The new news 24 thread

[New POD]

7 hours ago, SiC said:

 

Even if you knew the answer, many people don't like know-it-alls. Either way is she correct but not on the specifics. Going all out and telling her anyone that they're wrong from the get go will instantly get people's backs up. You'd been better off stopping before reacting, thinking yourself and putting the full case across. Because yes she is right, putting clothes on radiators is dangerous. However it's the electrically powered convection and oil filled radiators that are dangerous to do so.

Alternatively, instead of putting a case across, you'd be better of using a third party (i.e. Dr Google) to find out the answer you possibly already knew but then mentioning the detailed specifics. Especially having a third party come back means it's not Mr Know-it-alls that is giving the answer.

"*Googles* You're right! But it says that its the electric powered fan heaters and oil filled radiators that it's dangerous with clothes on them. As we've got central heating, I think it's safe? Oh you can get a electrically heated clothes horse from Lakeland... Would getting one of them be useful to help dry the clothes quicker?" (Note "I think" rather than "It is" too, that indication of possible doubt takes the strength out)


Well yes, you're just made out that someone is stupid by staying that something she does every day for years counteracts her already established view with clothes/cloth on radiators. People don't like being called stupid or given examples of it.



I'm really not sure why you feigned that you agreed but then tell her later on you did that? Surely you knew that would irritate anyone, not least your wife who appears more sensitive to such things.



Again, why did you tell her that you did that?! At this point if she was already agitated and you knew she disliked having clothes on radiators. So why did you throw more fuel on the proverbial fire by telling her that you did it? Surely you knew at this point not only that her mental model of radiators was that putting clothes on them is bad/dangerous, but also that saying you did it regularly was not going to help the situation.

TL;DR Stop treating your wife like an engineer. She is evidently not one and doesn't operate like one. The majority of people in this world have their view on the world based on emotions, not facts. Giving facts won't change most people's views.

Thanks. I do come across as a dickhead, but I'm just venting. I'm quite nice to my wife really. 

  She's very emotional, still grieving, and I make it sound worse than it was.  Anyway.  Took her to the beach this afternoon.  That always cheers her up.  And we put up the tree.  It's the tree her Dad bought in Woolworths in the early 70s.  We were given it in about 1990, but have never had it up, due to wanting a real tree.  This year we are having Dads tree. It's like having him in the room. 

 

 

And candles

[yes oui si]

Please don't point out the fire safety issues of candles... 

[New POD]

1 minute ago, yes oui si said:

Please don't point out the fire safety issues of candles... 

Or the dodgy lights on the tree ? 

[New POD]

17 hours ago, volvov70 said:

You are quite odd IMO 

It's been noted.  In my humble oppinion I am genuinely a nice person, but yes a few people have felt the urge to tell me to MY face that I'm not completely normal.  Probably why I feel at home here.  Surrounded by odds. 

[New POD]

18 hours ago, High Jetter said:

OK, clearly bigger issues for you, tough to deal with. 

2020.  Its all been a little shit.  Started off with pointless marital strife. Not sure why, but then ........Then Covid, underemployment, my heart attack, her Dad dying (at home, nursed by his 2 daughters 24hrs a day for 2 weeks), her mum moving in temporarily for nearly 2 months, and realising she had cognitive issues, failure to cope, with all this isn't surprising. And then the cat dying on tuesday night. Last night was the first time she's actually cried about her Dad.  I held her for about an hour, before she eventually went off to sleep.

Her mum had moved to her sisters (MikeR's wife) and tonight is back for the first night in her own house.  

[omegod]

17 minutes ago, New POD said:

It's been noted.  In my humble oppinion I am genuinely a nice person, but yes a few people have felt the urge to tell me to MY face that I'm not completely normal.  Probably why I feel at home here.  Surrounded by odds. 

No such thing as normal anyway POD, you've certainly had a twat of a year.  I've met you a couple of times and not found you to be odd! 

 Hope things settle and your wife is able to grieve over the coming months, her crying is a really good sign, the last stage of grief is acceptance.  

[stuboy]

14 hours ago, Yoss said:

is it beige?

[Yoss]

51 minutes ago, stuboy said:

is it beige?

No it's standard white van white but it's already dirty despite only having done 420 miles. Although the flats that it's parked outside, just out of shot, are beige so it may be reflecting those. Plus it's a usual dank dreary day. 

[rusty998]

1 hour ago, stuboy said:

is it beige?

I was wondering the same, i did a reg check on it and it comes back as being appliance white, shame as I thought VW had got some retro style colour back on the commercial vans, probably didn't help seeing this the other day either 

[wuvvum]

Got the gearbox mount done on the Renault 6 today.  Ish.

Getting the old mount off the car was a piece of piss.  Bolting the new mount onto the bracket was a piece of piss.  Bolting the assembly back into the front crossmember was a piece of piss.  Bolting the mounting onto the gearbox, not so much.

It was an absolute twat to get it to line up.  Not helped by the fact that the four bolts that go into the gearbox are quite short, so the bolt holes are fairly shallow blind holes, which meant I couldn't do the usual trick of shoving a BFO screwdriver in the hole and using it to lever the gearbox into alignment.  In the end I used a combination of a Renault Master scissor jack to get the 'box lined up vertically, and a jack handle levering against the chassis leg to line it up horizontally, and I was eventually able to get one of the bottom bolts in.  Then I left the 'box dangling precariously from one bolt whilst I moved the jack over to the other side of the 'box to line it up with the second hole.  That one went in a bit easier.

