The grumpy thread

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Feckin' jet wash was closed for repairs. Again.

[Coprolalia]

Piss poor organising of local events this year which all tie in this weekend.

 

Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend. The traffic management for this event is absolutely terrible this year. They've put signs up saying "no access to FoS - Do not follow sat nav" in various locations around Chichester. Half way up the road from one of these (Broyle Rd from Chi to Lavant), there are official signs directing people to Festival of Speed. Some of which are through narrow single track lanes. People are turning off where they feel because the signs are so poor. The traffic management company bods were getting really irate with us needing to go to one of the villages behind Goodwood because it was their bin day, even though we took a massive diversion to get there.

Not helped with a cycling club holding a race/riding event from somewhere near Portsmouth to Petworth via guess where.

 

Also signs up for a railway Gala nearby this weekend, so many people coming to that.

 

And roadworks on some of the roads around Goodwood.

 

Why organise several events, one which is a huge international motoring show, for the same weekend in and around a town that can't handle the traffic for its own population at the best of times. (I have nothing against the events, plus got to see plenty of nice vehicles).

My dad lives in East Dean, imagine the fun he has getting in and out this time of year!

[HillmanImp]

I used to live down that way. I could never move back there as the traffic is so bad everywhere you go. Its hellish all the time. I dread to think what it's like when events are on.

[Guest Hooli]

The traffic is one of the many reasons I'd never move back south again.

[Guest Hooli]

Today's grump is spending most of last night awake with a stinking headache until I gave up trying to sleep at 5:30am. i'm now sat feeling slightly sick as I often do in the morning waiting for mates to arrive at 8:15am to go cycling 50miles to a piss up from which we cycle back tomorrow. Last night was ideal* prep I'd say.

[cort16]

I’ve had to leave the reggie band I play triangle in . I got fed up with it, it was just one ting after another.

[New POD]

Friday the fucking thirteenth can fuck right off.

So can my NHS dentist's receptionist.

So at 1pm I bit into a cherry. and stupid knob that I am put the full force of my jaw into the stone. A back tooth spilt in two.

I immediately phoned my dentist. I am on hold at number 1 for ten mins. Still no answer.

I get in the car.

Their internet and phone line are down and they have no access to patient records.

I am told I can't have an emergency appointment because that book them in at 9am.

She gives me a number to ring.

I phone it. they tell me they only sort out people who don't already have a dentist and the receptionist should not be giving out their number of I'm already registered.

I am somewhat confused.

The receptionist tells me that I need to go to the walk in clinic where they have an emergency dentist.

I drive 7 miles which takes me 25 mins because traffic.

They tell me this is completely wrong. They have a dentist but he can't do emergency appointments.

they suggest I phone 111

20 mins on the phone with NHS direct with the poor woman putting me on hold and talking to her supervisor a lot. Eventually she says she will find me a dentist and phone me back.

I go home.

Now this is the good bit

Probably not for the grumpy thread.

Wife takes control. Drives me to my dentist.

Speaks with assertiveness and knowledge and 15 mins later I am lying down with a dentist called Amanda putting a needle into my gum.

My wife takes no prisoners. She stopped short of demanding they pay for my petrol

The stupid thing is that all the dentist's were doing nothing as without access to patient records they could not do their normal appointments.

And because I couldn't tell them which of 8 dentists I was registered with straight away, she'd decided I probably was lying about being on their books.

This simple fact caused my wife to go into angry mother mode.

So basically because she could not be less arsed than a dead cat in a gutter about anyone else's miserable pain, she sent me on a 1.5 wild goose chase.

So by 4:30 pm I was home with my face slightly numb but permanently repaired.

 

Wife phoned 111 at 4:00 pm to let them know I was fixed.

 

111 phoned at 4:34 pm to say they had found me a dentist in Preston some 30 miles away.

 

I thanked them for their efforts and explained how my wife had got it sorted.

[tommytwo]

Two weeks after a FTP, I still feel hacked off about the poor service from Autoaid after I called for assistance. Forty minutes on the phone consisting of 15 on hold, 15 to decide that I did indeed have a policy and what the policy actually covered. 10 to describe the problem and where I was. They could not find me on their map, even though I quoted the road number, which carriageway I was on, name of the roundabout in front, 300 metres from a Sainsbury Superstore, and stuck in the boiling hot sun, no shade at all. They could not accept GPS coordinates. FFS!  After 90 minutes, I looked at the problem and surprised myself by getting the car running. Drove to the Superstore which thankfully, was air conditioned, and called to cancel recovery. Now I am told that they were still looking for someone to take the job as everyone was busy! Since I now wanted to cancel my shout and continue my journey, they said they could not guarantee a response if I called again.

 

I was comforted by the thought that I had recovery insurance, until, I actually needed to use it. Then I found out that it was pretty useless when needed. I hope your experience of a breakdown will be better than mine.

[dozeydustman]

My dad lives in East Dean, imagine the fun he has getting in and out this time of year!

