Tam &Toby do Europe ...Take two

[Riverbankannie]

I've just received a £30 fine from bristol council for apparently driving in a bus lane.

It's just after the junction on bath road with the park and ride at brislington....I'd intended to stop in the park and ride but on reaching the junction spots a sign saying a height restriction of 2.1 metres for the park and ride so had no option buy to continue straight ahead which was the bus lane.

You'd think this would be obvious to them since they've provided 3 photos of my van at the junction

So I have to go lodge an appeal ...

Unfortunately lots get caught out at that junction, it’s tempting if the traffic in right hand lane is queuing and stationary, to move into the bus lane in order to turn into the P&R. You would get a ticket even if only a couple of wheels touched the bus lane. There is another tricky turn into the trading estate further along into Bristol, you have to make it last minute to miss the bus lane.
Your only option was to stop dead and wait for an opportunity to pull back out into the right hand lane .

 

[Lenny HB]

Which one would you recommend please ?

If I was buying one I would go for a Votronic 1212-50 or 1212-60, the 1212-50 (50amp) Road Pro are doing for £260 which seems a really good price.

 

[Northernraider]

Unfortunately lots get caught out at that junction, it’s tempting if the traffic in right hand lane is queuing and stationary, to move into the bus lane in order to turn into the P&R. You would get a ticket even if only a couple of wheels touched the bus lane. There is another tricky turn into the trading estate further along into Bristol, you have to make it last minute to miss the bus lane.
Your only option was to stop dead and wait for an opportunity to pull back out into the right hand lane .

I've lodged an appeal as I basically followed the sign for the park and ride as o planned to stop there to put coordinates in the satnav for the guy selling the car. The signs told me to go in to left lane approaching the traffic lights so I did .
It's actually good that I looked around the corner at the lights before committing to turn as I'd have brought the road to a standstill.
I had no choice but to go straight ahead and that's when I entered the bus lane

I've not heard back from them yet but if they reject it I'll be re appealing it

 

[Lenny HB]

Bristol have a rep for being one of the worst for parking & traffic regs.
Good luck you are going to need it.

 

[Northernraider]

This is the junction in question and to be honest looking at it I still cant fathom where you are supposed to turn in to the park and ride without entering the bus lane ? baring in mind it was a Saturday morning and that road was very very busy
Cant see the height barrier here but I'm guessing it's been fitted after Google earth did this

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[Northernraider]

This is the pics from the letter they sent which arent the clearest but you can see the red car behind me turning in from the road I was on ....I couldn't because of height barriers ?‍ so I had to go straight on

 

[Riverbankannie]

The entrance to the P&R is further back along the road, and now I can see your problem as I had forgotten the raised kerb between the lanes. I would have thought you had a good case, the height barriers are well back.

 

[Riverbankannie]

There is a height limit sign but in my opinion it’s too late.

 

[Northernraider]

There is a height limit sign but in my opinion it’s too late.
View attachment 351608

Yep I saw that one but like you say you're committed by then but I'll save these pics incase I need them

 

[Lenny HB]

Just looked along the road no advance warning at all.
They may argue you should have turned around at the entrance, there is a gap just behind the lights that allows you to get across to the exit lane. Easy to see after the event.

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[Northernraider]

Just looked along the road no advance warning at all.
They may argue you should have turned around at the entrance, there is a gap just behind the lights that allows you to get across to the exit lane. Easy to see after the event.

Yeah if they really want to argue it they'll come up with anything...but in the end I think I did the safest thing ....i may have drove on the bus lane to do it but it's better than causing an accident etc

I won't simply be paying it that's for sure.
I'll bet I'm not the first motorhome to do it either. These height barriers are a joke at times

 

[monzer]

How's the delivering going? I went on the books of dream drivers earlier this week and have my first shift tomorrow night. Got bored of sitting around waiting on an operation date so hope I don't strain my back to much delivering king prawn chow meins and large americanos

 

[Northernraider]

How's the delivering going? I went on the books of dream drivers earlier this week and have my first shift tomorrow night. Got bored of sitting around waiting on an operation date so hope I don't strain my back to much delivering king prawn chow meins and large americanos

Aye not too bad ...its all changed since I used to do it ..much easier now as all ordered and paid online so dont have the hassle of carrying cash etc

Google maps helps too

 

[CazPaul]

Missed that post Tam, are you van driving/courier job for Christmas?

 

[Drexxer]

I've not heard back from them yet but if they reject it I'll be re appealing it

Let me guess, you're a Remainer!

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[Northernraider]

Missed that post Tam, are you van driving/courier job for Christmas?

Nah I'm delivering takeaways a few nights

 

[Northernraider]

Let me guess, you're a Remainer!

Yes ...that's why I ask for an appeal when something has exceptional circumstances.

Fortunately the Russians hadn't tampered with the bus lane and no fridges were involved ?

 

[Northernraider]

Is there any financial advisors follow this thread ?

Due to the craziness of uk voters the pound has risen against the euro at the minute
I have disposable income in the bank of which I'm getting no interest

Therefore I'm considering buying euros at the current rate of 1.20 and then after the impending brexit crash and the pound falling perhaps making a bot of profit

Question is how do I do it ?


