The Random thought thread

[onetrack]

I can remember speeding with great pleasure, late at night down a great stretch of the M4, towards Reading, from London, in 1988 - in a hired Vauxhall, enjoying the great stretch of motorway, sitting on about 95mph. However, I was greatly surprised to have a marked police car pull up alongside me, and the copper in the passenger seat clearly mouth, "SLOW DOWN!"  😄

 

Of course, I did just that - and they kept going without losing much speed. I think they were enjoying a fast run, too! I must say I was surprised I wasn't booked.

[Jerry_Atrick]

I had a similar experience. My in laws live in the Foest of Dean, which is the first left off the M4 past Bristol when heading out of London. I lived in Richmond, which was handly for the first entrance to the M4. Our first Christmas with our newborn son, and we drove down on Christmas eve, only to realise, after I had consumed a few reds, that we left the video camera at home. Not to worry, I will get up at 4am on Christmas day, saunter down the M4, retrieve it and I will be back by 8am. The step-father-in-law (who I lent my Commodore to, and was clocked ding 140kph on the Hume from Sydney back to Melb), scoffed and said I wouldn't be back until around 9.

 

I was back around 8. I did about the same speed (around 95mph) all the way on the M4. On the way back to the Forest of Dean, just outside Swindon, I was the only car around and I noticed on the left of the motorway emergency stopping lane was a mound, and on it was a police car with his radar trained on me. I thought about slowing down but decided that would be admitting guilt so I kept on going expecting a chase (after which, of course I would pull over) or a summons in the mail. Got neither.

 

These days between London and Reading it is "smart motorway" with variable (not average) speed limit cameras scattered about. You speed up in between and slow down as you pass the cameras. More dangerous that it was before.

Edited November 5 by Jerry_Atrick

[pmccarthy]

This morning, I could not find the broom to sweep the kitchen floor. I asked my wife and she said "what does it look like?" That tells you all you need to know about who does the sweeping in this house.

[facthunter]

 As long as SHE doesn't fly around on it.  Nev

[old man emu]

Just some random musings arising from the US election. Not so much about how the Yanks conduct their elections, but more on how they run their governments after elections. When we change governing Parties it simply seems to be an exchange of office space. The Ministers of the outgoing government are usually replaced by the person who was the Shadow Minister when in Opposition. I don't know how well briefed Shadow Ministers are on the general running of a particular Ministry, but I would say that whilst in opposition they keep pretty well on top of things. So, come a change of government, the Shadow Minister slides into being the Minister without major upheaval. 

 

On the other hand, it seems that the Yanks' equivalent for Ministers (Secretaries of whatever) don't seem to have had previous interactions with the Department they are supposed to run.  It seems to me that for those people who were acting as Secretaries before the election get fired if their candidate loses. The the winning candidate repays favours by allocating secretariats as rewards for service.

 

One wonders how that results in a smooth transition of power which is essential for the good operation of the machinery of government.

 

 

[rgmwa]

I read an article today where the author suggested the the Democrats should adopt the British model and form a shadow cabinet to oppose Trump's agenda: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/11/11/shadow-cabinet-democrats-opposition-trump/

 

The reply comments were interesting. Quite a few of the ones I read were more concerned that calling it `shadow' made it sound like a suspicious deep state organisation rather than a competent and informed alternative governing body. Others thought that it would just be a leaderless group, but logically it would come under the direction of the minority leader of House of Representatives - effectively the leader of the opposition.

 

It's largely because the USA doesn't have something like a shadow cabinet ready to take over, that they have this shambolic two month period when the incoming administration rushes around looking for people to fill essential posts while the outgoing government twiddles its thumbs.

 

I suppose that even if they thought it was good idea, the Democrats wouldn't have the office space, support staff or funding to set up such a body.

 

 

[facthunter]

It's a Jobs for the MATES. You make a good point. The shadow minister scenario means the change over should be more seamless. That's shortcoming of the concept of INDEPENDANTS and the Greens if they  EVER govern.  Perish the thought IF you are realistic.  Nev

[willedoo]

It's a totally dumb system that American one. They beat their chests about their democracy but  it's one of the worst models.

[old man emu]

1 hour ago, willedoo said:

They beat their chests about their democracy but  it's one of the worst models.

I'd say that their model takes the cake for being the worst. 

[willedoo]

17 minutes ago, old man emu said:

I'd say that their model takes the cake for being the worst. 

That was my thoughts. There might be worse but I can't think of one. The electoral college started life as a way to ensure the plebs didn't get a vote. It took some time until a popular vote was allowed as well. Democracy for the nobs it was. Their system doesn't seem to be very accountable to me. The US system is one of horse trading and back room deals. The only way you can even get legislation looked at by a committee is if you are prepared to trade seven mules for three horses.

 

The other bit about having an executive government that only requires one elected person and whoever he/she picks is bizarre. Talk about lack of accountability to the voters.

[willedoo]

Here's a random thought - I've never owned a new car. A couple of new motorbikes but never a brand new car.

[willedoo]

As far as the bikes go, one was a new Norton Commando Fastback and the other was a bit less glamorous, a Suzuki 50 stepthrough.

[Marty_d]

47 minutes ago, willedoo said:

That was my thoughts. There might be worse but I can't think of one.

