# Are mirror protectors worth it?



## michaelmorris (May 8, 2011)

We've recently bought a 2003 Elddis Autoquest 200. Several websites advertise mirror protectors at around £95 a set. Are they worth it or are they just a solution in search of a problem?

How often do mirrors actually get damaged? 

Has anyone here had an accident where the mirror protectors actually prevented damage to the mirrors that would otherwise have cost them substantially more than the cost of the protectors?

Thanks


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

If you do a search on here you will find a previous thread that covered many views on this, Mine was that a strip of reflective tape on the mirror helped avoid collision.

cabby


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## charlieivan (Apr 25, 2006)

Been driving for 50 years and 20 of them with a motorhome and thankfully never damaged a mirror so protectors would not be top of my list of must have' s.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

They won't be any good if you give your mirror a good clout on something - like an approaching vehicle's mirror while going at some speed. Nothing will protect them then, obviously.

The other common way to damage mirrors is when pulling in to a check-in of some kind and they get scraped on the building. :crying: Easy to do as they stick out like Little Noddy's lugholes!!

I think I would go with Cabby's philosophy. Anything which makes them more obvious to other drivers must be good, but whether it's worth the money to protect the mirrors from a possible scrape is debatable.

Perhaps they should be fitted with a parking sensor, de-sensitised so it squeaks only when the mirror is within a foot of the check-in building! :wink2:

Dunno. Undecided.

Dave


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

They make the mirrors look pretty :roll: but as said why bother at that price, replacements might be cheaper, loads on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Door-Mirr...ar+Make:Fiat|Model:Ducato&hash=item35e6ad98f9


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

As I have said on here before our mirror protectors have paid for themselves on numerous occasions so I would not be without them. In fact one of um has a crack due to a Range Rover going too fast in a narrow lane, his mirror was demolished. :grin2:


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## chilly (Apr 20, 2007)

I'm definitely in the 'for' camp.
At nearly £300 plus fitting for a replacement mirror it's a no-brainer IMO.
Plus... in silver or white they make your mirrors more noticeable to oncoming vehicles. I actually think they look quite good too.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

chilly said:


> I'm definitely in the 'for' camp.
> At nearly £300 plus fitting for a replacement mirror it's a no-brainer IMO.
> Plus... in silver or white they make your mirrors more noticeable to oncoming vehicles. I actually think they look quite good too.


£75 off Ebay fitting is a real doddle, still don't get the covers at all.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

In silver or white they just blend in with the vehicle. Get a decent bit of reflective tape on the mirrors and that will certainly make them seen by approaching drivers. Maybe a trip to spec savers as well.

cabby


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## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

You also asked this on the OAL forum and I'll repeat my reply here for the benefit of those considering them.

Ours have a few scrapes over the years which may or may not have damaged the originals. However we had a definitive incident a few weeks ago on a narrow bit of road near Tintagel. A transit van, which could of stopped and waited 100m back, decided to go for the gap, big mistake. Wing mirrors clashed, ours moved back a few degrees, his lay strewn all over the road. Just a few black marks on ours which will polish out, indicator undamaged, his entire wing mirror assembly departed the van. 

Kev


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

May I say that when on narrow roads that you do not move over as one is conditioned to do. Then the oncoming vehicle will not attempt to pass you.We all know that many drivers really have no idea of their vehicles width.
I will not put my van in a position that can cause damage. There are nearly always passing places and the smaller vehicle because it has more manoeuvrability should give way. 

cabby

can and worms come to mind now.>>


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

cabby said:


> May I say that when on narrow roads that you do not move over as one is conditioned to do. Then the oncoming vehicle will not attempt to pass you.We all know that many drivers really have no idea of their vehicles width.
> I will not put my van in a position that can cause damage. There are nearly always passing places and the smaller vehicle because it has more manoeuvrability should give way.
> 
> cabby
> ...


Spot on Phil, it's our responsibility to look after our own vehicle, if it looks too narrow etc, then either pull right over and stop, or make it so they have to slow down or stop, then when you get close to the approaching vehicle, this then give adequate time for abuse in either direction > :surprise:


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## chilly (Apr 20, 2007)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> £75 off Ebay fitting is a real doddle, still don't get the covers at all.


You might get a short arm for a PVC for £75 but you won't get a long arm with an aerial and aerial booster built into it for £75.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

chilly said:


> You might get a short arm for a PVC for £75 but you won't get a long arm with an aerial and aerial booster built into it for £75.


