malumbu

I tried a Lime bike once, too heavy and bulky for me but I understand that many really like them. And very much support the concept.

Well I am a transport professional, and whilst I wouldn't die in a ditch like @Earl Aelfheah in challenging @Rockets in the latter's profession of innocence (he was in a bus lane), generally I agree with much of what they post. I'm also in support on what others say, Snowy, March and the like and I am particularly impressed in @exdulwicher posts. Sue is right. This thread is spent, it has no relevance any more.

Great, you should have a go on a Limebike @CPR Dave

Well I am a trained cyclist, had advanced car training, and had motorcycle training that went well beyond what they do now, and I very much disagree with you. Reasons for causing collisions include your frame of mind, leaving things to the last second or trying to save a couple of minutes. The sort of things they discuss on Speed Awareness Courses, You shouldn't go into these things with a closed mind. We can always learn. I've been involved in fleet driver training and heavy vehicle driver training. Neither as a trainer I hasten to add. But if you are that competent perhaps you should be giving the speed awareness courses. A serious comment.

The current wave of xenophobia is due to powerful/influential people stirring up hatred. It;'s what happened in the past, think 1930s Germany. It seems to be even easier now as so many get their information from social media, whether it is right or wrong. The media seeking so called balance will bring some nutter on, they don't then bring a nutter on to counteract that. They now seem to turn to Reform at the first opportunity. So your life is 'shite', let;s blame someone else. Whilst sounding a bit like a Tory, taking some ownership/personal responsibility would be a start. There are some situations where that may be more challenging, in deindustrialised 'left behind' wasteland we can't all get on our bikes and find work. But I loathe how it is now popular to blame those of us from relatively modest backgrounds, like me, who did see education and knowledge as a way to self improve. Now we are seen by some as smug liberals......

@Sephiroth you made some interesting points on the economy, on the Lammy thread. Thought it worth broadening the discussion. Reeves (irrespective of her financial competence) clearly was too downbeat on things when Labour came into power. But could there have been more honesty on the liklihood of taxes going up (which they have done, and will do in any case due to the freezing of personal allowances). It may have been a silly commitment not to do this, but were you damned if you do and damned if you don't?

I'd quit this thread, let those who just want to slag Labour off have their own thread. Your views on the economy are worth debating. I'm just stunned how there wasn't this level of noise with the last government. I could try to get some dirt on Badenoch but she is pointless Whilst I am not a fan of the Daily Mirror at least there is some respite from Labour bashing. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/grenfell-hillsborough-families-make-powerful-36175862 https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/nigel-farage-facing-parliamentary-investigation-36188612

The AA is a commercial organisation (and the RAC) providing services - they would come up with slogans, that helps get business. Founded in 1905, it provides vehicle insurance, driving lessons, breakdown cover, loans, motoring advice, road maps and other services. The association demutualised in 1999, to become a private limited company, and from 2014 a public limited company (PLC). In 2002 the AA Motoring Trust was created to continue its public interest and road safety activities. Of particular interest going back to its origins: In 1910, in a legal test case (Betts vs. Stevens) involving an AA patrolman and a potentially speeding motorist, the Chief Justice, Lord Alverston, ruled that where a patrolman signals to a speeding driver to slow down and thereby avoid a speed trap, then they would have committed the offence of 'obstructing an officer in the course of his duty' under the Prevention of Crimes Amendment Act 1885.[9][10] The organisation then introduced a coded warning system, used until the 1960s, whereby an AA patrolman would salute the driver of a passing car which showed a visible AA Badge unless there was a speed trap nearby, on the understanding that their officers could not be prosecuted for failing to salute.[11] The AA Handbook stated that "It cannot be too strongly emphasised that when a patrol fails to salute, the member should stop and ask the reason why, as it is certain that the patrol has something of importance to communicate." So its origins can hardly be said to supporting road safety. I am a transport expert. I also enjoy making tongue in cheek comments. I've just agreed with your first point, But as I am a transport professional I know it is COBR. Cobra is just the way the media present it. I had some dealings with Sir Edmund in the 00s when he was at the RAC foundation. Sadly he has gone all "poor old motorist" populist at the moment, The stuff on EVs and the congestion charge is really unhelpful.

