Member postings for Alan Bone

I have an ancient Millers Falls 1/2 inch chuck drill which my father used in his workshop about 1946. About 300rpm, weighs about 8 kg, with a "D" grip on the end and 2 x 1" (25mm) x 12" (300mm) water pipe side grips. Cannot be stalled, if the drill bit catches, operator spins instead.

Alan

A few years ago I was returning home on the Eyre Highway after a trip east I passed a bush fire about 2 km in from the road, it was not high, about 1.5 metres, just a grass fire, but was about 30km long, about 20 minutes driving. No danger as it was too far from the road. Started by lightning.

Another trip I was travelling east with friends and was stuck at Norseman for three days because the road had been washed out. The railway line about 100 km north had also been washed out. Last thing in the evening the road team asked me if I would like to follow them in my Toyota Coaster camper to ensure the road was clear for the mad rush east next morning. No problem, we stopped overnight in a rest area about 150 km east of Norseman. Next morning was bedlam, about 1 hour after first light, hundreds of cars drove west from Caiguna and Balladonia, some overtaking at about 150 the cars doing the 110 speed limit. IDIOTS. We had a leisurely breakfast and set off about 9am and were passed after Balladonia by hundreds of cars & trucks headed east.

There was a fire near us several years ago, it started near Byford about 4 km away and moved north north about 1 km/hr parallel to South West Highway. About 6 water bombers and many fire crews in attendance. Fortunately it did not get closer than 500 m

Alan

My youngest son treated me to a holiday in the UK and we hired a (Fix it again, Tony). It was a manual as the price differential for an automatic was horrendous.

We traveled about 2300 miles while there and spent a fair amount of time on the so-called motorways, drive 50 metres, stop for about 2 minutes, then go another 50 metres and eventually about a kilometre before stopping again. UGH !

My question is, why so few automatics with all the stop, start driving?

Of my last 5 cars, only one was a manual, A GQ Nissan Patrol which I later updated to an automatic GU Patrol. I needed a fairly large car to to a 6 metre caravan. When I sold the GU and caravan I bought a Holden (Isuzu) Rodeo auto ute (pickup), drove it for a couple of years then gave it to my youngest son as the trade-in price offered was ridiculously low. Current main car is a Suzuki Celerio which is dirt cheap to run, when I stop driving in about 3 years my grandson wants it when he gets his licence. My other car is a used VW Multivan for carrying my mobility scooter, nice vehicle but very unreliable, motor karked after 5000 km and am waiting for youngest son to fix it when he gets back from the mine. He builds race cars a a hobby !

What are your thoughts about manual versus auto ?

Alan

Love the leccy cars. I want to go visit a mate in Adelaide, next state over. Battery Cars have range of 250 km / 160 miles, Adelaide is about 2700 km from Perth, 10 charges if it were possible. On the Eyre Highway / Nullarbor fuel stops are about every 300 km with NOTHING in between, run out of power 50 km before next service station, WONDERFUL. My petrol car has a range of 500+ km. I usually get there in 2.5 days with 2 overnight stops, 1100 km per day as I do not hurry.

Alan