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Anybody In Here??

rickrickMember
quote:
Originally posted by Serenity:
I must say I do read them. Kind of a game, I guess, to figure them out, but what a waste of hard earned dollars!!
To each their own. We all have ways of “wasting” money, but I doubt anyone thinks they are the ones wasting. It generates voluntary revenue for a state, and it does provide some with something to do while they’re driving besides putting on makeup - so, not a complete waste.
T tappitMember
Hey RICK
I saw your picture of your Kelly Kettle and I have had one for several years and have used it all over the uk..Just to let you know what happens if you run out of solid fuel (wood, paper and such) and one of your mates fills the little tray at the bottom with unleaded petrol.......we had to put his head out with the cold water that we were going to use for our cuppa!! Fortunately hair grows back quite quickly...
E emohawkMember
quote:
"PRAT" or "BRAT"? BRAT makes sense to me; dummy that I am, I don't know what PRAT means.

Hmmm, how about just "RAT"?


Dave



"Prat" it is, old boy. A peculiarly British term indicating a stupid person.

This reference from http://english2american.com/dictionary describes it adequately;

"prat n. To call somebody a prat is rather similar to calling them an idiot. It's often meant to mean someone's general attitude than concerning one particular incident - "I met my sister's boyfriend the other day and he seems like a complete prat". Derived, I believe, from a time when the word was slang for your posterior (in a similar way to the more contemporaneous arse) and interestingly from that came the peculiarly American word pratfall, a fall on one's behind."

Emo
Last edited by emohawk
G gardengnomeMember
Those two vehicles are sold here too, but the price puts them out of reach. I get 50mpg around town in my little 3-cylinder, 1 litre Daihatsu, which makes it about as "green" as the hybrids, and it's quicker. As well as using less fuel and producing fewer emissions it also uses far less energy and material to build.

I can buy at least three of them for the price of one Honda or Prius (even with personal plates!). No air, no power-this or that and damn little respect from other drivers, but safer and more comfortable than a 'bike. All I need is to get from one place to another, as cheaply and quickly as possible after all.

GG
rickrickMember
quote:
For instance, could the "beast" actually be the wide-ranging cyberland of the internet world & world wide web. And the "mark of the beast", which was sort of recognized as "VIVIVI", was actually "WWW"????

That reminds me of another one – there were some that thought it was more than a coincidence that the number of letters in Ronald Wilson Reagan was 666. With enough imagination and time, one can find something to prove most anything.
region2region2Member
quote:
Another "dummy" question: I've seen pictures of the UK and there are many cars on the roads, who or how are they owned? If not by the drivers, I mean.

Many people own cars, some people lease cars, a few people hire cars. Unfortunately we have 60 million people in a small country that, unlike Japan and Germany, wasn't able to start with a clean slate (infrastructure wise) in the mid-40s so our rail and road system is pretty dire (especially the former which is creaking at the seams) - not helped by everyone's desire to have the freedom that a car provides! Our local Council is very anti-car, even forcing developers to build flats (apartments) and businesses in town without parking spaces. This would work if the public transport infastructure was in place and working well but it isn't. Petrol is 85p a litre (4.5 litres = 1 gallon) and speed cameras are spreading fast - aaaargh!

R2 2CARS
region2region2Member
As for personalised plates - some cars look better with a pre-1965 plate (ie. 1 bank of numbers and 1 bank of letters) as UK plates are big and bold (so the speed cameras can read them) so AB23 takes up less room on a sports car or would make a Rolls Royce look distinguished. Others use it as a method of making their car look timeless - there's a certain snobbishness that exists in the UK about new cars. That said, you cannot make a car look newer so you couldn't put AB55DEF on a Vauxhall Viva to make it look new!


[_PRATT_]

R2
M mikefromwestyorkshireMember
quote:
Originally posted by Dave:
quote:
As for privately owned cars....


Mike,
Another "dummy" question: I've seen pictures of the UK and there are many cars on the roads, who or how are they owned? If not by the drivers, I mean.

Hi Dave
Quite a proportion are company-owned. Dunno what actual statistics are (read:too lazy to find out), but maybe 50% or more.
UK show a vehicle document having a 'Registered keeper' - the keeper can be a person or an entity (company, charity et al)
BTW, is a weasle the same as a weasel (small mustelid mammal)?
M mikefromwestyorkshireMember
quote:
Originally posted by Dave:
Serenity,
I really like the Honda Civic, I would recommend it to you. I did not test the Toyota Prius because when I went to the dealer, i was there for 30 minutes and NO salesman ever came to ask if I wanted help! The Civic has most of the conveniences one would want.

