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I shall sign this thread off with a short report on the "holiday". Arrived and loaded the boat, no requirement to teach me how to drive it after the question "driven a boat before?".... "errr yeah, several the largest being 4500 ton submarines" We pottered off and before long the mother in law says "the dog needs to have a walk", "where are we?", "can you lift the dog on/off" "where are we now" and repeat. First night, the domestic water pump that was situated under our bed ran continuously....... until I found the fuse, that was then followed at regular intervals through the night with "can you switch the water on" after every visit to the loo..... and they not once managed to arrange a pee at the same time. "can you lift the dog on/off" Then the shower hose in our bathroom fell apart and got stuck in its storage tube, this rendered it entirely useful for washing hands but not at all useful for having a shower. "can you lift the dog on/off" I forget the specifics due to self medicating with lashings of beer, wine and spirits but after a day or two of not seeing any town or village that required more than 10 minutes to explore, I got the "is there anywhere to walk about and sight see/shop/go to the pub?", so I pointed the boat at Great Yarmouth, "can you lift the dog on/off" and when we arrived told the boatyard where we were for fixing the defects, a half day lost in Great Yarmouth Yacht Station waiting for a fixer person fit a new pump & shower hose, finished off by a walk about in biblical rain, Der Hund got so wet that he looked utterly miserable and he smelled worse than a moldy rug as he dried out, and to ice the cake so to speak, I got an ear bashing from everyone except Der Hund because the ladders on the quayside (being a tidal part of the river) were difficult to use. The following morning we left Great Yarmouth behind and motored all day to Wroxham, "can you lift the dog on/off" etc...(the equivalent of crossing the Atlantic in a 747), 10 chip shops, a toy store, a small supermarket and the worst pub meal ever. Overnight stay punctuated with "can you lift the dog on/off" etc... The following morning whilst I waiting for the marina staff to pump the effluent tanks I decided to give the outside of the boat a clean with the mop and some mild detergent, something that had been missed by the hire company before we collected the boat...... nothing too strenuous, just a gentle mop and microfiber to get the crud off...... tanks pumped, breakfast at a local cafe followed by a short motor downstream to a nice looking pub called "The New Inn" the plan was an early mooring and walk about, "can you lift the dog on/off"..... almost immediately I got assaulted by a grumpy swan, it didn't seem to like getting a slap when he went for me (totally unprovoked, it decided to attack just for fun) anyway we booked in for dinner with the warning that there was a limited menu..... Limited my rear..... superb food and great beer, oh the beer was good, did I mention how good the beer was? I seemed to have found a state of happy that no amount of "can you lift the dog on/off" was going to destroy, and I was soooooo looking forward to getting to bed..... however my "cleaning" of the boats exterior seemed to have removed the crud that was sealing the cut out in the roof (assuming from a re-fit of the engine) and our bed was now the same moisture content as the swamp that is Norfolk, and there was a steady trickle of rain water adding to it by the minute. "can you lift the dog on/off" Engineers called again (couldn't fault the poor lad who had to come and sort it)"can you lift the dog on/off" the roof re-sealed in the hoofing rain, the engineer had to go back to the boatyard to get us some non swamp bedding and we pulled out and made up what should have been a double bed in the saloon, however, this "bed" was never intended to be used following a downgrade of the boats passenger capacity, so some of the bits that made up the mattress were missing, I attempted to sleep in what I can only describe as a trench until the Sage (who is a slight thing) rolled over and the whole thing collapsed faster than an economy under COVID...... twenty minutes of teeth gnashing "can you lift the dog on/off" and the Sage suffering from hysterical laughter saw us sleeping on the floor with Der Hund, he's lucky I didn't evict him, his bed was comfier than ours, I woke up with Der Hund snuggled up to me, I drank several cups of coffee ate a bacon sarnie and promptly set about returning the boat early, but of course there was the "can you lift the dog on/off" even the drive home in our T5 camper was punctuated with "can you lift the dog in/out".... It's been a couple of days at home now, I'm feeling a little better thanks. Nem..............9 points
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Joined the forum properly now (Iam sure I will get my £30 worth in knowledge!) and ordered my Westfield modular kit. Just started a build diary for progress 👍🏼👍🏼 roll on 12 weeks! 😁4 points
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@PaulT mentioned the meeting at the weekend.....and as I’m such a miserable antisocial curmudgeon, I thought maybe I should try and make the supreme effort and attend one day......so let Thursday be that day. I think I my have been to The Falcon once for a meeting in the distant past??2 points