Now you would have thought, wouldn't you, that with the two bottom bolts in place, the two top bolt holes would be nicely lined up.  Nope.  I don't know whether it's because the new mount hasn't quite been drilled accurately or whether it's just one of those mysterious "because French" things, but the alignment is way out.  I managed to wangle one of the top bolts in with a lot of heaving and swearing, but the other one has no chance - the holes are probably 2mm out of alignment. 

So I have two options - take the whole thing back to bits tomorrow and try again to get it to fit properly - drilling out the holes if necessary - or just leaving it with three bolts in for now and maybe having another go in the spring when it's warmer and daylight lasts for longer than 10 minutes.  I have a feeling I'm going to go with option B - the gearbox is held perfectly securely with three bolts, so it's not an urgent job.  And the new mount has got rid of the clonking noise when coming off the throttle, so that's good.  The old mount was defo knackered - when I jacked the gearbox up I could see the rubber peeling away from the metal frame.  So it's better than it was at least.

[Timewaster]

On 12/4/2020 at 7:02 PM, clayts450 said:

F1 Autocentre - I approve. Our local branch is ace. Scott, the MoT tester, loves my old chod, as it makes a change from the usual white goods he tests day in day out....(a view shared by many testers, I should imagine)

Well don't ever go to my local one.

Kept me waiting 3 hours to fit 2 tyres to a Focus. At their 2nd attempt at getting the right tyres. 

It was a company car and the lease co. insist on using them.  Everyone else had similar experiences there too. Most refuse ever to go back. 

While I sat in the waiting room, the utter bullshit the guy was giving all the customers was incredible. 

Vans broken down, people off sick, mot tester hurt his hand and had to go to hospital, about the only thing he didn't claim was a dog had eaten his homework and he left the shock absorbers on the bus. 

I got the feeling anyone who looked a bit clueless would come away with a massive bill for made up issues and half arsed work. 

 

[Split_Pin]

When I didn't buy the "he's off sick" line it was followed up with "yeah he's actually had to go to hospital". 

I graciously accepted on the off chance but I knew it was bullshit. That was Eurocarparts.

[bunglebus]

I use F1 in Chelmsford for tyres, they've been good for me, best price and they were careful with my freshly painted wheels, insisting they were left at least 2 weeks to minimise the chance of damage.

Just depends on the staff at each branch I suppose 

[Cavcraft]

How I love* to spend my Sundays...

 

[Supernaut]

6 minutes ago, Cavcraft said:

How I love* to spend my Sundays...

 

I see a bit of carpet lifted. Accessing the jump point in preparation to deliver it to its lucky* new owner?

[Cavcraft]

13 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

I see a bit of carpet lifted. Accessing the jump point in preparation to deliver it to its lucky* new owner?

We've already done that! So much of a pain in the arse, I had a jump lead hanging out of the boot to get power to car so I could open the boot. Because Mercedes.

[clayts450]

Blinged up the Combo a little. For the sake of a tenner off Amazon Warehouse during Black Friday, a little cosmetic lift never does any harm.

Trimz before

Trimz after

New look yo

They're proper Michelin ones, no need for cable ties as they grip fine. Only downside is they show the steelies off to full effect. One Brucey bonus is that the middle Michelin logo thing is actually reflective. Like this.... coolio, good for those late night country lane jaunts

 

[Cavcraft]

Is that the PSA Combo mate?

[clayts450]

Nope it's the Fiat Combo

[clayts450]

Fuck me, they're £35 normally....even more of a bargain at a tenner.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Michelin-Louise-reflector-system-15/dp/B00K5QZLCG

[stuboy]

Little tip, don't wear gloves with rubber nipple dots and use heat gun to try straighten rubber splitter and bring them together... #whatawally

[stuboy]

35 minutes ago, stuboy said:

Little tip, don't wear gloves with rubber nipple dots and use heat gun to try straighten rubber splitter and bring them together... #whatawally

 

[Split_Pin]

2 hours ago, Cavcraft said:

How I love* to spend my Sundays...

 

Should. Have. Bought. A. Ticket.

[Noel Tidybeard]

On 19/11/2020 at 17:37, Lacquer Peel said:

The fuel tank might be 35 litres but the filler neck is a few more litres if @davehedgehog31 is a tank brimmer. 

indeed if you fill a spaceship civic til pump click then "top up" to go back home from holibobs when gauge has only just moved off the Full mark you can get at least £15 in!

[Jenson Velcro]

Felt motivated to change the oil in the Midland gearbox on my R50 Bini.

nice hedgehogs 

[reb]

I've gone and bought something terribly out of character.

This may* be a lie though:

[Cord Fourteener]

4 minutes ago, reb said:

I've gone and bought something terribly out of character.

This may* be a lie though:

Some kind of fake ST but a real Ford? I'm guessing a 1.6 Focus with full boy racer spec body kit.

[stuboy]

12 hours ago, reb said:

I've gone and bought something terribly out of character.

This may* be a lie though:

fiesta?

[HillmanImp]

7 hours ago, Cavcraft said:

How I love* to spend my Sundays...

 

A Ferrari! 

[reb]

1 hour ago, stuboy said:

fiesta?

Indeed a Fiesta, a "Black edition" whatever that means. The seats have been fitted later. It's only a 1.4, it'll do the job of being a winter runabout alright though.