No lights

Thu 11 Dec 2008, 06:36

Actually Roger, the snippet is from The Wind in the Willows, a classic of children's literature by Kenneth Grahame , first published in 1908 and deemed to be set in a fictional Oxfordshire. Scrooge, from the novel A Christmas Carol by the great English author and liberal social reformer Charles Dickens, was a character who underwent a redemption of social conscience.

Leaves, books and taking one from, comes to mind.

Safe driving.

Wed 10 Dec 2008, 13:58

Ye gods the script writer for scrooge is alive and well and living in Charlbury.Aren't we lucky.

Wed 10 Dec 2008, 12:41

Right let's just forget about driving safely or speeding drivers for the sake of Christmas, bless. Let's have a little seasonal cheer instead and worry about the state of our driving next year.

And to help this along, I'm the drivers who moan about cyclists on this forum all remind me of a familiar childhood figure:

Hurtling carelessly round Charlbury, he's a bit of a menace, endearing and exasperating to his friends by turn, with no clear destination in mind, most likely to end up in a blustering heap by the roadside when it all ends in grief. Yes, it's Toad of Town Hall. Toot! Toot!

Happy Winter Solstice.

Tue 9 Dec 2008, 20:50

Terry ,as long as its going slowly up the slade we will be ok ,as long as rudolf doesn't drop anything on you know who.

Tue 9 Dec 2008, 20:48

Well for me Charlotte it do mean Charlbury ametuer dramatic society.
To you it may mean something completely different ,but i am sure you will enlighten me at some time as i am sure your'e only waiting for me to ask .

Tue 9 Dec 2008, 20:43

I’m amused boys, by your suggested story suggestions for Top Gear and by heck they need them! Alas, Roger I was just wondering if you were you referring to yourself as the elf cad? And, whether you understand what cad actually means – Roger?

Tue 9 Dec 2008, 20:33

Don't forget,we also want a break from the cycle wing nuts at Christmas. Anyway we must watch out for a low flying sleigh also.

Tue 9 Dec 2008, 18:27

Well we may be lucky there david as i think cads should have some elves ears which are rather large.ho ho hopefully.

Tue 9 Dec 2008, 17:28

Hear, hear Roger (although I have a feeling your plea will fall on deaf ears!)

Tue 9 Dec 2008, 15:06

Finally igor you have gotten the message ,no matter how hard or for how long you try we the motorists are not going to go away.You can call us what you like but the mere fact is at the end of the day we take on board your message about bad driving ,but alas that is not enough.
I would think there are more people and by that i mean sensible normal people who are so fed up of the wrangling on here that they do not even bother to tune in ,as they know whats here so could we please have a break for christmas and discuss stupid driving in the new year ,as there should be lots of things going on over christmas .

Tue 9 Dec 2008, 10:47

I see the dwarfs are back in town this year ,just in time for christmas.Pity though that six left before the panto tho we shall have to call on cads to help fill in.ho ho ho .

Tue 9 Dec 2008, 09:45

• yawn*
  Did somebody say something? Oh right, Charlotte, thanks for the words of support. In fact I've had quite a bit of support as of late from local residents who also take exception to attitude that somehow objecting to bad driving is of a minority and eccentric interest.

Untrue.
There's quite a few drivers, pedestrians and cyclists in Charlbury who are fed up with the motorheads trying to lord it over the rest us and who like to portray road safety issues as topics of ridicule.

Motorheads apparently need to dominate wherever they go, be it on the road or on a public forum.

Mon 8 Dec 2008, 22:17

No david ,but just keep one eye firmly looking for bycycle man wether out in your 4x4 or when you are jet skiing.Remember the motto (watch out igors about)just like on the cartoons.

Mon 8 Dec 2008, 20:33

Oh boys with their toys hey!

Mon 8 Dec 2008, 18:44

oh i'm so pleased i got rid of my jetski now Dave.

Mon 8 Dec 2008, 17:36

I own a jet ski and a 4 x 4. Can I expect a visit from MI5 in the middle of the night as a threat to the very fabric of our society?

Mon 8 Dec 2008, 16:17

Reference: Water skiing to cycling, dangerous driving and 'No lights'!!!!! Mmm!

Roger, you're such a wind up merchant! Leave Igor alone!

