Chulla 4,946 Posted April 15, 2017 Report Share Posted April 15, 2017 This thread seems to have drifted from its original subject, but never mind. There was a top-rate engineer who worked for Lagonda (cars) and Rolls-Royce (aero-engines). He was at Hucknall in 1945 and 1946. His name was Stewart Stewart Tresilian. In our own family we have a great aunt whose parents were not married. Her father is not named on her birth certificate, but her mother put the father's name in the first-name column. Thus she was officially Alice Birch Birch. I mentioned her a few months ago and posted a lovely picture of her when she was young and before she emigrated to America. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oztalgian 3,298 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 Back on topic Drove over 200 miles home last night in the dark and the number of cars with defective head or tail lights was unbelievable, around 10%. Many were driving with the main beam on all the time so they could see the road and seemed oblivious to dazzling oncoming drivers, surely you know if a headlight is out, and it is no big deal to fix it. Even with tail lights, most modern cars have a warning light to show that a bulb has blown. They can't all have failed on that day! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,470 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 49 minutes ago, Oztalgian said: surely you know if a headlight is out, and it is no big deal to fix it. That's the problem - these days it is a big deal to fix it, and an expensive one too. You see Audis and BMWs and others with this type of light... If one of those those fancy xmas tree lights goes, it costs +£300 to buy the replacement part and have it fitted (which you almost certainly can't do yourself). 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjamin1945 16,165 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 Bleddy Cars,........mine tells me everything if owts wrong.........except how to fix it.......well it does tell me in the manual but it may as well be in 'Chinese',,,,,,,,,,,can't even find the starting handle'........let alone the 'Choke'...........and since i had a flat battery that cost me £70 to fix,me clocks been 2 hours slow............ 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 If a bulb goes on mine, I just drop it into Halfords Auto Centre. Yes, it costs, but it beats me getting extremely fractious, frustrated, dirty and scratched ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Booth 7,364 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 My wife has just asked me why I'm sat at the computer giggling away. How can you explain benjamin to someone, haha. (#761). 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,307 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 #763 To paraphrase Churchill, Ben's an enigma, wrapped up in a 3 piece suit and tie, wrapped up in a liberty bodice! Not many of those around! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LizzieM 9,511 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 CATS pee me off!!! We're wondering how our beautiful friendly resident pair of Robins are feeling right now. Bereft we suspect. We always have the local neighbourhood cats marauding around the garden trying their luck and annoying our Terrier, who sits looking out of the windows continually watching for the local moggies that antagonise him by sitting on the wall or garage roof. However, we've recently been watching robins building a nest in the ivy-clad wall opposite our kitchen window. This morning there were 3 damn cats sitting on the wall also watching the nest. We shooed them all away (we thought) A couple of hours later we found these little ones dead on the ground below the nest. I feel like weeping, it's so unfair. We've got blackbirds nesting in a holly tree and wrens in ivy near the house, those cats had better keep away from THEM. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 Oh Lizzie, that's so sad. I too like watching birds nesting in our garden, and although there are several cats in the vicinity, I've never seen such destruction as this. I've only ever found a few large feathers from wood pigeons. Im surprised that the cats didn't devour them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,307 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 There has been a pair of very aggressive magpies in my garden for the last few weeks. I have several trees where doves nest, building their crazy rickety platforms in the branches. Several mornings, I've seen the Maggies mobbing the doves, attacking them and pulling their feathers out in midair. My neighbour has also seen them. A keen countryman who detests magpies, I suspect he's shot them because suddenly they aren't around. I believe in live and let live. The maggies are behaving in accordance with their programming. Nature can be very cruel but she's got nothing on the human pest, 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,429 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 We have very aggressive Crows. We have seen them kill the baby birds in the nests in our garden while the parent birds try to decoy them away. 'Orrible critters as Jill said they are following their programming but it is still heartbreaking to see. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,307 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 Magpies and crows are part of the same family of birds, corvidae. They are able to recognise their own reflection in a mirror, are highly intelligent, prey on weaker species who are unable to defend themselves, are vicious and able to fashion and use tools to their own advantage. Two legged pests! Remind you of anyone? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,429 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 Politicians???? