driving test to get a licence in Canada. However since AB licenses didn't specify manual or automatic prior to 1980 I will have to take a road test again if I want to drive a manual. Silly as I rarely drove an automatic until moving here. Oh well TFIF. the weekend starts in 5h 59m 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Misty, if not foggy. Have thus far updated two laptops to the latest bloat from MSoft. Have an 8Gig machines and with nothing running it's using 3.26Gig. The 4Gig machine is using 1.95Gig. And when I upgraded everything to Windows NT back in mid 1997 we had to get upgraded to 64Mb per machine to get it to run at a reasonable speed. Remember the expressions "It's flying" Tidying up today on the work front. Then back in on Monday for an information swap with a colleague. And between that - the weekend. Have a good one. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 14, 2014 I had a friend, unfortunately now passed away who due to childhood polio lost the use of both arms. Despite his disability he was able to drive a specially adapted Mini which he steered with one foot! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 14, 2014 Morning all Fine, sunny, etc. Sherry had forwarded a link to an online copy of our 1964 skool magazine. Totally boring to anyone else, but full of names to recall and conjure with, some good, some sad. This girl got A levels in French, English and Latin, has in recent years been a journo with the Evening Standard. That boy was First X1 Captain, and when Sherry and I met him in 2012 he was wearing a Malta Golf Club sweater - he now lives there. On the other hand, this boy was shot dead by bandits in Turkey shortly after graduating, while that girl, only daughter of a popular Latin master, took her own life while at Uni. Good skools do not guarantee good lives. A Facebook contact - former colleague - notes the outpouring of grief about Bob Crow, wonders where the similar tributes for Tony Benn are hiding today. I pointed out it's all about media exposure and the culture of Now. Good to see RMwebbers are less shy about today's event. Sheena here for coffee shortly. She will have a show-round as she's in charge for 10 days from next week, when I'm on my travels. Hope your week winds up on a high note. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 14, 2014 Whilst we are on the subject, I hate the expression 'wheelchair bound'. They are wheelchair users, and are certainly not bound in it.. Spot on. They do not sleep in the chair, but in a bed like everyone else. The wheelchair is just a convenience for part of the day - just like a car is to so many. One of my TOCs had Disability Awareness Training, conducted by a cerebral palsy sufferer with great determination - and as bright as a button. One of the better and more useful days of training, I felt. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adams442T Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Morning folks! Thick mist/fog this morn, but didn't stop those 'sons of fun', our local binmen, from crashing and bashing their way round 'Recycling Day'. I suppose reasonably enough they think, "If we're up, all these beggars should be too!" I try to take a relaxed view of it and watch the proceedings with a cup of Earl Grey and two slices of toast & marmalade. It's a hard life but someone's got to do it! Have a good day / weekend all! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 14, 2014 Don, We had a teacher at our school who used to drive around in an Austin Champ and since he only had a left leg, had the accelerator rigged so that it was operated by a hand lever. My Uncle Olly drove me 'round in a Morris Minor which had levers connected to all the pedals, as he had no leg movement at all. He drove sedately at a pace he felt comfortable with and managed to get around happily when required. He also drove a scooter and sidecar but my memory can't recall how that worked but the trips out were fun ! (!!) Happy belated birthday wishes Neil. It seems that StationMaster and myself are having a deja vu experience - one of those problem posters who can't simply answer a question but has to try and demonstrate knowledge at the same time, and generally fails, then gets upset when the failure is corrected. One of the reasons I don't post much or help people anymore, too many "know it (they wish) alls" who dive in and make the matter of answering the original question far more complicated than it should be. Anyway, thats the grumble over with - have a good day all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 14, 2014 Morning all, The mist is gradually lifting as the sun shines through but still can't see across the valley although we can now see the bottom of the garden! Grandadbob's words caused me to research the Tadworth show (having already advised management that I wouldn't be going to one this weekend) - a quick read of a review of last year's and I still won't be going to one this weekend! Ah, back to Driving Tests - well mine went ok as I said before although I was in some doubt about what might fall off the driving School's Austin 1100 as various bits had parted company with the vehicle when it had done an emergency stop the previous week. Oddly I didn't mind the lousy driving position on the 1100 but then the thing I'd most recently driven before then was a 14foot cut combine harvester (not on the road of course!). My second driving test was far more amusing - in a BR Viva HA van when the Inspector 'tested' 4 of us in turn for our Domestic Licence, I drove from outside Cardiff General station along Ninian Park Road and round the corner to Leckwith Road, must have been less than a mile in all and that was that, licence duly granted; the hardest part was sitting in the back with 3 others while each was 'tested' in turn. And today we have painting - by Mrs Stationmaster, although the good Doctor and I will no doubt be required to shift furniture. Have a good day one & all. PS for iD If it is proper job Korean grub some of it can be quite nice - I used to eat at a food court in Sydney where there was a Korean place and I often asked for the real thing instead of what was listed on the menu, and the oldish lady in charge always cooked it herself for me instead of letting her daughters and nieces cook it. