Oh dear, the rot's set in in the leafy suburbs of North Bristol.
The front of the Moggy has been getting very rattly lately, and yesterday I finally gave it a Serious Looking At. The starboard Armstrong damper has come loose, and the bolts holding it to the cross-member have stripped their threads. So I rolled the car up onto the pavement, so that the wheels are just on the kerb. This allows me to crawl under the engine and gain access to the inside of the cross-member. Today I shall go and get some replacement bolts and hopefully all will be well again.
This morning I looked out of the window and saw that someone, presumably inspired or emboldened by my example, has parked right up on the pavement.
This represents a further instance of the increasing encroachment onto pavements of cars, whose owners are presumably more concerned about the safety of their wing mirrors than that of pedestrians, who are, after all, inconsequential.
Hence the occasional sight of a parent pushing a pushchair down the middle of the road because there isn't enough room on the pavement to get past the cars; or of a blind person trying to negotiate a BMW 4x4 parked across the dropped kerb at a junction, which I saw recently.
No, honestly, little silver car person; this road's big enough for you to park on it!
Some other fine examples of Bristol parking can be found in this Flickr set
What an adorable car! I am not a car person, but that one is very nice. BTW, Village Idiot is a very good and potent pint, if you see it on tap anywhere. (I know, none of this comment addresses the parking issues...)
ReplyDeleteNever mind, it's a useful heads-up, and thank you! Talking villages and, well, idiots, there's a village in Herefordshire called Bagwyllidiart, pronounced 'Bagwell idiot'. Which shouldn't be funny but is. To me.
ReplyDeleteSome of us are so silly trying to be considerate towards others. What fools we are, what would happen to the world if we were all considerate?
ReplyDeleteI have quite missed you posts about keeping the Moggy from rattling but I suppose that means that it is working well due to the superb love and attention it does get...?
This has got me wistfully thinking about torsion bars...
Perhaps you should put up a sign to explain why you parked up on the kerb. There is something about a four wheel drive - the owners just have to create lumps and bumps to justify the expense I suppose. I've also observed they are very difficult to park straight.
ReplyDeleteDid you get my email?
Broken window syndrome
ReplyDeleteHanging in on a wing and a prayer as always, Caroline. –Thinking politemess and so on, when I was out and about yesterday getting the bits I needed for the repair, I was rather manky and dressed in my working clobber, and had black oily hands despite 5 minutes scrubbing. I stopped at the wholefood shop, and held the door open for a woman coming out with a big box. Totally ignored me. And going out, did the holding-door thing again. Ignored again. Cos I was manky? Cos they thought I was a bloke and that is how they behave to them? Cos they is graceless cusses? Who can say…
ReplyDeleteMaybe I should have, Anji! Still, I was only just on the pavement. Still- yes! Found the email, buried in the inbox. Thank you and sorry! Things have been disorganised here….
I had to look up broken windows syndrome, BTL, and thank you. Oh dear, if the neighbourhood goes to the dogs maybe I’ll be the one to blame. Then again, I always clear the leaves and snow from the pavement, so my karmic bank balances is hopefully still in the black. *hopeful*