Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame: At Last!!!

12/12/2012
DOAADI
Music

At long last, Rush will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after their initial record release (that would have been around 1999 for Rush). The Hall Of Fame (HoF) started in 1986, but if you read up on it it is riddled with suspicion over the processes it uses to admit people.

Rush by Andrew MacNaughtan

Rolling Stone magazine, which is firmly connected to the HoF, has long held a grudge against Rush and overlooked them in favour of such “musical luminaries” as Grandmaster Flash and other (c)rap acts, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Gladys Night, The Bee Gees, and so on. Rap isn’t rock & roll, nor is disco (Donna Summer is also being inducted this time around), nor is Elton bloody John.

The award is totally meaningless – something which Rush are all too aware of, having been overlooked for nearly 15 years, while upstarts like U2 got in the second they became eligible.

A case of justice eventually being done in order to correct a gross injustice.

Yet More Nottingham Traffic Chaos

12/12/2012
DOAADI
General, Roadworks, Transport

On my way to Radcliffe On Trent this morning I got to end of Lings Bar (A52) and traffic was at a standstill heading into Nottingham. I picked up my pupil and we drove off towDelays Expected Sign - Tough Luckards Bingham, and got into Nottingham via the A46 and A6097 (it only took about 20 minutes going that way). The Nottingham-bound traffic was solid right back to the Bingham roundabout, suggesting that it extended even further back than that – so a jam of at least 6 miles in length.

I turned on the radio and enabled traffic announcements and very quickly discovered the problem. Roadworks. Again.

Yes, at Gamston – where there are three lanes – it was down to a single lane because of yet more idiotic roadworks. And this was during the rush hour, of course – there’d be no point doing it any other time because it wouldn’t cause enough of a problem, would it?

I’ve written several times about how the idiotic Nottingham City Council has authorised long-term road and lane closures for the waste of money that is Phase II of the tram system at exactly the same time as allowing National Grid (gas) and whoever Morgan Sindall (electric) are working for to tear up dozens of roads all at the same time. There are temporary lights in literally dozens of places, the majority of which are 3- or 4-way in order to cause the utmost inconvenience to the motorist. To make matters worse, the idle layabouts responsible are missing completion dates repeatedly, and the already pointlessly long predicted durations are over-running by weeks at a time. National Grid in particular appear to have made a huge mistake commencing work in so many places at once, and evidence suggests they are unable to actually complete many of the individual jobs they have begun.

As I’ve also said before, work like this used to be completed in a fraction of the time it does now. They actually plan to close roads for long periods, only engage in actual physical activity for perhaps 10% of the available time, and still miss the completion dates they originally plastered all over the place on their signs.

The particular case referred to in this article was again down to National Grid. I have no idea if it was a repair they were carrying out, or yet more of their highly inefficient gas-main replacement jobs, but to say it caused chaos during today’s rush hour is an understatement

Crucial Memory

10/12/2012
DOAADI
Computers & Tech

Just a quick plug for Crucial – the people who sell computer memory.

My computer is a bit long in the tooth now – I built it several years ago – but when I put it Crucial RAM Sticktogether I installed 4GB of RAM from Crucial. I’ve had no problems until recently, when I began to get the occasional random shutdown. A quick memory test revealed that my RAM was the problem.

At the time I built it, 4GB of RAM came as four sticks of 1GB, and used up all four available memory slots on my motherboard. Anyway, I quickly ordered another 4GB from eBuyer (this time as two 2GB sticks, and somewhat cheaper than it was four years ago). I had no idea which stick was faulty, so it was a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater!

Now, nothing was further from my mind than what came next, but my eye caught the “lifetime warranty” comment alongside the new RAM I’d ordered. I checked back, and sure enough my original RAM had this condition well. I asked eBuyer how to proceed with a claim against that and they referred me to Crucial.

To cut a long story short, I contacted Crucial via online webchat last Tuesday. The agent immediately accepted that there was a fault. He pointed out that they didn’t make that particular kit anymore and he wanted to check compatibility with current RAM against my motherboard. I suggested that the type I’d ordered and installed was compatible, and even though it was technically a very slightly lower spec than my original he said that if it was OK with me they could supply that. He sent me an email with return details (freepost) and a returns number for the faulty RAM (I guess they have to test it) that afternoon.

I sent the old four sticks off the next day (Wednesday). Thursday I got an email saying it had been received. Friday I got an email telling me that my replacement was ready to ship. Saturday morning it arrived.

To consider that when I first ordered the replacement RAM from eBuyer I had simply written the original stuff off in my mind. I expected that the warranty would be limited somehow and didn’t expect for a second that my warranty claim would be upheld – and especially not so readily.

When I build my next computer, which will be soon, Crucial have assured themselves the position as my No. 1 choice for RAM.

Elderly Maniacs – Another Tragedy

09/12/2012
DOAADI
ADI, Bad Drivers, News

I wrote recently about the problem of elderly drivers. This in itself was simply a development of the Cassie McCord tragedy, where an elderly driver who simply should not have been on the road killed a 16-year old girl. In the footnote to that particular story, I linked to three further stories where elderly drivers had killed or maimed innocent people.

