On 06/02/2013 10:53, charles wrote:
In article ,
polygonum wrote:
On 06/02/2013 10:04, Mike Barnes wrote:

[Snip]


Each has its place. There are several traffic lights around here where,
if you stop at the proper place, you cannot see the main lights without
craning neck, etc. The small repeaters would help there. Of course,
from a distance the large ones are good.

In these days of relatively inexpensive LEDs, I would have thought
small repeaters could have been incorporated into the posts of many
traffic lights at relatively small marginal cost.

Trouble is, they've gone and put those entirely stupid low-level
pedestrian lights on the posts. ISTM that confusion would be a risk.

Ah - the ones that make sure a pedestrian has to look away from traffic
in order to see they are allowed to cross? Wonderful, aren't they... :-(

DDA- they're for wheelchair users

But as they are the only ones, they are in fact for everyone. Not even a
repeated one on the far side.

--
Rod

charles :
In article ,
polygonum wrote:
On 06/02/2013 10:04, Mike Barnes wrote:

[Snip]


Each has its place. There are several traffic lights around here where,
if you stop at the proper place, you cannot see the main lights without
craning neck, etc. The small repeaters would help there. Of course,
from a distance the large ones are good.

In these days of relatively inexpensive LEDs, I would have thought
small repeaters could have been incorporated into the posts of many
traffic lights at relatively small marginal cost.

Trouble is, they've gone and put those entirely stupid low-level
pedestrian lights on the posts. ISTM that confusion would be a risk.

Ah - the ones that make sure a pedestrian has to look away from traffic
in order to see they are allowed to cross? Wonderful, aren't they... :-(

DDA- they're for wheelchair users

I was referring to the lights, not the buttons.

--
Mike Barnes

In article ,
Mike Barnes wrote:
charles :
In article ,
polygonum wrote:
On 06/02/2013 10:04, Mike Barnes wrote:

[Snip]


Each has its place. There are several traffic lights around here where,
if you stop at the proper place, you cannot see the main lights without
craning neck, etc. The small repeaters would help there. Of course,
from a distance the large ones are good.

In these days of relatively inexpensive LEDs, I would have thought
small repeaters could have been incorporated into the posts of many
traffic lights at relatively small marginal cost.

Trouble is, they've gone and put those entirely stupid low-level
pedestrian lights on the posts. ISTM that confusion would be a risk.

Ah - the ones that make sure a pedestrian has to look away from traffic
in order to see they are allowed to cross? Wonderful, aren't they... :-(

DDA- they're for wheelchair users

I was referring to the lights, not the buttons.

at eye level for wheel chair users ;-)

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.18

On Tuesday, February 5, 2013 3:27:09 PM UTC, DerbyBorn wrote:
Just back from a holiday and whilst there I refelcted on a few differences

seen there and other places (not really DIY) and wondered if others had

thought of similar things. Examples:



Bulgaria - Traffic Lights with an illuminated count-down in red or green

to the next change.

We have them here in Stratford, London or at least very similar.
Just outside the tube station between that and the old stratford centre.
That way you can estimate whether or not you can run across the road before the lights change.




Dublin - Traffic lights with ped crossing countdowns - that are made of

stainless steel and don't look as though they were made in the 1950's (like

ours)



Lanzarote - In our villa - door frame with integral rubber seal to prevent

banging - well engineered door and frame with stainless steel hinges.

Sounds like a good idea but wouldn't the rubber perish in our UK enviroment.


any others? Comments?

On Tuesday, February 5, 2013 5:20:02 PM UTC, harry wrote:
snip


USA Push button flushes on urinals. (Save a lot of water)

Very common around here

"fred" wrote in message
...

On Tuesday, February 5, 2013 5:20:02 PM UTC, harry wrote:
snip


USA Push button flushes on urinals. (Save a lot of water)

Very common around here
+++++++++++++++++++

Many US public buildings go even further and have flush-free urinals. Keep
meaning to look-up the technology behind them.

Some German buildings also have "sensor activated" urinal flushing. As you
approach, you break a light beam and the "every few minutes" flush only
happens if someone has use the facilities since the last flush.

Paul DS
+++++++++
No "reply indenting" - Using Windows Live Mail 2012 - don't laugh.

In article , Paul D Smith
wrote:


"fred" wrote in message
...

