What happened to teenagers?

[Andrew Gabriel]

33% of 18-25 year olds don't drink, and this ratio is increasing very fast (this percentage is increasing by 3 per year currently). Also, of those who do drink, increasing numbers drink less and it has become "uncool" to get shitfaced amoungst many of this age range.

It's one contributory factor to the loss of lots of pubs, particularly those with nothing of interest to non-drinkers.

Whilst a significant proportion of the non-drinkers have opted for a healthier lifestyle, there is also a proportion who spend that money on drugs now instead of alcohol, due to rising price of alcohol, versus falling price, rising strength and easy availability of drugs, particularly since the ban on legal highs which (predictiably) had the opposite effect to the intent.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Not long after learning to drive, I regularly drove a 30s car with a true crash gearbox. Once you learn to match the revs when changing gear by double declutching, changing without the clutch become simple.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Early Vestas recommended you change gear without using the clutch. But motorbikes have dog clutches in the gearbox, so much easier than a true non synchro crash gearbox.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yup. They've probably found out there are illegal drugs with fewer side effects than alcohol.

[Bob Eager]

My third car was a 1952 Series I Land Rover. CRash on first and secind, no synchro left on the rest!

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Oddly the car I mentioned was also a Rover. It did have a freewheel which when in use made changing rather easier.

[ARW]

More useful than media studies though.

[ARW]

It's too cold for him.

Then I mentioned thermal underwear. He did not know that such a thing existed.

[ARW]

Mine snapped at Manchester Airport after dropping off my parents.

I made it back to Barnsley over the Woodhead pass.

I doubt I could do that today with the amount of traffic on the road. And in particular the M60/M57 junction.

[ARW]

Or the naive/religious parents apprentice. When he found out that one of the MD's three daughters was pregnant he said "but she is the only one that is not married".

[Thomas Prufer]

Well, ignorance is curable -- stupidity not so much.

Thomas Prufer

[ARW]

The fact that you turned up pissed instead of throwing a sickie is good.

When the apprentices used to turn up like that we always accommodated them by changing what job they were on.

eg

Contracts Manager "Liam stinks of ale this morning so take him with you to the farm, there is no way he will get on the building site today with that site manager. Get him a coffee on the way there".

And Liam would still do a days work.

[Vir Campestris]

My wife's first car (C-plate Nissan Micra) had a lovely gearbox.

It was burning oil so I bought the Haines book and took the engine apart.

Haines told me that was a dog box.

Andy

[tabbypurr]

I had one catch fire due to oil on the exhaust. The wires were all burnt but managed to get it home on one cylinder.

NT

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Dog clutch boxes are generally pretty obvious. They clunk when changing gear unless the revs are perfectly matched. Unlike a synchromesh type.

[Fredxx]

The fact you do will mean he'll think you're a softie!

[ARW]

The bollocks are nice and warm but the beast is not soft.

[Jim K]

How is the van these days?

[Jim K]

Presumably that's cash only?