Merchant Navy Memories - Deckie Learner

Did you have to drive around with P plates Des for two years like Oz. Whenever I drove into a garage in the old banger we first bought on arrival here they used to ask if I had borrowed the Grandkids car, snigger snigger, I did not tell them the truth , no they belong to me. When I used to get hire cars over your way they never seemed to mind and never checked how long I had been driving. Last time in UK I wasnt allowed to drive as over 80 and had to pay extra for insurance if wanted to, so the wife drove and I drank. A very good arrangement I thought. I never checked on all the alcohol contents of these beers recently discussed I just drank them. If she wanted a break from driving I always suggested a nice country pub. When we got married in 1962 she was teetotal and would not even enter a pub, today 59 years later she is still teetotal, but will enter a pub if they serve meals, just shows what a bad influence I have had on her. Cheers JS

Hi John.
Never drove with P plates in my life, but may have to drive with B plates shortly, [Blind} I have my driving and sight test next month, driving no probs but my eye test is a worry, I can see no problem while driving, but reading that bloody card isn't a good take, especially as my birthday is my 89th, might have to visit the eyesight woman for glasses, which is a bit much as she charges like a wounded bull.
Des

#32.. Think they have to have P plates up longer today after passing their test. One of the reasons I got rid of my car is similar to yours , and looking to the imminent future , plus of course the expense of running two cars. Im off to see a specialist tomorrow have waited 3 months for the appointment and what I thought was a problem doesnt now seem to exist, so hope she is a bit more lenient on the cash side. And Medicare private picks up the bulk of the expense. Drive carefully . Cheers JS,

Well there was my wife a few years ago, what would you like for your birthday?
Some new earrings would be nice.
Could not see any I liked but saw a car, an old Hyundia Excell for sale at about $3000.
We had been used to two cars but one had died and it was becoming a problem with me out a lot and she wanting to go out as well.
Got the car home and managed to get it into the garage without her seeing it.
Put a ribbon on it along with a 'happy birthday' note.
Next morning told here I had left her present in the garage.
She came back in very teary and said,' what happened to the earrings'?
You can never please the ladies.

You could have bought her a couple of bottle openers John and had them adapted as earrings . Would have been very handy when out for dinner at some byo , if you could of talked her round to it. Would have gone very well with the Hyundai Excel . JS You got off cheap the Hyundai I just bought cost me an arm and a leg 10 times what you paid , this one even tells you things as you drive along very handy when you suffer from Sleep Apbnia . JS

PS It tells you as you are driving along at 10 o"clock at night to slow down there are children crossing ahead , and when you answer they are all at home in bed, it doesnt have the decency to reply. JS.

Bet the car was the wrong colour as well Marian. JS

A question Just for Aussie mates.
WE are changing our bank after 60 years, they moved to Canberra two years ago, in order to facilitate a new bank account we have to have photo ID, my wife hasn't got any, they wont take an out of date passport, so she has to go to the Motor registry with her Citizenship Certificate and various other papers and they will provide one . is this the same in other states?
I remember Bob Hawk wanting to bring in Photo ID and he was howled down.
Des
Ps in a few months they say one wont be able to get into a club or various other places without one.

#38 The way things are going Des there soon won’t be any Banks for the public to use . Already bank machines are a scarcity in WA. I have to go miles for the nearest one and even then likely or not it is out of use. Cash will soon be a thing of the past as most shops prefer a card transaction . How can one in all believability go into a shop and buy a can of coke for $3 dollars and not pay cash ? Or even a newspaper. What will happen the $3 will be rounded up to $5 a good excuse for exploitation. I still persist in using cash as know then what I have before I have nothing. A cashless society is probably coming in the near future , when it does watch out for the rip offs. Cheers JS
PS Also just think of all the homeless and deadbeats in society who are unfortuanetley not able to have a bank account and live hand to mouth what’s going to happen to them ? JS

Remember decimalisation when that came in and how if you were observant enough saw how that was misused.
A penny oxo cube was a good example which had been an old Penny for many years, if remember it went straight to the new penny , what price today ? JS

Des, according to the gov it is now very easy to change banks, that is until you try.

ID card should be compulsory but the public said NO!!

As to ATM, not too bad here in Vic, still plenty of them but some businesses used the Virus as an excuse to go to card only payments, many have ditched this as sales fell away.

As to an ID photo why not go to the post office and get them to do one for you same as for passports?

We already have a Visa card system in the UK that I believe are given to homeless and refugees alike. I may be wrong but I understand that the holder of the card can draw out £20 a for food and clothing. I think the card can only be used at prenominated shops. It cannot be used for buying alcohol or cigarettes. I am sure others may be more informed about this than me as I only caught the tail end of the article on the news. It was basically about complaints that there was a glitch with the system and some cards were not working as they should.

I have become more or less cashless since the pandemic started as most shops encourage chip & pin or scan. I never carry coins if I can avoid them. The grandkids will have there holiday money when they do get over to see us. All coins go into the piggy bank for them.