For a long while, since last May in fact, Mervin has had a fault with his starter motor. On rare occasions, usually at the most inconvenient times he woud fail to start. More accurately he would fail to try to start. The starter just wouldn't engage and turn at all. At first I suspected an immobilser fault. Mervin was ex-British Airways and had two different alarm systems and a tracker installed, so his wiring is somewhat haywire, and I suspected the fault lay there.
Strangley the problem would manifest itself initially only at B & Q, which was wierd, as we have two branches locally and it happened consistently at both. You could start from cold, drive to B & Q and on attemptign to drive away with a warm engine the starter would fail to engage. He would start no problem with a push start. After suspecting a faulty battery, then the immobiliser triggered by some wierd radio mast interference (Both B & Q's have phone masts nearby) I eventually began to experience the problem elsewhere and diagnosed the starter solenoid as the source of the problem. The age old cure was applied (hitting it wiv a big 'ammer) and this worked for a while. I got used to parking front end out in case I had to push start, and facing the car downhill.
The problem occurred maybe every 6 or 7 days, and only ever when the car was warm, so it didn't let me down that often and always started easily with a push, which didn't bother me unduly, Mervins a lighweight and easily push started single handedly. It does however cause the nine year old daughter embarrasment at dance class apparently.
A new starter motor was going to be a major investment given Mervins street value of about £200 (including road tax and a full tank of fuel) so I held out until the day he let me down four times running as did local errands. I got him home and on examing the situation, sure enough the solenoid had jammed completely.
Thursday saw me stripping the starter motor off the van, not an easy feat in itself, involving as it did the removal of half the engine mount, but it came off eventually. I spent a morning cleaning the solenoid assembly and honing the bore, which was glazed and dirty looking. A spray of Asda brand WD40 and reassembly saw the car starting perfectly for oh, all of three times before the main starter motor failed to turn. The solenoid worked beautifully, if i may say so, clicking away nicely. The problem I later learned was that when the wiring is disturbed, the internal connections in the starter motor are disturbed too, and are often so oxidised and corroded that the delicate contact fractures. Now whilst I know enough about 'lectrickery to clean and rebuild the solenoid the main motor was beyond my ken.
Fortunatley we have a garage. Sisons, nearby in Hull who are motor rewind specialists. Could they rebuild my starter - yes they could, and at a reasonable price too. Better still, for the smae money £65, they could sell me a ready recondtioned one off the shelf on an exchange basis. Deal done.
New starter fitted and Mervin now starts like an eager thing that wants to start and get on with the day. In the recent past I have had to start him almsot immediatley I stuck the key in, otherwise the solenoid jammed as it warmed up. But that made starting difficult becasue the veg oil heater didn;t have time to reach temperature. Now it does, meaning cleaner easier and considerably quicker starts. Half a turn of the engine has got to be better at 6 a.m. than a diesel churning over for 30 or 40 seconds at a time 7 or 8 times, spluttering and coughing. Hopefully my neighbours are grateful.
Whilst in the fettling mood I also discovered that half of the oil heater wasn;t working due to a blown fuse - probably also a result of all the cold cranking. That was promptly changed.
And another irritating fault was fixed. Mervin has a bulkhead with a slot for the rear view and "emergency access" about twice the size of the average letter box. This allows a restricted but useful view with the interior mirror. Or at least ot would do if the rear view mirror didn't bounce aorund hanging off the sticky pad which fixes it to the windscreen. Well, with a further investment of a pound for a new sticky pad and a few minutes to clean the old one off and fix the new I now have a rock steady view to the rear. Which is nice. If I had been able to see behind me, and into the back of the van I wouldn't have brought home 6 parking cones and a bag of road grit which a colleague kindly loaded into the back as a joke!
With Mervin runing fine I now have to find another project to spend time on and I think Ebay might just have provided me with the very thing. Watch this space.
Monday, 19 October 2009
Mervin motors on.
For those following the trials of Mervin, my bargain basement van, here are more tales of his adventures.
