One Single Thing That Makes You Think "Top Chap(ette)"
Discussion
Hi all,
After following the 'Knob' thread I started to lose faith in humanity a bit. It seemed more of a thread for people to vent frustrations only to have others lambast them which very quickly either turned into a merde slinging match or several members ganging up on one.
ANYWAY - I would like to start this thread to allow people to let us all know of the high standards we see or the good deeds people carry out. It can be a random or even yourself...if you feel smug enough to post your own good deeds!
I'll get started...after picking my car up from the garage last night I went to fill up as the needle seemed to be bending round the empty stop.
I turned off the A143 to get to the nearest petrol station and about 400m down the road juddered to a halt on the apex of a tight corner. Obviously not the best place to break down so I thought the safest option was to make others aware that they were coming up behind a stationary car. The first guy I flagged down asked if I wanted a tow and within 2 minutes he had hitched my car up and was ready to go. Meanwhile I was slowing traffic down and making sure they passed safely.
We jumped in and got going with me thinking he was towing me to a safe place to park up so I could call the mrs to come and rescue me...not so, the considerate chap towed me the remaining couple of miles to the petrol station.
I offered him a few beers which he refused and parted with nothing more than a 'happy to help, mate' and a smile. I even had a smile on my face when I parted with the £75 for the tank of petrol!
What are your experiences of top bods?
After following the 'Knob' thread I started to lose faith in humanity a bit. It seemed more of a thread for people to vent frustrations only to have others lambast them which very quickly either turned into a merde slinging match or several members ganging up on one.
ANYWAY - I would like to start this thread to allow people to let us all know of the high standards we see or the good deeds people carry out. It can be a random or even yourself...if you feel smug enough to post your own good deeds!
I'll get started...after picking my car up from the garage last night I went to fill up as the needle seemed to be bending round the empty stop.
I turned off the A143 to get to the nearest petrol station and about 400m down the road juddered to a halt on the apex of a tight corner. Obviously not the best place to break down so I thought the safest option was to make others aware that they were coming up behind a stationary car. The first guy I flagged down asked if I wanted a tow and within 2 minutes he had hitched my car up and was ready to go. Meanwhile I was slowing traffic down and making sure they passed safely.
We jumped in and got going with me thinking he was towing me to a safe place to park up so I could call the mrs to come and rescue me...not so, the considerate chap towed me the remaining couple of miles to the petrol station.
I offered him a few beers which he refused and parted with nothing more than a 'happy to help, mate' and a smile. I even had a smile on my face when I parted with the £75 for the tank of petrol!
What are your experiences of top bods?
At Goodwood on Sunday, just walking in and seeing the rather jaded 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB turn up. Looked well used with flat patchy paintwork and dirty wire wheels. Saw it parked up later with nobody taking any notice of it all, a far cry from the millions of pounds restored examples. 
Loved it.
Also the rather jaded DB4 not far from Goodwood on the way home, love to see these cars in a natural state and not restored/over-restored.
Seeing the bloke who lives in Saffron Walden giving one of his two Bugatti Type 35 some beans round the surrounding country roads makes me think 'top bod'. Looks like Toad of Toad Hall with those goggles.
But the noise! 
Loved it.Also the rather jaded DB4 not far from Goodwood on the way home, love to see these cars in a natural state and not restored/over-restored.
Seeing the bloke who lives in Saffron Walden giving one of his two Bugatti Type 35 some beans round the surrounding country roads makes me think 'top bod'. Looks like Toad of Toad Hall with those goggles.
But the noise! vixen1700 said:
At Goodwood on Sunday, just walking in and seeing the rather jaded 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB turn up. Looked well used with flat patchy paintwork and dirty wire wheels. Saw it parked up later with nobody taking any notice of it all, a far cry from the millions of pounds restored examples. Loved it.
Also the rather jaded DB4 not far from Goodwood on the way home, love to see these cars in a natural state and not restored/over-restored.
Seeing the bloke who lives in Saffron Walden giving one of his two Bugatti Type 35 some beans round the surrounding country roads makes me think 'top bod'. Looks like Toad of Toad Hall with those goggles. But the noise!
