Club Arnage

I have been logging on to Club Arnarge for the past 12 months (in fact it was exactly this time last year after seeing your T-shirts at Le Mans) and have always found it to be a most imformative sight run by sports car enthusiasts.

What I saw on Houx Annexe on Sunday night has changed my mind about CA members.

I had passed one particular groups campsite at various times during the weekend but as I passed it after the occupants had left I was appalled at the mess left behind after you had departed.

A collapsed gazebo, empty beer and champagne bottles and general rubbish were left in a pathetic attempt at clearing up.

I am a firm believer in leaving as you find and I'm sure that these people would not want to arrive at the campsite and be confronted by this pile of waste and rubbish.

This sort of behaviour only attracts rats and travelling folk ( whom I beleive you people call "Pikeys") and is a sad reflection of the English abroad.

You know who you are, you in your Club Arnage shirts and your MG sports cars, please be more considerate next year.

Disgusted of Houx Annexe >:(

This sort of thing isnt very good and lets the side down...

BUT...

to direct it at one particular group is a little unfair as was a similar picture the place over.

I agree that there was an apauling mess on MB Blue etc. However I would like to point out the faliure of the ACO to provide enough refuge dumps.

There was not a single bin on MB until Wednesday!!, The bin was overflowing for more than a day before any attempt was made to empty it. When we left; all our rubbish was collect put in sacks and placed next to the bin. Our plot was cleaner then when we arrived.

I feel it is unfair to point blame as many people spread their rubbish out when clearing up. Monday Morning most groups had spread out covering more ground as they broke their equipment down.

However I agree if you left rubbish anywhere other then next the bin or IN it, then you should be ashamed of yourself.

I think it is a problem all over the track, as Rick has pointed out there are just not enough bins and/or they are not emptied often enough.

I have to say the parts of MB near us looked pretty smart considerng the nature of the festivities and the amount of booze everybody shipped.  There's always one member of every group who lets the side down but in general I thought CAers were a pretty good bunch.

"We people" do not all call travellers "pikeys" - I for one have never been caught using the expression so don't lump us all into the same category because you've had a bad experience.

When we go back to the circuit in 3 weeks for the Classic, the place will be pristine again so can I just say full marks to the organisers and their helpers for the clearing up work they do and for organising positively the best race on the planet. :D

ACO do not help the situation.
There were bins for rubbish in Bleu Nord when I arrived on Wednesday morning, but the ones near where people were already camping were full.
None of the bins on this site were emptied while we were there, result was huge piles of rubbish next to them, and then people gave up and left the rubbish on the pitchs.

I don't agree that it is unfair, this group of what I can only describe as ruffians should be made an example of as a lesson to all you other bugs.

If I see them acting in such an irresponsible way next year I'm affraid I will have to confront them. I's not as if they were young folk who didn't now any better, they were mature adults and I use the word adult very loosley.

What sort of example is this to set to the younger generation of Le Mans fans.
My God if this sort of behavior continues the place will end up tantermount to a pigsty

Ruffians and vagabonds all of you

Disgusted of Houx >:(

Is this message a windup or something as the language of "ruffins" etc seems to be a pit to funny and over the top to be true!!

Or are you just of an 'older' generation?

Either way it wasnt good but hey there's no need to jump down everyones throat about it!

Yes! and just in time for "You people" to mess it up again

I would be careful what how you are posting because you are already starting to offend me by constaintly branding everyone on CA as appauling.

Our space had not one scrap of rubbish in it when we left and we took all the bottles etc to the recycling station on our way back.  If everybody recycled then the bins wouldn't get so full.  However, let's lobby the ACO for more bins next year if this really is the route of the problem.  Maybe a bottle bank or several on each of the sites?

Listen chum, if you want some confronting don't wait till next year, tell me where you live and I'll confront you now. 

Plenty of bins on Bleu Nord, but they were never emptied

OK so we'll lobby them to empty them more often.  "Disgusted" might have a point but his way of getting it over is just full of the prejudices he seems to be accusing us of.
Ultimately though, we bring all the stuff in so what's wrong with taking some of our own rubbish home again?  Come on disgusted - the majority of people cleared up properly and didn't whinge about the fact that there was not enough bin space - they left the place as they found it.

Every so often there needs to be skips for all the rubbish - this would significantly reduce the problem...

the number/ size of the bins for the number of people and amount of rubbish that they in turn generate... was wholly inadequate.

yes and i was disgusted by the toilets having a 4"wastepipe which wasnt nearly big enough for my 5"t@rds!!
PM

I have posted on the ACO forum re this subject and will have a chat with the organisers when I pick up the Classic tickets.  Stop moaning - get lobbying.

The bins on BSJ were emptied a couple of times, but even that was not nearly enough. 200,000 people camping for 4 days plus generate a lot of waste. No where to put it will generally result in a mess. The binmen also were only emptying what was in the bins, so the black bags and boxes surrounding the bins were not being taken. Really the ACO need to get several large skips in each campsite and have them emptied every day - this might ease the refuse situation.  It was interesting to note that the Kreusjer people (bunch of Dane tour party) who had fenced off what I thought was an overly large section of BSJ (I would love to know the legality of this - may'be there grass was more expensive) had a skip in there compound and it was noticeably cleaner than the rest of the campsite.

