Sunday 28 October 2007

Traffic rant

Back to the normal routine. Yes, that means, gym, laptop in the bar, maybe a round of golf this week...

I feel strangely comfortable and unmotivated to return to work after turning some financial instruments into hard cash last week. Bad news as it makes me feel too flush...but I'm not really complaining!!!

So, what's this all about? On a roundabout over which I drive every day on the way to the said gym...not literally drive over unless I've started drinking VERY early in the morning...they have been doing some road painting. They have 'hatched' - a technical term I believe - a circle about 18 inches wide on the inside of the roundabout, thus making it technically illegal to drive on a small patch of road that serves no other purpose. No pedestrians should be there. It can't possible stop the roundabout getting blocked. It doesn't create more space for emergency vehicles.

In fact, as far as I can see it, this hatched area serves no other purpose than to make the roundabout even narrower, and forcing those on the outside lane into a minor traffic offence when cut up by idiots on the inside lane who fail to drive 'around' the roundabout and tend to go 'straight across'. And in my experience, there are a large number of those in this particular town...which we should all remember is (allegedly) the inspiration town for Little Britain.

What is the point? Job creation for the line painters? CCTV operators having a laugh? Revenue generation for the local plods to get some innocent motorists who dare to use the road to drive along?

Please, someone explain to me what it's all for...

Traffic rant number 2...
Was following a car today that 'gesticulated' at me, I can only assume because he deemed me to be driving too close to his boot. OK, I was in a hurry, but the gesture followed him braking suddenly and harshly for no reason whatsoever. What does he expect if he does that? Surely any driver would end up too close in such a situation. If I'd really been 'too' close I would have hit him. I didn't, ergo I wasn't too close! Anyway, we then approached a roundabout (a different one) that has plenty of space for 2 cars to go around simultaneously side by side as long as, you've guessed it, the one on the inside doesn't cut straight across. I was going right, overtook him just approaching the roundabout and turned right, leaving plenty of space for him. Except he was a straight-across-cutter-idiot. He beeped me! Unbelievable...(and even Mrs M agreed I had done nothing wrong...)

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Moose,
Re. Traffic Rants, in both cases I couldn't agree more! There are far too many people on the roads today that are either lazy, ignorant or arrogant, and I bear witness to them every day that I drive! In the first case shame on them, in the second case shame on whoever taught them to drive and the examiner that passed them, for the arrogant, we can only hope that any accident that they cause is so painful to them that they learn the lesson the hard way, but that doesn't usually happen!

DD out

Anonymous said...

http://spllthebeans.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

re: spillthebeans.blogspot

Nothing to say lyndyloo except.... ((((hugs)))) Have sent your girl a few nice reiki symbols. She certainly was a beautiful bear. xxxxxxx

Anonymous said...

My soap box is just in the process of being sanded else I'd be on it and jumping up and down. All other drivers are eejits and should either be shot or made to ride a motor cycle for six months before they even COMTEMPLATE driving a car.

You decide
love
hazel
x

Anonymous said...

...and Lyndyloo...I am so sorry for your news...

Beautiful girl
love
hazel
x

Anonymous said...

Lyndyloo: so sorry to hear about your lovely Roobear. I had a wee scroll down on your blog and of course was reminded about Roobear's birthday in June. She had a fantastic day, so did you and all your friends. You were so good to her, I'm sure she had a wonderful life. And the kindest thing you could have done was to let her go. Thinking of you xx

Moose, re: driving. I stopped driving in 1995 after being literally moments away from being flattened by an articulated lorry the size of Wales. I have never been so terrified in my life. He was going so fast and had underestimated that I was not, given that I had a four year old in the car with me. I managed to pull away just in time, drove like a maniac to get home, parked the car and I have never driven since. I honestly believe the roads are full of nutters!

Yahoo, it's 10.50 already!

C xx

Anonymous said...

Lyndyloo - so sorry to hear your news. It's never easy to make that terrible decision, but I'm sure you did the right thing.

