Snow,

[Doggy]

Blimey that's a worry.

What are they saying on the Volvo forums, welly?

Volvo Owners Winter Parking Procedure

1. Ascertain the avalanche risk, (which can be considered moderate in Eastern England and the Netherlands).
2. Using your theodolite, verify the proposed parking space is level +/- 0.01 degrees
3. Park vehicle and immediately deploy land anchors, (the minimum recommended number is 3 - one each to front / rear towing eyes + towbar).
4. Construct berm as per Camp Site Parking Procedure, but snow / ice can be substituted for reinforced concrete in this instance.
5. Draw up patrolling schedule with due regard to traffic volume and postcode related risk, see http://www.visitcars.co.uk/car-insuranc ... -risk.html

[steve_earwig]

We had another half a meter last night. I was out earlier, again with the mobile phone (getting the hang of it now):

At the supermarket


Just think of all that extra weight:


Heading out onto the high road:




Turning off to the motorway:


Entrance to the village:


The village:

And that's where the phone ran out of power

Oh, and it's still snowing

[Welly]

Ooh, look at you with your fancy front grille

Just admit it, you LOVE the Rav4

What's is like in the snow for traction etc?

[steve_earwig]

That was an ebay special. the original was bust and half missing so you could see large amounts of radiator through it. I asked about a replacement and a pattern grille here would be 60€ and that's if it was the right one, so I was watching for one on ebay. However nothing was coming up, then that one appeared and they usually go for 180 quid for a new 'un, that one was slightly second hand (my dad, who forwarded it to me, reckoned it had never been on a car so he mildly distressed it in case customs thought it was their lucky day) so I just stuck 35 quid on it and got it for 34 If it's very lucky I might even paint it the right colour.

What's it like on the snow? Unpredictable, I had more idea where the Pug was going. The tyres are wank too, they're winter tyres for a car so when they get clogged up with snow all 4 tyres spin and then it's guess which way you're going time again It would be better with proper M&S tyres. The only good thing is the ground clearance, which means I don't really have to clear the snow right down to ground level, bollocks to that with my back

[Welly]

As car reviews go, you're not really selling it to me

M+S tyres would sound like an old Landy on a country lane? .......Werrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[steve_earwig]

That's the ones, nice and chunky. Mind you it sounds like that anyway, I'm told it's the tyres but I have my suspicions

I've just been to the vets, what is wrong with these people? They're coming to collect the kids from the primary school down the road - nowhere to park? Just leave it in the middle of the road! I just saw some old twat in his Mercedes tank overtake the parked cars, never mind the sodding great snow plough coming the other way who's had to slam on And the berks are following me 2 meters behind still

Btw at the vets I found out the tornjak from last night is not THE tornjak, it's just ANOTHER tornjak Apparently it escaped yesterday but is already back with his owner. I must admit I didn't get a close look at the other one 'cos he ran off every time I came out the house and I just assumed they were the same dog - how stupid am I? I should have realised there were loads of giant dogs running about loose

[Welly]

Well now you've fed it some super-tasty biscuits and let it shag your leg I'd keep an eye out for it tonight

I've heard those dogs are capable of pinning down a fully grown man and doing unspeakable things against his will

[steve_earwig]

Nah, the (a bit too) friendly tornjak is back with its owner, this other one I've now heard is a lot more aggressive

How would that look in the obits though? Steve Earwig shagged to death by a very large dog. You'd never live it down...

[lozz]

Thems Tornjacks are out side dogs arnt they,? (Non-domestic pet)
its Most probs someones Guard dog thats got loose,

iwouidnt feed wild dogs, you will end up with loads of them,

[steve_earwig]

Tornjaks were apparently bred to defend sheep from packs of wolves but I think the guy last night was someone's pet, judging from his behaviour (leg humping aside) but this other one sounds like a guard dog. That seems to be the fate of many dogs here, chained up in the yard for their whole lives, rather sad really.