You're standing in front of a parking ticket machine (the pay-and-display sort), working out your change for the number of minutes you expect to need, when a kindly fellow motorist who is about to drive off winds her window down and offers you her still-valid ticket. Firstly, should you accept it? Secondly, and if you do, should you offer her at least something towards it? And, assuming you haven't paid anything, should you put the ticket through on expenses?
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
Sunday, 18 May 2008
The next chapter begins
I am beginning to set up a new website - to run alongside haymee.com - called 20KR.net.
As we prepare for, and begin, our move to Salisbury; as we move into our new home; as we plan and start the major projects to modernise the house; and as we make our mark on the property, enjoy it and party in it... we want to take you along for the ride.
So, bookmark the page, and check back frequently!
As we prepare for, and begin, our move to Salisbury; as we move into our new home; as we plan and start the major projects to modernise the house; and as we make our mark on the property, enjoy it and party in it... we want to take you along for the ride.
So, bookmark the page, and check back frequently!
Sunday, 11 May 2008
Sunday, 27 April 2008
Fair play to my neph
Where most teenagers would settle for bringing home your standard orange-and-white traffic cone after a drunken night out, this is what's in the loft room at my sister's.
Thursday, 13 March 2008
Just some random thoughts
Red wine headache today - not good. I'm staying at my favourite hotel in Leith and went over to Michael & Christophe's last night. We had a great time, but my head hurts today...
Had a heck of a journey up yesterday: an hour and half queuing on the M25 at the Dartford river crossing, because the southbound bridge was closed due to the wind, and so the two tunnels, usually for northbound traffic only, were being shared. Instead of being very early this was going to make be about on time for my first appointment. I made up time on the A1, then discovered the Forth Bridge was closed and diversions via the Kincardine Bridge were going to delay me about an hour. So from about an hour and half early at 7am, by 5pm I was going to be an hour late. As it turned out the Forth Bridge, when I got to it, was open again, and the rest of the evening went smoothly.
There is something seriously wrong when you pass a petrol station with diesel at 113.9p and think, "Oh, must remember that one, it's quite reasonably priced."
I realise the irony of what I have written above: it is perhaps Better For The Planet that fuel prices should be high, and the fact that they haven't been, historically, may account for the type of weather that closes motorway bridges up and down the land.
Oh, apparently there is a Surf Bus which leaves London at 5.30pm every Friday in summer heading for Cornwall.
Had a heck of a journey up yesterday: an hour and half queuing on the M25 at the Dartford river crossing, because the southbound bridge was closed due to the wind, and so the two tunnels, usually for northbound traffic only, were being shared. Instead of being very early this was going to make be about on time for my first appointment. I made up time on the A1, then discovered the Forth Bridge was closed and diversions via the Kincardine Bridge were going to delay me about an hour. So from about an hour and half early at 7am, by 5pm I was going to be an hour late. As it turned out the Forth Bridge, when I got to it, was open again, and the rest of the evening went smoothly.
There is something seriously wrong when you pass a petrol station with diesel at 113.9p and think, "Oh, must remember that one, it's quite reasonably priced."
I realise the irony of what I have written above: it is perhaps Better For The Planet that fuel prices should be high, and the fact that they haven't been, historically, may account for the type of weather that closes motorway bridges up and down the land.
Oh, apparently there is a Surf Bus which leaves London at 5.30pm every Friday in summer heading for Cornwall.
Saturday, 8 March 2008
Rainbows at Murrayfield
This isn't going well is it? I suppose the weather and home ground is favouring the Scots, but it has to be admitted they are the better side. Currently SCO 12-3 ENG.
Watching in HD and Dolby Stereo is nice now the lounge is pretty much reconstructed.
Watching in HD and Dolby Stereo is nice now the lounge is pretty much reconstructed.
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
Last night I logged on to BBC News and found a banner ad (for Shell) at the top of the page. It's not there today, and I didn't imagine it! It was directly below the grey BBC links at the very top. I'm in a hotel so maybe that has something to do with it - although as I say it's not there any more, and I'm still in the hotel...
The town I was in on Valentine's night, by the way, was St Albans. I was there again recently, parked in a designated space, but someone parked behind me (I was in the last official space but the white lines painted in the road were pretty faint, it was night-time and the street lightling isn't very good) and the wardens pounced again.
Got a parking fine myself at the weekend, in Salisbury. I had put the ticket correctly in the car, but went out to get something from the back and it must have been slamming the boot that flipped it over. £30 thank you very much.
The town I was in on Valentine's night, by the way, was St Albans. I was there again recently, parked in a designated space, but someone parked behind me (I was in the last official space but the white lines painted in the road were pretty faint, it was night-time and the street lightling isn't very good) and the wardens pounced again.
Got a parking fine myself at the weekend, in Salisbury. I had put the ticket correctly in the car, but went out to get something from the back and it must have been slamming the boot that flipped it over. £30 thank you very much.
Thursday, 21 February 2008
Vicky Pollard meets The West Wing
As I wandered this morning down a long Devon hotel corridor, illuminated every couple of metres by bright overhead spots leaving defined pools of light on the carpet, I overheard the West Country tones of a maid on the phone through an open bedroom door: "... and I told 'er to get BONgella ...", with the emphasis on the first syllable.
Sunday, 17 February 2008
Priorities wrong
The Home Secretary has announced that "police in England and Wales are to have targets on minor offences relaxed" so that they can concentrate on violent, particulalrly knife, crime, according to BBC News. This is not the way to do it. Yes, increase the spending on dealing with violent crime: add the metal detectors and do the advertising. But not at the expense of the ordinary, everyday policing: the traffic offences, the anti-social behaviour, the burglaries.
Here's a radical idea: spend more.
Here's a radical idea: spend more.
A memorable Valentine's gift
In the centre of a market town in southern England there is a road. Well, it has many of the features you would expect of a road: it is tarmaced; cars drive along it; it has pavements with kerbs. But apparently it is not a road.
Last Thursday evening, at around nine o'clock, two uniformed traffic wardens were industriously writing out parking tickets for four cars, all sensibly and safely parked along the edge of this street. They had their little digital camera, flashing away to prove that they really had stuck the notices on the windscreens. I got into 'conversation' with them, because I wanted to park there too. I was told that this is not a road, at least in terms of parking: it is a footpath. I laughed a little, pointing to the features I described earlier. But no, if I parked there I too would be ticketed. I ventured that this was clearly a nice little earner for [nameless town] - build a thing that looks like a road, then fine people for parking along it. I got a shrug.
A little while later, as I was working nearby, I watched a young couple return to one of the cars. He had to hold and comfort her for a few moments after they discovered the fine. Maybe it doubled the cost of their Valentine's night out. I didn't watch for the other owners.
Last Thursday evening, at around nine o'clock, two uniformed traffic wardens were industriously writing out parking tickets for four cars, all sensibly and safely parked along the edge of this street. They had their little digital camera, flashing away to prove that they really had stuck the notices on the windscreens. I got into 'conversation' with them, because I wanted to park there too. I was told that this is not a road, at least in terms of parking: it is a footpath. I laughed a little, pointing to the features I described earlier. But no, if I parked there I too would be ticketed. I ventured that this was clearly a nice little earner for [nameless town] - build a thing that looks like a road, then fine people for parking along it. I got a shrug.
A little while later, as I was working nearby, I watched a young couple return to one of the cars. He had to hold and comfort her for a few moments after they discovered the fine. Maybe it doubled the cost of their Valentine's night out. I didn't watch for the other owners.
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