BX Register UK - 9 Oct: with added POLE goodness

[Caffiend]

Yes, I know there's been a resounding silence about the BX Register since the initial flurry over here. I has been busy getting used to working for a living again (phased return HAHAHA contd. p94) and working on Some Stuff - hence this post.

I've started a new thread t?o? ?a?n?n?o?y? ?R?i?c?h?a?r?d? because I am a megalomaniac and would like to be able to edit the thread title when anything significantly changes, or just because I feel like it.

Anyway, as per the thread title, there is now a form to register any UK BX, *provided* you have the registration number. Yes, I know we all hate forms. I don't think this one is too terrible, even though Google is rather restrictive in terms of creativity. I work in the public sector in data protection. You would not believe (or even really want to know) what I can do with forms if you give me a free hand. I've tested it with cars on old blogs, in the For Sale section, etc, please post if you find anything broken.

Reason for the form: it makes it easier to restrict actual published information (like full registrations, owners' names) as discussed on the previous thread. It also means less typing as you can click on the little arrows to choose things like model, transmission, body, etc. You're on your own with colours. There is a 'look up' link to paint codes and official colour names (thanks mickeytaker), I didn't want to restrict entry by listing them all in the form and run the risk of people putting in the wrong red, as that would make Tim and Paul cry. Plus it would have taken AGES, the models were bad enough (pretty sure I got all the UK ones).

Here is the expurgated register.

The really observant amongst you will note that this is still sat on Google docs. This is because we would have to pay for database technology to be able to make the register pretty with pictures and really intelligent with collecting history on sales prices, or I will have to code it (which will be slow, I ain't a code monkey really), unless anyone else wants to - spreadsheet is reasonably normalised for purpose. It is now non-editable - any changes you want to make to your entry, please PM me, or sling in a form and I'll merge in 'new' information. You can still sort it how you want to see it - under the 'Data' menu. Feel free to muck about with it, it's less breakable now.

In the interests of keeping it all above board/open: please note that reg. numbers and owner details are still on there. They are hidden from non-logged-in view. In the unlikely event that the bxclubuk gmail account gets hacked (see "I work in data protection" - I'm good at passwords) then it'll be part of some major disaster and people will likely be more interested in nekkid photos that may be sat on the accounts of whatever other gmail accounts get hacked than in cloning ancient French tin.

As always, suggestions for improvements welcome, will see what we can do.

[citsncycles]

Must get onto this and add my cars - can't at work because the server doesn't like the security certificate!

[hilarystone]

It appears that my entry for my Sport has been altered in the expurgated version – Sport has been removed from the model name and the original registration date has been changed…

[Caffiend]

Hilary, I've put it as 'other' and listed the model in the separate column as Sports weren't sold in the UK. Sorry about the date: think I must have scrambled it when I was trying to get Docs to behave and show dates in English not American, thought I'd corrected all those, is it day/month reversed?

[hilarystone]

It is a Sport so I think should be listed as a Sport, it was first registered in France on the 1/4/1985 about seven days after the model's launch. I must admit I much prefer the original format – even if the current owner's names are omitted I think the current registration number should be included as otherwise its fairly meaningless.

[Caffiend]

No, not that kind of Pole, hopefully made you look though. You can pick up to two options (suggest you don't pick "whole reg" and"year letter only" 'cos that kinda doesn't really make sense ;P). I'll let it run it for 28 days and see what the general feeling is.

Can I take this opportunity to remind everyone that the register is REALLY EARLY development. Hopefully we'll get more in 'additional info' section as time goes on, and be able to add pictures/sales history when I have the time to sort it out. No car that was added in the first round has been removed. If you want to add or change anything on your car or update a spot from one you added earlier, then all you have to put in on the form - HERE - is the reg., who changed it (owner, spotted, whatever) and whichever bits you want to change, you don't have to fill out the whole thing again.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far, we're up to 100. OK, so I've added a fair few of those while messing about trying to get it all to work as it is now. I will be separating off scrapped cars onto a separate list at some point and will make full registrations of those viewable.

EDIT: also, can I point out that many car club registers aren't published *at all* and only the person or few people who keep them can see any of it

[electrokid]

Are my 2 previous BXs - long since gone for coke cans - of any interest ?

[Tim Leech]

I dont see the issue with putting peoples names and reg number's on there, is anyone REALLY going to clone an old BX? I doubt it.

[Kitch]

I dont see the issue with putting peoples names and reg number's on there, is anyone REALLY going to clone an old BX? I doubt it.

This. Otherwise you'll have to start covering the plate up when you park it off the road, otherwise people will go on teh internetz and find out where you live, and come round with pitchforks and try to steal your cooker. It's all a government conspiracy.

Or, nobody cares.

[Tim Leech]

Internet, thats witchcraft that is.....

Seriously people,

F911EWJ
C1 TBX
TAL 91S

Theres mine, if someone in China is watching feel free...

[Vanny]

I dont see the issue with putting peoples names and reg number's on there, is anyone REALLY going to clone an old BX? I doubt it.

I think perhaps you've missed the point about identity protection?

For example, I come on here looking for a victim. I quickly learn certain people always go to certain shows. I take there details from the register and know when they're not going to be at home for the day. I help my self.

Even if addresses aren't included in the register (and in this case they are not) i simply apply by post to the DVLA to get address details based on the vehicle registration. Remarkably easy to do if you ask the right sort of things and pay the £3.

There is more to be had from knowing a LOT about somebody than simply cloning a car.

I'm probably more paranoid than i need to be, but i've seen how devastating have your identity stolen can be!

[Caffiend]

I have been doing a bit of messing about and it should be possible - in the next generation - to put in whole reg if that's what the owner wants, and only part reg if details have been submitted from a 'spot' or whatever. I'm inclining to showing year letter and letters only (as that gives location where the car was registered, which is of interest to many, where numbers don't).

I'm reluctant to show full registrations as a matter of course without owners' permissions - which we wouldn't have if car was registered from a spot.

Yes please, scrappers are of interest as Qs like "whatever happened to...?" do come up occasionally. Wish I could remember the numbers in the reg of my Hurricane J*** OAX, suspect it's bean cans, would love to know. As noted, will move scrappers off to another section so the register is BXs we have a hope of seeing some day for the I Spy freaks ;P

[Kitch]

Can you not just have a box where you enter the reg, and say "if you don't want to put the whole reg in, just put the first letter" or something like that?

[Caffiend]

We need the whole reg somewhere, even if not published otherwise we'll end up with 94 million* duplicates where the owner has added their car with minimum details, a spotter adds it but can't quite remember the full reg, someone takes a pic of it at a rally and it gets added ... etc.

*possibly a slight exaggeration.

[Kitch]

We need the whole reg somewhere, even if not published otherwise we'll end up with 94 million* duplicates where the owner has added their car with minimum details, a spotter adds it but can't quite remember the full reg, someone takes a pic of it at a rally and it gets added ... etc.

*possibly a slight exaggeration.

Ah, fair point. Well full reg or nothing really then, surely?