 

 

East Dean isn't too bad provided he goes down the lane to the A285 Petworth Road; there was hardly Goodwood traffic that side at all yesterday.

[dozeydustman]

I used to live down that way. I could never move back there as the traffic is so bad everywhere you go. Its hellish all the time. I dread to think what it's like when events are on.

 

The A27 is not man enough for the traffic it has to handle plus it has a really poor layout at junctions. It is not helped where the coastal towns around Chi are one road in, one road out, so to get from Selsey to Wittering, you have to drive all the way up to the A27, go along it, then back down to the other bit of coast. The roads in between are mainly single track and artics go down them to deliver/collect from the farms and holdings. And you then get the local people who must follow a sat nav at all times, so loads of erratic driving as their device changes its mind every 4 seconds and won't learn any major(ish) other roads in the area to get to their destination.

 

The authorities want to build an alternative road north of the downs, either a widening of the A272 or build a new dual carriageway somewhere north of Chichester. Unfortunately Chi is full of NIMBYing giffers who moan about the traffic problems but then object to any proposed. Even the council (for whom I work) are a bunch of "It's always been done that way" inflexible fools.

 

I'm glad I have over the last few years gained a good knowledge of the back roads around the area; Mrs D is born and bred here and I've taken her new places on a regular basis.

[mercrocker]

I really hate the traffic around Chichester but it doesn't stop me going that way.   The south-east is indeed a fucking hell-hole if you get caught up in it but I couldn't contemplate living anywhere else.   I get vertigo north of Winchester.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Counting welder....... if I'm honest I've never had any issues except my own ineptitude and wire jams - not last night though. Thought I'd prep a few patches n panels I need done on the Spitfire. All ok.

Welder on...... fan roars into life...... great. Trigger action ....... not a sausage, dead, sweet fuck all.......

 

No clue as to why - not an electric bod, first time I've even seen the 'working' bits. Trigger seemed ok, extra wire doing nothing but looks as if never actually attached to anything in th first place.

 

Off to online manual study, then pray.

[DeeJay]

As I drove out I saw signs NO STOPPING , then I noticed the camera van pointing up the access road ready to issue the £100 fines for anyone daring to stop to drop somebody off

Plus every road in the immediate area has double red lines. 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.3374559,-2.8585292,3a,75y,328.56h,63.7t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1siOrviHQxhdcl3-QhRjOILA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

And a specially designated parking space for a "Road Safety Unit". 

[twosmoke300]

Wouldn't use K seal for that. Its not cheap but I'd do it properly. Get Steel Seal instead.

Pointless - it just doesn’t work ! Blocks up the coolant passgeways a treat tho .

[Wack]

Two weeks after a FTP, I still feel hacked off about the poor service from Autoaid after I called for assistance. Forty minutes on the phone consisting of 15 on hold, 15 to decide that I did indeed have a policy and what the policy actually covered. 10 to describe the problem and where I was. They could not find me on their map, even though I quoted the road number, which carriageway I was on, name of the roundabout in front, 300 metres from a Sainsbury Superstore, and stuck in the boiling hot sun, no shade at all. They could not accept GPS coordinates. FFS!  After 90 minutes, I looked at the problem and surprised myself by getting the car running. Drove to the Superstore which thankfully, was air conditioned, and called to cancel recovery. Now I am told that they were still looking for someone to take the job as everyone was busy! Since I now wanted to cancel my shout and continue my journey, they said they could not guarantee a response if I called again.

 

I was comforted by the thought that I had recovery insurance, until, I actually needed to use it. Then I found out that it was pretty useless when needed. I hope your experience of a breakdown will be better than mine.

I think the problem with autoaid is they only use local companies , something all the big boys have started doing recently if they don't have anyone local so with autoaid being so small they're probably way down the list when it comes to availability , they don't want to let the AA or RAC down if they're giving them loads of work.

 

I was always nervous about the pay and claim system with autoaid

[plasticvandan]

Pointless - it just doesn’t work ! Blocks up the coolant passgeways a treat tho .

Sure does,I used to work for the absolute shark that imports it.I had the job of answering the phone to people who had seized their engines,waterpumps,blocked rad's etcetc

[Pillock]

Got some paint to get rid off from clearing my mum's house. Half tins of thirty shades of beige, some white gloss etc.

 

The tip that is local to her needs you to register your car with them. We don't live in the same county so aren't allowed in.

My local tip can't take paint.

There is one tip in my county that can take liquid paint, but you have to apply for a permit. You have to state how many cans you have, what type it is (water based, gloss, varnish etc) and it's twelve cans max.

They post the permit to you within 5 working days, and you're allowed one visit.

 

I tried, and the website threw up an SQL error on the last screen.

 

Tempted to just bury them in the garden.

 

Two suggestions they had to get rid... Firstly, let it all dry out. Secondly, "don't buy too much in the first place". Cheers for that, dickheads.

[eddyramrod]

In case I needed proof that my concentration levels are shot...