Don't get me started on a traffic rant - it's not pretty! Why are all school runs populated by 4x4 vehicles driven by blonde midgets who can only just see through the steering wheel and certainly have no concept of how much space they take up on both sides of the road ... Do you think they ever ask "does my bum look big in this?" when they buy a new gas guzzling monster? I don't think so.

Rant over. Sun is out - its a beautiful day here. Just off to purchase some chocoriffic calorie bars from the shop.

Anonymous said...

Good morning all!

I am back, for a rest, because 5 days with my lovely boys is just exhausting!

Don't get me started on bad/mediocre drivers else I would go on all day! I did a defensive and advanced drivers course earlier this year and it has certainly helped me to predict what is happening around me a lot better. I know I am not perfect but there are a lot worse drivers around! I have daily tales of woe and I only drive 9 miles to work and 9 miles home! On 2 occasions the same car has dangerously overtaken me and then a van (stopped but indicating to turn right!!! Yes Right!!!)but I haven't seen the car recently and can only assume he has either finished himself off or has been taken off the road. That's just one of the idiots out there that scare the life out of me!

Lyndyloo - Roobear was beautiful, I have left a poem for you on the blog. So sorry to hear you have lost her {{{hugs to Lyndyloo}}} - thinking of you.

So my lovely lads had a ball with their grandparents, littlest man has hardly taken hands off me since coming back which is just lovely, I have never had so many cuddles! Well not quite so at 4.30 in the morning but you know what I mean. Middle man has been surprisingly well behaved since coming home. We gave them each a disposable camera to take with them. Middle man's pictures are just lovely (and he is so proud of them- as are we, especially the one of the lions bottom taken at a nearby little zoo!!! It's a boy thing - LOL), littlest man hasn't taken all of his yet!
I also had to take them for a trip to the barbers (not anywhere near as successful as Sammie's ;-) ) as littlest man at the grand age of 5 wanted a proper style so he could have his hair spiky at the front. Unfortunately I can clip for England but could never style! So then we had to buy gel as well! LOL! So now he looks just about as cheeky as it gets, but he loves it! Middle man went for a straighforward clipping and looks dead handsome now!

So that's it for now. I had better get on and sort the shedload of e-mails out. will try to get back on later.

A x

lyndyloo said...

Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts. I'm not in a good space right now (I'm sure you can understand) and am finding it hard to talk to anyone so the blogs are a real help.

Luv
Lyndyloo
& Booboo
-x-x-

Anonymous said...

Ah Moose - traffic rants - I have them at least a couple of times each week! Does it good to let it out though, as said my GP when I saw him this morning.

I don't sleep v well - 3 or 4 hours at most each night. I almost fell asleep at the wheel on the M6 Friday afternoon and again on Sunday afternoon.

Went to ask the GP for sleeping tabs this morning and he's decreed I am so stressed, I need time off work and duly signed me off for 2 weeks.

He's right though. I need some 'space' in my life and also a really good nights sleep!

We will see how things progress, so lovely people, will be able to read your comments on a daily basis - yay!!!

S xx.

Anonymous said...

Lindyloo - shed a tear for you babe!

S xx.

Anonymous said...

I am just popping in to say {{{HUGS}}} to Lyndyloo. It is never easy to deal with the loss of a pet. Thinking of you at this time.

The the BigUn
xx

Anonymous said...

Lindyloo - still respectful.. I know how it feels....

BUT! Big fun yesterday - H (!) was coaching, T turned up to collect his truck (hmm - according to H, T is REALLY interested, and as if that wasn't enough - Dirty Dicky also put in an appearance!

I was a coward and retreated v sharp!

oo-er, what have i done? They have all phoned me tonight!

S xx.

Anonymous said...

amanda, I hope you don't mind, I've lifted your poem so that I can keep it. If I hadn't been surrounded by gangs of blerks all day yesterday I'd have had a good boo - such a lovely sentiment that they are missing all of us too...

I hope everyone is well this fine morning
love
hazel
x

lyndyloo said...

