[Bob Williams]

Thanks for that Steve, next time I visit North Wales I’ll visit Pete’s Eats, but not sample the Zipwire! Might volunteer SWMBO for it though. Lots of great info there, the Tourist Board should give you commission. ?

Last time I was there, I saw the Blaenau slate mines: years before that, I went to Corris, which is where one branch of my family originated. Until I asked questions based on Family History, no one spoke English. When they realised I was looking up ancestors, they were all over me, told me the history of a 3x great Uncle with the same name as me, 1st and 2nd names reversed, took me to his grave.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

This has been around for a while in North Wales, Ed: –

https://tinyurl.com/ojs4c37

2 years ago we holidayed in Llandudno  and visited the place, I recommend it to anyone.

EDIT: it would be very, very difficult to use the closed mine in my birthplace Notts. village.

• 200+ tons of stone down each shaft.
• a new Industrial Estate built over the site
• the old pit tip area is now a fishing lake and landscaped beauty spot.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Agree with every point except (a) Ed: –    ” the abolition of Grammar and Tech Schools ”    –

Here in Lincolnshire we still have many Grammar Schools. My youngest grandbrat attends King Edward GS in Louth and is doing very well, bright as a button and pushed to her limits by some very good teaching. The imagination she has always shown is being encouraged and developed: at the Parents Evening 2 weeks ago, she was forecasted to be in the top 5 percentile next year.

Her brother attended a local Technical Academy and received 1 to 1 tutelage that took him through Microsoft and CISCO qualifications, without having to go to Uni. He is now, as I have recorded here before, a network & security engineer. His 20 y.o. cousin attended the same Tech Academy and is a working chef with over 2 years’ experience. Her 18 y.o. brother is 2 days a week at an engineering establishment and 3 days at Grimsby Technical Institute (associated with Hull Uni) learning Electrical engineering. He went to a different local Technical Academy until the Institute.

The rest of your points are, sadly, accurate. However, the kids that make it will have learned to work hard in order to succeed. From what I learn from my grandbrats and their friends, they absolutely detest all politicians. A grandbrats’ friend was at a college where a local MP paid a visit. His opinion of the politico is not printable, but ended in “wazzak.”

 

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Well I am back from the Beckenham funeral and back to the Topic. The Garmin satnav that has taken me all over the UK and a couple of times to Europe, was eventually switched off after trying to take me into Central London to get to what was once Kent. When it mentioned Lewisham I knew it was wrong, so I gave up on it and found my own way to the M25 and A21. To direct me into Central London on the day after the atrocity, was ridiculous. We had 3 nights there, including the finest, most wonderful Wake for my wife’s lovely 99 year old aunt. I looked around the packed church and the reception afterwards: there were people of so many colours, creeds, class, ages and faiths, some openly weeping at the loss of a friend. There were readings by SWMBO’s cousin, Aunt’s daughter, grandchildren and children: there was a “Photo Wall” of Aunt’s family and friends across two centuries, from Wales to across the world. I looked at all these different groups of people, all talking, drinking and eating together. I found myself renewing acqaintance with so many different people, and I looked at the 50″ TV displaying a Slide show of the lady whose life we were celebrating.

And I thought, this is why you fanatical barstewards will never win. When a tiny 99 year old Welsh lady can bring all these people together to mourn her passing and celebrate her life, you have no chance. And I was heartened by it all, no matter how sentimental that sounds.

Coming home, I used Mark One Biological Satnav above my eyebrows and worked my own way, via the A20 to the Dartford Crossing and the M25 North. I avoided the M11 and instead opted for the A1 and A1(M), Peterborough bypass, A47 and avoided Boston by using the country lanes I used to know years ago.(They’re still there, just waiting for me to find them again). Then back onto the A16, across to the A153 through Horncastle, over the Wolds to Louth and home. A longer way around on the map, but it took over an hour less than going down. Unless I am going somewhere I have never been before, in future I will use my brain and a good map. The Satnav is history, it’s made me lazy and dependent upon a piece of Tech to do my thinking. :good:

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Thanks guys, sorry I have not replied, been away in London at a funeral and stayed a couple of days around Beckenham, forgot to add a Data pack before I went. No difference anyway as the hotel WiFi was carp. (but meals and room fantastic for the money.)

