Nice people thread part 4 - sugar and spice and all things

Generali

zagubov wrote: »

Having grown up in the West of Scotland Zag's seen enough anti-Catholic rituals, parades and festivals, :eek:
-and won't be sorry if the fireworks shift to Hallowe'en as in Ireland.

I've some very good Irish mates and they describe Guido Fawkes night as 'Burn A Catholic Night'.

In the village I come from the night was an amazing sight. There was a torch parade down the high street with perhaps 2,000 people carrying flaming torches which were then used to light the fire. I imagine it's how a lynching used to look in the US. TBH it was vaguely unsettling.

I don't understand why Scotland still has this big Protestant/Catholic divide. The malign influence over the UK of the Roman Catholic Church is long gone (does anyone think it's realistic that The Queen would ask The Pope for permission before going to war for example?) so why keep on banging on an old drum?

That Celtic-Rangers thing really makes me angry. If anyone has the stomach for it, Google 'Old firm domestic abuse'.

zagubov

PasturesNew wrote: »

I am actually petrified of fireworks, but kind of had an idea that I'd be able to drive near to them and watch from a distance, sitting in my car.

Years ago I tried to learn German from the telly when the BBC ran the East German News TV programme late at night *Aktuelle Kamera". What an orwellian lesson it was.

All the kids from a city would be taken to a stadium to be entertained in a mass kids festival.

They were being entertained by (circus) clowns in the stadium and were crying their eyes out as the rain poured down on them, and the clowns pranced about trying to distract them and nobody was prepared to cancel it or change any plans because ordinary people had no authority. Should have been shown on prime time.
:cool:

michaels

DD went to her first communion class today and came out complaining that she was the only one not going to fireworks this evening which rather surprised me.

Looks like the bonfire/firework smoke was the cause of the M5 pileup - I wonder what the insurance implications are and whether there may even be manslaughter charges?

Pobby

I was shaken about the news of the pile up near Taunton. The times I have drove that bit of motorway. Iy is a pretty straight road with no funny lanes. Trouble is, in my opinion, is the way people drive. 70 mph. well then I can go at 80 and not get nicked. Never mind that the roads are wet, never mind that there is fog, just pedal to the metal. Over the years in my job I have driven so many miles it is indescriblable. Jack the lad as a youngster in my flash company car but less traffic abounded.

Of later years I became aware that I was driving a potentional missle with gallons of high explosives on board. Yet the times I saw motors doing about a 100 miles an hour, with little space between them, in the fast lane was many fold.

For those that know the changeover from the M5 to the M4, driving from the West Country to London, well I am surprised I am alive. Being tail gated by a big lorry, we took the blind turn onto the M4. I was very nervous that this lorry was right on my tale. Oh heck. Suddenly I am faced with a wall of motionless cars. I breaked hard, looked in my rear view, bracing myself to be smashed by the witless driver behind. Well it was like the artic jumped into the air. Amazing breaks and a dry road.

So a couple of points. Why do lorries tail gate? Why do some people think that motorways are race tracks? If it is wet then more careful driving is required. If there is deep fog than no faster than a crawl is sensible.

Dunno what you think but I have a theory.

Years ago cars were less sound proof. You could hear the speed by the wind and road noise. Now they are an insulated bubble full of multi disk cd players. Sat navs, even tv or games consul. A home on wheels. Often capable of very high speed. I think this destroys the concentration and very important realisation of other motorists.

The actions at Taunton today are very sad, yet I do believe could have been avoided.

LydiaJ

zagubov wrote: »

My dog's not loving this. Can't be let near the kitchen or he'll go barmy when he hears the fireworks. :eek:

Our dog (the one in my avatar) used to go berserk about fireworks - trying to get round behind the TV, or trying to dig holes in the carpet. I don't know if anything bad had happened to him before we got him (aged 5) or if he would have been like that anyway.

The first year we had him, after the first night of fireworks, we took him to the vet for some tranquilisers. The vet said to try him with half a tablet, and give him the second half if the first one didn't seem to be enough.

We gave him the first half. Twenty minutes later there was no change in his franticness, so we gave him the second half. Ten minutes later the first half took effect and he became quite calm and mellow. Twenty minutes after that, the second half kicked in and he was well and truly stoned, lying happily on the floor, gazing blearily around. After the fireworks were over, we sent him out in the garden as usual. He wandered slowly up to his favourite bush, tried to lift his leg, and fell over.

I'm glad to say he was completely recovered by the following morning and had no lasting effects, but it seemed to be a wonderful trip while it lasted. We never gave him more than half a tab again, though, and in his old age he became much less worried about fireworks. I used to wonder whether he'd realised that the scary bangs had happened many times before and never actually hurt him, or if it was just that his hearing was deteriorating.

neverdespairgirl

michaels wrote: »

DD went to her first communion class today and came out complaining that she was the only one not going to fireworks this evening which rather surprised me.

Looks like the bonfire/firework smoke was the cause of the M5 pileup - I wonder what the insurance implications are and whether there may even be manslaughter charges?

"Cause" in what sense?

neverdespairgirl

I've heard Glasgow described as being "Belfast Light".....

michaels

Well witness quotes appear to be saying that although it was wet, visibility was ok except for one super dense pach of 'fog' ('visibility down to 3m for 200m then fine again') right by the bonfire/firework display.

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

"Cause" in what sense?

neverdespairgirl

Drivers, however, are presumed to take into account any road conditions prevailing. So skidding on black ice and hitting another car is your "fault".

michaels

I am aware of that but nonetheless there is probably a reason farmers put up 'mud on road' warnings not just the goodness of their hearts.

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Drivers, however, are presumed to take into account any road conditions prevailing. So skidding on black ice and hitting another car is your "fault".