All I have to add to this is that I was on H/A and every effort was made to leave our rubbish by the bin which was only emptied once in 5 days !!!! a skip is required for the rubbish for that amount of campers.
As for the toilet/shower facilitys on the north west side of H/A they were spotless the whole weekend and a big shout out should go to the boys and girls who maintained them especialy Thierry who kept insisting I share a Pastis with him every time I went there !!! ;D ;D

I too was most alarmed by this news. How come you had champagne.....we only had beer and that got left out in the sun  :P

I always call pikeys pikeys, seems more polite than theiving gipsy b!"£$%^s :o

Suggest 'Disgusted' tries the Loius Vitton Concourse d'elegance at Pebble Beach, i'm not aware of any litter problem there ???

Unless its a wind up.......??

Re-Cycle

Now every year we all purchase thousands of little glass bottles and pile them up.
They come in cardboard boxes, and we scrunch them up.

3 little bins dotted around and all would be eco friendly.

My group always walk back over our pitch, check for lost kit, and sweep up clean, leaving as we arrived.

There are lots of people who liv e differeently to others and regardless of which t-shirt they wear, not everyone should be put in the same boat.

There were rude people wearing aston martin shirts, but i am guessing you havent written to them ?

Please join in the forum and be an adult with valid points, not just to be a nuisance if people disagree with you.

I must admit that the shower and toilet blocks on the our part of the annexe where the cleanest yet. On Monday morning I had a shower before the drive back and everything was still clean with a plentiful suppy of hot water. Apart from a couple of the shower heads being stolen over the weekend (why ??? ) every thing was fine.

I wish someone had offered me a pastis every time I used them , Maybe that's somthing we can lobby the ACO about ;D


Robbo, I don't suppose there is any good news concerning your wallet?

We had no real problems in La Musee but I have to agree with Robbo in that it is wrong either to assume that we all have the same level of consideration or that just because someone is wearing a t shirt or whatever that person will follow some simple rules.
The suggestion of a bottle bank, cardboard bank, unless some plonker sets fire to it, is excellent and in the long run it would save money on clearing up the mess. Maybe a few walk in skips strategically placed would not go amiss For the numbers of people involved the refuse collection proceedure is pathetic and along with a number of other things its about time the ACO got upto speed.

We have 1558 Club Arnage members, to brand the entire membership based on a few messy people is bang out of order. Please find something else to post about or go to another web forum if you only want to complain ! >:(

I am responding directly to this thread as I have received a 'Report to Moderator' notification about this post concerning 'Disgusted of Houx'.

I was camped close to the area referred to in the first post.  I can confirm that, come 09:00 on Monday morning, the collapsed gazebo, poles etc had all been removed by various local visitors to the site, complete with their trucks and estate cars.

Hence, the mess was recycled within 12 hours of Sunday night mentioned in the first post - as was a great deal of other unwanted camping equipment throughout HA, and, no doubt, other campsites.

end of discussion?

We had 21 of us and made every effort to keep our camp clean.  We had to treck for ten mins to find a bin, bought bin bags but it still looked like a pig sty when we left as the bins were not emptied all weekend.  21 blokes = a lot of bottles and a lot of rubbish.
Bottle banks would also be a good idea at different locations at each camp site.

I hate littering but what can you do other than load it into your car and take it home?

Bottle banks is the greatest idea - lets get a campaign going for next year ;)

Great - post on my "Poubelle" thread on the ACO forum - let's get this under their noses.  Maybe a flood of letters too?

I would but dont u have to be an ACO member?

............thats rich considering two of our guys had to restrain a "French National" from stealing from tents in MB sat night!!!

No, you don't.

I'll post then :)

I'll post a comment in reply.

I assume that the comment was aimed at the part of the site which we CA members were sharing with some friends of mine.

They left the Beer mountain they built and which they always have an artistic endeavour with in place for the appreciation of others, but near the full to overflowing bins.

Two bins near the gazebo both filled up before they left.

Some items of camping equipment that there was little room for in their cars after "shopping" for cheapo's no doubt, too.

I wasn't on camp when they left but they had decided to leave the Gazebo for the pikeys as they also left some chairs.  As the wind increased during the early afternoon the gazebo started to collapse in the wind onto my car, the green one, OK?

My MG friends who didn't bring it, but were grateful for its use had to take it down for safety to stop the thing blowing all over the site and causing extra damage.

To the amazement of some of my friends the pikeys were swarming all over our camp even as we stood there and had started taking their first pick, the usual stuff, chairs, poles from the gazebo and uncooked food which had been binned.

Unfortunately we forgot to leave our generator for the nice pikeys unlike last year when they had that on Thursday night, gosh I am sorry.

There seems to be a case here for camping on Houx instead, maybe I will request Houx from the ACO today...

The site is less susceptible to adverse weather and those ruffians on HA will not then affect me.

If you were so unhappy that you wished to pick a punch-up you could have had one with me, I was the semi crippled one...

The items left were not left by those on camp with the MGs and I take exception to your inferences. Like many on HA we "share" with friends.

I wonder if you have any.

Well said Bill

I only heard about that the following morning. Wish we'd caught that f**k*ng  pikey.

Rusty

I was one of the MG people (Austin Healey actually but lets not get petty).
As Purdu mentioned, the scavengers were scavenging our site at 4.00pm on the Sunday, an hour before the race had even ended. I think they expected us to be track side and not in the camp. Draw your own conclusions about the timing of their visit.
Apart from the beer bottles (plus one sentinel Languistine)  and a gazebo, what was actually left behind?
Perhaps you thought you were at the Chelsea flower show?
"Disgusted of Houx" My pm is shown on my profile so perhaps we could exchange telephone numbers and continue this conversation in more depth. :)

We left the pikeys a coolbox, a gazebo, and a barbecue.

