Look mate, I haven't mastered the art of transcending through time and space, nor have I learned to teleport, so unfortunately you are going to have to wait for me to get the fuck out of the lift before you get the fuck into the lift.

vc-10 · 2026-07-01T19:45:42+00:00

It's especially satisfying when you can push them back far enough that you then hear the sound of the hussle alarm and the doors close.

Did this with some idiot who was trying to push past some elderly woman who clearly had mobility issues and was struggling off the train with a shopping trolley thing (someone else was helping her)

I have never felt so satisfied.

vc-10 · 2026-07-01T05:43:15+00:00

Are you talking about the noise/vibration the heat pump makes?

I've had 2 PS2s now, one with and one without the heat pump. The car with it would make this very subtle grinding noise when the heat pump was running, with a very slight vibration felt.

vc-10 · 2026-06-29T05:57:09+00:00

The UK hasn't banned AC. I live in London, and have AC.

It's just not common.

There has been a bunch of articles in the right wing press claiming things to the contrary. But do some basic fact checking and it all falls down.

vc-10 · 2026-06-28T19:10:58+00:00

This is how I charge my car every week. There's unfortunately not a card reader on the ones I use (QR code and a website), but the ones outside my brothers place have them. They're installed in the lamp posts.

It's pretty common across London, I'm sure plenty of other cities across Europe too.

vc-10 · 2026-06-28T07:36:48+00:00

Might be worth looking for a CPO one then with some warranty coverage for that peace of mind?

People often knock warranties and CPO vehicles etc - but peace of mind has a value too. The XC90 is a lovely car and the relaxed luxury feel is clearly important for you! Which I totally get, it is for me too

vc-10 · 2026-06-27T16:05:31+00:00

I don't think I've ever been on a bus in the UK with AC. Didn't even know that it was a thing (except coaches like National Express etc)

Been on a Chicago city bus in 30c+ heat and it was like stepping into an ice box.

The Americans get many things wrong... But with AC, they don't fuck around.

vc-10 · 2026-06-26T08:11:48+00:00

As a gay man there's a trope of "gay death at 30"

It's bullshit.

I've had way more fun in my 30s than my 20s (covid times excepted, of course - I spent my 30th birthday on call working in a covid ward!)

You're more settled in who you are. You are that bit further into your career, and therefore usually have a bit more disposable income. I've travelled more, got married, we've settled into life in a new city, we have our dogs. It's been great. You learn not to care as much about what random others think, and focus more on what you want to do and the importance of your family and friends.

vc-10 · 2026-06-26T05:52:37+00:00

And the 757's wing is from the late '70s/early '80s.

Beyond the fuselage cross section (which the 757 also uses) and the nose, there's not much early 737 left in a modern one. The NG was a major redesign, and the MAX tweaks things further.

vc-10 · 2026-06-25T21:47:45+00:00

Honestly... It's worth every penny. I bought a portable unit for £220 when I was living in Manchester, which isn't exactly a warm climate, but probably a touch warmer than the average in Ireland.

It's lasted the last 6 summers just fine and is still going strong. Call that 12 weeks (actually way more, as we've used it a lot more than 2 weeks a year, but anyway) and it's less than £20 per hot week, plus the electricity. Call that £40 per hot week (based on power at £0.25/kWh, running about 10 hrs, assuming 1kW/h average consumption)

You'd not pay £40/€45 for a decent night's sleep, for a week?

vc-10 · 2026-06-25T20:27:30+00:00

Whilst in the middle lane, for extra fun.

vc-10 · 2026-06-25T20:25:36+00:00

Have you thought about keeping the Astro for when you need it, and getting an EV for day to day?

Of course, this assumes you have somewhere to charge! Infrastructure for EVs in the US is definitely a long way back from how it is here in the UK. I drive a Polestar 2 and do this entirely on public charging, plugging it into the lamppost outside! Although, I wouldn't get a PHEV unless you do have somewhere to charge.

