Bell's Banter 2022

[grantp]

Originally Posted by GCCheddaris

This year there was a five week gap between the British GP and the British Moto GP, one more than there is next year. It was decided that Silverstone couldn't organise their three biggest meetings of the year in a period of five weeks so there was no chance they could do it over a period of four weeks next year.

It may not apply so much to Silverstone these days but there was a time when the Grandstands used for the major events were relatively temporary. Planning permission and stuff may have been involved.

So the venues rather liked being able to erect stuff, use it for multiple events at peak periods, taking likely weather into account, and then get them removed.

That meant the hire costs were viable compared to installation and removal costs for each event plus the disruption that sort of work could cause.

The scale of things these days compared to times past probably means at least a week of set up prior to a major event and a couple of days afterwards to get stuff in and out.

In between events the circuit and surrounding area have to be re-prepared for the next event. Tricky if it has been wet and, for example, the camping area is a mudbath.

3 big events in 4 weeks would be a challenge for the circuit operations staff I would imagine.

[midgetman]

Originally Posted by Paul D

It was a 'festival' long before it became 'the Classic' anyway - back when it first started, and it was sponsored by Coys, it was the 'Coys Historic Festival' I seem to remember. What, would have been early/mid-nineties I guess?

I'd forgotten that.

I have wondered if the Classic name was going so they could welcome more contemporary races into the fold. MiniMM certainly appreciated the later cars.

Sent from my AC2003 using Tapatalk

[S griffin]

Maybe there was a shift as more and more series and events became known as 'classic'. Classic FFord and Classic Touring Cars for example

[VIVA GT]

About 6:30 yesterday evening my mobile rang with the display showing 'Private Number'. "Hello" said a posh sounding voice, "am I speaking to (he knew my name?" I'm always cagey when answering these kind of calls so replied "you might be". He continued "I'm calling from the Fraud Prevention Department it looks like there's been some unusual activity on your credit card ending ****" (he knew the number). Obviously this attracted my attention. He then went on to explain that there had been a couple of recent transactions (totalling around £3,000) in Aberdeen (I'm in Leicestershire) and asked if I could confirm that I had made them, and I quickly confirmed that I hadn't. He then went on to ask if I'd received any strange text messages asking for payment (which funnily enough, I'd had an obviously scam one earlier that day which I instantly blocked the sender), and then went on to chattily explain some of the methods that 'these fraudsters' can use to extort money, but I just told him that I ignored & blocked anything asking me for money.
He then moved on to say that he could cancel these transactions for me, but to do so, I had to tell him the four digit passcode that the bank had sent to me (I hadn't received anything). I started to feel vey nervous about this and suggested that I should call him back to check that he was calling from where he claimed to be calling from. When I called back (using the number printed on the back of my card as he suggested) all I got was an automated message explaining that I should use my app, or their on-line banking system (phone lines were not open at that time of night I discovered).
It has taken me most of the day, with 4 or 5 phone calls before I was finally able to talk to someone in the Fraud Department specialist team, who confirmed that as unusual activity had been spotted on my account, my card had been blocked rendering it unusable. To cut a long story short, if the bank had not spotted this unusual activity their system would have automatically sent me a four figure passcode to authenticate the payment. Had I fallen for it (and if I had the code) and given him this code, he would have been able to authenticate the payment and this would have been charged to my card!
So, I'm really relieved that I was vigilant and suspicious, smelling a rat and calling his bluff. I am also pleased that my bank (or at least, it's automated systems) spotted the suspicious activity, blocked my card (and didn't send me the passcode).
What I was not so impressed about was the length of time it has taken me today to get to speak to someone at the bank and find out what had actually happened. It has also got me thinking, as as I always pay off my balance in full every month, I will be looking at what credit limits I have on my cards, and will reduce them to a level that (only just) covers my maximum expenditure, so that if this happens again, and they get away with it next time, at least I won't be as far out of pocket as I potentially could have been.
I just thought I should share this as a timely reminder to everyone to always be aware of what might be going on, and to be careful what you tell people. (Unfortunately I still have the mystery of knowing how they found out my name, mobile number and the last 4 digits of my card, but at least the replacement one will have a totally different number!)

[Mike Harte]

A very wise warning there, Viv. However, it reminds me of something that happened to me about 10 years ago when I received a somewhat similar call purporting to be from my bank about a transaction. I became suspicious when the person on the phone asked me for 10 figure account login number, so as I was just about to drive past my own bank branch, I told the person that I would deal with the matter in the branch.

It later transpired that it was indeed a member of the bank's head office that had called me, but that took the branch a few days to ascertain by which time they had issued a new card and number. And the caller was then given further training about not asking for numbers, etc.

[Gerard C]

Interesting story Viva, thanks for the report. The second conclusion could be that your bank should rent the hacker, he's far more effective than the average employee and an early bird too!

[Peter Mallett]

I usually get a text message with the.last three transactions. If I don't recognise one of them I send back No. Then my card is blocked and I have to wait for a new one.

[Gerard C]

More or less same thing here, but they charge you 15 € for a new card. Then you're given the choice to change the secret code or not. The new cards look different, instead of a full # you have four numbers or if you accept to pay more you can have a revolving digital #. Not simple I must admit but far safer than used to be and I dont complain about the hassle.

[John Elwin]

That sounds very complicated, Gerard! Fortunately my French card doesn't expire until 2025 & my UK one until 2026 So hopefully I will have some time before I have to worry about such things.

I've been getting daily spam emails for a couple of weeks, often saying 'Facture' in the title, but the sender emails they are using are so rdiculous you would have to be very stupid to be taken in by them.

We went to a Pathe cinema on Saturday evening; just getting in has becomr so high-tech it was unreal. Michele had been given a couple of tickets for her birthday so we had to select what film we wanted to see on an enormous touchscreen, & then what seats etc... Very complicated & they had to have staff there to explain it all which rather defeated the object. Even buying a drink was a complicated press-button cashless affair.

After all that, the film was rather good, the life story of a French politician who survived Auschwitz & went on to do great things. At one point three Lancasters flew over, so I knew that wasn't true!

[GORDON STREETER]

He was one of my oldest best mates for over 70 years, RIP mate:

LARKINS BREWERY
It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of our founder and dear friend Bob Dockerty. Much loved, not only in the local community but far and wide for his kindness, warmth, hospitality and great humour. Our thoughts are with his family, close friends and all who knew him,and we will be announcing more details soon for those who would like to pay their respects. Larkins, as Bob would have wanted, is brewing away so we look forward to raising a glass in his honour with you very soon.

[Lancsbreaker]

I see that Goodwood Members meeting is to feature a Jim Clark Trophy for 30 Lotus Cortinas (or Cortina Lotus, I guess!).


Do you think we should run a sweepstake on how many of the cars are actually genuine original ?

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

Do you think we should run a sweepstake on how many of the cars are actually genuine original ?

Serious?

[Peter Mallett]

I suspect all 120 of them are genuine ex Jim Clarke cars.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

I suspect all 120 of them are genuine ex Jim Clarke cars.

And he drove them all!

[andy97]

Must be very nearly Christmas, the first Demon Tweeks catalogue arrived today. Wonder how many I will get this year? It’s usually 3, even though I rang them up a couple of years ago and asked them to take me off most of the mailing lists.