The grumpy thread

[hairnet]

Only saw rain for two hours on monday - been v windy this last week tho

Wasnt raining when i left england only cold

Would be going to ireland on the bike on friday but the weather is only gonna be 2-3 deg thats minus at 60-70-80 mph 

Sod that - sleep and cake for a coupla days

 

[mercedade]

14 hours ago, fairkens said:

I'm struggling to find the words to describe just how unimpressed I would be if someone I was interviewing referred to a notebook throughout an interview. 

Basic interview technique to remind yourself of your career highlights and lowlights beforehand.

Baffling attitude - but horses for courses innit? I'm not going to take a job in a place that treats an interview as a deliberately hostile encounter.

And the times when I'm sat on the other side of the table, I'm hoping that every candidate I interview gives the best possible account of themselves. If they employ successful strategies to get there, gives me the information I need and gives a good account of themselves, what's the issue? 

If they sit there reading drone-like and not engaging with the panel, they've not used their preparation appropriately.

If they bluster in, give vague, unstructured answers and replace competence with confidence, I'll come to the same conclusion.

[juular]

15 hours ago, fairkens said:

I'm struggling to find the words to describe just how unimpressed I would be if someone I was interviewing referred to a notebook throughout an interview. 

Basic interview technique to remind yourself of your career highlights and lowlights beforehand.

I absolutely would hate to work for that company. It's not a confidence test.

[Minimad5]

17 hours ago, 3VOM said:

It is insured, SORNd and off the public road. DVLA have done this to be before. Today they also left a "Not Taxed" sticker on a neighbour's car, which is also off road and SORNd.

If they've already clamped it, then it's on the radar for getting shifted.

Seriously- get it stashed away (or resolved asap)

[LightBulbFun]

On 20/02/2024 at 00:45, LightBulbFun said:

fuck knows what will actually turn up this time!

I had to say something didn't I! 

 

this is what showed up, its like fucking play Goldilocks/whack-a-mole here

so the starters they sent this time *are* electronic, but they are *not* the high power sort, I specifically ordered high power, electronic starters, for some special VHO (Very High output) fluorescent tubes I have that operate in the 1.5A range, which will normally blow the arse out of any regular starter,

"4-125W" is not going to be any good for this *140W* 5ft tube I have for example

[Spiny Norman]

3 hours ago, juular said:

I absolutely would hate to work for that company. It's not a confidence test.

Given the way modern job interviews are constructed, with tick-box bullet points for the interviewer to check off a list, is it any wonder so many workplaces are filled with such wallopers nowadays?

[fairkens]

4 hours ago, mercedade said:

Baffling attitude - but horses for courses innit? I'm not going to take a job in a place that treats an interview as a deliberately hostile encounter.

And the times when I'm sat on the other side of the table, I'm hoping that every candidate I interview gives the best possible account of themselves. If they employ successful strategies to get there, gives me the information I need and gives a good account of themselves, what's the issue? 

If they sit there reading drone-like and not engaging with the panel, they've not used their preparation appropriately.

If they bluster in, give vague, unstructured answers and replace competence with confidence, I'll come to the same conclusion.

Horses for courses I suppose.

Imo proper interview technique (on both sides of the table) means they shouldn't be required.

It has never occurred to me that there would be a situation where someone would need to refer to notes. It would completely ruin the flow of the interview.

In my game it would instantly mark you out as a weak candidate as recall under pressure can be an important part of the job, maybe that's why i havent seen it.

 

 

[juular]

1 hour ago, fairkens said:

Horses for courses I suppose.

Imo proper interview technique (on both sides of the table) means they shouldn't be required.

It has never occurred to me that there would be a situation where someone would need to refer to notes. It would completely ruin the flow of the interview.

In my game it would instantly mark you out as a weak candidate as recall under pressure can be an important part of the job, maybe that's why i havent seen it.

 

 

I guess it depends on the industry. In mine, almost every destructive and costly poor decision has been made by the sort of person who can rattle off exactly the right answers at exactly the right times, and can tell anyone exactly what they want to hear. However when put in a situation where actual competency is required everything falls apart in a dramatic fashion.

Conversely the cleanup of said messes are usually done in the background by highly skilled and undervalued people who would probably cower if you spoke to them off guard.

[Supernaut]

6 minutes ago, juular said:

I guess it depends on the industry. In mine, almost every destructive and costly poor decision has been made by the sort of person who can rattle off exactly the right answers at exactly the right times, and can tell anyone exactly what they want to hear. However when put in a situation where actual competency is required everything falls apart in a dramatic fashion.

Conversely the cleanup of said messes are usually done in the background by highly skilled and undervalued people who would probably cower if you spoke to them off guard.