Mervin threwa wobbler week before last when he was asked to do a cross town journey at rush hour. Normally he performs perfectly, although he doesn't like early morning starts - rather like me in that respect. And we both hate rush hour. This particular rush hour was a doozer though. A fire at a waste recycling centre had caused half the roads in the city to be closed off due to the nasty smoke and fumes, with the result that all the traffic has seemingly been pushed onto the one cross town road remaining. What should have been a 40 minute jouney on a normal day had stretched to a good hour and a half of sitting motionless and carwling an inch or so at a time, with about 4 miles still to go to reach an important conference venue when Mervin threw what is best described as a hissy fit. He got all hot and bothered and leaked his coolant all over the tarmac. With the temperature gauge needle trying to bend around the red stop I limped him into a filling station and raised the bonnet. Examination showed no coolant left at all and a tell tale brown stain on the header tank return hose. Closer examination showed that this had been rubbing against the metal clip of the air filter box for 15 years, with the end result of the sidewall of the hose weakening and eventually splitting under the excess heat and pressure of the rush hour crawl.
Now I may have touched before on the topic of modern filling stations and this one was no different. It stocked something like 42 different flavours of crisps, overpriced curled up sandwiches and lukewarm fizzy drinks, but nothing remotely useful to the stranded motorist. However a short walk away was a bicycle shop. Now there is an industry that looks after it's customers. They sell bikes AND the bits to repair them. Sadly they did not have the header tank hose for a 1994 Ford Courier diesel van, although they did, for some strange reason have a Jaguar cycle on display. Ford owned Jaguar for a while, but none of the parts on the bike looked compatable with Mervins chassis. I was however able to purchase a puncture repair outfit and role of elecrtrical insulation tape with a get you home bodge in mind.
Heath Robinson inspired repair then took place. After allowing a suitable cooling period lashings of glue and a puncture repair patch were applied to the split hose and a makeshift bandage crafted from tape. Attached to the useless filling station was one of those Hand Wash car wash places, absent of any of the usual Migrant staff (well is was only 9.45 by now) and as they generally sit around drinking between scrathing your paintwork with a moist rag I managed to find a couple of useful empty bottles with whcih to fill up the radiator system using the leaky tap conveniently attached to the nearby wall of what was once the mechanised car wash, before Polish migrants were invented to do it by hand (oh err!)
This bodge worked so well that I haven't bothered to replace the hose. Total repair cost £2.
Mervin was so over joyed with this mechanical attention that he promptly failed to proceed again with another problem more about which follows.
Mervin threwa wobbler week before last when he was asked to do a cross town journey at rush hour. Normally he performs perfectly, although he doesn't like early morning starts - rather like me in that respect. And we both hate rush hour. This particular rush hour was a doozer though. A fire at a waste recycling centre had caused half the roads in the city to be closed off due to the nasty smoke and fumes, with the result that all the traffic has seemingly been pushed onto the one cross town road remaining. What should have been a 40 minute jouney on a normal day had stretched to a good hour and a half of sitting motionless and carwling an inch or so at a time, with about 4 miles still to go to reach an important conference venue when Mervin threw what is best described as a hissy fit. He got all hot and bothered and leaked his coolant all over the tarmac. With the temperature gauge needle trying to bend around the red stop I limped him into a filling station and raised the bonnet. Examination showed no coolant left at all and a tell tale brown stain on the header tank return hose. Closer examination showed that this had been rubbing against the metal clip of the air filter box for 15 years, with the end result of the sidewall of the hose weakening and eventually splitting under the excess heat and pressure of the rush hour crawl.
Now I may have touched before on the topic of modern filling stations and this one was no different. It stocked something like 42 different flavours of crisps, overpriced curled up sandwiches and lukewarm fizzy drinks, but nothing remotely useful to the stranded motorist. However a short walk away was a bicycle shop. Now there is an industry that looks after it's customers. They sell bikes AND the bits to repair them. Sadly they did not have the header tank hose for a 1994 Ford Courier diesel van, although they did, for some strange reason have a Jaguar cycle on display. Ford owned Jaguar for a while, but none of the parts on the bike looked compatable with Mervins chassis. I was however able to purchase a puncture repair outfit and role of elecrtrical insulation tape with a get you home bodge in mind.
