[David9694]

A new catch-all Tea Shop thread for those miscellaneous new stories that don’t quite fit with parking, crashing into buildings or trapped/prisoners in their homes. 

Topic

[Hirsute]

If only there were roof rack
If only there were roof rack options available to carry ladders and pipes.
I had to get a lorry to carry 2 14 foot kayaks.

[Rendel Harris]

The important question

The important question obviously is does she have to drive in order to visit the best trumpet teacher in Kent?

[OnYerBike]

chrisonabike wrote:

chrisonabike wrote:

”… also, you can fit a door or a three-foot length of pipe in it,”

Ah yes, no option other than using a 2.5 tonne Land Rover to carry [checks notes] 90cm of pipe.

[bensynnock]

Why didn’t he just park on
Why didn’t he just park on the pavement? That wouldn’t have inconvenienced anybody. At least nobody important anyway.

[David9694]

And it came to pass that an

And it came to pass that an Amazon van with hazard lights flashing was blocking the road for a bit 
 

The first car horn was by Cabbie Sean who was on his way home – one third of local residents heard this

The second  car horn was Linda who was taking her grand daughter to a party and was already 20 minutes late – one third of the birthday cake was eaten 

The third car horn was from plumber Steve who was trying to get to the merchant’s for a widget before closing time 

 

[quiff]

Busy CEO wrote:

Busy CEO wrote:

On a Monday morning with three boys, three school bags, three sports kits, and a trumpet thrown in the boot there isn’t even room in the car for the dog!

I hear from some that it is not possible to fit three (mandatory until c.12) child seats in many smaller cars, so I have some sympathy with that. But why would the dog need to come along for her partial commute to the bus stop?   

[quiff]

chrisonabike wrote:

chrisonabike wrote:

BBC have just decided to notice: the numbers show that cars are getting bigger.

This caption pissed me off – not a question that (for obvious reasons) is addressed at all in the article.   

[the little onion]

I see on the news that some

I see on the news that some woman off the telly has been fine £1,600 for driving without due care and attention.

 

a bit of digging reveals that they left someone on a scooter with a fractured spine. But that bit of harm to a vulnerable road user is left buried in the ‘sleb focus

[mdavidford]

chrisonabike wrote:

chrisonabike wrote:

Perhaps those trumpets are also getting bigger these days?

Are they these trumpets?

[David9694]

Man’s last utterance, picked

Man’s last utterance, picked-up by ailiens light years away as the last bit of land disappears under the sea, will be “it’s great – you can just chuck the kids’ stuff in the back” 

[David9694]

Collapsed wall brings mayhem

Collapsed wall brings mayhem and misery to Leeds village, near Maidstone

Local borough and parish councillor, Gill Fort, who lives in the middle of the affected area, is angry at the apparent inaction in fixing the problem. “One of my neighbours has one set of traffic lights right outside her bedroom window and is woken up by blaring music from cars at 3am. The whole thing is causing misery.”

“With cars waiting for the lights to change also means we have even worse air pollution than usual, 24/7.”

The wall issue is currently in the hands of the homeowner’s insurance company, which will likely pick up the tab for the traffic lights and eventual repairs.

Leeds resident Neil Willett, 61, said the disruption to the village and residents has become worse in the ten years since he and wife Debbie moved in.

He added: “I have had several cars smashed up outside my house – it’s a nightmare and it is getting worse because of the new houses putting more and more traffic on the road which it’s not designed for.

“The noise and pollution is so bad we can’t even open the windows anymore. People get frustrated and angry, swearing and shouting because they can’t get through. When the traffic clears for a second, they put their foot down and speed off as fast as they can.”

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/news/collapsed-wall-brings-mayhem-and-misery-to-rat-run-kent-vi-333212/

Calls for Adelaide Road in Elvington, near Dover, to be gritted after car written off in BMW crash

Mr Timcke said: “Residents have been trying to get gritters here for a while. I know my neighbour has had four cars written off on the road as well.

“KCC came in and lowered the speed limit, but refused to fit speed ramps because it’s a bus route. Well, if it’s a bus route, then grit it.