Drilling into some diecasts this afternoon to open them up.  First I went right through the roof of a Corgi Land Rover so now I've got a big round hole where there wasn't one before.  Then I broke a drill bit on a Corgi Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag, and the model shot away from the drill and smacked into my knee.  Ouch.

So I've closed down operations for today.

[Timewaster]

Got some paint to get rid off from clearing my mum's house. Half tins of thirty shades of beige, some white gloss etc.

 

The tip that is local to her needs you to register your car with them. We don't live in the same county so aren't allowed in.

My local tip can't take paint.

There is one tip in my county that can take liquid paint, but you have to apply for a permit. You have to state how many cans you have, what type it is (water based, gloss, varnish etc) and it's twelve cans max.

They post the permit to you within 5 working days, and you're allowed one visit.

 

I tried, and the website threw up an SQL error on the last screen.

 

Tempted to just bury them in the garden.

 

Two suggestions they had to get rid... Firstly, let it all dry out. Secondly, "don't buy too much in the first place". Cheers for that, dickheads.

No help unless you are near Cambridgeshire but our local tip take part used paint tins and give them to some charity housing project. Any that have "gone off" go in the general waste skip.

 

I now have an image of a charity housing project painted in 35 different shades of green stripes.

Maybe they chuck it all in a big vat and paint everything in the resultant brown green sludge.

[Pillock]

Yeah I know other people who have local schemes where all the similar colours and types are mixed and given to charity.

 

Round here though you might as well be the devil himself if you have spare paint.

[cobblers]

The local tip here (bolsover j29a) seem to give zero fucks, maybe give them a try.

[Saabnut]

Got some paint to get rid off from clearing my mum's house. Half tins of thirty shades of beige, some white gloss etc.

 

The tip that is local to her needs you to register your car with them. We don't live in the same county so aren't allowed in.

My local tip can't take paint.

There is one tip in my county that can take liquid paint, but you have to apply for a permit. You have to state how many cans you have, what type it is (water based, gloss, varnish etc) and it's twelve cans max.

They post the permit to you within 5 working days, and you're allowed one visit.

 

I tried, and the website threw up an SQL error on the last screen.

 

Tempted to just bury them in the garden.

 

Two suggestions they had to get rid... Firstly, let it all dry out. Secondly, "don't buy too much in the first place". Cheers for that, dickheads.

 

My local tip does not take liquids, like paint. They said mix soil into it so it becomes a solid and then they can take it, but my guys are helpful.

[DodgeRover]

The local tip here (bolsover j29a) seem to give zero fucks, maybe give them a try.

Just don't try to take anything home with you

But yes mega helpful, always help my mum and dad unload if they take anything in. Don't give a stuff if I take things down for them in my van either.

[DeeJay]

 "don't buy too much in the first place". Cheers for that, dickheads.

I'll bet they're still laughing at that one. 

[puddlethumper]

A bit out of date because it was a week ago but I was driving up the M40 at 2am on a Monday morning. 

Away from near London there was very little on the road. So I'm popping along at 85/90 and on 3 occasions I come up behind a middle lane hogger. No lights to be seen in front, so at least a mile or two with nothing in front of them.

Tossers, as has been said previously.

[DodgeRover]

A bit out of date because it was a week ago but I was driving up the M40 at 2am on a Monday morning.

Away from near London there was very little on the road. So I'm popping along at 85/90 and on 3 occasions I come up behind a middle lane hogger. No lights to be seen in front, so at least a mile or two with nothing in front of them.

Tossers, as has been said previously.

How's progress going with the estate?

[abelw44]

Just outside a town near me on the Fosseway, they've been resurfacing, which is great. However, it means you're now merrily driving along, minding your own business at 60mph when you come accross a solitary sign that says "Ramp Ahead". Approximately a yard later you hit a vertical shelf in the road that produces a buttock clenching, toe curling noise when it is struck. As if the poor VAG shite wasn't ropey enough already...

 

Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

[purplebargeken]

Multi-grump (saves time if I do it all in one hit I guess).

 

Dropped Android Motorola phone, screen fractured in a squillion places. Have old Nokia, it's ok but no WhatsApp. I prefer WA and apart from actually phoning people it's the best thing ever. I keep loads of info on the notes section, now can't access. Not helpful when your memory is shit.

 

111 - hmm, great idea, not so great in reality. My manager if from 111.....

 

Got distracted today whilst sorting garage out, forgot to eat and drink as per schedule. Drove home, parked. Then became very ill indeed, sweating fucking buckets, could hardly move, stand or do anything. Stranded in the car, half in, half out for ages before managed to get out and walk to the house. No fucker offered to help.

 

Parky, how are you feeling fella? Whereabouts in the land are you? (Not a grump)

[chaseracer]

Hope you're feeling a bit better now, Kenneth.

[purplebargeken]

Yes mate, felt utterly bollocksed at the time. Highly unpleasant, however, on the bright side it is now much easier for someone to pick me up off  the deck if I do collapse. Every cloud and all that lol.