They could have used the coolbox, and even if they didn't have a use for it, weighed the gazebo poles and bbq in.

The bins near me on HA were overflowing by Friday morning, and I saw one rubbish pile that looked like Everest on Sunday morning. I never saw anyone emptying them at all.

The bin nearest to me in bleu nord was full and with a big pile of overflow when I arrived on Tuesday afternoon, by the time I packed up on sunday the stack was so big there was a danger of blocking the access road!  No sign of anyone emptying any of the bins at any time during the week . 

I left the pikeys a neat little stack of some empty plastic water bottles and a bit of stale bread - with things being a bit spartan at camp fran I dont make much mess.   ;D

This HAS to be a piss-take. C'mon own-up.......

Indeedie - next time I will leave a lobster on guard - the "cleaners" turned up a bit quick!

A 2 man tent, a gazebo and a BBQ; I thought they did well.....

Least we get some shade next year....

Oh and the bubbly was to avoid the *cough* prices at the poo bar, we just got a tad carried away....

As per Gary, feel free to get in touch.......

Bill, Gary and Toby - as per my earlier post, I can confirm that your remaining items were picked clean by 09:00 Monday morning - no mess remaining.

It was a pleasure to camp along side you.

Likewise - maybe a Cobra or two next year eh?

Unfortunatly we only confirmed that he had an Irish Lads bag when Security had arrived and then they wouldnt give him back! They didnt think the police would be intersted (too busy fund raising from motorist) but promised to mace him before letting him go (Do I believe that???).
Next time we would give him an capture massage, debag him, identify as a theif him across his forehead, tie him too a post and invite all to show their appriciation of a thieving Ba**ard.

Hi all

I wa by the hole in the wall, as usual, on HA the bins were emptied twice on Sunday which I believe to  be the only times.

There was some mess left across from me but that was by the Danes.

Oh, and some french girls knocked over the beer mountain that Nordic and his team made, much to the delight of their parents.

Hope you all had a good one...

Martini...

This is indeed a piss take ! You pay 75 Euros for a Houx pitch. This should include the 'room service' I think. No really, to leave the beer walls which were hard work to erect is ok for me. The bottles are easier to collect this way than fishing them out of the bins, anyway. You should see the Nuerburgring after the 24Hs race. Damn, I missed to vacuum clean my pitch before leaving. ::)

Steve, thanks for the confirmation of that good news. As always you and your friends were perfect neighbours, Bob U too.

A bientot.


if the illiterate one wants to have a go, I am very available.


p!ss take?

try again!

orf to watch England now, catch you all later.

 :)

Was that aimed at me ? ;D Good luck.

OK, we were camped next to this lot and I can confirm that the mess was nothing short of a disgrace.  Forget any excuse re Pikeys and such they spent their time sitting amongst utter filth.  This was not a case of leaving behind crap they actually spent their time living with it during the stay.  The only reason it wasn't more apparant was that our gazebo covered the mess.

I want to make it clear that our group were not responsible for the mess left by this group who were middle aged, wealthy individuals and not young ruffians.

We were the group with a Quattro banner and Canal banner.

They were a disgrace, their is no excuse for the mess they sat amongst and ultimately left behind.

Darren

............indeed...seems like the only criminals in Le Mans at this time of year are British motorists!!

Oh dear, I think I may have caused a bit of a mess.  I had a lot of lettuce left over from the doner kebabs and there was all the boxes that the fish and battered sausages were in.

Maybe I should have swept it into a better heap.  I'm sure the locals will sort it out though  :-\

Hi Felix, somehow our paths never crossed, was looking forward to some proper British cooking, but never mind.  Might have caught a glimpse of your rig going through Argentan on Monday morning while with the SPS patrol were returning to barracks, was that you 8)

Some thiefing bastards dragged a bag out of the side of my mates tent during the night on Friday night, went through it and nicked his mobile phone and then dropped the clothes by his tent.

My dirty clothes littering the entrance to my tent probably put them off doing the same to my clothes bag ! ;D

Also heard a group in the ACO building reporting that they had grandstand seats stolen from their tent the same evening.

Spider.......did you get home ok? I think your wife was a bit concerned when the SPS bus turned up to meet her and you weren't on it!!!

Have you got that right? I thought they were expected to leave the seats in the stands, not take them back to their tent. Perhaps it was the ACO that reclaimed them.

The bins in Expo were emptied several times a day including in the middle of the night.  Was rather a surprise at 5am Thursday when the dustcart woke me up!

We were in hA also, bins near us were never emptied at all from thursday onwards >:(
And one of the guys next to us lost his tent and contents on sunday before the end of the race, thieving gits :(

We had a goped nicked early Friday morning.  God alone knows what time,but we were watching videos till gone 3

I'd like to thank Houx and Houx Annexe for the Fireworks displays, you get an excellent view from Chapelle [it's only advantage] and I also got round the roundabout on Friday evening without getting soaked or crashed into this year.

However I did cringe at what sounded like a nasty crash on Sunday evening form the Houx area.

D.A.

Whilst reviewing the evidence and having met the people we maybe refering to.....


Have we got our wires crossed ??

Bill and Co are not slobs, are respectable people with years of experience at LM ??

Judges rules suggest Darren maybe talking about differnet groups to that of Disgusted with Houx.


Either that or there will be a great bun fight on HA next year. Friday night, 2000hrs.......

Wind up in my humble estimation.