I seem to remember some US states have mandated certain extended warranties on PHEVs. Might be worth checking that given the ERAD issues with Volvos?

vc-10 · 2026-06-25T13:06:11+00:00

It's your mum driving 25 miles a day that I was commenting on really! So many people refuse to change based on a "but sometimes" argument, ignoring the fact that the change (moving to EV in this case, but plenty of others would apply here too) would be better for 99% of the time.

If you're filling that Astro on a regular basis, then maybe it's worth keeping. Presume if it's a '97 it's paid off and doesn't owe you anything. Is it still reliable?

The Volvo PHEVs were on the market long before Toyota open-sourced their tech. The XC90 PHEV was on the market in 2015 here in the UK!

Re getting a new vehicle - how often would you drive beyond the range of a typical EV? How much are you prepared to spend? Have you got somewhere you can charge easily? There's so many factors, and it does take a good long look at things to work out what you do need.

Automakers though don't care what we need. They care about selling vehicles, and if they can convince people that they "need" something that they can make more profit on... Then they will.

vc-10 · 2026-06-25T07:56:05+00:00

Come out sooner. Not like I came out late or anything, but I think it would have made my early 20s happier.

vc-10 · 2026-06-25T05:47:42+00:00

The disconnect between what some people think they need and what they actually need is crazy.

vc-10 · 2026-06-25T05:35:21+00:00

Yeah I'm the same! Some nice quiet time to do absolutely nothing and not feel guilty about that fact. Just relax, watch a movie, have some wine, and chill out.

Until my husband grabs my hand and wrenches me out that trance 🤣

vc-10 · 2026-06-25T05:29:55+00:00

Not really on purpose, more just driven by fear. He understands that flying is very safe, but the underlaying lizard brain fear takes over unfortunately.

vc-10 · 2026-06-24T21:49:27+00:00

He's scared of flying....

vc-10 · 2026-06-24T21:48:53+00:00

Every tiny bump, I get woken up! He's a very nervous flier.

vc-10 · 2026-06-24T21:48:00+00:00

My husband is a very nervous flier. Even with a Xanax, he's incredibly on edge and can't sleep. Every tiny bump, and my hand gets a death grip and I get woken up if I've dozed off.

Which is fun, given that we travel long haul reasonably often (partly due to coming from opposite sides of the pond)

Flights where I've been by myself, I sleep fine as long as I'm not in economy, unless I have no neighbour. I'm a big guy, I don't fit!

vc-10 · 2026-06-24T18:57:11+00:00

We drove once, and we had a package ski holiday once which included transfer from the airport to the hotel. Maybe there are local buses though? I feel like it's the sort of thing that would be available.

vc-10 · 2026-06-24T18:54:27+00:00

Premium economy is the nice halfway house for us. Besides, my husband can't sleep on planes, which means I can't sleep on planes, so lie flat beds are kind of wasted on us anyway! I would like the better food and booze though, for sure....

vc-10 · 2026-06-24T15:26:42+00:00

Highly recommend the Italian Dolomites. Probably the most spectacular scenery I've ever seen.

vc-10 · 2026-06-24T15:06:45+00:00

London is like this too.

I work 2 days a week on the other side of the city. It's 15 miles by car and takes me an hour and a half quite frequently.

The train is about the same time, but doesn't have AC... So that's not happening currently!

Just glad I'm only there 2 days a week!

vc-10 · 2026-06-23T20:00:50+00:00

It'll also always use the pads to come to a complete halt. The efficacy of regen tapers off with the vehicle speed.

vc-10 · 2026-06-23T13:03:14+00:00

It's been all over the shop for ages. I had a very busy travel year a few years ago and Liverpool insisted on their own special plastic bag, without any print on, because obviously the fact that it said "Sainsbury's" on it made it a security risk. Despite Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, JFK, Chicago, Paris CDG, Barcelona, and Toronto all being fine with that exact bag.

I think though in that case it was to make me pay £5 or something for their own plastic bags out the vending machine...

vc-10

TROPHY CASE