Topic: Ask - R(ob)AWK replies

[gravy red]

Looking for somewhere close enough to walk to match at Anfield to have Sunday lunch before the game.  Was thinking of the Toby Carvery Queens drive but don’t really like the walk after (over 2 miles). Could park car up near ground and get taxi to the Toby but am wondering if anyone has any other suggestions.  Thanks

[ToneLa]

I have registered domains in the idea of furthering my personal music career

I don't want to be ripped off. I'm IT clever but don't have time to build a website

Where can I go to pay for a fair service to make my reasonable website design ideas reality?

[El Lobo]

Make sure you stick a pound coin to the trigger plate, that will mean that even baby mice will trigger the trap. I found peanut butter was the best bait - the smell must really attract them.

It was a shrew

You need pest killing expert adding to you CT

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

Anyone know why the Holy Trinity Church  on Breck Road by the Cabbage bell rings 37 times  at around 10.35 and then again at 10.50 another 39 times?

[Ghost Town]

It was a shrew

Have you tamed it, called it Kate and kissed it?

Last shrew I saw was hanging out an owl's mouth

[afc tukrish]

Have you tamed it, called it Kate and kissed it?

Last shrew I saw was hanging out an owl's mouth

aka 'Hodgsoning'

[Lynx the saucy mynx]

I’m not one to jinx things, but seeing as everyone else talks about the quadruple anyway (I’m happy either the League or the CL), if we had a parade would it be the day after the CL final? Especially as it’s our first League title parade in decades. If we lost the CL final, I doubt anyone would want to turn up the next day to celebrate the League or fa cup/league cup double. But after that, it’s June and the players will be off by then. With the next weekend a 4 day bank holiday.

Even if we win everything except the league, our last match would be May 28th. If so, a shame it’s on a jubilee year as the next Monday after a parade would of been a bank holiday.

[Barneylfc∗]

If we get to the final and win the league, I'd expect a parade to be after the final. I doubt we'd be doing a parade with the final still to play, and then another parade if we were to win the European Cup.

[Lynx the saucy mynx]

If we get to the final and win the league, I'd expect a parade to be after the final. I doubt we'd be doing a parade with the final still to play, and then another parade if we were to win the European Cup.

I just can’t see the mood as good as 2019 going to a parade for the league the day after losing a CL final. Lets hope that isn’t a problem. It will feel downbeat less than 24 hours after the loss. I hope I’m wrong.

[SamLad]

the safety tech in today's cars is great imo - blind spot cameras, etc etc.

I wonder to what extent it's being installed on artics (for those in the UK) or tractor-trailers (for those in N America)?  is it being retrofitted at all, or just new models?

drivers of those vehicles must surely benefit from the extra visibility / warnings etc.

anyone know?

[rob1966]

the safety tech in today's cars is great imo - blind spot cameras, etc etc.

I wonder to what extent it's being installed on artics (for those in the UK) or tractor-trailers (for those in N America)?  is it being retrofitted at all, or just new models?

drivers of those vehicles must surely benefit from the extra visibility / warnings etc.

anyone know?

Most big companies change their fleets every 3 to 4 years, so any new tech will be on them. For those that run the older trucks, they won't have the safety aids.

We have 6 mirrors in an Artic, two on the drivers door, a blindspot mirror that allows you to see the front left corner and along the front of the unit, two on the passenger door and a blindspot mirror above the window, that looks down and we also have proximity sensors to cover the front left corner of the cab, with a audible "Caution, this vehicle is turning left" when the indicator is flashing and a camera that is attached to the unit that looks along the left side of the cab. On the New Gen Scanias, the passenger window is deeper to allow us to see the top of a cyclists head and the dash has been reshaped to give more visibility. There is also a lane drift warning that goes off when you go over a white line without the indicator flashing and anti-collision technology, which I fucking hate as it goes off incorrectly so often and has almost caused both me and my brother to crash, his truck almost rolled on a bend as it slammed on when it detected a car behind a fence in a car park.

Even with all this though, we still have areas that are almost blind and if you stick a car in the right spot you can barely see it, a cyclist disappears. If you are turning tight left, you can only see your trailer. If a cyclist decides to undertake just as you start a left turn, you can easily not see them.

