My car is in the garage today for it's 80 thousand mile service plus an MOT, so I had to catch the bus to work!
It was actually quite a pleasant journey just sitting there watching the scenery go by and enjoying the sunshine on my face. The trouble was it took an hour and two buses to get me to work, whereas my car takes me to work in about 20-30 minutes depending on traffic.
If it didn't take quite so long then I think that I would actually consider taking the bus to work as it really was rather nice not to have to think about traffic and to just sit there pondering things as the world went by!
Do you know...I actually saw bits of the town that I hadn't seen before, so that was rather interesting.
I shall get my car back this evening though (not toooo expensive a job fortunately) and will enjoy the freedom of being able to jump in the car and go where I like even if I don't actually do that very often!
Showing posts with label driving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label driving. Show all posts
Friday, 8 February 2008
Wednesday, 14 November 2007
$%?*!
Blooming petrol! I have just filled my car - about two years (or even a year) ago it cost me about £24 to fill the tank, now it takes me £30!
I am quite certain that the tank hasn't suddenly expanded to give me more space to put petrol in, but I didn't think that it would get quite so expensive; and the thing is that my car has a fairly small tank, so goodness knows how much it costs to fill up a bigger car!!
Yes, yes, I know that I should take the bus or use my bike perhaps, but it would take me an hour by bike to get to work; and the buses aren't ideal either as I'd have to take one into town and then one back out again! It's true - the car is simply far more convenient, I can pop to the shops on the way home, drop a colleague home if they need a lift, collect that Christmas present from the depot, and all manner of things!
I suppose that if I'd never had a car then I would simply be used to the alternative methods of transport, but as I do have a car, I do take it for granted and just don't know how I'd manage without it!!
It's a silly idea, but I can quite see that as oil reserves run out and if we can't find suitable methods of powering cars then we'd all start using the horse and buggy again! You know it makes sense! ;-)
I am quite certain that the tank hasn't suddenly expanded to give me more space to put petrol in, but I didn't think that it would get quite so expensive; and the thing is that my car has a fairly small tank, so goodness knows how much it costs to fill up a bigger car!!
Yes, yes, I know that I should take the bus or use my bike perhaps, but it would take me an hour by bike to get to work; and the buses aren't ideal either as I'd have to take one into town and then one back out again! It's true - the car is simply far more convenient, I can pop to the shops on the way home, drop a colleague home if they need a lift, collect that Christmas present from the depot, and all manner of things!
I suppose that if I'd never had a car then I would simply be used to the alternative methods of transport, but as I do have a car, I do take it for granted and just don't know how I'd manage without it!!
It's a silly idea, but I can quite see that as oil reserves run out and if we can't find suitable methods of powering cars then we'd all start using the horse and buggy again! You know it makes sense! ;-)
Monday, 12 November 2007
Gloves!
I need to dig up my driving gloves from whichever pile I have consigned them to - it was COLD this morning!
Anyway, the reason that I couldn't go to Montezuma's last weekend is because I was in Cambridgeshire visiting people! Namely, Andy, Marielle and my rambunctious nephew Tom and gorgeous niece Emily!
It was a very nice, family, weekend; and by that I mean, we didn't do anything out of the ordinary, just enjoyed the weekend - Andy and I took the children to Tesco's while Marielle blitzed the house, we all went to the park on Saturday afternoon, drove to a forest on Sunday afternoon and just enjoyed. Marielle was out babysitting on Saturday evening, so Andy and I watched The Brother's Grimm once Tom and Emily were in bed - like I said, just a simple weekend.
I got another birthday present though! It is a biscuit barrel in the shape of a bus! Andy did say that it was a funky gift! I already have a biscuit tin, so I am going to use this for sweeties!
Anyway, the reason that I couldn't go to Montezuma's last weekend is because I was in Cambridgeshire visiting people! Namely, Andy, Marielle and my rambunctious nephew Tom and gorgeous niece Emily!
It was a very nice, family, weekend; and by that I mean, we didn't do anything out of the ordinary, just enjoyed the weekend - Andy and I took the children to Tesco's while Marielle blitzed the house, we all went to the park on Saturday afternoon, drove to a forest on Sunday afternoon and just enjoyed. Marielle was out babysitting on Saturday evening, so Andy and I watched The Brother's Grimm once Tom and Emily were in bed - like I said, just a simple weekend.
I got another birthday present though! It is a biscuit barrel in the shape of a bus! Andy did say that it was a funky gift! I already have a biscuit tin, so I am going to use this for sweeties!
Friday, 2 November 2007
Traffic control
On the motorway there is nothing more effective at traffic control than a police car cruising along quite happily in the slow lane!! There was one on the M4 this morning and I just have to admit that I do find it quite amusing to see the moment when a whole bunch of drivers have just spotted this police car - all the brake lights come on!!
Then everyone sits there doing the speed limit that they should be doing, but as soon as the police car starts flashing blue lights and speeds off to wherever it needs to go, everyone pretty quickly starts to speed up again!!
It just goes to show that if people think that they can get away with something then they will certainly try, but as soon as they think that they might get caught then they pretend that they are as good as gold and would never even dream of going faster than they should! ;-)
If you've never seen that police car = brake lights phenomenon then it is worth looking out for - it makes me smile every time!
Then everyone sits there doing the speed limit that they should be doing, but as soon as the police car starts flashing blue lights and speeds off to wherever it needs to go, everyone pretty quickly starts to speed up again!!
