The grumpy thread

[Zelandeth]

Sitrep: Trabant is meant to be going to Rustival at the weekend.

 

Trabant: Wheel bearing has progressed from occasional slight rubbing noise to making a horrible gronking noise with each wheel rotation.  Was meant to be going for a test on Thursday, but I think that will be getting cancelled now.  I really don't think I'm going to have time to get that bearing done tomorrow (and change a steering rack gaiter), especially as someone has booked an appointment that's going to take up a huge chunk of my afternoon.  Test isn't actually out until the 14th, so the weekend is the real deadline. 

Rover: Wasted well over three hours today pissing around with it before establishing that the £70 fuel pump from J R Wadhams was faulty out of the box, and that my fuel return system actually works bloody fine.  Oh, and that the seals in the second Hardi pump I've since been given need to be replaced as more fuel peed out of that through the seals than was coming out of the previous pump when it was running.  Really wish I'd not touched that car now and had just cracked on with the Trabant work.  Utterly sick of new parts being dead right out of the box too.  Especially when they kinda sorta work but misbehave in really hard to understand ways.

Peugeot: Has a wheel bearing on the way out somewhere, not entirely sure which one yet - but has been regularly needed by others over the last week so haven't really had a chance to look at it.  Rear axle really is getting bad too.

Renault: Hasn't been touched for months, noticed when walking past that one of the fuel lines under the car has decomposed to the point that it's detached itself from the fuel filter - that will be the one remaining one I didn't change last time I was under there because I didn't have enough on hand.

Invacar: Well and truly buried in the garage, and hasn't been started since the end of September I think.  Can't actually remember if I reconnected the wiring to the fuel pump after I borrowed it to get the Rover home when its original fuel pump failed (for the second time) a while back...Kinda hope not as it looks like I'll be nicking that again for the Rover again shortly!

 

Just had one of those days where I really question why I have this hobby.

[DavieW]

That's the second time in a row I've gone down for breakfast at this Premier Inn to be told by the server "It's continental breakfast only. Is that OK?" Then mumbled something about the chef being ill. If I want to eat something then it'll have to be OK.  

There was a "reduced menu" last night which rang alarm bells thay I wouldn't get a fry up today. 

The last time, I think the chef was pissed off after a row with the manager at dinner the night before and didn't come in for his shift in the morning. Maybe still looking for a cook. 

[artdjones]

Just now, DavieW said:

It's continental breakfast only. Is that OK?

What would they do if you said no?

[DavieW]

3 minutes ago, artdjones said:

What would they do if you said no?

I know. Weird thing to say but it's probably her being polite. It's not her fault, she just has to face annoyed customers.  Couldn't really be a dick and go off on one. 

They were offering refunds on the Meal Deal but no use to me as my company was paying. 

[UltraWomble]

Posted this on FB in 2020.

Got a ban today because it promotes child sexploitation apparently. 

Pointless trying to appeal as Facebook is just bots combing your posts and searching based on an algorithm. 

 

EDIT - Did appeal - got my account booted off completely.

In fairness I think the "final warning" for Ladies Remember its Fanuary picture probbaly swung it.

 

[RoverFolkUs]

Popped into a charity shop this afternoon and witnessed a delightful* lady hurling abuse at one of the poor volunteers

She'd picked up some pathetic item of bric-a-brac from a 4 for £1 bin, it scanned through the till at 50p so presumably it's 50p each or 4 for £1.. makes sense to me

She's not happy that's it's scanned through at 50p

"But it says 4 for £1 on the bin" 

Volunteer - "yes, but you've selected one item so it's 50p" 

"But 4 for £1 is 25p each, so if I'm having one then it should be 25p" 

Volunteer - "it's 50p and that's what it's scanned through at, I can't do anything about it I'm afraid"

"Well this is ridiculous, what difference does it make to you?" 

She storms off to the 4 for £1 bin, selects 3 more items at random and takes them to the till again. 

She quietly, smugly pays her £1 for the 4 items. 

She snatched them away from the counter, storms out, and chucks the 3 items back in the bin.. 

Eh, what the actual fuck? 😂

Firstly who goes into a charity shop and quibbles over 25p, and what sort of batshit crazy logic is that? 😂

[Paul-l]

It seems that my little Volvo has just dumped its brake fluid into the footwell, just in time for the Rustival thing.

let’s see how well the post works. . . . . . 

[eddyramrod]

502 Bad Gateway.

 

Happening way too much.

[myglaren]

3 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

502 Bad Gateway.

 

Happening way too much.

