Renewal
Posted: Sun 17 August, 2014 Filed under: Bankruptcy, Domestic, Driving, Finances, Getting Organised 4 Comments »This month is renewal month for my car insurance. Always iniquitous, this time they’re really taking the piss.
After two years with the same company, with no claims, and no need to contact them at all, they’ve *raised* my premium – and not by a small amount. For no good reason that I can see, they’re trying to charge me no less than £30 *a month* more.
Amusingly (if you find sheer profiteering cuntishness to be amusing) they’ve also quoted me via an insurance comparison website at *half* what I’m currently paying.
Needless to say, I’ll be moving. And I’m really looking forward to the call where I tell the current set of shitbags why I won’t be renewing with them.
Anniversally Regular
Posted: Tue 12 August, 2014 Filed under: D4D™, Domestic, Driving, Getting Organised, Thoughts Leave a comment »Yesterday it occurred to me that this week has actually had quite a lot go on with it over the years.
Among other things…
- On the 9th August 2002, D4D™ came into being
- On the 9th August 2012, I declared myself bankrupt
- On the 11th August 2003 I passed my driving test (at long last)
There’s been other stuff too over the years, but it is a bit odd to have even those three semi-major events all in one week…
Nine Years
Posted: Mon 11 August, 2014 Filed under: Domestic, Driving, Thoughts Leave a comment »It’s now nine years since I (finally) passed my driving test. Nine. Years.
I dread to even imagine how many miles I’ve covered in that time – it’s well over the 250,000 mark for sure, which is pretty hefty for a non-professional driver. And from that, I’ve had – and yes, I’m touching every wooden item in my presence right now – no points, no speeding tickets, no ‘speed awareness’ courses (for which I’ve always said I’d say “Yes, I’m aware I was driving at 90. Do I pass?”, but I digress)
I’ve had one accident – back in December 2009 – and killed two deer in that time.
I’ve been breathalysed twice – once just after that accident, and once two weeks later, for the well known suspicious occurrence of “driving a hire car at exactly 70mph down a dual-carriageway at 5pm on New Years’ Eve”. In both cases, blowing an absolute zero. Unsurprisingly in both cases, having not had a drink in months beforehand…
All things considered, I reckon that’s a pretty good track record. Long may it last.
Interesting Start
Posted: Tue 5 August, 2014 Filed under: A428, Commuting, Domestic, Driving, News, Thoughts Leave a comment »On the way to work this morning, I was confronted by road closures and the after-effects of this crash.
Fairly serious – and the damage all looked pretty grim – so I hope all are OK in it.
[Update : As it turns out, they weren’t. One fatal (a motorcyclist)]
Interesting Parking
Posted: Wed 30 July, 2014 Filed under: 1BEM, BMW Drivers, Cynicism, Driving, London, News Leave a comment »In today’s news, “Driver crashes through railings into Elephant and Castle Subway” (the underpass, not the fast-food sandwich place)
And wouldn’t you know it? It’s a BMW driver. Colour me totally unsurprised.
Seen In Summer
Posted: Mon 28 July, 2014 Filed under: Cyclists, Domestic, Driving, M1, People, Stupidity, Thoughts Leave a comment »Things I see regularly on my current commute that just worry me more than they possibly should…#
- Riders of powerful bikes on the M1 wearing t-shirts and shorts.
- Rear passengers in cars reclining with their legs hanging out the windows
- Front passengers reclining with their feet on the dashboard.
All of these setups worry me – in all cases, if anything were to happen, they’ll be injured far, far worse than they would be if they were sitting properly.
Of course, none of it is really my problem. I just can’t help noticing, and being somewhat concerned.
Squish (Follow On)
Posted: Thu 10 July, 2014 Filed under: A428, Animals, Commuting, Driving, M1, M25, People, Thoughts, Weirdness Leave a comment »This year, I’ve seen a lot of roadkill – as I’ve commented before – which is at least somewhat related to going back to doing a fair amount of driving on fast roads, dual carriageways, motorways and the like.
I don’t mind that too much – although I think it’s quite sad to see it – but there’s something that bugs me about it, which is this.
No matter where the bodies are on the road – including right over by the edge and (particularly on motorways) right in the middle, near the central reservation and safety barrier, right out of the traffic lanes. Yet within a couple of days, the bodies are flattened, all bones crushed and so on.
It’s not decomposition – OK, it could be, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t happen that fast.
All I can assume is that there’s a certain breed of driver who feel it’s acceptable (or perhaps even amusing, I don’t know) to run over the bodies, even if it means curving out of the lane, towards the crash barrier in order to do so.
And really that just boggles my little mind…