Just four spots today

In reply to G3WPF:

Ah! The old days of Uncle Joe’s and the Billinge and Winstanley Urban District Council!

Reg G3WPF (ex-Billinge)

73
John GM8OTI (ex Winstanley!)

In reply to G3NYY:

Leslie Nielsen appeared in some of the funniest films ever made as well as taking a lead role in possibly the best science fiction film made.

Comedy:
Dr. Rumack in Airplane,
Lt. Frank Drebin in The Naked Gun, Naked Gun 2 1/2 & Naked Gun 33 1/3
Lt. Frank Drebin in Police Squad

Science Fiction:
Cmdr. John J. Adams in Forbidden Planet.

We all know Forbidden Plant is Shakespeare’s The Tempest in disguise but it’s still one uber-cool film. That and This Island Earth should be mandatory viewing for everyone!

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to GM8OTI:
The snow is

extremely light and fluffy, and I don’t think there’ll have been any
thaw/freeze on the tops by Friday to give you something to walk on. I
think you’ll be up to the thighs in snow!

73
John GM8OTI

I would say this is the perfect recipe for windslab, deadly to those not in the know!

Andy, as far as I am concerned, Hollywood only ever did space opera. The only significant SF film ever done was 2001 - and no two people can agree on what the ending was all about! Brilliant!

73

Brian G8ADD

In reply to G8ADD:

I would say this is the perfect recipe for windslab, deadly to those
not in the know!

Well yes, I guess even in the Pentlands we ought to remember to be aware of things like that given current conditions! I’ve never come across avalanche conditions in the Pentlands yet but there’s always a first time - which no-one wants to be the last time.

73
John GM8OTI

I agree with Brian about 2001 - brilliant, especially Leonard Rossiter’s performance in it!

Roads now very iced up round here. I never had a smash in winter conditions before I had a car with ABS, but now I have, I don’t know how I ever survived without it. Used in anger twice today already.

Tom M1EYP

In reply to GM8OTI:

Ah, the posh end! The grass verges were always nicely trimmed there when I worked for the UDC during summer holidays. That was before serving my apprenticeship in the hospital (didn’t like the maternity wards much though but the psychiatrics were fun).

73

Reg G3WPF

In reply to MM0FMF:

Re Leslie Nielsen … I have genuinely never heard of him, nor have I heard of any of the films you mention. We must move in completely different circles!

I have, however, heard of 2001 and also Leonard Rossiter … although it must be said I remember him more from “The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin” and “Rising Damp”.

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

In reply to G3NYY:

It’s probably those Hawick Balls of yours Walt.

73

Reg G3WPF

In reply to G3NYY:

Re Leslie Nielsen … I have genuinely never heard of him, nor have I heard of >any of the films you mention. We must move in completely different circles!

You’ll be telling me next that you didn’t know The Beatles (a popular beat combo) have split up or that Elvis Presley is dead!

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:

You’ll be telling me next that you didn’t know The Beatles (a popular
beat combo) have split up or that Elvis Presley is dead!

Andy
MM0FMF

Gasp!!! NO!!!

73

Brian G8ADD

In reply to M1EYP:

…before I had a car with ABS, but now I have, I don’t know how I ever survived without it. Used in anger twice today already.

…and bags of limited slip diff as well - looks like I’d better get my Dunlop SP01s changed. They didn’t handle the slush here at all well today. Now is not the time to be eeking out that last millimetre of tread. Better go-see the bank manager!

73, Gerald G4OIG

In reply to MM0FMF:

Well, I’ve heard of Elvis Costello but who was that other guy?

Reg G3WPF

In reply to G4OIG:

No diff locks (limited or full) on my beast. Just the fluid torque splitter which acts like a centre diff except the splits are 100%/0% or 50%/50%. 4wd engages when the front wheel spin. It’s disconcerting because when you have been driving FWD cars for long enough you automatically lift off when the wheels spin but you have to maintain throttle so the back wheels get driven. It takes a while to learn to keep your foot down so the power is applied but not to apply huge amounts of clog so you end up with all 4 wheels spinning like mad dervishes!

It was good last year but with tyres looking a bit like Kojak’s head (smooth all over) I soon learnt the limits. Now with something like 7mm of tread on all 4 tyres I am impressed. Of course it’s nothing like the performance a car with proper 4wd and snow tyres can achieve. But I was able to drive through soft powerdery snow about 30cms deep and thus was the 1st car out of the road since Sunday lunchtime.

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:

I just wish that 4WD was cheaper so more people could benefit when it’s like this - a sort of Catch 22 situation. Mine’s permanent 4WD, so I get none of that in / out millarky, but I agree, it’s hard not to lift off when you get some wheel spin… especially as it is a very rare occurence with my motor and I’m not used to it doing it. Obviously I don’t drive it hard enough!

73, Gerald G4OIG

In reply to G3WPF:

Well, I’ve heard of Elvis Costello but who was that other guy?

Hmmm … I remember Abbott and Costello, but what’s the “Elvis” connection?

73 de G3NYY

In reply to MM0FMF:

Now with something like
7mm of tread on all 4 tyres I am impressed. Of course it’s nothing
like the performance a car with proper 4wd and snow tyres can achieve.
But I was able to drive through soft powerdery snow about 30cms deep
and thus was the 1st car out of the road since Sunday lunchtime.

7mm tread is for wimps! The BF Goodrich All Terrain tyres on my Defender 90 have 12.7 mm tread depth (that’s 0.5 inch). 30 cm of snow offers no challenge.
:slight_smile:

Mind you, they are not quite so impressive on sheet ice like we had this morning!

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

In reply to G3NYY:

Tyres like that would make 2wd cars go well in snow and I bet they’re narrower than the tyres on my mountain bike too!

Two of my neighbours (both ladies) were so frustrated by the snow last winter they have bought cross-over “soft-roaders”. One has a Honda CR-V Mk3. (A class leader but boy does it look like it fell out of the ugly tree!) But she bought an automatic and it appears to be stuck on her drive like her Lexus IS-250 Auto was last year. The other bought a Ford Kuga with 18in alloys sporting 235/50 section tyres. That was barely capable of moving off her flat drive into her garage when confronted with about 5cms of snow.

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to G3NYY:

Hmmm … I remember Abbott and Costello, but what’s the
“Elvis” connection?

Radio Radio, but he didn’t want to go to Chelsea because he was Watching the Detectives.

73

Reg G3WPF