My maiden anti-idiot (4wd) rant

[Graeme Dods]

On Thu, 06 Apr 2006 12:18:46 +1000, Tamyka Bell wrote:

> But surely you're weaning off it, using it less and less as you
> acclimatise more and more...

Yes, I'm going more for the "windows down" approach in the car (less fuel,
generally more pleasant air) and at home the air con is rather a decrepid
evaporative unit which is ineffective when you need it most and breaks down
fairly regularly. Let's call it "enforced acclimatisation"

> wait a sec, Perth? I missed out - I nearly
> froze my tits off in Perth, and that was last January!

Perth, WA?! I was nearer the other Perth last January (in Edinburgh) on
holiday and it was definitely on the cold side (minus single figures) -
absolutely lovely!

Graeme

 

[LotteBum]

Until we are ready to give up bicycles, toothpaste, medicine, building material, pots and pans, chairs, computers, infrastructure to make and
transport our food, water pipes, hospitals and just about everything
around us that relies on industry and mining, then perhaps we shouldn't
attack them.

My post was about EVERYONE doing what they can. The economy in Australia is great, and it's time businesses are told to at least try to do their bit as well. The solution to the problem is not to shut down all factories - merely to clean them up. Even a little bit would go a long way considering the high level of emissions.

Again, I think everyone should do their bit - not just individuals, drivers of military vehicles, but I do also think it's time regulations are tightened for industry. They're making enough money.

Lotte

 

[mitosis]

flyingdutch wrote:
> Theo Bekkers Wrote:
>> Spoken4 wrote:

>>> I hereby take great pleasure in announcing that all 4wd drivers are
>>> imbeciles!

>> 12 tonne red and white 4WD with flashing lights and sirens, complete
>> with
>> imbecile driver wearing yellow overalls and a funny hat.

> let's hope your joking Theo. otherwise you just outed yourself.
>
> Of course if the flashing lights signify fire truck ON DUTY by all
> means have the road/priority

Yes, I drive a fire truck as a Vollie. I was trying to point out to Spoken4
that some 4WDs are not being driven by imbeciles. Only an imbecile would
make such a statement.

Theo

So do I! At least whenever I can get to it first. There's some of the guys at my rural fire service who think they have to kill everyone on the way to a grass fire (that's everyone in and out of the truck).

There's one guy who likes to drive whose car I have seen on my approach to the shed and I have turned and gone home rather than risk getting in the truck with him at the controls.

 

[EuanB]

I agree with you. My mum is going to be buying a new car in the next 12 months. She works about 20km from home and I keep telling her to buy either a 100cc scooter (she has to drive through an 80km/h zone with no over taking lanes - wouldn't want to hold any V8's up now, would you?) or a small car like a Yaris or something equally small. Her belief is that cars that small look silly with their tiny little wheels etc, so she'll probably end up buying a Corolla or a Mazda 3 which, even though they're not huge, I still think is overkill. To this day, I wish we'd bought a Mazda 2 over our Corolla - not that I don't love our Stoller - just that even better fuel economy would rock.

Old people have spent their lives being incredibly selfish and although I applaud those who are now doing their bit, the ones that don't seem to care really p!ss me off. It's not that hard to change your ways.

I love our Corolla. For its size it's got good cargo capacity which is handy when we want to take the bikes somewhere and if looked after is good for half a million kms. If the predictions about peak oil are true this could well be the last car we buy; got another fifteen years minimum at current annual milage.

 

[LotteBum]

I love our Corolla. For its size it's got good cargo capacity which is handy when we want to take the bikes somewhere and if looked after is good for half a million kms. If the predictions about peak oil are true this could well be the last car we buy; got another fifteen years minimum at current annual milage.

