Harnesses are great things. When fitted properly to a proper seat they far exceed the safety of standard inertia seatbelts. You can use standard belts on the track, but nothing holds you as well as a harness.
The problem is, to have harnesses in a standard Lotus Elise you need fit a proper harness bar. Now the bar itself has to be of set dimensions and material to adhere to FIA regulations – but at the end of the day it’s a steel pole with some welding and threaded points. That’s why they’re not expensive. What is expensive is the fitting. With time on my hands, the tools and the know-how, I spend the whole of Wednesday fitting a new bar to my car. I photographed each stage and have supplied the lessons learnt to various technical wikis on the internet. I’ve even written the process up this site.
All in all, it took me about 6 hours, a packet of Elastoplasts and an apology to a neighbour for shouting out obscenities at the damn thing every time I cut my hand.
A rare daytime treat – to have a clear run on the Snake Pass.
The A57 from Sheffield to Glossop has recently been resurfaced and is now a strictly 50mph road for its entire length. The surface is now smooth – but exceptionally slippery. Since the resurfacing there’s been 4 major bike crashes all on the same bend.
FAO Law enforcement officers – the video has been clipped to match the length of the music and isn’t a true reflection of the time / speed taken over the Snake Pass. Original video can be supplied if requested.
Martin House (hospice for children and young people with life limiting illnesses)
The twice yearly NYLOC run to Martin House to give some very worthy kids a ride out in our various machinery.
The crux of it all is we are making dreams come true and giving a once in a lifetime treat to the kids and their families come to that, and the pleasure we give just makes us feel very privileged to have our health and by doing something so simple giving these kids a day to remember.
My doctors note ran out over the bank holiday weekend – soI’m cleared to go back to work. Something I haven’t tried as yet was driving any distance ( for example, the commute to work or collecting Alex from Northampton ) - so I jumped in the car today to see how long I could last.
The short answer - it wasn’t very far at all. I made it someway to Cadwell Park, which is about the same distance as my commute – but I do admit to having to stop for a rest on the way. The journey back was worse - as soon as I hit traffic the constant changing gear soon got to me. Either way, I’ll dose myself up with pills tomorrow and hopefully once I’m at my desk, I won’t have to go anywhere else until hometime.
Well for one, I can’t believe it’s taken a fortnight to get where I am today. This was supposed to be like day 3.
I’m up and about at last – but still suffering and lacking in stamina, but at least I’m not stuck lying down. It was the mother-in-laws 60th birthday bash over the weekend and I felt a right party pooper having to be sat down carefully. You would have thought it was my 60th the way I’m moving right now.
There is no doubt I’m going stir crazy from not being out and about. I’m dying to get back into the swing of things and this is infuriating the hell out of me. There’s some things I’ve got to remember though - right now I can’t even touch anywhere below my knees, let alone put a pair of socks on. I can’t sit upright in a normal chair without severe pain – and thats sitting still – I can’t imagine what it would be like to try and drive. I grimace getting in and out of the car when I’m given a lift to the doctors – and don’t even ask about what it’s like going to the toilet.
And then there’s perspective.
My fellow NYLOCer Paul Hogan has announced this week that his recent bouts of illness is the return of lymphoma. Paul is going to have to go through hell for the next year during treatment ( and Fiona too for that matter ). A close family friend in the village has just discovered she’s got cancer and has some heavy chemo work ahead.
So it should have been back to work today, but still being able to move enough to drive and having enough painkillers inside me to make a race horse sleepy – means I’m still stuck on this damn sofa. Without a doubt I’m going somewhat stir-crazy already. I’m fed up with the Discovery Channel – I know now everything about sharks, nazi’s and volcanoes. What’s worse is that I’ve heard that Andy Walsh (who had his shoulder op on the same day as me) is already back in Wales and drinking Guiness.
Why no blog entry yesterday ? Surely a day lying on the sofa would give you time to write something ?
Well guess again. After watching “Clerks“, “Clerks 2“ and “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” I managed to shuffle around a bit yesterday afternoon ( anything to avoid watching “Loose Women” ). Unfortunately this had serious repercussions last night when I discovered pain. This pain wasn’t the nice sort that Mr T has as a friend and introduces people to unless they buy a Snickers bar. This was the sort where you can’t move a muscle and just want to shout as loud as you can for hours on end.
Anyway, I have a new friend call Co-Dydramol that makes the pain go away - but has the side effect of making want to chunder and fall fast asleep.
I guess I wont be making the NYLOC drive to the sea side tomorrow - nor the Newby Hall Cars in the Park event on Sunday either. About the only thing I will get to do is watch seven series of “24″ and maybe make a new groove into the sofa.
So it’s been a long day - I had my op this morning ( home for 10.30) and Theo’s had all his jabs this afternoon. Needless to say it’s crabiness city in the Pollard home this evening. Life on the sofa for the next few days has started badly – my plans to become godlike on “Call of Duty“ had to be shelved when it suffered a Red Ring of Death. So thats no Xbox for the next 3 weeks…
With daytime TV offering nothing and without any books to read, it was up to the Popcorn Hour Media Player to keep my mind away from the aches and strains. So it’s only been 11 hours and I’ve already watched the entire first series of Terminator:The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Only 4 more days to go…
It’s been another month since the last update – quite an unlucky month in many aspects, but at least Theo’s still smiling as we approach May.
35 new photos added to the family album detailing the last few months and at some point in the next few days I’ll start to post the chronicles of UnluckyMcUnlucky, of the clan McUnluck. They say that bad things come in threes - but why does it have to be three 3’s for me ?
Harnesses are great things. When fitted properly to a proper seat they far exceed the safety of standard inertia seatbelts. You can use standard belts on the track, but nothing holds you as well as a harness.
So it’s been a long day - I had my op this morning ( home for 10.30) and Theo’s had all his jabs this afternoon. Needless to say it’s crabiness city in the Pollard home this evening. Life on the sofa for the next few days has started badly – my plans to become godlike on “Call of Duty“ had to be shelved when it suffered a Red Ring of Death. So thats no Xbox for the next 3 weeks…