On Tuesday, February 5, 2013 5:20:02 PM UTC, harry wrote:
snip


USA Push button flushes on urinals. (Save a lot of water)

Very common around here +++++++++++++++++++

Many US public buildings go even further and have flush-free urinals.

as fitted in the Westway Shopping Centre - they pong a bit.

Keep meaning to look-up the technology behind them.

Some German buildings also have "sensor activated" urinal flushing. As
you approach, you break a light beam and the "every few minutes" flush
only happens if someone has use the facilities since the last flush.

John Lewis, Oxford Circus, uses IR to detect use.

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.18

On 06/02/2013 12:43, Paul D Smith wrote:
....
Many US public buildings go even further and have flush-free urinals.
Keep meaning to look-up the technology behind them....

http://www.waterlessurinals.co.uk/ab...rless-urinals/

Colin Bignell

On Tuesday, February 5, 2013 3:27:09 PM UTC, DerbyBorn wrote:
Just back from a holiday and whilst there I refelcted on a few differences

seen there and other places (not really DIY) and wondered if others had

thought of similar things. Examples:



Bulgaria - Traffic Lights with an illuminated count-down in red or green

to the next change.



Dublin - Traffic lights with ped crossing countdowns - that are made of

stainless steel and don't look as though they were made in the 1950's (like

ours)



Lanzarote - In our villa - door frame with integral rubber seal to prevent

banging - well engineered door and frame with stainless steel hinges.



any others? Comments?

Esculators at tube stations only coming on when people were using them.
Think it was a light sensor triggered as you apporach the stairs.
Stockholm 1985.

charles spake thus:

In article ,
Scion wrote:
DerbyBorn spake thus:

Just back from a holiday and whilst there I refelcted on a few
differences seen there and other places (not really DIY) and wondered
if others had thought of similar things. Examples:

Bulgaria - Traffic Lights with an illuminated count-down in red or
green to the next change.

Dublin - Traffic lights with ped crossing countdowns - that are made
of stainless steel and don't look as though they were made in the
1950's (like ours)

Lanzarote - In our villa - door frame with integral rubber seal to
prevent banging - well engineered door and frame with stainless steel
hinges.

any others? Comments?

Portugal: Speed camera activated traffic lights.

you mean they go red if you're approaching too fast?

Yup. You are delayed for 30 seconds or so. Fined if you go through the red
light.

Here all traffic lights (for about 30 years) monitor traffic approaching
the lights. Even temporary ones have sensors on them.

Nightjar spake thus:

On 06/02/2013 09:32, Scion wrote:
DerbyBorn spake thus:

Just back from a holiday and whilst there I refelcted on a few
differences seen there and other places (not really DIY) and wondered
if others had thought of similar things. Examples:

Bulgaria - Traffic Lights with an illuminated count-down in red or
green to the next change.

Dublin - Traffic lights with ped crossing countdowns - that are made
of stainless steel and don't look as though they were made in the
1950's (like ours)

Lanzarote - In our villa - door frame with integral rubber seal to
prevent banging - well engineered door and frame with stainless steel
hinges.

any others? Comments?

Portugal: Speed camera activated traffic lights.

So they can get the drivers for speeding AND for jumping a red light?

Colin Bignell

That isn't the sole aim, just a side benefit.

In article ,
whisky-dave wrote:
On Tuesday, February 5, 2013 3:27:09 PM UTC, DerbyBorn wrote:
Just back from a holiday and whilst there I refelcted on a few
differences

seen there and other places (not really DIY) and wondered if others had

thought of similar things. Examples:



Bulgaria - Traffic Lights with an illuminated count-down in red or
green

to the next change.



Dublin - Traffic lights with ped crossing countdowns - that are made of

stainless steel and don't look as though they were made in the 1950's
(like

ours)



Lanzarote - In our villa - door frame with integral rubber seal to
prevent

banging - well engineered door and frame with stainless steel hinges.



any others? Comments?

Esculators at tube stations only coming on when people were using them.
Think it was a light sensor triggered as you apporach the stairs.
Stockholm 1985.

seen in Hamburg 1979.

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.18

On 06/02/13 14:00, whisky-dave wrote:
Esculators at tube stations only coming on when people were using them.
Think it was a light sensor triggered as you apporach the stairs.
Stockholm 1985.