Don't all these have eat-by dates, where you have to replace it after, say, 5 years?
Me not wanna play that game..... I want a vehicle that I want to determine whether I keep or sell.
As for new cars, a big lump falls off when you drive it from the showroom - it is called depreciation.
It amazes me that the gubmint is always preaching 'green' and 'environmental' yet we are still churning out cars that cause 15 years of pollution's worth of driving one, and viable vehicles are scrapped because we cannot sell the cars we produce, so the marketroids jump in with the brainwashing.
</rant>
M mikefromwestyorkshireMember
quote:
Originally posted by region2:
As for personalised plates - some cars look better with a pre-1965 plate (ie. 1 bank of numbers and 1 bank of letters)

Or even the converse....I believe A1 is still about.
Numbers were white or silver on black pre 1974, as well.
quote:

Others use it as a method of making their car look timeless - there's a certain snobbishness that exists in the UK about new cars.
Read: Scared to death that neighbours will see their car is older than theirs.
quote:

That said, you cannot make a car look newer so you couldn't put AB55DEF on a Vauxhall Viva to make it look new!

You could re-register it with a Q plate - Q123XYZ or whatever. If 'twere a Viva, I would not want to!
mrsmmrsmMember
quote:
quote:
For instance, could the "beast" actually be the wide-ranging cyberland of the internet world & world wide web. And the "mark of the beast", which was sort of recognized as "VIVIVI", was actually "WWW"????


That reminds me of another one – there were some that thought it was more than a coincidence that the number of letters in Ronald Wilson Reagan was 666. With enough imagination and time, one can find something to prove most anything.


The Greek word for this is eisegesis, the process of reading into a passage something that is not there- inserting a meaning that flows from a personal agenda. By contrast, exegesis means drawing from the passage the clearly intended meaning, using context, other Scriptures passages on the same topic, and legitimate tools of understanding such as Bible commentaries.
falcongalfalcongalMember
quote:
Originally posted by Mike from West Yorkshire:

quote:

Others use it as a method of making their car look timeless - there's a certain snobbishness that exists in the UK about new cars.
Read: Scared to death that neighbours will see their car is older than theirs.


They probably wouldn't like the 1966 and 1967 Ford Falcons I'm restoring. I have a modern car too, but often drive the 1967, and it's parked in front of the house where everybody can see it. The 1966 isn't driveable yet.

It only gets about 22 mpg on gas, but the plates and insurance are very inexpensive. Plates are about $25 (£13-14) for 2 years and insurance is $53 (£29) for 6 months.

It has classic car plates. That might count as a type of vanity plate. What's strange is that the plates are rusting but the car is not! When I called the Department of Motor Vehicles to see about new ones they said plates do not rust.

That Vauxhall Viva looks interesting. It looks a little bit like a Falcon in the front. Smile
falcongalfalcongalMember
quote:

It amazes me that the gubmint is always preaching 'green' and 'environmental' yet we are still churning out cars that cause 15 years of pollution's worth of driving one, and viable vehicles are scrapped because we cannot sell the cars we produce, so the marketroids jump in with the brainwashing.
</rant>


There are also way too many cars lying around in junk yards. It seems like they only intend for them to be used for so long and then replaced. It's no doubt caused by greed and wanting to make money selling more cars. Couldn't they work on making them more durable? (also a rant)

This is just a crazy thought, but they sell solid bicycle tires that never go flat. I have them on my bike and they're just as comfortable as the inflatable ones. There would be a lot less accidents and less problems if they could make car tires the same way. Is that idea workable?

A lot of newer cars have Onstar tracking. No matter where you go somebody can always find you. This would be nice in emergencies, but there's something big brotherish about it. What do you think?
E emohawkMember
The Vauxhall Viva had one saving grace - it rusted so fast there's little chance any are still on the road. A great relief to us all.

Once vehicle tracking is commonplace it's only a short step to recording where you were, where you are, and how long you took to get from one to the other. Automatic speeding fines without having to employ police, cameras or radar. The revenue-raising possibilities will be irresistable. You may rest assured it'll happen as sure as night follows day. In the name of "safety", of course!

