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And today's grump is....


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Airfix. More to the point, their habit of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Their Spitfire VC seems like as good a place as any to start.  It beggars belief that with all the information and technology to hand, Airfix could get *anything* wrong, let alone something as obvious as the spinners. Or miss the radio mast entirely. It’s as if they get eighty percent into the job and think “sod it” and move on.

 

If I were feeling uncharitable, I might suggest that’s what happens when you let kids do a grown-up’s job and I know that everyone has to start somewhere, but we’re talking Spitfires here, which aren’t just any old aeroplane. One simply doesn’t stuff up a Spitfire! At least get someone with experience and knowledge to oversee the job. I get the impression that there’s no one at Airfix that really knows aeroplanes. I’m not sure that’s such a good idea for a company that mostly makes models of them.

 

Then there’s their almost self-sabotaging stance of not doing obvious options, such as the narrow wing bulges. Apart from the new Wellington, which seems to have a good deal of options either done or in the offing, they just don’t seem interested in getting the most from their toolings. I don’t get it.

 

Anyway, I honestly don’t fancy having to pay the same price as the kit itself to get the corrections that, inexcusably, are necessary for the thing to look right from three feet away. So I won’t be buying a single VC, despite it having been at the top of my wish list for years. It simply isn’t good enough and as someone who has bought 600+ Airfix kits, I feel like I have as much right as anyone to have a pop at them.

 

There, I feel better now.

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Well, the majority of the Mk,.Vc will have had the larger bulge, and it is right for the examples offered, so they can't be blamed for that.  It's not as though we were short of c wings with the thin bulges.  I'd wait and see what appears in future boxings before whinging there.  I've more of a complaint about the attempts to do something "new and different"... the foolishly-oversized open cockpit is an idea that keeps on appearing on kits and doesn't catch on for obvious reasons.  Perhaps a more experienced tools team would have knocked this idea on the head early.  And as for the inner skin that has cramped the cockpit to the extent of having to redesign the seat - please!  On a noticeably thin aircraft?  Bad idea.

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4 hours ago, lasermonkey said:

but we’re talking Spitfires here, which aren’t just any old aeroplane.

Beg to differ, they're OLD by now, 80 years. 
And from a nostalgic perspective it may be iconic, but purely judged on it's merits it's nothing really special :P

/runs

 

I do like Spits. Enough to know there's no definite version ever to be boxed - too many variations within subtypes anyway.

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Settling down and watching a programme on tv, and then not seeing the end! Not 'cos I fell asleep or anything, but because the station cuts from the action to a droning Dormeo Mattress topper advert full of blather, and then goes to the next programme!

 

So there I was watching as Craig Sterling is getting chained to a car by the baddies in The Champions and this ad comes on! What happened? Did he escape? Did Sharon and Richard come to his rescue? Were the baddies caught? Who knows...

 

I know the European Super League was cut short in it's prime, but did it have to happen to a tv show too? Talking Pictures TV, by the way.

 

Ray

 

 

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At our supermarket yesterday, not only did a driver use a parent/child space (without having a child) but then attempted to drive away the wrong way around the one way system to get out. She couldn’t get past me (and there were people behind anyway). I swear what I saw then was ‘angry’ manoeuvrering.

 

All to save a few nano seconds in this person’s incredibly busy and important life.

 

Trevor

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Not really a grump at all but just an observation.  We are seeing more and more cyclists on the road these days.  Now this isn't a dig at them or the perennial motorist v cyclist argument which is silly as we are all road users.  No its just that we see so many and we have started looking at the ones coming the other way as we can see their faces and they all - almost without exception - look totally miserable.  Even on country roads when we slow down and give a nod or wee wave there is no sign of recognition.  I get that the ones doing it for fitness will be knackered but those out for a ride just look dead pan and fed up.  If its like that why bother???

 

Cheer up lads and lassies cyclists - take a leaf from the horse riders and wave back or smile or even both.  Just don't fall off doing it though:bristow: :D

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1 hour ago, Max Headroom said:

At our supermarket yesterday, not only did a driver use a parent/child space (without having a child) but then attempted to drive away the wrong way around the one way system to get out. She couldn’t get past me (and there were people behind anyway). I swear what I saw then was ‘angry’ manoeuvrering.

 

All to save a few nano seconds in this person’s incredibly busy and important life.