We love our Corolla too and you're right - mileage is a big plus. This is my third Corolla (and all three were the only cars I've owned that weren't complete snotboxes). Our annual mileage recently went from 30,000km to about 5,000km, so I have a feeling we have some miles left in it... thankfully! Cars are such a waste of money

Lotte

 

[Stuart Lamble]

On 2006-04-06, Graeme Dods <[email protected]> wrote:
> Lawns are a waste of time
> and effort even in higher rainfall areas such as the UK, in many parts of
> Australia they're a criminal waste of resources.

I'm trying to remember the last time I did anything to my lawn other
than run a mower over it.

Nope, drawing a complete blank here.

Ok, so it's not a lush, velvety smooth expanse of green ... but hey,
it's ground cover (which is what cooch is all too good at.)

--
My Usenet From: address now expires after two weeks. If you email me, and
the mail bounces, try changing the bit before the "@" to "usenet".

 

[TimC]

On 2006-04-06, David Trudgett (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
> LotteBum <[email protected]> writes:
>
>> Another thing I want to mention is the fact that a huge percentage of
>> our greenhouse gas emissions are industrial/mining related. Why aren't
>> we attacking them?
>
> Wash your mouth out with soap, Lotte! We also don't mention, for
> example, the gigalitres of drinking water per day wasted by big
> business, etc., etc., but instead we concentrate on making ma and pa
> throw buckets of water over the car instead of using a trigger hose
> attachment to save even more water.

I get really ****** off, going home at 2:00am, past the swanky lawyers
offices, with rain forecast during the night, and seeing all the water
over the road from their irrigation system that has been on for the
past hour, and will keep going until 3:00, quite likely when it's
already started to rain. Fsckers.

That, and the preschool near home, and the various golf courses around
chadstone (look at google satellite at all the big swathes of
drinking-water-irrigated greenness around chadstone).

--
TimC
The stereotypical Islay is like chewing on a well-preserved rowing
boat, spiced up with seaweed, whereas the 20yo Laddie is more like
relishing a gourmet meal in said rowing boat. -- Ingvar in ASR

 

[TimC]

On 2006-04-06, Stuart Lamble (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
> On 2006-04-06, Graeme Dods <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Lawns are a waste of time
>> and effort even in higher rainfall areas such as the UK, in many parts of
>> Australia they're a criminal waste of resources.
>
> I'm trying to remember the last time I did anything to my lawn other
> than run a mower over it.
>
> Nope, drawing a complete blank here.
>
> Ok, so it's not a lush, velvety smooth expanse of green ... but hey,
> it's ground cover (which is what cooch is all too good at.)

I don't understand lawn care at all.

But mine is perfectly lush and green, the majority of the year. The
next door neighbour mows it at a nominal cost -- he considers it
"testing the mowers out" -- he repairs mowers as well as mows lawns.

My water bill basically covers drinking and shower and watering of 3
pot plants (herbs) when I remember (not often). They have a graph
which shows how much you compare to other households with n people,
and I come out at something like 3 times less water usuage than
average. I have absolutely no idea what the average household does
with their water, given that I can't seem to ween myself off super
long showers (that's what I hate about winter -- it's even harder to
get out of a hot shower).

--
TimC
A transistor protected by a fast-acting fuse will protect
the fuse by blowing first. --unknown

 

[Resound]

"Stuart Lamble" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On 2006-04-06, Graeme Dods <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Lawns are a waste of time
>> and effort even in higher rainfall areas such as the UK, in many parts of
>> Australia they're a criminal waste of resources.
>
> I'm trying to remember the last time I did anything to my lawn other
> than run a mower over it.
>

"mower"

*ponders*

"moe-wuh"

Nope, can't recall the last time I used one of those. Actually, that's a
lie, but it was one of those non-powered jobbies. Considering how little it
costs to get someone else to do it and the fact that I'm allergic enough to
different types of grass that mowing turns into a snotty sneeze fest, I pay
someone else to do it.

 

[LotteBum]

Nope, can't recall the last time I used one of those. Actually, that's a lie, but it was one of those non-powered jobbies. Considering how little it costs to get someone else to do it and the fact that I'm allergic enough to
different types of grass that mowing turns into a snotty sneeze fest, I pay
someone else to do it.

