Steve_M

Normally I’d agree to disagree and move on. The setting of the licence fee, though, is not entirely under the control of the BBC Board. “The licence fee is formally set by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by the use of statutory instruments. The relevant statutory instruments are the Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004[7] “ The government could have chosen to overrule the BBC Board, and made them make some commercial decisions on services provided. They could have kept their election manifesto promise. Unless they were promising something that they had no control over? I agree that there are people paid way over their value. Gary Lineker, Jeremy Vine (£700k a year), just to identify a couple. And release of £100k is excessive, though I know a number of people who have had similar amounts from within the finance industry as redundancy payment.

I’ve heard the “I couldn’t own a bike, I’d kill myself” so many times (not usually at bike meets). So tempting to reply “well you’re a fecking idiot, then”... but it’s just not worth the hassle.

It’s not up to the BBC’s board. They requested funding, the other option was to close channels. Ultimately it is the Culture Secretary’s decision to continue with a policy introduced by Gordon Brown. He chose not to. In the 2017 general election manifesto, the Conservatives promised to “maintain” pensioner benefits, “including free bus passes, eye tests, prescriptions and TV licences, for the duration of this parliament”.

and who set the fee and changed the rules for that to happen? This government. If you voted for Johnson’s lying corrupt Tory crew you can take some responsibility.

Even with only watching streaming service es you would still be liable to the tax (for it is now a tax, not a licence fee). ”In January 2006, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) changed the classification of the licence fee from a service charge to a tax.”

Yes. Doctor Who, Gardeners Question Time. You and Yours (Radio 4), the Reith Lectures, numerous radio plays, Pop Master (R2), MOTD, Desert Island Discs, Brazil with Michael Palin, Six Nations Rugby, Mastermind, Finding Jack Charlton, Countryfile, the Lakes with Paul Rose... Films... for example last week they had the classic film The Cruel Sea on, Rush (Hunt / Lauda) and those are just things I might enjoy (others might prefer Strictly Come Dancing, or Eastenders, or Line of Duty... etc.) Then there are the arts programmes (not my taste, but I’m sure there’s cultural value to them). And I bet I haven’t scratched the surface.

Who is this? Has Six30’s account been hacked? The guy who rides a naked bike with no thought to the comfort of a fairing or screen* is put off by a little rain? * I summarise your reply to one of my early posts.

We have frost up here with snow forecast in the week. Looks like it’s on with the decorating again ...

My first “big” bike was a CX500. I’ve been a fan of shaft drive ever since.

I have learnt to accept that’s an overhead, but I rarely do rides of less than an hour now, and only for leisure so it’s just part of the prep, a bit like the POWDERS checks before setting out.

“ I could feel the back end slide as I backed it into the bends coming up there” At a cafe at the top of the Col D’Aubisque...

I remember the winter commute well. 14 miles each way from Acle to Norwich for several years. The A47 was a grind. To your list I could add a “boil in the bag” one piece oversuit.

Move up to Cumbria, you could do mine. I’d pay (though not that much). It needs cleaning after every ride - it gets filthy ‘cos of the run-off from fields.

I really hate washing and cleaning cars and motorbikes. Motorbikes in particular. I’d even rather be decorating. No, hang on. Stet that. Decorating. Eugh. What, if anything, is your least favourite thing about owning a motorbike?

You’ll be fine. Relax and enjoy it.

This is a tricky question. I have my iPod on shuffle so I’m not listening to one particular genre. A typical series of tracks can include Reef, ELP, Genesis, Feeder, Michael Jackson, Stranglers, Elvis Presley, Brook Benton, Will Young, Beatles, Who, ABBA, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Martha Reeves, Il Divo, Emmy Lou Harris.... etc.

We are slowly learning what they will eat in our garden and what they won’t. Iris, hellebores primula, euphorbia, dandelions, snowdrops, daffodils, agapanthus, Kniphofia, daphne and Hosta, to name a few, seem to ok. The deer tend not visit so often in summer, and not so close to the house, either. So hopeful we’ll start developing a decent patch of wildflowers by next year.

Good morning. Today we’ll be planting wildflowers in the garden. Beats yesterday’s efforts of rubbing down paintwork and fixing a leak in the central heating. Maybe.

I doubt there will be any discernible benefit for the hassle. You may need to notify your insurers as this is definitely a modification on a safety item.

Why?

There are too many variables to make a recommendation. Go try a few - just sitting on them in a showroom can give you some idea of what might suit you. I found this tool handy to understand riding position. I like a high, upright seating position, and my knees not too bent. I also have to take into account my pillion. This saved me trying bikes I knew wouldn’t meet the criteria.Ergonomics tool

Nosey farmer neighbours with loud barky dogs (and shotgun. I think he’s channeling Tony Martin). They once checked with us whether we’d had a car with a horse box leave the premises at 4am. Nothing, but nothing gets past them.

I once did it the opposite way. Watched the sun ride at Lowestoft, watched it set at Aberystwyth. Stopped off at my mum’s in the midlands on route. A never to be repeated experience. I may do it the opposite way at some point, watch the sun set over Solway, watch it rise at Alnwick, or thereabouts. That way I could get a few hours’ kip at home, too.

I was going to stay local by popping up to Hartside but my daughter (we’re in a family bubble) is visiting and she hates motorbikes.

A guy I know says practice does not make perfect, it makes permanent. It’s a fine distinction, but true.