24 minutes ago, jmurray01 said:

Glad to hear it!  I know a lot of people would disagree with me, but I think those who take to driving naturally turn out to be the best drivers.  There are people who need multiple lessons to get the basic skills and those are the drivers you see doing 40 in NSL zones...

i had 6 lessons and passed first time 6 weeks after my 17th birthday, didnt mean i was a good driver. crashed 3 days later and car was mangled in an orchard, lol

49 minutes ago, iantt said:

i had 6 lessons and passed first time 6 weeks after my 17th birthday, didnt mean i was a good driver. crashed 3 days later and car was mangled in an orchard, lol

Well, there are always exceptions...

I passed a month after my 17th birthday After around 10-11hours lessons with 0 minors.. crashed 12 days later & broke the car for parts so there's another exception ;)

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I passed after 7 lessons 1 being a mock test, failed first time for going 60 on a dual carriage way instead of 70 & got overtook.  Apparently they don't want me to be a boy racer just do the speed limit.  Needless to say that bloke was tested & is no long a driving examiner lmao good in my mind.  Went to Shrewsbury and passed with 2 minors and got told that was one of the most comfortable tests he'd had in a long time.  Couldn't fit out the car door lol as my head went that big.  Day later I got put on a 32 tonne tractor & trailer outfit & ripped a fence post out lol then a week later took the wall at my old school out did 3k worth of damage.  Well worth it though

i think there will be a few more exceptions to come. lol

3 minutes ago, iantt said:

i think there will be a few more exceptions to come. lol

Hopefully not as this is being a Ford forum, most of the drivers own Fords, can't give off the impression we're all dangerous & unsafe drivers lmao

1 hour ago, jmurray01 said:

I think those who take to driving naturally turn out to be the best drivers

Yes, I (partly) agree very much!

Silly way of putting it perhaps, but what I mean is that natural drivers have the Opportunity to become safe, quick drivers who enjoy driving. But it does not always happen that way!

Ian admits to an expensive, and potentially lethal "learning experience", and I can remember lots of near misses, many of which could have gone badly wrong. And that was in cars a lot slower & less powerful than the ones today.

I passed my test 1st time after just a few lessons. But I still had a hell of a lot to learn!

I recall swerving to avoid an obstruction I should have seen, ending up veering from side to side over the road trying to avoid oncoming traffic and parked cars. Not from great excess speed, just lack of attention & experience, really.

Then there was the skid control learning curve. I was cruising happily along a nice straight main road (A37 actually), listening to the radio. Oncoming headlights suddenly half blinded me, then another set, then another, maybe more. I should have thought: "why are these lights suddenly appearing from nowhere?", but I didn't. That is until the last pair went past, and I suddenly saw those black & white chevron arrow panels, just a few 10's of yards ahead, marking a 90 degree bend.

I was probably doing nearly 60 (it was an NSL), slammed on the brakes, turned the wheel, car just went straight on. Time almost froze. And so did I. Those chevrons were coming towards me with terrifying inevitability. Then out of nowhere, I recalled a voice: "To control a skid, release the brakes". It took an effort, but I did. And the car went around that bend like it was on rails. I was ...... lucky, the wheel must have been in just the right position, lost just enough speed..  It could have been expensive, and painful, maybe worse. But I learnt.

That, obviously, was pre-ABS days, but it makes no real difference, there are still risks.

Moral of the story: When you throw away the L plates, that is when you Start Learning. Keep your full mind on the job, think ahead. Not just the car in front, but the ones in front of that too. Use all the signs, both official ones and natural ones. Enjoy the car and the drive, but within the limits of the traffic and the road. That way you will enjoy driving for many years to come, I hope.

And that does not just apply to new Learners, I am still trying to learn & anticipate the risks. And I think it makes driving more enjoyable, that way, not less.

 

 

Since we're on the subject I have to say motorcyclists make the best car drivers. I only had 3 lessons. The Instructor was amazed how good I was that after 20 mins he said drive as and where you want. So I did on country roads. He said 3 lessons to iron out a few things. Back at the centre the smarmy person behind the counter asked 20 lessons is it? I smiled and said No. Only 3.

