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Whilst we were in the EU I sort of understood this. How does it work now ? Off to Berlin end of April and been considering purchasing a watch.- How does it work if I bought a watch from a Duty Free shop, what happens next ? Am I liable for VAT on arrival in UK etc.
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Not that you would, because it would be legally and morally wrong, but some people might buy a 10 quid Casio to wear and use on the way out, buy a posh watch while away, bin the Casio, and wear the new one on the way back.
“Had it for ages mate” if questioned.
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>> “Had it for ages mate” if questioned.
Decades of EU membership, has more or less killed the facilities, skills, desires and abilities of HMRC to nab the petty holiday smuggler (200 too many fags, two bottles of scotch too many, A camera, a watch etc.). Gone of the days of every bag searched, chalk mark on it etc.
However, DF, is it worth it? Take your Watch, dont waste your time at the DF shop, 1/ it wont be cheap, 2/ There is a link from the DF shop tills that HMRC can peruse if required. That leaves a local purchase at your destination, that may or may not sell you an item at DF prices and it may be a post purchase "claim it back process" Even at DF prices it may not be as cheap as you think.
In short, smuggle in your DF watch with almost zero chance of detection, but it may not be worth the hassle.
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Duty free shops are largely a rip off. You can usually find what you want cheaper online in the U.K. People at airports are easy targets with often lots of disposable income in their pockets and time on their hands.
www.mirror.co.uk/travel/uk-ireland/duty-free-rip-warning-customers-27070033
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Tangentially, (who me?) I like “good” watches too, and have a small collection of them. In fact my maternal grandfather was a watchmaker and I still have some of his tools and watches.
However, the watch I actually wear the most is a plastic digital Casio G Shock which I’ve had for decades.
It is comfortable to wear, weighs almost nothing, is 100% accurate all the time due to being radio controlled, never runs out of battery due to being solar powered and was the the only thing in close proximity to my left arm that survived my bike crash completely unscathed.
When travelling, it “knows” what time it is wherever it is in the world and I nerdily use the stopwatch facility on a regular basis to time myself on bikes and in the swimming pool.
As a piece of jewellery, it fails on every count, but as a useful timepiece, it wins by a country mile.
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>> was the the only thing in close proximity to my left arm that survived my
>> bike crash completely unscathed.
It sacrificed the rest of your body for its survival tho.
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At the risk of putting anyone off their Sunday morning croissants, it had to be dug out of the damaged flesh surrounding it at the time!
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>> At the risk of putting anyone off their Sunday morning croissants, it had to be
>> dug out of the damaged flesh surrounding it at the time!
I always knew you were an airbag.
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>> and was the the only thing in close proximity to my left arm that survived my
>> bike crash completely unscathed.
....little finger not broken....?
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That comment could be construed as digital…
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... I thought it might bring a two-digital response...
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No, just the one on this occasion…
;-)
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Same here - I have a small collection of "good" watches, my regular wear is a Seiko Kinetic bought in 2008 in the US for a $100.00 (in fact wearing it now) a superb time keeper (as good as any posh make) - I upgraded the capacitor in 2018 - the watch is as solid as a rock and taken part I all my biking activities for the last 14 and a bit years.
I don't wear ay other jewellery and that what I count my other watches as and I genuinely love them for what they are and will be wearing one of the "others" for Sunday lunch out today.
I fancy a Omega Speedmaster and toyed with the idea of getting one from the DF shop, I'll probably end up getting a second hand one
Thanks to all of you for your input by the way !
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Well now here’s the thing that irritates me more than it should I suppose, the automatic/mechanical watches I own are pleasant to look at, but none of them are especially accurate.
The ugly old plastic thing is always correct to the second.
Omegas are nice though.
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>>time on their hands.
Groan!
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I wondered who would be the first to spot that:-)
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Anyway, what manner of watch are you coveting RP? We could spend a bit of time here counselling you on that. AKA telling you it’s the wrong choice etc. You know how forums work!
;-)
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It was an Omega Speedmaster - A second hand one would have done me, although the temptation was to hunt one down. When I was given my Seamaster in 2009 I had read an article in CAR Magazine about the Omega being less "me too" than a Rolex.
