[Spits] UK Government not planning to ban old cars

[John Macartney]

Richard Gosling wrote:

> In fact I'm tempted to drive to
> Edinburgh in Sammy this weekend, just to show my disapproval!

Richard, DO IT!

Some years ago a reliable source in the Federation of Historic British Vehicle Clubs, told me this 
story.

About the time of the millenium, the European Parliament was considering active legislation on 'end 
of life' vehicles - which included 'classics' being restored by their owners. There was such a hue 
and cry throughout mainland Europe that a large number of clubs within FIFA got together and signed 
a petition to present to the European Seat of Power in Brussels. They got literally thousands of 
signatures and arranged for a fully restored classic car to carry just one of many sheets of 
signatures into Brussels. Getting there in a massive convoy, they discovered the Eurocrat 
responsible for initiating the legislation was attending the European Parliament in Strasbourg - so 
they went there instead and picked up a whole lot of other additional classic cars in the process 
who also joined the convoy. It was, by all accounts, a light-hearted affair (with serious intent) 
and absolutely no arrests were made. However, the convoy's arrival in Strasbourg precipitated the 
largest traffic jam the city has ever seen! The legislation was soon modified with that lovely term 
of 'taking operational considerations intoi account......'

In another similar story, Stratford upon Avon Town Council decided to remove a parking slot for 
bikers in the town centre, close to the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre. It had been there *for years* 
and was sacrosanct territory for bikers. Word was out and one Sunday soon afterwards, the police 
estimated 10,000 bikers descended peacefully on the town to commemorate Shakespeare! The parking 
slot wasn't removed.

Go for it

Jonmac