CitroJim's AX, C3 Picasso, Cycling and Running Tales

[mickthemaverick]

The evolution of seat belts is quite well detailed here.. My kids were in their teens before rear belts became a requirement and for their development period I was driving my Reliant 3/30 with rear window conversion. I fitted anchors in the back where we could strap the buggies down to and they travelled in those untill they were able to sit in the actual rear seat!

[CitroJim]

I fitted anchors in the back where we could strap the buggies down to and they travelled in those untill they were able to sit in the actual rear seat!

That was a good solution Mick

It's been a busy car day today... I checked Polly's Adblue level visually whilst I checked her spare wheel (a biscuit) was up to its correct 60 psi. She seems to use hardly any Adblue and as it seems a while before she'll need topping up I dosed the tank with a bottle of Wynns Crystal Clean and Protect. Speaking of crystals, whoever last topped up her Adblue tank spilt a bit as there were quite a few crystals in the spare wheel well... All nicely cleaned up now

And I thought I had a Citroen. Not according to the boot floor panel!

I have a Peugeot C3 Picasso!

Then I had a visitor

Zel's Trabant is simply magical! Totally bonkers and four wheeled fun Gosh, it's noisy...

Both Pix and Polly got a good going over and deep interior clean. Both are absolutely fine in every respect and I'm pleased to see all of Polly's tyres are holding pressure perfectly and she's used no fluids except a few sips of diesel...

After Polly's deep deep clean I fitted Autumn's seat..

And with all that done and after clearing a mountain of leaves cleared from in front of the garage doors, I awoke Bluebell from her winter hibernation for a full check-up and warming run.

She's absolutely fine and all is happy... And back in hibernation

[Zelandeth]

So how many junctions away could you still hear me after I left?

It is a bonkers car though. By today's standards anyway. I don't think when it was contemporary though it would have compared that badly really though to a base model Mini or Beetle (it's about a foot longer than a Mini, and that's basically all behind the rear wheels), aside from noise levels anyway! It was just a different approach to designing and building a small cheap car for the masses.

Good to catch up with you as always Jim.

[CitroJim]

So how many junctions away could you still hear me after I left?

Good to catch up with you as always Jim.

And you Zel The welcome mat is always out and the more bonkers the car you turn up in the better

You and Trabby made for a very enjoyable morning

[myglaren]

Should interest you Jim. Written by a German soldier serving in supply in Ukriain:-

Which athletes make the best soldiers?
Long-distance runners make the best infantry soldiers. They possess the most important physical quality you need on a combat mission: endurance.

During my time as a German Army paratrooper, we had an unusually high number of marathon runners in my unit. Running was encouraged by our unit's leadership.


Legionnaires of the 13th Half-brigade of the French Foreign Legion during the “Bara Desert Run”, Djibouti, East Africa. (Photo: Legion Etrangere)

My battalion commander (who later became the head of the German Kommando Spezialkräfte) was himself an excellent runner. The most important events on our agenda were always the running events and the guy who won the yearly battalion cross-country run was the king.

Being a good runner was equal to being a good soldier. After the running, the most important thing was the shooting. If you were good at both, you were the perfect soldier.

Later on, when I fought in Bosnia, the only sport we did when we weren’t on the frontline was running.

I cannot stress enough how important running is for a combat soldier. The longer you can run, the better.

[CitroJim]

Thanks Steve That's most interesting and revealing!

[CitroJim]

Prompted by this email this morning....

...I thought I'd look at my running stats for the year so far...

Further than I realised or thought, given I lost a few weeks to illness and injury. Pleased with that Some people have driven their cars less than that in a year...

[mickthemaverick]

Just think of all that time that could have been spent driving Bluebell or Polly or even watching Cricket and football!! What a waste!

[CitroJim]

Just think of all that time that could have been spent driving Bluebell or Polly or even watching Cricket and football!! What a waste!