Update !
Berlin trip was last week a five day stay with Mrs RP, my sister and my BiL who is half German and is fluent in the language and knows Berlin well. We had a cracking time with great weather. A city that was on my bucket list and was more than I ever expected. What a place ! Humph recommended Templehof many years ago, and it really exceeded my expectations.....it is MASSIVE !
I bought a watch though - wait for it.......A OMEGA/Swatch Moon Watch. Bargain price of 216 Euros (after the tax rebate).
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Fabulous place Berlin and with so much recent history.
Will you be returning? We certainly didn't see as much as we would have wished on the first visit but mopped up the second time last summer.
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>>>>>I bought a watch though - wait for it.......A OMEGA/Swatch Moon Watch. Bargain price of 216 Euros (after the tax rebate).
Aha! Well done, and lucky you for getting one. They sell out within seconds of arriving at the extremely few UK Swatch dealers that sell them.
My daughter lives in London and managed to get me one a few months ago in and I want another one or two if I can.
There are now loads of copies on ebay to the point it's virtually impossible to tell, and the only guarantee is to get one from a Swatch shop.
Not limited edition they say but many months after their launch the demand is still soo high.
I heard that the Neptune one is really rare as the blue dye came out onto wearer's wrists so it was discontinued.
Which one did you get? The 'Mission to the Moon' version?
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"They sell out within seconds of arriving at the extremely few UK Swatch dealers that sell them."
Swatch have elevated the hyping and sale of cheap plastic watches into an art form.
I love this quote re the Moonswatch Moonshine Gold, a marginally different version of the original.
"Replacing only the seconds hand on a watch and then calling it ‘a new product’ is a disrespectful and lazy scam. I know because I invented it,” says Seconde Seconde’s Romaric
tinyurl.com/2byu89ze
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Wed 10 May 23 at 16:58
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The Earth watch !
The airport shop had all of them.
Yes, I need to go back to Berlin, not so much for the watches, so many things not seen !
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I’m a bit conflicted on the Swatch/Omega collab. I get what Omega is, and I also get Swatch, but combined they seem a bit odd. What is it for? Is it an overpriced Swatch or an under specified Omega?
Reminds me a bit of when Aston Martin stuck their badge on a Toyota IQ and ramped up the price.
I can sort of see the appeal as a novel trinket I suppose but I’m not sure that I’d want one. I’d happily buy and wear a Swatch and I’d equally happily buy and wear an Omega, but I see them as two completely different things for different usage. I guess having worked all my life in the branded fashion industry I’m probably more cynical than most about labels conferring nebulous premiums. Some brands really do make an effort to ensure that they provide a quality product in return for premium prices, but once they start lending that label to a different marketplace it is usually not in their best long term interests.
But, as is increasingly usual, I’m completely wrong again, as is evidenced by the massive demand for these watches.
;-)
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>> Reminds me a bit of when Aston Martin stuck their badge on a Toyota IQ
>> and ramped up the price.
That was just a con to meet some crap legislation about making a % of cars meeting solution targets. Not even sure they sold any. Swatch seem to be making a commercially successful marriage.
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 11 May 23 at 15:33
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Oh no doubt about the short term gain, and good luck to them in that. Just not sure if it’ll be looked back on as their best strategy in brand protection. It could have the effect of lowering the premium perception of their core brand.
Anyway, what do I know or care about it in the end.
;-)
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>> That was just a con to meet some crap legislation about making a % of
>> cars meeting solution targets. Not even sure they sold any. Swatch seem to be making
>> a commercially successful marriage.
>>
I have seen an Aston Martin Cygnet two or three times in this area, twice at M and S Brooklands. No doubt owned by someone living in St George's Hill.
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Probably the runabout of Andrew Hartings (owner of HWM Walton) nanny.
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Did Aston badge up a Fiesta ? Or did I dream this ?
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>> Did Aston badge up a Fiesta ? Or did I dream this ?
>>
You did dream it. :-D
The grill used on the Fiesta from 2014ish is "Aston Martin like".
