The grumpy thread

[Bobthebeard]

Haha, you haven't seen the madness some of the old Airfix 1/32 cars have gone for... I've seen a Vauxhall Victor FD kit go for £600. £600 for a box of plastic bits, pretty sure you can get a half decent real FD for that.

Suspect that it is only worth* £600 whilst still a kit though. If anyone actually assembled it the value* would be more like £6.

It would be a right old bugger to weld too.

[sporty-shite]

Fucking cuntshovelling DVLA wankers. 

 

Went to tax the 147 this afternoon. I didn't get a V5 with it, so was just going to put a V62 in with the tax form, stand the £25, and away Mrs S goes. Get to post office, get form, fill in, and away we go. Lovely woman behind counter, having a chat and generally all good. Then she says "computer won't let me do this. Let me try it again". Then says, "no, it won;t do it. You'll have to phone DVLA, cos it won't tell me why. I'd do it here, but there's a massive queue".

 

So. off I go home, thinking I've been had, it's nicked or a Cat C needing VIC check. Phone DVLA, and they tell me I have to get a V62. Done that, says I. NO, she says, you need to have logbook in your name before you can tax it. Takes about 6 weeks, can't use it.

 

So, I'm stuck now. Mrs S needs a car for work, so she's now in the Puma, 306 has gone south to DA_OUTLAW, and I'm on the FUCKING BUS.

 

So, anyway, anyone got something local, T&T'd and cheap that I can smoke around in for a few weeks?

 

And breathe...............

[skattrd]

Sporty - off the top of my head ... apologies to those I've missed

 

Junkman is trying to shift a shiny Pug estate in 2 pedal format.

Dave_Station is still flogging the Volvo of CVT goodness (which i want but lack of job means no)

Cavcraft seems to have been quiet since the A4 went, but will likely have a PSA diesel for sale.

Scooters has a Volvo T5 in Blackpool if you're feeling the need for speed

[Cavcraft]

Did you not have the new keeper's bit to tax it with, Chris? 

 

 

*Edit: I've actually got nothing for sale! I was going to offload the Corsa B 1.0 but it's in daily use whilst my 306 is in for MOT, you probably wouldn't like it anyhow and I think I will keep it as a spare car now because it's so good on fuel, plus I can actually fit bikes in it!

If you're like mega desperate I* might be able to lend you my daughter's Cinquecento (taxed and tested) but no heater and creaking driveshaft 'thing' don't make an especially enjoyable drive.

 

*My daughter.

[sporty-shite]

Sporty - off the top of my head ... apologies to those I've missed

 

Junkman is trying to shift a shiny Pug estate in 2 pedal format.

Dave_Station is still flogging the Volvo of CVT goodness (which i want but lack of job means no)

Cavcraft seems to have been quiet since the A4 went, but will likely have a PSA diesel for sale.

Scooters has a Volvo T5 in Blackpool if you're feeling the need for speed

 

These have hit my radar too. Not a big fan of autos, but needs must. That T5 is doing something for me, but the lack of tax, and more importantly the fact that I'll probably get banned in it, is making me think I shouldn't!

[sporty-shite]

Did you not have the new keeper's bit to tax it with, Chris? 

 

 

No, Billy. Would have been sorted no probs if I had.

 

Mrs S is also now thinking the car may be jinxed, OMG_BAD_LUCK and all that shit!

[MrDuke]

I haz Xantia TD if you fancy a trip to the provinces.

[Ghosty]

Railway grump.

 

The wonderful* land of Stalybridge is lucky enough to have four trains an hour to Manchester. But the hourly daytime and Saturday timetable is:

• xx:01 Manchester Victoria (nearly always 2-4min late, stopper from Huddersfield that won't have many free seats) - Northern.
• xx:22 Liverpool via Man Vic (starting) - Northern
• xx:46 Liverpool via Man Piccadilly (slow as fuck and always full of suitcases and stuff) - TransPennine Express
• xx:51 Southport via Man Pic (starting) - Northern.

Three trains in a fifteen minute window and one with a 20 minute wait either side of it...

 

We're getting a new timetable in May!

It goes like this in the daytime:

• xx:08 Man Vic (starting, only 2 stops, will be quiet) - Northern
• xx:15 Man Pic (from Hull, will likely be fairly full) - TransPennine Express
• xx:46 Wigan Wallgate via Man Vic (handy for Bolton but will be full - stopper from Hud) - Northern
• xx:50 Liverpool via Man Pic (journey time shortened but will be full) - TransPennine Express.

