What to stick on his windscreen which wont come off easily? [OT]

[Conor]

Guess you've never had a decent car then? Decent as in "build quality".

[Mary Fisher]

Thanks!

I still don't :-( I didn't like our own children much, I don't like our grandchildren much, I'm not too keen on many people. But we have to live with them so we might as well make the best of things. Everyone has SOMETHING good to give to society.

I tell myself.

Nor have I - but it's a matter of others' perception, apparently :-)

Mary

[joe parkin]

He's disabled, spose he could crawl?

[Andy Turner]

It's interesting how a few yards closer to the front door seems to make loads of difference, compared to the distance covered walking around the average supermarket!

What could you change them for? An iPod would be good.

andyt

[AstraVanMan]

Ah, fair enough, that'll do then

Maybe so, but if you were to put strict (and highly visible) warning signs up on entering the property that it was monitored by CCTV and anyone using the car park other than for access to the flats would be liable to prosecution, then that could have an effect. Possibly. I freely admit to knowing bugger all about the legal side of things there, but surely if parking enforcement companies can get away with putting tiny little signs on lamp-posts (near Reading Station is a well publicised case) and then issuing tickets by post to people that have even done so much as stop to actually read the notice (far too small to clearly read from inside the car), and the congestion charging people can do the same thing, then surely it's possible.

I suppose the other option would be to employ a private clamping company (properly registered/accredited), and make sure each resident is given plenty of spare car park passes for their visitors to display. By plenty I mean around 10 - whilst this sounds extreme it would account for virtually all possibilities, such as someone having a party and having several friends staying over. Basically, enough to mean that genuine visitors would not be inconvenienced (by the clamping company kicking up a fuss that they clamped them as they weren't displaying a permit, which is what they're paid to do), but unwanted visitors are deterred from parking there. Bingo, problem solved.

[Richard Colton]

Now there's a wonderful idea (not). How would you like it if that happened with you at every single meal?

[Andy Turner]

Name me a car make or even model where you wouldn't expect that to happen. One of these "decent" cars you allude to.

andyt

[AstraVanMan]

Vicky Pollard swapped hers for a Westlife CD.

[Mary Fisher]

From my observation most of them won't. They've always been given the power over their very well meaning parents of saying "No", when asked, "Do you want ... ? " instead of "Here you are".

It's a bee in my bonnet too. These kids have never been hungry. Our children never said they didn't like something (which many of today's children do before they've even tried it - and I include our grandchildren). They were hungry because they were active; they weren't given between meal snacks and sweets (which were treats, not routine) and they weren't exposed to television and magazine advertising.

But the meals they were served were very good. During the War the food we got was sparse, boring and much of it never seen now and yet we ate it - because we were hungry.

We have a daughter in law who is an excellent cook and makes super meals. She makes separate meals for her chidren though, almost always the same processed dishes, thus increasing her own work. Will those children ever develop palates which appreciate just how good a cook she is?

Mary

[Andy Turner]

well...

andyt

[Dave Liquorice]

Quite, there are far more important things in life than things. Life for instance. I guess these people have been sheltered all their pathetic little lives and have never been in true fear of their own or come come close to being killed. Both of those I have experienced. Property is not important, it's nice have, can make life more comfortable or convient but you don't *need* it.

[Mary Fisher]

The damage is still done, you're (i.e. we're) obviously not paying enough.

Raise fuel duty!

Mary

[Andy Turner]

It doesn't have to be every single meal, but face it - if kids got to choose what they ate for each meal, they'd all be on chips, burgers, pizza etc.. and obese and/or hyper by the time they hit 10yrs.

andyt

[Hamish Walker]

Our little community of 15 flats and houses was built around 1965; then having an open access from the main road wasn't considered a problem, mainly because 40 years ago people respected others and their property. And of course, there were fewer cars on the road, and on-street parking was (generally) free.

If the 'gated community' is built as such from the word go, and people choose to buy there, then everyone understands the arrangement. (Whether or not you as an outsider to that agree or not isn't relevant to the residents there.)

It's when you try and retro-fit that approach that the problems start. Do all 15 households want a 'gated community'? Of those that do, how much are they prepared to pay for it?

And underlying all of that is the knawing feeling "it's not fair - why should I have to pay extra and inconvenience _myself_ to physically protect my privacy?"

In our case, it isn't just trying to stop the freeloaders parking here. We've had burglaries in the flats, and break-ins in the garages, and although a vehicle barrier won't necessarily stop those, it will make it more difficult for some thieves, and deter others.

[AstraVanMan]

*plonk*

[Conor]

could even do like they're starting to do in the US and exclude anyone under 55.

[Conor]

I'm disabled. I still manage to drive a 44 tonne artic around a few days a week.

[Dave Liquorice]

No, that is fraud, or extortion if they had threatened the payer in anyway.

[Conor]

BMW E34 - took someone taking a running drop kick to put a dint in my wifes.. Rover SD1. Rover P6.

Volvo...any model. Saab..any 900 series. Most cars with side impact bars.

[joe parkin]

A sign that says blue badge holder, would mean I could park there because I hold my daughters, blue lapel badge? I do not think you woulod be happy with statements like, cripples should be left at home while someone else does their shopping in most cases, well would you? But it is ok for you to tell someone what they can and can't do?