They did re-badge the Toyota IQ as the Cygnet and tripled its price!
www.autotrader.co.uk/cars/used/aston-martin/cygnet
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>> There are now loads of copies on ebay to the point it's virtually impossible to
>> tell, and the only guarantee is to get one from a Swatch shop.
If you can't tell the difference why bother paying a premium price from the Swatch shop - unless surprisingly Ebay is cheaper.
The watch (and most jewellery) obsession is nuts - loadsamoney for every smaller glittery things!
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My Seamaster is a much loved 50th birthday gift. I like watches, and they're the only jewellery I wear. My everyday watch is a 100 dollar Seiko, which is totally reliable timepiece.
Swatch own Omega, my reckoning is that they did to attract future customers - it has been a hugely successful campaign, judging by comments elsewhere. The other Swatch shop in Berlin still has queues of (mainly) younger people.
Novelty value for me - it's a pretty enough thing. which I may wear occasionally.
Trouble is, the Seiko needs to be worn regularly to stop its little lithium heart stopping. So it goes with me on every overnight trip.
I like watches, they give me pleasure (as well as telling the time)
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I guess we all have different perceptions of things . To me watches are rather outdated devices all but superseded by mobile phones for practical purposes. I haven't worn a wrist-watch now for a number of years although I've still got a couple stuffed in a drawer somewhere. Gone the way of pocket watches and sundials. As you say they are simply an item of jewellery now and I'm totally not a jewellery person.
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>> outdated devices all but superseded by mobile phones for practical purposes.
Really? you go through all the hassle of getting your phone out to check the time?
Watches have and are are becoming the interface to your mobile phone because a phone is a pain to use.
The days of the phone may be numbered
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 11 May 23 at 18:21
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Haha yes of course they are. Have the visitors been yet? LOL
I don't bother with a watch, I mainly as I don't need to know the time that accurately very often these days and when I do there are plenty of other devices around (mostly hanging on the wall here) to tell me.
"Hey Google" is good too!!
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>> Haha yes of course they are. Have the visitors been yet? LOL
Revenue in the Smartwatches segement is projected to reach US$44.91bn in 2023.
Revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2023-2027) of 8.26%,
. The Smartphones segment is expected to show a volume growth of 1.9% in 2024.
I think The guys who run Apple are glad you aint in charge.
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 11 May 23 at 18:54
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>> Watches have and are are becoming the interface to your mobile phone because a phone
>> is a pain to use.
Exactly.
A quick at your watch takes about a second, digging a phone out of your pocket and messing around with whatever button needs a press is a real pain.
As for jewelry, that's the last thing you'd call my Casio FW91. It is purely practical.
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 12 May 23 at 10:30
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I use my phone for the time, if I can't see a clock. I have couple of watches but I can't remember the last time I wore either of them.
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>> I use my phone for the time, if I can't see a clock. I have
>> couple of watches but I can't remember the last time I wore either of them.
If in the countryside, just ask a bloke taking a snooze on the grass verge.
youtu.be/ub0Nl4HPFGA
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>> As for jewelry, that's the last thing you'd call my Casio FW91. It is purely
>> practical.
>>
But things are different in the UK.
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>> Really? you go through all the hassle of getting your phone out to check the
>> time?
What like put hand in pocket and pull out phone? Yes I’m happy do that on the occasion that I’m not within viewing distance of the twelve or so clocks and devices displaying the time in the house or I’m in the car or working-non the computer. Even outside of the house you are seldom out of site of a time display. Even trains show you the times, saving you the massive effort of retrieving your phone.
I’m not sure about the need for a wrist based interface to your mobile phone. Certainly have become more popular but mainly with those concerned with fitness and health. Does anyone have one and use one? Perhaps I’m wrong but don’t really see the need outside of those areas. I know some people use for contactless pay but that always looks a bit awkward.
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Thu 11 May 23 at 22:12
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I am with you RP.
In my late teens I worked for Ratners (don't laugh..) and loved selling the watches in particular and that gave me the bug.
I have a few now (nothing as nice as an Omega - yet), with my favourite being an Oris that my wife bought me at Bicester shopping village some years ago.