I passed my test on the same day I got made redundant. My test was at 3pm. I started drinking at 9am. Yes I was over the limit but I passed and even suprised the examiner who tried to get me with the highway code. I told him I teach it when I do motorcycle instruction. Oh how smug I was lol.

Surely it's just previous road driving experience rather than being a biker that helped?  I know a few bikers that are awful drivers, they still love to go for dangerous overtakes but forget how slow the car is compared to the bike...  

 

I agree with Jamie though, I had absolutely no driving experience before my first lesson, knew more about how cars worked than how to actually drive them!  I needed loads of lessons (although I think the instructor may've milked that a bit) passed first time but am still a rubbish driver.  I haven't crashed in 7 years admittedly (more luck than judgement probably) but that certainly isn't the only criteria for being a good driver! 

I'm not sure if I like the idea of airsoft... I've never done it, but watched a few videos and putting the toy soldier element aside, it looks kinda fun.... There are a load of guys in full military get up, patches an all... which is kinda a bit over the top in my eyes... but the concept sounds kinda fun...

Have to ask around my friends to determine whether this is one of those things that is acceptable to like, or whether it's one of those "insignias look quite nice" type of things...

It's a bit Walty...at least paintball is mostly about shooting your mates in the !Removed! lol

I do like picking up another project in the form of a circa 2000 Electrolux The Boss upright.  It is the somewhat rare bagless model, which is pathetic in terms of performance but should be good to restore and keep in my collection, or even sell it for a wee profit. 

Some of you may remember it from when they were new, but aside from the poor performance the plastics were also very thin and commonly broke in several places.  The bagged model had far superior performance but the very same plastics and alas, is just as rare today.

I did like walking along the Stour with Brandy this morning, until the event on the  "I don't like" thread occurred.

I, as a result, also like the feeling of a kilo of frozen peas wrapped around a swollen ankle

6 hours ago, tazzman600 said:

Since we're on the subject I have to say motorcyclists make the best car drivers. I only had 3 lessons. The Instructor was amazed how good I was that after 20 mins he said drive as and where you want. So I did on country roads. He said 3 lessons to iron out a few things. Back at the centre the smarmy person behind the counter asked 20 lessons is it? I smiled and said No. Only 3.

That sort of reminds me of a mate of mine, who had booked his bike test, decided he might as well as do his car test at the same time.  He'd been biking for several years and hadn't got round to taking his test. He managed get both tests on the same day, the bike test in the morning, his car test late afternoon.  At that point he'd never driven a car, let alone have any lessons in one.

After passing his bike test, he wondered where he might get a car from to take his test in, that afternoon. Nobody was willing to lend him their car.  Eventually, with less than hour to go, he persuaded his uncle,  to lend him one of his part-ex's.  He set off illegally without an accompanying licence holder, he drove down to the test centre, stopping only to buy and apply a couple of L plates.  

Surprisingly (the rest of us thought), he passed his car test without a single lesson and only about 30 minutes "experience" of car driving. 

 

 

I like watching Vacation (2015) and noting that the car they use for their road trip is strangely reminiscent of a Vauxhall Zafira 😄

Sent from my SM-G930F

16 hours ago, jmurray01 said:

I do like picking up another project in the form of a circa 2000 Electrolux The Boss upright.  It is the somewhat rare bagless model, which is pathetic in terms of performance but should be good to restore and keep in my collection, or even sell it for a wee profit. 

Some of you may remember it from when they were new, but aside from the poor performance the plastics were also very thin and commonly broke in several places.  The bagged model had far superior performance but the very same plastics and alas, is just as rare today.

Mum used to have that exact model.  It was rubbish lol

1 hour ago, Preecematt said:

Mum used to have that exact model.  It was rubbish lol

Indeed it is

The bagged model was so much better, but one way or another they all broke in the end. 

I do like a buttery with fried bacon, the best combination ever...  I don't think you can buy them outside Scotland though, so I've linked a Wikipedia article for anybody who is interested in what they are.

18 hours ago, SeanW said:

It's a bit Walty...at least paintball is mostly about shooting your mates in the !Removed! lol

Yeh, that's kinda why I'm feeling a bit unsure... apparently it "hurts"... but I'm not entirely sure I believe it will register as anything more than an inconvenient flick on my pain register...

