[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

[Rendel Harris]

hawkinspeter wrote:

If you were a gas-head, what number plate would you choose to advertise the fact?

Well they, Jackie and John Cooke, were offered by the DVLA for no extra charge the numberplate JJ64GAS which seems a better and more personalised plate than the one they had originally to me.

[hawkinspeter]

Rendel Harris wrote:

Well yes, I read that in the article but who would honestly use the phrase “I’m number one for the Gas”? But give them the benefit of the doubt by all means, maybe they did purchase it genuinely for the reasons stated, but once it’s pointed out, fairly reasonably in my view, that it could be misconstrued as an offensive term, why make such a fuss about wanting to keep it? 

Probably because they’ve been using it for 30 years and not received any complaints until the DVLA sprung this on them.

If you were a gas-head, what number plate would you choose to advertise the fact?

(Disclaimer: I am not and have never been a Rovers fan)

[Rendel Harris]

Well yes, I read that in the

Well yes, I read that in the article but who would honestly use the phrase “I’m number one for the Gas”? But give them the benefit of the doubt by all means, maybe they did purchase it genuinely for the reasons stated, but once it’s pointed out, fairly reasonably in my view, that it could be misconstrued as an offensive term, why make such a fuss about wanting to keep it? 

[hawkinspeter]

Rendel Harris wrote:

The approving tone of the coverage there is rather worrying, no? Even describes their decision to screw it to the garden shed as “ingenious”. Absolutely don’t buy it, it’s about as convincing as people wearing golliwog T-shirts and saying it’s because they like jam.

However, their story does make sense with the plate supposedly standing for “Number one for the GAS” where “The Gas” is a common description used for Bristol Rovers (e.g fans are gasheads). However, I don’t know the couple so can’t judge their real motivation.

[Rendel Harris]

The approving tone of the

The approving tone of the coverage there is rather worrying, no? Even describes their decision to screw it to the garden shed as “ingenious”. Absolutely don’t buy it, it’s about as convincing as people wearing golliwog T-shirts and saying it’s because they like jam.

[David9694]

Couple told their ‘offensive’

Couple told their ‘offensive’ number plate was banned now have it on display in garden

Jackie and John Cooke bought the registration number ‘N14GAS’ in 1997 to show off their support for football team Bristol Rovers, but the DVLA has now banned it

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-news/couple-told-offensive-number-plate-10109483

I might buy the Bristol Rovers fans thing if they, or just their lounge wall, were pictured covered in their other Bristol Rovers merchandise – scarves, photos, a shirt.

[David9694]

Pretty UK market town’s high

Pretty UK market town’s high street ‘deserted’ after series of shop closures

There are fears within the town

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-news/pretty-uk-market-towns-high-10103522?int_source=nba

Sorry guys, nick-nack gifty coffee shop owners, but cars aren’t your town’s future. 

Further to the Paris discussion, the centre of Devizes is as over-run by cars as anywhere in the UK. The picturesque market square, High Street, historic Long Street, its nearby green all spoilt. 

Not too far away is car-lite NT owned film location, historic Lacock (although looking a bit scruffy last time I was there) with Lacock Abbey.  People flock there to walk around the village and to see where characters played by Judi Dench or Alan Bates might have lived out their dramas. 

I really don’t buy the “we’re doomed – Northgste St is closed” line from the traders.  I get that people can be a bit fickle when they have choices and are uncommitted to any one of them, but if you’re serious about doing some shopping and spending some money, one easily surmounted road closure isn’t going to deter you.  A pleasant environment to saunter around might just pull you in. 

[David9694]

Mum shocked as driver crashes

Mum shocked as driver crashes into Helston house in the night

She said if it was a different time of day ‘I dread to think what would’ve happened’

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/mum-shocked-car-crashes-helston-10108580

(suitably downplayed by the commenters)

PS A propos de nothing relevant really, just how a nice example of how to be the one causing a public domain nuisance, but portray yourself as the hard done by victim. 

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/st-ives-council-cornwall-defends-10105267?int_source=nba

[Rendel Harris]

polainm wrote:

JRM doesn’t drive. He uses a horse drawn carriage. 

That’s only for longer journeys; obviously for short trips he employs the sedan chair.

[polainm]

JRM doesn’t drive. He uses a

JRM doesn’t drive. He uses a horse drawn carriage. 

[polainm]

Every JLR car owner gets

Every JLR car owner gets special training on ‘How to be a selfish ‘anker’. It’s part of their brand marketing. 

[brooksby]

New bypass for village after

New bypass for village after waiting 100 years

The project was first proposed in 1927 in a bid to combat the traffic issues caused by two A-roads funnelling traffic in to the village before merging into a single lane.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cly5ng6vdv1o

[chrisonabike]

Further motoring exemptions
Further motoring exemptions have been highlighted by a certain celebrity lawyer: needing the loo, being a well-known footballer…

[chrisonabike]

David9694 wrote:

David9694 wrote:

…the story begs some interesting questions about public memorials to the deceased – we have them for war dead (not forgetting some pretty striking “fusillé par les Allemandes” memorials in France), we have statues to commemorate individuals for their illustrious achievements; in modern times there’s the spontaneous roadside memorials you sometimes see. 

How much of this stuff should there be? 

Just got to this one: it’s tricky. I’m not keen generally. BUT seeing as those in power – sorry, a grateful and admiring populace – are often very keen to statueify their dead icons, there’s precedent and more “one rule for them…” opportunity.

Flip side – although conflicts have to be settled at some point I’m not adverse to the “rubbing their faces in it” / “shame-pole” versions though where these commemorate “deaths for cause” eg. the Stolpenstein, antimonumento type of thing.

I’d put my hand in my pocket for a memorial to road crash victims – doubly so if they’d build in in the middle of one of the roads I felt shouldn’t be a through route for motor traffic…

Locally – on the Maybury bypass there was a “what are the police doing” memorial for some years following a fatal crash -until they finally traced someone.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-59436798

However that’s been converted into a rather noticeable memorial bench – not sure on this now.

I approve of the Dunning witch-burning one though:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggie_Wall

I guess it’s the duration / the extent to which this then becomes sort of “their space”, then eg. we can’t dig in front of it for a cycle path because that would be an offence to their memory etc.

[David9694]

There’s over 40 squirrel

There’s over 40 squirrel characters on-line, and that’s without road safety and all round do-gooder Tufty Fluffytail, or Nutkin in Beatrix Potter.

[Author]

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