Broke Down on the way there.

[Jack the Hat]

2009 on the tuesday of the Le Mans week, leading a Le Mans convoy. Coming down into Dover 5.30am Crisp morning air alternator light flicking on and off in TVR 500 Griffith. Pull up just before the ferry port knowing that once i get into France parts are going to be impossible. Google car part factors Halfords in dover let the rest of the convoy bat on. Bump start the car drive to the very local halfords not open yet notice that opposite halfords is a Partco. Staff start arriving at around 7.30 manage to talk the lovely people into letting us in and checking who has got an alternator.
 One in Maidenhead Talk them into phoning store and then got it couriered to me in Dover halfords car park. Also brought a new battery; bump started the car caught a five hour later ferry fitted the new alternator and battery in france and then caught the rest of the convoy up just as they arrived in Le Mans. Best and worst drive down ever. My co pilot and I loved the drive.

[pedersenkorsager]

1th. LeMans trip. As a present from the wife I got a trip form one of the big Danish agencies who arrange the tour with both transport in busses and tickets and camp.
As we were ready to leave Denmark at 6pm on the Wednesday we waited at Mcdonalds for the bus to arrive.
At app. 645pm a small 15 seat van arrived and we had to sit with all our luggage in the middle on the floor as there was no luggage compartments. Because of that we missed the shopping stop at the border of Denmark and Germany. Well so be it, we were on the way to meet up with a bus leaving from Copenhagen.
As we arrived at a highway stop EAST of Hamburg we were offloaded, and just before our van left us there we were told that the Copenhagen bus was delayed.
One hour later we phoned the travel company to ask where they were and was told that it would last at least 1½ hour more. As they arrived we continued towards Le Mans, and had a fabulous time.
Going home we stopped on the same highway stop, just to find out that the company had forgotten to send the van down to pick us up. So another 2½ hour wait and as he arrived the driver had to stop for another 45 minutes on the way home due to driving rules. Been driving myself ever sins…..

[Jack the Hat]

Now that sounds like a real emotional roller coaster; are we going to make it are we going to get home You cant beat getting yourself there that way you only have you to blame when it all goes wrong 

[Chrisgr31]

So another 2½ hour wait and as he arrived the driver had to stop for another 45 minutes on the way home due to driving rules. Been driving myself ever sins…..

The driving rules are strange.  Some years ago I went on a coach tour to Holland.  On the way back our driver got off at the services on the M2, and we said have a pleasant day, and he said theres nothing pleasant about me day.  We said why?  So he explained he was driving the escort van his elief driver was in back to Cardiff, and then when the relief driver got the coach back to Cardiff he was taking out to France.  So we said hang on, what about your driving hours?  So he said the trip from here back to Cardiff doesn't count as I am not in the coach, so I'll have had my official rest.  Well if the rules allow that they are stupid!

[LeMans24]

What a nightmare. But all is well that ends well.