This gives you an idea of the mirrors outside of a New Gen, the camera is mounted just above the left headlight



This was taken leaning forwards in the cab in an old gen Scania. There is an empty parking bay next to me there, and as you can see, sitting left of the seat and well forwards, there is about 3ft from the ground up that I cannot see, when a car is next to you, you sometimes can see the top of the roof, sometimes you can't

[SamLad]

wow, what a great reply.  thanks rob.  very interesting, that! 

(I'll never understand why more drivers don't give big rigs, and their drivers, the respect they deserve)

[SamLad]

I find it annoying, people need to learn to drive properly.

Fortunately I have neither the means or inclination to buy a new car.

my guess is you've never driven a car with them?

[rob1966]

my guess is you've never driven a car with them?

I must admit when I am in traffic and on the left of a car and see their mirrors light up amber and then red, I'm thinking 1) The driver must be pissed off with that going off constantly and 2) If he can't see a bloody HGV should they be driving ?

I'm not mad on the aids to be honest, I'd rather people actually learnt to drive properly, and use their mirrors and look over their shoulders, rather than rely on electronic aids that can fail. People will come to rely on the orange and red lights and if they pack in and they don't know, and failing electronics is the biggest issue on cars these days, then they will just change lanes without looking and bang, there is a dead motorcyclist. On HGV lessons, you are constantly told to scan your mirrors and you will fail your test if you don't do enough. Even with all the mirrors, I still look over my right shoulder in the truck when changing lanes.

wow, what a great reply.  thanks rob.  very interesting, that! 

(I'll never understand why more drivers don't give big rigs, and their drivers, the respect they deserve)

I do wish car drivers had to go in trucks as a part of lessons, even if just for a look around. Far too many seem to think that a truck stops like a car or can be driven around roundabouts the same. They don't seem to get that an empty unit and trailer weighs around 13,000 kg and if loaded could be weighing up to 40,000 kg, the trailer does not follow the unit, it actually cuts in and that if we aren't careful we can easily roll over.

I had an incident the other week near Rugby where some dickhead woman decided to overtake me approaching a right hand bend, I was doing 50mph, her about 55mph. Luckily for her I saw her in the mirror and luckily for the cars coming the other way I could see them and the biggest thing that saved hers, hers childs and the innocent drivers coming the other ways lives, was I was empty so could brake hard enough and to slow down enough to allow her to miss the cars by about 15ft. If I had have been loaded, I couldn't slow enough and there would have been a fatal head on.

[Drinks Sangria]

Before I moved into my current sector, I was a Logistics and Transport Planner for a well-known distribution giant, I can confirm that 9/10 when there's an accident involving the wagons, it was some stupid twat driver in a car that caused the accident.

Saw some horrible wrecks come back in but thankfully very rarely did the drivers get hurt. I don't think people understand how difficult and different driving a 54 ft wagon with 44 tonnes on the back is. My missus won't even drive my estate because it's 'too long.'

[rob1966]

Before I moved into my current sector, I was a Logistics and Transport Planner for a well-known distribution giant, I can confirm that 9/10 when there's an accident involving the wagons, it was some stupid twat driver in a car that caused the accident.

Saw some horrible wrecks come back in but thankfully very rarely did the drivers get hurt. I don't think people understand how difficult and different driving a 54 ft wagon with 44 tonnes on the back is. My missus won't even drive my estate because it's 'too long.'

I was made up when the started fitting dashcams to the units as at least I know IF I ever end up in a crash, I will be able to prove it was the moron in the car.

My brother drives F/T and has seen a few horrific fatals, including a BMZ Z3 convertible that cut infront of an Artic and ended up with the trailer wheels inside the passenger compartment and two where a car cut in front of an Artic and ended up cartwheeling, with one, kids were coming out of the car as it rolled

[SamLad]

I must admit when I am in traffic and on the left of a car and see their mirrors light up amber and then red, I'm thinking 1) The driver must be pissed off with that going off constantly and 2) If he can't see a bloody HGV should they be driving ?

I'm not mad on the aids to be honest, I'd rather people actually learnt to drive properly, and use their mirrors and look over their shoulders, rather than rely on electronic aids that can fail. People will come to rely on the orange and red lights and if they pack in and they don't know, and failing electronics is the biggest issue on cars these days, then they will just change lanes without looking and bang, there is a dead motorcyclist. On HGV lessons, you are constantly told to scan your mirrors and you will fail your test if you don't do enough. Even with all the mirrors, I still look over my right shoulder in the truck when changing lanes.

when I bought my current car the driver-assist tech was high on my checklist.  in general I find it very useful and is very helpful.

two things in particular:
- at night, in shitty weather, on a crowded highway (motorway) the blind spot warning lights are great.  when visibility is poor - eg snowing hard - and a lot going on at high speed, knowing that someone's just darted into the lane next to you without needing to check over your shoulder is excellent.

