My friend Adrian Cooper is doing a huge 500 mile cycle across Scotland.  He calls it ‘SOSNOS’ – South Of Scotland to North Of Scotland.

He’s on his 2nd last day I think, and has done really well, despite some awful weather.

To find out what he’s going through I just cycled 21 miles in the pouring rain and am pleased as punch with myself, soaked to the skin, and exhausted.  Today Adrian cycled 60 miles, with 400 behind him!

Please consider donating something – its in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care

http://www.justgiving.com/adecooper/ 

Well done Adrian !!

I've been thinking some more about the scrappage (UK) and clunkers (US) schemes.

Maybe its my upbringing, where I was taught never to waste anything.  But no, I think its more than that.

I absolutely hate these schemes.  I understand the concept, but its horribly, horribly flawed. 

Firstly, couldn't they have done something useful with the cars, all of which have further life in them?  Couldn't they have sent them to a poor country or given them to people who can't afford cars at all? 

Secondly – “the green thing” – it would be greener to make less new cars, and keep the old ones going (except maybe the REALLY thirsty ones).

Also, in both the UK and US, many domestic cars, which are maintained by local mechanics using domestic parts, are being scrapped and replaced by foreign cars (needing no local mechanics and no domestic parts).

If you look on youtube for clunkers, you will see how they ‘kill’ these cars in the US, so that they cannot be used again.  They put ground glass in the engine, then run it full speed until the engine grinds and melts itself solid.  Horrible to watch.  Some of the cars put up a VERY good fight, signifying that they had LOTS of life left in them.  Here for example -

Wouldn’t it be better for them to dismantle it, and use the parts to help keep another car on the road so that we don’t waste yet MORE precious resources building more cars, just because a PART on an old car fails?

It would be OK if they’d REALLY gone for the green thing – you’re ONLY allowed to trade in a car that doss less than 25mpg (or 200mg CO2) and you’re ONLY allowed to replace it with one that does more than 40mpg and less than 100mg CO2.  I just cannot comprehend why they didn’t do this.

The scheme does make more sense in France and Germany, where people will buy a new domestic car to support their country.  But makes little sense elsewhere

And finally – I bought a £2k car 3 years ago because I couldn’t afford anything else.  It was the first “banger” I’d ever bought.  its been GREAT!  Great fun.  Low hassle (who cares if it gets scraped!?).  And I know that lots of cars like this, or better, have been scrapped, when they’d be GREAT for poor people and young people starting out.

ARGH!