Oh, and the aid of Admin tools.  ;D


Chill people!!  8) 8) 8)


After we failed to take down our partially filled pool on Monday despite lots of warning from the nice Johnnies from Control and the four goons in the car, they kindly emptied it for us while we were out shopping on Tuesday. Next year I'm hoping they'll erect my tent...

Go on, tell us who :-*

No.  :)

On litter, most people on Bleu Sud (we were among the last to leave) stuck everything in bin liners, and piled them up. However, the pikeys who were about from Sunday evening onwards ripped them all apart looking for stuff...

Twas indeed a nasty accident. Young French woman in a Picasso pulling out of Houx/Houx Annexe junction got hit by a speeding out-of-control Carman copy driven by two English guys. Both the guys had to be extracted by Fire crews on back boards

Oh dear
 The story we heard is that it was a young French couple leaving on their honeymoon that pulled out in front of a UK reg Porker, the woman passenger in the Porker was apparently in a bad way.

Whatever the true version is, the emergency sevices attended in force and were on the scene for about an hour.

Catchpole, Peter Catchpole! It's got to be what with his continuous rants against the "HA ruffians". Come on FS, time to fess up!

I believe they are all OK - certainly still alive. :)

Not even warm. I'll fess up when it gets to 100 replys cos I've never had that.

But you guessed right, a wind up, no offence meant

If it is you Peter
I will Reply so you get to the 100 mark. You helped me do it.

I can freely admit that it is not ME in any shape or form.  I may have had a small gib at our dear friends over at HA over the weeks but even I would not have called in to question their cleanliness in public like this.

Those that have known me over the years will know that i send quite a few PM's regarding personal matters, preferring this method rather making it public.

Although I do know who hoax the culprit is as they have sent me an email admitting it.

I shall leave it to this individual to come clean in their own time.

Well it wasn't me!
This thread has caused more of a mess than we did at HA.
Disgusted of Haux, have the courage to fess up now and save us the boredom of having to wait for the 100th post. >:(

I think we should have us a lynching - perhaps at Donnington  ::)

(http://research.history.org/Historical_Research/Research_Themes/ThemeRevolution/Loyalist/tar_and_feather.jpg)

Hope you are referring to the culprit that started all this off.

I understand he'll be there.

I have had a PM from the rotter himself and I can now state publicly that the whole sordid episode is behind us.
I appreciate the blaggards honesty in putting his hand up and confirm that I will be buying him a beer myself when next we meet, to show him (for it is indeed a man) that there is no malice.
Just as well that he contacted me in the nick of time as I was at that very moment, dusting off my trusty old dueling pistol.
The honor of the middle aged MG Clan has been upheld and I will rest easy this evening in my bed.
I would publicly like to thank those who stood up to support us in our time of need

Gary (on behalf of the messy HA MG Clan)

The Shame of it

Yes it is and to think I was considered to be the culprit, isn't about time the fool owned up 8)

come on, just fess up, delte the user and save the mans pocket who pays for the space.

if not i'll just sit here being an idiot.

and keep needlessly replying

the person seems to have taken an early shower

I was Michael Owen?!  :o

(btw FS - are you aware that those pinks fungus thingies are multiplying?  :-\)

Fran, they are pygmy seahorses and are just a few millimeters in height, some of my shots when i was last in the water with my camera's.  just thought it would be a change from racing cars, the images will change with time.

very cute..

Jesus, I've just lynched myself. What more do you want

Bob are you saying it was you?

Yes Yes Yes for fucks sake Yes

 ;D - nice one!  - did you reach your 100 yet?

Gave up Fran I couldn't handle the guilt knowing I had inadvertantly upset some friends of mine

The world is now back in it's harmonious state.
Rest easy, safe in the knowlege that all is as it should be in Club Arnage.(http://www.westvision.us/pages/digitalart/digitalbuddha/pages/Calm%20Abiding.htm)

Its not over, humiliation is not done yet!!  my lips are sealed. :-X

Forget it guys its not worth it.
All I can say is I hope MB is clean and tidy when the Cobra club turn up in 2 weeks time ;D ;D ;D

"HARMONIOUS STATE?"

Whatya on about?

Been harmonious for days then you wake us all up again...

Never mind Bob, it had to be a good egg somehow, din't it?

Any way I'm off to emulate the Garaiy Lama in his harmoniousness.


ommm ommm ommm ommmmnnnnnzzzzzzzzzz..........

:-*


bill

Here's 'Disgusting of Houx' tidying up his campsite  ::)

(http://static.flickr.com/59/172861693_271fb42e85_b.jpg)

Oh no, that makes me feel worse...

We put out the flames on "our" gazebo when the wind started knocking it around into the smudge candles and into my car...

Should'a let 'er rip. (and moved the cars)

hmm some other time maybe!

 :o

Very sensible, drought order in place, everything tinder dry, highly inflammable material nearby, hot windy conditions and some Lemon  Bob U starts a fire.

What sort of punishment should be metered out GLOBAL MODERATOR, hmmmh

Chucky made me do it

Bob, now, hopefully you can see what happens when you camp over on Houx Annexe, we did warn you.  Perhaps you'll think about throwing your lot in with us over in MB  8)

Get away from the ruffians you know they are a bad influence on sensitive people like you.

I did visit MB on a couple of occasions and must admit it did look rather more refined than HA. But, if nothing else I am loyal to my fellow HAers and will continue to patronise this wonderful plot of French countryside. I have gotten used to BBQed food when it has a fine coating of dust to compliment the marinade. I would miss the annual Sunday afternoon Pikey fest and the ritual gazebo sacrifice.