What the fuck? I don't even have words for how bad that is - the timetable the other way has got better, an extra service passing through instead of terminating and better spread out. But the timetable towards Manchester is the most useless I've ever seen. The two TransPennine Express services don't really have a justified reason to stop at all,I assume it's down to the fact that it's a TransPennine station for some reason and they can't not provide their own service, or something.

 

Either way, the timetable planner needs sacking.

[CortinaDave]

My original moan was supposed to be about receiving an insurance renewal that I simply hadn't expected so soon thus potentially ruining my plans to pay up a few other things. Then suddenly pretty much everyone starts making suggestions that I get rid of my shite/not moan about insurance/not moan at all etc...

 

 

Having too many shite cars is a recipe for disaster. I was up to 8 hopeless heaps at one point because I hate to see something save able that I like crushed, but the realities of near constant MOT/tax/insurance renewals and neighbours accusing you if running a scrapyard make it an impossible plate spinning exercise.

 

I had two heaps in my drive, two road legal heaps on the street outside, two in my mums, one at my girlfriends and one in a rented lockup.

 

As a result I had no money to eat due to the constant £ demands from my autoshite, and because my fiscal resources were spread so thinly I actually rarely had even one of them working properly and so despite owning 8 cars often had to get the bus to work.

 

In the end I went on a weigh a thon and now I have one daily, and one to "tinker" with and the whole thing is so much easier

[trigger]

 

I'm a little bit at a loss here, I've just logged into my Flickr and found this message at the top. 

 

At the moment with part of my BT internet package I get unlimited Flickr, it's one of the reasons I stayed with BT, Now it looks as if I'm either going to lose my account and all 31216 images or I'll have to register a new Yahoo ID and move them across, I suspect there will be a limit so only half the stuff will move over and I won't be able to use my account anymore.

 

Bumhats.

[bub2006]

I have a grump that maybe on of you folks may help with. When the copper rang me about my bike he asked why was it on the road as it was declared as sorn on their database. I told them a valid disc is on display,also mot is current and is insured. Thought no more till fitting the screen today. Checked it on gov website and it coming up date of liability end of November. Tax disc is legit and stamped etc. Hope this isn't the cock ups we going to see when we don't have to display discs

[trigger]

No need to panic! Sorted now, Flickr are doing away with "btinternet" email address, I've sent up a new one and merged across and it's no different, I'm still only using 8.98 terabyte of data too.

[PhilA]

Crap. I left my coat in my truck, it pissed it down with rain then froze. Now I can't open the doors.

 

Currently got it running on remote start in the hope that it'll warm the interior enough to melt the door seals open.

 

 

We're under curfew also for winter storm- the roads have all turned into an ice rink in the past hour. My garden went crunch crunch underfoot walking to the truck.

 

--Phil

[vulgalour]

Front seat passengers:  please keep your right knee to yourself.  I thought this was a small car issue but it also happens in the Princess.  Whoever sits in the front of my car with me driving needs their right knee to be about where first gear is selected resulting in me punching them in the knee.  It's very annoying, stop it.  Hopefully it won't be an issue with the 6.

[Ghosty]

I don't see anyone needing their knee to be up there...

[dugong]

Chris, DUGONG DELIVERY SERVICE IS AVAILABLE for any purchase you may need to make. 

[sporty-shite]

Chris, DUGONG DELIVERY SERVICE IS AVAILABLE for any purchase you may need to make.

LIKE!

[trigger]

Got to work this morning and was chatting to one of my mates in the messroom when one of the other lads started fitting, it was horrible, most people thought he was messing about to start with until it clicked what was happening.

 

The port has it own ambulance service who was on the scene within 5 minutes and started cutting his clothes away and pumping full of drugs, it was really horrible to watch.

 

Apparently he just turned to someone and said he didn't feel well and started fitting, he's late 40's, likes a beer most evenings and smokes... I don't think that helps, especially with shift work.

[beko1987]

Your poor mate. Does he have any history? My mum normally goes vague a few seconds before she goes into a seizure. If we spot it quick enough we can sit her down, but if not then crash down she goes.

 

The drugs would be anti-colvulsion stuff. Bit pointless really but elf and safety etc. If it happens again, move objects away from where he falls so he doesn't thrash out and smack something, few cushions under his head and talk to him. He'll be able to hear you in his siezure. It'll probably pass after a few minutes, when you can talk him round (he'll be disorientated as fuck) and re-assure him that he's ok, and tell him where he is. Then drive him home to sleep cos he will feel like shit.

