Out-of-Country Parking Fines
There is a story today that says that councils are losing a lot of money because of the non-payment of parking fines by foreign drivers. Although, the story is a UK one, I suspect it’s a problem all across Europe.
This problem used to exist in the United States, but there it wasn’t out-of-country, but out-of-state parking fines that were the problem. They also had data-protection problems in that citizens wouldn’t trust Texas to say look up vehicles in New York.
In the end, a company came up with a solution that was acceptable to all parties.
They bought the tickets at a discount from the individual states, collated them and then sent them to their collection department in the state where the vehicle was registered. Obviously, they picked the juicy ones first, but the business model worked so well and profitably, that Lockheed felt it was worth buying the company.
Such a system would work well on an EU wide basis, with perhaps Switzerland added. But then the Swiss don’t get parking fines do they?
Zoe Renault
Another legal spat reported in the Telegraph.
Interestingly in France, where I thought they had better things to do.
Over the Sea From Skye
The bus took a more or less direct route between Kyle of Lochalsh to Arnadale with a small detour to Broadford to put down and pick up passengers.
It was my first time on Skye since about 1972. Then we had all come, with our three boys crammed in the back of our 1969 Porsche 911T. Strangely the car still exists and is in New Zealand. But a picture of the car is the only one of the holiday.
Porsche 911T on Skye
That Porsche 911T was the first performance car we had and we acquired it for £1650 courtesy of a loan from my favourite bank manager, David.
I remember for that holiday we left early in the morning from the Barbican and first stop was Gretna Green at about 7:30 in the morning. So when people say I push myself, it’s nothing new in my book.
We stayed somewhere north of Portree and I remember that we were greeted on the doorstep by a dead sheep. It was nothing against holiday homes or anything sinister, but just an inconvenient expiry. In the end we got the Police, who found who owned it and it was quietly disposed of.
I also remember we hurried off the island and I can still remember hurtling up Glencoe towards Glasgow, which we achieved at an average speed of about 80 mph. Or that’s what I claimed at the time! But it was certainly fast on an almost empty road.
The detour to Broadford reminded me that in 1975, the village had an airstrip. C said that next time we came we’d fly! I doubt I will and she sadly can’t!
I went straight to Arnadale and immediately got the ferry to Mallaig.
Arnadale to Mallaig Ferry
Bad Driving
There has been a lot of reports about the reasons why people drive badly today. Various solutions are being proposed including restrictions on young drivers.
I have driven for many years, but don’t now and I may never do again. But I’m happy to use buses and trains, with lifts to the nearest station.
I sometimes think that the reason we have a lot of bad driving is because people are pressured to use their cars, by lifestyle, family or jobs.
Let’s look at some categories, who get blamed for bad driving and accidents.
- Young drivers often have no other means, except a battered car to get to work or have a night out. It will be interesting to see if things like the new East London Line and the extensions to the Manchester Tram, actually cut accidents involving young drivers, as they take quality public transport instead.
- Elderly drivers who won’t give up their car, as they need it for the shops etc. You see quite a few round here, who should not drive. But there is no alternative.
- Company car drivers, who feel pressured to use the car, rather than perhaps take the train. How many companies refuse train expenses to people with company cars?
- And what about wives who are pressured to drive their husbands after a good meal out!
I have recently seen a change in that some people I know have swapped their cars for trains on longer journeys.
This needs to be encouraged, by more comfortable trains, better stations, more parking at stations, better connections and perks like free WiFi. I know of one person, who now commutes to his office in the nearest big city by bus because of the WiFi.
One thing that is accelerating change to rail and bus is Railcards and passes, as I found on my trip to Great Yarmouth.
The Car of the Future?
Gordon Murray is one of the most innovative car designers of the past few decades, famous for racing and sports cars. So what do you get if he turns his mind to designing a car for everyone?
You get this!
It just goes to show what happens, when you throw convention out of the window, and think about what people really what. Whether they can be convinced they need it, is another matter! But give people good design and they usually like it!
But as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door!”
Did Anybody See Top Gear on Sunday?
If you didn’t, it’s repeated tonight on BBC2 at 8:00.
They asked the team to buy three reasonably priced UK-built sport cars and Richard Hammond turned up in a Lotus Elan like mine. What he didn’t say about it, was that Elans are second only to E-Types, when it comes to pulling posh birds of a cerain vintage!
He was also unable to show, how it is still one of the fastest cars across country. Read some of my posts from last year about the car.
Interestingly, I am now driving the car again, in and out of its garage and round the yard. I can’t do this with my Jaguar as the clutch is too strong for my gammy left leg.
Perhaps, one day I’ll be back on the road! But it will be in the Elan!
Are Some Cars More Disabled-Friendly Than Others?
I’m not driving obviously, but the Jaguar did need its little check on oil, water and windscreen washer fluid.
I did it with ease and all the locks, levers and caps came to hand and were easily released with one hand. So has one car manufacturer thought about design for everybody, who might use their vehicles? Some of the new electronic systems I’ve seen in new cars, seem to have been designed by computer gamers, who have no idea how those over fifty think and behave! In any designs I have created, I have hopefully always taken the profile of the user into account. It’s rule one in design.
A Nice Old Rover 3500
This Rover 3500 was parked in a street in Den Haag.
Rover 3500 in Den Haag
What is surprising now about this car, is how small it is. It is a lot smaller than my Jaguar X-Type.
The engine is also a 3.5 litre V8. So for their day, they went very well. It should also be remembered that the structure of the car was unusual with a strong steel frame covered in aluminium panels, which gave great strength and a lot of protections in accidents.
Princess Grace of Monaco was driving one of these cars when she had the accident that killed her.
The Stig’s American Cousin
Just watching a repeat of Top Gear!
Very funny, but I suspect that the team might not be welcome in the US after this!
Numberplate for a Dog Trainer?
The plate on my Lotus Elan is K9 WFF. Not perhaps as good as K9 WUF.
But yesterday, as I went into Cambridge, I was following a van with the number K90 BAY, or as it was spaced K9 OBAY. Not perhaps as good as K9 OBEY, but good anyway!
The Anonymous Widower 