Besides I spent 12 quid customising my CA shirt to reflect my loyalty.

That's interesting Bob about your allegiance to HA, every time I looked up at DfH/Team JPC campsite there you were throwing back another Tropicoma, to be honest I thought you had joined our gang.  Must of been a heat mirage or similar. 8)

Well, well, well.

Wish I had been able to view this and sign up sooner I may have seen that one coming, eh Bob?

Good mug though.

Oh and..

Hello to everyone who don't not know me here, innit!

Here's 'Disgusting of Houx' tidying up his campsite  ::)

In the great Sebring tradition If you dont want to take it homeBURN IT ;D

That caddy was on my speedcabins boat home, very cool car  8)

Never mind the Caddy, Dave. What about the 2006 24 Arses?  ???

2006 24 arses are on their way, i am going through the arduous task of ranking all i have and compiling the list and then i will have to sit here building page upon page of arse.

Tough job i konw but i feel up to it.

i will post when up  ;D

Did you get the pics I e mailed you Dave?

yes thanks bob, some days i do enjoy my job, just sat here and in pops an email full of arse  8)

Dave, did you take that mirror-on-a-stick you were talking about?  :o ;)

thats not a stick  :o ::)

Fnar fnar....

I knew this shot would come in useful ;)

Nice one Bob didn't see that one coming!! If only I had time to actually read all the posts when they go up on here I'd have added my tuppence worth!!

Still we'll leave the wind ups alone for now eh?? ;)

I'll tell you something else that pisses me of.

Last night I was driving out of London on the M4 at 11pm expecting to get home via the M25 and M40 and when I get to the M25 sliproad it is coned off. No previous warning, no matrix signs, f**ck all. On top of that, half a mile after I had been made to carry on on the M4 some tosser had decided to use cones to turn a 3 lane motorway into a 1 lane road, all the extra traffic caused by the sliproad closure was backed up for miles and all because, (when we finally passed the reason for the lane closures), someone somewhere had decided that a lamp-post needed painting at the very time there was double the usual traffic.

2 1/2 bloody hours it took me to get from Kew Gardens to Penn, which is all of 15 miles.


If this thread turns into a Grumpy Old Men thread then good, cos a good whinge never did anyone any harm.

Good. Serves you right for being a grumpy f*cker.

I can never understand all this road rage, if the lamp wasn't working you'd be moaning about you road fund license money not being spent on road maintenance.  As they were; you're upset there was a slight delay, I always leave in plenty of time and make sure that the speed limit isn't exceeded, no point getting into a lather about it.

If you want something to moan about did you see the programme about DWP fraud last night!  7 million GBP a day is paid in fraudulent claims A DAY and they are the ones they know about!!  sounds like the bloody home office.

Hey! An M4 rant thread!

A few months ago there was a closure of the elevated section, right to J3 IIRC, for scheduled works. The agency that runs the M4 works did everything right, and traffic was diverted onto the A4.

However, there was a closure of the part of the A4 which runs parallel to the M4, due to scheduled works. The agency which runs the A4 works did everything exactly right.

It turns out that they are different agencies, and didn't talk to one another about their plans...... people were many many hours in their cars that night...

And another thing talking of the M4. traveling into London yesterday evening I only saw 1 bus in the bus lane while the other 2 lanes wre chocker with nose to tale slow moving traffic.
 What's all that about?
 who's stupid idea was that?

GGGGHHRRRRR It makes me so angry

Dartford f**k*ng toll bridge, why when we are supposed to be cutting polloution and trying to save petrol do the Gov create a traffic jam just so they can charge you one flipping pound for a bridge that was supposed to be free once it was paid for via the toll?

The times I have queued from past the A127 just to toss a coin are beyond measure.

The peoples republic of Camden and their total hatred of cars gridlocked 100% of the time 24/7 due to road improvements. :-[

A bit late on this one but...
People used to bring cars to the Indy 500 or USGP at the Glen specifically for BURNING!
Hey! No bitching about the state of the roads in the UK until you've been over here to see the disasters we call Interstates, most of which look like they've been used for carpet bombing pratice by B-52's.
Fax

Ah, I well rememer when the bridge was being built - I was commuting at the time between Cranbrook and Harlow.  The night they found a bomb, I got home at 5 o'clock the following morning, just in time to grab breakfast and head back.  You mean they haven't paid for it yet?
Move to France, that's what I say. ;)

Yes the M4 is a joke, and the busiest motorway in the world.  Even the stretch between Newbury and Swindon could only manage 5 mph last Friday and Sunday

You may have noticed That I have re-named this thread to reflect the direction it was heading. I do believe that we all need a good whinge and moan occasionally. So go for it and vent your spleen here (whatever that means) grizzle and gripe about anything that pisses you off.

I am convinced that this thread can outrun Zarses outdated Commer thread and Robs overrated G-Day thread.

Go on boys have a damn good moan, you'll feel better for it.

I will retire gracefully now but I will be popping in from time to time to make sure you are all being a bunch of miserable bastards.

Yours bloody faithfully

Disgusted of Houx

BTW  have you met my best friends

Bl**dy grumpy old men and women, please!
Yours bl**dy faithfully, termietermite (Mrs) >:(

Serves ya right, you should have cycled it! 