I've had a decent night's sleep for the first time since last Tuesday so this morning is a little brighter. Booboo is being her lovely sweet self and we are just about to head off to the woods (where I shall probably end up in floods of tears again). I got Roobear bback in a little wooden casket yesterday and I'm a lot calmer now she's back with us. Roger didn't even charge me for coming out and seeing her on Saturday.

I know a lot of people without animals think that the likes of me are quite strange but I'll be lighting a candle for her every day and talking to her. The rainbow bridge has given me great comfort as it's easier to think about her with her brother Oscar running around happy again and waiting for me.

Thank you again to all of you for giving me so much support.

Luv
Lyndyloo
& Booboo
-x-x-

Anonymous said...

Hiya,

Lyndyloo - I really did think of you first thing this morning. The next couple of months will be very hard for you, and I know what you mean, people who don't have pets can't imagine what it's like to lose them. We are here for you and you can talk about Roobear just as much, or as little, as you want.

As always, life is full of sadness and indeed trivia. The trivia for me is having to recover from being told at the end of UC last night, that it's off for the next three weeks! No Jeremy for three weeks, it's more than I can stand. I would stay up and watch Newsnight, but it's pointless because half-way through they cut to the Scotland programme which is appalling.

I wish all my problems were this pathetic!

Amanda - hope you are enjoying being back at work - I can imagine you had a very busy time with your lovely young men! In years gone by, I used to relish Monday mornings when I could drop off MsS at the childminder! I know that makes me sound a bad mother, but the weekends were always crazy and from what I remember, absolutely no sleep!

Hope everyone is o.k.

C xx

Anonymous said...

Lyndyloo - thinking of you and hoping today is a little bit brighter for you.

DD - also for you too

Jollygit - sorry about your uncle and hope you too are feeling a bit brighter

Hazel - you are welcome to use the poem - it is not mine (in that I didnt write it!) but I love it and it has lifted my spirit in the past.

Chrissie - yes it is good to be back at work and the boys were pleased to be back at school (well one was, see below regarding the other!).

Office move preparations are well underway, just waiting for a spanner in the works because there is bound to be one!

Well the dreaded rescheduled meeting at school regarding middle man was yesterday. It went fairly OK but all is not so good in the 'Amanda' household at the moment. It is a difficult one to explain so I won't try to but your thoughts and prayers will be much appreciated. Failing that a magic wand would be helpful!

Will try to drop by later on friends.

Happy Tuesday to you all!

A x

jollygit said...

Lyndyloo - so sorry about Roobear xxxx

Amanda - thank you xx The funeral went smoothly and the sun shone the whole time, but how I'll miss my lovely uncle. It was the first family funeral for 32 years so we've been very blessed for so long, and I guess it had to happen sooner or later but I don't want to be a grown up!

jollygit xx

Anonymous said...

...and somewhat digressively(?) back to the studio...

Regarding traffic. Is it me? The last two nights it has taken us nearly forty minutes to do a 17 minute journey - FIVE MILES!!! There are just loads and loads of cars...all queueing for no apparent reason...well, except to be going the same way as us...

Woss goin on billy?
love
hazel
x

lyndyloo said...

And it took me 1/2 an hour to get from the centre of Leicester to the M69 last night (normally a 10-15 minute journey) and that was before the 5 o'clock madness!

Anonymous said...

Hiya guys,

Re: travelling home from/to work - well, of course I don't drive so I take the train. My latest ploy to keep life interesting is to seek out, even if it's in the next carriage, the plonker who is sitting with his briefcase/her shopping on the seat next to them. I cannot tell you how much this annoys me! So, I have now taken it upon myself to make them move their stuff. This morning's was a cracker - a huge holdall sitting on, what turned out to be, my seat! The lady in question was raging and spent the journey staring at me sideways while I read my magazine, loving every minute of it!!

What amazes me is that loads of other people are standing, too polite to ask these chancers to move their bags!

Dear Abby, is it me?

C xx

Anonymous said...

Good on you Chrissie! Keep it up!

As for the journeys to & from work - mine is about a 30 minute drive and I normally quite enjoy it as it's the only time I spend on my own during the day. Some days it's busy, some it's not. As I don't go anywhere near town centres, motorways, dual carriageways etc and pootle along with mostly rural views on either side I'm usually quite relaxed when I get to work/home unless I hit the school run traffic (see earlier rant ...).