True, I wanted one for my Laika, stupid price, but I fitted the short arm one, changed the angle and it was absolutely fine, I just saw a little more of the body but not enough to worry about, and if it broke again it was easier to replace.


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## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

cabby said:


> May I say that when on narrow roads that you do not move over as one is conditioned to do. Then the oncoming vehicle will not attempt to pass you.We all know that many drivers really have no idea of their vehicles width.
> I will not put my van in a position that can cause damage. There are nearly always passing places and the smaller vehicle because it has more manoeuvrability should give way.
> 
> cabby
> ...


If that is referring to my post then I couldn't/didn't. But he did still pass & at about 20/30 mph; works van at 5pm.

ps The point is that my "mirror guarded" wing mirror was undamaged.


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

cabby said:


> I will not put my van in a position that can cause damage.


I am sure that none of us, intentionally, ever do put our van in a position that can cause damage.

But in the real world there are times when no matter how good a driver you are or how carefully you drive some plonker may spoil your day by hitting his wing mirror against yours.

I am the worlds best driver but it happened to me ...so now I have mirror protectors :wink2:

+1 for protection...you know it makes sense, always wear protection:grin2:

I have the Milenco ones ...not as strong as the fiberglass ones but they look smart and they are white so show up well.

and remember If it can happen, it might.... I once had a tree jump out of the hedgerow and tear the awning right off my old van :grin2:


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Not at all wildthingskev. sorry if it seemed like it.
I do not pull over if there is not enough room for 2 vehicles to pass easily. If we have to sit there and stare each other out, well we have the kettle.>>

cabby

I have hit my door mirrors, the long arm ones, going down a one way street in Spain. But that was my own error of judgement by not noticing that one vehicle was parked out a little more than others.But at the speed I was going there was not even a scratch.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

The problem is that fiat do not sell replacement mirror backs. The black plastic is almost paper thin and can be torn apart by hand. After a smart-arse in Cornwall punched a hole in the back of my offside mirror I bought protectors. They do show up much more than a strip of reflective tape and make the van look wider than it really is
Never had a problem in the 5 years I've been using them although the nearside one has a few scrapesfrom overgrown hedgerows.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

When I say a strip of tape I do mean a blooming great wide piece that virtually covers the back of the mirror. Plus at night time that shows up better than a white blob.

cabby


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

cabby said:


> When I say a strip of tape I do mean a blooming great wide piece that virtually covers the back of the mirror. Plus at night time that shows up better than a white blob.
> 
> cabby


Got a source you can link to Phil?


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## chilly (Apr 20, 2007)

cabby said:


> In silver or white they just blend in with the vehicle. Get a decent bit of reflective tape on the mirrors and that will certainly make them seen by approaching drivers.
> 
> cabby


But, during the day (when most motorhomes are on the road) a decent bit of reflective tape isn't going to define the mirror's width any better than white or silver painted covers. No matter how big a piece of tape.
Fluorescent orange tape, maybe ...but that would look crap.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I wonder if you could get that 3M reflective stuff in a spray, seems to work well on trainers and safety equipment.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

This might work


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Yes indeed that does look like a good alternative Kev. Have put it as saved on my ebay page to look at again later.


cabby


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

cabby said:


> Yes indeed that does look like a good alternative Kev. Have put it as saved on my ebay page to look at again later.
> 
> cabby


And there'll be a bit left to paint anything on the drive that you might have to reverse past, cheap too, I wonder how white it will remain once it's got the reflective coat on top.

We need a tester, where's that Barry when you need him > > >


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## chilly (Apr 20, 2007)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> I wonder if you could get that 3M reflective stuff in a spray, seems to work well on trainers and safety equipment.





Kev_n_Liz said:


> This might work


Sorry Kev, I don't get it (nowt new there then:wink2.
How often do people drive motorhomes in the dark?


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

chilly said:


> Sorry Kev, I don't get it (nowt new there then:wink2.
> How often do people drive motorhomes in the dark?


We've done it plenty enough, leaving work on a friday night in winter, we also wild camp and sometimes a layby is all you can find, anything which helps visibility is a bonus.

I might paint the toilet seat for those nighttime visits > >


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## mentaliss (Oct 23, 2012)

Well have you actually had such a mishap of another mirror in 'wed lock' with yours, cause I have and they do work!!!!!