Yours in sweetness and light

Fran  :)

Go f yourself

those were the days 8)

hey bring back the swedish chef !!!!! ;D

Aha, carpet bombing! There's a really good idea for the M25, what a disgrace that is... And the M1, my God what good is it? Truly the road to hell.


grump...grump...grump

(Hey BobU, do I got the general idea here?)

 ;D ;D ;D

Most motorways are a bloody nightmare these days, and why do people have to stick at 65mph in the middle lane? whats wrong with the inside lane??? Not wishing to be racisist, but they always seem to be driving Datsun's and the drivers are very well tanned - why, whats wrong with these people???

Right my rant!! Why am I having to argue the final £40 out of one of our party this year. Next year money all up front! Including the food, wine, entry fuel, etc.

There is always one! And he logs on here here from time to time. He will be named in two weeks if he hasn't paid.

Yes it is only £40 but it is more the principle that he doesn't understand the effort that is put in!
[/b]

I loved Clarkson's comment about the Bluebird  "I know they're made in Sunderland, but do they actually make new ones, they all seem to be 10 years old" 

And doing 65 in the middle lane.  Its a b@$tard of a job getting the caravan past them.

they're all (free) members of the MLA (Middle Lane Association) :-\

seems to be the only club that's still growing by the day ::)

Except CA and DfH!!!

Agree wholeheartedly with you there, Lorry.  Much flashing of headlights, and they point to the outside lane.  They don't seem to know that we are not allowed in the third lane when towing.

Have to admit to 'undertaking' on several occasions   ::) ::) ::)

Del

Have to admit it's so much fun outdragging another car from standstill while towing a caravan though (http://forum.drinkingforholland.com/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif)

Have to admit, Paddy, when dragging 1600Kgs of 'van, I don't outdrag very much, although it has been done.  I can cruise comfortably at 70-75mph, but it takes a while to get up there.

Del

Given the gawdawful road congestion that the UK suffers - it's probably about time that overtaking on the inside was allowed (gasps of horror?) So many people 'under-take' out of sheer frustration anyway (I know I did).
Whilst the practice is not encouraged here, as long as you are aware that someone may come blasting past you on the inside, traffic does seem to keep moving better here, most of the time - or is it just that our interstates are often 12 lanes wide?

It's just a nice sight looking at their face in your mirror, when two lanes go into one, and they have to give way to the caravan too ;D

It is also a 'state of mind' thing, Matt.

Used to travel a lot on business in the US, around Boston but mainly in Phx, AZ, and the 'right turn on red' takes a bit of getting used to.  It is drummed into you here that red light means STOP.  Full stop.  Having said that, I used to enjoy the driving in the US (out of town) - driving across the desert, air conditioning going, listening to KNIX, watching the road runners........a few years ago though.

Del

Yes that right turn on red took me a bitr of time, especially straight off an all night plane journey from Blighty to Salt Lake City in the middle of the night, not really best frame of mind, big city, new car, wrong side of teh road and going through reds is OK? Makes sense though when you get your head around it.

And yes the Bonneville Speed Week was fantastic, well worth a visit.

Sorry wrong thread, must be grumpy................ >:(

middle lane b****stards!!! No traffic just you and him. You doing 70 no more no less down the 'slow lane' tw**t doing less in middle lane. WHY????? When the road is trafficed, this driving turns 3 lanes into 2 lanes thus making more conjestion!!!

These idiots should get pulled and ticketed it is dangerous driving for efs sake!!

I still from time to time turn right on red! That's what you get after living in the states for 2 years, did not get a ticket yet, it does make sense doesn't it, makes the flow of traffic a lot better. As for the midlane idiots, we don't have a lot of them overhere, since most of our roads are two lanes, at least in the south, but we do get the poofters that overtake in the left lane while only doing 60 mph and they don't move over, usually on sundays they come out.

SPEEDBUMPS!!!!!!!!!! >:( >:( >:(

Those great big ones made of bricks, not just lumps of tarmas but big brick ones!!

If you know wokingham, Priest Avenue is a great example. No matter how slow i go over them in my Mini, it scrapes the front, and my car isn't stoopid low. God knows how you cope if you had a Lotus/Porsche/Ferrari low type thing and they put them in your road.

My inlaws have them on their street (Priest Avenue) and they have gone through 2 cats on the mum in laws pug 206 in as many yaers as the bumps make it loose!!!

AARRRGGGGHHH SPEED BUMPS!!!!!!!!!!

Yup, know it well (and avoid it). They used to have the same ones in Rances Lane. Then they removed them and installed "pinch points" in the road.

I don't understand why some roads qualify for so much attention where others which deserve something get none.

Nothing to do with where local councillors live is it?

btw an interesting (but probably false) fact I read is that where locals successfully petition for speed cameras, the most often caught people are....locals

There's no easy answer to slowing Rat runs down, the Pinch Points in Rances lane are the opposite progression from speed humps that they had on the Birchetts Green road between the A4 and the Henley Road roundabout, they installed humps after a number of head on crashes (some with serious injuries) at pinch points caused by idiots racing to demand their right of way and speeding through them. But people were going too fast past a Junior School so something had to be done, it's the same in Emmbrook, the impatience of Rat runners past the 2 schools is unbelievable (even at School opening time) - even though its been made a 20mph zone(Women are the worst). The Pillow humps we have on Toutley road seem to be a good comprimise, they do slow people down but are not excessively intrusive and better than the original humps right across the road (I once saw a refuse truck completely airborne over one - much to the amusement of the numbskull crew - not intelligent enough to consider the consequences of a bad landing). So Where as I hate them as much as anybody for knackering my exhaust, suspension and tracking, I wish there was a better alternative?

