I had to make an “essential” journey this morning. Having been advised to stay home and let the neighbours do the shopping I suddenly realised that ordinary people don’t have card terminals so I had to go to the bank for cash in order to pay them,
Or you could do an online bank transfer into their account. That’s what we have been asking our neighbours to do. It saves them going to bank to get the cash out of their account and us going to the bank to pay it back in to our account.
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In Belgium we have a “partial” lockdown, which means; no unnecessary trips (only to food-shops, medical…) but the demandings of our old-timer federation are strange; in Belgium an oldtimer (+25 yrs) registered under O-plates is not allowed to drive from and to work, all other is ok.
BFOV (oldtimer fed.) states that pleasure trips should be avoided (makes sense) but they also ask us to take our daily car for shopping instead of our oldie???Going to the supermarket with you oldie is the ONLY way to ride it by now, what’s the difference between “shopping” in a +25 yrs old car vs daily? A Belgian compromise?
I would imagine their thinking is a newer car is less likely to break down so putting less strain on roadside recovery etc.
Makes sense…even if our fives are far more reliable than many modern cars and by this are not representative for the oldtimer scene…
Personal view, but right now, people shoud be taking a very serious mindset in any use of a car. Focus on getting to your destination (food shopping, or work), and focus on getting back, not on how you get there. I think if you had a choice of cars, and you choose to take the MX5, because its a more “fun drive”, indicates to me you dont get the gravity of the situation. The same for people who want to keep the MX5 going in order to exercise the engine.
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The RAC’s view, for grocery shopping the MX-5 boot should be more than adequate for a week’s shopping for an average family who shops sensibly.
I’m worried my car won’t start when I need it to – what can I do?
People are rightly worried about their car batteries going flat because they aren’t driving as much as normal. But simply starting a car occasionally isn’t likely to help, in fact this may end up draining a weak battery.
As the government advice is only to drive when essential, drivers will have to rely on these trips to keep their batteries healthy. If you need to use your vehicle and it doesn’t start, you can still call us for assistance.
If you have more than one car it’s probably best to alternate between them for your essential journeys so they both get used. You should also consider driving the one with the older or weaker battery more often.
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My daily driver, £30 VED, MX-5 £300 VED, guess which one is sorn because of little use. Batteries on both have been on a maintenance charger over the last couple of weeks. The furthest I’ve been in the daily driver is a round trip of 5 miles and necessary (to Sainsbury’s) as the Asda we walk to had run out of some items required.
Sad times but staying safe.
Went for an 8 mile so called “drive” yesterday with the Mk1.
Lovely day, hood down, sunglasses. It felt…odd.
However, the boot had 3 bags of prescriptions needing delivered as our local Pharm is utterly rammed. While perfectly justifiable, it still reminded me of the feeling when having a quick fag behind the bike shelters at Senior School.
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^^^^ I actually felt guilty going to Sainsbury’s again yesterday, we’d already been last Friday. That was a mercy mission, our son who doesn’t drive (can’t afford a car) needed basics which he can’t get at the local Asda. We had to drop them off to him, worse bit was the grandkids smiling and waving at us through the window, broke our hearts we couldn’t give them a hug.
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Like many others I’m sure , I am already really missing the freedom to just get in the 5 and go somewhere, anywhere, but know I just have to be patient like everyone else and hope for the best, as there are more important things at stake, so my 5 is now SORN as the tax is due and its a second car, hey ho. There’s always been a certain amount of Argy Bargy between different regions/ Countries of the British Isles, but in these dangerous and threatening times, we all need to work together regardless of personal differences etc,try to remain positive if possible, and do what we are told in order to get on top of this virus, which hopefully we all will, sooner rather than later, although there is a minority of morons who are acting as if nothing is wrong, like having pub lock ins and parties etc, until one of them ends up in Hospital ,then it’ll be all tears and woe is me.
Oh, we are all just waiting…waiting…for the right moment.
https://www.facebook.com/gaurgopald/videos/450617572305573/?t=3
Great link, sums it up nicely, call me a tart, but I got quite emotional watching it. 
Boz
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TART!
Cheers!? 
You know when there has been a temporary road blockage, and people have to queue for a bit. And then, when the blockage ends or they find a rat run to bypass it with they drive like someone trying for pole with a crazed look in their eye faster than they’d ever usually think about late braking got to make up those precious seconds because I’m finally free of the queue and being an aggressive and dangerous driver all of a sudden will get me to my destination late anyway but I don’t care because my frustrations with life have been building up in the queue and I’m finally free I’m finally free…?
I might stay off the roads for a few days longer when the lockdown eventually ends.
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A lot of people drive like that anyway, all the time, but I know exactly what you mean, unless the lockdown ends in a gradual way with people slowly trying to get back to some sort of normality, rather than one big free for all, with parts of the A12 being like the Santa Pod drag strip, which come to think of it ,is often like that anyway.
But to be honest, I am chomping at the bit, and like everyone , looking forward to better days, and when it comes we’ll have a lot of good people particularly those in the NHS to thank for it.
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Been out for a drive had too going mad in the house and at 61 and overweight got to watch myself ,
We’ve been for a relaxing walk this morning, no cars involved. It’s getting pretty frustrating even walking now.
Cyclists expecting us to move off the footpath into the road, an increasing amount of rubbish most notably wet wipes/tissues disposable gloves strewn at the roadside. What is it with taking large amounts of Nurofen and alcohol? all the empties strewn at the roadside.
Think we’ll stay at home now and just walk around the garden.
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