It just goes to show that if people think that they can get away with something then they will certainly try, but as soon as they think that they might get caught then they pretend that they are as good as gold and would never even dream of going faster than they should! ;-)
If you've never seen that police car = brake lights phenomenon then it is worth looking out for - it makes me smile every time!
Wednesday, 17 October 2007
Bridge to.....nowhere!?
I drive down the motorway every day to get to work - not far - only between two junctions, and go under (and over!) several bridges!
Recently they (the ubiquitous they!) have been replacing pedestrian bridges over this motorway, which is all well and good as it stops people from feeling that they might plummet onto the motorway as they walk over.
But...there is one that was being worked on in the last few months or so and as I drove past each day it was quite interesting to see the progress being made.
However, and it is quite a big however, the workmen all packed up one day, took their tools away, took the cones away and generally left it all looking clean and tidy and.....didn't finish the job!!!
The bridge goes north over the motorway, but as soon as you attempt to climb down on the northern side...you find that you can't! There is no off slope or ramp or steps or anything like that! Which is quite bemusing, I wonder if they are waiting for a part or something silly like that.
Having done a bit of research however, I have discovered that the plan is to extend the bridge to go over a new road in a proposed development that is apparently under construction. Now, if you live around here you will already know that this development is a contentious one with people complaining about it, so perhaps they can't finish the bridge because the new development proposals are still in the political arena.
In any case, it looks very daft to see a bridge that clearly goes....nowhere!!!
Recently they (the ubiquitous they!) have been replacing pedestrian bridges over this motorway, which is all well and good as it stops people from feeling that they might plummet onto the motorway as they walk over.
But...there is one that was being worked on in the last few months or so and as I drove past each day it was quite interesting to see the progress being made.
However, and it is quite a big however, the workmen all packed up one day, took their tools away, took the cones away and generally left it all looking clean and tidy and.....didn't finish the job!!!
The bridge goes north over the motorway, but as soon as you attempt to climb down on the northern side...you find that you can't! There is no off slope or ramp or steps or anything like that! Which is quite bemusing, I wonder if they are waiting for a part or something silly like that.
Having done a bit of research however, I have discovered that the plan is to extend the bridge to go over a new road in a proposed development that is apparently under construction. Now, if you live around here you will already know that this development is a contentious one with people complaining about it, so perhaps they can't finish the bridge because the new development proposals are still in the political arena.
In any case, it looks very daft to see a bridge that clearly goes....nowhere!!!
Wednesday, 3 October 2007
Bloomin' drivers!!
Now, I most certainly would not call myself an excellent driver, after all, I too make mistakes and the occasional error of judgement.
But sometimes, I do wonder just how good a driver the average person on the street is!! I mean, some days, I have moments when I think that I couldn't possibly raise my eyebrows any higher and yet I do!!!
Today for instance...someone stopped at the entrance to a roundabout to let someone out of the car! Then a few minutes later a bus pulled out of a roundabout in front of me - didn't the driver realise that he wasn't in a fast car that could do that? And don't get me started on people who sit in the middle lane of the motorway and there is nothing else on the road for miles!!
Oh I don't know, some times I see some really silly things and that just makes me all the more determined to watch out for the loonies on the road!! ;-)
By the way, it looks as though I am not going to get my replacement wing mirror until next week. So I have to drive around with a taped up mirror, which only makes me wince every time I look at it and want to put a big sign on the car that says "it wasn't me!"
Addendum: Thursday 4th October: I have decided after all, that I am definitely a good (or at least better than average) driver!! I came across two more idiots last night (my eyebrows hit the stratosphere this time!). One driver decided that he was king of the road and didn't need to consider anything other than where he wanted to go - you should have seen the chaos he caused as he pulled out onto two different roundabouts and caused trouble for those coming round the roundbout, and he also weaved across a three lane section of road without indicating because he didn't know which entrance he needed for the roundabout!
This was all followed up by another driver about two minutes later who decided to sit in the fast lane of the dual carriageway (no other driver in sight apart from me) and was not going to move over, so I had to illegally undertake him - grrrrrrrr!
But sometimes, I do wonder just how good a driver the average person on the street is!! I mean, some days, I have moments when I think that I couldn't possibly raise my eyebrows any higher and yet I do!!!
Today for instance...someone stopped at the entrance to a roundabout to let someone out of the car! Then a few minutes later a bus pulled out of a roundabout in front of me - didn't the driver realise that he wasn't in a fast car that could do that? And don't get me started on people who sit in the middle lane of the motorway and there is nothing else on the road for miles!!
Oh I don't know, some times I see some really silly things and that just makes me all the more determined to watch out for the loonies on the road!! ;-)
By the way, it looks as though I am not going to get my replacement wing mirror until next week. So I have to drive around with a taped up mirror, which only makes me wince every time I look at it and want to put a big sign on the car that says "it wasn't me!"
Addendum: Thursday 4th October: I have decided after all, that I am definitely a good (or at least better than average) driver!! I came across two more idiots last night (my eyebrows hit the stratosphere this time!). One driver decided that he was king of the road and didn't need to consider anything other than where he wanted to go - you should have seen the chaos he caused as he pulled out onto two different roundabouts and caused trouble for those coming round the roundbout, and he also weaved across a three lane section of road without indicating because he didn't know which entrance he needed for the roundabout!
This was all followed up by another driver about two minutes later who decided to sit in the fast lane of the dual carriageway (no other driver in sight apart from me) and was not going to move over, so I had to illegally undertake him - grrrrrrrr!
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