You lazy bum!!

Lotte

 

[Tamyka Bell]

LotteBum wrote:
>
> Resound Wrote:
> > Nope, can't recall the last time I used one of those. Actually, that's a
> > lie, but it was one of those non-powered jobbies. Considering how little
> > it costs to get someone else to do it and the fact that I'm allergic
> > enough to
> > different types of grass that mowing turns into a snotty sneeze fest, I
> > pay
> > someone else to do it.
> You lazy bum!!
>
> Lotte

Whereas I just avoid having a lawn.

Tam

 

[Rod Out Back]

On Tue, 04 Apr 2006 20:39:56 +1000, Spoken4
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I have been commuting for just over 10 weeks now ( a newbie!)after
>moving jobs to a place close enough to ride each day. Been fine up till
>now, as the 7am traffic is light and I use the Mullum Mullum trail for a
>bit of it. However this morning....
>Those of you who head out the Maroondah Highway through North Croydon
>will know the cutting between Yarra road and Croydon Road. Cars comming
>out of Yarra Rd and heading out towards Lilydale get a slip lane that is
>long enough to make you think you can merge, but is actually too short
>to do so safely. You can see it in their eyes...do i? don't i?? do i???
>I start from the lights heading out and down the hill (which is great
>fun generally - very fast)and a Camry in the slip lane waits for me and
>the traffic to pass, however a &%^*$ in a Land Cruiser can't wait and
>passes the waiting Camry *on the inside* and while I am trying to move
>over to the left, appears out of nowhere on my left shoulder close
>enough to touch! AND HE KEEPS SITTING THERE trying to merge next to me!
>I followed what appears to be the suggested protocol of this group and
>gestured to him appropriately and pulled up to him at the next lights
>and suggested (loudly) that he might give me more room.
>I move off at the lights and he pulls slowly up next to me as we
>continue out and yells at me through his window while forcing me over
>closer and closer to the gutter (at speed).
>I caught him at the next lights, but had a green arrow and thought best
>to keep going.
>I hereby take great pleasure in announcing that all 4wd drivers are
>imbeciles!
>Thank you very much...

I drive a Toyota Landcruiser trayback 4WD, and also ride a bike(Giant
AC). Admittedly, most of the time BOTH these vehicles are used way
out in the middle of nowhere (CW QLD), but I do a couple of trips to
cities throughout the year. i am paranoid about hitting anyone else,
and especially make sure I dont crowd people on bikes. I watch my
mirrors constantly, and practice safe driving techniques.
I occasionally see inasne cyclists travelling distance between towns
out here, and I always make a point of giving them as wide a berth as
possible when passing, and slowing down so my wake doesnt cause them
grief..

However, for all this, I am (apparently) an imbecile....sigh

I drive a Landcruiser, partly as my work vehicle (I run a sheep &
cattle station), and partly because my previous car (82 Mazda 626) was
pretty much destroyed by the rocks and other bitey bits on the main
road leading to the nearest civilsation. The underside of the 626
looks like it was attacked with a sledgehammer.

I like not having to worry that a large kangaroo will try ever so hard
to end his life embedded somewhere in my windscreen (this actually
happened to my father in a Datsun ute). My bullbar will take care of
the majority of those (thankfully, we dont have elk here...).

I have looked at smaller (and cheaper) alternatives, but at the end of
the day, the Landcruiser seems to be the most likely to survive our
roads and wildlife and still be usable.
My Landcruiser sucks to travel long distance in(The seat is a bugger),
and is shocking for fuel economy (in comparison to other modern cars -
its actually VERY good compared to older Landcruisers!), but it does
what we need. It has a **** turning circle, and is way too large to be
comfortable in heavy traffic. I dont honestly know why people own
such beasts when they live in suburbia. Vehicles like the Holden
Crewman V8 and other similar vehicles would surely provide the towing
capability needed for most operations.