Hence my nervous breakdown last autumn and the fact I'm now 150 miles away hiding in the middle of nowhere.

[loserone]

Referring to notes, relatively seamlessly, would be a plus in my book.  Certainly using them as a trigger is fine - a positive in many cases.

Not sure how well asking to repeat the question would go down afterwards though, feels like stalling and would require a perfect answer to pull off 

[Zelandeth]

Milton Keynes council have changed their on street parking.  It used to be possible to buy time in increments of 15 minutes - now it's 2 hours minimum.  Which given that the city centre car parks are £2 an hour is a bit steep when 99% of the time I'm there I'm running into one specific shop to grab one specific thing and usually I'm there for less than 20 minutes.

Guess I'll just go to the retail parks that are a bit further away then!  Bugger paying £2 for 30 minutes parking.

[drum]

Some scamming bams in Glasgow have ripped off a friend of my daughter's. 

They phoned him up telling him the mileage etc of his car and how it needed a service. This would be £145 including collecting and dropping off. 

He's at uni on a visa and a bit naive, so thought this was normal practice in this country.

They wouldn't return his car until they paid this bill.

The invoice letter head is for a garage in Enfield London, who are no doubt oblivious to their name being used.

Dirty bastards

[horriblemercedes]

Wtf is lifetime fuel treatment? 

[Popsicle]

20 minutes ago, drum said:

Some scamming bams in Glasgow have ripped off a friend of my daughter's. 

They phoned him up telling him the mileage etc of his car and how it needed a service. This would be £145 including collecting and dropping off. 

He's at uni on a visa and a bit naive, so thought this was normal practice in this country.

They wouldn't return his car until they paid this bill.

The invoice letter head is for a garage in Enfield London, who are no doubt oblivious to their name being used.

Dirty bastards

Scamming bastards - did they pay for it with a credit or debit card? They may have some comeback with a section 75 claim.

[drum]

4 minutes ago, Popsicle said:

Scamming bastards - did they pay for it with a credit or debit card? They may have some comeback with a section 75 claim.

Not sure. I've told my daughter to tell him to get onto his bank and try and recover the money. Robbing scumbags need their collar felt.

[rattlecan]

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

Milton Keynes council have changed their on street parking.  It used to be possible to buy time in increments of 15 minutes - now it's 2 hours minimum.  Which given that the city centre car parks are £2 an hour is a bit steep when 99% of the time I'm there I'm running into one specific shop to grab one specific thing and usually I'm there for less than 20 minutes.

Guess I'll just go to the retail parks that are a bit further away then!  Bugger paying £2 for 30 minutes parking.

Which precisely what others are doing & the complete fuckin tossers that run the councils can’t seem to figure that out & are then dismayed by the state of our high streets 

[Spiny Norman]

5 hours ago, fairkens said:

It has never occurred to me that there would be a situation where someone would need to refer to notes. It would completely ruin the flow of the interview.

Interviewers refer to notes during the event, why shouldn't the interviewee?



 

[Remspoor]

12 hours ago, hairnet said:

Have to go home tomorrow 

What a shame I was enjoying the Judith Chalmers' reports.

[EyesWeldedShut]

2 hours ago, horriblemercedes said:

Wtf is lifetime fuel treatment? 

Maybe one of these things that (30 years ago) were being punted as the 'cure' to running your old car on unleaded.
Surprised to see they are still available?
https://www.spitfirefuelcatalyst.co.uk/products/fuel-catalyst#:~:text=Contact-,Fuel Catalyst,-This will allow

[Zelandeth]

We have started having 5-10 seconds power cuts as of about 45 minutes ago.  Think we're up to six now.

About half the time it takes out the RCD when the power comes back on.  Which requires me to trapse out to the garage and stand on things to reach the fuse box that's basically on the ceiling to reset the cursed thing.

I am officially fed up with this dance now.

[maxxo]

this was incredibly sad to see

went down to Middlesbrough to go to toby carvery with my grandparents

came upon this, literally moments after it happened

lovely E reg 3 series E114 KUP if i recall, seen it a fair few times before

literally they were getting out of the cars as i approached

i'd sadly say it's dead

[richardmorris]

3 hours ago, drum said:

Some scamming bams in Glasgow have ripped off a friend of my daughter's. 

They phoned him up telling him the mileage etc of his car and how it needed a service. This would be £145 including collecting and dropping off. 

He's at uni on a visa and a bit naive, so thought this was normal practice in this country.

They wouldn't return his car until they paid this bill.

The invoice letter head is for a garage in Enfield London, who are no doubt oblivious to their name being used.

