Parking lights - The most stupid invention ever.

What 'tard came up with the concept of parking lights?

"Oh, I'm going to leave my vehicle with the engine off. I think I'll leave the lights switched on so everyone can see it. Doesn't matter that the battery might get drained."

I've had parking lights on all of my bikes and several of my cars. And I've NEVER (intentionally) used them.

I rode the VFR to work yesterday. The GF wanted me to make sure everything was OK on it before she started riding it.

Nice bike, handles well... although it's been neutered by having it's power restricted.

The problem is that when you lock the handlebars, the gap between 'locked' and 'parking lights' is minuscule.

Hence I ended up leaving all of the lights on all day.

5:30pm I come out of work, sit on the bike and press the start button... nothing.

I managed to push start it, but there was only enough power being generated to make it tick over (rather badly). The battery wasn't charging and there wasn't enough electricity to rev the engine. Hence it was kind of stuck in limbo.

I ended up pushing it to the entrance to the industrial estate and calling the breakdown service (They start with R, have a letter in the middle and end in C)

Whilst waiting for them, I have to watch various staff members driving by grinning (gits!). Although a couple did stop, and one of them pulled over and tried to jump start the bike from his car (nearly worked too).

Anyway, the breakdown guy arrived (I can't sing their praises highly enough). Messed with the bike for a couple of minutes and had it all running. Top stuff.

Huge throbbing red... err.. bikes.

The girlfriend's bike is ready for pick up from the garage.

Honda VFR400 NC24 Red (look on Google image search)

We bought it a year or so ago. It had some crash damage.

Bit by bit, it's had a new chain & sprockets, new brake discs, fork seals changed, new pegs, new levers, new exhaust (well, we've got one, we just haven't fitted it yet), new fuel tank, fuel taps, and a whole load of new fairing bits (nicely resprayed in red)

The garage have just MOT'd it and restricted the power... Although the guy did say, 'At first we all thought it was a pile of sh&^... but now we've all been out for a ride on it, it's a really nice bike.'

I suppose the fact that we gave them the bike without the fairing (no sense in paying a mechanic to remove and replace the plastics) would have made it pretty ugly looking. Kind of all skeletal.

I must admit though, I'm a little aprehensive about the GF going out on the thing. Not that I doubt her riding ability... it's just that there are so many morons on the road.

Her last bike was wiped out by some quimbecile changing lanes without looking or indicating. Wrote off the bike (a little NS125) and trashed her jacket, trousers and helmet. Her bruising wasn't pretty either... but at least she was ok.

On the plus side though, the insurance should be through soon, so she'll be able to pay off the debts from buying new kit. And I get to see her in lots of leather, which is always a bonus.

Anyway, I'll be picking the bike up for her tomorrow afternoon. At least I get to have a go first! :)

Road Rage ... Grrr

I had an experience last Sunday that scared the crap out of me.

On Sunday afternoon, I had borrowed the girlfriend's car to go round a friends house. I'd just reached the end of our road (crossroads junction) and was indicating left. Some guy in a big silver car was opposite and from the looks of his indicators he was going straight on.

So I start to turn left... and so does he (well... his right, my left). I slam on the brakes and make some kind of rushed generic gesture to convey that I think he's a prat.

After he sods off, I finally get to turn left only to find myself driving directly behind this moron. He's doing about 15 mph and making funny faces at me in the mirror.

Suddenly he slams on the brakes and I'm forced to do the same (ABS is god!)

The next thing I know, the missing link is standing at my window hurling a tirade of abuse and profanity in full on Road Rage mode.

It may be my minds eye just inflating his image, but I swear that he had forearms like Popeye and scuff marks on his knuckles. Bald... dark glasses. No neck and a barrel chest. Just imagine one of those Neanderthal bouncers who stand around outside pubs looking not too bright...

In fact, I got a particularly close look at his forearms as he was using them to reach through the window (not literally... the window was open) and manhandle my head.

He swore a whole lot more and then got back in his car and sodded off.

All the while through this I could hear his woman screaming hysterically in the car (presumably saying, "No Dave! Remember you're on parole!")

To be honest, I was so shocked that I didn't think to get his registration.

The worst part of this is that an event of this nature will play over and over in your mind for days afterwards. What if I'd picked up my mobile and photographed him? What if I'd backed the car away? Would things have been different if I were driving the Landy or riding the bike? Should I have bitten a chunk out of his forearm whilst it was clamped over my face!?

Maybe I shouldn't have sworn at him for not using his indicators. To be honest, this is a subject that really touches a nerve with me as I ride a bike (if you ride a bike, you get used to car users driving by zen navigation.)

In fact, I had one of those experiences on the way in to work this morning. I was on my bike.