Mainly automatics as they feel more 'alive'. I have a few other Oris (Orises,Ori?) and other odds and sods that have caught my eye over the years - Rado, Maurice Lacroix, Seiko (some Greyhours 'til they went bust) . Things that I just fall in love with, and all for probably less than a couple of hundred quid and mainly bought via eBay.
My daughter's fiance bought the Swatch Moon version and switched the velcro strap for a very nice plain black rubber strap and to be honest you would be hard pushed to know it wasn't a real Omega at a reasonable distance, but that's not the point. He has commented the the face scratches easily (and can't be replaced), but that's just the way it is.
Omega will now have an aspirational profile with Swatch owners that would be the envy of other brands and Omega owners can have a low cost 'Omega' for fun. A win-win for both brands I would think.
Interesting that the airport had stock as they are only sold in a few stores globally (just 3 in England and 2 in Scotland). You did really well. The UK shops sell out almost instantly as stock arrives and they never know when more are coming...
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I have too many watches, and I admit to feeling naked without one on. A couple of them might qualify as indulgences although those indulgences took place many years ago, but the ones I find myself wearing the most are the least valuable if measured monetarily.
In fact the one that gets the most use is a fairly battered black plastic Casio G Shock digital. I confess to being a little bit obsessed with timing things, off road circuits on my bike, sessions in the swimming pool, that sort of thing and others which it is ideal for.
Like you RP, I also have a Seiko diver thing that in my case, a bit like me in fact, has seen better days, but it just sort of works for most of my non-digital needs.
I have a smart phone, and appreciate its capabilities, but I’ve managed to get into the habit of not taking it everywhere or not having it switched on all the time. Sometimes I just don’t want to be “connected” in that way and prefer to engage directly with my chosen environment without the temptation of distraction from a screen.
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I tried an Apple Watch my wife bought for herself and decided she wasn't that pleased with it, until she started work at the surgery where mobile phones are not encouraged. I didn't get on with it at all - limited battery life was one thing...I wear my Seiko in bed, as it's easier to "see" due to the excellent luminosity. Another issue is I don't like whipping my phone out in public in certain arereally and wearing a 15 year old cheap watch with "patina" makes me feel safer IYKWIM. Certainly my rather large Apple XS pro (a non optional choice after my phone was knicked) was safer in an inside pocket...
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Yes, as I mentioned, I actually want less “connectivity” not more these days. The idea of a watch that keeps telling me stuff I don’t want to know is not on my wish list.
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Further to above, I seem to know quite a few people who have had Apple or other smartwatches and have decided that they don’t really get along with them. Others of course differ.
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I was bought a Timex watch as a Christmas present when I was about eight years old and wore it and various successors more or less 24/7 until I was a bit over 40.
By then I had a mobile that displayed the time, worked with a PC screen with time on it and had clocks on the office wall, in the car, at home and in the carriage on the train.
When the last watch's display went haywire I just stopped needing one.
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I wear one, only because I keep forgetting to pick up my 'phone when I leave the house. Currently a Citizen solar powered.
My first expensive one was a Bulova Accutron - terrible timekeeper, but IIRC one of the first battery powered jobbies. Still got it somewhere. Took the battery out to prevent it leaking and causing damage.
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>..I confess to being a little bit obsessed with timing things,..
Is Mrs Runfer aware of this err.. obsession?
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No, unlike Rob, I take my watch off…
;-)
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>> In fact the one that gets the most use is a fairly battered black plastic
>> Casio G Shock digital.
Serious question.
Where you go to get the batteries changed?
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I don’t have any watches with batteries. Well, the G Shock has one I suppose, but it’s solar powered so doesn’t need changing. It’ll stop charging itself eventually I guess, but it has soldiered on for nearly two decades so far without problems. The rest of them are automatics. Which can be a faff because they stop if if you don’t wear them.
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ATM, my weapon of choice is a black plastic Casio. Orange numbers and white hands, Amazon £15. When it dies, I'll get similar.
It's only fault is that the strap has 100% memory and getting the buckle lined up with cold hands can be frustrating. Once on though, it's fine. It comes off at night, for some reason, I can't sleep with a watch on !
Tede
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Which can be a faff because they stop if if you don't wear them.