ETA - Is your CTR silver with a smiley? Loved it.Also the rather jaded DB4 not far from Goodwood on the way home, love to see these cars in a natural state and not restored/over-restored.
Seeing the bloke who lives in Saffron Walden giving one of his two Bugatti Type 35 some beans round the surrounding country roads makes me think 'top bod'. Looks like Toad of Toad Hall with those goggles.
But the noise! I'm around there fairly frequently and have never seen them although did see a lovely old RR (1920/30s I think) last weekend during the Duxford airshow.
Nice to think that some historically important cars are still used as was intended.
Bisonhead said:
I only have to work there. It is the only town I know with no high street brand shops!
I didn't get out of the car to notice. Worked with a bloke whose missus worked in a doctors surgery there and he tols me that she'd come across some old people who had never actually left the town. Ever.
drivin_me_nuts said:
the chap in the Bentley blower doing leptonesque speeds down the A23. Huge car, enormous road presence. I've seen him a few times now and he drives it like it's meant to be driven. I like that, a lot actually.
I've only seen a Blower once in the wild and it was being driven in a 30 
still had more presence than anything else ever!I smiled a few weeks ago when I was on the M5 about 4 miles or so from getting off (Worcester) and a Morgan 3 wheeler blasted past me! It was painted up in WWI colours and going at "some" knots....the guy had goggles on and a scarf, looked epic! Oh and it was pelting with rain!
vixen1700 said:
Bisonhead said:
I only have to work there. It is the only town I know with no high street brand shops!
I didn't get out of the car to notice. Worked with a bloke whose missus worked in a doctors surgery there and he tols me that she'd come across some old people who had never actually left the town. Ever.
Stood peering over the fence into the Goodwood paddock on Sunday, trying to get a better glimpse of the exotica, when a well dressed chap handed my accomplice and I two paddock passes. Before I realised what had happened, he was gone, so I'd like to take this opportunity to say thanks
Great Pretender said:
Stood peering over the fence into the Goodwood paddock on Sunday, trying to get a better glimpse of the exotica, when a well dressed chap handed my accomplice and I two paddock passes. Before I realised what had happened, he was gone, so I'd like to take this opportunity to say thanks
Sometimes it pays to be a cheapskate 
Also a thanks to those early morning drivers who give me plenty of room on the narrow country roads where I run in the mornings.
The very deserving Rolex Driver of the Meeting at the 2012 Goodwood Revival was Max Werner, who drove his 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza race car all the way from Dusseldorf on his own, accompanied only by basic hand tools and a healthy slice of enthusiasm. On arrival he was offered help in preparing the car, to which he replied “Don’t worry; I checked the oil and tyres before I left home!” He even turned down help with a pit board because he wasn’t too concerned about speed or lap times; he was just here to have fun! Despite a few scrapes along the way, including a spellbinding fight back from eighth place, he stormed through to win the Brooklands Trophy, and then drove all the way back home again to Germany – a round trip of some 800 miles!
Just read this in the Goodwood forum. Now that is cool.
Just read this in the Goodwood forum. Now that is cool.
Thanks to the two builders who helped my missus push her car up onto the verge by the A4130 near Wallingford a few weeks back.
Her SLK had suffered a massive ECU failure that had cut the engine dead and she hadn't had the chance to get off the road before coming to a halt in the road on a Friday afternoon rush hour. Being quite a small lady she just didn't have the strength to move the car and was a bit stressed out when she called me, but they were both really nice and calming for her.
No thanks at all go to the impatient idiot in the Z3M who when the recovery truck arrived and was putting the car on the low loader, spent his time in the queue behind with his hand on the horn and then proceeded to go around the recovery truck with tyres squealing shouting abuse at the recovery guy, my wife and myself. Nice car, but everyone thought you were an utter s
t.
Her SLK had suffered a massive ECU failure that had cut the engine dead and she hadn't had the chance to get off the road before coming to a halt in the road on a Friday afternoon rush hour. Being quite a small lady she just didn't have the strength to move the car and was a bit stressed out when she called me, but they were both really nice and calming for her.