Cranbrook High Street (Kent) anybody?
There used to be a load of these horrors in Craven Arms High Street too, until the locals complained about the noise of all the lorries leaping over them in the early hours of the morning.  Now they are just large flat red squares - people power rules!

Setting aside the skin-colour/Daily Mail type arguements, I agree Dave. Middle lane hoggers are bastards. They insist on driving in the "Medium" lane, not too fast and not too slow. Bastards! Well, I'm afraid I've been known on occasions to swerve in front of them, missing their front bumper by about a bee's dick as I pull back into the inside lane. Learn to f**k*ng pull over! We drive on the left in this country and that means on motorways too, and that means YOU.

Hang on a minute, when it was annouced some time back that the governement were going to use the signs on motorways to remind people to drive on the left and use the inside lane, a lot of the forum members, including Mr Z started whinging on about the "Nanny State".
I don't like CLOD's (Centre Lane Owner Drivers) either and sometimes do the same as Mr Z describes (Especially when on the Bike).

Can't have it both ways and whinge about the Nanny State when somebody tries to do something about a problem.

I do think we are a bit of a nanny state though especially with some labelling and "so called" health and safety" issues.

There I've had my 6 pence worth on this one.

I like this thread  ;D

Next rant - School Run Mums!!!!

Bastards the lot of them. I live on Seaford Road, right between 2 little schools. Full of little ones, juniors & infants i think. Now i grew up in Southampton, a city, biggish, baddish, well compared to Wokingham anyways. I always walked to and from school. Not too far, probably 20 mins each way but enough for little legs. Then i went to big school in Winnersh and cycled. Thats right all teh way through school i made my own way there, with mums help when very small. Why then, does no one walk these days?

Every morning and afternoon my street fills up with 4x4,s and Espace type things to pick up 1 little one. They all have roof boxes as well but that is another rant. I have never seen such concentration of road rage and arguements, all from mums with kids in the car. Traffic warden gets sworn at, horns blaring (yeah thanks just got my 16 month to sleep) shouting, screeching tyres etc etc. We are a terraced street so parkings a premium anyway and then these tw@'s turn up. They park across my driveway, they have refused to move to let me in and out before and i have to get out and threaten to get them to move!! And what makes it worse, fairly small town this with small catchment areas, i see these same cars parked not 2 streets away at their home. Today its a lovely day, and they drive!!! WALK FOR EFFS SAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 >:( >:(

and relax

They can't walk 'cos they might get run over by all the 4x4s.

...........opps

Don't you just hate this heat,  hot, hot, hot, women with hardly anything on!  just come back from the beach, the sights down there! should be ashamed of themselves, you'd think we were in Cyprus on Ayia Napa beach!!!

Have to admit to 'undertaking' on several occasions   ::) ::) ::)

I'll just add:-

each journey

Bloody Aberdeenshire.

Necessary requirements to receive an Aberdeenshire driver's licence...

1. A face to put on the licence
2. Money to pay all required licensing fees


Basic skills taught by Aberdeenshire driving instructors...
1. It is absolutely crucial to slam your brakes on if you see any flashing lights ahead of you or on the side of the road.
2. It is absolutely crucial to slam your brakes on if you see brakes lights less than 1 mile in front of you.
3. It is necessary to test your brakes no less than 3 times during each 5 mile stretch of road.
4. Bright sunlight and driving is a deadly combination, reduce your speed by 45MPH on sunny days.
5. Rain and driving is a deadly combination, reduce your speed by 55MPH on rainy days.
6. Snowy roads can only be successfully navigated by Sport Utility Vehicles at high speeds.
7. Indicators are used by other drivers to warn you that they want to cut you off, speed up to avoid this situation.
8. Indicators are unnecessary in Aberdeenshire. Use of signal lights may cause a collision with other cars.
9. If another uses his/her horn to alert you to their presence, they are an idiot. Show them a vulgar hand gesture.
10. When approaching a junction, it is legal to run a red light if an approaching car is more than 50ft from your car.
11. At a junction where an approaching car is less than 50ft from you, ease into their lane to make them stop, then proceed.
12. Give Way signs are placed in areas where incredible collision dangers exist. Stop and take a good look around before proceeding.
13. When preparing to turn, alert drivers behind you of your intentions by applying your brakes 5ft before your turn.
14. If you decide to indicate before making a turn, don't wear down the bulbs, signal as you turn.
15. Cars are equipped with headlights to aid visibility, if you can see, then using headlights is an unnecessary waste.
16. If an approaching car flashes his headlights at you and you do not have yours on, they didn't mean to do it.
17. Drivers attempting to pass you on a two lane road are criminals and must be kept behind you at all costs. Speed up!
18. Any driver approaching rapidly from behind on a highway is trying to trick you into moving over. Show him you're not fooled.
19. If making a right-hand turn, position your car to prevent other drivers from going by on the left to keep them safe.
20. Fire engines and ambulances coming from behind with sirens and lights flashing are just showing off. Ignore them.
21. Mirrors are put on car doors to make them look good.
22. When changing lanes on a dual carriageway, if you cannot hear any cars next to you, it is safe to go.
23. A policeman that has another driver pulled over cannot hear well outside, reduce your speed by 55Mph.
24. Articulated Lorries are large, dangerous, and unpredictable. Do not make any lane changes when one approaches from behind.
25. Always remember that you are the smartest & best driver on the road.

