S-Westerly

According to the [strikeout]nanny state[/strikeout]science just about everything that is nice to eat or drink is a cause of increased risk of some dreadful disease. So as we all have to die of something we may as well crack on and enjoy ourselves. I'm surely not giving up smoked ham or bacon. Fixed it The trouble with science is that for every theory there is a counter theory. Remember butter was supposed to be bad for you but now it's supposed to be good? So like many people I just ignore it. I've made it to past 60 so something will get me sooner rather than later. Hey ho.

Oooh, I bet that caused some marital friction. I'd have been on the naughty step for months. I still get grief for dropping a can of paint on a new carpet - 34 years ago!

According to the nanny state just about everything that is nice to eat or drink is a cause of increased risk of some dreadful disease. So as we all have to die of something we may as well crack on and enjoy ourselves. I'm surely not giving up smoked ham or bacon.

Joined ship on October 27th. Due off January 26th subject to being somewhere I can actually get off. Every day on board is a working day including Christmas etc. And the ship is 'dry' as well so no drowning one's sorrows.

Slow speed MAN 6S70ME-C diesel: 21,000 HP at 82 RPM. Top speed about 15 knots (17 mph). Pushing about 180,000 tonnes. Fuel consumption of 55 tonnes per 24 hours.

North Coast 500 in Scotland and the Dordogne in France or any of the coastal routes in Norway.

That IS the normal way of riding. Okay you don't need to get your knee down or scrape your pegs but slow on entry and accelerate out of the bend once you can see the exit is the way to go. And yes the bike will lean and so will you. Suggest you try riding a bike before telling us how it's done.

Biggest cause of road rage for me is the prat who sits in either lane 2 or 3 at just below the speed limit when the lanes inside of them are empty. Then gets all upset if someone has the temerity to undertake them. Seems to be getting worse as well with all these managed motorways.

2000 recreational miles in 2 months. However 800 of those were in 2 days. Pure indulgence.

In 1978 - a Honda CB250N Superdream. With hindsight it wasn't very good but at the time I thought it was great. Wrecked it as part of my learning curve.

Absolutely the thing I need. As the car is my wife's I shall push her in that direction once she gets to the point of needing new tyres.

Only if they are fitted with all season or winter tyres (tires) One enraging thing - why in the UK nearly all tyres supplied as standard on cars are basically summer tyres? If I visit my brother in Germany under German law my tyres are illegal in winter so I have been trying for years to get all season tyres which only recently have started to become available. I don't want winter tyres as it means a full set of wheels and then having to store them.

May I have 88 please.

Define 'smart'.

Many years ago my wife and I went out mid-week to a restaurant. As it was also January it was pretty quiet. I was not allowed in because I was not wearing a tie. My wife was wearing a dress with a belt made of fabric and when I tied that found my neck I was allowed in. To this day I absolutely despise wearing a tie - a more pointless item of clothing it would be hard to find.

Only thing I agree with Sharia law - chop off their hands. Difficult to steal without any mitts. Seriously though it's not before time that these wannabe highwaymen get their collars felt. Sadly when they get to court they'll probably get a slap on the wrists (hands still attached) and they'll be out and about the same day.

Thanks for the link. I've just coughed up for 2 sets of the earplugs. Last medical showed my hearing as being barely up to standard so now need to protect what I have left. Stable doors and horses spring to mind.

Wild assed guess but I think it's the goretex bit that's guaranteed not what it's attached to. Had a jacket that was goretex and the outer part fell to bits and that was it. No guarantee for that.

Despite having worked in the same industry for over 40 years I've never had a company pension. Most of my employers have been non-UK based which means I've not had to pay NI either although I've paid in the minimum amount to qualify for a State pension which I suspect will be fairly worthless by the time HMG decide I can actually get it. My wife and I looked at going down the buy to let route but it would have created tax issues for me so in the end we plumped for building up what is basically a large pot of cash. The plan was to save about half my salary which given we had no mortgage and the kids are well grown was at least worth trying. In reality we've managed about 35% which still gives a reasonable pot but is the reason I have to work until 65 at least and possibly 67. At that point I'd have to renew my qualification so I don't think I'll bother. Hopefully the pot will last, if not I'll be the old Uber taxi driver.

Bet you had to stand all the way as well.

Probably because not so long ago some sod drove a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin and killed a few people. The police would, rightly, then be completely in the clarts. Sadly this is the world we live in.

If the answer from one expert is to stop people riding motor bikes altogether where do you draw the line? As someone else said "life is a fatal disease". Any slightly dangerous activity would be subject to censure be it biking, skiing, sky diving etc. Surely it is an individual's choice to enjoy any (legal) activity and to practice and train to get as good as you can for the level you want to be at. Riding the roads well does not mean I'm riding the TT next year!

Don't like the look of them myself. Don't seem to come far enough down beneath the chin for my taste. Still each to their own and it'd be boring if we were all the same.

Regarding the circuit based training I can thorough recommend it. Yes it is on a track and that's the whole point. You don't need to worry about oncoming traffic and there are no potholes etc. It gives you confidence setting up for a bend and what an average bike can do. You DON'T have to get your knee down or scratch your pegs. You do get shown various techniques for what to do it things go lead shaped which may save you grief down the road.