The Last Ditch by Tom Paine

THE LAST DITCH

Blogging will be light, emotion will be high

Published by Tom

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Blogging will be even lighter than is usual here at The Last Ditch for a while. I am going on a driving course at the Ferrari test track in Italy, where I shall learn to be worthier of Speranza. I had planned to make an expedition of it, driving solo to and from Maranello. Sadly that has had to be shelved, following an accident. Speranza is being ministered to tenderly by Mr Macari's body shop and will not be back on the road until 18th May.

Speranzainpain1
Given that it was a low-speed shunt, the damage is surprisingly bad. My offside front wheel was somehow wrenched off in the collision, breaking the suspension and shattering the carbon ceramic brake disc. Still, bent metal can always be mended. Flesh is less forgiving, so I am content that only my pride (and my no claims bonus) is hurt.

I hope to get back to more regular blogging when I return.

10 responses to “Blogging will be light, emotion will be high”

  1. JMB Avatar
    JMB

    It doesn’t look that bad, does it? I guess it’s like an iceberg. Mostly hidden. I had one claim forgiven since I’d had none before. Lucky, since it was the OS driving my car and all his fault. No, not my Fusion Sports but another one. Yes I had two cars and he had none! That has been changed as you can imagine.
    Drive carefully and come back in one piece but have fun. That’s a contradictory admonition, if ever there was one.

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  2. FatBigot Avatar
    FatBigot

    Oh woe.
    Still, enjoy your trip.
    I remember when Mr Macari played for Manchester United, he called himself Lou back then.

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  3. Jeremy Jacobs Avatar
    Jeremy Jacobs

    Enjoy your trip.

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  4. Andrew Duffin Avatar
    Andrew Duffin

    Looks like you really need to go on that course, Tom 😉
    Enjoy yourself in Italy!

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  5. Tom Paine Avatar
    Tom Paine

    Touché. 

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  6. sewa elf Avatar
    sewa elf

    Nice article, thanks for the information.

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  7. james higham Avatar
    james higham

    Age?

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  8. Henry Crun Avatar
    Henry Crun

    I thought that particular Mr. Macari ran a chippy outside Old Toilet.

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  9. Cascadian Avatar
    Cascadian

    Hmmmm….high performance summer tires on wet surfaces, not good, especially if they are not warmed up by a few miles of driving.
    My sympathies, expensive mistake.

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  10. Suboptimal Planet Avatar
    Suboptimal Planet

    Ouch! Glad you escaped unharmed. Hope Speranza has a speedy recovery.

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Your blogger

Tom is a retired international lawyer. He was a partner in a City of London law firm and spent almost twenty years abroad serving clients from all over the world.

Returning to London on retirement in 2011, he was dismayed to discover how much liberty had been lost in the UK while he was away.

He’s a classical liberal (libertarian, if you must) who, like his illustrious namesake, considers that

“…government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one.”

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