A word of warning

[ozzy72]

Plumber Frank Benson, 71, who flashed a double V-sign at a speed camera in Kendal after earlier being fined

[Hagar]

I saw this in the morning paper. He was apparently travelling very slowly at the time & did it for a joke. Fining him seems a tad over the top to me. How I hate those Gatso things & the people responsible for them. What a humourless lot they must be. Beware everyone - Big Brother is alive & well & living in England.

[Fozzer]

...it's a buggar when a country looses it's sense of humour... ...!
Fortunately, me and all my kids, still have ours... ..!
I wonder how much it's going to cost us in the future... ...!

Cheers all...!

Paul.   always good for a larf... ...!

[Iroquois]

We had the speed traps here but they were outlawed in 1995 when the new government decided that they were being used as a cash cow. (say limit 50kph, some were set to nab people going at 52kph) A lot of red light cameras have been installed here though. There was (and still is) a serious problem with people running red lights. People speed like no tomorrow here too. Must be some wonderful place they're going to. Risking there (and other peoples) lives to get there.

[Fozzer]

Hi Iroq...!
I have no time for people who run through red lights, they are the ones who are likely to kill me on my motor-bike, so I take GREAT care at traffic lights, T-junctions  and cross roads... ...!
Jumping red lights seems to be a common occurrence in the USA, (as seen on our TV's), resulting in serious crashes and injuries.... ...!
I stick rigidly to speed restrictions in built-up areas, (it makes sense), but on the open road, when all is safe, I make progress, (as the Police say)... ...!
LOL...!

Cheers all...!

Paul.

Fozzers Tip:
Beware of Police/emergency vehicles jumping red lights... ...!

[Woodlouse2002]

Fortunatly for us in England the only vehicles that seem to jump red lights regularly are trains...

[Iroquois]

[quote]Hi Iroq...!
I have no time for people who run through red lights, they are the ones who are likely to kill me on my motor-bike, so I take GREAT care at traffic lights, T-junctions

[Jaffa]

You Canadians sure drive wildly! (not all)

On the Queensway near Toronto, those people go 90-100 mph bumper-to-bumper!  Nutters I say!

And what exactly is a double v-sign and what does it mean?

[ozzy72]

The V-Sign is a British version of "the bird".
It looks like Winston Churchills famous salute but reversed so the palm of the hand is facing you. It comes from the days before guns, English longbowmen were renowned as the best, and when French soldiers used to catch them they would cut off the index and middle fingers as these are needed to draw a longbow, so to annoy the French the English used to wave the two offending fingers to say "Ha ha you haven't got us yet!", nowadays it has a rather more err rude meaning

[Hagar]

And what exactly is a double v-sign and what does it mean?

I remember we had this discussion before. The good old British V sign can mean 2 things. V for Victory as used by Winston Churchill during WWII or more likely F... Off like giving the finger in the US & (unfortunately) becoming more common here these days. From some accounts it originated during the Battle of Agincourt (1415) & was used by the English archers to mock the French troops.* It's been a traditional insult ever since. A double V sign is simply twice as effective. I suspect that if this chap had been content with one he would have got away with it.

*If an English archer was captured his 2 bow fingers would be cut off before he was released. He would then be no further use in the battle. The V sign showed quite clearly that the archers still had their fingers.

PS. These shots prove that, contrary to popular belief, good old Winnie used the V sign with the palm of the hand facing either way.

[Jaffa]

Ah, thanks.  

Here it means "peace"

[ChuckMajik]

I was always told that if the palm faced outwards, it meant victory;
and if the palm faced inwards, it meant peace.

I always thought the palm inwards for peace was a load of ****,
and now I know what it originally meant.

[jrpilot]

That is funny...he shouldn't have been fined

[Hagar]

[quote]Ah, thanks.