Walking to school

Its the best part of the day walking my 8 yr old son the mile to school (especially in this damned heat, 29 Deg in Newcastle ! ah just love it..).

But what pisses me off is the wnakers on there mobile phones and the tsosers who overtake 200 yrd before the traffic lights (single carriageway 30mph limit).

Still beats taking the car.

WHAT... Carry on with all this bloody waffle and we will call you vqdave 2nd

For christ sake, you are wearing out my eyes... no I am not in a good mood.

>Martini...

This is not endemic to Aberdeenshire, it also applies to South Buckinghamshire. Except for number six that is cos we havn't had any snow for ages which pisses me off because I happen to like snow. Why do they get all the snow up North? it's hardly fair is it? I would move up there for the snow but what with the extra distance to Le Mans, the indecipherable language, crap football and deep fried Mars Bars :o I think I'll give it a miss

not just South Bucks either Bob, trust me on this! :)  dont even get me started on the inhabitants of Hemel!

Blimmin' pikies reached Manchester!  My £10 ebay pushbike has had the seat nicked!!! Dunno how they got it off, cos the bolts were all rusted up! 

I only hope it hurts their a**e as much as it hurt mine.

Grrrr ..  >:(

You should have looked before you leapt Fran :o

That could have been very nasty.

I hear that bikes without saddles are all the rage in Brighton ;)

This morning I took a gentle ten minute stroll to our village post office to get a form to renew my passport. I was told by the public servant behind the counter, "Sorry Sir we don't have these any more you will have to go into town to the main post office. That is the only place that you will get one"

So. I have to drive 4 miles into Wycombe, pay £1.50 to park and then walk !/2 mile to the main Post Office (conveniently located in a pedestrian precinct) to pick up what is essentually a piece of paper in an envelope.

Why FFS?

It'a an A4 piece of paper, a form, it's nothing that important.

Next you will be whinging and bloody moaning that no-one is using your village post office and that you will have to close. It's hardly suprising when you don't even do the essentials like renew passports and tax cars. Well sod you I will buy my stamps at Tesco in future. Bloody Post Office

Can you not download it from the net Bob?

Nice to know he is preparing early for next year ;D

It expires in May next year but I need at least 6 months validity left on it in March.

Does that mean Bob is going to Sebring? Yes it does ;D

Bob

Can I help you with you renewing your passport, as you seem busy and find it hard to get to the post office.


So may I offer the following photo for your passport all you need now is to get it signed. I'm sure some where out here, there must be someone who is upstanding and responsible to sign it for you.

Oh God no! Please Rex etc, none of those "other" friday night photos or poor Bob will never get diplomatic immunity, images of Carlton-Browne of the FO spring to mind... :o

(http://www.ccgb.org.uk/lobby/uploads/Cartoons/sherriffs1.jpg)

Would I post a pic like that... they are saved in my vault of filth to never be released.
Unless someone upsets me.... >:D

He He

PP

oddly enough

I STILL have a vault full of pictures like this

even with large knickers on one of them >:D

and I am sure my picture of Angry Of Houx is better than that one

MINE ST!LL HAS EYES ON IT!

but blarry hell its been a good hufhour re-reading a thread that can go down in CA infamy history


now then who is bidding for the picture of BobU?

bill

Having just read through ALL the pages of this thread it seems to have meandered a little.... but I have a rant too!

Motorways... I have spent quite a few years trundling my way around the lower half of the UK for work and have noticed that the Motorway Thrush has a new brand of car.
Back along it was the BMW E36, usually it was a 318 or 320, shirts hanging in the window, shades on and sat on your ass when you were a safe distance from the car in front, who was behind 20 others doing the same speed. No hope of going faster, just watching for brake lights 7 cars up that will cause a mass stamping of pedals and potential misery.
Some of these Thrush used to even flash headlights in a vain attempt to move 100m up the road and repeat the above.
Very annoying.

These days they seem to all drive Audi's. Same sh*t, shirts on hanger, shades on and a total disregard for all other road users as they have to sell some Pot Noodles to a petrol station somewhere.

A friend of mine used to have his brake lights on a switch to surprise the Thrush and another had a spotlight on the roof of his old van, facing backwards. I believe it was a RayDot fireball and made everything go green if you were following and it was switched on.. Those were the days ;D

(http://www.clubarnage.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=5640.0;attach=5729;image)

Hmmmm, he looks very familiar!!! Isn't that the internationaly wanted terrorist, known as, Izjeed mi droars??

Apparently,He always leaves the scene of the crime leaving skidmarks  ::)

I am totally pissed off with Chiltern Trains and London Underground. It's three weeks to Christmas you twats, surely you expect more people to be about in London. Don't close tube stations because they're are too many trying to use them, run more trains or add more carriages.
 And another thing. I don't expect to have to stand  in a carriage crammed like a sardine can all the way from Marylebone to Beaconsfield although you f**k*ng pirates still charge me full price, Bastards, that's what you are. If I were  a veal or some other dumb animal I would fully expect the Daily Mail to start a campaign to stop this sort of inhuman behaviour.

ah bless...

can I hear Tom Jones singing "the green green rant of home"?

yes

I think I can


dindongmerrilyonhigh :angel:



oh



humbug

 >:D

You're right Bob, it's an awful time of year.  Andthis is all the fault of bloody christmas. Thousands of bloody people all over the bloody place, clogging the whole network up, buying bloody stupid presents for bloody people they don't even bloody like. Jesus wept.  >:( >:( >:(

You're quite sure you're not talking about Easter?