- my car has "lane drift" warnings (not sure what the the manufacturers call them) that ding when my wheels are starting to cross lines without signaling.  I've been driving for 50+ years and was surprised how often I was doing that in one particular stretch of road not far from my house - the bend is a bit deceptive and I was cutting it off without even knowing.

agree completely with how these things can become a crutch for ppl too lazy to drive properly.  plus I wonder how young drivers are being taught these days and if they're being told to look over their shoulder. from what I've read, here (Ontario) you simply cannot say "it wasn't my fault - the warning tech didn't alert me" since the onus is on you to take all necessary precautions.

BTW a while back 60 Minutes did a piece about driverless trucks in the US - how they are being tested all over the place but for some weird reason (can't recall details) there is NO government body responsible for standards. they had interviews with a number of long-haul drivers, whose jobs are basically in danger of disappearing.  what's the state of this in the UK?

[Kenny's Jacket]

My Mum is booking a holiday, she has mobility issues so cant do stairs and needs a walk n shower not one over the bath tub.

She wants to book through a travel agent so if her specified hotel requirements are not met by the hotel that they recommend she has someone to turn/complain to.

I can get the same holiday (same dates and hotel) for 200 quid less with "on the beach". has anyone got any experience booking with them and their customer service?

[rob1966]

My Mum is booking a holiday, she has mobility issues so cant do stairs and needs a walk n shower not one over the bath tub.

She wants to book through a travel agent so if her specified hotel requirements are not met by the hotel that they recommend she has someone to turn/complain to.

I can get the same holiday (same dates and hotel) for 200 quid less with "on the beach". has anyone got any experience booking with them and their customer service?

Used on the Beach in that past and everything was fine, flights, transfers, hotel all as advertised, but didn't have to use their customer services, so no idea on that side sorry.

[rob1966]

BTW a while back 60 Minutes did a piece about driverless trucks in the US - how they are being tested all over the place but for some weird reason (can't recall details) there is NO government body responsible for standards. they had interviews with a number of long-haul drivers, whose jobs are basically in danger of disappearing.  what's the state of this in the UK?

The big manufacturers in Europe are working on them, but they still need a driver in the cab. They have one mad idea where they have a lead manned truck and then 2 driverless that follow. Now, this might work OK on a test track, this will in no way work on a motorway. I can just picture the scene where an artic is joining the motorway, truck one moves to lane to to allow the truck to join, truck 2 moves to lane two and wipes out the cars next to it. Of course, they will have built in all kinds of devices to prevent this, so then trucks 2 and 3 stay in lane 1, but now we have a truck in the middle of the convoy that doesn't belong, does this break the chain? If another truck then joins the convoy, what happens if truck 1 leaves the motorway, will the other trucks stay on the motorway?

[CraigDS]

Yeah was reading about those unmanned trucks. I'm not sure they'd work over here currently (maybe in the future when there are a lot of driverless cars which all talk to each other).

However they seemed more likely to start life on long stretches between urban centres (so US, Australia, etc) where they would be driverless on open stretches of road then become manned in the tigher urban areas.

[redbyrdz]

The big manufacturers in Europe are working on them, but they still need a driver in the cab. They have one mad idea where they have a lead manned truck and then 2 driverless that follow. Now, this might work OK on a test track, this will in no way work on a motorway. I can just picture the scene where an artic is joining the motorway, truck one moves to lane to to allow the truck to join, truck 2 moves to lane two and wipes out the cars next to it. Of course, they will have built in all kinds of devices to prevent this, so then trucks 2 and 3 stay in lane 1, but now we have a truck in the middle of the convoy that doesn't belong, does this break the chain? If another truck then joins the convoy, what happens if truck 1 leaves the motorway, will the other trucks stay on the motorway?

