Welcome To The Future

EstuaryBoy said:
I thought wood burners were on the environmentalists 'hit list' too..?
(Just googled the new requirements coming in! How are they going to police anyone burning 25% moisture content wood?)
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Yeah but don't tell anyone!!!!
 
baz said:
Maybe charging your car may become a social event
Meet up at the charging point whilst waiting your turn have a coffee
Get to the charging point and go and have another coffee
A bit like people in the mark's an Spencer garage that fill up then go shopping leaving their car at the pump!!!
In fairness Eddie your gas central heating won't work either if there's a power cut
That's why I'm getting myself a wood burner
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Ther used to be a business in AKL called Car-fe. An espresso bar and car wash. Lasted a few years.
 
Fast Eddie said:
The reason for rental only has been stated as being to stop a flood of cheap, nasty, unsafe scooters flooding the place.

Personally I think it’s a really bad idea, there’ll be loads of accidents.

It‘s getting really unfair on other vehicle users. I’ve noticed a couple of times that I have pulled out dangerously close to an oncoming cyclist, then I realised why, they are CYCLISTS, and they’re going UPHILL so when my mind computed their location it did not factor in them being electric powered and doing at 25mph plus, uphill towards me.

I live in Oxford which is a big cycling town, people fly around on electric bikes, dressed in dark clothes, no lights (even at night), they’ll do 25mph and are oblivious to the fact they've only got bicycle wheels and brakes, and they dash around ignoring traffic lights, switching from pavement to cycle path to roads like theyre f*cking invincible.

So... these new scooters sound like a GREAT addition to me... NOT.

Rant over. Pass me my pills...
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Hmm, sounds just like central Copenhagen :) Here, the council has decided to ban electric scooters from the central area due to problems with them being left all over the place. Why on earth do the riders think it's ok to simply leave the machine out in the middle of the pavement instead of parking it somewhere sensible?
We were in Oxford last year and heard cyclists described as "silent assassins" - thought it most appropriate.
 
I don’t understand why people just abound on them either. The bicycles are worse in a way. Kids stop and get off them and they just let them fall and walk away, they don’t even bother using the side stand etc.

But what I find more mind boggling is the councils who fail to foresee that this might happen...
 
As a tourist, they are great. I have used them on business trips all over and they are great fun and very convenient. If the weather is good, they beat a cab hands down.
 
Fast Eddie said:
It’s not the 20 minutes to charge YOUR car that’s the issue... it’s the fact there’ll be a queue of 2,4,6 (who knows how many) in front of you.
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There is a sensible way to avoid that...
Imagine if the governments and the vehicle manufacturers got together and agreed to a standard (DIN???) for batteries (much like they don't do for power tools - grrr!!) - that way you would not have to recharge your vehicle, just "swap-and-go" the batteries. After all - they're not high, or even medium voltage, so slide-in contacts would work.
The "service stations" would have a stock level that they were constantly charging, which would fit all vehicles - small ones need 1 battery, larger ones might need 3, etc.
May need a small hoist, or similar, to perform the change-out.
You could even have an app that told you the "charged-stock" levels at service stations near you.
It also would not prevent you from charging your batteries "on-board" as they currently do.
Just something my neighbours and I have been discussing over a couple (??) of red wines.

BTW - the fly in the ointment is the delusional assumption the governments and manufacturers could agree to a standard.
 
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robs ss said:
There is a sensible way to avoid that...
Imagine if the governments and the vehicle manufacturers got together and agreed to a standard (DIN???) for batteries (much like they don't do for power tools - grrr!!) - that way you would not have to recharge your vehicle, just "swap-and-go" the batteries. After all - they're not high, or even medium voltage, so slide-in contacts would work.
The "service stations" would have a stock level that they were constantly charging, which would fit all vehicles - small ones need 1 battery, larger ones might need 3, etc.
May need a small hoist, or similar, to perform the change-out.
Just something my neighbours and I have been discussing over a couple (??) of red wines.

BTW - the fly in the ointment is the delusional assumption the governments and manufacturers could agree to a standard.
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Agreed, I’ve been saying the same for a long time.

But most manufacturers are actually currently going the opposite way. Batteries are sealed into large carriers that form a structural part of the chassis when bolted into place. The idea of a ‘quick changeover’ with this approach is a none starter !
 
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baz said:
Maybe charging your car may become a social event
Meet up at the charging point whilst waiting your turn have a coffee
Get to the charging point and go and have another coffee
A bit like people in the mark's an Spencer garage that fill up then go shopping leaving their car at the pump!!!
In fairness Eddie your gas central heating won't work either if there's a power cut
That's why I'm getting myself a wood burner
Click to expand...
That may be how it pans out. It may also be the beginning of a new phenomenon ‘charging rage’...

Your gas boiler comment is sadly very true. At least we still have two gas hobs in our house, unlike, many! My point is kinda serious though, we’re being pushed to the point of TOTAL dependancy on electricity. Demand is gonna sky rocket. Yes I know nuclear is the answer but it takes an awful long time to build nuclear power stations.