Heath Robinson inspired repair then took place. After allowing a suitable cooling period lashings of glue and a puncture repair patch were applied to the split hose and a makeshift bandage crafted from tape. Attached to the useless filling station was one of those Hand Wash car wash places, absent of any of the usual Migrant staff (well is was only 9.45 by now) and as they generally sit around drinking between scrathing your paintwork with a moist rag I managed to find a couple of useful empty bottles with whcih to fill up the radiator system using the leaky tap conveniently attached to the nearby wall of what was once the mechanised car wash, before Polish migrants were invented to do it by hand (oh err!)
This bodge worked so well that I haven't bothered to replace the hose. Total repair cost £2.
Mervin was so over joyed with this mechanical attention that he promptly failed to proceed again with another problem more about which follows.
And again....
Further to my last post, add electrocuted (again) October 2009. Of course, I'm getting used to it by now. This time it was whilst decorating the Hall. It seems my outdoor doorside lamp is wired throguh two different trip fuses on two circuits. Note to self - turn BOTH off in future.
Sunday, 27 September 2009
Immortality
Immortality - hmmm. That's probably not spelt right, but hey - I've a lifetime to perfect it.
I touched on the subject of my immortal soul in my last post. So let's examine this shall we. What makes me think I am immortal?
Well it's like this. I cannot remember a time when I didn't exist, therefore logically I have always existed. Other, older people (and we know what their memories are like don't we?) say they CAN remember a time when I didn't exist. They allege that they saw me born, or growing up or whatever. But THEY are mere mortals, so can we trust them? For all I know I imagined them all.
Of course, the true test of immortality is can you be killed? Well, this is possibly tempting fate, but I am begginning to have my doubts. A brief catalouge of my near death expereiencesl;
1971 - fall from a second storey window - outcome - a chipped tooth.
1972 - electrocuted whilst plugging in a toy train set. No effect.
1973 - electrocuted whilst plugging in a toy train set. No effect. Although by now I was going off the train set.
1980 - cycle accident into parked car whilst reading newspaper whilst cycling- no injury. Sunday supplement torn.
1982 - head on cycle accident. No injury.
1986 - throttle jams wide open on motorcycle - no injury. Bike a write off.
1987 - narrow miss with coach in single track Scottish Mountain road - I swear my two nearside wheels were over fresh air as we went around the bend to miss the coach coming the other way in the dark.
1989 - car into ditch - no injury - reversed out, and completed journey!
1992 - head on collision with stolen car - slight disorientation, mild concussion.
1993 - Minor smoke inhalation in fire rescue. 2 others died, I survived.
1994 - electrocuted again whilst decorating friends flat. Of course I'm getting used to it by now.
1995 - Collision with bus which pulls out at junction into path of my speeding patrol car. No injury.
1995 - shot in knee. That hurt a bit.
1997 - Got married (okay that doesn't really count, but it hurt me terribly financially and has done ever since)
2002 - Broken ribs, twice, in fights with violent people.
2005- fell down cliff whilst on active coastguard rescue duty. Mild bruising to both thighs.
2009 - Almost drowned in sink hole in Dent Dale Valley.
This is just a breif sunnary of the things I can remember, I'm sure there are many more. Like the time I avoided hypothermia whilst sleeping drunk in a hedge oustide a mates house.
I now feel it is quite reasonable to wallpaper around a socket without necessarily removing the fuse from the system or switching off the supply. I know a man who changes household radiators without draining the heating system down first, but that's just silly - you're going to get wet, but not dead.
Any how the uopshot is, I am (possibly) immortal (so far) and unless fate happens to be watching and decides to make an example of me I shall remain immortal until the day I die.