 

Trevor

Winds me up as well. If you would not do this on a road signposted as one way, why do it in a car park that is sign posted as having a one way system - it causes other users problems and if you caused an accident, you will immediately be liable, indeed if your insurer will cover you at all for such a culpable act (driving otherwise in accordance/dangerous driving?) I refuse to reverse or get out of the way if I am driving the correct way and a driver comes at me the wrong way in such circumstances. As far as I'm concerned it's legally my right of way, and they can do the moving. The number of times it's caused the other person to explode in anger is unbelievable, 90% of the time, it's caught on the dashcam we have in the car, and when I point out they are on camera, for some reason they seem surprised!

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42 minutes ago, treker_ed said:

 I refuse to reverse or get out of the way if I am driving the correct way and a driver comes at me the wrong way in such circumstances. As far as I'm concerned it's legally my right of way, and they can do the moving. 

A. When I was taught to drive I was taught never to drive into an accident, even if I have the 'right of way'

B. I will always, if possible, reverse or manoeuvre my vehicle to accommodate a bad driver's driving.

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1 hour ago, Black Knight said:

A. When I was taught to drive I was taught never to drive into an accident, even if I have the 'right of way'

B. I will always, if possible, reverse or manoeuvre my vehicle to accommodate a bad driver's driving.

on the one occasion I did reverse/move out of the way, I hit a granite block that was put into the ground to prevent cars hitting the corner of a building, dented and scraped the side of my car, damaging the passenger door, and side of my car trying to get out of the drivers way. Ultimately it was the other drivers fault for driving the wrong way on a one way street; yet  I was hit with a massive repair bill and lost no claims as the insurer refused to accept it was the other drivers fault - who also admitted it was their fault, and with dash cam footage of the incident. As a result, I will NOT move out of the way now. If the other driver hits me, it will be their fault entirely for driving the wrong way in a clearly signed, and designated one way system.

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4 hours ago, treker_ed said:

if you caused an accident, you will immediately be liable.............if your insurer will cover you at all for such a culpable act

 

Err, not neccesarily, being dependant on who own's the car park. If it's owned by the supermarket even if parking is overseen by a third party company, it's classified as 'private property'. Providing no one is injured the police will not be able to prosecute, provided the parties involved have reported the accident (legal requirement), your only recourse will be to take out a private prosecution. As for the insurance company, if it's NOT reported to them, it DIDN'T happen. There is nothing in law that says you have to report any accident to your insurers, ask me HOW I know..........

As @Black Knight said

 

3 hours ago, Black Knight said:

A. When I was taught to drive I was taught never to drive into an accident, even if I have the 'right of way'

B. I will always, if possible, reverse or manoeuvre my vehicle to accommodate a bad driver's driving.

 

I know we all call every other driver on the road, to fast, too slow, fail to indicate.....you get the picture. Why add to it, just take the moral high ground, remove your vehicle.

A spoon of sugar goes a LOT further than a gallon of vinegar.

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28 minutes ago, PhoenixII said:

 

Err, not neccesarily, being dependant on who own's the car park. If it's owned by the supermarket even if parking is overseen by a third party company, it's classified as 'private property'.

This may be different in N.I. traffic law.

Any carpark or similar place openly available to any vehicle is still 'public road'. Therefore the plods can take action within a Tesco/Asda carpark, which they have done here.

Only carparks and similar, with restricted access, usually a locked gate or barrier, is considered 'private property' and plods have no jurisdiction there in respect of RTA

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36 minutes ago, PhoenixII said:

not neccesarily, being dependant on who own's the car park. If it's owned by the supermarket even if parking is overseen by a third party company, it's classified as 'private property'. Providing no one is injured the police will not be able to prosecute,

It's never been the case that 'private property' prevents police prosecuting after all the majority of crime is committed on private property. Police treat area's to which the public has been granted access, or normally has access to (e.g. supermarket car parks) exactly the same as public space. The only thing that 'private property' confers is a need for a warrant. Although in certain circumstances e.g. 'hot pursuit' they are not always necessary.

 

 

crossed with @Black Knight

Edited by Circloy
crossed with @black Knight
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Back on the subject of Supermarket Car Parks. 

The counties Boy Racers have been holding Sunday Night meets in various car parks and decided to grace our local Tesco last night. Was awoken to the sound of squealing, reving  and backfiring as they donughted  around the place.

Thankfully followed by sirens and silence.

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1 hour ago, PhoenixII said:

As for the insurance company, if it's NOT reported to them, it DIDN'T happen. There is nothing in law that says you have to report any accident to your insurers,

However, if you've declared that you've not had an accident in the last * years (common question on most insurance proposals) and they find out you have, you might find your insurance null & void.....

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On 4/27/2021 at 4:21 AM, Black Knight said:

This may be different in N.I. traffic law.

Any carpark or similar place openly available to any vehicle is still 'public road'. Therefore the plods can take action within a Tesco/Asda carpark, which they have done here.

