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Man dies at 102 owns same car 82 years

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John Stevenson:
All of Europe used to travel on the left until Napoleon conquered each country in turn and then they were made to travel  on the right.

The reason being In the past, almost everybody travelled on the left side of the road because that was the most sensible option for feudal, violent societies. Since most people are right-handed, swordsmen preferred to keep to the left in order to have their right arm nearer to an opponent and their scabbard further from him. Moreover, it reduced the chance of the scabbard (worn on the left) hitting other people.

Furthermore, a right-handed person finds it easier to mount a horse from the left side of the horse, and it would be very difficult to do otherwise if wearing a sword (which would be worn on the left). It is safer to mount and dismount towards the side of the road, rather than in the middle of traffic, so if one mounts on the left, then the horse should be ridden on the left side of the road.

The states that had resisted Napoleon kept left – Britain, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Portugal. This European division, between the left- and right-hand nations would remain fixed for more than 100 years, until after the First World War.

Ned Ludd:
Hi Joe,
I also seem to recall that you, over there, used to drive on the correct (left) side of the road, until someone had a let's-be-different-just-to-be-awkward moment. I of course refer to quite recent times, late 18th early-19th century, well that is recent for us over here but I suppose for you it's nearly half your history.     :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Still I guess we should be grateful to you lot over there, where would we be in the evening without NCIS or The Mentalist. And let us also be grateful to you, for every time you have Simon Cowell on your TV it means he cant be on ours. :ddb: :ddb: :ddb: :ddb: :ddb: :ddb:
Thanks
Ned

Bogstandard:
Ned,


--- Quote ---where would we be in the evening without NCIS or The Mentalist.
--- End quote ---

If you used your brain, you would be in the shop.


--- Quote ---Simon Cowell
--- End quote ---

One of the main reasons for having an OFF button. Public garbage.

I don't usually watch any television until very late evening, and then usually documentaries I have downloaded during the day.

But getting back to the R-R bit.

In the early days, there were few fixed models produced. R-R would make the driving chassis, and you would have your own favourite coachbuilder put a body to your liking onto it.
The 1980's Spirit had an initial production run of around 10 cars per day, and that was on a 'production line', the ones I worked on, somewhere between 3/4 and 1.5 cars per week. That ' hand built' line was with a team of about a dozen permanent workers, with ancilliary trades being called in when required.

In my days at the Crewe factory, we were attempting to do specials, like bullet proofing, custom driving positions etc in house, and making a terrible job of it. Most of the 'old guys' had left by that time, and the new whiz kid designers thought that if it could be drawn, then it could be made. How wrong they were. Rolls-Royce, by that time, had ceased being a 'hand made' car, with very few exceptions, and fast line production methods were attempting to be put in position.
While I was there, the chap that stored and looked after all the wood veneers down an old air raid shelter, to keep their moisture content and original colours, plus he also cut and matched them up for the whole interior, left to retire. There were many years of knowledge lost on that day, and the insides of the cars never quite looked right for many years after. He had done the job, mostly by himself, for nearly 50 years.


Bogs

Ned Ludd:
Hi Bogs,
I am sure there are many who would question the brain and recently it has been far too damn cold to venture out trying to make anything. Happily things are improving, but sadly only on the weather front.

Oh, and the TV shows mentioned are all on or repeated late, so I can still watch them after a bit of shop time, while eating my Dinner.

From our point of view God must be having a laugh at our expense, you spend a lifetime learning something and then you die. Or perhaps he just uses our world to train up people for his world, I wonder what Brunel, Trevithick and Stephenson, or your veneer chap, are working on these days!
Ned

DavidA:
...I wonder what Brunel, Trevithick and Stephenson, or your veneer chap, are working on these days!...

Probably sat in some celestial pub arguing who's project was biggest,  best,  or technically most advanced for his day.

Engineers don't change much;  only the projects.

Dave.

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