I've heard they have "elections" in Russia... and Myanmar 

[nomadpete]

3 minutes ago, Marty_d said:

I've heard they have "elections" in Russia... and Myanmar 

OK

That's random.

[red750]

30 minutes ago, willedoo said:

Here's a random thought - I've never owned a new car

I got my first car when I was 22.In the 58 years since then, I have owned 9 cars, only one new, which I got with fleet discount. I never owned a bike.

 

The list is....

 

Morris Isis

Morris Oxford Series VI

Morris Major

Falcon XT

Falcon XB

Falcon XD  (New)

Falcon AU Forte

Festiva x 2

[onetrack]

I've owned a grand total of 52 Holden utes, and bought almost all of them new, between 1965 and 1985. They were a great workhorse, cheap and reliable. I drove all of them, but employees also drove a lot of them.

The best ute I ever bought was a new HJ Holden Sandman ute. It was bright yellow with black stripes. GMH only built 380 Sandman utes, but they built thousands of Sandman panel vans.

 

Sad to say, I wore it out, and ended up using it as a bush-bashing, roo-shooting ute! - then it ended up on the local rubbish tip, when I sold the farm in 1995, and the new owner wanted all the "farm rubbish" removed!

Not surprisingly, someone grabbed the wreck within hours - the VIN plate alone is probably worth more than I originally paid for the ute, new!

[willedoo]

I've had two 2WD utes, both Holdens, an EH and a HK. Two wagons, an EJ and a Nissan Cedric. Six sedans, FE, EK, HD, HQ, Falcon XW and Fairlaine NC. Five 4WD utes, 2x Landcruisers, a Nissan Patrol, Mitsubishi Triton and my current Holden Rodeo. The Nissan Cedric I'm not proud of. Owning that car was a bad thing.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Cortina, Combi, Ta22 Celica, Nissan MQ patrol LWB 2.8L; Nissan 260c, Isuzu Piazza, Fj55 Lamcruiser wagon, Daihatsu Feroza (unbelievably capable machine) HJ60 Cruiser, VS commodore, Audi A6, 2 x SAAB 900s (1 was after GM took over and it was a pile of carp), 1 x mini Cooper, 1 x Mini Countryman, VolvomV50 and Volvo xc90.. OH, and a falcon XP

 

Feroza, Commodore, xc90 and countryman were new

Edited November 12 by Jerry_Atrick

[facthunter]

About 1/2 of my later purchases were new. IF you get a good deal new is best. Having a warrantee with the later stuff is important.  No one reco's vehicles any more or repaints them.  I get pretty high mileages up on them before I sell them. I've always done my own Servicing ' till  now.  Nev

[willedoo]

5 hours ago, Jerry_Atrick said:

Cortina, Combi, Ta22 Celica, Nissan MQ patrol LWB 2.8L; Nissan 260c, Isuzu Piazza, Fj55 Lamcruiser wagon, Daihatsu Feroza (unbelievably capable machine) HJ60 Cruiser, VS commodore, Audi A6, 2 x SAAB 900s (1 was after GM took over and it was a pile of carp), 1 x mini Cooper, 1 x Mini Countryman, VolvomV50 and Volvo xc90.. OH, and a falcon XP

 

Feroza, Commodore, xc90 and countryman were new

Jerry, I bet you wish you still had the Minis. My old Patrol was an MQ as well but it had the 4 litre petrol engine. I used to curse that old ute at times but it served me well for a long time. The Patrols had good transmissions and running gear, not so good in the body and chassis department.

[red750]

Plenty of bikeriders here. Why do motorcyclists think they can ride so much faster than the traffic? The SUV changing lanes clearly had his indicator on, but the rider thought he could thread through the traffic. So lucky he's not dead.

 

 

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

Looking at it, I am thinking both contributed to the accident. The bike rider was filtering too quickly  - absolutely as the traffic was already slowing and he should have seen it and adjusted his speed accordingly. However, just because a car driver puts on their indicator does not give them right of way to change lanes and they have to check their mirrors and yield to those in the other lane.. Unless the motorcyclist was zipping lanes at the last minute, which at that speed would have been hard to do, the driver looks like they didn't check their mirror properly, otherwise the driver would have seen the bike coming and should not have pulled out, either.

 

Without seeing a bit before where the clip started, it's hard to make a call.. But, yeah, certainly filtering at too quick a speed.

[Marty_d]

I agree with Jerry - just because you have your indicator on, doesn't give you the right to move into the lane when there is traffic already there or coming up at speed.

In their defense though there could have been a blind spot - but if they were driving properly their head should have been on a swivel and they clear that blind spot.

Not sure if the motorcyclist was hurt but he had a lucky escape.  

I did a similar thing when younger - only in my case I was distracted by a lovely girl on the footpath and didn't notice the car in front of me slam on the brakes.  I hit pretty much where that guy did but I went clean over the car.

Edited November 13 by Marty_d

[red750]

A similar thing happened  in August, and the bike was thrown over the dividing barracades and under a Triton ute, resulting in both catching fire.

 

 

 

[red750]

8 minutes ago, Marty_d said:

there could have been a blind spot

Or he could have thought the bike was so far back he had time to change lanes.