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Well. If you live in mallorca, with about 4k rented road bikes a day, plus all the people that brings their owns.. plus all of them normally head to the same hot spots (you know, turism + sport) you learn to consider them not much more than wildlife... and as all, you learn to not to run over the wildlife because it will damage your car... not much more. Having said that, used to over 3000 retardeds pedaling around my folks place in Soller in a daily basis, that they are convinced that the road is for their exclusive use because "they are on holidays" i find the average cyclist in uk to be quite aware and respectfull... so am I with them.2 points
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Agree very much there Dave. I love both cycling and kit carring, been riding way longer than I can drive and until lockdown I commuted 20 miles each way every day, rain or shine by bike. I'm not a roadie and stay off the roads as much as possible because it's just too dangerous out there, especially if you do it every day at rush hour when everyone's priority is to get to work/ home as quickly as possible. With road riding, there's too much reliance on other people for your safety on the roads, if I fall off in the woods I've got nobody to blame but myself. I'm lucky the commute is 90% cycle track but then you still have to share the space with kids, dogs off leads, dogs on long invisible leads, tourists, drunk students, spice heads and hard of hearing pensioners with slow reactions. The same goes for the Westfield, it's got all the crash protection of a crisp bag so you have to drive defensively when you're the smallest, most fragile car out there with no airbags or auto-braking radar system to sort things out for you if it goes tits-up. Barrelling into blind bends and expecting the road to be clear? You've got to give yourself space to stop in case there's a broken down car or a lump of concrete has fallen off the back of a truck. Like you say Dave, we've all got to share public roads, nobody owns them or has any more right to be on them than anybody else, we're all sharing the same space and getting worked up about other people only increases your own blood pressure. You can only control your own actions.2 points
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As a young man I was a professional cyclist and I've earned my living all my adult life in the bike business. I ride nearly everyday. The number of serious incidents I've personally experienced over the decades is shocking....some are due to people just not paying attention (the advent of the cell phone has made my life notably more dangerous) and some are due to outright aggression on the part of the driver. At the same time I've seen absolutely awful behavior from cyclists....riding with complete indifference to others around them. Riding 3-4 abreast around blind corners just inviting issues from drivers coming up from behind. Purposely being in the way to exert their 'rights' to use the road. There are plenty of a-holes on bikes just as there are in cars. And that's my point - a certain number of people are just jerks and some of them drive and some of them ride bikes and some do both. In the end it's the speed differential between the two that highlights the issues. If I'm out for a blat and there's a jerk in front of me in a car I'll almost never notice it as he's moving at about the same speed....but a jerk cyclist will be easy to spot as you come up on him. What's interesting to me is that I know some cyclists who are road hogging jerks while on bikes and then they get in a car and crowd and scream at riders who they feel are in their way. What's the common denominator here? In the end it all boils down to being respectful of other road users regardless of the machine they are using. As the years have gone by I've seen this respect deteriorate in a big way. We just don't give a damn about other people the way we used to to the point where we resent others merely existing and being on the same road. It's as if we feel something is being taken from us personally if others are allowed to enjoy the same space. It's not a zero-sum game where if others enjoy the road that I'm going to lose my enjoyment. It's also not a matter of skill or education. All drivers go through real training (unless you are in the USA where all you need to do to get a driver's license is fog a mirror) and there are plenty of bad drivers out there. It's a matter or respect and courtesy toward others from both drivers and riders. I would ask that drivers look at the rider as their kid or spouse and you'll find that giving them a bit or room will come easy....and I ask that cyclist think of every driver as a person on their way to the hospital with a medical emergency. Cut each other some slack....give others some consideration and space. No one 'owns' the road and has more right to use it. It's a public resource. Be nice to other people. Treat others as you'd like to be treated and don't be 'that guy'. Thanks for reading. dave2 points
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I have for sale a full set of bodywork that is a little rough as it has previously been painted and does have filler in places before paint and now chips in places. V8 Nose and bonnet The rear tub was cut at the top for easy removal and work on the back of the car. The front portion of the tub was cut and metal flared side panels used also included. There is a nice stitched tunnel top with space for handbreak shifter and reverse box leaver as was in megabusa. The scuttle has mirrors and areo screen, there is also a rear tub cover and a narrow pair of front arches. Ideally want to sell as a whole. Before it starts to get split up to individual bits. As said this is used and has been filled painted in places and needs bit of work but by no means unusable. Perfect for a project build. £500 £4001 point