Only carparks and similar, with restricted access, usually a locked gate or barrier, is considered 'private property' and plods have no jurisdiction there in respect of RTA

Similar situation over here (well, in NSW, anyway - what goes on in the less civilised parts of the country is anyone's guess ...). Privately-owned car parks and similar spaces can, by arrangement between the owner and the local council, be designated as "road related areas", which means the normal roads legislation as applicable to public roads also applies to them. Mainly used to enforce parking restrictions, though.

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I must apologise for my IT Rant. Having sat down with them, it turns out that due to a management decision, a contract was not renewed and the software drivers were not updated, causing the CSV file to fail to upload. 

However. It was ITs fault that they didn't install my new printer properly and it was printing offset, so it evens out...

 

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My grump is about the growing number of "weekend cyclists" as I call them.

Since the start of the pandemic last year I've noticed the number of cyclists has multiplied. All good, but it seems many of them haven't ridden a bicycle in years (or decades) and it shows. They think they are Lance Armstrong, participating at the Tour de France and tend to take even small and narrow walking trails much too fast, even on curvy spots where they can't see even 1m ahead.

And due to their lack of experience, judging distances is another problem. On more than one occasion they've almost crashed into me when driving by, startling me as you can't hear them until they are at your height when coming from behind.

 

In short, the driving style of some is downright dangerous for others (cyclers and people going for a walk) and it is a small wonder that not much has happened till now.

 

Cheers

Markus

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I just love the ones who have to take their cycles on their cars to go ride somewhere. Why not just ride there?

And then, like the chap I saw today, struggling to get up a hill, holding the traffic back that couldn't overtake, when he had a cycle path immediately on his left. Was he too old to use it?

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1 hour ago, Ratch said:

And then, like the chap I saw today, struggling to get up a hill, holding the traffic back that couldn't overtake, when he had a cycle path immediately on his left. Was he too old to use it?

In Milton Keynes there is an extensive network of Cycle Paths we call the Redways (because the tarmac used to pave them is coloured red😀), however... there are a significant number of cyclists who refuse to use them and will use the main roads. The roads are organised in a grid pattern of V & H named & numbered (V1, V2,V3 V4 etc, H1. H2, H3 etc) the majority of which are either 70mph if they are duelled or 60 if normal national speed limit roads. This is why the network of Redways was constructed to remove cyclist from the main roads for their own safety, to separate them the fast moving traffic. The significant number of cyclists who refuse to use the Redways have the opinion that they are entitled to use the roads just as much as any other road user. They then blame motorists if they get injured!

 

There are also (usually 3 or 4 underpasses on each of the roads, one at either end of each section of road, and one in the middle to allow pedestrians to cross the roads between estates. Over the years sadly a number of people, including children, have been killed crossing the main roads between estates because they have refused to be sensible and use the underpass as it was "quicker" to cross the road instead of going down to the underpass, and going about 30 seconds out of their way to get to the underpass. As a result, some roads have been downgraded to 40mph due to the "inherent unsafe nature of the road". Barriers have been installed on some of the duel carriageway roads down the middle, and yet people still do it. I have had a number of near misses where someone has appeared out of bushes at the side of the road on 70mph stretches and had to swerve out of the way whilst slamming on the brakes. The amount of abuse shown by the person when this happens is unbelievable! 

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1 hour ago, Ratch said:

And then, like the chap I saw today, struggling to get up a hill, holding the traffic back that couldn't overtake, when he had a cycle path immediately on his left. 

That really boils my wee when im driving. There's a cycle path near to me that cost god knows how much to build and the bike brigade still insist on using the road and forcing drivers to crawl along behind as its a busy road so it's not always possible to get round them.

I actually saw a couple of strange things today.... an Audi with indicators but the strangest thing was a cyclist who stopped at a red light! 

 

Regards,

 

Steve

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Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

Used to have an avid cyclist when I was still working. He would insist on riding down a single track road (bus route) parallel to the A-14 road. Between these two roads was a purpose built cycle path, which, as usual, the cyclists ignored. I tackled him over it, and he said the cycle track was in bad repair. 

I had words with the District Councillor, who I knew, and the cycle path was put to rights. It also has signs indicating it's use is mandatory (please, don't give me an argument - 12 years teaching learners means I know the signs and rules, and he lost.)

You can guess, he (and many more) continue to behave like organ donors.

 

Incidentally, when the A-14 upgrade and the link road were in the planning stage, we consulted with the cycling fraternity, who insisted we install a cycle lane, then had the brass neck to complain to the Council when they got cut up using the link road.

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