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Originally Posted by Arragonis
a- Figures from retailers make you think people are spending less, banks and CC companies say people are reducing debt. But for the contrast go to the places of consumer worship and you know thats not the case - full carparks, crowded shops, beeping tills, everyone still craving the latest iPhone or Android number and willing to sign up to years of contract to get it, still the full package of pay TV. Maybe this is where some of the petrol money is going ?
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That’s Fair comment- Everywhere seems busy enough TBH, but it depends how much is sbeing spent, as opposed to “Window shopping”..people can be creatures of habit, so may still go to the shops on a Saturday, but just look, or buy less?
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b- Job availability depends a lot of skills. I'm still getting the same 20-30 jobs per day via email from the job sites I signed up to. The pay is about the same as it was in 2007 but they are there. Jobs for the unskilled or those without experience are harder to come by, the only openings there, apart from general labour type work, seem to be retail and not manufacturing.
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Amen to that- the lack of full time, permanent jobs within the manufacturing (and to a lesser extent, the service sector) is scary!
Retail sector jobs really worry me- so many shops, so much stuff for sale, and no “home” manufacturing industry to provide the items for sale..we’re at the point where we consume what other countries create.
Like many other “developed” countries, we’re heavily reliant on others.
If the “Eurozone” crisis grows, we’re in a fair old pickle!
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Traffic/Cars - The SMMT say that sales are down in 2011 compared to a small rise in 2010 (scrappage scheme ?). Fleet sales are higher, but this could also be the increase in courtesy cars from accidents as anything else.
I haven't found a breakdown by size or type. SUVs seem to have taken a hammering, more and more non-X5 BMWs with "X5" on the number plate, perhaps an ex X-5 owner downsizing ? And far fewer Range Rover Sports. EDIT - The crew cabs beloved of the thick of neck and short of hair are still around though, probably bought as company vehicles for tax reasons.
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This can only be a good thing. I have no concern with “real” 4x4’s (landcruisers/Landrovers etc) but I have many many bones to pick regarding “lifestyle 4x4s”..
Not to mention abominations like Nissan Jukes/any other too tall 2wd useless booted piece of crap..
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As I tapped earlier I have noticed more people sitting in the left (slow) lane where I normally have it to myself and the trucks. Not on the bypass much but on the M8 and M9 over the past few days. All the others boing along at PSL + 10-15, max brakes and max acceleration, traffic light GPs are still normal too.
Maybe insurance costs or insurance companies have tightened up controls on modified cars, but the number of boy racers (aka Ricers) has dropped a lot - the baked bean can exhaust industry must be in decline. 
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The m8 is like an accordion- lots of squeezing on the brakes, then stretching out under acceleration..
I’ve managed to stop my car share colleague ducking and diving between lanes- seems she wasn’t aware that this is probably 50% of the reason why brakes are slammed on in the first instance.
As for Ricers- they’re generally not insured!
Problem is that now, £5 of Asda’s finest “Sans Plomb” hardly gets you the length of yourself