I touched on the subject of my immortal soul in my last post. So let's examine this shall we. What makes me think I am immortal?
Well it's like this. I cannot remember a time when I didn't exist, therefore logically I have always existed. Other, older people (and we know what their memories are like don't we?) say they CAN remember a time when I didn't exist. They allege that they saw me born, or growing up or whatever. But THEY are mere mortals, so can we trust them? For all I know I imagined them all.
Of course, the true test of immortality is can you be killed? Well, this is possibly tempting fate, but I am begginning to have my doubts. A brief catalouge of my near death expereiencesl;
1971 - fall from a second storey window - outcome - a chipped tooth.
1972 - electrocuted whilst plugging in a toy train set. No effect.
1973 - electrocuted whilst plugging in a toy train set. No effect. Although by now I was going off the train set.
1980 - cycle accident into parked car whilst reading newspaper whilst cycling- no injury. Sunday supplement torn.
1982 - head on cycle accident. No injury.
1986 - throttle jams wide open on motorcycle - no injury. Bike a write off.
1987 - narrow miss with coach in single track Scottish Mountain road - I swear my two nearside wheels were over fresh air as we went around the bend to miss the coach coming the other way in the dark.
1989 - car into ditch - no injury - reversed out, and completed journey!
1992 - head on collision with stolen car - slight disorientation, mild concussion.
1993 - Minor smoke inhalation in fire rescue. 2 others died, I survived.
1994 - electrocuted again whilst decorating friends flat. Of course I'm getting used to it by now.
1995 - Collision with bus which pulls out at junction into path of my speeding patrol car. No injury.
1995 - shot in knee. That hurt a bit.
1997 - Got married (okay that doesn't really count, but it hurt me terribly financially and has done ever since)
2002 - Broken ribs, twice, in fights with violent people.
2005- fell down cliff whilst on active coastguard rescue duty. Mild bruising to both thighs.
2009 - Almost drowned in sink hole in Dent Dale Valley.
This is just a breif sunnary of the things I can remember, I'm sure there are many more. Like the time I avoided hypothermia whilst sleeping drunk in a hedge oustide a mates house.
I now feel it is quite reasonable to wallpaper around a socket without necessarily removing the fuse from the system or switching off the supply. I know a man who changes household radiators without draining the heating system down first, but that's just silly - you're going to get wet, but not dead.
Any how the uopshot is, I am (possibly) immortal (so far) and unless fate happens to be watching and decides to make an example of me I shall remain immortal until the day I die.
Sunday, 20 September 2009
3 Peaks Trip
Left, me at the Top of Pen-Y-Ghent, and right, "the evil brooding bastard"Okay, I'll conced it wa the 2 peaks. I did Pen-Y-Ghent, or as a friend would have it, "that evil brooding bastard." And I did Whernside. I just didn't get round to Ingleborough on account of really bad blisters. That makes me sound rather like a wimp doesn't it? I mean, Douglas Bader never complained of blisters did he? Well he wouldn't.
To be fair, on arrival at Ingleton, no sooner had I set up the caravan than I was off on the Ingleton Falls trail, a 6 1/2 mile stroll, which started the blebs on my feet. On the way back to the pitch I passed by three pubs and was forced to have a pint in each one. Then It was back to the caravan for an evening meal of chicken ding (chicken shoved in the microwave until it goes "ding") and a couple of episodes of Life on Mars with the strat of a wottle of Bhiskey.
Next day was Pen-Y-Ghent and Whernside, and I would have gone on to complete Ingleborough, honestly, had it not been for the terrible blistering from which I am only now starting to recover.
Pen-Y-Ghent of course has two ways up. The shorter and steeper way which involves a longish walk gradually sloping uphill then a bugger of a climb to reach the top - or the other way which is a long and steep ascent, where the summit is constantly moving around and getting further away. I chose the latter, then came down the steep way. next time I might go in reverse.