I find that less mad than fully automatic cars. Its essentially like driving a massive long trailer, just without the weight. The lead driver will need to be very good in accounting for the length of the convoy. Those issues you point out, that shouldn't be too hard to write into the programming.  The biggest fear I'd have about those is the nutty car deivers that'll try and push into the middle or undertake at an exit etc.
Though I'm not entirely sure if that type of convoy would reduce the need for drivers. Surely you'd still need one in each cab, even if just for the driving to/from the motorway. So in any unusual situation, the truck would probably just alert the driver to take over. Which then means, they are essentially driving anyway.

[rob1966]

I find that less mad than fully automatic cars. Its essentially like driving a massive long trailer, just without the weight. The lead driver will need to be very good in accounting for the length of the convoy. Those issues you point out, that shouldn't be too hard to write into the programming.  The biggest fear I'd have about those is the nutty car deivers that'll try and push into the middle or undertake at an exit etc.
Though I'm not entirely sure if that type of convoy would reduce the need for drivers. Surely you'd still need one in each cab, even if just for the driving to/from the motorway. So in any unusual situation, the truck would probably just alert the driver to take over. Which then means, they are essentially driving anyway.

A car weighs a tonne or so, so when the electronics fail, and they will, its not as bad as when they fail on 40T of artic and it goes out of control. I do NOT trust the tech at all, the collision avoidance systems on the Scanias I drive have triggered for traffic lights, parked cars and once I think it saw a ghost, because there was fuck all in the road. Our kid nearly rolled on a tight bend when his went off in an MAN truck, it had detected a car in a car park on the other side of a fence !!!

Cars will deffo be a massive issue and software developers will not think of everything. We've some devs in my Main job who are a lot better than me at the job who make some monumental fuck ups and I'm like "why did you not think of that?" I was working til half 8 last night fixing something that wasn't tested properly and has caused chaos at work.....

I think the idea with the convoy is that it will arrive at the RDC, the driver will then put each one on a bay and then all be unloaded together. Or they could be parked and a local driver pick it up to do the last leg. Self drive trucks in UK town would be chaos   

[Zlen]

Ok, can someone explain this to me, as I've never purchased a car from a dealer. Do people get some sort of discount for driving around with a huge sticker promoting the dealer shop or are they just thick and can't be bothered asking them to take it off before they drive away with their new car? It's really puzzling to me. Why would you promote someone who made money off you and is not in any way helping you beyond that point.

[Elmo!]

Ok, can someone explain this to me, as I've never purchased a car from a dealer. Do people get some sort of discount for driving around with a huge sticker promoting the dealer shop or are they just thick and can't be bothered asking them to take it off before they drive away with their new car? It's really puzzling to me. Why would you promote someone who made money off you and is not in any way helping you beyond that point.

For me it's purely because I'm a lazy bastard that never got round to removing it.

[Barneylfc∗]

It took me about 4 years to remove the sticker on mine. I want to change the number plates too but don't want to pay for it.

[rob1966]

For me it's purely because I'm a lazy bastard that never got round to removing it.

Same here - I also cannot be arsed changing the plates, both front and rear on mine have the dealers details, but I'm not paying £20 to change them until they won't pass an MOT

[Zlen]

Well, nicely played by the dealers I suppose.
Lot of free advertising for no cost at all.

I might be hypersensitive to this as my work revolves around marketing, but it's interesting to see so many people just rolling around with sometimes pretty huge ads on the back of their cars and not even bother.

[24/7]

Well, nicely played by the dealers I suppose.
Lot of free advertising for no cost at all.

I might be hypersensitive to this as my work revolves around marketing, but it's interesting to see so many people just rolling around with sometimes pretty huge ads on the back of their cars and not even bother.

I had a similar moment of confusion when working in a foreign country that shall remain nameless, for fear of being called racistic or summit.....it's a place where people would leave the transportation/delivery stickers on the windows and/or bodywork, as well as leaving the massive ads on their reg plate surround frames......I was told the reason was so they could pretty much brag, "LOOK AT ME! I HAVE A NEW CAR!"

(Isn't there some rule though that the plates themselves must have a postcode on them, usually relating to the place where the car was registered or bought? I know that's not the same as advertising you got it from [insert dealer name here]...)

[SamLad]

Well, nicely played by the dealers I suppose.
Lot of free advertising for no cost at all.

I might be hypersensitive to this as my work revolves around marketing, but it's interesting to see so many people just rolling around with sometimes pretty huge ads on the back of their cars and not even bother.

try asking for a discount for doing their advertising for them.  I tried it once, the guy looked at me like I was from Mars.

it's the same principle as people walking around with high-end store names /  logos on shopping bags.