Anonymous said...

Because I am going to be very busy trying to get everything done in preparation for my two days leave tomorrow and Friday, this is my note of excuse.

The best thing to do, if you are a passenger who happens to be sitting there with your bag on the seat next to you, is to catch the eye of the hopeful looking person (that would be you ChrissieS), lift up your bag, and then pat the seat in invitation. Unless you are ChrissieS, you really won't want to sit there...

Oh, DO try it!

Til Monday my friends...have a jolly Hallow E'en, and fantabulous weekends...

chimchimenee
love
hazel
x

That was for cha Roo xxx

Anonymous said...

Good morning Troops:

Terrible wet day here in Glasgow, but for some reason I feel quite chirpy. Must be because I had a really good sleep!

Lyndyloo: in today's Daily Mail (pages 22/23) there is the most wonderful article written by a lovely guy whose dog has passed away. Sometimes it helps to know someone else understands what you are going through xxx

Sammie - how are you doing? Are you taking advantage of being off work and really looking after you, for a change? The doctor has signed you off work so that you can take some time out and get better, so make sure you are a little selfish, o.k?

DD - continued good thoughts to you and Mrs DD.

Hi to all missing bloggers!

C xx

Anonymous said...

hello cahps

I haven't been around fopr a while , v busy at work, but on my outlook and wee notice popped up to say Hazel Loves b day.

I had to make the occasion so....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY La Love

and many more xxxxxxx

Caroline

Anonymous said...

Caroline - how good to see you! Try and get back here if you can. Thank you for the reminder of Hazel's birthday - I should remember this in future, it's the same birthday as my lovely niece!

Hope you and Mr Caroline are o.k.

Hazel - very sneaky of you to disappear for a couple of days and not tell us it was your birthday! Not to worry, you're allowed to be sneaky on your special day! Have a very happy birthday and I hope you and the badger are doing something special (oo-er!!).

C xx

jollygit said...

Dear all

Apologies for period of absence - pressure of work, blah blah blah ......

Anyhoo, before you beat yourselves up too much, HL's birthday is 30 November, so we've got ages yet. How about a surprise party? I know she'll read this in a few days' time but she won't know what we're planning, he he he!!!

The sun's shining here in Kent and I'm starting to feel a bit cheerier. It's been a turbulent few weeks but 'im indoors started some temporary work on Tuesday and it'll last him until Christmas, after which we're away for all but 2 days of January in NZ, so hopefully something permanent will happen for him in the meantime. My aunt is struggling without my uncle, and expects him to appear any minute from the garden ..... they'd been married 62 years so I'm not sure she'll ever adapt to life without him.

Hope you're all well - Chrissie, I had to larf at your train story ... well done you!!!!

Take care all

jollygit xx

jollygit said...

Lyndyloo - I've just read the article in the Daily Mail that Chrissie mentioned .... am now blubbing like a child, as any pet owner would after reading it, but it will hopefully bring some comfort. Here's the link:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=490966&in_page_id=1770

jollygit x

Anonymous said...

Jollygit: thank you for clearing up the matter of Ms Love's birthday. I know I said I would remember 1st Nov because of my niece, but now I will definitely remember 30th Nov as it is St Andrew's Day!!

I think we should plan a HUGE party!

And I'm glad the article touched you too. I felt so moved by it this morning.

As for your aunt xx she has been with your uncle her entire adult life. She will carry on (the way we just have to) but life can never be the same. It's the risk we take the minute we decide to stay with someone, isn't it?! I'm sending her good thoughts - does that help?

C xx

jollygit said...

Chrissie - bless you xx and you're quite right - life does go on.

My uncle was a twin and his twin sister lives in London on her own. Unfortunately she was unable to make it to the funeral, but her own church held a thanksgiving service for my uncle at exactly the same time as the funeral - aren't people kind?

Anyway, here's hoping HL has a lovely few days off - she deserves them - and let's get planning the party!!!!

Much love, jollygit xx