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Well I sold my VW T5 camper van last weekend and purchased a cheap little daily driver to free up some funds for a Westy 😊 😎. £30 a year road tax and peanuts insurance, to justify having a kit car sat in the garage all year So Iam now an owner of a Ferrari red Italian car (at least thats I tell the ladies😂) and am enjoying reading and searching for a nice Westfield! enjoy your weekend Ben1 point
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Not sure if WSCC is the target audience for this but you never know......... Highly successful well developed 106 GTi, absolutely ready to use as a fast and reliable trackday toy or a competitive race car (took a podium at its last race). This car has been owned by me since 2003. I bought it as a road/trackday car and slowly converted it to where it is today. It is still regularly trackdayed as well as raced and has had no expense spared in it’s development and maintenance. Despite an average driver it has managed numerous class and overall race wins. Brief spec Engine - 1.6 16v recently rebuilt after over ten years of totally reliable service. Forged rods and pistons. Uprated cams. Rotrex C30/94 supercharger. Emerald ecu, switchable maps, pit lane limiter etc Intercooler, updated injectors, DV etc New engine is currently tuned to a safe/easy 250 bhp, this setup has previously run just over 300 (photo is of previous maximum). PeugeotSport baffled sump, oil cooler. Standard tank plus swirl pot to avoid all surge. Transmission- BE4 gearbox conversation with PeugeotSport 106 Cup bellhousing. Custom updated driveshafts with intermediate bearing on o/s to achieve equal lengths and eliminate torque steer. Gripper plate diff (spare quaife ATB included) Satchell Engineering quickshift . Chassis Full Satchell Engineering suspension installed and set up by Satchell. This is a fully rose jointed wide track front end including roll centre and bump steer correction, all new struts, arms, mounts, strengthening and bracing. Rear suspension is a rocker system to maximise adjustment and damper efficiency, new rear beam, uprated arb etc. This is the ultimate re-engineered suspension option for the 106, with dampers and installation it is around a £7k conversion and astonishing to drive. Brakes/wheels - 106 Cup 4-pot AP calipers with Hi-Spec rotors/bells, F4r Mintex pads. Standard rears with 1144 pads. Original ABS retained. Two sets of Dynamics wheels with 215 Direzzas. One set of Compomotive wheels, 195 Rainsports. Safety/scrutineering - Sparco seats (passenger seat included) Willans harnesses. Safety Devices cage. Cartek battery isolator. Lifeline 4l mech extinguisher. All passed scruitineering Sept 2019. Body/aero - Fibreglass bonnet/hatch. Fibreglass arched front wings. Rear arches extended. Carbon roof vent. Poly windows all round. Front splitter/bumper are quick removable without jacking. Rear spoiler. Current weight 900kg without driver with original dash/heater etc retained. It’s been a brilliant car to own but I’m looking at a new project and need to clear some space and funds so (as tends to be the way) it is for sale at a fraction of the build cost. Price, £16,000. you can reach me on here, at t11ner@yahoo.co.uk or 07957 3583931 point
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NOW SOLD I've just removed 45 weber carbs/ Omex ecu/loom/ trumpets/ back plate/ filtered pressure reg/ fuel pump/ choke cable and throttle linkage. Removed from my Silvertop Zetec which is running the Raceline 190hp setup(head/ cams etc) See photos as what you see is what you get. Last photo is before I've removed it. Air filter not included in sale £800 + post1 point
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Good news for me....Mrs T's meeting cancelled 😁.....see you all Thursday1 point
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We'll come along to this. Does anyone know if they will be serving food.1 point
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Nice to see honesty and openness in a for sale post. Good luck with the sale!1 point
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I’m sorry mate, I’m laughing my duck off right now. 🤣🤣🤣 I think we all saw disaster ahead but I’m sorry it came true. As Mel Brooks said, “Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.” Thanks for sharing, you’ve just confirmed why I’ll never hire a boat!1 point
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Thanks Scott, look forward to catching up with you as soon as it is wise to do so!1 point
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I keep the whole interaction thing simple. I treat all road users with courtesy and respect, (apart from our local UBER drivers who are to be given no quarter whatsoever) I will give pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists as much room and consideration as I would another car, they are after all a tad softer than the average tin top. That said here's the flip side, If I've taken the time and effort to pass Mr or Mrs 2 wheel and tribe in a safe and respectful manner and then find myself undertaken at a junction or stop point with just enough room to pass a fag paper between us then I take that as an indication that they don't want that sort of safe space, and on subsequent passing they get no extended courtesy, I'll get past them in a safe way but they usually don't like it, it's amazing how selective some of them can be with their attitude to self preservation. I also carry a rechargeable air horn, with that I can let any earphone wearing wobbler know I'm there if I feel they don't know, but to be honest I've only ever used that once and that was as an answer to a tirade of abuse I got after nearly wiping out what looked like the entire peloton of the Tour-De-France coming up a one way street the wrong way. Nem.........1 point
