Motoring Discussion > Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Runfer D'Hills	Replies: 55

New Sat 6 Nov 10 18:13   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Runfer D'Hills

Highly likely that it will now be really rubbish weather for the foreseeable future. This is not based on any Met Office information just my own certain knowledge. Last time it happened I had just bought convertible car and it rained for the two years I had it or so it seemed. So what makes me so certain of the impending and continued precipitation we are about to receive ? Well, yesterday I was speaking to the local Nissan dealer and made the grave mistake of grumbling that you can't get a roofrack to fit a Qashqai with a panoramic glass roof. Roofracks are sort of an indulgence of mine being my prefered way of carrying the bikes. Rear mounts are no use for tailgate based post ride picnics you see.. Anyway, his little eyes lit up at this gauntlet. "Ah" says he, "not only is there a genuine Nissan rack available for the glass roofed Qashqai but I've got one in stock and better still, it has just come off a showroom car so I could do you a deal on it..." "What sort of deal?" I mutter as disinterestedly as possible while secretly already reaching for my credit card.... "Well, they're normally £158 odds plus VAT..." "Flippin 'eck ! " "Yeah I know, serious eh ? " "So what er, um, are you thinking then?" "Well its never actually been used other than for display" "Mmm" "I could do it for£100" "Including VAT?" " Er..no..not really" "So £117.50 then ?" "Yup" "Best you can do?" "'Fraid so" "Don't really need it, I was just saying really" "Fair enough" "Oh go on then.." So now, it's on top of the Squashy, bike racks transfered from the Mondeo, good to go.. End result ? It's gonna rain, snow and howl with wind for the foreseeable future...sorry everyone ! P.S. Anyone want buy an unused rear mounting rack or some crossbars for a Mondeo estate....? No rush... :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 18:18   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Iffy

Is this the beginning of the end for the Mondy? Or at least the beginning of the beginning of the end? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 18:20   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Zero

you need a new bike to go on top. and your son the old ones don't fit you see. ~ Dearheart Last edited by: Zero on Sat 6 Nov 10 at 18:20 Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 18:22   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Old Navy

>> End result ? It's gonna rain, snow and howl with wind for the foreseeable future...sorry >> everyone ! >> With weather like that you won't need the new bikes then. :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 18:30   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Tooslow

No, we're going to be ok. I made an impulse purchase this morning at the supermarket - a folding snow shovel. £9.99 and it has a steel blade. I couldn't find one last year. I got a look from the lady (ahem!) in Halfords like I'd just arrived from Pluto when I asked. John Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 18:32   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Iffy

...a folding snow shovel... Get it waxed or polished in some way to stop the snow sticking to it. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 8 Nov 10 10:52   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Badwolf

>> ...a folding snow shovel... All we need now is some folding snow.... :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 19:03   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Runfer D'Hills

>> a folding snow shovel. Good man John ! Perhaps if one or two of you could see your ways clear to investing in some winter tyres too then we should be OK.... :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 18:43   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - hawkeye

>> Highly likely that it will now be really rubbish weather for the foreseeable future. The met office has sent me a warning of gales and heavy rain for Monday. Is that foreseeable enough for you? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 19:17   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - R.P.

Well that's it - they were selling snow shovels (proper ones) in an outdoor shop in Llanberis when I popped in the other afternoon - I did sort of waver over buying one - back there tomorrow. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 19:37   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Fullchat

Make sure you do. Wont snow then ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 19:42   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - R.P.

Exactly... Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 19:47   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Old Navy

The Edinburgh Costco get their snow shovels in at the same time as the Christmas stock, (about August). They sell out quickly even although we only usually have a couple of days snow on the ground a year. That's annoyed the weather Gods, we will probably be buried for months now. Last edited by: Old Navy on Sat 6 Nov 10 at 19:48 Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 20:18   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - bathtub tom

RAC (or whatever they call it now) rally coming up soon. It always seemed to coincide with the first snow of the year. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 20:21   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Zero

Saw some Stobart trucks shipping WRC cars around yesterday. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 20:39   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Bromptonaut

How tall is the Qashqi? While I can easily lift bikes onto the Xantia I'd need a stepladder to get them on the Lerbingo. If I could solve the bikes on high car problem then the easy solution would be, when the time comes, to replace the Xant with a second 'lingo. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 22:07   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Tooslow

VW offer a hydraulic lift option. There you are, problem solved! John Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 22:27   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Runfer D'Hills

Yes the height thing. Well I had to have a go didn't I? Even though it's dark and raining... Open back door of car. Grab bike. Face car. Raise bike above head. Thank the Lord for aluminium. Step up on to sill. Place bike on rack. Stand back. Admire. Go inside. Drink tea. Go back outside. Reverse process. Feel smug. Go for swim. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 22:54   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - R.P.

