h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

don't bother me in the least. I've fond memories of my brother and I racing down the little used back lanes on bikes home from a friends, downhill all the way in the twilight racing the s.

If Master B has been hiding a bat I'm more worried about the state of his wardrobe!

Until the first occassion, she had never encountered one anywhere. So she reacted, based on the old wives tales about them getting tangled in hair and all of that stuff. I grew in farm country with lots of bush, forest and even swamps. So s were as common as fire-flies.

I've seen the Master B about many threads. Simply, I'd not put anything past his capabilities.

He has his reputation to keep up.

The mysterious turned out to be an ice cream maker. Can't wait to give it a test run.

Will invites be mailed out in time?

PS: I like any flavour ...

Only if the carrier pigeon reached you last night.

Oh drat. Is THAT what the neighborhood were tormenting at midnight?

Very possibly. It was my fasted pigeon to.

Ummmm, would you like some black squirrels with jet packs in return? The distances many of our leap, I'd swear they are some how propelled.

*blows a load of dust aside ... *

I left your happy-news journal so abruptly. It just seems that every where I've turned today, there are loads of people moaning and fighting about an un-named waste of flesh. And he ain't even here to be stirring stuff up! Talk about influential.

Not to worry, I know there's one heck of a row going on but I'm not involved in any way and am not likely to become so.

I've just had an email of support from your side of the pond from my biking Aunt. It's great to have a supportive family.

I think the ironing beckons - so if you've any useful gadgets you can spare to save me from it I'd be very grateful!

With the both of us having been military, we DID come up with an automated ironing mechanism. Unfortunately, it was ME !!! So unless you find a means to get me there really quickly, I do think you're out of luck.

Bah humbug - what use is that?

All is forgiven - I've finished it now.

See? If I slip away for silly little things like supper, I justifiably miss some extra 'duties'.

Really though, I do congratulate you on the licensing. Here, a car driver's license is involved but not very difficult. Bike licenses are much more complex. And from what I understand, the UK way of training, testing and proving ANY licensee is far more rigid. So you ought to be proud to do it on the first go.

I think I was just very lucky. Everything seemed to come together for that 45 min test - thankfully. Having driven for a fair few years now I have the advantage of having road sense which some of the younger bikers haven't got a clue about - it just meant I needed to spend time learning how the bike worked and behaved.

I've feeling very chuffed and ever so slightly smug atm. I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it.

I don't know what the tests are like over there. Its getting harder to pass each year over here though, which given the increase in the amount of traffic on the roads makes sense.

I'm glad I've got the bike test out of the way though, they're bringing in a new test over the next two years that involves an off road section that includes a swerve skid componant which you must pass to go out on the roads with the examiner.

Our testing used to be simple. A visual acuity test, a road-sign recognition test, and a 25-question multiple-choice written would get you a "learner's" permit. Allowing driving so long as a licensed person was with you. With a minimum of 3 months at that level, a successful road test would make you fully licensed.

Now, Ontario has a graduated system, ... It all works the same, except that after the road test, you must drive for a minimum of 2 years without incident. No driving on the major roadways, after dusk, or before dawn, and no children allowed with you. THEN, the final road-test for full licensing.

While a formal course is recommended, it is not mandatory in any provinces.

What age do they start to drive over there?

I can understand the not driving on the motorway (or equivalent) after passing a test - but not to be able to drive after dark must be very limiting.

The earliest starting age is 16. As to the "not driving during darkness" ... You said that a bit advantage to passing your test was that you already had developed good road-sense. Well, I imagine that you'd agree that sense is much more needed, that "instinct", after dark. When other senses are much more limited. So I guess the idea is to have the new driver already develop natural responses before taking on that one more condition.

Personally, as I age I find my night vision somewhat fading and needing a much more focused concentration.

I suppose - but most learners over here end up having a couple of lessons at least in the dark when they're learning to drive.