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The one thing that I don't think drivers realise is the shocking state of the roads. With 25mm wide road tyres the road surface/craters can easily be very dangerous when cycling, when we can drive over it without a concern in a car. This often means we cannot keep closer to the edge of the road and may ride a metre or so away from the kerb, there was even one section of road locally where we couldn't ride on the left side of the road at all it was that bad. I find most drivers are good, and have maybe got better with cyclists, but you always get one that doesn't consider you to be an equal road user as you don't have a 1.5t metal box around you. This is mainly in a give way situation / safety bollards etc. Over my 24 years with the Westfield, I have certainly noticed a massive increase in cyclists.1 point
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Cyclists should be grateful they don’t live in Russia, where the vehicle / cycle accident rate is much higher and cyclists (and pedestrians) are commonly referred to “road plankton”. The ones who really amaze me are the incredibly fat people on their electric four-wheeled obesecycles who insist on driving (illegally) on the street so they don’t have to slow down for pedestrians. There’s one around here who smothers the thing when she sits on it to the point it looks like she’s levitating down the road.1 point
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Unfortunately my wife has a meeting so I'm babysitting 😪 if she finishes early I may be able to make an appearance but it's unlikely, I'll do my best though1 point
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I will be there, as its a rare time my shifts allow me to attend, be good to see a few faces and a few Westies 👍 (Socially distanced of course)1 point
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It certainly takes a chunk of the chassis advantage out (but drivability of the engine can still be a factor). But it's laps like that which show just how talented Lewis really is despite some people banging on about him "just being in the best car". Yes he is in the best car at the moment, but he is also one of the fastest racing drivers ever. He's done unbelievable laps like that a few times during his career, like the flyer at Singapore 2018 for pole when the car wasn't the strongest at that track. In fairness though, this weekend Max was also on a very hot lap too but pushed it that bit too much and spun. Had he not his sector times suggest he would have been there or thereabouts too but you have to bring it home. Lando is great though and I'm pleased he's getting a car to show his talent in now. After the last two races my 4yo now shouts "Lando!" whenever he sees an orange car (even if it's Sainz) and hopefully he'll continue to be a good inspiration for him in the seasons to come.1 point
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We went out for a run through the moon valley early sunday morn. There were tons of cyclists riding three or four (and more) abreast. Some were courteous and moved out of the way but some were just belligerent and rude. We encountered lots of horses also and had stopped to let them pass to then have a gaggle of cyclists come tearing past, scaring the horses! We passed another group to then be faced with a red light on temporary traffic lights. We stopped and the lycra warriors came past and carried on through the red light! Luckily Karma was watching and they came head on with a large Warburtons truck and had to take evasive action, which was amusing. They really don't do themselves any favours.1 point
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Fantastic to see Lando doing well and a great drive. What about Lewis' very wet quali lap? 1.216 secs ahead of Verstappen and 1.428 secs ahead of Bottas. I thought a wet track was meant to be a great equaliser yet by my calcs. by the end of the lap LH would be 250 feet ahead of VB in the same car. His rainmaster hero Senna would have approved.1 point
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Woke the neighbours at 5.15 this morning but the drive throughout North Wales was so worth it. One of those mornings where everything was just perfect, weather, twisty B roads, very few cars about, westfield running sweet.... 150 miles then back home for breakfast at 9. The cloud just visible above the first hill was very dense and completely covering Bala lake. Dropping down into Bala I needed headlights and wipers as visibility was down to about 30 feet. Soon climbed back into the sun on the far side.... This is what a Summers morning is all about.1 point
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No you don’t leave it there all year - the garage is for fixing and upgrading after run outs and track days 👍1 point
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