Seen in the News

[Tizer]

The Democrats are trying to get more money available for people, the Republicans want to give less and they are all at an impasse. Yet Trump blames the Democrats and says "Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer continue to insist on radical left-wing policies that have nothing to do with the China virus...If Democrats continue to hold this critical relief hostage, I will act under my authority as President to get Americans the relief they need." What a berk!
`Coronavirus: Last-ditch talks on new aid package for US economy fail' LINK

[PanBiker]

I note that David's roundabout has hit the national news. Well done David, you heard it on OG first. I'm listening to a Dutch planning expert on Today 'justifying' it. He isn't doing very well at the moment... He says that as there are more planned people will get used to them. Good luck with that.

I reckon there will be an unhealthy level of attrition of pedestrians on the crossings coupled with a rise in car insurance for all the rear end collision claims with folk having to anchor on when exiting the roundabout. What is wrong with traffic light controlled roundabouts? You could put green go and red death men indicators for the pedestrian traffic.

[Stanley]

On a different tack. I noted a council official trying to talk sense to young people who are ignoring social distancing coining the phrase 'Don't kill your granny' I predict it will go viral.

[Tizer]

Whatever next?
`Trump carving at Mount Rushmore ‘a good idea’, The Donald says but blasts ‘fake news’ he’s made secret enquiries' The Sun
...and would you believe that `A complaint against a BBC journalist accusing him of bias against President Trump in an article that described the US leader as having a “narcissistic hunger for adoration” has been upheld by the broadcaster.' The Times Shucks, the BBC guy was only telling the truth!

[PanBiker]

Just seen in the news that the entire government have resigned in Lebanon, that's all they need over there, failed economy and a power vacuum.

[Tripps]

File this under " What could possibly go wrong?" or "Only in Cambridge"
Dutch roundabout

Well - that didn't take long. Closed for repair yesterday after a hit and run driver demolished a Belisha beacon. Roundabout

It's the only roundabout in the whole country where cyclists have priority over motorists. Lucky there are virtually no pedestrians in the area as they have priority over both of them. Seriously - there is bound to be a fatality soon.

[Stanley]

I saw that report as well David and immediately thought of you.

[Tizer]

Tripps, your roundabout reminded me of the trouble we had over here with the `bus gates'. Supporters always argued that `people will soon get used to them' but they never seem to understand that it's not only locals who have to use them. Unless they become common elsewhere in the UK there will always be people who have never encountered them before.
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This sounds like a good move but it should have been done a long time ago...
`Online political campaigning 'to be more transparent' LINK

[plaques]

We have a number of roundabouts that have a single lane leading up to them then beyond a certain point they split underfoot or underwheel, into another three directions. This gives the driver about two seconds to decide if he his heading on the A6068. M65 West or A56. Without prior knowledge of these splits its easy to get into the wrong lane and then try to hop over into the correct one. Meanwhile someone who knows the road has whipped inside you making the manoeuvre impossible. Also where there are traffic lights to control the entry point there is always someone who thinks that if they tag along with the rest nobody will notice except of course the poor sole who is wrestling with the direction decision and then seeing a stream of traffic crossing his path that shouldn't be there.

[Stanley]

Reports coming in of a bad rail accident near Stonehaven. No details yet but a Youtube video shows heavy smoke rising from the cutting where the train is, fire is involved. Nicola Sturgeon broke the news and said it is a serious incident.
Roundabouts, old driver's trick for you. If you find you are in the wrong lane don't move suddenly across lanes but carry on round the roundabout and make sure you are in the right lane on the next revolution. Only takes a couple of minutes and it's safe.

[PanBiker]

They suspect that a landslide due to heavy rain may have swept the train from the track. In a fairly remote area as well.

[Tripps]

I'm very concerned about a lady called Katie Price who appears regularly in the Mail Online. She does have some bad luck. She tells us today she has fractured her 'hairlines' which apparently are in both heels and feet, and will not walk properly for six months to a year. Seems it was the result of a 'silly accident' in Turkey whilst having her teeth veneers done. It has emerged that she was rushed to a nearby Bunion Clinic where they told her the bad news. Steel pins may have to be inserted into both feet, and now she says amputation is not out of the question.

How she managed to get to her car for a night out I'll never know. It was pitiful to watch her shuffle on her knees obviously in agony and heave herself without assistance - using arms and upper body strength only into her car.

She has now managed to get back to UK and the NHS, for the next stage in her drama. Today she attended the hospital for a pre-surgery Covid test. Let's hope she does not have to wait too long to be treated.

#prayforkatie


By thye way - Gemma Collins has lost yet another three stones in weight - thats about four times this year, but that's a lot easier than breaking your hairlines.

[plaques]

Roundabouts, old driver's trick for you. If you find you are in the wrong lane don't move suddenly across lanes but carry on round the roundabout and make sure you are in the right lane on the next revolution. Only takes a couple of minutes and it's safe.

