I’ve only had comments once. I briefly taught at a high school and after a parents evening I made a sharp exit and ended up stuck in the melee of other quick out of the blocks teachers and the masses of parents leaving. It was single figure temperatures and I was just in my shirt but as we all know it doesn’t take long to build up your warm bubble with the windows up and the heaters on full whack.
The parents seemed to think I was mad “ha, he’s brave”, “he must be freezing” etc.
I did get a half complement from one of the kids who used to make my job more difficult than it needed to be… “Nice car Sir” “Thanks” “Yeah, but you need a newer one.”
My late wife, bless her, hit the nail on the head some years ago. It was -8degC and I was about to leave for work before I retired.
After de-icing the windows the engine now warm, my breath was condensing nicely in the chill air. With the heater blowing and the seat nice and warm, I put the roof down.
It was then I heard a bedroom window open, followed by her dulcet tone: “I don’t believe it…” She had the biggest grin as she closed the window, muttering “you are completely crazy!”
I hate it when a bin lorry tries to race me at 70mph. It’s also not fair on the other operatives running along dragging a wheelie bin trying to catch up.
Had a little cruise around on Sunday and decided to do the scenic route up around Brecon. Did Brynmawr to Merthyr on a practically empty dual carriageway so I may have indulged the horse a little. Realised that it’s possible to have the speedo needle pointing straight up without closing the roof or windows but I couldn’t hear the stereo.
Took it easy up around the Storey Arms as the entire route was like one big car park jammed with tourists and after a gentle putter back down through Llangors to Abergavenny, hooked up with an Elise and we had a spirited 60mph run back to Pontypool.
Now two things you should know. The last bit home goes past the local home of the Traffic Police and becomes dual carriageway so it didn’t surprise me when a black Seat Cupra appears from nowhere and wants to join in. I could see the stickers so knew it was an undercover refuse disposal operative and I slowed to 50mph instead of going full throttle to let him continue on with the Lotus. Could have spoiled a nice day out that.
First time I’ve had the car open for an entire trip, first time I’ve appreciated that big rear view mirror and the first time over 70 smiles per hour at all. A little concerned that I had two episodes of bouncing (like the Mercedes F1 cars were suffering) but accelerating cured it both times, that’s my excuse anyway.
A few odd looks on the heads of the valleys road as the SUVs wouldn’t have even wound their windows down let alone been in an open top car on a chilly Sunday morning.
Nice. Know the area well, driven it lots of times too (some of it anyway).
Strorey Arms is usually fine in the weekdays/evenings. Great memories of camping with the dog in my former Elgrand there. Lovely ND driving roads, too, Brecon one way, back down to the Heads of the Valleys the other way.
First night I camped in the Elgrand with my dog there, May '24
First time for ages that I’ve driven that road and looked at the view instead of the next apex and the same back down through Bwlch to Crickhowell because I caught up with about twenty people from the Owners Club and had to go the same speed they did.
Unfortunately it was the Lambretta Owners Club so it was 18mph, loud and smelly
