Heathrow airport £5 traffic charge proposed

[Don]

Travel broadens the mind.

It also thins the wallet!

But what the hell. I'm off to New Zealand for two weeks of open top motoring and I don't give a stuff.

[paul]

quote:
[Tell me, is it true that Americans have trouble with irony?

I wrote a witty and long reply but my b#st%rd MS Explorer went tits-up. Suffice to say I was just stirring 'cos all too many Brits have knee-jerk, low knowledge opinions about the US - I came here 2 years ago, and whilst it isn't a perfect place, experience always substitutes for here-say.

Read "Bring Home the Revolution", by Jonathan Freedland for a pretty good view of what's right and wrong about the US model.

Oh, and I am a Brit, just not good at spotting irony in text form....

[CarZee]

quote:I wrote a witty and long reply but my b#st%rd MS Explorer went tits-up.

American software you see

quote:Suffice to say I was just stirring 'cos all too many Brits have knee-jerk, low knowledge opinions about the US

Indeed - it's human nature really...

However, I reckon my treatment of the subject has thus far been reasonably tempered - I appreciate that there are those who know not the meaning of temperance on such matters..

quote:experience always substitutes for here-say.

Indeed, but I read a lot and as I said previously, my sister in law is married to an American and my wife goes over there quite a lot... and lets face it, we're deluged with the cultural influences of the US for better or for worse (there's plenty of both).

quote:Read "Bring Home the Revolution", by Jonathan Freedland for a pretty good view of what's right and wrong about the US model.

I've just ordered it on amazon.. thought I'm in the middle of a pretty massive pile of books so I don't know how quickly I'll get round to it..

I stand by my opinion though.. and they make a lot of cruddy cars

[paul]

quote:
I stand by my opinion though..

..as you have every right to do. Freedland's book is unlikely to change your view but may alter some of your broader perceptions. I found it a little too partisan in places, but an enjoyable & informative read nonetheless.

quote:
and they make a lot of cruddy cars

..to which you'll have no argument from me. I had the misfortune of driving a Dodge Durango recently and I can honestly say that it is the biggest waste of a V8 engine I've ever driven...