Dirty bastards

The £100 labour doesn’t seem unreasonable so are they going to try and claim that the other consumable prices are fair? What the hell is a fluid top up charge when they have charged a fortune for anti freeze and brake fluid? Charges for changing oil filter but no actual charge for the filter? I’d be contacting the garage in Enfield who may be able to take some action?

[Rust Collector]

Briefly looping back to interviews; if you had an interview via Microsoft Teams at home then would you use the blurred background or would you leave your house on show?

My house isn't a shit tip, but my computer is in the living room so despite being tidy and clutter free it kind of feels weird that they'll see that.

I've only had interviews in person at dull grey meeting rooms before.

[RoverFolkUs]

On 19/02/2024 at 20:14, Zelandeth said:

Ordered a couple of parts for one of the cars middle of the day on Wednesday.  Made a point of finding a UK based supplier who had the parts in stock "as that will be quicker than ordering from Germany."

Yeah, have they been dispatched yet?  Nope! 

Would they be here from Germany by now?  Most likely.  Almost definitely by tomorrow morning.

Yes it's a minor grump in the grand scheme of things, but it's still annoyed me.

I had a similar grump, well I suppose it's not really a grump but here goes 

Needed a VVT solenoid for a Nissan Note for a customer. Unfortunately they are £550 from the dealer and nobody makes/stocks them aftermarket

"Genuine" units available on eBay, there were 2 main options. One offering 2 day delivery for £230, and the other offering 2-4 day delivery for £185. The customer just wanted the car back asap after we got fucked about by a supplier who gave us an incorrect aftermarket part. 

Ordered the £230 one which arrived the next day around 11am. I ordered it the day before at around 3pm, so that is excellent for eBay standards. It was sent by special delivery. We were very happy with it arriving so quickly, so no complaints there. Money well spent, it was worth the extra. 

But what was in the box? An invoice from the £185 seller, with standard delivery selected. 

I'm assuming it must be the same seller, or 2 sellers affiliated with each other who just gouges the price by £45 for the privilege of next day delivery. 

If the £230 seller had simply ordered the £185 one and paid them extra for next day delivery then fair play to them, but the invoice that was in the box stated otherwise!

It's clever of them, but a bit scummy in my opinion if they are affiliated with each other and are simply gouging the price for anyone who's desperate for the part and can't run the chance of having to indeed wait a couple of extra days as indicated on the advert. 

I can't think of any other explanation for the cheaper seller sending it by next day delivery out of nowhere

And yes, £185, £230 and £550 are all fucking insane prices for a VVT solenoid!! That's typical Nissan parts pricing for you. 

Ford/BMW/Mini/Peugeot/Hyundai etc are usually anywhere between £50-100 for the same part!

[Jazoli]

21 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

Briefly looping back to interviews; if you had an interview via Microsoft Teams at home then would you use the blurred background or would you leave your house on show?

My house isn't a shit tip, but my computer is in the living room so despite being tidy and clutter free it kind of feels weird that they'll see that.

I've only had interviews in person at dull grey meeting rooms before.

Blurred background is absolutely fine, I'd rather that than a living room. 

[drum]

31 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

The £100 labour doesn’t seem unreasonable so are they going to try and claim that the other consumable prices are fair? What the hell is a fluid top up charge when they have charged a fortune for anti freeze and brake fluid? Charges for changing oil filter but no actual charge for the filter? I’d be contacting the garage in Enfield who may be able to take some action?

I don't think they'll have lifted the bonnet. 

[adw1977]

9 minutes ago, drum said:

I don't think they'll have lifted the bonnet. 

Well that's a clear cut case for a charge back if paid by card, service paid for not provided.

But if they did what they said they did, albeit with insane prices for the consumables, harder to get the transaction reversed.

[Rocket88]

2 hours ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Maybe one of these things that (30 years ago) were being punted as the 'cure' to running your old car on unleaded.
Surprised to see they are still available?
https://www.spitfirefuelcatalyst.co.uk/products/fuel-catalyst#:~:text=Contact-,Fuel Catalyst,-This will allow

Mike bloody Brewer still advertising them in one of the classic car rags

[sheffcortinacentre]

Anyone who believes anything he says deserves what they get.

[sheffcortinacentre]

2 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

We have started having 5-10 seconds power cuts as of about 45 minutes ago.  Think we're up to six now.

About half the time it takes out the RCD when the power comes back on.  Which requires me to trapse out to the garage and stand on things to reach the fuse box that's basically on the ceiling to reset the cursed thing.

I am officially fed up with this dance now.

The last time I had this it was a seized fridge compressor trying to cycle.