 

Of course your ambulance guys will probably just go into full on attack mode (well, they have to put their training into practise...) but if you get to him first then it'll be a much calmer situation.

 

Hope it's just a one off though rather than full blown epilepsy

[trigger]

What you said is pretty much what happened, he was by the computer looking where his crane was and then just fell into the bin, as I said everyone thought he was fucking about for the first few seconds before a couple of the lads next to him grabbed him and got him on the floor in the recovery position with there jackets under his head.

 

He started to come round whilst one of the lads was talking to him, he has a disabled daughter who has fits so knew what to do luckily, he had a 2nd fit whilst the paramedics were there.

 

He's never had fits that we know of before as you can't drive the cranes if you suffer from them, he was lucky he wasn't up the crane when it happened or driving into work still. Scary stuff.

[MrDuke]

Front seat passengers:  please keep your right knee to yourself.  I thought this was a small car issue but it also happens in the Princess.  Whoever sits in the front of my car with me driving needs their right knee to be about where first gear is selected resulting in me punching them in the knee.  It's very annoying, stop it.  Hopefully it won't be an issue with the 6.

 

If they persist, every time you put it into first just slide your hand across and squeeze/stroke their knee, preferably while winking lasciviously.

 

Obviously, this approach is pointless if the culprit is your actual partner, but it works very well with most other people.

[Angrydicky]

Car transport related grump. The chap I got off Shiply to move the Maestro was supposed to be coming today between 9 and 10. So at 8:45 I went down to the lockup, got all the spares together, freed off the stuck brakes, and waited. And waited...

At 10:30 I headed back to my digs to get the chap's number as I had a meeting with FIT SLOVAK GIRLZ at 11:20. Opened up the laptop and there's an email from this fellow, sent at 9am, saying he's really sorry but he can't do the job as his truck has been stolen overnight. He said he's hoping to get a replacement over the weekend but won't be able to do the job before next week now. I replied and said if he could let me know ASAP if he could do next Wednesday that would be appreciated. Just seems a little convenient, I've given him the benefit of the doubt for now but it is hugely irritating. 

[Bucketeer]

I had a meeting with FIT SLOVAK GIRLZ at 11:20.

 

Collection thread PLZ.

[vulgalour]

That's all well and good, MrDuke, but one of the main culprits is my Mother and just... no.

[Angrydicky]

Doesn't the 6 have a dash mounted gearchange that will avoid this problem?

[The Moog]

Got our electric bill for first two months in our new house. 750quid! ouch. We are on an economy 10 meter which doesn't help but even so over £10 a day in electric is crazy. Only two of us, most radiators are turned off and rooms shut up. Plus the house has got solar panels which supposedly saves us £300 quid a year.

 

I think we might be moving.

[Danblez]

Got our electric bill for first two months in our new house. 750quid! ouch. We are on an economy 10 meter which doesn't help but even so over £10 a day in electric is crazy. Only two of us, most radiators are turned off and rooms shut up. Plus the house has got solar panels which supposedly saves us £300 quid a year.

 

I think we might be moving.

 

 

Did you read the meter when you moved in? Sounds like you are paying for someone else's!

[beko1987]

Our last quarter bill was £350. We still owe it, and need to ring up and say we've moved out, but can't afford to pay it until the end of the month, so need to hope they will either close the account and give us some sort of payment plan, or close the account and I'll offer a tenner a month or something, then still clear it all.

 

Either way, the flats empty and the breaker and gas are turned off, but I dont want a weed farm to set up before I've got my name off the bill

 

(unless a hefty bribe in the form of some weed comes my way...)

[The Moog]

Did you read the meter when you moved in? Sounds like you are paying for someone else's!

Yep. Figures are right.

 

It is an old farm house so fair enough not going to be the cheapest. But we only use a few rooms, only two of us. Whilst we arent saints mostly things are turned off, heating is only used when has to, radiators in rooms that we dont used are turned off, doors shut etc.

 

not sure what the next steps are. I calculated that even if we are on a better tariff we will only be £100 a month better off which is still too much. 

[Bobthebeard]

Yep. Figures are right.

 

It is an old farm house so fair enough not going to be the cheapest. But we only use a few rooms, only two of us. Whilst we arent saints mostly things are turned off, heating is only used when has to, radiators in rooms that we dont used are turned off, doors shut etc.

 

not sure what the next steps are. I calculated that even if we are on a better tariff we will only be £100 a month better off which is still too much.

 

Electricity meters don't usually lie. Though it is possibly faulty. Unlikely though... Do you also have gas, or is electricity the only option? Surprising how the usage racks up TBH if only using one fuel.