T Break thread 2023

[midgetman]

Because they've no live top line football, no F1, nothing else to get excited about.

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[andy97]

Originally Posted by delta

Hang on hang on . Why has the BBC suddenly got excited about Eurovision Song Contest .

Because:
A) It’s in Liverpool this year so BBC is the host broadcaster (on behalf of Ukraine)
B) BBC was one of founders of Eurovision
C) BBC pays a significant sum every year for Britain to be part of it - hence why we never have to go through the qualification/ semi- final bit first.

[Adam43]

Suddenly? They’ve been into it for decades. Putting their top presenters on it too with Wogan and then Norton. And as Andy says it’s hosted in Liverpool this year so there is extra incentive.

[delta]

Yes yes I get all this but it’s dropped of the Radar as you say since we lost Terry .BTW started listening to Radio 4 extra . The goons were on today . ?

[Paul D]

And it seems most of the hotels in Liverpool have tripled their rates for any nights around the time of the Eurovision farce!

Now, personally, I don't get why anyone would want to go to see this crap even at normal rates, but even if I had an interest in it, if a hotel tried to charge three times the going rate, I'd be telling them where to stick it.

What is wrong with the world these days? It seems to me like insatiable greed and blatant profiteering by just about every large organisation has reached epidemic levels. They just don't seem to be able to help themselves do they?

Taking the hotels in Liverpool as an example: OK, if they said to themselves "there's going to be more demand, we could stick our prices up by 10%", then people may think that's fair enough, they can fill the hotels because of the extra demand, I'll put up with paying a bit extra for a room. But at the rates they're demanding, it's just a blatant rip-off. Are the punters getting anything extra for this huge price hike? No, I very much doubt it - a room in any given hotel is the same room no matter what's going on in the vicinity. I've heard stories of people who had reservations in these hotels, which were made before the Eurovision dates were announced, who've had their reservations cancelled, and then been told they can re-book, but only at the grossly inflated rates. Personally, I think that's a disgrace. If a hotel chain tried that with me, not only would they get an earful, but I would vow to never grace their door again, and to rubbish their reputation at every available opportunity.

So why do all these companies hike their prices to rip-off levels at the merest excuse? For the age-old reason: because they can, and, in many cases, people have little choice but to cough up. OK, maybe you can decide not to go to Liverpool while Eurovision is on (and I would strongly urge anyone to do just that - boycott the thieving b******s and send a message). But we all have to buy petrol, diesel, gas, electric, etc, and we're being royally shafted for those too.

I wonder - is it predominantly the UK where this is happening, or is it a global epidemic? Perhaps some of our foreign friends on here can enlighten us?

[Adam43]

It’s normal everywhere. Well not quite, but generally it is. Unless your market is controlled.

It is for big events I’ve been too in Europe. Or even just holidays in and out of season. And also in the US.

What to do? Only as you suggest. Everyone has to get together and all boycott it so that they get a fair deal. Sort of a consumer union.

It might be that these industries rely on things like this to be profitable overall? It might fund the one off costs such as refurbishment, or other times of year are just ticking over to keep the infrastructure. So as someone who has different interests to Eurovision benefit at other times?

???

[Adam43]

Eurovision is always a good excuse for a party. Many moons ago I remember one particularly good student one. Following morning I came downstairs for breakfast to find someone asleep on the kitchen floor.

It is often on Monaco GP weekend. They weren’t a Motorsport fan. I put the telly on and had to explain that the driver being interviewed was Panis and that he didn’t have a chance of winning…

Kitchen floor dude really enjoyed the race.

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by Paul D

And it seems most of the hotels in Liverpool have tripled their rates for any nights around the time of the Eurovision farce!
I wonder - is it predominantly the UK where this is happening, or is it a global epidemic? Perhaps some of our foreign friends on here can enlighten us?

Happens elsewhere too. About 15 years ago Mrs MG and I were touring in the USA roughly following Route 66. We arrived in Flagstaff and stayed in a pre- booked mid-quality hotel for, lets say, 60 dollars (can't remember exact amount but around that figure). We decided to stay in the area an extra day and went to see if the room was available for an extra night. It was, but it was labor day and the price was now 120 dollars. Same room - double the price.


It also happens in Italy. Eyes water at the price of a mediocre coffet in a cafe in Venice at any time of year. Why? Because they can and people are silly enough to pay it.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by morninggents

It also happens in Italy. Eyes water at the price of a mediocre coffet in a cafe in Venice at any time of year. Why? Because they can and people are silly enough to pay it.

Sue and I were in Venice years ago and took sandwiches and bottles of drink with us as we had been forwarded about it

[Colin McKay]

Bit off topic but some years back our daughter missed the school trip to Venice as she was unwell, so for her 18th we paid for her & current boyfriend to go there for a few days on a full board basis, justified because she was now a first year art student. On their return, we asked what wonderful artistic icons they visited and they claimed they hadn't left the hotel room because they couldn't afford to eat anywhere else. Hmmm.......

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by morninggents

It also happens in Italy. Eyes water at the price of a mediocre coffet in a cafe in Venice at any time of year. Why? Because they can and people are silly enough to pay it.

I'm silly and glad to be! Of course if you go to place Saint Marc and ask for a coffee or a 12 cl coke at Florian, it will cost tons but who cares? Really! Its Venise and its particular and unique atmosphere. I dont remember how much I paid for anything including a room with a view, only the taxis are expensive. You can spare some coins if you like to swim!

