Fahrtman Longstroke rants: Tax
It’s almost a year to the day since Fahrtman Longstroke last had a rant on PetrolBlog, so this blog has being brewing for a little while. Here he tackles a subject close to heart of British PetrolBlog readers – tax. Over to you, Longstroke.
Let’s be honest, the UK has some fantastic roads. Indeed, one of my most enduring memories is overtaking a surprised biker on the Cat & Fiddle run in a twin turbo Bentley. Happy days.
Now, I make a special point of driving these fine roads as much as possible, partly for the love of driving but also because of the huge personal financial contribution I have made to them.
And the chances are that if you are a UK motorist then you too have paid through the nose for these fine roads, plus a load of not so fine roads too. Read more 
PetrolBlog looks at…the Abergwesyn Pass
As tiny hamlets go, Abergwesyn is nothing out of the ordinary. It sits nestled in a delightful part of Mid Wales, with the River Irfon running through it. It’s all rather lovely and remote, but there’s not a lot that sets it apart from other Welsh villages. In fact, you could pass through it on the way through from Llanwrytd Wells to Beulah and not give it a second look. Read more
The PetrolBlog Point #5: Driving with Angry Birds
I’d consider myself to be something of a bird lover. I gladly renew my RSPB membership each year and try to make a point of ensuring the bird feeders in the garden are topped up with seeds. I don’t go as far as wandering around the countryside with a pair of binoculars, but I try to take care of our feathered friends.
So why on God’s earth do they seem intent on sending me to an early grave? There are already enough hazards on the road to contend with, so I could do without adding the little birds to the list. I mean, I can just about cope with the odd tractor emerging from a hedgerow, a slow moving Honda Jazz, a wild animal or the ever increasing number of potholes, but one more hazard might just tip me over the edge. Read more
The PetrolBlog Point #3: Car Transporters
In this edition of The PetrolBlog Point I’ll share confession with you. One which I’ve harboured for many years and whatever I do, I can’t seem to shake it. Read more
Gritter lorry overturns in Devon
In the early hours of Saturday morning, while most of us were tucked up in bed, Devon’s gritter lorries were out clearing our roads. Sadly one of these lorries fell foul of the worsening conditions and the result can be seen in the pictures. The incident occurred on the hill beween Lydford village and Lydford Gorge and seemingly the driver did a brilliant job to avoid careering all the way down the hill and on to the bridge that crosses the Gorge. The results of the lorry crashing through the bridge are unthinkable. Read more
Beware the Car booters, Doggies and Tippers
Last Sunday I had to haul myself out of bed at the unsavoury time of 5am. This wasn’t a voluntary act of course, I had something to attend to. Something that required a drive of about 150 miles. Now normally the opportunity to drive between the hours of Silly o’clock and Stupid o’clock means clear roads and the opportunity to stretch the car’s legs and have a little fun. Within safe and legal limits of course. Read more
The Dawdler: a short story by @FailCar
Recently I engaged in a short but engaging Twitter conversation with the criminally under followed @FailCar. It followed a comment by me after I had the audacity and nerve to overtake a slow moving Golf on a straight bit of B-road near my home. Immediately following my criminal act of mirror, signal, overtake, I was greeted with the flashing of headlights and the shaking of fist. Seriously, I could have expected less of a reaction if I’d dropped her cat into next door’s wheelie bin. As pointed out by the excellent @IamSimonHarris, if the lady spent more time trying to locate her accelerator pedal and less time on the flashers, we’d all get along much better.
England’s Football Roads
So here we are on the eve of one of the world’s greatest events. An event that only graces our calendar every four years and as such needs to be cherished, with every second harnessed for the greater good. Read more