Not a debate about the b word it's a genuine question for those in the know.

 

[Figaro]

Currency trading is definitely not for the feint hearted, or those that can't afford to lose their money.
Anyway it needs to be done on a large scale to make anything worthwhile.
I'm just buying a few euros on Revolut for use next year. Then maybe buy a few more in new year depending on how the rate goes.

 

[Lenny HB]

Revolut account, you can set it up in a few mins online. Michael sallylillian can advise on their premium account if you want to buy more than a few grand.

Setting up a Euro back account takes time and not that cheap and exchange rates likely to be worse.

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[Northernraider]

I was thinking like £50 or £70k

Which at the current rate would be a few grand profit it if dropped back to like £1.05/6 like it was back in summer.

But I genuinely dont know how to do it ?‍
Im thinking that the inevitable crash out or prediction of one will cause it to drop again

And I figure if everyone else is being a selfish sod lol why cant I

As my bank has just told me they are dropping my already poor interest rate of £0.020 to £0.010 ? so I'm getting sod all in interest really

 

[Figaro]

my already poor interest rate of £0.020 to £0.010 ? so I'm getting sod all in interest really

You should / could be getting 2% on that in fixed bonds.

But avoid Scottish banks

 

[Lenny HB]

I was thinking like £50 or £70k

A very wide spread.
I think standard Revolut is 10k a year.
Premium account £7/month no limit on exchanges.

 

[klaatu]

Premium bonds! With 50k invested, you’re pretty much guaranteed to win something every month, and on average it’s not too bad a rate of return, with the possibility of a decent win occasionally.

 

[nicholsong]

I was thinking like £50 or £70k

Which at the current rate would be a few grand profit it if dropped back to like £1.05/6 like it was back in summer.

But I genuinely dont know how to do it ?‍
Im thinking that the inevitable crash out or prediction of one will cause it to drop again

And I figure if everyone else is being a selfish sod lol why cant I

As my bank has just told me they are dropping my already poor interest rate of £0.020 to £0.010 ? so I'm getting sod all in interest really

Tam

Do not try currency dealing. You would have to be on the screen 24 hours a day - they can kill you in Tokyo while you are asleep. The big boys will have you over a barrel.

There are good bonds. I have some money invested in a property bond tradable on the Stock Exchange, so one can check price and sell at any time, which pays 6.25%pa twice yearly and stands at a slight premium to its issue price at which I bought, which indicates confidence.

There are others like that, but maybe slightly lower interest. But that market is fairly safe.

Or spread your risk in a bond fund, but they take a management percentage.

Now that the doubt over the election is out of the way I shall be looking for investments for my ISA and Pension which have both been in cash only for a long time. Mostly it will come in the sort of bonds I have described above.

Hope this helps.

Keep yourself, and your money, safe.

Geoff

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[Northernraider]

A very wide spread.
I think standard Revolut is 10k a year.
Premium account £7/month no limit on exchanges.

Lol that was meant to be 50-70k lol

 

[Northernraider]

You should / could be getting 2% on that in fixed bonds.

But avoid Scottish banks

Lloyd's groups bloody English and getting sod all from them

I'd be aswell putting my money in a tin under the french bed

 

[Northernraider]

Ok so how do I find out about bonds etc.
It's unlikely I'm going to be using this money for a while as I dont plan to buy property etc.
I'm not a gambler so not looking to take mad chances where I could lose it but I'd like at least some return on it
At the minute I get £12 interest on £71k
And that's about to be reduced to £6 ?

In past experience going to a financial advisor ends up costing me money or a percentage of interest etc so I'd prefer not too.

 

[Figaro]

Look at fixed savings with Atom or Shawbrook.or one of the other new breed of online banks.
Full FS protection to £85k

 

[nicholsong]

Ok so how do I find out about bonds etc.
It's unlikely I'm going to be using this money for a while as I dont plan to buy property etc.
I'm not a gambler so not looking to take mad chances where I could lose it but I'd like at least some return on it
At the minute I get £12 interest on £71k
And that's about to be reduced to £6 ?

In past experience going to a financial advisor ends up costing me money or a percentage of interest etc so I'd prefer not too.

Tam

I have been around the Financial arena as a Compliance Officer, long time ago now, but have got my knowledge from press and websites.

I am not sure there is a magic way for information on bonds but try googling for bond journals, but beware like MH magazines they might favour advertisers.

Moving on to Investment(not Unit) Trusts the Associaion of IT publish very good statistics of the performance of their funds, start on their website here to understand what they all do and how they differ from Unit Trusts

Homepage

The Association of Investment Companies (AIC) represents & provides investor data on closed-ended funds including investment trusts & venture capital trusts (VCTs)

www.theaic.co.uk

There are several IT which have increased their dividends over decades

Foreign & Colonial
Bankers
City of London

and a few others.

Some pay 2-3% and one or two 4%, but there can also be growth in their quoted share price.

At the end of the day you have to do your own research by reading the financial pages in newspapers and online, accumulating knowledge and being sceptical.

I suggest that when you do decide to move the money to other places that you do it in dribs and drabs till you feel comfortable with your decisions.

Work hard at the research - it will pay off.

[There is no commission charged for this advice]

Geoff

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