Well, this story just came in on the newsfeeds. It tells how Cyril Titcombe, 82, did a U-turn on the M4 and collided head on with another driver as he drove the wrong way. Both he and the innocent other driver were killed. The story suggests that Titcombe had been having problems with his memory.

As I said in several previous posts on this subject, something has got to be done about these elderly idiots who lie about their health to keep their licences and put everyone else’s lives at risk.

Uninsured Lunatic Driver: III

07/12/2012
DOAADI
ADI, Bad Drivers, News

You couldn’t make it up! Another story tells how Norah Nicole Rimmer, 19, stole a car, failed to stop or report an accident, had no insurance, and committed an undisclosed offence relating to her driving licence. She was aided by Holly Louise Smith, 20.

Rimmer got an 18-week suspended prison sentence, a curfew, and banned for a year. Smith, the passenger, was also banned for a year and received a 6-month community order. They have also been ordered to have no contact with each other.

If you read the report, the defence lawyer’s attempts at mitigation are something of an understatement:

Fiona Larking, for Rimmer, said her client had mental health problems. That night she had got into a situation she did not want to be in and decided to leave the house. The party she had been invited to only involved four people. She became anxious and took the car keys. Her client had led a traumatic and chaotic life and was ‘an extremely troubled young lady’. Smith was the passenger in the car, she went to the party but did not remember leaving. She was very intoxicated.

There’s no mention of drink-driving in the list of things she was found guilty of.

If she has mental health problems the last thing she should ever be allowed to do is get in a car as the driver. She should be kept away from them permanently.

Uninsured Lunatic Learner: II

07/12/2012
DOAADI
ADI, Bad Drivers, News

This one from Scotland. Liam Donaldson was 16 when he stole the car of a “family friend” after boozing with pals.

He lost control in Aberdeen during the early hours, hit a lamp post, went through a garden wall, and smashed into the property of a couple of OAPs. The car stopped next to their bed, in which they were sleeping at the time.

Donaldson did a runner and was tracked down by his DNA on the airbag (so the police must have had him on record already). The list of charges includes:

  • stealing a car
  • driving without a licence
  • driving without insurance
  • injuring Mrs Gordon (one of the OAPs)
  • damaging property by dangerous driving
  • drink-driving
[The Sheriff] told Donaldson: “This is absolutely appalling. I take it you understand that you face a possible prison sentence.”

The scumbag has been bailed until January and banned from driving until sentenced.

Update: Scumbag Donaldson avoided jail.

Sheriff William Summers said it was “frankly astonishing” no one had been more seriously injured.

But he said he could see reasons not to sentence the first offender to detention.

He placed him under an 18-month supervision order and ordered him to carry out a total of 260 hours of unpaid work as a direct alternative to custody.

The Scottish legal system isn’t as good as previous cases had led me to believe.

Uninsured Lunatic Learner: I

07/12/2012
DOAADI
ADI, Bad Drivers, News

I wonder if the ADIs out there who think they’re life coaches could do anything about this little scumbag.

Obviously not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, Christopher Wade was clocked doing 85mph by the police, who pulled him over. Since he only has a provisional licence, he lied to police and told them he was his younger brother. When the caution arrived in the post, his mother informed them that they’d got the wrong driver.

It turned out that Wade is already on a suspended sentence for perverting the course of justice in March this year.

David Forrester, defending, said: “He has a legitimate provisional licence and is taking his test very soon.

“He normally gets a lift to work, but on this occasion the person who takes him cried off.

“He was desperate and was going to be late so took the car.”

Aaaah. Bless. That makes it all right, then.

The court has yet to decide if it will take action on the suspended sentence.

People like this shouldn’t be on the streets, let alone the roads. No one can change them.

Another Tragic Death, Played Almost To The Script

06/12/2012
DOAADI
ADI, News

This came through on the newsfeeds. Another tragic death down to the inexperience of the driver.

With every single one of my pupils I explain the statistics associated with young, new drivers. The most common accidents involving:

  • rural road
  • at night
  • passengers in the car
  • on a bend
  • no other car involved

In almost all cases, the accident comes down to inexperience, not reading the road ahead, and being unable to handle the sudden bend or feature.

In this particular case, the driver was in a Corsa, with passengers, and had been to McDonalds. The report mentions “that night”. The court concluded that she over-compensated for something whilst travelling at 50-60mph on a 60mph road, and braked too hard. This caused the car to spin out and collide with another vehicle. The driver had only had her licence for a little over six months.

Considering the story, it is like reading a tragic script that just gets repeated again and again.

DSA Advice: Driving In Icy And Snowy Weather

06/12/2012
DOAADI
ADI, DSA, Training

The latest advice from the DSA, reminding people on how to deal with ice and snow.

Rule 229

Before you set off

  • you MUST be able to see, so clear all snow and ice from all your windows 
  • you MUST ensure that lights are clean and number plates are clearly visible and legible
  • make sure the mirrors are clear and the windows are demisted thoroughly
  • remove all snow that might fall off into the path of other road users
  • check your planned route is clear of delays and that no further snowfalls or severe weather are predicted.

Read more about driving in icy and snowy weather.

At the moment, rain followed by sub-zero temperatures makes morning driving in particular very hazardous.