I blame my boots for the blisters. When I was a kid there was a magazine called Tiger, unless memory fails. One of the comic strips in this was called "Billy's Boots" the storyline of which was that this kid called Billy had and old pair of football boots which had previously belonged to a famous footballer and which gave him magical footballing skills. My walking boots are pretty much the same. The are now about 21 years old, possibly much older, i think I bought them when I was about 20 but I might have been 18. They are heavy, leather and have seen many miles, the soles are now wearing quite thin. My work colleagues, decked out in modern Teflon and Gortex feather weight boots refer to them as antiques, and they are possibly right. They are certainly now past their best (the boots that is, not my work colleagues) hecne the blisters I'm guessing. But if I have to break in a new pair that means more blisters, am I right?
Anyway Thursday dawned bright and sunny and it seemed a shame to waste the day, but I was unable to walk without a fair degree of discomfort. Fortunately, all was not lost; I had taken along my trusty mountain bike. I decided a ride through to Dent was in order, a 20 mile round trip. For September it was quite decidely hot and sunny, and it wasn't long before I had stripped to just a pair of shorts, which as it turned out was a fortunate decision. As I stopped for lunch it seemed like a good idea to dip my feet in the stream passing through the Dent Valley (The River Dent? - I don't know?) How refreshing! I stowed by bottles of fresh orange juice in there too and chilled them as I ate my lunch.
Now for those who don't know it, the road through to Dent is a single track unclassified road, and probably sees maybe five cars a day travel down it, so it's ideal for cycling although hilly, it is remote in the extreme. This may have a bearing on the life changing situation I found myself in - had things gone differently it could have been many days before my bike and body were found! Having finished lunch and still hot and sweaty I decided to paddle a little in the stream. being no fool, and a weak swimmer at best I wanted to remain well within my depths, and thought it safe as I could see the bottom. Having wandered up the stream at knee depth I was about to turn aroudn when suddenly and without any wanring the bottom disappered! I reckon I went down about 15 feet in a "sink hole" and disorientated, searching for daylight and which was was up, under water for maybe 35 seconds before gasping for breath, I surfaced again. My life flashed beofre my eyes I can say! Well I think it was my life, it had been edited quite badly, and a lot of the more boring stuff had been cut, but I recognised a lot of it.
I had considered crossing this same stream/river with my bike to get to a wooded area which looked pleasantly shaded from the hot sun - had I done so I would have had my bike and rucksack to fight with as I went under. I think back now and wonder , if I had hit my head, or caught my foot in a rock or something, would I now be writing my orbituary (metaphorically speaking of course) Given the remoteness of the location, no one would have seen me go under, and no one knew I was there, so no one would have rescued me or even come loooking for me for many days. It makes you think. I could have drowned or worse.
It also makes me unafraid of the future, not fearless as such, but certainly thankful to be still here and ready to make the best of the extra time I have now. On the other hand it confirms my suspicion that I am (probably) immortal.
Dent Railway station, is allegedly the highest mainline railay station in England. So a visit was in order. And there is was, certianly bloody high if the hills I had to go up where any measure.
Thursday night saw much consumption from the wottle of bhiskey and more episodes of Life on Mars!
All in all a memorable excursion, and one which has a part three to come, as Ingleborough has yet to be tackled. October half term looks a likely time to try again - with new boots!
Sunday, 6 September 2009
Update. I haven't posted anything for months
Mervin passed his MOT so will be staying on the fleet for a while longer yet. I have yet top get round to painting his left side, but might get it done in the next two weeks while I'm on leave.
On the other hand I might not as I have the hallway to redecorate, and I set off on Tuesday to climb the Three Yorksihire Peaks. I'm taking the Caravan for four days, so I should get in the walking, some cycling and maybe a little beer drinking!
I have just got back from 3 days with the family in the Caravan in three peaks country, staying at Bentham, not far of Settle and a stones through from Inglebourough. The weather was not too good. It rained once, starting on the Wednesday we arrived and continuing until Saturday when we left. We did get to visit White Scar Caves though, a fasciniating visit under Ingleborough, and a prelude to climbing it.