Escalators at Genève Airport (and Zürich) that take luggage trolleys,
from baggage hall to railway platform on one trolley.



--
djc

On 05/02/2013 15:27, DerbyBorn wrote:
Just back from a holiday and whilst there I refelcted on a few differences
seen there and other places (not really DIY) and wondered if others had
thought of similar things. Examples:

Bulgaria - Traffic Lights with an illuminated count-down in red or green
to the next change.

Dublin - Traffic lights with ped crossing countdowns - that are made of
stainless steel and don't look as though they were made in the 1950's (like
ours)

Lanzarote - In our villa - door frame with integral rubber seal to prevent
banging - well engineered door and frame with stainless steel hinges.

any others? Comments?


Those of a sensitive nature please skip to the next thread ...
..
..
..
..
..

We've been to several countries where the sewage system can't cope with
toilet paper, and you are required (!) to put used sheets in a
waste-paper basket next to the bog.

But at least in Turkey there's a little water-pipe by the seat that lets
you wash your arsehole first so the paper is merely used for drying. You
need far less and I expect even first-world sewage systems would work
better with less paper in the sewage.

--
Reentrant

"whisky-dave" wrote in message
...
On Tuesday, February 5, 2013 3:27:09 PM UTC, DerbyBorn wrote:
Just back from a holiday and whilst there I refelcted on a few
differences

seen there and other places (not really DIY) and wondered if others had

thought of similar things. Examples:



Bulgaria - Traffic Lights with an illuminated count-down in red or green

to the next change.

We have them here in Stratford, London or at least very similar.
Just outside the tube station between that and the old stratford centre.
That way you can estimate whether or not you can run across the road
before the lights change.




Dublin - Traffic lights with ped crossing countdowns - that are made of

stainless steel and don't look as though they were made in the 1950's
(like

ours)



Lanzarote - In our villa - door frame with integral rubber seal to
prevent

banging - well engineered door and frame with stainless steel hinges.

Sounds like a good idea but wouldn't the rubber perish in our UK
enviroment.

Doesn't have to be real rubber.

On 06/02/2013 16:20, Jethro_uk wrote:


Does anyone know if the A4 from Hounslow to Chiswick has been messed
with? I used to be able to get on it, keep my speed at 35, and sail
through every set of lights.


Shh.
You will upset geof as you don't speed between the reds.

On 06/02/2013 06:45, John Williamson wrote:
SteveW wrote:
On 05/02/2013 22:00, Bob Minchin wrote:
France: drivers eye level traffic light repeaters

And also flashing amber instead of stopping traffic unecessarily at
night, although I'd prefer the main road to stay green and the side
roads to flash amber meaning stop-check and proceed rather than
flashing amber in all directions as they do there.

Flashing amber in France and other countries where it it used,means
"proceed in accordance with the normal rules of precedence". In general,
this means give way to traffic coming from your right, unless there is a
sign that say otherwise. Effectively, at fixed installations, it means
"This traffic light is not here". European drivers grow up with this,
and it's second nature to them. Some junctions have give way and main
route signs on them, and these are what control the junction when the
amber is flashing.

Yes, that's fine for those that have grown up with it, but if we
introduced it here, my suggestion would probably be easier for UK
drivers to get used to.

SteveW

On 06/02/2013 09:54, charles wrote:
In article ,
Scion wrote:
DerbyBorn spake thus:

Just back from a holiday and whilst there I refelcted on a few
differences seen there and other places (not really DIY) and wondered if
others had thought of similar things. Examples:

Bulgaria - Traffic Lights with an illuminated count-down in red or
green to the next change.

Dublin - Traffic lights with ped crossing countdowns - that are made of
stainless steel and don't look as though they were made in the 1950's
(like ours)

Lanzarote - In our villa - door frame with integral rubber seal to
prevent banging - well engineered door and frame with stainless steel
hinges.

any others? Comments?

Portugal: Speed camera activated traffic lights.

you mean they go red if you're approaching too fast?

Yes I've seen ones like that in France too. Far better than fining
people, as you can actually get people to slow down and it doesn't have
everyone panic braking as they suddenly spot a camera, despite them not
exceeding the limit anyway!