Don't you have one of these on your dressing table?
roogs.nl/collections/8-12-watches-watch-winder/products/ww20-watch-winder-24-watches
or if you are quick,
tinyurl.com/watchwinderstyle
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I have thought about getting a watch winder thing Sherlock, but have never got around to it. Part of me just couldn’t be bothered with having to put yet another thing “on charge” every night.
It’s a bit of a faff resetting watches that have stopped, but as mechanical watches aren’t all that accurate anyway you tend have to mess with them on a regular basis anyway.
Probably why I wear the plastic one so much!
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For lovers of watches, a lovely little Radio 4 programme about the history of timekeeping
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/m001lqm9
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My wife (with my knowledge) bought me an Apple Watch for my birthday. I have to say it's very good. Will have to maintain a baance with my much loved Seriko Kinetic and keep it "wound"
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I know people swear by them, but I’m increasingly attempting and ambitious to become less connected to the outside world rather than more. ;-)
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You're right....which is why my first love are the clockwork ones.
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This is in danger of being misinterpreted by those with less interest in such matter, but do you RP (or anyone else here for that matter) have a view on rubber straps? I’m thinking of putting one on one of my divers instead of the steel bracelet it’s currently on.
Thinking it might “casualise” it a bit for summer.
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Perfectly acceptable on a 'sports' watch.
www.breitling.com/gb-en/straps/rubber/
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Be aware that they are sweaty, and can harbour/develop skin inflammations.
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Yes I wondered about that, and I still like to wear a watch on my left wrist which hasn’t and apparently won’t ever fully recover from last year’s involuntary redesign. Still get a fair bit of pain in it and have permanently reduced mobility. Which made me think that a rubber strap might be more comfortable, but if it leads to other issues it’s not such a great plan I suppose.
Worth a try I guess.
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>> made me think that a rubber strap might be more comfortable, but if it leads
>> to other issues it’s not such a great plan I suppose.
>> Worth a try I guess.
Its advised to clean the inside of the strap well with a sanitiser on a regular basis.
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…and as previously mentioned the most comfortable (and accurate and useful and lowest maintenance) watch I own is the cheap plastic G Shock, which is sort of irritating because it’s an ugly POS!
;-)
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>> Be aware that they are sweaty, and can harbour/develop skin inflammations.
Exactly my experience re infection/inflammation. One of those things that seems to have got worse as I grow older.
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Long Story,
I was leaving a library that CAB used as a meeting place back in 2015 - I was carrying a heavy briefcase and a laptop in a bag and to the amusement of my volunteer at the time I sort of fell wobbled and fell down the outside steps....I was wearing my much loved Seiko on the standard steel bracelet, it broke ! There were a couple of attempts to repair but they all failed, A local jeweller sourced a rubber divers's strap and it has worked for the last 7 years. Travelled thousands of miles on a bike wearing it including the 1000 mile off road thing in 'Nam. It has developed a "memory" rendering it rather uncomfortable at times.
Reassuringly the Apple Watch has a feature which sounds and alarm and calls International Rescue if one falls over. I'll try not to use it.
Edit: The rubber strap is a genuine Seiko one.
Last edited by: R.P. on Fri 16 Jun 23 at 18:33
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>> My wife (with my knowledge) bought me an Apple Watch for my birthday. I have
>> to say it's very good. Will have to maintain a baance with my much loved
>> Seriko Kinetic and keep it "wound"
Wont be a problem, the apple watch will be spending a significant portion of its time on the charger. You'll soon get bored with carting one around if you leave home for more than a day.
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I love my Apple Watch. Routinely charge it overnight same as I do with my phone.
Dont see the charging as being an issue.
If I work it hard like a long 8 hour walk on GPS it can sometimes warn me towards end of day that it’s running out of juice but a quick charge whilst I’m in the shower or whatever and it’s fine.
Much better than the fitbit it replaced.
Last edited by: Bobby on Thu 15 Jun 23 at 08:33
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Hmmm, keeping a watch and its strap clean isn’t really an issue for me. Not that I don’t sweat, but I do swim every night and I usually wear a watch while doing that to somewhat nerdily keep track of my lap times. Of course the digital one is best for that, and indeed for similar purposes on my bike, but a dive watch on a rubber strap would work with the aid of some simple mental arithmetic.