Funny story: 18 years ago we bought an old cottage in the Cotswolds. Locals warned us of power cuts every winter due to the overhead cables coming down etc.

I fitted an old fashioned solid fuel ’range’ with a back boiler in it. And an old reconditioned oil fired Aga (the old ones don’t require electricity unlike new ones) also with an auxiliary boiler in it. I linked the boilers together and plumbed the hot water circuit and upstairs radiators such that they all worked on gravity circulation. We could enjoy full heating, hot water, and cooking all without any electricity.

You know the punchline I’m sure... from that day forth we never had a power cut !!
 
Fast Eddie said:
That may be how it pans out. It may also be the beginning of a new phenomenon ‘charging rage’...

Your gas boiler comment is sadly very true. At least we still have two gas hobs in our house, unlike, many! My point is kinda serious though, we’re being pushed to the point of TOTAL dependancy on electricity. Demand is gonna sky rocket. Yes I know nuclear is the answer but it takes an awful long time to build nuclear power stations.

Funny story: 18 years ago we bought an old cottage in the Cotswolds. Locals warned us of power cuts every winter due to the overhead cables coming down etc.

I fitted an old fashioned solid fuel ’range’ with a back boiler in it. And an old reconditioned oil fired Aga (the old ones don’t require electricity unlike new ones) also with an auxiliary boiler in it. I linked the boilers together and plumbed the hot water circuit and upstairs radiators such that they all worked on gravity circulation. We could enjoy full heating, hot water, and cooking all without any electricity.

You know the punchline I’m sure... from that day forth we never had a power cut !!
Click to expand...
Around 20 years ago I had the task of repairing a rather backup generator exhaust system for a massive Japanese electronics firm in alesbury
The power cables were down so often that they made me wait for a good weather window before I could do the work on the exhaust
It would simply cost them too much to be without the backup generator if needed
Although they got by without George Michael
 
Power line reliability has gone way up in the last 15 years. A lot of the infrastructure is now underground. And the routing is more networked.
 
Some 15 years ago, I was without electricity and phone for 3 weeks after a storm. A small portable generator made it possible to get water and run the freezers and fridges and even see TV news. Wooden stove and a couple of 2 centuries old fireplaces kept us from freezing and able to eat cooked meals. Luckily had only 1200 cubic meters of fallen trees to tend to. Took only a day or two to clear the road so I could go shopping. A bit annoying.
 
Mike40M said:
Some 15 years ago, I was without electricity and phone for 3 weeks after a storm. A small portable generator made it possible to get water and run the freezers and fridges and even see TV news. Wooden stove and a couple of 2 centuries old fireplaces kept us from freezing and able to eat cooked meals. Luckily had only 1200 cubic meters of fallen trees to tend to. Took only a day or two to clear the road so I could go shopping. A bit annoying.
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In this Uber connected age, that actually sounds quite appealing !
 
During Sandy here in the east USA, we were without power for over 7 days. And it was hot, September as I remember plus a huge oak tree fell on the roof and poked a hole in the roof. I do have a 10KW generator, so it runs everything in the house other than the oven, electric dryer, dishwasher (I don't know why) and of course the A/C. Here only 50 miles west of DC the power goes out when the sun shines too much or some drunk trumper runs into a power line pole. I spent a lot on gas though. I never noticed any difference in the electrikity bill for that month however. It was still $120. It hasn't improved.
 
Woman on the Isle of wright gets banned for being drunk whilst riding a e scooters, judge says rules are the same as riding a moped or driving a bus. She was also given a community order.
BBC news.
 
DogT said:
During Sandy here in the east USA, we were without power for over 7 days. And it was hot, September as I remember plus a huge oak tree fell on the roof and poked a hole in the roof. I do have a 10KW generator, so it runs everything in the house other than the oven, electric dryer, dishwasher (I don't know why) and of course the A/C. Here only 50 miles west of DC the power goes out when the sun shines too much or some drunk trumper runs into a power line pole. I spent a lot on gas though. I never noticed any difference in the electrikity bill for that month however. It was still $120. It hasn't improved.
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As your power to your home was out, you should be asking your energy supplier fot a refund, unless you are on a fixed monthly tariff .
 
Bloody hell we complain like hell here when the power goes out for an hour or so here, we mainly run TV though and air conditioners :oops:, my workshop is fully insulated with high roof heights so with the hot days it's not so bad, we really don't have cold days:D
Burgs
 
Burgs said:
Bloody hell we complain like hell here when the power goes out for an hour or so here, we mainly run TV though and air conditioners :oops:, my workshop is fully insulated with high roof heights so with the hot days it's not so bad, we really don't have cold days:D
Burgs
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Here in the UK we have 6 months of cold winters, and 6 months of alternating weather between rain , windy sometimes snowy, (just like the winter really , only the temperatures are a little warmer) and maybe if we are really lucky a mini heatwave in between. In a good year we have been know to use factor 50 suntan oil.
 

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