There I was, just turning onto the Industrial Estate where SpudCorp is situated. I noticed a small van (one of those Escort estate vans) belonging to one of the electricity companies. He was parked in the familiar position of 10 metres from the mouth of the road, just in front of the big sign that says which company is in which unit. This is a particularly annoying place to stop as cars coming round the corner usually have to think quickly to avoid the 'parked' car.

At this point, I'd just like to reiterate that he's parked. At the side of the road. Not moving.

So I go to move around his car... which starts moving off.

I immediately drop in behind him (perhaps cursing slightly, but that's between me and my visor)

He then slows right down, forcing me to move to the right (in a position that would carry me past him... probably gesticulating wildly)...

Unfortunately, his sudden change in forward velocity was a prelude to pulling a really sharp u-turn... through the position my bike is currently occupying.

Brakes were slung on, wheels lock (bikes don't have ABS... meh!) and I manage to skid around his car and end up stopped about 2 metres in front... rather shaken (but not stirred!)

The guy must have nearly shat himself when my side stand went down... I found myself standing at his window pointing at his indicator switch....

"LOOK! INDICATORS! BLOODY USE THEM! I'M SICK OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF ME!"

Considering that I'd nearly just been knocked off my bike, I remained remarkably calm. I can honestly say I wasn't feeling violent, just frustrated. I was quite please with myself afterwards... despite nearly having my bike spread across the road, I'd stayed calm and had even managed to avoid swearing (well... "Bloody"... but that's a whole lot better than "YOU CHILD F&*^%$G C$%K LICKING C$*T BUBBLE!")

Now I know there are 'certain' similarities between the events of this morning, and the encounter with 'Clyde' last Sunday. But I'd like to point out that I wasn't losing my temper!

I suppose the fault of this morning's incident ultimately lies with me. I forgot the number one law of riding a motorcycle - If another driver is in the position to try to kill you, then they'll almost certainly take the opportunity.

Ok. Time for a rant.

The general manager of my company (which from this point on I'll refer to as SpudCorp - it's an amusing name, and there is no way I'm mentioning the real name on here) is a worthless hypocriful bureaucratic and diminutive scumbag.

He took over SpudCorp HQ last year after the old manager retired. So far he's been about as popular as a virulent case of the clap.

Since he's arrived, he's brought in about a dozen new managers (bearing in mind this now means we technically have more management than permanent staff). I'm not sure how his recruitment process works... but I'm sure that 'social ineptitude' and 'no concept of how Spuds are sold' are some kind or prerequisites.

He's also made lots of sweeping judgements about the company and how things work. Made loads of promises to the customers... (without consulting the staff who know what the hell is going on)... and of course, it's all our fault when these wonderful plans don't come to fruition.

"Yes, we shall have an external company completely rewrite the online Spud selling system!"

I honestly believe that he thought it would only cost a few thousand pounds. Most of us here baulked at the idea... and so did he when he found out the six figure sum the external developers were asking.

Any benefits that the staff used to get are now gone. No Christmas bonus (it was only about £10-£50 a head). Dress down days only happen once a month now in a hope that people will forget about them.

It's blatantly obvious that he wants to get rid of all the 'old school' staff members. Either making their jobs so awkward and unpleasant that they just leave, or simply making them redundant, or are quietly shuffled out the door (after signing a contract stating that they won't talk to anyone about anything) New staff are hired in using the same retarded recruitment protocol as they used on the plethora of management.

He then pisses loads of money away on completely useless crap. A whole room of 'overflow' computers to handle the massive amount of orders we'll get (the room has been empty since it was set up)

Redecorate the building? Actually not a bad idea. However, getting his mates in to do the work in an effort to save money (not without it's backhanders I'm sure) was really stupid. The quality of the work is abysmal (they blew out the fuses at one point by slicing wires). Door frames and windows that look like they were designed by MC Escher.

How about a nice training course over in the Far East? He's just got back from a week of learning Chinese 'leadership' skills. Because, the Chinese work ethic is soooo likely to apply over here. But it's OK... it's all paid for by SpudCorp.

If any of the normal staff go on any kind of training, they're forced to sign a form saying that they'll pay back the cost of the course if they leave the company within a certain time.

New car? Yep. He just got a new sports car. - This is despite having a go at one of the directors for turning up in a new car just after a round of layoffs.

The man makes me feel physically sick to be around.

The worst part of the whole thing is that I have to be pleasant to the worthless maggot.

I look forward to the day where either I leave or he leaves... because it means I can finally tell him exactly what I think of him without losing my job.

Well... another Friday. Another bored out of my skull afternoon.

I finished a project last week though. I had been building a LARP welding torch.