Haven't had that but the "Cars, lads..." page 390 and 391 are the same?

[DavieW]

My broth in law is doing the London marathon later this year and raising money for his company's chosen charity.

I went onto the donation page (not Just Giving), filled out the form and made my donation, all good. The next page has a box "do you want to make a donation?" and gives a selection of amounts.  I've just given so why the f*ck would I want to make a donation on top of the donation I've just done? 

I've noticed similar in charity shops - go to the till, pay for your purchase, then the volunteer asks "do you want to make a donation?" Er, I just gave you £xx - if that's not a donation, I don't know what is.

Money grabbing barstewards.

[mercedade]

Yeah, they're not exactly hiding it, but also choosing the wording as carefully as they can to mean you can miss the second stage is the option of donating to the hosting site, rather than the charity. Like 'chipping in' on that fucking petition site.

[Markeh]

Worked my arse off all year for a promotion and got the same rejection reason as last year.

Done well to maintain my cool while being told but I'm utterly fuming this afternoon now. They can shove their job up their arse as far as I'm concerned.

[Tickman]

Time for a bit of coasting and job hunting then.

[Markeh]

33 minutes ago, Tickman said:

Time for a bit of coasting and job hunting then.

Oh absolutely, work laptop went off for the weekend as soon as I was off the call (manager even offered me a reference, decision was out of his hands), straight on LinkedIn and other sites looking, removed Teams and Outlook from my phone and when I'm back at work on Tuesday they'll be finding out precisely how many things they've now got to take responsibility for because I won't be doing it any more. I'd have said it today but don't want it to come across as a kneejerk reaction.

[Matty]

On 29/02/2024 at 05:56, worldofceri said:

I'm calling it a day.  Not making ends meet any more, unfortunately.  I did send a message out to all my clients, including many on here that have used me regularly and/or recently - apologies if I missed anyone.  I'll still be on the forum (mostly lurking) and haven't discounted making a comeback at some point, but I just don't know yet - all the balls are very much up in the air at present.

Just seen this. Crying shame pal. You were superb with me, as I'm sure you were with your other work. Shame another reliable professional has to call it a day. Best of luck with the next step.

[DavieW]

They're "wheels", not f*cking "rims" 🤬

[Remspoor]

Spain: The fruit trees are in blossom, the grass needs another cut, leaves are coming out. But it snows

[hairnet]

so faithful gloves died (after 10 years) and wanted a pair of proper leather not fake or lorica

sportsbike shop have stock but their closest shop to me is leeds

no way

i have to try them on cos on the page even before you get to review it says customer say smaller than expected per size

so i want to try them

theres one in reading on the way down to brighton tomorrow but found out reading are at home

and the shop is up the street from the ground - completely fuck that

but theres one in bletchley which ive been to before (hi @Six-cylinder) 

but from here its 25 miles the wrong way home on sunday

ffs

theres a j and s not quite in oxford or the one in northwich (thats closer to chester than my house) but they have no stock

ffs x2

*drinks tea

[auntiemaryscanary]

58 minutes ago, hairnet said:

so faithful gloves died (after 10 years) and wanted a pair of proper leather not fake or lorica

sportsbike shop have stock but their closest shop to me is leeds

no way

i have to try them on cos on the page even before you get to review it says customer say smaller than expected per size

so i want to try them

theres one in reading on the way down to brighton tomorrow but found out reading are at home

and the shop is up the street from the ground - completely fuck that

but theres one in bletchley which ive been to before (hi @Six-cylinder) 

but from here its 25 miles the wrong way home on sunday

ffs

theres a j and s not quite in oxford or the one in northwich (thats closer to chester than my house) but they have no stock

ffs x2

*drinks tea

Sportsbikeshop does free returns if your order is over £25. Order 3 sizes and return the other 2. I ordered 2 pairs of bike gloves and returned the pair I didn't need. It's all online and seems to be automatic. Of course you have to pay for the full order upfront.

[sheffcortinacentre]

6 hours ago, DavieW said:

They're "wheels", not f*cking "rims" 🤬

There not hoops either.

[Pieman]

6 hours ago, DavieW said:

They're "wheels", not f*cking "rims" 🤬

On similar lines - when you take something such as an exhaust pipe off a car, you "remove" it, not "delete" it.

And something going vaguely sideways is not "drifting".  (A guy on my Facebook says stuff like this all the time and shares unintelligible chavspeak "quotes", he likes to think he's some hard-man "gangsta" but is really a silly little chav-boy who lives with his mum and if ever he tried to act hard in front of anyone would just be laughed at and melt quicker than an ice cream in July.)