Are the "man maths" bikes lighter still - how's that going ? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 22:57   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Runfer D'Hills

Might be slightly ordered-ish...a bit. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 22:57   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - ....

What has the chancellor of the D'Bout exchequer made of this largesse ? As Zero says, need two new bikes to fit now. Might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb I think the saying goes. :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 22:58   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - R.P.

Keep it off the books PFI style.. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 23:00   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - ....

Hope they're not PFI expensive ! Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 23:01   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Runfer D'Hills

Cunning plan in process. Involves agreement to new downstairs flooring project but that needed to be done anyway. Timing is the thing... :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 23:08   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - R.P.

I take it she doesn't read c4p then ? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 23:10   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Runfer D'Hills

Oh my imaginary friends you mean? No, she doesn't think any of you really exist... :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 23:13   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - R.P.

My wife does - she's probably reading as we speak ! Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 23:14   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Zero

So she knows of your nasty little habit then? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 23:15   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - R.P.

Only this one - she knows us all... Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 23:17   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Runfer D'Hills

Hi Mrs PU, pleased to meet you ! Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 23:17   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Zero

Thats spooky..... < music from twin peaks plays in the background > Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 6 Nov 10 23:41   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - R.P.

She's self-briefed about BBD though. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 7 Nov 10 09:44   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Old Navy

>> VW offer a hydraulic lift option. There you are, problem solved! >> >> John >> Another option is to put a sturdy box in the boot, even a posh one you can put your muddy kit into as well as stand on. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 7 Nov 10 09:46   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - R.P.

Snow on the mountains this morning. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 7 Nov 10 09:49   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Runfer D'Hills

>> Snow on the mountains this morning. ...and there will be geese in Moscow by nightfall "Mr Palmer, you have the microfilm I presume?" :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 7 Nov 10 09:51   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Zero

did you mean those foothills and hummocks in Wales? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 7 Nov 10 00:46   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Avant

Seeing the heading of this thread I thought - ah, Mrs D'About has got the Mini convertible she was dreaming about. Not quite - I presume that the Cashcow will go further off-road so that you can start the bike ride in more adventurous places. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 7 Nov 10 09:59   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Runfer D'Hills

No, there are a number of concurrent cunning plans in fact. The Qq is a company car which may or may not be replaced next year. If it does, we might buy it and keep it for Mrs D'b. If it doesn't get replaced, well, it'll be here anyway. If and when we finally get around to getting her new car it has been decided that a Qq is favourite after all.So even if we don't buy the company car, she'll be buying another one. So all in all it would have been silly to miss out on the "bargain" roof rack wouldn't it ? Still with me...? :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 7 Nov 10 10:04   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - R.P.

If it doesn't get replaced I initially mis-read "it" for "she" Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 7 Nov 10 10:18   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Runfer D'Hills

Couldn't possibly afford that option... :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 7 Nov 10 22:38   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - BobbyG

Much as I don't like bull bars I saw a QQ yesterday with a QQ branded one on the front and it looked very stylish and in firtting with the car. QQ most definitely on my list when I come to change my car, especially a white one! Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 7 Nov 10 22:46   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Zero

Poof Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 7 Nov 10 23:09   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - rtj70

QQ? does he mean a Squashy? Or is it a reference to this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chery_QQ Essentially a Matiz ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 7 Nov 10 23:11   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - BobbyG

Why, because of white? Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 8 Nov 10 18:01   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Zero

yes Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 12 Nov 10 17:21   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Runfer D'Hills