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## JohnandChristine (Mar 19, 2012)

I just feel happier that my two bright white ones are sticking out there, maybe as a deterrent, but we'll never know that.


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## Solwaybuggier (Mar 4, 2008)

I actually put ours to the test last week - a French MH was over on our side, we were doing 35mph, I suspect he was doing a bit more. The main mirror was fine, the lower mirror popped out and has cracked but fitted back in fine. But the Mirror Guard has cracked at the lower radius of the cut out for indicator light, and I'm not sure it should have at a max closing speed of 80 mph. It's a genuine Mirror Guard - about 2 years old - I've emailed them and am waiting for a reply as to what closing speed it should normally withstand, and whether they supply single Guards.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Well we have them

But we have everything

Haven't a clue

No one has hit them yet

Wink

Aldra


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## Jmdarr (Oct 9, 2013)

We have mirror guards hit a pole in French toll booth wife wanted me to get closer to the machine so she could heave her bosom over the window frame to use lower card slot got shouted at for being to close and scratching the mirror guard just can't win they do work though


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Boasting again

I'm going to heave my bosom over one day

Aldra


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Jmdarr said:


> We have mirror guards hit a pole in French toll booth wife wanted me to get closer to the machine so she could heave her bosom over the window frame to use lower card slot got shouted at for being to close and scratching the mirror guard just can't win they do work though


Bet he was miffed too.


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## Stevied1960 (Jul 21, 2015)

These work extremely well, "apparently" http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/X290-MOTO...790?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cfee3f806
Spoke to the guy that makes them, as I queried why they were double the price of Milenco.
His has shock absorbing pads in, he described them as a crash helmet for mirrors, also has black rubber edging around them, don't know what that is for though.
£115.00 is a lot, on the grand scale of things it could be cheaper in the long run.


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## jo662 (Jul 27, 2010)

We clashed wing mirrors with a [email protected] in a 4WD who wanted all the road down a narrow one from a pubstop in Wetherby.Didnt hit that hard,but the guards did there job.Just a black mark which scrubbed off.:grin2:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Stevied1960 said:


> These work extremely well, "apparently" http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/X290-MOTO...790?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cfee3f806
> Spoke to the guy that makes them, as I queried why they were double the price of Milenco.
> His has shock absorbing pads in, he described them as a crash helmet for mirrors, also has black rubber edging around them, don't know what that is for though.
> £115.00 is a lot, on the grand scale of things it could be cheaper in the long run.


Rubber edge is simply there to hide the rough cut edges, not very pretty is it, I don't think others need it.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

I'm glad I fitted some (Milenco) before my trip as they did get pinged a couple of times albeit at low speeds. Left some scratches but did the job.


I stuck some memory foam in between the Milenco ones and the actual mirror housing itself to give it some better measure of impact absorbsion (?). They are a tight fit but you can get a good inch or so of depth in there (which obviously squashes down when you fit the covers)


Graham:smile2:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Cure, remove mirrors fit cameras > >


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Cure, remove mirrors fit cameras > >


OK, but where can you get camera protectors?


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

silly arse !!!!!!!!!>>

cabby


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Zebedee said:


> OK, but where can you get camera protectors?


Link

HEE HEE


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Link
> 
> HEE HEE


Hmmm..they still stick out a bit Kev...I guess we would need to buy some protectors for them wouldn't we?

:grin2:

Graham:smile2:


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

The Milenco ones show up well in white, they look good, fit extremely well and very easily. They must provide some protection .........or I would not have bought a pair :grin2: 

Yet to be put to the ultimate test ...but I suppose it's bound to happen again sometime , watch this space :smile2:

P.S. they fit with a clamp that has two screws...they would be easy to steal and I did hear of it happening so I filled the cross heads of the screws with araldite ...that should slow down an opportunist :wink2:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

GMJ said:


> Hmmm..they still stick out a bit Kev...I guess we would need to buy some protectors for them wouldn't we?
> 
> :grin2:
> 
> Graham:smile2:


I was only joshing about, they're not legal here. YET.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

spykal said:


> P.S. they fit with a clamp that has two screws...they would be easy to steal and I did hear of it happening so I filled the cross heads of the screws with araldite ...that should slow down an opportunist :wink2:


I put black protectors on mine and used some black mastic to disguise the screw heads (just in case I needed to take them off myself)

Graham:smile2:


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Zebedee said:


> OK, but where can you get camera protectors?


