A random thread for small things that don't really warrant a thread of their own

[hellymedic]

I've just Tweeted these top-slicing crashes seem to be getting more frequent.
I think I've posted similar on this forum previously.

[ian]

I used to live near a low bridge. It was obviously low and clearly signposted well in advance, along with all manner of warnings and even a barrier you had to hit first. It was still a regular target for lorry drivers.

Here's a typical one. I swear it happened every month.

[ElyDave]

There is a bridge like that at Ely railway station, warnings all over the place, big Hi-vis signs, an overpass/level crossing, but it's still apparently the most struck bridge in the country

[LittleWheelsandBig]

The only way to stop a low bridge from being hit is to have even lower bridges either side of it and no intersecting roads between them.

When I was in the structures section of a Highways Agency MAC, a bridge on the A5 got hit, despite impact protection beams on each side. If a truck was going the right speed and was an exact amount too high, it turns out that the load could be dragged under the beams by the truck's inertia and bounce up enough to hit the bridge itself. That was a surprise!

[rafletcher]

There used to be one between Aylesbury and Bicester on the A41. That had break-beam sensors either side that activated flashing stop signs. Yes, it still got hit. Eventually the road was lowered.

[ian]

On a trip to my parental home, I passed two kids sitting in a bus shelter shivering away in their tracksuits. One of them pointed at me and said "hurh, he's wearing a coat, hurh huh" and then his friend made the same noise. I assume they were trying to take the mickey or something. It's unclear because yes, I was wearing a coat on the grounds it was about four degrees, and that seems reasonable.

"Fine observational skills, Sherlock," said I.

"Hurgh? What's that supposed to mean?"

Honestly, this is our future, sat there shivering and under-clothed in a bus shelter trying and failing to insult passing strangers.

I figure there's two sorts of places in the world, ones where – upon seeing you're reading something – they ask what you are reading and ones where they ask why are you reading. I think I grew up in the latter.

ETA: I think I nicked that from Bill Hicks. He's right.

[Jurek]

I feel your pain.
I've done my festive food shopping this morning.
Into the stupormarket, not stupidly early, and out by 09:45.
Job done.
The plan was to collate 99% of my needs, with a possible later return trip for the outstanding 1% which wasn't on the shelves during my first visit.
Thankfully, it doesn't look like there will be a need for the 1% visit.

However, I've just heard from my chauffeuse, Jane: "OMG Sainsburys. I'm out of here"
She's going back at 07.45 tomorrow.

A small part of me, no, a substantial part of me is tempted to go to Sainos tomorrow, not to shop, but to watch people getting totally out of shape because they have left it Too Fucking Late.

I suspect it may be more entertaining than this year's  seasonal offerings on the telly.

[Mr Larrington]

I wanted to visit Mr Sainsbury's House Of Toothy Comestibles today to stock up on Yuletide essentials, viz. fags before departing for Fort Larrington, but gave up as the car park was completely full.

[Jurek]

I wanted to visit Mr Sainsbury's House Of Toothy Comestibles today to stock up on Yuletide essentials, viz. fags before departing for Fort Larrington, but gave up as the car park was completely full.

Forgive me, but your error may've been in taking a car...
No smugness was involved in this post.
Really.

[hellymedic]

It will be less painful to Do Without any 'essential' which you lack than brave the Jungle the supermarkets will be.
Merry Christmas!

[madcow]

There are worse things that can happen in the supermarket.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-42462131   

[hellymedic]

There are worse things that can happen in the supermarket.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-42462131   

Dreadful story!

That poor husband and child will never celebrate Christmas.

My thoughts are with them all.

I usually tell my cab driver that no committee meeting or even train is worth losing your life over.

No Christmas dinner is, either.

[Mr Larrington]

I wanted to visit Mr Sainsbury's House Of Toothy Comestibles today to stock up on Yuletide essentials, viz. fags before departing for Fort Larrington, but gave up as the car park was completely full.

Forgive me, but your error may've been in taking a car...
No smugness was involved in this post.
Really.

Had I taken a bicycle, I should then have had to returned to Larrington Towers to fetch the motor-car, whereas Mr Sainsbury's House Of Toothy Comestibles is as near as makes no odds on the way to the M11.

[Steph]

Where has the family Wowbagger been the last few days? I think we should be told. Hmmmm?

[Cudzoziemiec]

Perhaps Mrs Wow is unfortunately detained...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-42466048


 

[Auntie Helen]

Car was found after 20 years in parking garage in Frankfurt. A 76-year-old car owner was traced by the police and kindly asked him to pick up his car from the car park. The building was about to be demolished. 20 years ago he couldn't find his car anymore and reported it missing. Actually, the car never left its spot. It's now rusty and taken to the scrapyard:
http://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/panorama/Auto-nach-20-Jahren-wiedergefunden-Alte-Liebe-rostet-doch-id43259381.html

[T42]

My cousin's hubby got tableware for Christmas. Apparently it was what he wanted.

[Pickled Onion]

Quote from one of the shallots yesterday:

"Is it true we used to have non-metric currency in this country? Seriously? How did people cope with that?"

 

[andytheflyer]

Quote from one of the shallots yesterday:

"Is it true we used to have non-metric currency in this country? Seriously? How did people cope with that?"

 

Just been explaining, over Christmas lunch, to my 38yo son, who now lives in Canada, that (my) Grandma used to put sixpences in the Christmas pud.  And there were 2 sixpences in a shilling, and 20 shillings in a pound.  And that I used to buy a pint (just before I went to Uni) for half a crown (8 of these to the £), the equivalent of 12.5p today.... And my first salary was £6K. 

Thankfully, they've all gone for a walk, 'cos I feel old..............

[hellymedic]

I love sixpence
Jolly little sixpence...

When I started university, the slot machine in the Ladies took sixpence coins.

They were still legal tender in 1976...

[T42]

When we first came to France the old aluminium coins were still legal tender and people often spoke in terms of them. When they said that something cost "mille francs" you had to decide new or old depending on context. And of course the odd unscrupulous wretch would try to palm old 5 fr pieces off on you in place of new ones. We probably still have a few Vichy francs in a jar somewhere.

[Beardy]

Christmas is nearly over for another year.

[citoyen]

Christmas is nearly over for another year.

Not here - we’ve postponed Christmas until tomorrow. I was up all night rushing to the toilet every few minutes so have spent the day in bed.

My dad, my brother and his wife were also struck down - suspect food poisoning from breakfast at my parents’ on Sunday. Or possibly noro. Luckily my nephew and niece escaped it. Also lucky that we’re having a low-key Christmas so postponing it seemed the best option.

[David Martin]

Quote from one of the shallots yesterday:

"Is it true we used to have non-metric currency in this country? Seriously? How did people cope with that?"

 

You would have a handy book like this
20171223_133231 by David Martin, on Flickr
which contained ready reckoning tables such as these:
20171223_133249 by David Martin, on Flickr
20171223_133310 by David Martin, on Flickr
20171223_133319 by David Martin, on Flickr
20171223_133332 by David Martin, on Flickr
20171223_133348 by David Martin, on Flickr

This was my father-in-law's and now sits on my museum shelf with the four figure tables and slide rule.

[hellymedic]

Silvine exercise books used to have multiple tables on their back covers...