Wow, didn't know that https://www.theaa.com/about-us/aa-history

My issues are pretty clear from my original post. The delays caused by the incompetence of the solicitor/executor, the damage to my late Aunt's property as we now go through the third winter without heating and ventilation, his inability to inform and engage with beneficiaries because he will not use technology around for decades or in the case of the telephone 150 years, which has exacerbated everything, I have some very helpful pieces of advice, including one by PM/DM who had similar experience, so unless the last two posters have constructive things to say I'll leave it there, Cheers.

Heavens. This is exactly what you are doing Referring to people like me as the usual suspects. Saying people like me are ideologically obsessed and hound people out. And then when you are questioned just come out with the same rhetoric again (and again and again and again). I promise myself not to post on this thread and then you post this sort of dismissive nonsense. It is difficult to be polite but I try......

Complaint letters already sent that he bats off. IT incompetence just exacerbates the problem House under offer but he doesn't tell us this, we have to call the agents. He had a wobbly when the gold digger contacted a previous estate agent - we have little to do with the GD.

Drugs deal. Not sure what sort of mopeds/scooters dealers use. The cash for crash are relatively new and clean. Not sure what the arrangement is with the owners, obviously everyone gets a cut.

The executor is responsible for maintaining the estate and distributing this to beneficiaries. Two years after probate he clearly has not maintained the estate nor executed the will. One reason for this long delay, which has allowed the house to deteriorate (as well as him not overseeing care and maintenance), is because he refuses (and no doubt is incapable) of using modern means to communicate with beneficiaries. One means being the telephone that was invented in 1876. I doubt whether anyone on this forum would use a business that operates in his way.

Could have been worse, they may have turned up for Beckham's last match, Lorient vs PSG, only to find that it wasn't at Brisbane Road, the home of Leyton Orient.

That a shocking story. Spurs? You appear to be lost. Haringey is very much the other side of the river.

With that attitude you should have been fined and had points on your license. You appear to be stuck with the view that you are a good driver and that you cannot improve. How long since you had your last lesson? I could teach you many things. But I am not arrogant and happy to see where I can improve. It will only take one mistake for you to kill a child driving above the speed limit in an urban area.

@CPR Dave He needs to communicate collectively with all of the beneficiaries. That is the whole point of my original post. Electronic communications are the best way of doing this, as I am doing now on this forum. Apart from the gold digger who will get a six figure sum the rest of us are on four figures, and that is going down by the day. I'm offended by any suggestion that we are not behaving well. What on earth do you mean?

Harrow. I wish that I had done more before Covid, including putting my name forward as an executor and seeking power of attorney. I performed the latter for my later mother, and with no executor named in her will I did probate and executed her will, all very straightforward as financial affairs all in order particularly due to the work of my sister who managed our mother's accounts. But from 2020 onward it was difficult to tell someone who was very frail she needed to change her will etc. There's a further tail about the 'friend' of my aunt who gets around 90% of the estate, and some manipulation of my aunt's finances by this friend. Police wont get out of bed for a million or so for fraud cases so didn't go to them.