It was based around a glue gun with a stupidly bright luxeon LED on the end and a speaker on the other. When you pulled the trigger, the light flickered and the speaker made a crackly hissing sound.

Also, I've found myself thinking about the silly cost of fuel bills at home. Let's face it, we're being ripped off for electricity, gas and water.

So I did a little digging around and found this...

What a nice little wind turbine. I thought I could put it on my shed or something. Generate a few watts of power. The downside was that an important part of the design was a treadmill motor. It seems that everyone else is building these things cos ebay doesn't have any left. Meh...

Bit more searching....

What about this?

A 1000 watt turbine! Bloody hell...

This one has got me thinking (always a dangerous thing for my wallet)... I've ordered some magnets off of ebay (good god those things are pricey) and I'm going to have a go at building a turbine.

I only wish that the rather high, and quite frankly perfect for this job, telegraph pole that is in my neighbours garden was in fact in mine.

Found more stuff at http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower_wind.html

Some guys on there have built a 17ft turbine that generates nearly 4kw! Quite an achievement... even if I can hear 'Dueling Banjos' playing in my head....

It's 15:49... on Friday... It's too hot... I'm stuck behind a desk watching a computer screen and I've nothing to do.

Why can't they let me bring in power tools or a soldering iron?

What the hell? An update?

A new project... well... two actually.

The first is a bench power supply.
Take an ATX supply from a PC. break down all the cables into colour codes. Wire them up to binding posts (+12v -12v +5v -5v GND) add a resistor and a power switch. Done.

Second project.
A very cheap and nasty tracer for an airsoft AEG.
Take the standard tracer layout. Rig up an infared beam trip thingy. A luxeon LED and there you go...

Not much of a post but better than nothing.

I originally signed up to this blog thingy so I could add stuff to the Echo Black project.

I've always looked down on blogs... they seem like little more than glorified online diaries that not only your little sister nicks and reads... but everyone else does too. I suppose I'm missing the point.

Anyway, I read Steve's EchoBlack blog and discovered two things. Firstly, the sometimes clumsy and gangly Steve has quite a way with words... and secondly, he's quite funny too.

So I thought I'd add my little bit to the EB project... although it'd probably be a good idea to actually ask Steve about me contributing to EB.

I suppose I can also use this blog to write down some of the rediculous ideas and projects I come up with.

Currently, I am working on :

• a set of pneumaticly articulated wings for a LARP costume. I've been building these since early 2003... Actually, I worked quite well on them for a couple of months... and then they were moved to some convienient hooks on my garage wall. The framework is all there, most of the pneumatics is there... but I need to custom build a valve to go from the CO2 cylinder to the regulator... and it needs to be able to handle at least 600psi (I think... But I want to do some more research on the pressure of CO2 at room temperature)
• a wooden computer case. The idea was taken from Doug's Quiet Wood Case PC. An excellent article about a custom build wooden PC case. I'm building pretty much the same thing but with two major differences. It's bigger... and water cooled. Currently I've got most of the framework build, and have already gone through at least two of those "Oh shit nooooo!" moments where I've spotted a fundamental flaw and had to jury rig a redesign.
• A pair of six foot high pillars (like the Pillars of Isis kind of thing) which represent a Stargate in a scifi LARP game I play. Currently they have the custom built circuitry that will make 20 halogen spotlamps flash in sequence... they also have most of the power and sound amp systems sorted... I just need to finish the control and sound generation systems. (I'm currently waiting for a really cheap MP3 player to arrive from singapore (ebay special!)... but the seller has been kicked off of ebay for dodgy practices so I expect I'll never see it.
• A massive guitar amplifier. I started building this soon after I began going out with Jen (the lovely girl I live with). Like most of my projects, it got put on hold for a while. So far that's been about two years. The woodwork is all done, and I've got a sweet pair of Celestion speakers from the 70's. Circuitry needs finishing... and I need to aquire a massive heat sink for the 100w amp.
• The House. Myself and Jen bought a lovely 100 year old house about 2 years ago. The people who owned it were... for want of another word(s)... cheating scumbags. It wasn't until we moved in that we discovered... roofing problems... damp in the kitchen.... a 8 inch hole in the kitchen wall ... loose floorboards (cut in the middle... not over a joist) ... a toilet which was not screwed to the floor or wall and it's overflow opened onto the bathroom floor... a garage with an absolutley flat roof (seriously - you could have used this roof to calibrate spirit levels!) which of course was not waterproof.
  Our house is the one in the middle... with the garage with the stripy (but flat) roof. I'm sure there is a very special place reserved in hell for 'The Greens' that they normally reserve for estate agents and child molesters.

Anway... I'm doing this at work... so there is no way I can continue to blag this blog as my lunch break. So I'd better look like I'm doing some work.