[Metal Guru]

1 hour ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

There not hoops either.

Rim ( or bare rim) distinguishes between a wheel without a tyre and a wheel with a tyre. Just avoids confusion especially on eBay .

[myglaren]

Wheel.

Wheel & tyre.

Tyre.

I blame the Americans.

[Saabnut]

On its own - Wheel rim

Similarly Tyre

Together - Wheel

That is how I understand it

[lesapandre]

On 06/03/2024 at 19:51, RoverFolkUs said:

Popped into a charity shop this afternoon and witnessed a delightful* lady hurling abuse at one of the poor volunteers

She'd picked up some pathetic item of bric-a-brac from a 4 for £1 bin, it scanned through the till at 50p so presumably it's 50p each or 4 for £1.. makes sense to me

She's not happy that's it's scanned through at 50p

"But it says 4 for £1 on the bin" 

Volunteer - "yes, but you've selected one item so it's 50p" 

"But 4 for £1 is 25p each, so if I'm having one then it should be 25p" 

Volunteer - "it's 50p and that's what it's scanned through at, I can't do anything about it I'm afraid"

"Well this is ridiculous, what difference does it make to you?" 

She storms off to the 4 for £1 bin, selects 3 more items at random and takes them to the till again. 

She quietly, smugly pays her £1 for the 4 items. 

She snatched them away from the counter, storms out, and chucks the 3 items back in the bin.. 

Eh, what the actual fuck? 😂

Firstly who goes into a charity shop and quibbles over 25p, and what sort of batshit crazy logic is that? 😂

Sadly quite a lot of people. They think 'charity' applies to the buyers instead of it applying to the cause in which they are sold.

[lesapandre]

On 07/03/2024 at 18:26, DavieW said:

My broth in law is doing the London marathon later this year and raising money for his company's chosen charity.

I went onto the donation page (not Just Giving), filled out the form and made my donation, all good. The next page has a box "do you want to make a donation?" and gives a selection of amounts.  I've just given so why the f*ck would I want to make a donation on top of the donation I've just done? 

I've noticed similar in charity shops - go to the till, pay for your purchase, then the volunteer asks "do you want to make a donation?" Er, I just gave you £xx - if that's not a donation, I don't know what is.

Money grabbing barstewards.

This is now more common. It's the US 'tipping culture' making it's first tentative steps into UK life.

Tesco do it on their self service tills and it's turning up in other locations too.

Look up US tipping culture on 'tweb.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/16/tipping-culture-in-the-us-is-out-of-control-were-even-asked-to-tip-self-checkouts

May be understandable for charity shops but not elsewhere...

WH Smith - "so you want chocolate..."

Superdrug  - "do you want this product..."

Any coffeeshop - "can I get you anything else..."

Etc etc. 

It's another version of the hidden add on - like 'booking fees' etc.

Give it 5 years and it will be everywhere like the US. I've already seen the prompt on tap- in payments in coffee shops. 

[artdjones]

It was refreshing to be in Portugal recently, where no-one seems to expect a tip, although we did tip 10% as service was always really good. Before we left my wife looked up suitable tipping for cleaning staff at hotels and it's considered nice to leave €1 per day you stayed, which we improved on a bit. But it wasn't taken for granted, and we were thanked, not in a servile way, just a thank you from one person to another.

I could live in Portugal.

[sheffcortinacentre]

21 hours ago, Pieman said:

On similar lines - when you take something such as an exhaust pipe off a car, you "remove" it, not "delete" it.

And something going vaguely sideways is not "drifting".  (A guy on my Facebook says stuff like this all the time and shares unintelligible chavspeak "quotes", he likes to think he's some hard-man "gangsta" but is really a silly little chav-boy who lives with his mum and if ever he tried to act hard in front of anyone would just be laughed at and melt quicker than an ice cream in July.)

Used to know someone who never had a puncture was always a blowout, in roughly 40 years of driving I've had one blowout.

[Zelandeth]

Fscking weather.

Me: Wants to put the Trabant back together.

Weather: Hah!  *Rains all day.*

Guess that'll be waiting till tomorrow if I can find time then.

[Morris 63]

The shonky Shogun of shame needs both front drop links replacing before the MOT in a couple of weeks. They'll need the angle grinder as they're properly rusted on.

Instead of doing that in the drizzle I'm potting up 130 plants my OH ordered as she's in the US. Fair enough, her dad's very ill so it's a last minute rush over there, but dear God I hate gardening. Knowing my luck I'll stick them in upside-down!