I could just switch them up as required to ensure they were getting a rinse off regularly.
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I have sweaty/dusty pursuits. I clean the rubber strap with some silicone spray. It makes it a little softer as well.
Zero,
I wear the Seiko at night whilst the Apple charges, works for me.
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Wait, so you go to bed with a rubber strap fastened round your arm?
OK.
:-0
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So you need two watches, and have to charge up one watch overnight, the one that has a feature to monitor you sleep patterns? And the Alarm? Wow - useful.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 16 Jun 23 at 20:07
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To be fair, it works well.
Wear the Apple during the day and the Seiko at night whilst the Apple charges.
The Apple works well for me. I can now leave my phone lying around in the house and I don't miss calls, texts or e-mails (I am duty dog once a fortnight for Foodbank e-mails) - Never been interested in the excercise "apps" but seeing as the Apple one is pre-loaded I use it when walking the dog etc, on balance it does what it says and maybe a bit more.
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>> I love my Apple Watch. Routinely charge it overnight same as I do with my
>> phone.
>> Dont see the charging as being an issue.
I do, I would be routinely annoyed having to charge my watch up once a day. My phone too come to that. Secially having to cart an extra charging interface around for holiday.
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I charge my phone up at night, is that alot? It doesn't seem it.
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I already need to charge my iphone, my iPad , my Kindle, the vacuum cleaner, the lawn mower the strimmer , the drill, my hearing and of course the car. I don’t think I want a rechargeable watch.
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Oh and I forgot the toothbrush and hair clippers!
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Only the phone of course. It is surprising how much rechargeable stuff we have now.
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Fri 16 Jun 23 at 22:07
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And the hearing aids charged daily of course.
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The hassle of carrying an extra USB cable?? Wow.
When we go on holiday we have the case (size dependent on airline/type of holiday etc) and rucksack.
Rucksack will have my charging cables, iPad, power bank, AirPods, bigger headphones for plane etc. JBL Speakers for accomodation if appropriate. And charger for them. And then on holiday it becomes the rucksack for water etc for long walks.
No extra hassle incurred for one more usb cable.
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Another “wow” from me, but for different reasons.
On holiday, I take my phone for emergency use, but leave it switched off. No other tech whatsoever is with me. I prefer to disconnect completely in my free time.
Holidays to me are for experiencing other and new things, not staying in touch with normality.
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I was like you when I used to have a job where my phone had email and constant comms with work folk. Not an issue anymore.
Headphones for plane and watching film or whatever on iPad.
Speakers for in the accomodation for listening to music at appropriate Times.
AirPods for listening to music lying by the pool.
I like my music.
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'I like my music.'
Me too. Driving and music is synonomous(ness[ity]).
I won't drive on the North Circular without playing a very loud (live) bit of Second Home by the Sea (Genesis).
And steering wheels are two-fold. 1-turning the car. 2-Banging the drums.
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>> Second Home by the Sea (Genesis).
And First Home by the Sea. Great stuff....
I still remember some of the lyrics from the 80s...
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>>Music in cars
I miss the CD player / multi changer in modern cars.
I fitted an aftermarket Sony single CD player to my company car in the early '90s and remember a memorable drive from the South Coast to Northumberland though the evening whilst playing Brothers in Arms, with a distant lighting storm adding to the ambiance.
Fab hotel paid for by work and a poor client that I couldn't understand because of their broad accent and had to ask them to repeat everything they said - which very luckily for me, they found amusing.
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>> >>Music in cars
>>
>> I miss the CD player / multi changer in modern cars.
What? When you have a 30gb hard drive full of your stuff, and can stream anything you ike by Spotify, all commanded by your voice,
How can you miss an unreliable & not very convenient piece of stuff?
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I’m a bit OCD about driving. Actually, I’m a lot OCD about driving. Can’t be doing with any distractions while I’m doing it. I have to “feel” the car and “listen” to it and what it’s telling me. Only time I’ll have music or the radio on is on quiet stretches of motorway. In town, traffic or open non-dualled roads it’s never on.
