floydraser

Absolutely, and I thought it was part of the driving test. I always think the main part of the tanker warning sign is the E at the end for evacuate. One Hazchem qualified driver once told me that although he had done the course and knew what to do, in his opinion in the event of a spillage all he needed was a good pair of running shoes!

I may be missing something but it says the change of use is for 99 years and not transferable. But before that it explains that the owners have a right to the mooring which goes with the property. Surely then, if they sell up, the new owner also has the right and off we go again?

Next is this:

I think the next actions will be discussed and decided on at the next lodge meeting with the worshipful master....

I'm still trying to stay a neutral furriner but it's not looking good for the BA in this case. It would be a silly action on their part if they go ahead and take the police to court. It would likely as not, bring out other cases to be considered. Best to keep quiet when you've been caught out and pretend no-one has noticed, like they usually do. I'm surpised there have been no resignations from the BA?

There are some interesting videos on Youtube at the moment where real lorry drivers give their honest opinions as to why there is a driver shortage. One is Romanian. One quoted an article saying drivers could earn £45k to which he replied that only a few drivers could earn that amount and fuel tanker drivers were among them. That was posted two months ago.

Yes, we get that. We can see a body next to the tape, is that your last victim?

Now steady on there Griff, that'll be like comparing Grendel's RR Silver Cloud to My Skoda Estelle!

Oh yes it is! It is an Aerokits Sea Queen, 46.5 inches x 14.5 inches. "The 46″ Sea Queen was introduced by Aerokits in the early 1950s. Based on a Norfolk Broads cruiser it was designed by the late Leslie J Rowell owner of Aerokits which later became Lesro Models." So there. Aerokits were at 79a Suffield Road, Gorleston-on-Sea, which is a group of sheds behind a row of terraced houses. (Aerokits was a group of sheds, not Gorleston MM) Not only that, I bought it from an auction in Snettisham. An online live auction but the poor picture made it look about 18 inches long. Hammer price £10! It was covered in muck and came with 2 boxes of bits with plans, mouse chewed instructions and bird poo. I reckon it's been a shed for years. It'll now be used to educate some of my Grandchildren using old and new technology: there is no power unit installed so there is a blank canvas - i.c? electric? hybrid? hydrogen? A test bed for any of them. Some Grandchildren are 15 miles away, the others 70 miles away but by the magic of Whatsapp/Youtube they can all be involved. We did a similar thing with an old motor mower and still have all their limbs! I don't intend updating this thread on a regular basis; I thought it may lighten things up a bit in the present climate.

Oh dear. I'm guessing the correct procedures would have allowed things to be covered up. Looks like JP could have met his match in the manipulation stakes. It may bring forward a review where people are removed, thanked for loyal service and no one ever did anything wrong. I still don't get where it went "to the top of local government" as no local MP's were mentioned were they? But then it was the EDP.

And when we panic buy bog rolls because someone showed pictures of empty supermarket shelves, do we expect the army to step in again?

Now I think the army thing brings in another theory of mine: this is all about funding for the BBC which Boris said he may review before he became PM. The BBC are trying to show that they are big in influencing the masses. Bringing in the army could be seen as an escalation of the problem and give more satisfaction to the BBC. I'm afraid as ordinary people this is our problem caused by us, and it's our problem to deal with.

When I were just a slip of a lad in the 1970's there was fuel rationing for a short time. I forget the reason, something to do with OPEC or whatever. I was serving on an old personal service petrol station, the limit was 50p each. The owner of the garage was standing with me when a Ford Anglia swung on to the forecort and as he did so, petrol poured out of the filler cap. The guy got out, unscrewed the cap and waited for service. The owner remarked we had just seen petrol splashing from the cap and the guy got quite agitated: "I don't care! I want my 50 pen'orth!". The owner gave him a a mouthful and sent him packing! As I said before, nothing new under the sun.

My Volvo has a 68 litre tank. Diesel weighs around 840gms per litre. So I'll carry on letting it go below half and only filling up for long journeys. Half a tank weighs about 28.5 kgs. No point carrying that around and more just in case there's another problem with supply. It'll be different when I'm on holiday but no point otherwise, but then I work from home. There's a small impact on wear and tear, fuel economy and emissions but times that by millions of cars and there's an impact. Best if they keep the supply chain rigid. Just in time operation is a way of dealing with the fact that we live on a small island where space is a premium and therefore expensive. As long as it operates for longer periods than it doesn't operate, it's effecient. Check out Google Earth - junction 18 of the M1. Follow the A5 north to Hinckley and see how many huge distribution depots there are, and new ones going up all the time. This is where all your drivers are. Back in 1992 the driver's agency I worked for in Hinckley, rented houses for drivers to share; there were some from Hull and Wales as I remember. Nothing new under the sun.