No thanks at all go to the impatient idiot in the Z3M who when the recovery truck arrived and was putting the car on the low loader, spent his time in the queue behind with his hand on the horn and then proceeded to go around the recovery truck with tyres squealing shouting abuse at the recovery guy, my wife and myself. Nice car, but everyone thought you were an utter s
t. Highway Star said:
Thanks to the two builders who helped my missus push her car up onto the verge by the A4130 near Wallingford a few weeks back.
Her SLK had suffered a massive ECU failure that had cut the engine dead and she hadn't had the chance to get off the road before coming to a halt in the road on a Friday afternoon rush hour. Being quite a small lady she just didn't have the strength to move the car and was a bit stressed out when she called me, but they were both really nice and calming for her.
No thanks at all go to the impatient idiot in the Z3M who when the recovery truck arrived and was putting the car on the low loader, spent his time in the queue behind with his hand on the horn and then proceeded to go around the recovery truck with tyres squealing shouting abuse at the recovery guy, my wife and myself. Nice car, but everyone thought you were an utter st.
Top marks to the builders, 'knob' thread for the self important accountant in the Z3M!Her SLK had suffered a massive ECU failure that had cut the engine dead and she hadn't had the chance to get off the road before coming to a halt in the road on a Friday afternoon rush hour. Being quite a small lady she just didn't have the strength to move the car and was a bit stressed out when she called me, but they were both really nice and calming for her.
No thanks at all go to the impatient idiot in the Z3M who when the recovery truck arrived and was putting the car on the low loader, spent his time in the queue behind with his hand on the horn and then proceeded to go around the recovery truck with tyres squealing shouting abuse at the recovery guy, my wife and myself. Nice car, but everyone thought you were an utter s
t. I do always try and make a point of stopping and offering help to people who have broken down, in the hope the karma gets repaid to me if ever I'm in the same boat!
The only time I've been at the side of the road was actually after a ride home on my bike some years ago.. I got killer cramp in one leg and hastily pulled up onto a grass verge to massage my leg and generally feel sorry for myself. A lady in an SUV slowed up soon after and asked if I was OK and if I needed any help, a lift, or anything.. I told her it was just cramp and I was fine, and she tootled on. Always helps restore your faith in humanity when people do something nice like that!
The only time I've been at the side of the road was actually after a ride home on my bike some years ago.. I got killer cramp in one leg and hastily pulled up onto a grass verge to massage my leg and generally feel sorry for myself. A lady in an SUV slowed up soon after and asked if I was OK and if I needed any help, a lift, or anything.. I told her it was just cramp and I was fine, and she tootled on. Always helps restore your faith in humanity when people do something nice like that!
I was coming up the A3 from Guildford last year after a wedding. I was completely in my own world on a dreary sunday, and I forgot to stop at the last petrol station northbound, and promptly ran out of fuel about 3 miles away from the nearest petrol station.
I'd cycled to pick up my car, so I was wearing lycra and cycling shoes The only bit of normal clothing i had in the car was a jacket and some brown leather shoes. It was a good look!
About half a mile into the walk, i came across a guy who had come out to accompany his missus after her car has broken down. The AA were recovering her car, and he was picking up their son whilst she went on with the car. he offered to take me to the petrol station, which I gratefully accepted.
Not only did he drive me there, he waited whilst i filled a can, and then drove me back down the A3 to the junction below where i was, then headed back up to drop me off at my car and waited until it started.
He wouldn't accept any token of thanks, so to that guy, thanks a bunch!
I hope to pay forward the favour someday!
I'd cycled to pick up my car, so I was wearing lycra and cycling shoes
The only bit of normal clothing i had in the car was a jacket and some brown leather shoes. It was a good look!About half a mile into the walk, i came across a guy who had come out to accompany his missus after her car has broken down. The AA were recovering her car, and he was picking up their son whilst she went on with the car. he offered to take me to the petrol station, which I gratefully accepted.
Not only did he drive me there, he waited whilst i filled a can, and then drove me back down the A3 to the junction below where i was, then headed back up to drop me off at my car and waited until it started.
He wouldn't accept any token of thanks, so to that guy, thanks a bunch!
I hope to pay forward the favour someday!
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