SteveW

On 06/02/2013 18:41, Reentrant wrote:
On 05/02/2013 15:27, DerbyBorn wrote:
Just back from a holiday and whilst there I refelcted on a few
differences
seen there and other places (not really DIY) and wondered if others had
thought of similar things. Examples:

Bulgaria - Traffic Lights with an illuminated count-down in red or green
to the next change.

Dublin - Traffic lights with ped crossing countdowns - that are made of
stainless steel and don't look as though they were made in the 1950's
(like
ours)

Lanzarote - In our villa - door frame with integral rubber seal to
prevent
banging - well engineered door and frame with stainless steel hinges.

any others? Comments?


Those of a sensitive nature please skip to the next thread ...
.
.
.
.
.

We've been to several countries where the sewage system can't cope with
toilet paper, and you are required (!) to put used sheets in a
waste-paper basket next to the bog.

But at least in Turkey there's a little water-pipe by the seat that lets
you wash your arsehole first so the paper is merely used for drying. You
need far less and I expect even first-world sewage systems would work
better with less paper in the sewage.

Proper toilet paper is designed with limits to its strength, especially
when wet and so it easily breaks up and is dealt with - it's all the
things that shouldn't be flushed that cause the problems!

SteveW

On 06/02/2013 20:36, SteveW wrote:

Yes, that's fine for those that have grown up with it, but if we
introduced it here, my suggestion would probably be easier for UK
drivers to get used to.

SteveW


Isn't current thinking that roads are safer with fewer distractions,
fewer signs, fewer flashing lights etc.? It makes driver more cautious
and when they do encounter a sign/warning/light they more notice.



--
mailto:news{at}admac(dot}myzen{dot}co{dot}uk

SteveW wrote:
On 06/02/2013 06:45, John Williamson wrote:
SteveW wrote:
On 05/02/2013 22:00, Bob Minchin wrote:
France: drivers eye level traffic light repeaters

And also flashing amber instead of stopping traffic unecessarily at
night, although I'd prefer the main road to stay green and the side
roads to flash amber meaning stop-check and proceed rather than
flashing amber in all directions as they do there.

Flashing amber in France and other countries where it it used,means
"proceed in accordance with the normal rules of precedence". In general,
this means give way to traffic coming from your right, unless there is a
sign that say otherwise. Effectively, at fixed installations, it means
"This traffic light is not here". European drivers grow up with this,
and it's second nature to them. Some junctions have give way and main
route signs on them, and these are what control the junction when the
amber is flashing.

Yes, that's fine for those that have grown up with it, but if we
introduced it here, my suggestion would probably be easier for UK
drivers to get used to.

It took me a couple of days. I don't know of anyone not being happy
within a week of starting to drive in France. The only real problem here
would be confusion with the flashing amber on zebra crossings.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

On 06/02/2013 20:56, alan wrote:
On 06/02/2013 20:36, SteveW wrote:

Yes, that's fine for those that have grown up with it, but if we
introduced it here, my suggestion would probably be easier for UK
drivers to get used to.

SteveW


Isn't current thinking that roads are safer with fewer distractions,
fewer signs, fewer flashing lights etc.? It makes driver more cautious
and when they do encounter a sign/warning/light they more notice.

I think so, but the idea is not to add more, it is simmply to avoid
having one red light after another when driving along a major road at
night. Leave them on green, flashing amber on the side roads and treat
the flashing ambers as stop signs. You'd only need the lights to be
operating normally where two major roads meet.

SteveW

On 06/02/2013 20:59, John Williamson wrote:
SteveW wrote:
On 06/02/2013 06:45, John Williamson wrote:
SteveW wrote:
On 05/02/2013 22:00, Bob Minchin wrote:
France: drivers eye level traffic light repeaters

And also flashing amber instead of stopping traffic unecessarily at
night, although I'd prefer the main road to stay green and the side
roads to flash amber meaning stop-check and proceed rather than
flashing amber in all directions as they do there.

Flashing amber in France and other countries where it it used,means
"proceed in accordance with the normal rules of precedence". In general,
this means give way to traffic coming from your right, unless there is a
sign that say otherwise. Effectively, at fixed installations, it means
"This traffic light is not here". European drivers grow up with this,
and it's second nature to them. Some junctions have give way and main
route signs on them, and these are what control the junction when the
amber is flashing.