He's probably in his 70s, just doing a few more bits of work for his clients, many now deceased (ie executing their wills) who will be in their 90s. Everyone else who is younger than 90 will do their research and not use him,

There is no growing narrative. Sunak published a motorists' charter which made sod all difference to his election. The AA and others have a whinge. It's not going to happen (strip the powers of local authorities). Even under Reform/Far-age. As said above @AylwardS "PCNs are issued because someone did something they shouldn’t"

Thanks all, our hope was (despite the diminishing estate) he would get on with it. Progress is glacial, it's been two years since probate was granted, that's two cold and damp winters with no heating, and not surprisingly a pipe burst. He's blames the issues on the estate agent, who separately had a dispute with him, he had a wobbly when one of the beneficiaries spoke to the estate agent. Separately he said it was the family's fault for letting the property get into a poor condition. It was dated, but certainly not in poor condition. There are two five star reviews on Google, and five one star: ** WARNING** This solicitor firm has to be one of the worst I have encountered. The solicitor is prehistoric in his practices and will carry out work at his own snails pace, the fax machine he uses gets turned off at 2 pm and its near impossible to get him on the phone. STAY AWAY, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED, check the solicitors ombudsman, this firm has previous bad practice recorded. Disgusting under no circumstances use this solicitor.For over 10 years he has not carried out the terms of a Will he has not re-invested money but has retained it. He writes letters which are pure "Flannel" excuses for doing nothing. You have been warned shocking experience, delayed the whole process, told other side solicitors to not contact him as he feels pressured etc. never use. Not fit for 21st century. No website, no email address, no electronic transfer. Very slow, very little communication. Was not a pleasant experience dealing with this firm

The solicitor is also the Executor. Big mistake, but my Aunt was very old, and this was the Covid years and shortly after so impossible to intervene and get a couple of close relatives to do this. She had no children so this is the nephews and nieces. He is a single practitioner, and most at his age would have long since retired - there is a question over his competence Two letters have already gone essentially complaining - batted off and 'amusingly' one put the blame on us. There are five on our side, all speaking to each other, and ideally would work as a single point of contact. But he has said that this is not allowed - we've all given approval to act on each others behalf. There are five on her late husband's side, who have not engaged with us despite the suggestion to work as a team, There is one other, who get's the lion's share, the typicical 'friend', but we are long since challenging the will. I would like to put another complaint together that he has not used modern collective communication (I expect that he is incapable) which had seriously delayed the execution of the will. I know many in their 80s very adept with smart phones so that is not an ageist comment. The house has deteriorated very badly, with cold, damp and a serious leak. PM me if you want to see the dreadful condition that it is now in. I would also question why if the five of us are happy to work together why all of us need to confirm in writing. The house was lived in until Feb 23, and has been allowed to get like this.

A solicitor is acting as the executor for our late Aunt's will. He only communicates by letter which is greatly lengthening the process. The vast majority of legal people deal by modern means - the Electronic Communications Act that allows for much, if not all of these means is now 25 years old. Any views and advice out there? In fuller detail: The value of the estate is not high. There are a number of beneficiaries including one in the US. It has taken almost three years and there is no end in sight. The estate (house) is now damp, mouldy and wall paper falling off the wall. The solicitor is hostile, has threatened beneficiaries the police (which would just waste the police's time), and will not engage constructively. He only communicates by letter. These are poorly written, curt or even hostile, in a language from the middle of last century, he clearly is typing these himself probably on a type writer. Of course with every letter he makes more money. We've taken the first steps to complain either through the ombudsman and/or the SRA. We have taken legal advice a couple of times, which of course isn't cheap, and were told that his behaviour is shocking and we'd be in our right to have him removed through the courts. But.... we just want him to get on with executing the will, primarily selling the house. However he refuses to use any other form of communication but letter. So writing to the beneficiary in the 'States can take a month to get a reply. And even in this country a week or more. Having worked with lawyers in the past I am aware that email, tele and video conferencing and even text and WhatApp are appropriate means for communication. There could be an immediate response to his questions. Help!

Labour should be applauded for bringing in the Renter's Rights Act. But so many of you are carried away with slagging them off. Married couples with busy lives sometimes forget who did what. On this occasion Mr Rachel Reeves was sorting out the rental agreement. Ms Reeves was a bit flumoxed with all the grief/demonsing/witch hunts she is getting so forgot to check with her other half. Not the first or last time this will happen with couples. (That's not having a go at the post above)