Chris A

Richard - That list of towns is a list of those "maybe, thinking, possibly, perhaps we might do something" so don't worry too much -yet. Each town that introduces a system like this is free to determine how they use it so Paris might restrict traffic to classes 1 & 2 and on the same day Lille not apply it at all. They are also able to set their own fines. As I said above take the yellow roads which are great fun for our classics.

There are already over 200 towns/cities in Europe that this type of restriction. Germany started introducing them in 2008 for a total of 53 towns, so it isn't anything new. Paris wants to reduce pollution and the number of vehicles, in particular diesels. They started with a system where on a day with high pollution levels only cars with a registration ending in an even number were allowed legally into the city, the next time it would be odd numbers only. This new system allows them to be more flexible, earlier this month they banned just the lowest class i.e. the older vehicles. By the way old diesel coaches and lorries have been totally banned from Paris for almost 2 years now. At the start extra police were put on duty to look out for those not complying with the odd/even rule, of course given a little time this has/will diminish although there is still a risk of being caught in a routine check or by a officer looking at parked cars, for example. Vehicles that were registered before the oldest category date are banned, full stop. On a day where the restrictions are applied the hard up student with his old Clio will have to stay at home, or even worse having gone into Paris on Monday when there was no restriction to see friends and stay over night how does he get home the next day if the restrictions are applied? I don't know and haven't read anything about this type of case. On the other hand, although I said "Vehicles that were registered before the oldest category date are banned, full stop." Cars that are registered as "collection" are exempt and don't have to worry about the restrictions, this is buried way down in the text. Associations here fought hard to have this exemption. My 13/60 is registered as "collection" so ,heaven forbid, should I wanted to wizz round the Arc d'Triumphe with the coaches, busses and taxis I can. Old cars (over 30 years old) don't have to be registered as "collection" it is an option open to owners, provided the vehicle is pretty much standard. My advice is don't go to Paris use the "Route Departmentale" instead and enjoy open road cruising where aver you want to go. Boy is this long or what, glad I don't pay by the word!

Since I bought my car it has only been driven on French roads, and it has been great fun Dispite being right hand drive

when I bought my 13/60 it came fitted with a shut off on the petrol line just after the tank, I've used this once maybe twice as it means going into the boot to operate it. It also came with a cut out switch on ignition system hidden . . . I do use this from time to time and 3 out of 4 times forget to reset it after. I guess if I used it more oftern I would automatically reset it when I returned to the car but then I wouldn't feel so stupid when I realise why the car hasn't started would I.

I thought Doplins was a holiday camp. No,they were those baloon things.

Food, especialy cheese and squid, is far too important to joke about, although tête de veau can cause some reaction.

Sheep cheese, goat cheese, cow cheese love them all. I finished off some goat's cheese a couple of days ago and today Mrs Me tells me it was for a salad tomorrow,oops. We had feta cheese salad yesterday. All that is left in the fridge now is a started plus a whole Camembert, living in the Orne it is a local product, an unopened Roquefort, sheep milk, and English cheddar - how did that get in there- to prove I've nothing against foreign cheeses. As we are having pork with apple sauce (apples from the garden) this evening I guess I'll have a cheese sandwich for lunch. As I said I'm a cheese head. Oh, Calamari isn't onion rings but squid. Love it, can't wait until the end of the month when we drive down to Spain for 4 weeks and will find it on menus all round the coast. Am I drifting from the original thread here, Ok the bolt shown is a cheese head a pan head is different, now pan fried squid...

Cheese head. I'm also a cheese head, if I take less than 5 cheeses from the plateau de fromage in either of our regular restaurants they think I must be ill. Actually I only eat the cheeses as an excuse to have another glass of red.

All that comes to mind is "Bernie, the bolt!" You need to be of a certain age to remember that.

Oh no! They were hanging from just about every car radio ariel or interior rear view mirror. Not everything in the past was better, mind you beer at 1s10p a pint or 2s for the 'good' stuff takes a lot of beating.

3 gallons for £1 at my local supermarket, well it was back in 1969 or 1970, can't remember for sure. Petrol stations were very common back then so running out wasn't an issue other than the price as now did vary between stations. I learnt to drive and passed my test in 1970 in a 13/60, shame I can't get petrol at 'vintage' prices for my Herald

I found the book pressures gave my convertible a ride that was a bit 'floaty' and soft. I am now running with front at 1.7 bar and rear at 2.0 bar, roughly 25 & 29. The ride is much firmer and feels better. I might drop them 0.1 bar alround and try that before making a final decision. The tyres are 155/80. As Peter said trial & error, hopefully no error as that could prove expensive

Where in Normandy are you visiting? Along the coast I imagine

Could have been a 'roast beef' as there are lots around at the moment???? I hope it doesn't spoil your trip

Just take your meds and/or your favourite strong drink and all will fine in an hour or two

I have door mounted mirrors on my 13/60 they work very well, true the 1/4 lights won't open to the full position but that's not a problem with my convertible

I have no problems switching between my modern and Herald. Herald : Right hand drive, 4 speed manual, no power steering, no servo brakes, no ABS, no anything. Modern : Left hand drive, 6 speed automatic, power steering, servo brakes, ABS and the rest. Only confusion is they are both red, must do something about that to make telling them apart easier.

I also recently replaced the 'Minilite' type wheels fitted when I bought my Herald convertible with steel ones and hub caps.

the radio cassette player in my 13/60 is screwed directly Under the dash, the radio mounting has brackets included in the frame for this, hence npthing extra is needed, when the radio was fitted I have no idea, it was there when I bought the car. Hope this helps a little.

My wife had a Citroën C3 that did little mileage and failed its French MOT because the tyre walls were cracking up, there was plenty of tread and with a casual glance they looked fine, so I agree take care as it is the trye that keeps you on the road. I am about to fit a set of steels wheels to my 13/60 that have a mixutre of different makes, 4 different makes on the 5 rims, some of them looking virually unused. Their age is a bit questionable and even though I could get away with just buying 2 new I am going to replace 4 and keep the best/youngest for the spare. New tyres are quite cheap and safety IS important, as well as piece of mind.

No problem at all just that I find they look too modern (and too sporty?) on the 13/60. Purlely personal taste. They do suit some cars very well. My wife likes them except that they ought to have been in the colour of the body paintwork. The car came fitted with them plus a set of steel wheels as spares. The fact that I find them too modern looking, I know they go way back, is a tribute to their excellent design. I am going to live with the steel wheels for the coming season just to make sure I don't change my mind then try and sell which ever I don't want. They are easy to clean, by the way, a soapy sponge is all that it takes.

I am about to take a set of these off my 13/60 and they are 5.0J x 13 ET 20 66 bore which fitted without any problems and replace them with old fashioned steels.

Aidan: How right you are! It is one of the things I most enjoy about living in France. I have the good fortune to live in quite a rural area and it is great for my Herald.

Hi John D Like the tip about the tube might give it a try. As for "asking" the cat to take their find outside - with one of our cats it works ok but the other, being younger, is still more of a rebel. I do complement the cat on the quality of their work, would hate them to feel unappreciated. Then there are the other 2 cats - 1 comes in from time to time just to catch up with the news and make sure we are ok, the other visits for winter, the rest of the year lives & works at a stable just beyond the field outside the garden. Dogs have masters, cats have domestics. Right I better go and see if the little darlings are comfy and warm enough

Be careful using cats to catch mice. We live in a semi rural area and have cats who love catching mice outside, then bring them in (alive) put them down while they go and eat and then look surprised that the mouse has slipped away while they weren't looking. We keep a jar handy so I can also play 'hunt the mouse'