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Did you "feel" the kerb? did it not "tell you" it was there?
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>> Did you "feel" the kerb? did it not "tell you" it was there?
I did, but I’m over it, maybe you should consider letting it go too now? It has been 7 years.
;-)
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you have to keep all your records 7 years, we may let you off next year
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>> I did, but I’m over it, maybe you should consider letting it go too now?
Why? We don't let Zero's bus 'incident' go, do we?
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Well, no, but mine was so insignificant by comparison, and indeed caused in the main, by poor highway maintenance and inadequate street lighting. His ‘incident’ however, is far more worthy of long term scorn don’t you think? ;-)
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I have a 6 CD unit in the RAV4. It lives under the passenger seat with the SatNav box. It's a pain, got a mind of it's own when it comes to selecting a CD. I would prefer a single, dashboard unit as swm has in her Micra. Mine does have a tape player which is more reliable than the CD.
Always have music on, legacy of long runs in the transporter overnight, keeping awake with coffee, music and cigars. Nearly always Classical.
Ted
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So on a long journey that takes all these into account, do you literally think oh, Coming off this sliproad, must switch my music off??”
I cannot ever envisage driving without sound on. That can vary between podcasts music or whatever. But to drive along listening to the road noise?? Never
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Actually yes, exactly that, as soon as I decide that conditions suit higher levels of concentration, the sound system gets muted.
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…and, I won’t answer or make calls either in those circumstances. I know I’m weird and OCD, but I’ll even crack the window or sunroof open a couple of inches when in traffic to better hear what’s going on around me.
I guess I could get pills for it but I’m sort of happy in my foibles!
;-)
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One of my pet hate sounds is that of road noise/tyre noise, whatever you want to call it.
Something to do with that low pitch sound.
Similar to an extract fan in the house, I always get wakened by the sound of a toilet extract fan going on. No idea why.
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>> Something to do with that low pitch sound.
Hmm, low pitched sounds don’t bother me much, I’m much more averse to high pitched whining noises.
Then again, I have been married a very long time so there were bound to be some side effects I suppose.
;-)
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Thu 29 Jun 23 at 14:16
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>> I cannot ever envisage driving without sound on.
Me too.
Start engine, fasten belt, heating and aircon and lights as required, radio on.
Usually Radio 4 or Times Radio but Classic FM and Radio 2 possibly.
The radio habit came from my Dad. Mrs B says it drives her up the wall but its weird how often she has R4 on in her car...
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I’m with Runfer on this. Most of my driving is done without the radio although on long trips I might listen to Scala Radio or Jazz FM. or Times Radio for the news. Never listen to records. Always switch off radio when approaching complex driving situations like driving through a town with which not familiar.
How on earth do people drive with Rap music blasting at full volume and why do they insist on having their windows open?
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I like a bit of rap, particularly Public Enemy who did a couple of fantastic albums in the 80s and early 90s. Very political and hard-hitting. They have a great logo, too. It would look good on a Morgan 3-wheeler whereas for some reason people always seem to want to paint the RAF logo on them.
What I do hate about rap, though is white-boys voices in a foreign language - German or Polish. I hear it a lot, my boy listens to it. Nails on a blackboard. Truly, truly awful rubbish.
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I think many would not even class rap as music. Sort of chanting to a musical background.
Why are its devotees so concerned that everyone else hears it too?
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>> I think many would not even class rap as music. Sort of chanting to a
>> musical background.
>>
>> Why are its devotees so concerned that everyone else hears it too?
I think you'll find that the loud music from cars is actually Hip Hop, not Rap.
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"I think you'll find that the loud music from cars is actually Hip Hop, not Rap."
I am grateful to my learned friend.
I have sought further clarification and I find that Hip-hop is composed of four main elements: MCing, DJing, grafitti and breakdancing. The term “hip-hop” also includes other lifestyle trends such as clothing, slang and mindset. Rap is the combination of rhyme and poetry to a musical beat. It has a background in improvisational poetry.
All is now clear.
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>>
>> All is now clear.
>>
...Loud and clear...?