Yes, that's fine for those that have grown up with it, but if we
introduced it here, my suggestion would probably be easier for UK
drivers to get used to.

It took me a couple of days. I don't know of anyone not being happy
within a week of starting to drive in France. The only real problem here
would be confusion with the flashing amber on zebra crossings.

The thing that always gets is the priority rule on roundabouts - though
most of the main ones have priority signs that make then analogous to ours.

--
Rod

On 06/02/2013 16:20, Jethro_uk wrote:

The problem is the UK has an official policy of actively *discouraging*
people from using their cars.

Around my way the local council spent 10s millions improving some road
junctions. One of the improved roundabouts works well with free flowing
traffic. How did they achieve this miracle? The changed the timing of
the traffic lights on the roads leading to this roundabout so now cars
are filtered a dozen at a time. To justify the expense all they really
did was to move the half mile of queues further up the road. Journey
times are now longer.

The other improvement was to replace a busy roundabout with a T junction
with lights. Unfortunately to turn right you have to navigate 5 sets of
unsynchronised lights in a distance of around 300 metres. 2 sets of
lights give priority to buses crossing over the main road and they still
sequence even if there are no buses to cross.

The council now seem surprised that traffic into the town centre to use
the shops has fallen.


--
mailto:news{at}admac(dot}myzen{dot}co{dot}uk

In message om,
"dennis@home" writes
On 06/02/2013 16:20, Jethro_uk wrote:


Does anyone know if the A4 from Hounslow to Chiswick has been messed
with? I used to be able to get on it, keep my speed at 35, and sail
through every set of lights.


Shh.
You will upset geof as you don't speed between the reds.

Nothing of the sort dense - shows how little you understand


--
geoff

In message , Reentrant
writes
On 05/02/2013 15:27, DerbyBorn wrote:
Just back from a holiday and whilst there I refelcted on a few differences
seen there and other places (not really DIY) and wondered if others had
thought of similar things. Examples:

Bulgaria - Traffic Lights with an illuminated count-down in red or green
to the next change.

Dublin - Traffic lights with ped crossing countdowns - that are made of
stainless steel and don't look as though they were made in the 1950's (like
ours)

Lanzarote - In our villa - door frame with integral rubber seal to prevent
banging - well engineered door and frame with stainless steel hinges.

any others? Comments?


Those of a sensitive nature please skip to the next thread ...
.
.
.
.
.

We've been to several countries where the sewage system can't cope with
toilet paper, and you are required (!) to put used sheets in a
waste-paper basket next to the bog.

But at least in Turkey there's a little water-pipe by the seat that
lets you wash your arsehole first so the paper is merely used for
drying. You need far less and I expect even first-world sewage systems
would work better with less paper in the sewage.


I have a WC and a squat toilet in my house in Indonesia - I wouldn't
even think of using paper in either


--
geoff

On 06/02/2013 21:57, geoff wrote:
....
I have a WC and a squat toilet in my house in Indonesia - I wouldn't
even think of using paper in either


You just take a leaf off a nearby bush out there don't you?

Colin Bignell

In article ,
Nightjar writes:
On 06/02/2013 21:57, geoff wrote:
...
I have a WC and a squat toilet in my house in Indonesia - I wouldn't
even think of using paper in either


You just take a leaf off a nearby bush out there don't you?

In days old
when knights were bold
and paper wasn't invented,
you wiped your arse
on a tuft of grass
and walked away contented.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

In message , Nightjar
writes
On 06/02/2013 21:57, geoff wrote:
...
I have a WC and a squat toilet in my house in Indonesia - I wouldn't
even think of using paper in either


You just take a leaf off a nearby bush out there don't you?

What, with all those furry, poisonous caterpillars underneath?

And no, they don't double up as a bog brush
--
geoff

Bulgaria - Traffic Lights with an illuminated count-down in red or
green
to the next change.