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium southern42 Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 14, 2014 Afternoon all. Some pics from yesterday. In contrast to Wednesday's platform shoot when we had glorious sunshine. The most I could hope for in yesterday's fog was, maybe, a couple of atmospheric shots so, I had a go. Kind of different when you've also got to make sure you get on the train. A case of quick-n-snap-it and worry about it afterwards. Looking towards Bangor Tunnel (for London Euston). The 1R24 0551 Holyhead to London Euston 06-03-2014 arriving Bangor for 0618 departure. This would be joined, at Chester, with the set from Wrexham. I wonder if I'm now going to get obsessed with getting the rest of the set. I'll post a few Kew Garden pics, later, when I've got them sorted. Now for some catch-up in ERs. Polly 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete 75C Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 (edited) Auguste Picard? If they mean the Swiss physicist Auguste Piccard, they've only gone and spelt his name wrong... Oops. Or is it some bizarre Star Trek Jean-Luc reference that's gone completely over my head...? Edited March 14, 2014 by Pete 75C Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 14, 2014 After three foggy days it has finally lifted a little by lunch today. My Great Uncle Albert had lost both legs due to gangrene and had an A40 adapted to hand controls with servo assisted brakes and steering (which were somewhat unusual on cars in the 50s). One day a particularly officious policeman questioned his ability to drive and asked him to drive him round the block. He did an emergency stop test partway round. When he tapped the dashboard Uncle pulled hard on the lever which resulted in the policeman's face meeting the windscreen and bending the peak of his cap. A rather shaken policeman said I think that's enough sir thank you. Don 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Abel Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Superb, it's POETS day, this week, for no particular reason, I'm very glad it's here... +3, overcast but supposed to become party sunny, we'll apparently not get above zero all weekend, garnering a quick cold snap (that's what they call it!!) from Canada for two days just in time for the weekend. Time you read this of course, most of you UK-residing lucky sods will be WELL on your way to easing up for the impending two days of relaxation/flurry of odd-jobs/panic-of-todo-items, depending on your luck and situation Choir sang at a funeral last night, quite touching, guy was only 49 and in great health until some aggressive big-C got him, always amazes me how easily we can slip away <sigh> - he'd only joined our choir last autumn, just a couple of weeks before he discovered the illness... So here we go again - looking forward to a full weekend of modelling, BUT, 'twas revealed last night that or contractor "can probably start in a couple of weeks..." on the kitchen remodel, so I'm probably going to be pressed into an IKEA trip to finalize their stuff and see what the availibility of it all is - not sure I expect to get out of there in under a couple of hours - if I'm lucky!! OK, back to work - the client with all the already large backlog of SQL development has two new "urgent" requests they need addressing that take priority it seems. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 14, 2014 (edited) Grandadbob's words caused me to research the Tadworth show (having already advised management that I wouldn't be going to one this weekend) - a quick read of a review of last year's and I still won't be going to one this weekend! Me too now as far as tomorrow goes but on Sunday we're supposed to be visiting a National Trust property on Sunday near East Grinstead so if there's time we may end up at that show instead! (This of course depends on various things mainly all to do with management!) My Dad who lost his right leg below the knee and had reduced use of his right arm drove unmodified manual transmission cars until well into his sixties when worsening Arthritis caused him to change to automatics. He'd driven all sorts of vehicles in the Army and after I passed my test taught me how to double declutch & heel & toe on my old Morris Ten which had a very "iffy" gear box. (Bit of an Eric Morecambe one - all the gears were in there somewhere but not necessarily in the right order!) He was one of the best (& smoothest) drivers I've ever been in a car with. Edited March 14, 2014 by grandadbob 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 14, 2014 Another quick swing by- Thanks for all the birthday wishes, had a nice night out with our friends - even the teenagers came out for a meal and enjoyed themselves! They have two great kids. Not sure what tomorrow will bring, spare day, having dealt with visiting aged friends and old neighbours today - it's been 12 years. A show would have been nice, but the local one was last weekend - bah. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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