Saying EVERY 4WD driver is an imbecile is a bit like saying my dog is
black, therefore all dogs are back. Not very usefull. I've read
people here saying SOME roadies are incredibly rude, but does this
mean ALL roadies are the same??

No doubt the guy you met is a ****, and needs a good kicking. However,
I would suspect he would be a **** regardless of what he is driving.

My thoughts; no doubt others will see it differently.

Cheers,

Rod....Outback Queensland

(Who was palnning on taking his Landcruiser south later this year on a
trip around this great country, and thought he might take his bike
along in the back as well. It might be nice to actually ride on
bitumen!)

 

[Theo Bekkers]

LotteBum wrote:

> get a water tank (even if there was no
> drought, it's a waste of energy to use drinking quality water for
> watering gardens),

Domestic water tanks, for houses that are connected to water mains, are my
number 1 pet hate.

1. Buy a 2000 litre tank $800. (average size is more like 1000 litres)
2. Have it installed or do it yourself $200 (you need a solid very level
base)
3. Have a plumber install additional tap from your tank to your kitchen or
garden tap $800. (don't forget you need an electrician to put in an external
power point for the pressure pump).
4. Look smug.

You have just spent $1800 and have saved the environment, bravo. You can
probably fill and empty the tank a max of 5 times aa year. You will have
saved 10,000 litres, about 7% of average household consumption. 10,000
litres would cost you $6 to buy from the water authority in Perth.

But, you say, if everybody did this we would save 7% of all the water.
Sorry, wrong again. In WA household consumption uses 15% of all the Water
Authority supplied water, so we would save 1% of the water. Industry takes
the other 85%. If everybody does get a water tank they will have spent
$Billion. Imagine how much better we could manage water if we spent that
much on water infrastructre.

OTOH, I'm not connected to the mains. I have a 127,000 litre rain-water
tank. That would cost around $8000 installed to your taps. Unfortunately it
won't quite fit on most domestic blocks.

Theo
Don't you just hate me?

 

[Theo Bekkers]

Tamyka Bell wrote:

> And when Mum's car started leaking air conditioner fluid many years
> ago, she never bothered to get it fixed and refill it - she just kept
> the windows down. And now that I've bought it, I do the same, even in
> high summer in Brisbane.

Hehe, Cars with open windows use more fuel. I believe the break-even point
is about 50 km/h. If you go 60 then you use less fuel with the air-con on
than with the windows open.

Theo

 

[Theo Bekkers]

mitosis wrote:

> So do I! At least whenever I can get to it first. There's some of
> the guys at my rural fire service who think they have to kill
> everyone on the way to a grass fire (that's everyone in and out of
> the truck).
>
> There's one guy who likes to drive whose car I have seen on my
> approach to the shed and I have turned and gone home rather than risk
> getting in the truck with him at the controls.

We have one of those too.

Theo

 

[Theo Bekkers]

Rod Out Back wrote:

> Saying EVERY 4WD driver is an imbecile is a bit like saying my dog is
> black, therefore all dogs are black.

We have two white and one black dog, so the average dog is light grey.

> No doubt the guy you met is a ****, and needs a good kicking. However,
> I would suspect he would be a **** regardless of what he is driving.
>
> My thoughts; no doubt others will see it differently.

Some agree with you.

Theo

 

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on Thu, 6 Apr 2006 11:39:40 +1000
LotteBum <[email protected]> wrote:
> I agree with you. My mum is going to be buying a new car in the next
> 12 months. She works about 20km from home and I keep telling her to
> buy either a 100cc scooter (she has to drive through an 80km/h zone
> with no over taking lanes - wouldn't want to hold any V8's up now,
> would you?) or a small car like a Yaris or something equally small.

My mother won't buy a small car, reckons they are dangerous.

She does her 50km each way commute on her motorcycle for preference,
only taking the F100 if she has to cart a lot of stuff or the bike is
unwell and she can't take the train for some reason.