Well here's the strangest thing. Well weird as my son might say. The Qashqai has had its roof rack on all week. Now some of you will know that I'm a bit of a record keeper when it comes to fuel consumption. The car has done just over a 1000 miles since Saturday and using the brimming method I can find no difference at all in its fuel consumption with the roof bars and bike racks on top from when it didn't. It is identical to the same decimal point. Now that just shouldn't be should it? One theory is that it's such a brick shaped car anyway that any additional drag caused by the racks is entirely negliglible. It'd be a different story if I'd had the bikes up there too no doubt but a bit of a result if I don't have to keep taking the racks on and off every weekend. There is a slight amount of extra wind noise at..em..higher speeds but even that can be cured by shutting the internal blind for the panoramic roof when...er...pressing on. Could this be a genuine free lunch ? Remarkably enough no one has yet bought the clip on rack from me so don't despair, it's still available but be quick, I have a feeling in my water it'll sell very soon now. I've even got a card in the Spar shop window now so it'll only be a matter of time... Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 12 Nov 10 20:05   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Tooslow

Were you thinking of changing your nom de plume to Wilkins Micawber? John Last edited by: Tooslow on Fri 12 Nov 10 at 20:06 Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 12 Nov 10 20:42   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - AnotherJohnH

On the subject of "Severe Weather Warnings". I was looking at several UK based weather sites last night before coming home from work, due in part to a warning text about the verey windy weather from my daughter. The highest wind speeds showing overnight were 40 mph in my part of the world (Midlands). Wake up this morning and there is talk of 100 mph gust not too far away, and lots of damage. Why so far out, again? Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 12 Nov 10 20:48   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Bellboy

maybe the gimballs in the eggcup spinner are worn? Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 12 Nov 10 21:32   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Bromptonaut

>> Why so far out, again? Because its a forecast; a best estimate based on scientific principles. Naturally, following the 'no hurricane' thing in 87 and wider principles of being cautious there is a tendency to emphasise the worst possible case. And, whatever the wind speed where you are, I can say from personal experience that it it was pretty tough driving up & down the M1 yesterday. Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Fri 12 Nov 10 at 21:33 Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 12 Nov 10 22:29   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Runfer D'Hills

>> Micawber? Odd isn't it on this tiny island, how different our experiences of life are. I managed to remain only notionally aware of Dickens until I was almost an adult. Only then by a primarily accidental encounter with a stage production of "Oliver" and since then mainly only as a result of television drama. We were subjected to Robert Burns, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson of course, with a touch of John Buchan to show what was then seen as a more contemporary slant. Shakespeare, conversely, was taught in some depth but Dickens was seen as only mildly recommended and then only if time allowed. Kipling likewise other than the thing about the one eyed yellow idol to the north of Katmandu as I vaguely recall. Perhaps as result of that early literary conditioning and perhaps slightly nationally prejudicial slant I've never really taken to Dickens. I've tried of course but I suspect it needed to capture a younger less cluttered mind first. In truth I've never been a fan. Perhaps, no almost certainly, I'm missing something but to be honest I find most of his work a labour to read rather than any form of mental stimulant. You are right though to indentify that Micawber and I, certainly in the case of balancing income and expenditure, have shared some common ground from time to time ! :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 12 Nov 10 22:51   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Zero

>> We were subjected to Robert Burns, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson of course, with >> a touch of John Buchan to show what was then seen as a more contemporary >> slant. Jocks, all of them Jocks. No wonder your literary talents were minuscule as a youth. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 13 Nov 10 09:17   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - BiggerBadderDave

"We were subjected to Robert Burns... and Robert Louis Stevenson of course," The guy who presented Krypton Factor and the guy who built the first steam train? Well I never new they wrote books too. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 13 Nov 10 10:05   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Iffy

...Well I never new they wrote books too... Were they shiny knew ones? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 13 Nov 10 19:39   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Tooslow

Not after he'd coloured them in. John Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 13 Nov 10 19:38   Indefinite severe weather warning - British Isles - Tooslow

I can't stand his (Dickens) work myself but some of it got rammed into me at school. I did go though a phase of deciding I ought to read "The classics" but I must have started with all of the suicidal ones and gave up after about four authors. I do like Shakespeare's stuff. I went with SWMBO to be to Stratford to see one of his plays. I bought the book before going and read it. I found it surprisingly short and very readable. I suppose it's short for the opposite reason that the film of a novel leaves out so much. 300 pages just doesn't fit onto the screen. John Reply to this message | Report message