in 1963 Peter Hicks, a Bomber Command veteran and farmer from Susesx parked his Landrover in Marylebone. When a passing PC heard a ticking noise coming from it he touched the door and took a 3000v electric shock. He called his sergeant over and he too touched the landy and received a jolt. Mr Wicks had wired a cattle-fence device to his vehicle to deter thieves and then traffic wardens from tampering with his property. The police disarmed the devise, impounded the car and threatened charges of assault - but after a 9 month wait all charges were dropped. I don't know where we stand legally if we try to protect our bikes like this - even if only while in our own sheds and garages - but it's a nice idea.
also today we celebrate the birthdays of the following folk: 1216bandit, 211 joe soap, 321johno, AdamCTW17, Badaz, banzsolt, Cristeele, Dandy1, DazC, Derek01, Duke 1200s, Flippersaki, ghosthunter, Imola72, its me, jimmyj955, luckymarine, Markyr1, MrYellow7, mylesbull, norris, Purple Ronnie, Roddo46, SiGSXR, steviesteward58, suzysdad53, TonydeButcher, Zed 6 Hope you all have a good one.
in 1926 the Flying Scotsman began hauling scheduled services between London and Scotland and will return to mainline working this year after major restoration work.
Still in good working order and revving up for more are today's birthday BMers, we wish you all the very best: bikerlady06, bustermaw, Buzz ing, chippy58, duc900, Duir49, duncxl, ExupRichR1, FantasiaBlue, Jax61, kimter, michael125_90, Muffin brown, P4TCH, pally-24, pillion mike, spike., st1100, tilly02, valkyriemaiden1, Yoshikid
in 2015 (last year) the government announced that it would be changing the law to make it easier to levy tougher penalties (up to £½m) on persistent phone/text pests behind PPI, solar panel, boiler/window scrappage etc calls. Well, IF they have made the changes, why haven't they raked in billions and stopped all those nuisance calls and dropped my tax bill? Grrrr
Not a nuisance by any stretch are our birthday babes, they're a lovely bunch and we wish them many happy returns of the day: alan67, Amazonian Princess, Bigkendo, Camms62, gixxergaz, ian2712, ikabod, Janner, Kev_the_rev, long_hair, M477, malika14, Natthenut, Northern Soul, out of touch, pyretta13, Redz242, Robbish, ST1300, supertwinrider, Tedust, tribaldragon1, Wheelspinlyn, ZZRpilot
in 1962 filming started on Dr. No - the first of the James Bond 007 franchise of movies.
in 2002 London Mayor Ken Livingston confirmed that motorists would be charged £5 per day to drive into London on weekdays. It hasn't cleared the streets for we bikers though.
I hope all our birthday crew have clear roads ahead of them: Angelspaynes47, BaldBaBoon, bax63tri, beezerbird, BMW700, bonio, brenyfish18, brokenbiker, Caldogg, cambikeabout, charles64, chris5249, coltheplumber, cregnebar, dannyvfr, Don777, fred210, Freespirit740, garion670, higgy1961, jacs1973, jonnybegood, kushdie, Mark955, metalik, neil955, new boy Dave, oldgixxer69, pan77, PaulyT, pulsepro, pumbaa, sideways simon, SnailBomb, Sunnyside41, swanseabiker74, thruxton, toydriver, Trumph675, waratcha, WildKitty
today's birthday boys and girls share their big day with Elizabeth Taylor who was born this day in 1932 and had her first starring role in National Velvet aged 12
I'm sure our friends are equally early achievers and rising stars and we wish them a great day of celebration: 4skinbell, Angusbones, Audi TT QS, bastonjock, Bikerbabe666, bikerbabe67, BikerBiker, Chrisgs12, DaveGSXF, Dondon, f27ncs, FatYank, flowerduet, geezer2005, gs650, houricane, ianwhix, LadybikerVFR800, Londonmatt, MARIE2, Mninetysix, noangel, Quest, Sheffieldrider, Smbiker, sparky1, Stub, Suzuki man, vonybee, VR46 FAN, wenners, Zx6rsteve
in 1942 Brian Jones, founding member of the Rolling Stones, was born. He drowned in his home swimming pool and became a member of another group: the བྷ Club' - musicians who died aged 27. They include Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse.
On a cheerier note we do have celebrations to mark today's birthdays: benji_zx10r, biker linda, catlad, cb1300andy, Charlie1961, Dreamer78, fantasia, Forklift Phil, gazza2ono, gixergirll, Keltikmuse, Maddogakaian, mrbluesman, mussyp, Newgirlybiker, Pag, pixelbiker, Russel, saravara, snakes65, Spire_Rider, SprintSTeve, TC07, VFR owner, Wildcyote, Winniethephoo I hope you all have a fantastic day.
as you might expect there's not that much 'history' occurring on a day that only comes around every four years, so a few factoids about Leap Day:
people born on this day (leaplings - aww, sweet) may celebrate their birthday on either 28th Februaury or 1st March, but in Britain for legal purposes their birthday is taken as being 28th February.
Traditionally it was taken that this day had no legal status but far from being an opportunity to riot and pillage it evolved that since tradition was waived women could propose to men. And if you're Scottish take heed: a law once existed forbidding a man to refuse a proposal or receive a hefty fine - and you know how these old laws can still pop up as valid!