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Colin McKay

On their return, we asked what wonderful artistic icons they visited and they claimed they hadn't left the hotel room because they couldn't afford to eat anywhere else. Hmmm.......

We was all 18 once Colin

[Lancsbreaker]

Gone a bit quiet in here, so thought I'd mention that on FB I came across a post from Allan Farrimond who was testing MSV's new Electric BMW Safety Car at Oulton. Says it performs well, handles well with weight low down, but jury is still out on range - only one charge point at the circuit, apparently. Concern about how it would cope if crew are sat with heating or air-con on all day. Pictures of the Beemer I used at Oulton last year for CSCC and the new eco-friendly model...

Not sure if all MSV circuits going this route?

[terence]

A couple of companies run electric cars as Taxis around the Nordshleife.An AUDI will manage two laps with no problem running full belt.Third lap?Forget it,off to the charge station if there's enough juice for the 3klm trip.?

[Gerard C]

How long will a full charge take?

[Adam43]

You wouldn’t run it like that. The extremes, say <10% and >80% take longer. It will be, I guess, about 30 minutes to go from that 10 to 80 % if they install a half decent charger.

[Gerard C]

Yep, you're certainly right, 30 minutes for two laps say c 2x22 kilometers sounds a good rate. I had the opportunity to hell a taxi to Green Hell with a lady at wheel, former Bimmer works driver, what a fantastic experience it was. After that I had the opportunity to send my bike in the rails and can attest they are tough… Hence the fact that a tour with a motorbike is more expensive thant it is for a car. Rescue expenses!

[grantp]

Electric Safety cars would, presumably, come with top-end rapid charging capabilities and so long as a couple of chargers that matched the capabilities were exclusively available at the circuit, preferably on the "live" infrastructure areas, it should be possible to keep the things topped up during the day unless one has a very exceptional meeting with a lot of Safety Car action.

BTCC, and others, may need to have more than one vehicle available. Just in case.

Alternatively just change the regulations so that all car can be controlled from the Race Management Suite and the need for a safety car, a relatively recent introduction in any case, could be mostly eliminated.

[The Fat Clerk]

Hope the Marshals are trained in putting out electric fires.

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by grantp

Electric Safety cars would, presumably, come with top-end rapid charging capabilities and so long as a couple of chargers that matched the capabilities were exclusively available at the circuit, preferably on the "live" infrastructure areas, it should be possible to keep the things topped up during the day unless one has a very exceptional meeting with a lot of Safety Car action.

BTCC, and others, may need to have more than one vehicle available. Just in case.

Alternatively just change the regulations so that all car can be controlled from the Race Management Suite and the need for a safety car, a relatively recent introduction in any case, could be mostly eliminated.

Code 60 would fix this issue!

[grantp]

Originally Posted by The Fat Clerk

Hope the Marshals are trained in putting out electric fires.

I thought it was ICE BMWs that were known for conflagrations.

A couple of months back there was a short video doing the rounds of a blazing car transporter on the M1 - between J23 and J24 if I recall correctly.

It was loaded with Jags. They looked like iPaces to me. The vehicles on the trailer were on fire rather than the tractor unit or the trailer itself, although I think the whole rig and the 7 or 8 cars on it were all lost.

It seemed very odd unless one of them had suffered a damaged battery pack or could be loaded and left in some sort of state whereby it overheated rather than turning off completely.

Either way the fire marshals need some specialist knowledge.

[terence]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Yep, you're certainly right, 30 minutes for two laps say c 2x22 kilometers sounds a good rate. I had the opportunity to hell a taxi to Green Hell with a lady at wheel, former Bimmer works driver, what a fantastic experience it was. After that I had the opportunity to send my bike in the rails and can attest they are tough… Hence the fact that a tour with a motorbike is more expensive thant it is for a car. Rescue expenses!

Ah,the lovely Sabine Schmitt,saddly now departed.Great person to work with,nothing got her down,there was always a smile or laughter.

If these electric cars are to be used as SC,bloody glad I don't do sc duties anymore.?

[Lancsbreaker]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

Code 60 would fix this issue!

Although my SC duties have been with CSCC, who are one of the few clubs in UK to adopt Code 60, this was my thought too!



Code 60 is easily applied, easily policed, and can be a lot less disruptive to the race....

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by The Fat Clerk

Hope the Marshals are trained in putting out electric fires.

Do they have the special equipment, dedicated FE?

Yes, Terence, now you say Sabine's name rings a bell, she could send a Bimmer sideways at speeds exceeding 200 kph just like that. In her hands it looked so simple… Fascinating woman at wheel.

[Tel 911S]

Originally Posted by grantp

I thought it was ICE BMWs that were known for conflagrations.

A couple of months back there was a short video doing the rounds of a blazing car transporter on the M1 - between J23 and J24 if I recall correctly.

It was loaded with Jags. They looked like iPaces to me. The vehicles on the trailer were on fire rather than the tractor unit or the trailer itself, although I think the whole rig and the 7 or 8 cars on it were all lost.

It seemed very odd unless one of them had suffered a damaged battery pack or could be loaded and left in some sort of state whereby it overheated rather than turning off completely.

Either way the fire marshals need some specialist knowledge.

Battery EVs are far more likely to catch fire by themselves than is admitted by most of the media .
Ferry companies have started to not carry them because of fire risk and the difficulty in putting out the fire .https://rairfoundation.com/fire-haza...rs-on-ferries/