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The Icon Bar: The Playpen: Vince has a bad day, part 2,735
 
  Vince has a bad day, part 2,735
  VincceH (09:17 12/2/2009)
  filecore (10:05 12/2/2009)
    VincceH (14:31 12/2/2009)
      Phlamethrower (15:17 12/2/2009)
        VincceH (16:03 12/2/2009)
          Phlamethrower (16:15 12/2/2009)
            VincceH (18:08 12/2/2009)
              VincceH (18:12 12/2/2009)
                VincceH (22:40 31/3/2009)
 
VinceH Message #109308, posted by VincceH at 09:17, 12/2/2009
VincceH
Lowering the tone since the dawn of time

Posts: 1600
My Fourtrak has been clamped because it's untaxed and technically on the road (it's in an overspill/layby in a cul-de-sac).

The situation is that I was going to take it to the auctions to get rid of it - it's on its last legs so won't really get much. I might get some value out of the registration mark if I'm lucky, but probably not.

However, my brother borrowed the battery for his landrover for a while. When he put the battery back, he lowered it over the wing and clobbered it against an electrical component, which is now broken and means the car won't start on the key. This also means I can't easily move it. It's awkward given that it has power steering and facing the wrong way in a cul-de-sac, and nobody wanted to help me tow it anywhere - not that I'd actually found anywhere to put it, which I'd been trying to sort out while asking people if they'd be willing to tow me once I'd found somewhere.)

So, failing that, I've been waiting for the replacement part to turn up, so I can put it on, and then take it to the auction.

The irony: That part turned up yesterday, the same day it was clamped.

Having given the matter some considerable thought, I concluded "Fuck it. I'm past caring."

I went through my shed and shoved all the spare parts I could see into the back of the Fourtrak, as well as all the spare wheels and tyres I could fit in it. My thinking is this: The clampers notify the DVLA immediately, so a fine is now inevitable. I'm unlikely to get anything more than small change for the car, so I might as well get as much 'value for money' out of the fine as possible - let them take it away and crush it, and by filling it up with all the crap, they'll be disposing of all that on my behalf as well, thus saving me the effort.
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Jason Togneri Message #109309, posted by filecore at 10:05, 12/2/2009, in reply to message #109308

Posts: 3868
You want to be careful - they might well fine you to cover the expenses of towing and disposal as well. I believe that's quite common these days, and could end up costing you quite a bit.
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VinceH Message #109314, posted by VincceH at 14:31, 12/2/2009, in reply to message #109309
VincceH
Lowering the tone since the dawn of time

Posts: 1600
Yes, they do AFAIK - as well as the storage of the car between towing it and crushing it.

That's life, I'm afraid.
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Jeffrey Lee Message #109315, posted by Phlamethrower at 15:17, 12/2/2009, in reply to message #109314
PhlamethrowerHot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot stuff

Posts: 15100
Is there a law against cutting off the wheel that's been clamped and leaving the clamp+wheel in place while you take your car to be sold/scrapped yourself?
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VinceH Message #109316, posted by VincceH at 16:03, 12/2/2009, in reply to message #109315
VincceH
Lowering the tone since the dawn of time

Posts: 1600
AIUI in certain circumstances you can get away with it, usually private land with inadequate signage (which makes the clamping dubious) - but because this is a public road and, effectively, government sanctioned clamping, I can't get away with doing anything like that.

Getting the clamp off wouldn't actually be that difficult. My brother (a different one) has done it before and suggested doing it last night - but I just can't be arsed. Let them have it.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Jeffrey Lee Message #109317, posted by Phlamethrower at 16:15, 12/2/2009, in reply to message #109316
PhlamethrowerHot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot stuff

Posts: 15100
What about if you cut the wheel off, moved the car, and then put the number plates back, held in place by a couple of sticks stuck in the ground? If they're using the number plates to identify the car, then techincally the car is still there!

Or what if you replaced the car with a cardboard cutout of your car? (with number plates attached)
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VinceH Message #109318, posted by VincceH at 18:08, 12/2/2009, in reply to message #109317
VincceH
Lowering the tone since the dawn of time

Posts: 1600
That's actually quite an amusing idea - and I could almost be tempted to overcome my not giving a toss for the potential amusement.

But only almost, because I really - really - can't be bothered.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
VinceH Message #109319, posted by VincceH at 18:12, 12/2/2009, in reply to message #109318
VincceH
Lowering the tone since the dawn of time

Posts: 1600
Oh, and I completely forgot - there's a part 2,736 involving VRPCSESATLAETC. Although it's technically part 2,734 given that it happened the night before.

Remember all those music files I have in Coconizer format? I decided it's about time I fired the emulator up and converted them - unfortunately, I can't do this on the Iyonix - but the damned thing decided it wasn't registered.

I could send the necessary string to Aaron to get a new unlock code, but at the time I decided instead to shut that laptop down in disgust. Maybe, if I find the original CD, I'll install it on this laptop and remove it from the other one - but only if I can be bothered which, frankly, at the moment I can't.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
VinceH Message #109694, posted by VincceH at 22:40, 31/3/2009, in reply to message #109319
VincceH
Lowering the tone since the dawn of time

Posts: 1600
Part 2737: Losing a comb.

Not so bad in and of itself. It's only a comb, after all. Cheap and easy to replace - and, in fact, I have a few lying around, so no big deal.

No.

The problem with losing a comb is finding it again a few days later.

Specifically, finding it as a result of investigating a paper feed and really awful noise coming from the colour laser printer when trying to print invoices, and discovering that the lost comb has somehow managed to find its way into the feed mechanism and is jammed in a really nasty point where it's really difficult to unjam it. unhappy

I managed it in the end, though, and the printer's now working again - but the comb's missing a lot of teeth, which means they're probably lurking in annoying places inside the printer waiting to cause more problems in the future.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 

The Icon Bar: The Playpen: Vince has a bad day, part 2,735