Why don't you send in your thoughts to the Beeb - to JC - Top Gear man. Poor Jezzer!

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1092823/Jeremy-Clarkson-lost-words-hes-voted-weirdest-celebrity-crush.html

Roger?

Over and out!

Mon 8 Dec 2008, 14:58

Igor i just know i am going to regret asking this .Do you look for alternative places to cycle or is it on your route to somewhere.The reason i ask is that from reckless driving we now seem to be involving water skiers ,do you pedal near lakes and have you had a near death experience with a water skier .Do please bear in mind though that water skiers do not have an engine power attached to them ,so its purely physical contact and who knows you may enjoy that experience can't say the same for the water skier ,suppose it depends where he lands on you.

Mon 8 Dec 2008, 08:19

I agree with Igor and admire his tenacity and it’s been very interesting reading people’s thoughts.

However, I do also agree that some cyclists can be irresponsible, (cycling without lights or whatever), as well as even some pedestrians.

I have a friend who’s a cyclist lawyer, and it’s frightening to hear the stories she tells me, about dangerous drivers. She has to have therapy, to cope with her job.

I have a friend who’s a judge and he tells me stories of the pathetic excuses in court from those irresponsible drivers!

The simple fact is – that the dangerous drivers are the potential killers. The simple fact is - that using breaks with good driving skills - saves lives and money.

I still can’t drive, due to that car crash and have to pay a fortune on taxis. And, quiet frankly I’m too scared to drive even locally, more so now the roads are icy.

This time of year there’s going to be irresponsible dangerous drink drivers on our roads throughout the night, and then the next day when these folks are recovering with their morning hangovers and tiredness.

The simple fact is - lives are too precious and this is all so unnecessary.

I don’t care if people say I’m preaching. My whole year has been ruined by that speeder and financially I’m only just able to pay my bills. I don’t want my house being repossessed, next year. The ripple effect is just endless.

Mon 8 Dec 2008, 04:55

'False and irresponsible' The aggressive defensiveness displayed by some posters (and I assume them to be drivers), on this forum is highly suspect. If you read my post again dear Christine, you'll see quite plainly that I don't suggest to endorse reckless cycling. Nor do I endorse reckless water skiing, either.

There were close to 3,000 fatalities on our roads this year(and at least one on the Charlbury Road) caused not my reckless cyclists or water skiiers but by reckless drivers.

I'm sorry you don't like that fact; neither do I but I do at least acknowledge it as fact instead of pointing my finger at everyone else.

Sun 7 Dec 2008, 13:03

I hate to add fuel to the flames but I think I chose the wrong driving incident to comment on in order to redress the balance. The driver on Dyers Hill wasn't going over thirty (though going quite briskly) and was not putting anyone in danger. However, he had to slow down for a moment because an elderly man was crossing the road outside the chapel very slowly and the driver hooted loudly several times both before and after slowing down. I thought that was rude and totally unnecessary but it wasn't dangerous.

Sun 7 Dec 2008, 11:54

To suggest reckless cycling doesn't also threaten the lives of others is not only false, but irresponsible.

Recently, driving home from Banbury about 1.30 a.m. I encountered 2 cyclists riding in the middle of the A road, also without lights & wearing dark clothes. As I encountered them just round a bend & on a completely unlit stretch of road, I felt lucky to get home alive ...

Sun 7 Dec 2008, 06:53

Yes, riding a bike without lights, wearing nonreflective dark clothes at this time of year is potentially suicidal.

Whereas aggressive driving on Dyers Hill (or anywhere or anytime of year), in a two ton slab of metal propelled at more than 30 mph is potentially homicidal.

That's the difference between reckless cycling and reckless driving.

Sun 7 Dec 2008, 00:55

I do not want to add to the car/bike furore (in the interest of balance I saw a very aggresive piece of driving on Dyers Hill this Saturday morning). However, in the evening I was walking down Enstone Road at about 8.10 when a young chap (c.16-18) cycled uo the road with NO lights. He was wearing a very dark track suit and when I turned to look after him he was practically invisible. If anyone knows who he is perhaps they could point out to him that although at that age one feels oneself to be immortal, riding a bike with no lights and also wearing very dark clothes is horribly, horribly dangerous.