Archers thread #165: Bridge over troubled waters! Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed, and of course we are always delighted to welcome back former or occasional listeners/posters. We don't all agree on all points, although we do mostly try to be civil about it. Most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you believe Rochelle exists, or other unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please! We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/5071889-the-archers-spoilers-thread-9-cant-wait-for-702pm-join-us-here, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, @DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have - BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

This thread may well fill up as fast as the last one, so let's just get stuck in!

Was Alice capable of consent?

Ah, that's another matter.

Very confusing because there seems to be an initial impact then a swooshing sound like a car driving fastish into water (I think when they put that video up they described the sound of running water at that point). Then there is the creaking and George’s no no’s before the other car falls into the river.

We will probably never know - the beautiful anticipation of radio.

Generally only if you've a) got your own policy and b) it has that cover on it. I doubt George has his own car and therefore an insurance policy in his name.

Some vehicles (e.g. lorries) have "anyone over 21 can drive it with the owner's consent" cover but I've not seen that on standard car insurance, plus George quite probably didn't have Alice's consent anyway. It's generally for commercial vehicles and excludes younger drivers.

Just a final thought on Alice’s alcoholism, we say in AA:
‘We are not bad people trying to get good but
Sick people trying to get well’
This doesn’t in any way let us off the hook from facing up to the consequences of our drunken behaviour. We are accountable for our actions whether drunk or sober. The fact that George (grr) is the real culprit just adds to the drama.

OMG I love your proposition for George, @Fink. It’s just the sort of extra complication a roomful of writers might come up with. (Like the twisty way Chelsea’s pregnancy saw off The Scumbag Artist, even though he wasn’t actually culpable there.)

I do think he’ll confess, at least.

Confess to Harrison who will beat him up

He's bound to have a licence. He drives at Bridge Farm. There's no way any of that lot would allow him to drive without a licence.

Lots of interesting possible outcomes. The Aldridge’s will fight though, once truth dawns. I reckon. But who knows.

But George pulled Alice into the passenger seat so that he could drive. He didn't pull her back into the driving seat, did he?

I don't understand the bit about the cider. He bought the cider. He took it to the party. He didn't like it but brought it back with him, so it was in the car. What was the significance of it?

He pulled her back into the driving seat after the accident.

The cider shows George was in the car, which no one yet realises.

Really? That's weird. I would have bet my house that he pulled her over into the passenger seat so that he could drive her home. I'm worried about my brain, now!

He definitely pulled her into the drivers seat after the accident to make it look like she was driving.

Maybe he was over the limit/didn't have permission/insurance...

Thanks, that makes a lot more sense.

He pulled her to passenger seat, drove off, had accident, performed heroic acts and then returned to move her back to the drivers seat

I don't think that the Farndale team, coming from north of Borchester to the cricket field on the north side of Ambridge, would be caught in traffic congestion caused by a small bridge over the Am (one of four bridges over the Am at Ambridge) not on their route.

Let us not forget that while the Crash On/Near The Bridge Over The River Am was written by Naylah Ahmed, the Lost Cricket Team was written by Sarah Hehir, who sometimes throws in unrelated details in an attempt at verisimilitude which does not always come off because she is not really all that sound on the local geography (and seems to have no idea where most of the houses in Ambridge are in relation to each other, either).

The trouble with that is that only one car, Mick's, ended up in the river; Alice's remained on dry land.

The horn blowing wildly came first, then the screeching of a skid, then a crump, then more screeching of skid, and finally a splash.

He did move her back, and apologised to her for it as well.

The cider is important as showing that he was in Alice's car, which if he was a passing pedestrian he would not have been.

The trouble with that is that only one car, Mick's, ended up in the river; Alice's remained on dry land.

My assumption (which was based on them not actually being on the bridge itself) was George swerving into the oncoming lane, Mick then being forced to swerve and ended up driving into the river, while George was able to steer back and come to a reasonably safe emergency stop on the road/verge a bit further down.

Yes! Roy and Lexie!
The 🔮was right!!

I do hope he goes to live with her and lives happily ever after.

Wow, a couple of BOOPS for tonight:

Roy might find love abroad as a way to write him out, no need to be dedded.

And Rosie makes an airplane card for Captain Herc!

Captain Herc?

The gorgeous Anthony Head, who plays the Fairfather, also played Captain Herc Shipwright in the iconic BBC R4 series Cabin Pressure.

Oopoh! Haven’t listened yet but the Captain Herc card sounds a nice touch. I like to know the SW is having fun.