Assorted Stuff

1. One of the neighbours is trying to sell a late relative's Rover 100 (the final incarnation of the Metro), so we've been trying to value it. It's a long time since I've seen one and I'd forgotten just how old-fashioned they were. The essence of the 1981 original is clear to see (and touch); it really shows how far automotive engineering has moved on - though to be fair, although the 100 was still being made until, what, 1998, it was in no way the state of the art. On the bright side apparently it 'goes like a rocket', as one might expect with a 1.4 engine in a vehicle the approximate size (and shape) of an eggbox... but it's not too happy on the motorway. Another crazy fact: this thing cost ten thousand pounds when it was new! That's significantly more ridiculous than even the optimistically-price City Rover, though in fairness cars in general were more expensive then.

That said, is anyone interested in a 1997 Rover 100 GSi? Particularly suitable for those with an 'automotive archaeology' bent. I really don't recommend you crash it though.

2. Wisteria's great, isn't it? We also have something which I thought was some kind of buddleia but is apparently lavender. Which I always thought looked like heather, but apparently I was very wrong! Addendum: Mum's now decided she said lilac, not lavender. Turns out I was right about what lavender looks like. Though I'll concede it doesn't look much like heather.

3. People in [villages near] Trowbridge are very rude. I'm sorry, but it's consistently true. I drive along some narrow roads with parked cars where one or other direction of traffic has to give way, and a very small proportion of drivers ever acknowledge me for waiting. Sometimes they don't even give way even when it's my right of way... and then ignore me too. Grrr. And today, I even found that when walking on the canal towpath, two out of three sets of cyclists completely failed to thank me for standing aside for them. So I snapped 'don't mention it' at the second one and then - inevitably - I felt like a trouble-maker. But honestly. I hope I'd never be so impolite.

4. Apropos last weekend's architecture post, check this out!!

5. I've been trying out a [borrowed] sat-nav, which I've wanted to do for ages. I think it's pretty cool, though this particular model has the inexcusable lack of a postcode facility, so you have to enter the address as country --> city --> house number --> street. And it doesn't know our street either. Some thoughts: it could be argued to be another distraction, particularly if you watch the map too much [even more dangerous with the lower, built-in kind], or spend too much time deliberately disobeying order to see what happens. On the other hand, being confident of where to go and knowing in advance of the approach and structure of junctions seems like it should improve safety, particularly in an unfamiliar area. I was also rather pleased to find I was able to 'see round corners' - I could see crossroads and the like coming up on the map before there was warning of them in real life. So in summary it's certainly something I'd want to get if I found myself driving outside my sphere of familiarity with any regularity.

6. According to QI the Swiss army actually buys Swiss army knives. Does anyone else have a suspicion that the current series is a repeat?

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7. Also apropos of last week's architecture post: this.