The site we stayed on was rather soggy, and the facilities basic Life on Mars era.Cheap though at a tenspot per night. One cheeky camper arrived at about 10p.m. then buggered off next morning about 5.30, managing to avoid payment altogether. I doubt he got his moneys worth though, as the view was great when the rain stopped and it was clear enough to see the hills. It was Saturday mornign before I realised they had wind turbines on top - it was too murky to see them before then.
The big family holiday was to Hannover, Germany, by coach, with the inlaws. Not as bad as it sounds. The coach had slightly less leg room than was comfrotable, but it wasn't quite cattle class, and the in laws are great, i get along with them better than i do my own folks, probably because they are normal people, whilst my parents are almost certainly aliens. Anyhow, I was ashamed of my pidgin German that I learnt at school, particularly as all the German folk spoke perfect English, so it has inspired me to learn German properly. I am on lesson 6 as I type, and listening to the Ipod in my sleep to learn subliminally. I don't know if that sort of thing works but it's worth a try.
Decorating the hall will be a major undertaking. I don't do things by half, so it will involve plumbing in a new radiator, replastering the top landing by the bathroom door, which was moved when I refitted the bathroom (see an earlier post) replacing all the skirting and architraves, a new laminate floor and a new storage solution for the understairs area.... maybe fantastic sliding doors to hide all the clutter. And a new doorbell (how that got on the list is beyond me, but 'er indoors has added it to my list) Lots of builders trade magnolia will be used, but the lower hallway will be papered - it has been chosen and bought already. Oh yeah, and the single electric socket will be replaced with a double. And the light probably changed. With extra lights fitted under the stairs in the new cupboard. Possibly those battery LED ones.
After that it will be the front room, a similar major undertaking, which will involve further electrical work with additional sockets - you can never have enough it seems, a new fireplace and gas fire and a full redecoration job. And a new sofa and furniture. And then the dining room needs new table and chairs. Problem is, with all this time off work I'm not earningn the overtime to pay for it all.
Oh well. To bed. Tommorow is another day. Last day with the kids before they go back to school, and I go off to Horton in Ribblesdale to climb mountains. Maybe we will follow the tradition we started last year and go for one last bike ride to close the summer. Whats's the weather going to do I wonder? Rain seems likely!
On the other hand I might not as I have the hallway to redecorate, and I set off on Tuesday to climb the Three Yorksihire Peaks. I'm taking the Caravan for four days, so I should get in the walking, some cycling and maybe a little beer drinking!
I have just got back from 3 days with the family in the Caravan in three peaks country, staying at Bentham, not far of Settle and a stones through from Inglebourough. The weather was not too good. It rained once, starting on the Wednesday we arrived and continuing until Saturday when we left. We did get to visit White Scar Caves though, a fasciniating visit under Ingleborough, and a prelude to climbing it.
The site we stayed on was rather soggy, and the facilities basic Life on Mars era.Cheap though at a tenspot per night. One cheeky camper arrived at about 10p.m. then buggered off next morning about 5.30, managing to avoid payment altogether. I doubt he got his moneys worth though, as the view was great when the rain stopped and it was clear enough to see the hills. It was Saturday mornign before I realised they had wind turbines on top - it was too murky to see them before then.
The big family holiday was to Hannover, Germany, by coach, with the inlaws. Not as bad as it sounds. The coach had slightly less leg room than was comfrotable, but it wasn't quite cattle class, and the in laws are great, i get along with them better than i do my own folks, probably because they are normal people, whilst my parents are almost certainly aliens. Anyhow, I was ashamed of my pidgin German that I learnt at school, particularly as all the German folk spoke perfect English, so it has inspired me to learn German properly. I am on lesson 6 as I type, and listening to the Ipod in my sleep to learn subliminally. I don't know if that sort of thing works but it's worth a try.
