this and that from a grumpy old man
the ramblings and frankly often arrant nonsense of a senior citizen who should know better
flashing a police car
I flashed a cop car yesterday in the rain to warn him he was
approaching a police random breath test unit by the side of the road up
ahead of him. Dopey thing to do huh? Here's the story.
Here in Australia (that's Or-srty-l-ya in common speech) the level of apathy has reached such depths that we just don't care any more. Ha ha. Nothing to do with the main story.
Here in Oz, as we call it, it is a fairly common practice, if you pass a police checkpoint on the other side of the road - a random breath test unit or a speed check for example - to do a courtesy for oncoming traffic to warn them that they are approaching the police unit by a quick flash of the headlights (your "brights" as Mary Gauthier calls them, Mary being a country/southern/Gothic/soul singer whom I discovered recently). This gives the drivers heading in that direction time to slow down a bit, throw the beer bottles out of the window, dispose of the coke, or whatever needs to be done. Throw a quick U-turn and disappear the other way if absolutely needs be. Not that I need to do any of that, of course.
So there they were, seeming to be a speed check when I think of it now, with their nasty radar gun things. They had pulled one guy off the road but that was all I saw as I drove past. Not far from there - a few hundred yards - at a corner I was approaching, a dark car came screaming out, headlights on, ducking and weaving through traffic - so of course I gave him my brights - he was definitely going to be picked up.
'Twas only as he passed that I heard his sirens - an unmarked police car, I thought I made out police insignia below his rear bumper bar as he got small in my rear-view mirror. Oops. Is this a problem or not? I never flashed a police car before. I thought I could say I was trying to tell him he had his headlights on if I saw him again. Although I am sure there is no harm in warning fellow road users of the presence of police. Only assisting in road safety, after all. That's what I was doing.
Funny thing, on the way back some fifteen minutes later, now in heavy rain, the patrol had gone and I can't say I blame them, but there was this dark vehicle, the familiar blue and white stripes under the rear bumper and - weird thing - a sign on it saying TESTING. Testing what, I want to know? Never seen one of them before. What are they up to now? No good I bet.
Here in Australia (that's Or-srty-l-ya in common speech) the level of apathy has reached such depths that we just don't care any more. Ha ha. Nothing to do with the main story.
Here in Oz, as we call it, it is a fairly common practice, if you pass a police checkpoint on the other side of the road - a random breath test unit or a speed check for example - to do a courtesy for oncoming traffic to warn them that they are approaching the police unit by a quick flash of the headlights (your "brights" as Mary Gauthier calls them, Mary being a country/southern/Gothic/soul singer whom I discovered recently). This gives the drivers heading in that direction time to slow down a bit, throw the beer bottles out of the window, dispose of the coke, or whatever needs to be done. Throw a quick U-turn and disappear the other way if absolutely needs be. Not that I need to do any of that, of course.
So there they were, seeming to be a speed check when I think of it now, with their nasty radar gun things. They had pulled one guy off the road but that was all I saw as I drove past. Not far from there - a few hundred yards - at a corner I was approaching, a dark car came screaming out, headlights on, ducking and weaving through traffic - so of course I gave him my brights - he was definitely going to be picked up.
'Twas only as he passed that I heard his sirens - an unmarked police car, I thought I made out police insignia below his rear bumper bar as he got small in my rear-view mirror. Oops. Is this a problem or not? I never flashed a police car before. I thought I could say I was trying to tell him he had his headlights on if I saw him again. Although I am sure there is no harm in warning fellow road users of the presence of police. Only assisting in road safety, after all. That's what I was doing.
Funny thing, on the way back some fifteen minutes later, now in heavy rain, the patrol had gone and I can't say I blame them, but there was this dark vehicle, the familiar blue and white stripes under the rear bumper and - weird thing - a sign on it saying TESTING. Testing what, I want to know? Never seen one of them before. What are they up to now? No good I bet.
my $1 camera
So I am addicted to cameras. I am addicted to other things too. But
not to bad drugs. BAD drugs! I used to smoke and drink like any good
Scotsman (I am from Edinburgh), especially one in the building and
construction industry, thankfully now I am retired so I can laugh at
all these jerks, so serious about their work, jeez, their life will be
over before they realise they haven't had one ....
Anyway, cameras. As far as I can work out, this is the present inventory:
The one I got most recently is the Olympus is1000, an Ebay purchase - for $1 !!! Yay for eBay! My ONE DOLLAR camera!! Here it is:
The thing is, the guy who wanted to sell it reckoned there was something wrong with it and under the rules or etiquette ro something of eBay had to mention that in the description. But that was no bar to me in my addictive state (see above) so,like the true Scotsman again, reckoned I could spend $5 at most to gamble on getting it to work. As it happened no-one else bid so I got it for the minimum bid put on it - $1 !! God I love a bargain.
And now, the thing is, the thing that was supposed to wrong with it isn't, if you see what I mean, so I have a beautiful working camera for $1 (plus cost of posting it here). And it is beautiful - lovely to use and the lens is really good - sharp and clear with no distortions, I am so pleased.
Anyway, cameras. As far as I can work out, this is the present inventory:
- Ricoh rangefinder, about 30 years old
- Yashica SLR, about 25 years old
- Olympus is1000, 20 years old or so
- El cheapo panorama camera, no name, a throwaway thing really, about 15 years old
- Olympus XA2, 25 years old maybe, a fun thing!
- Pentax, point and shoot, fully automatic
- Canon digicam, bust 'cos I dropped it in a rock pool at the beach
- Fuji Finepix s5600
The one I got most recently is the Olympus is1000, an Ebay purchase - for $1 !!! Yay for eBay! My ONE DOLLAR camera!! Here it is:
The thing is, the guy who wanted to sell it reckoned there was something wrong with it and under the rules or etiquette ro something of eBay had to mention that in the description. But that was no bar to me in my addictive state (see above) so,like the true Scotsman again, reckoned I could spend $5 at most to gamble on getting it to work. As it happened no-one else bid so I got it for the minimum bid put on it - $1 !! God I love a bargain.
And now, the thing is, the thing that was supposed to wrong with it isn't, if you see what I mean, so I have a beautiful working camera for $1 (plus cost of posting it here). And it is beautiful - lovely to use and the lens is really good - sharp and clear with no distortions, I am so pleased.
Sauchieson's Friends