I've used that manoeuvre on ordinary roundabouts but try it on the one in Barrowford and God knows where you end up.

.

Barrowford..jpg

[Stanley]

David, brilliant find. Is it a spoof or is this really the life some people are leading?
Ken, in Holland it could be Anderes Richtingen. Then you really would be in trouble!

[PanBiker]

I have fallen foul of "Autres Directions" and a Gendarme in the centre of Nantes on World Cup Semi Final day in 1998! When we eventually arrived at our campsite we had a brilliant night in the bar that night watching the match with a load of Germans,

[Tizer]

Roundabouts, old driver's trick for you. If you find you are in the wrong lane don't move suddenly across lanes but carry on round the roundabout and make sure you are in the right lane on the next revolution. Only takes a couple of minutes and it's safe.

That can be dangerous nowadays. The traffic moves much faster now and people don't believe you're going all the way around and will pull out in front of you. So if you have to do it, do it slowly!

[Stanley]

Not as dangerous as sudden lane changes Peter. I remember once finding myself on the new Bull Ring roundabout in Birmingham in the 1960s and not having the faintest idea of where I was going so I circulated. After a couple of revolutions a patrol car pulled me over and I found I wasn't the first one to be confused. He was very helpful, put me right and piloted me out onto the correct exit.
That reminds me of another time in Rotherham. I was sat in the middle of a demolition wasteland wondering where all the landmarks had gone at about 3AM and a patrol car pulled up and asked me what the problem was. I said that I wanted to report a theft, someone had stolen Rotherham. He laughed, agree with me and showed me the way to the Co-op dairy. Again, I wasn't the only one. As in Birmingham, the redevelopment of the town centre was causing a lot of traffic problems.

[Tizer]

In the late 1970s we moved to live near High Wycombe. It's centre had a major roundabout which you could go round in either direction. Very confusing if you hadn't met one before!

[PanBiker]

Roundabouts, I don't know why this is but I always found continental opposite way round roundabouts easier to negotiate on a motorbike? Makes no sense really as a motorbike is neither left or right hand drive, the only difference is which shoulder you look back over or which wing mirror you consult first, just seemed more natural going t'other way round and a lot quicker.

[Stanley]

A roundabout where you could go either way? never come across that Peter in millions of miles. Good job, I would have been totally confused!
I once got in the wrong traffic lane in LA on a wet morning (Always dangerous in LA because they don't understand wet roads!), I decided to go with the flow and ended up on a freeway with no idea where I was going. I decided to continue with the flow and after about ten miles saw a sign for Bakersfield which was what I wanted to get onto Route 66 and the road out to Needles. I remembered the Rolling Stones song and reflected that there is a providence that looks after fools and drunken men.

[chinatyke]

In the late 1970s we moved to live near High Wycombe. It's centre had a major roundabout which you could go round in either direction. Very confusing if you hadn't met one before!

Was that the one that was a series of mini-roundabouts around a big central roundabout? In essence it was a mini roundabout on each exit from the main roundabout if I remember correctly, a trucker's nightmare.

[Stanley]

Thank God I never met one with my 60ft wagon and trailer!

[Tizer]

I didn't know about these guys. This is a video about one of them...
`VJ Day: The forgotten African soldiers of the Burma Campaign' LINK
`Ghanaian veteran Private Joseph Hammond, who is now 95 years old, reflects on the Burma Campaign of World War Two. He was one of 100,000 Africans who fought for the British Army against the Japanese. The multinational troops are known as the forgotten army, as many feel their sacrifices and contributions received little recognition. Hammond has been called the "Ghanaian Captain Tom" because of his fundraising efforts during the coronavirus pandemic..'.

One of my relatives grew up next door to a man who was in General Slim's army in Burma. He became a long-term close friend of the family and she got many trips out with his family. She's still in touch with him but he's now 101 and lives in Canada! I met him once and read a book he wrote about his experiences. A tough, brave but gentle man.

[Tizer]

`Daft as a brush: Painters decorate eight homes by mistake' LINK
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Here's a scam affecting customers at the Ritz but don't think that means it's only the rich who get scammed - lots of ordinary folk now book `afternoon tea at the Ritz' for a family celebration and there'll be a lot of that with the O and A level results and uni acceptances at the moment. Take note of the bit that says `The call was convincing because it appeared to have come from the hotel's real phone number, and the scammers knew exactly when and where her reservation was. One cyber-security expert told the BBC that caller ID spoofing in this way was "quite easy".' So presumably it would be quite easy to spoof the Track & Trace phone number too.
`Tea at the Ritz soured by credit card scammers' LINK

[Stanley]

Peter, have a look at Ernie Roberts in the LTP for his memories of serving in Burma and being asked to volunteer for the Chindits by Ord Wingate. Very down to earth, he said Wingate was barking mad. Another peril they faced, Ernie tells of his encounter with Black Water Fever. He had what he called 'bootlace diarrhoea for the rest of his life. Never heard anyone else talk about that.