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

The events in Central London today were a truly awful reminder that we have enemies who have no human feelings whatsoever and will kill the innocent without compunction, in order to prove their loyalty to their twisted “cause”. What is the betting that the attackers turn out to have been born here and follow the teachings of some fundamentalist, brain-twisting evil barsteward?

Please note that the above words do not carry any reference to race or creed.

My thoughts and my sympathy are with the families of the dead and injured, whatever their race or creed.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

The only reason I did this for the lady, is because she is such a very good person. She cares for two housebound others in our Senior Ghetto and always thinks of others before herself. Not a god-botherer, doesn’t go to church, just one of those rare people that cares. She is also an epileptic, two days ago she fitted at home and wrecked her knee, without telling anyone she phoned a taxi and went to A&E alone. That is her nature: looks out for others but will not bother anyone when she needs help.

So this morning I took the tablet round and set it up for her, leaving a sheet of instructions. She is not stupid, just has never had the kind of work that involved Tech: computers were a mystery to her. I have finally got her to agree to attend a Senior’s computer education course at the local college, to get the basics and help her understand what it’s all about. I was quite firm in telling her not to broadcast this to anyone else, stating that I will NOT help anyone else, this is a one-off. She knows we are off to London tomorrow, but this afternoon she phoned, happy to say thank you very much, she was using the tablet and had begun using Google Play Store to add apps she liked. I love it when a plan comes together…

The answer is then, guys, that I really could not refuse, and if you knew the lady, you would have to have a heart of stone to refuse help. She had an abusive husband before divorcing and moving here some years ago and her two kids live many miles away. She rarely sees her grandchildren, so FB is great for her. I was happy to help, but anyone else gets the exit sign.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Steve, tying that together with Oldphart drivers: one of the Oldpharts I mentioned, gets his car out to go to the village shop. Out of the Close, turn left, 50 yards, turn right, almost opposite the right turn on the main A157 road from Louth to Mablethorpe. Comes back by turning around the old water pump and right again, between 2 blind bends. If we hear a car or truck horn and his car is missing, we know who it is. One day it will end in tears….

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

That is encouraging Richard. The Investigatory Powers Act is something I mentioned in MM forum. Our new MP is a female ex-Barrister and she gave herself a big leg up the greasy pole by working out the framework of the IPA for David Cameron. Theresa May (ex-Home Office Minister of course) gave her another leg up and our MP seems to have the PM’s ear as one of Theresa’s Golden Girls. Watch that Westminster space!

I was quite annoyed about the IPA and actually wrote to our MP to complain about her work with it. However, setting that aside (for now) I am pleased to say that she is becoming a good constituency MP, doing lots of local work and spending a good deal of time up here. Her Constituency Offices are always open in Louth and Horncastle and she has given assistance to many local people. That is what we are used to here and it is what Sir Peter Tapsell always did, right into his 80’s. I have not mentioned the MP’s name, btw: I don’t want to attract “their” attention!

If the government does apply some commonsense to this Bill before it enters Parliament, I would be more content that at least some of our Rights are upheld. My previous comments are of course, in jest: I abhor the amount of interference that government intends to make in our lives. We are the most watched, most listened -to, most guarded country in the world. Putin would give his eyeteeth for the powers proposed in the IPA.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Richard that kind of thing happens in Louth on a regular basis. Not car transporters: thankfully, all the car dealers are out of town, but massive foreign Artic’s delivering plants and flowers. The lower streets of Louth lie in a deep Wolds valley, and the lowest point is actually below sea level, where the River Lud runs through the town, which is Georgian. Streets are tight and every route up and down into Louth is a named ” —- gate”. It is a mad place to drive around, with a crazy one-way system designed by a drunk after midnight. It took me at least 5 years to find my way around its nooks and crannies. If just one stupid driver decides to park in the wrong place, it takes a very short time to block every route in and out. If one of those artic’s takes a wrong turning, that’s it. I have been known to switch off and lock the car, to go for a cuppa at one of our many cafes, tea rooms and restaurants and come back when I see the traffic moving.