[giveusthetools]

Well, I have my Trumpet and Cornet, (only been playing them properly since 1950), so somewhat rusty. :roll:

[NewcastleFalcon]

Well, I have my Trumpet and Cornet, (only been playing them properly since 1950), so somewhat rusty.

Welcome to the forum

Owned maintained repaired and driven all the 'Oleo' Citroens, including the 'Traction Avant' and 'Umbrella on Wheels'. Own an NSU Wankel Spider (1965). Own an NSU Ro80 (1974).Would like the Cit. GS Bi-Rotor to complete stable.

If your stable list is current, then the FCF needs some pictures , either in a post in the
"Introductions" section viewforum.php?f=21
or maybe here
I spy classic cars/bikes viewtopic.php?p=783859#p783859

Neil

[Gibbo2286]

Triangle for me please.

I did that in the junior school band, got chucked out for pulling the ginger girl in fronts pigtails.

[MattBLancs]

The evolution of seat belts is quite well detailed here..

Wow that's a really interesting article

until 31 January 1983 – 15 years later – that a law requiring all drivers and front seat passengers to wear their seatbelts came into force.

According to the DfT, shortly after this law came into effect, 90% of car drivers and front seat passengers were observed to be wearing seat belts.

The law changed again in 1989, making it a legal requirement for children travelling in the back of cars to wear seat belts, followed by another rule change in 1991 which dictated adult passengers must also wear seat belts in the back of cars.

When seatbelt wearing became compulsory for all rear-seat occupants in 1991, there was an immediate increase from 10% to 40% in observed seat belt wearing rates – according to the DfT.

The rates of seat belt use are surprisingly low, and I had not realised it was as late as '91 before all had to put a belt on.

I can only remember wearing a belt in the car (in fairness I was six when it became law) and it feels really "alien" to me being in the car without the belt on - only really experienced when moving my car from front drive to the back for a bit of tinkering (and sometimes I'll have my belt on for that too = autopilot kicking in!)

[CitroJim]

Well, I have my Trumpet and Cornet, (only been playing them properly since 1950), so somewhat rusty.

Welcome to the forum

Owned maintained repaired and driven all the 'Oleo' Citroens, including the 'Traction Avant' and 'Umbrella on Wheels'. Own an NSU Wankel Spider (1965). Own an NSU Ro80 (1974).Would like the Cit. GS Bi-Rotor to complete stable.

If your stable list is current, then the FCF needs some pictures , either in a post in the
"Introductions" section viewforum.php?f=21
or maybe here
I spy classic cars/bikes viewtopic.php?p=783859#p783859

Neil

And a very warm welcome from me too... Especially interested in the NSU stuff

This morning was spent with little 'un at our local soft play centre...

Autumn's mum debated as to who had the most fun. I think it was about equal

Just think of all that time that could have been spent driving Bluebell or Polly or even watching Cricket and football!! What a waste!

Ahh but all that time keeps my fitness and agility at such a level that I can still behave like a big kid in the soft play arena and do I ever enjoy it I'm well and truly into my second childhood There's nothing I love more than playing in a giant ball-pit

The car seat in my Picasso has Autumn's full seal of approval and it doesn't get much more approving than this

[CitroJim]

I can only remember wearing a belt in the car (in fairness I was six when it became law) and it feels really "alien" to me being in the car without the belt on - only really experienced when moving my car from front drive to the back for a bit of tinkering (and sometimes I'll have my belt on for that too = autopilot kicking in!)

Autopilot is an amazing thing Matt... I feel all wrong now even if I drive just a short distance without a belt on, even in Tesco between the filling station and car park proper before going shopping...

And I started driving long before it was compulsory and only started wearing them when legally obliged to. I still believe not wearing a belt in 1976 may have saved my life... Having said that, I know more lives are saved by wearing belts than not. My circumstance, in a Hillman Avenger, was an exception.

I'm the same with my bike helmet. Couldn't ride an inch without it on and if I do it feels so, so wrong...