Emo
mrsmmrsmMember
quote:
This is just a crazy thought, but they sell solid bicycle tires that never go flat. I have them on my bike and they're just as comfortable as the inflatable ones. There would be a lot less accidents and less problems if they could make car tires the same way. Is that idea workable?



There actually are comp tires for autos, but the tires have been held from the market!$$$$$! That is what it is all about!
mrsmmrsmMember
quote:
Once vehicle tracking is commonplace it's only a short step to recording where you were, where you are, and how long you took to get from one to the other. Automatic speeding fines without having to employ police, cameras or radar. The revenue-raising possibilities will be irresistable. You may rest assured it'll happen as sure as night follows day. In the name of "safety", of course!


Emo, a lot of US employers use this system now for employees that are on the road, daily. I have no doubt that the government will follow suit!
M mikefromwestyorkshireMember
quote:
Originally posted by Falcon Gal:
There are also way too many cars lying around in junk yards.

The said gubmint has got around this one nicely. Junkyards need that mush legislation now that many cannot survive, and those that do have to charge people to scrap things, so all the scrap cars have ID removed and end up around the countryside.
quote:

It seems like they only intend for them to be used for so long and then replaced. It's no doubt caused by greed and wanting to make money selling more cars. Couldn't they work on making them more durable?

Absolutely right, Falcon. I will not buy a car that I cannot fix, or one that reeks of obsolescence!
quote:

This is just a crazy thought, but they sell solid bicycle tires that never go flat. I have them on my bike and they're just as comfortable as the inflatable ones. There would be a lot less accidents and less problems if they could make car tires the same way. Is that idea workable?
I think the idea has existed for a while, there tyres are filled with something or other. Solid tyres with these vehicle weights would not work too well. Only thing is that the usual failure is either tread wear or cracked sidewalls. Sunlight will see them off, eventually.
quote:

A lot of newer cars have Onstar tracking. No matter where you go somebody can always find you. This would be nice in emergencies, but there's something big brotherish about it. What do you think?

It would have to come out! Mad
M mikefromwestyorkshireMember
quote:
Originally posted by Falcon Gal:
They probably wouldn't like the 1966 and 1967 Ford Falcons I'm restoring.

It only gets about 22 mpg on gas, but the plates and insurance are very inexpensive. Plates are about $25 (£13-14) for 2 years and insurance is $53 (£29) for 6 months.

This one of mine only does about 28mpg, but excise licence (pre 1973) is FREE and insurance is about £90. Big Grin
rickrickMember
quote:
Automatic speeding fines without having to employ police, cameras or radar. The revenue-raising possibilities will be irresistable. You may rest assured it'll happen as sure as night follows day. In the name of "safety", of course!
Makes me wonder why people want government involved in more activities.
rickrickMember
quote:
Originally posted by Serenity:
quote:
Couldn't they work on making them more durable?

Buy German.


Not always so, but my 65 VW has been passed from one grandchild to another.
Everything is not always so, or nothing is always so. There are no absolutes, even absolutes.



quote:
Originally posted by Serenity:
That is what it is all about!
Not always so, but... [Giving the raspberries graemlin]



Loved those VW’s – wasn’t it Hitler that got those going, or is that another one of those urban myths?



BUY GERMAN!
M mikefromwestyorkshireMember
quote:

Loved those VW’s – wasn’t it Hitler that got those going, or is that another one of those urban myths?
BUY GERMAN!

Hi Rick
Yup, do believe it was a smile!
German cars with their hard suspension are uncomfortable in our neck of the woods - the roads are terrible.
Ferry Porsche did create the VW Beetle, to ostensibly save up coupons for the masses, according to Hitler, but it never happened - they were conned.
Pity they got the engine in the wrong end and zero luggage space, as well.
If you want to hear a flat aircooled four sound that does not sound like a tractor, look at a Citroen GSA.
rickrickMember
Once borrowed a Citroen for a few days. I think it was in ’89 or ‘90, and I think it was a turbo, but that’s fairly dated, as is my memory. Citroen’s didn’t seem to make it in the States. Don’t know why.



quote:
Originally posted by Mike from West Yorkshire:
Pity they got the engine in the wrong end and zero luggage space, as well.
I gather you’re not a fan of Porsches.
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