To our very select few leapling boys and girls, it's great that you have your 'real' birthday to celebrate this year, make the most of it : bikerbitch, cobra268, Eric Harper, Hornet_600, icecub1234, Kathrin, rogergb, RogerGB_UK, Silent, Zukiblue
in 1969 after delays due to poor weather, Concorde made its maiden flight from Toulouse. Lasting just 27 minutes and not exceeding 300mph it was pronounced satisfactory with a double thumbs-up by the French test pilot. I think it was a thing of beauty and was always moved by how small and ethereal it was whenever it saw it. Sadly I never got to sit, far less fly, in it.
Today we also celebrate birthdays of the following: 1aine, 46RickVick, adzzo15, Axeman, Baubles, BeeKiddo, Big red 1958, Bikermark74, boabiedazzler, BOD007, Bradley_73, carrienerick, Catey67, Civqmbr, dazzaboy, fletch33, Graham87, helena62, Ivanski, johny62, kazmaz, lledarboi, milaneseman, newcs1964, ninja599, rdw63, rsv990, Rusky81, sabbath1964, The Male Whale, tigger monster
in 1966 the BBC announced that it would begin broadcasting in colour the following year. It paved the way for sports commentators to give us such bright observations as: "for those watching in black and white," "Liverpool are the ones with the ball" or "the pink is next to the green" - priceless entertainment
Priceless in a different way are our birthday friends: 89bazza89, Basil1957, bennyjenson, bikerfzr, BobbyBear, Buell007, Bys_Vykken, city3359, dizzydot, Dpg74, ex rocker, fluffy, Full Bodied Red, Gavinj, huskydog1, jawagrass161, jinx57, Kellstorm, kfoggy67, laineyni, lilly-anne, lover2014, Madbikers, Mauritannia01, Minty moo, moonlight1963, mrfirebladeuk, Mwzx14, newbikerchick, NewWorldMan, ninjauk, norsewolf, northmanuk, nostress, rewaco61, ridgebackrico, Ryan030303, sir clip, sm77th, sticksmith, tgbjohn, VFR-R1, yogi, zoso Happy birthday to you all.
this day is the only day in the year that makes a phrase "march forth!" and on this day in 1890 the Forth Railway bridge was opened. A little over 1½ miles long, it took 6 years to build and is an amazing construction - quite rightly a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you've not been up here to see it - do it!
Equally iconic in their own way are today's birthday boys and girls. I know from experience how very 'special' some of them are. Anyway, happy birthday one and all:
another day of firsts for iconic British aeroplanes; in 1936 the Spitfire made its first test flight from Eastleigh, Southampton. Powered by R-R Merlin engines, it's often attributed with winning the Battle of Britain, but it didn't do so alone. in 1943 the first British jet fighter the Gloster Meteor, had its maiden flight. Powered by Frank Whittle's turbojet engines, it was the Allies first operational jet.
Enthusiasts of another kind of power are todays birthday bunch: Bethy75, blueeyes333, Bob_The_Burner, Boodyblues, dan.g., Dan_72, Dill, DUFFA, fruitjuice, Jillian, jilly065, JimC, jon130y, kitcat, LouBlue, Noddy64, Noddy-64, Plaguemonger, racing mad r1, raimondas, rothfink, TeeCee, tentpeg I hope you all get what you wish for today.
in 1992 thousands of computers around the world were infected by a computer virus. This day also being Michelangelo's birthday it was named the Michelangelo virus.
also on an 'arty' theme, on this day in 1997 a Picasso was stolen from a London gallery by a thief who escaped by taxi.
Happy birthday wishes to all our BMers born on this day; Acolla, allanjam, angryjock33, Annebalto, BigWill, Blainxj6, bogart101, conca6368, Cymrug, daren6639, drcrawey, drew shaw, gixerboy1000, Heart, Hiker Piper, hornet-t, iliankolev, jordypaul, Kukan, Maccyb, matt s, midnightrunner, Mitakuye Oyasin, mrmonkey, Nickjl, Noddy1, panman64, pastysmasher, phaedrus, PJJ, purplepaula, Ray the hat, Robbie 8, sebamax2, Stewietaz, stuart wooton, uktone, Vince63, wolfatnight, zesttoride Hope you are enjoying the day.xx
in 1950 Rover unveiled the world's first gas turbine-powered car; the JET1 two-seater achieved a stunning 5 - 7 miles per gallon. I see why it didn't take off (sorry - couldn't resist)
Today's birthday greetings go to: 0z996, addiee, appollojames, ayersrocker, bikerburt, bkrstu82, Blackbetty, carss66, chris-thorr, Cisscurls, cls101, dancelot, dogskid1, donlopez, doyly rag, egbert1, gobsonic, Hornet dog, Jo19670, kettleben, kjp101, Linds852, markcbr, mikmonsta, old man 68, Oozz996, pezza, Phil blade, philld, phoneone, Pirategirl, R1Ade, r1dude, Rocker1450, Say_Ten, suzukilover, thesingingcount, Thor66, trebormint, vanguard Hope you're all having a great day.
in 1886 the first Crufts dog Show was held in London after it had started up in Newcastle.
in 1919 the British government decided in favour of a tunnel linking England and France. (I didn't say on my reference site whether the French also decided in favour!)
in 1997 the Spice Girls became the first group to top the chart with their first four singles.
in 1988 the Bank of England One Pound note ceased to be legal tender at midnight. When the deadline for returning old notes was reached an estimated 70 million were outstanding.
in 2014 dozen of firefighters were called out to a blaze - at Downham Market fire station! The local retained firefighters could do nothing to help as their own fire engine was in the burning building.
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