Well I made it down to the finish line of the
London to Brighton Veteran Car Run yesterday afternoon and mingled with the participants for half an hour, whereupon I made a startling discovery: I found, to my great surprise, that it's actually a stultifyingly dull event. An endless procession of old bangers (which all looked the same to me) rolling slowly along the seafront, loaded up with posh (and usually fat) people in furs, headscarves and shooting jackets, waving regally at the commoners lining the streets, most of whom were actually clapping, tugging their forelocks, and saying "We're not worthy". Well, they were clapping anyway. I might have imagined the rest.
As each car crossed the finish line, the occupants were interviewed by a bloke with a microphone who would ask them where they'd come from (I thought the answer was obvious - London) and tell them how lovely their car was, before giving
them the chance to tell
him how lovely the weather was. This went on for about six hours. And just when I was thinking how stupid I was to have travelled almost half a mile just to witness this event, we heard from a banger-full of Yanks, who'd flown their car over from Seattle just to take part. Which I thought was unbelievable. Until the Australians crossed the line. I've also discovered this morning from the LBVCR website that the 'race' was 'won' by a bloke from Mexico City. So it's obviously just me who thinks it's a waste of time. Mind you, I've
been to Mexico, and a 1903 Berliet is like a modern sports car to them.
But anyhoo, the trip wasn't a complete waste of an afternoon, because making my way across the road near the seafront I discovered this home-made (yet highly artistic) warning sign, which someone has stuck on a traffic light. It's a bit of a coincidence, because it's erected at a pedestrian crossing, and Lisa's main claim to fame is that she once saw Lionel dance across a zebra crossing in Brighton town centre. I had no idea he was earning good money from it though. £60 a time. He must be raking it in.
As each car crossed the finish line, the occupants were interviewed by a bloke with a microphone who would ask them where they'd come from (I thought the answer was obvious - London) and tell them how lovely their car was, before giving them the chance to tell him how lovely the weather was. This went on for about six hours. And just when I was thinking how stupid I was to have travelled almost half a mile just to witness this event, we heard from a banger-full of Yanks, who'd flown their car over from Seattle just to take part. Which I thought was unbelievable. Until the Australians crossed the line. I've also discovered this morning from the LBVCR website that the 'race' was 'won' by a bloke from Mexico City. So it's obviously just me who thinks it's a waste of time. Mind you, I've been to Mexico, and a 1903 Berliet is like a modern sports car to them.
But anyhoo, the trip wasn't a complete waste of an afternoon, because making my way across the road near the seafront I discovered this home-made (yet highly artistic) warning sign, which someone has stuck on a traffic light. It's a bit of a coincidence, because it's erected at a pedestrian crossing, and Lisa's main claim to fame is that she once saw Lionel dance across a zebra crossing in Brighton town centre. I had no idea he was earning good money from it though. £60 a time. He must be raking it in.
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