Environmental reasons aren't in her mind really, the bike's more fun
and easier to park And has more options in a potential crash than
a car does.

Zebee

 

[Travis]

Tamyka Bell wrote:

> Whereas I just avoid having a lawn.

Its surprisingly difficult to kill a lawn properly. Sure, if you don't
water it the lawn won't be green in the warmer months and it may get a
little sparse, but actually killing it stone dead was hard work.

I eventually succeeded after discovering the joys of strong doses of
glyphosate.

I've now got a native garden almost entirely made of various Western
Australian wildflowers. I only water things a few times in summer when
the plants look a little tired, not at all in the cooler months. Out
the back I've got fruit trees.

Kikiyu grass is an ongoing problem though, and requires repeated doses
of glypho to keep it in check.

I really can't see why people like lawn so much. Its so ubiquitous
even a nice green one isn't much of a status symbol any more, and most
yards aren't big enough for running around in much anyway.

I guess its just that sheep like grass...

Travis

 

[TimC]

On 2006-04-06, Theo Bekkers (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
> mitosis wrote:
>
>> So do I! At least whenever I can get to it first. There's some of
>> the guys at my rural fire service who think they have to kill
>> everyone on the way to a grass fire (that's everyone in and out of
>> the truck).
>>
>> There's one guy who likes to drive whose car I have seen on my
>> approach to the shed and I have turned and gone home rather than risk
>> getting in the truck with him at the controls.
>
> We have one of those too.

Do these people ever wonder why they are the only ones in their truck?
Doesn't it get lonely and dangerous to fight fires all by yourself?

--
TimC
"I used to be better at logic problems, before I just dumped
them all into TeX and let Knuth pick out the survivors."
-- Plorkwort, 26 September 2004 on alt.religion.kibology

 

[Stuart Lamble]

On 2006-04-06, Theo Bekkers <[email protected]> wrote:
> Domestic water tanks, for houses that are connected to water mains, are my
> number 1 pet hate.

[...]

> You have just spent $1800 and have saved the environment, bravo. You can
> probably fill and empty the tank a max of 5 times aa year. You will have
> saved 10,000 litres, about 7% of average household consumption. 10,000
> litres would cost you $6 to buy from the water authority in Perth.

So true. I've looked at my water consumption, and thought about a water
tank. It just doesn't make any sense to me personally on an economic
level.

I have here a water bill, dated January 2006. The bill was broken down
as follows:

Water usage, 19 Oct 05 to 20 Jan 06: $11.73
Sewage disposal, 19 Oct to 20 Jan: $8.51
Service charges, 1 Jan to 31 Mar: $49.89
Drainage charge: $13.03
Total: $83.16

So out of a charge of $83.16, approximately $20 was based upon the
amount of water I used. If I were to disconnect totally from the mains,
and rely upon tank water, I'd save $300 or so a year ... but that
assumes that I can get all my water needs from Melbourne's rain. If I
*don't* disconnect from the mains, but get all my water from a tank, I
save just $80 a year.

If I *do* disconnect from the mains, I have to deal with my own sewerage
disposal. All the waste from the laundry, bathroom, and some of the
kitchen. That's worth the $220 a year; and then the marginal cost of
mains water makes a tank not worth it to me.

As an aside, I did the maths. Based upon average annual rainfall for
Scoresby (the closest I can get to my home), I can get enough water to
live off (taking that water bill, at 160 litres a day, as an accurate
measure.) Based upon Watsonia (which might be closer to reality)? Still
doable. Based upon worst case scenarios? Dicey.

There are places -- as Theo notes -- where tanks make sense. Suburbia is
not amongst them. Better would be the government actually putting
infrastructure in place to use the treated sewage out of Werribee and
other sewage plants; it's clean enough for a large number of purposes
currently filled with drinking quality water, after all ...

--
My Usenet From: address now expires after two weeks. If you email me, and
the mail bounces, try changing the bit before the "@" to "usenet".