The strange thing is that the average local driver is an impatient swine at the best of times, but when this happens, no one gets annoyed, unless they are strangers. Every local is used to this. Twice a week, there is a procession by the local Fire department, taking the Engine around all the Town streets. A Parking Enforcer sits in the front seat to photograph and book any cars illegally parked and blocking the route.

I love Louth, it is a weird, unusual, very different place and the people are the same. Probably why it suits me so well…  :wacko: :yahoo:

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Oh I see Nolan, now you have my understanding and my sympathy. Giving our Postie a cuppa every morning, does not stop him blocking the road out of the Close by parking his van across both lanes while he empties the Collection Box.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

OK Nolan, why do you have a helmet camera? :scratch:  :yahoo:

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Well if any Agencies are reading any of the stuff I post or send, or listening to my phone calls, they will have a cure for insomnia…

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

I know exactly what you mean regarding my age group Steve (bet you thought I was going to snarl at you for those ageist comments, no I’m not!) :negative:  :good:

I was lucky in that I had very good Army driver training: don’t know how it is now, but I was taken out of duties for 3 weeks solid and did nothing but drive, everything from a Land Rover to HGV’s, even an aircraft transporter. Later, AFV’s and other tracked vehicles. No fitting in lessons between workdays and weekends, just compressed driving. I woke up driving and went to sleep dreaming about it. That gave me and others like me, something that takes months for civilians: correct driving is quickly grooved into the brain. Muscle and brain memory work together and driving becomes instinctive. I tell my gson, who is taking lessons atm in between work and college, not to be impatient but to think about what he did at that latest lesson, when he gets home.

I know at least 3 people in the Senior Ghetto here, who are simply not fit to drive. One old lass (actually only 4 years older than me) has terrible back problems, can hardly walk to the car, and is doped up with strong pain killers all the time. It takes her  5 or 6 manouevres just to get around a simple L- shaped turn, no buildings, just road, in a cul de sac. She is just all over the place out on the road. I have spoken to her daughter and been told it was none of my business. “So“, I said, “ whose business will it be when she causes an accident?” There are two old lads just as bad. One is only two years older than me, the other is in his 80’s. The oldest is one of those who drives at 25 to 30 everywhere, which is a greater cause of accidents IMO than a fast driver, it makes people impatient and makes them take risks. You know the type – never had an accident, but seen hundreds in his rear mirror. I know the risk-takers should not do it, but it happens.

The best of them is old Dennis 3 doors down. 78 now, but 3 years ago he gave up his Nissan Almera because he thought he was not driving well enough at his age. Nice guy is Dennis, loads of commonsense. He loved that car, but he knew that it was time to stop. That is what I will do when the time comes, atm I am doing OK, but the Tucson I pick up 2 weeks today, may be my last car. I will be 75 then and will take a long hard look at myself. If I don’t think I can drive safely for another 3 years, that’s it. It will be upsetting, but I have never been the cause of any of the 3 incidents that happened to cars I was driving and I do not want to ever be the cause of an accident in which someone is injured, or worse. Especially, me and mine.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

“Innapropriate speed limits” – OH, YES! Places where a 30 could well be a 40, several places where a lower limit slows down traffic so much that it actually increases pollution, as queues including heavier vehicles, slow to a stop, wait and then move off slowly. You can see the fumes physically increasing in depth. It’s crazy.

But the most adrenalin-pumping motoring incident I have ever been involved in, happened right here in sleepy rural Lincs. There is a particularly bad, hairpin bend on the A157  Louth – Mablethorpe road at a small village called South Reston. It’s the road I take if going to the coast or my son’s village home. This tight, acute bend is always bad for meeting a heavy and/or long vehicle coming the other way, and there are buildings blocking sight of the road around the bend. One very cold evening 4 years ago, temperature down to -3°c and roads icy, I was right up to the bend when a (rare) local double decker bus came around the bend, sideways, taking up the whole road. I shot off left into a bridle path and managed to stop before hitting a big old Oak tree, which had probably been growing there since my great granddad was a baby. It all happened so quickly that I did not have time to think, just yanked the wheel over and went left. The bus had stopped and a local guy was out walking his dogs, he just stood there with his mouth open. I went to the driver of the bus, which had 3 passengers, all on the top deck. “Are you OK?” said the middle-aged driver, “Yeah – are you?” I asked “Oh thank God!” he said, and burst into tears! I told him to pull himself together for his passengers, he did, turned the bus back the right way and drove off. Slowly…

I don’t drive that road in icy conditions if I can help it and neither does my son, who was in the front passenger seat with me.

