Friday was home time. We packed the car(s – thank you, Dennis) in the rain, of course; and we were home by noon – the beauty of holidaying no more than an hour’s drive away.
The Hub went straight to bed for twenty-four hours, utterly exhausted. I watched TV for eight hours, too tired to follow the Hub upstairs. It’s hard work enjoying yourself.
We did enjoy ourselves; the car did not. I don’t think she wanted to go on holiday. She’s about twelve years old and feeling it. Two weeks before we went away she demanded new tyres. A week before we went away, her exhaust dropped off and had to be replaced. She insisted we join the RAC, just in case.
Pity the RAC don’t cover parking fines (under dispute): the Hub has a disabled badge which allows him to park on yellow lines. Rhyl Parking Enforcement ‘The Undead’ Officers chose to ignore his badge, and fined him for parking illegally. The Hub fired off a protest letter and we are awaiting the decision.
We decided that the holiday wasn’t over until we walked through the front door, so we could justify buying a chippy for lunch. The Hub drove down the side street near our favourite chip shop and was executing his usual perfect three-point turn (the man can really drive; it’s very sexy when a man can really drive), when someone reversed into him from a standing stop (not so sexy).
The other car was up on a high driveway; he backed into our front, which was long ways across a narrow street, halfway through the turn. There was no damage to our old girl but his new car was scratched. The bloke got out of his car, leaned into ours and the following conversation ensued (I swear this is absolutely true):
Bloke: What you playing at?
Hub: What are you playing at?
B: I was in reverse for ten minutes before I pulled out.
H: You’re talking sh**e.
B: No, you’re talking sh**e.
H: No, you’re talking sh**e.
B: No, you’re talking sh**e.
H: No, you’re talking sh**e.
B: No, you’re talking sh**e.
H: No, you’re talking sh**e.
It was eventually decided to take the matter outside of our car. The Hub finished his three-point turn and pulled over. He went to discuss the matter. He was barely there before he was back. The other driver had spoken to his passenger while the Hub was parking and must have come to the conclusion that the person talking sh**e was, in fact, he, the reverser; and not we, the reversed into, because it was decided to leave it at that – no insurance claims and he would fix his own car at his own expense.
The chippy was good but the car insisted, no more holidays. We can’t afford the extras.
Welcome Home, TB. Thanks for bringing us along.
Glad to do it. You can all chip in for the parking fine (the appeal is bound to be rejected)
I have no clue what the law is in the UK, but here in the Netherlands anyone crossing a pavement (ie exiting a driveway of a home or business) is required to give priority to all traffic in the street, therefore the car that hit you is immediately in the wrong for not doing so (and clearly didn’t look in their rear view at all!)
A disabled badge allows you to park on double yellows? I never knew that… one thing is for sure any Dutch traffic warden ISN’T going to let you off, good luck fighting the ticket from the Welsh one.
Same here, I think. We definitely had right of way.
Poor car! I hope you didn’t put the tent away wet. The boys did that to ours, and we didn’t go back to it for a couple of months, by which time it had gone mouldy and started to rot. In my camping days, we used to put the tent up in the garden for a few days after a holiday to make sure it was thoroughly dry.
We put it out in the garden to dry twice, and it got wetter than it was before we put it away. The sun is out now, so we will try again.
I hope you don’t mind me saying that your holiday sounds a bit like a horror movie!
I don’t mind you saying that, but it was really a lot of fun
Glad to hear the other guy backed down so quickly. He wasn’t even close to being in the right. Even so, I’m glad you managed to avoid having to drag in the insurance companies to explain to him that he’s an idiot.
And welcome back!
Thanks!
Why was he in reverse for ten minutes before he pulled out? Do you think he was a getaway car outside a bank?
In which case he was definitely in the wrong, in so many ways.
ouch. I don’t like confrontations. I love how you handle it all with humor!
Poor car.
Love the absolute truth claim. If so, The hub was talking to himself at one point.
*smug smirk*
Nice catch!
Fixed now, thank you
Smugness suits you
Well, thanks very much, Rhyl Parking officers!! Oooh, they make me mad!
That exchange between Hub and the Reverser made me laugh…
oh dear! Glad that your car was not damaged, but I envy you going to the Chippy…..
A Good holiday was had by you all really as I am sure that the Parking fine will be squashed
Good Lord! This is too funny for further comment…
Oh men and cars. Traveling is exhausting, I know.
we need cars but we don’t need the expensive repairs right????
Glad the dispute didn’t end in a brawl. So… what is a chippy? A chocolate chip cookie???
A chippy is what northerners call the fish and chip shop.
Note: we say fish and CHIP shop, as if we only get one chip, instead of a whole bag of chips (fries, but fatter).
I hadn’t noticed the non existent plural before. English is a strange language. I’m a southerner but I say chippy.
It’s much simpler
Awww! After a nice, yet exhausting holiday, to come home to this event! I’m glad it seems to have ended well enough–especially after such artful and well spoken debate between the two! There must have been a woman in the other car! Someone had to arbitrate, and my guess is a woman! No more holidays for awhile…the car should rest. Debra
Love that Zero conversation between H & B … *laughter – a lot of sense came out that. Glad that you are safely home and that the chippy wasn’t closed. I crave for a good fish & chips now. Will not get one until November, when I visit Belfast again.
Not quite the way to end a holiday…but of course you did have more than your share of rain.
Hi Tilly, glad you are back. I have been scanning slides and missed a few days of visiting friends. Back part time now. I decided to limit scan time to mornings as my back can’t take it. Thinking about you this morning as I scanned Oxford shots from several years. Dianne
I bet that Mr Reverser was having a row with his passenger while sitting in reverse gear, then put his foot down and moved off without checking the rear view mirror.
Glad you are all home safely and unhurt, A car can be replaced, but Tilly cannot!
I thought the British were civil?
They are; very. No punches were exchanged
What a way to end your holiday…
Glad you enjoyed the being away bit, despite the rain. And glad the sh**e talker backed down.