• The Hawk is feeling dazed and confused this week after getting his feathers in a twist over British Standards.
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Last week a proud message came flying in from Sandbachbased ERF announcing that the company had won BS5750. The Hawk completely forgot that the other Sandbach-based manufacturer, Foden, had won the same award back in the spring (CM 17-23 May), and announced entirely inaccurately that ERF was the first.
Apologies to Foden for stealing its thunder, and congratulations to both companies.
• The Hawk was recently privileged to travel on one of the world's most spectacular bus routes — across the Rohtang Pass in the Himalayas in Northern India.
The pass is open for three months each year, from June to September, and is almost 4,000m (14,000ft) above sea level, making it one of the world's highest bus routes.
Battered old short wheelbased Tata buses are used on the journey, chosen for their manoeuvrability and ruggedness. Steering is low geared and light, but the unfortunate drivers have to grapple with a steering wheel the diameter of a full-size cycle tyre. This can prove especially taxing through the countless hairpin bends on the 118km, 61/2 hour route.
The scenery is magnificent, particularly in places where the edge of the road has collapsed. Passengers have reason to be grateful for the wisdom of the bus company's transport engineer in specifying twin rear tyres, since there are many narrow points on the journey when a single tyre would have proved insufficient.
Best of all was the price — just 90p — quite a contrast with the £12 charged by Speedlink for its service between Heathrow and Gatwick on the Hawk's return.
• Plaxton has issued a warning about a man posing as a Plaxton engineer or coach trimmer who approaches people for money, claiming his coach has broken down and he needs cash to get home.
The alleged miscreant is described as middle-aged, 1.98m (6ft 5in) tall, slim and has been smartly dressed, wearing a grey rally jacket and goldrimmed spectacles. lie calls himself John or Brian Barnes and has struck at the Chorleywood service station and Raynam services.
Plaxton stresses he has no connection with the company and advises anyone approached to contact the police.
• Tempers flared and fists flew at the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Frejus alpine road tunnel.
A cavalcade of vintage and modern commercial vehicles emerged from the tunnel, which links south-east France with northern Italy, to the applause of over 2,000 assembled dignitaries, transport managers and journalists. But 1,500 truckers were kept waiting for four hours to be allowed through, and not even the promise of free passage through the tunnel was enough to calm one Italian driver.
When the green light finally come on, the driver, who was near the head of the queue, jack-knifed his vehicle in protest at the delay.
When Frejus director of operations Michel Bailly asked him to move, the driver leapt from his cab and punched Badly in the mouth. The driver then drove into the tunnel at over 112kmili (70mph) and was arrested for reckless driving.
Bailly intervened, secured the driver's release and took him out to dinner.