Drivers and their problems

well I have to admit it does look pretty daft so far, though not finished yet, so maybe it will make more sense later on.

Not that far from me (next county over in Dorset)  

A significant proportion of Somerset is below sea level and pan-flat (Somerset Levels). The flooding is managed by a series of moors and reservoirs linked by rivers, some man-made spillways with sluices and water is pumped between them. The A361 closes when the spillway near it is taking water away in case it floods. 

Much better explanation here if anyone is still reading. 
https://www.somersetriversauthority.org.uk/how-the-somerset-moors-work/

https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/car-driver-rescued-flo...

SaveTheWail wrote:

The driver did not understand why the car was not roadworthy:

https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/crime/severely-damaged-car-driving-through-derbyshire-town-seized-by-police-3988453

That'll buff right out

Went past Stony Lane this morning, a couple of drivers had tried their luck and got stuck. Surprisingly not German bahnsturmers - twas a Corsa and something vaguely Hyundai-looking. 

Back up towards Ringwood there were two cars in the hedge having taken out a telegraph pole. 50mph stretch and based on where they ended up I'd imagine it was black ice and straight on til morning.

drivers commonly think they're entitled to go through a red light after giving way to an emergency vehicle, as though they have completely failed to understand the purpose of the red light

He should move to Lancashire. A second or so after they turn red is accepted as OK around here

Her solicitor told the court that her decision has "left her 34-year police career in jeopardy and her reputation in tatters"

She would be in demand for a career at the Met

I think you'll find that was  one of the claimed crashes (according to the comments) below 10 mph !

Yes, their interpretation is along the lines of 'I'm using this access-only road to access where I want to get to on the other side of it.'

Its surprising that the Wales Online website hadn't checked something as fundamental as that before clicking on 'publish'... 

they didnt say whether they prosecuted them for attempting that though, as Id have thought was a crime in itself, not least using a mobile phone in that manner whilst in a car that I doubt theyd bothered to turn the engine off of.

If only the bridge had hi-viz. Oh wait...  https://goo.gl/maps/QGNHVRRCPhWLQ9Hr7

I've never been so angry about something that I danced the Conga:

https://metro.co.uk/2023/01/16/people-are-so-angry-about-road-markings-t...

I was reading the fine marina Hyde in the guardian today, about the dodgy met, and she linked to a times article, for which I could only really read the synopsis, but it would appear that the head of the IOPC had to resign, and not quickly enough, over serious allegations, sex with a minor.

Below 10mph?? Rubbish!

According to the mot it has had the same advisory for the last 2 years

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

So much for pride and joy !

David9694 wrote:

Triggered. I'm not a pensioner, but I am old enough to remember when cheques were a thing in shops (and when shops were a thing).  I remember debit cards becoming a thing (credit cards already were, but M&S and John Lewis didn't accept them for a long time.) 

It must be a blast in the quaint shops of Cirencester.  My blood pressure is better these days:

"that's £74.99" Rummage for cheque book, rummage for pen, items moved to create writing space, "how much again?" "£74.99" "what's the date today? / Do you have stamp/who's it to?" "Bloggs ltd". Rummage for cheque card, assistant hand-writes the number on the back. In Halfords, the till had a slot on it which imprinted more info on the back. "can I change it if it's not right?" 

I remember the original credit card machines that used carbon paper to imprint the details onto paper that you then had to sign

Maybe they should get an old Leyland van, screw a TV aerial to the roof and pretend it can detect VED dodgers while actually using the DVLA/DVSA database to catch people.

Can't think where I got such a laughably stupid idea like that from.

Tempting, isn't it?  The "but you moved to a lovely (but isolated) rural location", or the "but maybe there were jobs which weren't 50 miles away", or "you could move closer to school / work"...

There is definitely a "tragedy of the commons" being played out e.g. "if only we didn't all drive our children to school we wouldn't all feel we have to drive our children to school".  But also happening over time e.g. "I've lived here all my life - there were shops and even a library when I was growing up.  Then the school closed, the local hospital was merged with the one in the city..."

The flooding thing for me is another long term example of this.  Where our collective actions will (by their summed tiny contributions) make life hugely more problematic - but not equally.

Some pretty damning stuff about the Met. Absolutely rotten from top to bottom.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jan/17/david-carricks-cri...

Sian Norris paints a similar picture for Byline Times: "It’s not a bad apple, it’s a rotting orchard"

https://bylinetimes.com/2023/01/16/violent-misogyny-in-policing-violent-...