Decorating the hall will be a major undertaking. I don't do things by half, so it will involve plumbing in a new radiator, replastering the top landing by the bathroom door, which was moved when I refitted the bathroom (see an earlier post) replacing all the skirting and architraves, a new laminate floor and a new storage solution for the understairs area.... maybe fantastic sliding doors to hide all the clutter. And a new doorbell (how that got on the list is beyond me, but 'er indoors has added it to my list) Lots of builders trade magnolia will be used, but the lower hallway will be papered - it has been chosen and bought already. Oh yeah, and the single electric socket will be replaced with a double. And the light probably changed. With extra lights fitted under the stairs in the new cupboard. Possibly those battery LED ones.
After that it will be the front room, a similar major undertaking, which will involve further electrical work with additional sockets - you can never have enough it seems, a new fireplace and gas fire and a full redecoration job. And a new sofa and furniture. And then the dining room needs new table and chairs. Problem is, with all this time off work I'm not earningn the overtime to pay for it all.
Oh well. To bed. Tommorow is another day. Last day with the kids before they go back to school, and I go off to Horton in Ribblesdale to climb mountains. Maybe we will follow the tradition we started last year and go for one last bike ride to close the summer. Whats's the weather going to do I wonder? Rain seems likely!
Sunday, 5 July 2009
Credit Crunch? What credit crunch?
Apparently there is some sort of financial crisis going on. This means that rich people who have saved their money are earning less interest than they used to and may now have to work for a living instead. Conversely those who work for a living and have no savings, mainly due to paying exhorbitant taxes to fund the lifestyle of the idle rich, now find that their mortgages have gone down, meaning that they have more disposable income to save, although there is no point as there is no interest paid on savings, so we may as well pay off the mortgage even quicker, so that we can retire earlier.
So to summarise, the rich are getting poorer, and the workers can retire sooner. And this is a bad thing?
So how do the unemployed fare in all this? By and large the great unwashed have no savings and no mortgage, so provided the price of Stealla does not increase they have nothing to worry about.
Sadly, a few people will lose their jobs as there is a downturn in industry. But our woderful government have a solution. If I understand correctly we got into this position because the banks lent money they didn't have to people who couldn't pay it back. Ironically our Government beleive that by encouraging people to spend money they don;t have we can buy our way out of tis recession. So we have the scrappage scheme. This means that if you are poor enough to own a car more than 11 years old (it has to be ten years old and you have to have owned it for more than a year) you can trade it for a brand new one and get £1000 from the government matched by £1000 discount from the dealer to buy a new car. This will support the British motor industry (What British motor industry?)
So how many pople driving for example a ten year old Volvo have £14,000 stuffed undeer their matresses to buy a new one, even with a £2000 subsidy? Sorry but if I had that sort of money I'd be paying a huge chunk off my mortgage. So, the people buying these new cars will be buying on credit. Borrowing money that the banks don't have and which they can't gaurantee will be repaid....... Hmmm. Haven't we been there before.
So to summarise, the rich are getting poorer, and the workers can retire sooner. And this is a bad thing?
So how do the unemployed fare in all this? By and large the great unwashed have no savings and no mortgage, so provided the price of Stealla does not increase they have nothing to worry about.
Sadly, a few people will lose their jobs as there is a downturn in industry. But our woderful government have a solution. If I understand correctly we got into this position because the banks lent money they didn't have to people who couldn't pay it back. Ironically our Government beleive that by encouraging people to spend money they don;t have we can buy our way out of tis recession. So we have the scrappage scheme. This means that if you are poor enough to own a car more than 11 years old (it has to be ten years old and you have to have owned it for more than a year) you can trade it for a brand new one and get £1000 from the government matched by £1000 discount from the dealer to buy a new car. This will support the British motor industry (What British motor industry?)
So how many pople driving for example a ten year old Volvo have £14,000 stuffed undeer their matresses to buy a new one, even with a £2000 subsidy? Sorry but if I had that sort of money I'd be paying a huge chunk off my mortgage. So, the people buying these new cars will be buying on credit. Borrowing money that the banks don't have and which they can't gaurantee will be repaid....... Hmmm. Haven't we been there before.
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