Waxed cotton is good in its place. It depends what you want it for. If it is for low-intensity outdoor activity in rough conditions then it could be a good buy.

I like my broad-brimmed waxed hat for its tough impermeability and umbrella-like shielding off the face and neck whilst walking in heavy rain, but I wouldn't want a waxed coat.

Paramo is supposed to be a good alternative to Gore-Tex.

Wouldnt live up north though its grim, cold and generally bleak, south any day.

Yes, everyday in "The North" is like a combination of Angela's Ashes and Wuthering Heights.

…But we struggle on with our access to fine rural areas for evening rides and strolls.

I'd agree about the stats and anecdotes. The appearance of a few people riding fast, noisy bikes causes a disproportionate response from Joe Public. A lot of it comes down to a lack of understanding.

First time he slowed way down for a right hander, leant it in, then mid-corner he started looking down at this foot (gears?), turned too far and nearly swerved into oncoming traffic.

On a modern bike, the gears are on the left, rear brake is on the right.

If you lean over a long way you can scrape the inside peg/outside of the boot on the ground, although it takes a bit of effort (apart from on my old monkey bike!).

It sounds as if the rider in question was just out of their depth.

More controversially, how about forcing all drivers to cover a minimum of 10,000 road miles on a motorcycle before being allowed anywhere near a car and if possible (taking disability etc into account)
10,000 miles on a bicycle before being allowed near a motorcycle?

It may be controversial, but it would almost certainly improve the roads.

I would say that your typical all-weathers motorcyclist or urban cyclist is a more observant/hazard aware car driver than the vast majority.

hora
In a car, I've always had a 'sixth sense'. Sounds wierd but you second-guess other drivers, know what to expect from the unexpected and a slide is never a drama, just interesting.

As I actually know you in the real world and been a passenger in your car… I've never been aware of this "sixth sense" of yours. You must keep it well hidden 😉

As for speed, unless you've ridden a fast bike (or driven an F1 or equivilent car) you've no concept of the acceleration potential of them

The word phenomenal is apt, although the words "Whooooooooooaaaah!!! ****" were the ones that came out of my mouth when gave a mate's Fireblade some beans in 2nd gear as a newly-passed rider.

Downhill on an MTB at 30mph is exhilarating, Motos and mtbs complement each other.

I've also had many occasions where I've had to swerve out of the way as a Power Ranger helmet has scythed round the wrong side of the road on a country lane with the bike tyres positioned almost on the centre line of the road, and the rider almost completely on the wrong side.

Not that many people ride like that, but the ones that do give a bad impression.

Having your head in the way of oncoming traffic can never be a good idea.

I do ride a bike and still feel uneasy about people riding like that. I make 'reasonable progress', but aim to ride without causing other vehicles to accommodate me. Busy places with poor visibility are not the places to do daft things.

What was is it someone once said to me 'on every ride you have a near-miss'.

I certainly don't. That shouldn't be typical of someone who wants to survive.

I stopped after my D.A.

Stopped after the test or after deciding it wasn't for you?

I went to the local primary school, then a local comprehensive (a formerly well-regarded state grammar school that had deteriorated since going 'comp' and deteriorated further during the time that I was there in the early 90s). The pupils were a 'mixed-bag' to say the least. I was fortunate to have supportive family and some mates who weren't nutters.
I did know a few people from private schools through rugby and got on with them fine.

I went on to an 'old' university and met more people who had been to private schools. Again, it wasn't a issue.

I've no problem with fee-paying schools, but I won't be sending my offspring to private schools unless someone gives me a lot of money. I've not the cash to back up my pseudo-middle-class-ness 😉

Which begs the obvious question ……

are you:


or,

ps. You can be a devoted Tory without liking the current leader.

Sort of the Mondeo equivalent of politics?

So we'll end up with a comfortable, fine-handling, easy-to-live-with, unpretentious, value-for-money government?

Nice one!

So in the SW, unlike in the Labour strong-holds where the people automatically vote for the same party(now with a more middle-class bent) that their ship-building or coal-mining grand-father voted for, people actually vote for a party that might do something for them?

Let's hope that the Lib Dems do make a sizeable dent in the many Tory/Labour strongholds today.

If the LibDems had polled 20644 votes, they'd have won the seat –
that's just 1 more vote than Labour

…but you are forgetting that if the number of Lib Dem votes increased the votes for the other parties may go down (depending upon whether the new Lib Dem votes came from previously apathetic people or floating voters)

It's interesting that Mr Farage is assisted by a bloke called Mike Jose.

Neither of those names are traditionally "UK" are they?

Labour 14
Conservative 6
Lib Dems 26
Green 1
Plaid Cymru 1
UKIP 0
BNP 1
NF 0
Respect 0
SNP 3
Spoiled/Void Ballot 1
Monster Raving William Hill Loony Party 0

Go Lib Dems.

Unfortunately though, unless around 10000 local sheep Labour voters don't up today to give their support to the party name that they always have done, I will be represented by a Labour MP as I have been wherever I have lived….

'Stranger sex' -gay or straight- is an issue around Sale/Chorlton water parks (The coppers do patrol the car parks though).

Up around Rivington/Anglezarke there seems to be a bit of a 'scene', with cars cruising in the various car parks to presumably pick-up another vehicle and then up to the more secluded laybys to, er, chat.

There's a lot of litter left about too.

A few bright mtb lights shone in the car windows seem to put some of the 'enthusiasts' off their stride a bit.

Leather soles are from the days before rubber ones.

Indeed.

Just because your old granddad voted for the local land-owner or the local mine's shop-steward, you don't have to vote for the person wearing the same coloured rosette.

I drove to a very posh bit of leafy Surrey to collect my new bike a couple of weeks ago and was struck by the number of Tory posters around.

Seems a bit like preaching to the converted.

On the other hand, St Helens in the 80s/90s was awash with "vote Labour" signs in Two of their safest seats(so safe that one of them is now held by that once-Tory defector , Sean Woodward). It's probably the same now.

Classic Street Dance?

I saw some "Vote G**rg* Osb*rne" signs outside houses in a Cheshire village last night.

I felt slightly unwell.

I come out as ESTP and most of the description seems to fit…

…and a link to a Personality TYPE Test to round it off.

Attach to something heavy, post back to the BNP office. Don't pay the postage.

Class!

-terrible book, mind…

(The Hovercraft, not the RNLI)

binners – Member

This thread is the very epitome of Englishness. Petty, Small-minded, bad-tempered, deliberately provocative and argumentative. Keep it up. Tally ho!

….and, were we all to meet in the real world at a bus stop, we would, despite our differences, form an orderly queue whilst apologising for being bumped into by everybody in the process.

We would then tut if the bus was late and sit as far apart as possible when we did get onto the bus.

I agree. Dis-band the monarchy and, therefore, that dirge of a British National anthem, dis-establish the CofE and get rid of first-past-the-post elections.

Back on topic:

(Okay, built by the Normans….)

So much more classy than a stretched Hummer

Stirling Moss sliding an Aston

English Electric Lightning.

It wouldn't be so green if it didn't rain so much.