I love paintballing, I just wondered whether it has a similar element, it's only you can't get everyone to join in on paintball .... 

Actually I did see a video where a guy was using a razor to open his skin on his face as he had a bb stuck inside!! That was gross...

Also with air soft there seems to be a lot of inclusion of old buildings... I can only assume that the owners don't mind "harmless plastic", but wouldn't want paint splatters of paintballing...

I'm still debating the idea...might go test drive an insignia while I'm at it

 

33 minutes ago, jmurray01 said:

I do like a buttery with fried bacon, the best combination ever...  I don't think you can buy them outside Scotland though, so I've linked a Wikipedia article for anybody who is interested in what they are.

Ah yes, in England we call that a heart attack..

2 minutes ago, Ianb said:

Ah yes, in England we call that a heart attack..

Haha!!  Yes, it can be called that too...

I do like having a camouflaged rabbit hole incident free extended walk with Brandy, around the watercress beds, along the river Piddle and stream Milborne. (or Bere, if you prefer).  

I bought home a tray of bunches of recently picked watercress, I've eaten three since, I should think there's about 60 bunches to a tray.  so that'll keep me going for a while

I also like finally, after several incidents of being outbid: even though I sniped, sniping a new Nilfisk E140.3-9  for only £149  I was expecting it to reach about £200-£230

8 hours ago, jmurray01 said:

I do like a buttery with fried bacon, the best combination ever...  I don't think you can buy them outside Scotland though, so I've linked a Wikipedia article for anybody who is interested in what they are.

I've never seen them before, we have Dorset knobs down here as our regional bread, which from your buttery description isn't as pleasant.

On 02/07/2016 at 7:09 PM, jmurray01 said:

I do like picking up another project in the form of a circa 2000 Electrolux The Boss upright.  It is the somewhat rare bagless model, which is pathetic in terms of performance but should be good to restore and keep in my collection, or even sell it for a wee profit. 

Some of you may remember it from when they were new, but aside from the poor performance the plastics were also very thin and commonly broke in several places.  The bagged model had far superior performance but the very same plastics and alas, is just as rare today.

Isn't that quite new for a vintage vacuum cleaner? 

It's a lot newer my regular Dyson DC01

 

7 hours ago, Ianb said:

Yeh, that's kinda why I'm feeling a bit unsure... apparently it "hurts"... but I'm not entirely sure I believe it will register as anything more than an inconvenient flick on my pain register...

I love paintballing, I just wondered whether it has a similar element, it's only you can't get everyone to join in on paintball .... 

Actually I did see a video where a guy was using a razor to open his skin on his face as he had a bb stuck inside!! That was gross...

Also with air soft there seems to be a lot of inclusion of old buildings... I can only assume that the owners don't mind "harmless plastic", but wouldn't want paint splatters of paintballing...

I'm still debating the idea...might go test drive an insignia while I'm at it

 

A few years ago, there was a period when the larger bottomed residents of Colehill, near Wimborne, found their posterior targeted by someone with air soft gun, at the top of the hill.

My mate's wife, who had the figure of big pear, and found herself twice experiencing not what she would call pain: but more like a the sensation of being pinged with a rubber band.  Apparently for comparison, a leg wax is way more painful than being shot by an air soft pellet.

20 minutes ago, GMX said:

I've never seen them before, we have Dorset knobs down here as our regional bread, which from your buttery description isn't as pleasant.

Isn't that quite new for a vintage vacuum cleaner? 

It's a lot newer my regular Dyson DC01

Butteries are delicious!  Just give them 5 minutes in the oven to heat them up and have simply with butter or bacon as I did. 

It is a 1999 so not really vintage, but as I have its bagged counterpart it will be good to keep for when it becomes vintage in 5-10 years.

I dare say that your DC01 is a better vacuum cleaner, and that says a lot coming from me as I'm the biggest Dyson hater there is.

I do like finishing painting all 4 brake calipers, admittedly it's a lighter shade then I would like but it looks good in person.  Here is a picture

 

Looks good Matt, I like those alloys too.

1 minute ago, jmurray01 said:

Looks good Matt, I like those alloys too.

Thanks dude, I love them it was a big factor in me buying the car.  Alloys set off a car in my mind