I like the traffic light speed indicators in northern germany, someone
mentioned them already i believe... from one to three speed indicators and a
flashing orange, tells you what speed to be doing to make it through the
next set of lights, and amazingly people don't seem to speed up just to make
it to the highest speed shown,
Flashing orange, you're not gonna make it, so start slowing down,

They also have a fair few amber and red traffic lights, i.e. no green, so
you ignore the lights totally unless they are showing red or amber, quite
common behind middle of the road tram stops, but also for roads where the
joining traffic is very infrequent (germany being one of the few euro
countries that do the red, red and amber - green thing rather than red -
green)

Dublin - Traffic lights with ped crossing countdowns

They have the ped countdowns in germany in some towns too, tho we saw one
set (outside a cafe we were in) constiantly change to red, and start a 30
second countdown, then at 1 second to go, instead of green man, it jumps to
60 seconds and counts down... at the end of 60 seconds they do change to
green man, but why not start at 90 seconds, and yes there were peds at the
crossing all the time,


The stuff for blind people is good, ped crossings with clicking sounders,
that change volume according to the ambient sounds, i.e. get louder when a
truck goes past,
the clicking gives the direction the crossing is running, so to a blind
person just has to follow the clicks when they change from the slow clicks
to the rapid clicks to indicate it's ok to cross,
Also vibrating ped light request buttons, with a raised arrow on the top to
show the direction of the crossing,

i also like the raised and relieved town/area plans in brass, located near
the exits of some u bahn stations, so the blind can feel it and get an idea
of the area,

The escalators that run slow until someone steps on the top or bottom plate,
then speed up, must sort out the problem of the surge of start up mentioned
for the escalators that stop totally,

the ones that do stop totally between use, usually are on 2 way use, first
person to step on the plate gets the escalator in their position, ideal for
little used stations where a seperate up and down escalator would be a
waste.

on a bog theme, the toilets in german mc donalds, which wash the after each
use, an arm lifts the seat up, then it is rotated between rollers and a
water spray, due to the oval shape of the seat it looks very strange in
action,

And the old style german bogs, not mentioning the poo inspection shelf, but
the flush lever that is fed off mains pressure, no cistern, so you only
flush the amount of water you need,

charles wrote in
:

In article ,
whisky-dave wrote:
On Tuesday, February 5, 2013 3:27:09 PM UTC, DerbyBorn wrote:
Just back from a holiday and whilst there I refelcted on a few
differences

seen there and other places (not really DIY) and wondered if others
had

thought of similar things. Examples:



Bulgaria - Traffic Lights with an illuminated count-down in red or
green

to the next change.



Dublin - Traffic lights with ped crossing countdowns - that are
made of

stainless steel and don't look as though they were made in the
1950's (like

ours)



Lanzarote - In our villa - door frame with integral rubber seal to
prevent

banging - well engineered door and frame with stainless steel
hinges.



any others? Comments?

Esculators at tube stations only coming on when people were using
them.
Think it was a light sensor triggered as you apporach the stairs.
Stockholm 1985.

seen in Hamburg 1979.


I have wondered if it is possible to link the upward and the downward
escalator to reduce the power by counterbalancing the loads.

On Wed, 6 Feb 2013 22:27:56 +0000 (UTC),
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:


In days old
when knights were bold
and paper wasn't invented,
you wiped your arse
on a tuft of grass
and walked away contented.

Tee-hee. I hadn't heard that for ages. One of my Dad's little
ditties...

--
Frank Erskine

On Wed, 06 Feb 2013 23:23:30 +0000, DerbyBorn wrote:

charles wrote in
:

In article ,
whisky-dave wrote:
On Tuesday, February 5, 2013 3:27:09 PM UTC, DerbyBorn wrote:
Just back from a holiday and whilst there I refelcted on a few
differences

seen there and other places (not really DIY) and wondered if others
had

thought of similar things. Examples:



Bulgaria - Traffic Lights with an illuminated count-down in red or
green

to the next change.



Dublin - Traffic lights with ped crossing countdowns - that are made
of

stainless steel and don't look as though they were made in the
1950's (like

ours)



Lanzarote - In our villa - door frame with integral rubber seal to
prevent

banging - well engineered door and frame with stainless steel
hinges.



any others? Comments?

Esculators at tube stations only coming on when people were using
them.
Think it was a light sensor triggered as you apporach the stairs.
Stockholm 1985.

seen in Hamburg 1979.


I have wondered if it is possible to link the upward and the downward
escalator to reduce the power by counterbalancing the loads.