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>> I think many would not even class rap as music. Sort of chanting to a
>> musical background.
>>
>> Why are its devotees so concerned that everyone else hears it too?
>>
I think they're cousins of church bell ringers.
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Why do so many US rap stars die young by bullet or knife ?
Much prefer these rappers.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCzra-LroRE
Ted
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>> I’m with Runfer on this. Most of my driving is done without the radio
Yeah that saving of volts to get any range is a real pain init.
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Just completed a 2,400 mile trip in the MX-5. Didn't use the wireless/music once, didn't really occur to me. I didn't even play Matt Monro on the Alpine passes.
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Not surprised Manatee, a sports car combined with the Alps is sensory overload enough!
;-)
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...and Matt Monro tends to attract the bulldozers....
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What really, really gets on my goat are front seat passengers who turn on my car radio without asking.
One particular incident a few years ago...giving a friend a lift to the airport at 5AM in winter. Lashing rain, standing water, I’m concentrating on driving...took umbrage when I told him to turn it off, be quiet and go to sleep.
Someone else I know has the radio on constantly. I’m not the best passenger but resting one hand on the gear lever, one at the 6 o’clock position, concentrating on the ‘tunes’ not the road makes me very nervous. I’m running out of excuses not to travel in that car.
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I like a bit of distraction when I'm on a journey. Family had to put up with me listening to F1 commentary if we were going anywhere on a Sunday afternoon - driver's priviledge.
I like to listen to the radio or recorded play. I reckon the drone of white noise might send me to sleep (although the R4 afternoon play often does).
We usually play 'yellow car'. I think it makes the driver more aware of their surroundings.
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>>Matt Monro - Days Like These was composed by Quincy Jones who also produced Michael Jackson's Thriller.
Such different styles.
Love Days Like These
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>> ...and Matt Monro tends to attract the bulldozers....
>>
Indeed. Great tune though. But I'm I'm not fond of tunnels even sans bulldozers. I'm not claustrophobic and I don't mind a mile or two but after while they start to affect my depth perception especially if there is no other traffic for perspective.
Approaching the St Gotthard road tunnel you have to leave the A2 motorway to take the old pass. I'm surprised most just go for the tunnel. It probably saves half an hour and maybe 15Km., but a 17Km tunnel doesn't appeal. I suppose the regulars attach no value to scenery. No option in winter of course, which is the real benefit of the tunnel.
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>> But I'm I'm not fond of tunnels even sans bulldozers.
>> I'm not claustrophobic and I don't mind a mile or two but after while they
>> start to affect my depth perception especially if there is no other traffic for perspective.
>>
...my most "interesting" experience of the same was dropping the motorhome through an uncontrolled Norwegian single-track tunnel of around 2km with a significant bend in the middle so you couldn't check for oncoming.
A place called Unstad on the Lofoten Islands. Hairy drive but magnificent location.
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>> Not surprised Manatee, a sports car combined with the Alps is sensory overload enough!
>> ;-)
>> d
Herself would agree with you. After we had traversed the St Gotthard on the way home, then added a gratuitous detour to take in the Furka, Grimsel, and Susten passes, she informed me that she had had enough hairpins and was all passed out. TBH I was feeling a bit dizzy myself by then.
Hope she's forgotten by next year.
That said I met an old Irishman at the weekend who had recently come back from an Alpine tour in his 1924 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. He'd crossed 20 odd passes including the Stelvio, which had just been cleared of snow (late May). I asked how he managed the descents with such a beast. He said it was no problem at all, as his car has the optional 4 wheel brakes!
Edit - I think this was the tour he did
classictravelling.com/silver-ghost-register-alpine-tour/
Last edited by: Manatee on Fri 30 Jun 23 at 12:33
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We did that sort of thing a few times with the Westfield back along. Have I ever told you about my West… ;-)
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>>
>> How can you miss an unreliable & not very convenient piece of stuff?
>>
It's tactile, intuitive to use, familiar. Can see at a glance what CD's I have. Better sound quality.
Compatibility issues - memory stick MP3s or other formats are not always compatible and phones connect in different ways where as you just need to push a CD in and it plays.
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Duty Free Shopping. - smokie