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,307 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 No, Loppy! They're highly intelligent! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewBasfordlad 3,599 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 I detest magpies, the big problem is we have lost a lot of their natural predators killed by man of course. Therefore the magpies grow and flourish with little to stop them and protect our song birds except that same man..... At a farm I shot over in Swingate the farmer insisted the corvids where kept in check, this resulted in a large wood full of song birds and there were still plenty of magpies. Same with foxes, he knew exactly how many were on the farm and he decided how many were to be shot or not as the case maybe. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gem 1,430 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 #784 Do you think Ben has a blue "for a boy" liberty bodice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oztalgian 3,298 Posted April 17, 2017 Report Share Posted April 17, 2017 Cliff Ton #760 This looks like a case of "Rip Off Britain" Replacement cost for a typical current model SUV here is around AU$250 incl fitting. 151 Quid. There again if you have an Audi or a BMW I guess you get to pay more Replacement, parts only for an Audi Q5 cost around 120 quid here Just had a look at my car and it does not look too difficult, have to remove the battery and the battery tray on one side and the washer bottle on the other to get at the unit then a few clips and screws. Assuming that the controller is not the problem and if so that needs to be replaced too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mary1947 2,084 Posted April 17, 2017 Report Share Posted April 17, 2017 20 hours ago, benjamin1945 said: Bleddy Cars,........mine tells me everything if owts wrong.........except how to fix it.......well it does tell me in the manual but it may as well be in 'Chinese',,,,,,,,,,,can't even find the starting handle'........let alone the 'Choke'...........and since i had a flat battery that cost me £70 to fix,me clocks been 2 hours slow............ CHILL!!!!! benjimin 1945 we don't want you having a heart attack. It was much better when we had older cars that did not have to go on the computer to be analysed, to find out what was wrong with them. Having said that why? when you go to look at a car, do the sale's person show you the engine? then you have a look and say Yes!! it great. As if you know what you are looking at. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mary1947 2,084 Posted April 17, 2017 Report Share Posted April 17, 2017 4 hours ago, Oztalgian said: Cliff Ton #760 This looks like a case of "Rip Off Britain" Replacement cost for a typical current model SUV here is around AU$250 incl fitting. 151 Quid. There again if you have an Audi or a BMW I guess you get to pay more Replacement, parts only for an Audi Q5 cost around 120 quid here Just had a look at my car and it does not look too difficult, have to remove the battery and the battery tray on one side and the washer bottle on the other to get at the unit then a few clips and screws. Assuming that the controller is not the problem and if so that needs to be replaced too. Sorry to ask but what are they? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oztalgian 3,298 Posted April 17, 2017 Report Share Posted April 17, 2017 Led running lights from the front of a SUV. These are the lights that are always on, most modern cars have them, they help improve visibility. They are wired so that as soon as you turn on the ignition switch they come on day or night. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nonnaB 4,895 Posted April 17, 2017 Report Share Posted April 17, 2017 We have to have our side and headlights (on dip) night and day here in Italy. It does become automatic like fastening your seatbelt. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mary1947 2,084 Posted April 18, 2017 Report Share Posted April 18, 2017 23 hours ago, Oztalgian said: Led running lights from the front of a SUV. These are the lights that are always on, most modern cars have them, they help improve visibility. They are wired so that as soon as you turn on the ignition switch they come on day or night. Thanks for the info just shows what I know about car's. I just put in the key and if it doe's not start get on to Green Flag. Thanks again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oztalgian 3,298 Posted April 18, 2017 Report Share Posted April 18, 2017 Having spent most of my working life working on component parts and tooling for cars, I'm with you Mary, Don't want anything to do with them these days except drive them. I very rarely look under the bonnet, a light will come on or it will beep if it wants something. I regularly give it a wash and vacuum as I like a clean car. One of the kids borrowed our other car whilst waiting for a part for theirs and I was pleased that they hadn't thrown wrappers and drink bottles out of the car as we taught them as kids to take their litter home. I just wish they had put the bl**dy rubbish in a bag and not on the floor of the car. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted April 18, 2017 Report Share Posted April 18, 2017 On the subject of birds: We had Ospreys nesting on a radio tower last year here in Caithness. This year the powers-that-be have erected a net over the nest site to prevent the birds from nesting. Barstewards! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted April 18, 2017 Report Share Posted April 18, 2017 Day time running lights ? Thank VOLVO for that. Some daft motorists don't have any lights on even when it's foggy ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.