Old idea!

http://www.leasliftfolkestone.co.uk/...=functionality

(this is not the only one of its kind)




--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
My posts (including this one) are my copyright and if @diy_forums on
Twitter wish to tweet them they can pay me £30 a post
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

"Reentrant" wrote in message
...
On 05/02/2013 15:27, DerbyBorn wrote:
Just back from a holiday and whilst there I refelcted on a few
differences
seen there and other places (not really DIY) and wondered if others had
thought of similar things. Examples:

Bulgaria - Traffic Lights with an illuminated count-down in red or green
to the next change.

Dublin - Traffic lights with ped crossing countdowns - that are made of
stainless steel and don't look as though they were made in the 1950's
(like
ours)

Lanzarote - In our villa - door frame with integral rubber seal to
prevent
banging - well engineered door and frame with stainless steel hinges.

any others? Comments?


Those of a sensitive nature please skip to the next thread ...
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We've been to several countries where the sewage system can't cope with
toilet paper, and you are required (!) to put used sheets in a waste-paper
basket next to the bog.

Yeah, we had one show up from India and the building
manager had to tell him that we don't do it like that here.

But at least in Turkey there's a little water-pipe by the seat that lets
you wash your arsehole first so the paper is merely used for drying. You
need far less and I expect even first-world sewage systems would work
better with less paper in the sewage.

I doubt it makes much difference. A few sheets
arent much compared with the average turd.

In article ,
djc writes:
On 06/02/13 14:00, whisky-dave wrote:
Esculators at tube stations only coming on when people were using them.
Think it was a light sensor triggered as you apporach the stairs.
Stockholm 1985.

Escalators at Genève Airport (and Zürich) that take luggage trolleys,
from baggage hall to railway platform on one trolley.

Been in a Paris multi-storey supermarket with escalators which take
your shopping trolley up and down too. It looked very old though.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
djc writes:
On 06/02/13 14:00, whisky-dave wrote:
Esculators at tube stations only coming on when people were using
them.
Think it was a light sensor triggered as you apporach the stairs.
Stockholm 1985.

Escalators at Genève Airport (and Zürich) that take luggage trolleys,
from baggage hall to railway platform on one trolley.

Been in a Paris multi-storey supermarket with escalators which take
your shopping trolley up and down too. It looked very old though.

One of our shopping malls with a supermarket above the car park does that.

Andrew Gabriel wrote:

Been in a Paris multi-storey supermarket with escalators which take
your shopping trolley up and down too. It looked very old though.

A couple of supermarkets locally (Tesco in Leicester, Asda in
Nottingham) have fitted a mezzanine floor with a shallow sloping
escalator that takes trolleys, some form of magnetic lock in the wheel
stops them rolling backwards.

On Thu, 07 Feb 2013 07:50:23 +0000, Andy Burns
wrote:

Andrew Gabriel wrote:

Been in a Paris multi-storey supermarket with escalators which take
your shopping trolley up and down too. It looked very old though.

A couple of supermarkets locally (Tesco in Leicester, Asda in
Nottingham) have fitted a mezzanine floor with a shallow sloping
escalator that takes trolleys, some form of magnetic lock in the wheel
stops them rolling backwards.

Very common in the UK - a travelator.

Asda, Makro et al have 'em.

--
Frank Erskine

On 07/02/2013 07:50, Andy Burns wrote:
Andrew Gabriel wrote:

Been in a Paris multi-storey supermarket with escalators which take
your shopping trolley up and down too. It looked very old though.

A couple of supermarkets locally (Tesco in Leicester, Asda in
Nottingham) have fitted a mezzanine floor with a shallow sloping
escalator that takes trolleys, some form of magnetic lock in the wheel
stops them rolling backwards.


Two shops in our town centre have them - Sainsbury and Tesco.

In Tesco, it makes a bit of a rumbly noise.

In Sainsbury they are fitted with loudspeakers which bark out "Prepare
to push the trolley off" and similar announcements, at high volume.
Where there are four of these (two up, two down in two flights), in a
very echoic entrance area (all hard plaster/concrete/glass), it is quite
deafening.

They do seem to have reduced the volume a bit - but it would have made
quite a good scene in a film where the protagonist is going through a
paranoid episode in some dystopian future. Oh - it was the present...

--
Rod

Presumably this constitutes a "good idea from overseas" if you're the
sort of person that thinks shooting schoolgirls in the head is a "good
idea":

http://tinyurl.com/azzxmu9

or

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#axzz2K0d9Po2D