Both of us needed the WC when we got to his… :good:  :whistle:

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

The law is coming to rely more and more on cameras for evidence. The Average speed ones are the ones to watch out for. Entering Grimsby along the A16, I am accompanied by trucks heading for the docks, vans, buses  and loads of cars. This all comes in along a single carriageway and through 4 sets of traffic lights, 3 of which are crossed by complex, phased junctions. As you approach each junction and lights, one lane goes into two, then filters back into one after the lights. This route was first set at 30 mph, which caused fierce bottlenecks and lots of fender-benders. Protests went on for months until the Highways suddenly installed Av. Speed cameras and changed it to 40 mph.The problem now is that you cannot get up to 40 and maintain it for more than say, 20 seconds. The distance between junctions is not long enough and the traffic so congested, that it does not work. They might as well have left it at 30, which is what everyone was doing before the first change anyway. After the junctions, there is a turn off for a massive B&Q place, with the 3rd set of lights. After that, the road dips under a flyover, then uphill to a really complicated, 7-way junction, ending in the 4th set of lights at the top of the hill: halfway up the hill it goes into 2 lanes and you had better know which one you want! :scratch:  :unsure:  😥

I know this road well know, but it does catch out anyone who doesn’t, including drivers from foreign climes who do not or cannot, read English road signs. And some British drivers who suffer the same inability… Grimsby is a real test to drive into and out of.

In one year (2011) I earned 2 lots of 3 points for breaking the limit. I was very close to losing my licence, only the 2nd and 3rd times I had been caught. (First was in ’89, driving home for lunch from work) 2nd time was an Awareness Course. 3rd was totally stupid, missed a turn at Peterborough, tried to make up the difference. By some absolute miracle, the Law had missed my 2nd offence. I just got another 3 points. It taught me a lesson and I vowed never to get caught again. If I lose my licence, not only do I lose my Motability car, but I have to keep losing the DLA payments which pay for the lease, until it ends. So I do not exceed the limit by more than 2mph. Ever.

I missed out the biggest margin that I was ever caught doing. It was in Germany in ’75, driving the Droopsnoot Magnum 2300 that I tuned up with US Buick parts. (The Vauxhall “Slant 4” OHC engine, was half a GM V8) I was apparently doing 230 kph, which equates to about 140 mph. On the Autobahn, I would have been fine, but I was on the equivalent of a UK “B” road. I was also leaving Germany for the last time as a member of HM Forces. The Polizei chased me for that, initially via the MP’s, then as I left HMF in ’76, they used the UK police. I told the upstanding member of the constabulary that I was quite prepared to go to court in Germany, all travel at the expense of the German government. He laughed, walked out and I never heard another word about it. My dad’s words at the time – “Well, that will make a change, police from another country knocking on my door!” (My two brothers and myself brought him our share of trouble at various times)

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

I understand what those of you say when opposed to a tablet for reading e-books, but I don’t just use the tab 8 for that. I have all kinds of uses for it that a Kindle is not equipped to handle, so for me a Kindle is an unnecessary expense. As for the screen, I don’t have a problem with my eyesight when reading on the tablet, and my close up eyesight is poor now. I am able to adjust the lighting and text until it suits me and I can read for as long as I wish. I can also sync the Tab with my Google account over all other devices. The Lenovo Backup & Sync feature is great for this, works well with Google.

The way I see it, a Kindle is good for one thing, because that’s what it was made to do: the right android tablet can do so much more. I did my usual trick when choosing my tab 8, went to Curry’s and other stores and tried every tablet I could find. Some of the more expensive models were a lot harder on the eyes than the Lenovo. The real “cheapo” models, were horrible. Then I bought the Lenovo Tab 8 online from Argos. Unusually, Amazon were quite a lot more expensive for the same model.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

SWMBO has the original Kindle, which was mine at first. I put Kindle for PC on her laptop, my desktop and tried it on my Wiley Fox, but that was too small for my failing eyesight. Adjusting Text Size just left too few lines per page. Then I bought a Lenovo TAB 8 and put Kindle on that: success! I can read very well on that, it’s brilliant. I don’t know if I can buy from Amazon.com, doubt it for copyright reasons, but I will certainly have a go with the Tab 8. If I succeed, I’ll let you know.