“My neighbours even tried applying to turn their gardens into driveways, which would’ve taken all vehicles off the road because it’s a single track when cars are parked on it, but that didn’t happen.”

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/our-road-is-dangerous-why-won-t-the-council-grit-it-333333/

Car windscreen smashed in row over parking space in Aldi, Strood

[what cars do to people; man smashes windscreen with his bare hands?]

The force said: “Following a dispute over a parking space, he allegedly made threatening comments and punched the victim’s windscreen causing it to smash.”

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/threatening-man-smashed-woman-s-car-windscreen-in-row-ov-333329/

 

[David9694]

Great timesaver you’ve got

Great timesaver you’ve got there, pops

Brighton grandfather fined after driving into bus lane

Kevin Herriott, from Hollingbury, has said that Brighton and Hove City Council will have to “send me to prison” before he pays the fine.

 “As a gesture of goodwill, and in light of the mitigation offered by the motorist, we again offered to accept the reduced amount of £35 if paid within 28-days.

“That time limit has now expired and so the current amount owed to the council is £105.”

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/25655675.brighton-grandfather-fined-road-closure-forces-bus-lane/

[chrisonabike]

BBC have just decided to
BBC have just decided to notice: the numbers show that cars are getting bigger. And … everyone is happy. More “stylish”, people can “see better”, more profit for manufacturers… Oh, except vulnerable road users and some city authorities.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy7vdvl2531o

Busy CEO mum says “On a Monday morning with three boys, three school bags, three sports kits, and a trumpet thrown in the boot there isn’t even room in the car for the dog!”.

Perhaps those trumpets are also getting bigger these days?

And tech-boss dad (also 3 kids) says:

“I need to have enough space to put children in, with all of their kit – also, you can fit a door or a three-foot length of pipe in it,”

I’ve got memories of coming back with parents from a trip to the DIY shops with a lot more than that … in a Ford Fiesta. But I’m getting on, must be imagining things from so long ago…

Of course – “but safety” … for the occupants.

Meanwhile … could it be that years ago some marketers worked out how to sell more stuff to people (and also dodge tax) and that is the whole reason?

How to change things? Paris has stuck a pretty stiff tax on weight above a certain number. And there were regulations which were supposed to limit the full-on personal trucks in Europe, but loopholes. And if course now the US executive has declared war on everyone not buying enough of their stuff and is once again trying to fix the world with cars, oil and overconsumption in general, and Europe may go backwards again as Notjustbikes explains:

[David9694]

Council caves-in to whingeing

Council caves-in to whingeing drivers – 2026 me can sort that one out 

Controversial car parking charges in seaside towns set to be suspended

The new parking charges could be removed within days

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/controversial-car-parking-charges-seaside-32965125?int_source=nba

See also https://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/Documents/_Committee%20Reports/Cabinet/2025/25-12-04/Review-of-Winter-Car-Parking-Charges.pdf

“The rationale for introducing charges at coastal car parks was clearly set out in earlier reports and is not repeated here, save for referencing the fact that the Council wishes to maintain its car parks, the highway network and coastal destinations and facilities to the highest possible quality. With budget challenges, this is proving increasingly difficult, and in common with other Councils, consideration has to be given to charging for facilities such as coastal car parks.

This view remains that this ‘user-pays’ approach is far more appropriate and fairer than a blanket increase in Council Tax levels to maintain such facilities.”

[David9694]

We”re doing 20% off this

We”re doing 20% off this weekend, so it’s Drivers and their minor inconveniences 

Long queues at barriers after cashless ANPR parking system brought in at St James Retail and Leisure Park in Dover

“It’s crazy! People are getting angry, shouting and honking.

Customer Nina Dougall avoided using the car park completely. She felt it was simpler to use cash, which this car park no longer takes under the new system.  “I parked outside on the street. I don’t want to have to work a parking app,” she said.“I don’t even want to use a card, I just want to keep using cash so we don’t lose it. I don’t want a digital ID and I don’t want to have to keep using a smartphone.” (Yes Nina I’m sure you use cash for all your other car spends and never use sat-nav))

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/new-cashless-parking-is-causing-queues-and-its-not-even-333210/

[Author]

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