The BBC are winning at the moment. They tried for weeks to get us to panic buy food by repeating that CO2 was in short supply. That didn't work so they turned to petrol and we took the bait. At lunchtime instead of just mentioning the fact they is no shortage, they just kept telling us there are still long queues everywhere; fanning the flames. They are ignoring the real facts causing the driver shortage (wages and conditions) and trying to keep it political. I notice there are very few lorry drivers interviewed considering they are at the centre of it.

Is it or ain't it? A bit closer........... Pictured at Thornham Marina near Emsworth, South coast. I think it's called Electra.

Help is at hand. In Derby they are experimenting with wireless charging systems for taxis, so that they can charge and still move along the queue. They are installing charging pads in the road surface and charge pads under the cars. Early days though.

Sunday evening, everyone plugs in ready for work on Monday - Phutt! - darkness.

I work from home in a non essential business and Mrs can walk to work. Just been talking to the engineer I work for and he can't get petrol in Bicester but he has a petrol hybrid. He could manage 15 miles on a charge but needs more than that to get to the office. He's awaiting delivery of his all electric company car. I think this just shows how vulnerable we would all be if we were all 100% electric. One power cut or strike and the country would grind to a halt.

That was a close one. We drove to Southbourne with the caravan on Wednesday. Thursday we drove along the south coast to Kent to look at a campavan, returning via the M25. Clacket Lane had diesel at £1.53 but I drove past. The BBC where on about the driver non shortage and I commented that they had failed to cause panic buying with the CO2 thing so now were trying it on with petrol. I was confident however, that we wouldn't fall for it, having learned from the bog roll thing earlier. How wrong was I??? I knew I would just have enough diesel to get back to the caravan which we did with the red warning light aglow. I was too "worn out" after driving nearly all day so left it, noting that I would need to fill up next time out. Friday we caught the train to Portsmouth Harbour and had a lovely day, alfresco lunch at Zizzis and everything. Got back to the van and chilled out, checked the latest threads on this forum and hang on, what's this??? No chuffing fuel! I jumped in the car and nipped to the nearest petrol station - closed - the other way to the next one - stopped to let an NHS ambulance in front but both of us came away disappointed. Back to the van. Saturday (yesterday then) we were going to the Weald and Downland museum but wouldn't have enough fuel, so we chilled and had a good walk around the coast path. So to this morning: I seriously had no idea how far I could get on the diesel left in the car. If I ran out, could I just put more in or would it need bleeding? The nearest station was Esso but wasn't answering the phone. The next nearest was Jet but they didn't give their opening hours! Thanks to Confused.com who sent an email with a link to tell me where the cheapest fuel was available to me: Asda Waterlooville. Asda's auto answering machine declared that due to unprecedented demand, they were unable to take my call. Really? I wonder why? Take a wild guess and while you're recording a message telling me to go away, you could have told me if fuel was available in exactly the same amount of time, at the same cost! Too easy and too sensible I guess. In the end I took a gamble and drove to the nearest Esso at 0730 and although the queue seemed quite long (about 15 - 20 cars) I was back in the van having bacon and eggs by 08.00, diesel tank full. £1.34.9 on Wednesday - £136.9 today. Not bad; the guy lost two days business from the shop as well. The Jet garage was hiked 10p/litre. Cherwell Valley Services on the way home: £1.61 and there was a queue! In conclusion, it didn't spoil the break. In the event it was a minor inconvenience but there was a fair bit of anxiety we didn't need. Does anyone else get a depressing feeling of immense let-down by our fellow citizens?

Add to that: My Asda start time was around 12.30 lunchtime for 17 years. Then I was told I would be given statutory notice that it was changing to 01.00. Voluntary redundancy came along just in time. Satellite tracking came in. They were talking about nominating places where you could take a break, you wouldn't be able to choose. So with a Vemis message/driver log system and satellite tracking fitted, my mobile phone rang while I was on the road, a minute from a store. I ignored it until I had stopped then found it was a supervisor with some minor message. Had I answered it while moving it would have been instant dismissal and loss of redundancy payment. His obvious options were to use the Vemis or ring the store. I'll never forget his name.

He's a very clever bloke, trained as a lawer I believe. I'm not saying he isn't funny or worthy of his celebrity status, I just think with the fishing thing it's like the same joke over and over; funny the first time. I wonder if he's ever caused the line to snap and the fish swims away with hook and line in it's mouth? It's what I was told may happen when started fishing if you weren't careful.

Would raise an eyebrow if true...

It is a relaxing show to watch and we get to see some great locations but like all such shows, somethings start to get a bit predictable. Is anyone else finding Bob Mortimer acting like a three year old every time he catches a fish, a bit tiresome? This is the fourth series.

I shot these (!) from my front garden during the Victory Show which takes place near the next village every year. A few years ago we were visiting Arundel Castle when I heard a merlin engine. As I went to the window to see the Spitfire the guide, an ageing local said, "We get sick hearing that bl**dy thing round here!"