There are lots of different e-book publishers available for Android devices. I was given this link last week, haven’t had time to check it out yet, but it looks good:     https://tinyurl.com/m7ambof

In your mum’s case FS, I would advise factory – resetting and selling both Kindles, then buying a good Android 8″ tablet. She could stuff it with e-books then, with lots of choice from various sources. Our County Library lets us download e-books from their website, don’t know if yours does. There are just so many e-book outlets now, it seems a pity to just tie it to Amazon.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Thanks for the advice guys, I will take care on the M11. We are well used to foreign trucks around here, coming and going from and to the Humber ports. Our problem is that Lincolnshire has very few dual carriageways and these trucks can hold up traffic. The A15 is particularly bad, one of the worst roads for casualties in the UK. There are long, straight stretches of single carriageway and drivers get impatient, misjudge overtaking distance and either pile into a dyke or bury themselves in a truck front end. I find that the Netherlands truckies are the best drivers, most of them have been coming for years either to Lincs farms to collect greenstuff, or to plant and flower warehouses and greenhouses to deliver.

There is also quite a sizeable colony of Dutch people hereabouts, including a retired sea captain who is my gdaughter’s unofficial ‘gt-granddad’. He is 87 and still sprightly, lives behind the house where my daughter lived until she moved to Louth last year. My eldest gson and youngest gdaughter grew up with him next door, he is a great old guy and we take him with us on family outings, he is just part of our family. I visit him occasionally just to hear his sea stories: the man has been at sea since he was 14 and went all the way from deck hand to Master Navigator. He retired only a few years ago and was still mastering huge tankers around the world at 80. Incredible man, half German, but says he buried that half when he buried his dad.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Thanks guys, lots of useful information there.

JayCeeDee: I don’t worry about cameras, I set my Cruise Control to 2 mph over the limit and keep my eye out for sign changes. The Garmin detects cameras and ‘pings’ before I get to them. I come down the M11 due to missing Boston, which is a nightmare, so I swing west of it and arrive at the M11 after A1 (M) and A14. I exit the M25 at junction 4, for the A21. all that part of the journey is no problem, it’s just getting into Beckenham and the endless hold ups that seem to happen every time I get deeper into London.

Ed: Thanks for that, but the Charge is fortunately irrelevant as I drive a Motability car. I recall last time I went through the Crossing, being able to drive straight through by flashing my Blue Badge. Since tax discs were ended, ANPR-type cameras instantly recognise the reg. plate and wave through Disabled motorists. One more reason to be grateful for Motability, and I always am!

Richard: Thanks but the above covers the Charge problem. AFAIK, paying by phone is for those who have their bank details on the phone, or some method such as Apple Pay or Paypal. I don’t have any of this on my phone. As you say, funerals are not fun, but this may be the last time I meet some of SWMBO’s relatives for some time. They are almost all more interesting, welcoming and entertaining than most of my own! There will be people from all over the country and the planet. As for the lovely aunt, well I loved the old girl, she was a wonderful person, very Welsh. At her 95th birthday, her daughter had a huge party in a big hall with over 300 guests. She sat in a large chair in the centre, demolishing a large buffet, with family and friends coming up to speak and greet her, like the Queen holding Court. I left it until later, having not seen her for some time, then asked if she remembered me. “Of course I do: you are ******’s husband, Bob! Are you looking after my niece well?”  95, still an excellent memory. Small, very thin, but could eat for Wales!

BL: Thanks for that. I know the A21 better than the A20, and I’m told there are bridge works at Birkbeck Hill which are having a knock-on effect around Bromley and Beckenham. I may be going down to SWMBO’s cousin again later, and will ask you again about the A20

Steve: most of the above covers your advice, but thanks for the Waze information. It keeps coming up on my phone as an app offer, I’ll download it. My Garmin is just updated and has camera warnings and roadworks, but I am an RAC member through Motability so will check their info before I go. that’s how I also set my cruise control, always + 2mph above the limit.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Author]

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