And MOT Certificates for vehicles without mirrors?:laugh:

On a more serious note are there any suppliers of mirror protectors for 'A' Class non-base vehicle mirrors?

Maybe too small a market, and expensive.

Just asking.

Geoff


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## chilly (Apr 20, 2007)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Link
> 
> HEE HEE


What's the name of those camera/mirror type thingies? I didn't quite catch it:wink2::wink2::wink2:


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## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

*A little incident recently in France -*





*For best quality picture click on the'Cog', bottom right hand side of the Youtube video, and select 720pHD or 1080pHD*


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I was just having a think.

I wonder whether this mrror-clashing problem might be worse for those with 'C' Class cabs, but wider mirrors than the basic base-vehicle van.

I could imagine an oncoming Transit/Ducato/Boxer driver seeing a van cab like his approaching, but not properly noticing that it has a wider body behind AND wing mirrors wider than the standard ones he has passed successfully many times. 

Our 'A' Class is 2.3m wide at the front and 3m high so appears as a bigger lump to avoid. We are frequently given-way to by white vans and trucks.
Maybe the guess the repair bill will be a lot more?:laugh:

Any thoughts on my theory on other drivers' perception of 'C' Class size Ladies and entlemen?

Geoff


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Maybe an answer would be to have DLR incorporated into the mirror casing.

cabby


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## martinbo (Aug 19, 2015)

I too have just broken my nearside mirror. Since my motor home is old it has manual mirrors, but even so they are quite expensive to replace. This made me wonder if now might be the right time to convert to electric mirrors since I have to fork out either way. Has anyone got any experience of retro fit electric mirrors?


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

cabby said:


> Maybe an answer would be to have DLR incorporated into the mirror casing.
> 
> cabby


Cabby

I give up on DLR - I have been tussling to find a meaning other thaan Docklands Light Railway, and neither I nor Google can find anything that would help with the mirror problem.

Pleas put me out of my misery.

Geoff


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## camoyboy (May 9, 2005)

nicholsong said:


> Cabby
> 
> I give up on DLR - I have been tussling to find a meaning other thaan Docklands Light Railway, and neither I nor Google can find anything that would help with the mirror problem.
> 
> ...


I think he means DRL - Daylight Running Lamps.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

martinbo said:


> I too have just broken my nearside mirror. Since my motor home is old it has manual mirrors, but even so they are quite expensive to replace. This made me wonder if now might be the right time to convert to electric mirrors since I have to fork out either way. Has anyone got any experience of retro fit electric mirrors?


Hi Martin and Welcome to MHF.

Interesting notion, I did similar to an old escort van IE fitted electric windows from a Ghia.

It'd be possible, a few relays to give it power, scrap yard job in the old days, Ebay now as the elf n safe T yobs killed that sat morning joy.

Biggest prob unless they did them for your van (whatever it might be   ) is actually finding something which didn't look like a bodge.

But good luck and keep us informed, sounds like and interesting project.

Also on some vehicle the loom was put in for other stuff, just need to find the right gear, if it turns out to be a hacking job, then if you get a plug on anything, try to get the opposing socket, a lot less work that way.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

camoyboy said:


> I think he means DRL - Daylight Running Lamps.


Goof knew that, he was taking the Mick out of Phil, good man yerself, save me the bother > >


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Oh dear camoyboy, pity we could not drag that out a bit longer, I like Geoff struggling with my mistakes.>>. But yes indeed that is what I meant.Would it be possible to do this.

cabby


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

cabby said:


> Oh dear camoyboy, pity we could not drag that out a bit longer, I like Geoff struggling with my mistakes.>>. But yes indeed that is what I meant.Would it be possible to do this.
> 
> cabby


Phil

That was not in the spirit of your Signature:wink2::laugh:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Him arse > >


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## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

Another vote for white Milenco covers - fitted on our X250. They really emphasise the width of the vehicle; in fact make it appear bigger than it actually is. I've noticed on narrow roads it makes a significant difference to the behaviour of oncoming drivers.

Mike


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

How about fitting those golf-balls on stalks that US trucks seem to favour (yeah, I know its for their own benefit)

OR

FULL-WIDTH BULL-BARS (Painted fluroescent yellow - of course)

Last idea has the advantage of covering 'Hymer' grill:kiss::laugh:[Incoming fire]

'Goof' (as somebody called me earlier)


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Might that be someone who knows you then.:wink2::wink2:

cabby


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