Comments on: On the state of modern Britain

By: JuliaM

JuliaM — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:47:45 +0000

I think there was always a small core of the populace like that. I think it’s still only a small core, though a little bigger now.

It’s just that we seem to have fashioned them weapons in the shape of H&S and other well meaning laws, and handed them to them, saying ‘Here. Use them on us, for our own good…’

By: Monty

Monty — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:23:38 +0000

You’re right Julia, we don’t do common sense anymore.
We do officious, spiteful, and bloody minded instead.

By: JuliaM

JuliaM — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:12:58 +0000

I think it’s mostly the fact that this wasn’t intended to be driven anywhere other than a fun parade, so surely a little common sense could have applied and…

Oh. Right. We don’t do common sense. Not anymore.

By: Jason

Jason — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:11:07 +0000

Without inviting a good malleting, I’m not sure I see anything wrong with this…

It is mostly pointless on a car this old, because it would be exempt from much of the test, but there would be little effort involved for the owner. I know a guy who owns a Stanley steam car from the 1920′s and he has a valid MOT. This is a car with 32″ wooden wheels, bench seats without seatbelts and a BOILER… He just turns up at the test station, they have a nice chat about how lovely it is and he walks out with his certificate.

It’s just an annual opportunity for an independent expert with no vested interest in the car to make sure that it is still road worthy and not a danger to road users. Don’t forget, because it was likely built before 1973, it’s probably tax exempt so the MOT is the only cost.

By: JuliaM

JuliaM — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:53:26 +0000

As pointed out by Dick Puddlecote in the comments, the number of people who approved of this action is even more disturbing…