[Zlen]

I might not get a discount but would certainly get them to remove their branding from the car after signing the paperwork. Cheeky bastards.

[rob1966]

I had a similar moment of confusion when working in a foreign country that shall remain nameless, for fear of being called racistic or summit.....it's a place where people would leave the transportation/delivery stickers on the windows and/or bodywork, as well as leaving the massive ads on their reg plate surround frames......I was told the reason was so they could pretty much brag, "LOOK AT ME! I HAVE A NEW CAR!"

(Isn't there some rule though that the plates themselves must have a postcode on them, usually relating to the place where the car was registered or bought? I know that's not the same as advertising you got it from [insert dealer name here]...)

Not quite, what a plate does have to show, by law, is the BS mark and who supplied the plate, so if you remove the plate the dealer put on and go to a motor factors, they have to put their details on, usually name and postcode, so you are still advertising someone.

The registration no itself tells you where it was originally registered. Preston licencing office is 'P', so covers plates like PE, PN, PX etc, Manchester and Merseyside is 'M', which caused murder in 2001 as people walked into dealers in Liverpool to collect their new cars, saw MU51 xxx on the plates and told the dealers to "get that fucking plate off my car now" 

[24/7]

Not quite, what a plate does have to show, by law, is the BS mark and who supplied the plate, so if you remove the plate the dealer put on and go to a motor factors, they have to put their details on, usually name and postcode, so you are still advertising someone.

The registration no itself tells you where it was originally registered. Preston licencing office is 'P', so covers plates like PE, PN, PX etc, Manchester and Merseyside is 'M', which caused murder in 2001 as people walked into dealers in Liverpool to collect their new cars, saw MU51 xxx on the plates and told the dealers to "get that fucking plate off my car now" 

Ah yes cheers - it's the plate supplier's postcode that needs to go on, ta!

MU.....oh dear.....

[killer-heels]

I have a semi-detached property that is let out. The neighbours are carrying out extensive roof repairs and work on the party wall, where they have constructed scaffolding on their side.

Should they need to be providing some notice prior to carrying out these works? Its on their side so doesnt cover planning but my understanding of the Party Wall Act (exciting) states notice should be given?

What is are the rights around this?

[Drinks Sangria]

I have a semi-detached property that is let out. The neighbours are carrying out extensive roof repairs and work on the party wall, where they have constructed scaffolding on their side.

Should they need to be providing some notice prior to carrying out these works? Its on their side so doesnt cover planning but my understanding of the Party Wall Act (exciting) states notice should be given?

What is are the rights around this?

You should have received notice ahead of any works commencing, especially seeing as you own the adjoining structure. It's pretty thorough, the 96 act, you should even be telling someone if you're damp-proofing the internal side of your wall that adjoins the neighbour. You're not even meant to but or drill into your side of a shared wall without consent, legally.

You should have received notice in writing 2 months before they started. This should include detail of owner commencing the works, address where the works are to take place, full description of what's taking place including applicable plans/drawings and your proposed start date.

[killer-heels]

You should have received notice ahead of any works commencing, especially seeing as you own the adjoining structure. It's pretty thorough, the 96 act, you should even be telling someone if you're damp-proofing the internal side of your wall that adjoins the neighbour. You're not even meant to but or drill into your side of a shared wall without consent, legally.

You should have received notice in writing 2 months before they started. This should include detail of owner commencing the works, address where the works are to take place, full description of what's taking place including applicable plans/drawings and your proposed start date.

Thought so, thanks. I already had a go at the neighbours for not letting the tenants know.

[SamLad]

Planning a trip, any advice / insight on "things to do / to not miss" in Vienna ... Prague .... Warsaw?

cheers.

[AndyMuller]

Can anyone recommend any decent water filters and are they even worth it?

[redbyrdz]

Can anyone recommend any decent water filters and are they even worth it?

Depends where you live and why you'd want it filtered?

I've always assumed that the tap water in the UK is regularly checked and safe to drink, so there's no need for additional filters.

[Tesco tearaway]

Depends where you live and why you'd want it filtered?

I've always assumed that the tap water in the UK is regularly checked and safe to drink, so there's no need for additional filters.

Tap water in Portsmouth is like drinking rocks; everyone I know down there uses filters.