The grumpy thread

[PhilA]

4 hours ago, Spurious said:

I'm a complete lemon for putting it in my wallet however. It used to live in my sock drawer and never come out. 

Took a bit of getting used to here - legally you must have your license on you if you are driving.

So far I've not lost mine. Thankfully.

[Spurious]

15 hours ago, Spurious said:

Lost my wallet. Fuckit. 

I've no drivers license and I'm taking le tunnel in 2 weeks. Fuck sticks. 

What's the chances that the DVLA will listen to a sob story over the phone? Guessing "computer says no". 

 

Wee update. It seems the Dooovla are actually doing some work. Spoke to a chap in Swansea this morning who said it was printed this morning (as I didn't need any additional documents) and would be with me in the post Monday probably. Or Tuesday. 

However. Some kind soul found it in the carpark in Tesco's. Result. Now have a spare driving license, so no harm. Other than paying £20. 

Nice. Now I'm going to buy a Bluetooth tracker thingamajig for it. 

[Cavcraft]

Fella I know had his puncture fixed this week, nail through centre of his car tyre, straight forward repair. Cost?

 

Thirty eight fucking quid.

[New POD]

3 hours ago, PhilA said:

Took a bit of getting used to here - legally you must have your license on you if you are driving.

So far I've not lost mine. Thankfully.

Is that true? Surely you just have to produce your documents at the nearest Police Station within 14 days?  Or did it change since 2005? (Last time I was stopped by the police.) 

[mitsisigma01]

On 8/2/2022 at 12:41 AM, Wibble said:

Thanks, interesting but I’m still pissed off with myself as have had to by a new booster☹️

Why don't you just by a decent battery 🤔

[Wibble]

Just now, mitsisigma01 said:

Why don't you just by a decent battery 🤔

It wasn’t my car!

[mitsisigma01]

Awkward, doing somebody a favour and it ends up costing you 😕

[Wibble]

25 minutes ago, mitsisigma01 said:

Awkward, doing somebody a favour and it ends up costing you 😕

I know, just pissed me off more🙂 but only myself to blame. Should have taken my glasses off, can’t see shit close up with them on 🤦‍♂️Jumped it off a spare battery in the end.

[myglaren]

1 hour ago, Cavcraft said:

Fella I know had his puncture fixed this week, nail through centre of his car tyre, straight forward repair. Cost?

 

Thirty eight fucking quid.

Had the same thing with daughter's car last week.  Tenner.

[myglaren]

1 hour ago, New POD said:

Is that true? Surely you just have to produce your documents at the nearest Police Station within 14 days?  Or did it change since 2005? (Last time I was stopped by the police.) 

It is years since I was stopped, dropped my sons off at a country pub on NYE and the police were waiting at the exit.

Asked if I had been drinking and checked my address and that was it, never asked to see my licence.

[PhilA]

1 hour ago, New POD said:

Is that true? Surely you just have to produce your documents at the nearest Police Station within 14 days?  Or did it change since 2005? (Last time I was stopped by the police.) 

Nope, always been the case here (USA).

Get stopped, can't show you have passed your proficiency test (for whatever class of vehicle you're piloting) and you'll be ticketed.  

Hence all the movies and TV: "License and registration, please", upon being pulled over...

[Sunny Jim]

I thought I'd check - it's seven days.

"The police can stop a vehicle for any reason. If they ask you to stop, you should always pull over when it’s safe to do so. You’re breaking the law if you do not stop.

If you’re stopped, the police can ask to see your:

• driving licence
• insurance certificate
• MOT certificate

If you do not have these documents with you, you have 7 days to take them to a police station. You’re breaking the law if you do not show the requested documents within 7 days."  from ww.gov.uk

They can check your MOT status and insurance online at the roadside and I believe if you've got means of proving your ID your licence too.

[grogee]

Fuck Allen head bolts on brake caliper carriers. 

Fiat Panda 4x4, doing rear brake discs and pads and changing springs at same time. 

It should be a simple job, but those Italian rotters specified 8mm Allen head bolts, and despite my best efforts (wire wheel on bolt head, tapped socket into bolt with hammer) the fucker rounded out. 

Absolutely no chance getting anything else on there so had to take hub off then grind the bolt head off with the angry grinder.

Luckily I had some spare M10 fine bolts in stock for refitting, proper hex head this time. 

Probably added two hours to a job I've quoted four hours total (still got front brakes to do tomorrow). 

I'm in two minds about charging extra to the lady - I think other garages would charge extra, there was no way those bolts were coming out easy, they were proper fucked. 

[Wack]

Arse 

My wife asked me to clean the venetian blinds in our bedroom , as I was doing it I thought it's looking shabby , so I ripped all the wallpaper off, only this pulled the paint off underneath in lumps so I had to get it all off 

We chose wallpaper,  then realised it wouldn't go with any of the furniture so that got smashed up and down the tip 

Floor to ceiling wardrobes , which when removed revealed a damp patch on the ceiling , so I took the plasterboard down , and fuck me 

if your wife ever asks you to clean the blinds , just clean the blinds 

ive now got a builder coming in the morning to fix the roof so I can start the job that should've taken 20 minutes 

[artdjones]

42 minutes ago, grogee said:

Fuck Allen head bolts on brake caliper carriers. 

Fiat Panda 4x4, doing rear brake discs and pads and changing springs at same time. 

It should be a simple job, but those Italian rotters specified 8mm Allen head bolts, and despite my best efforts (wire wheel on bolt head, tapped socket into bolt with hammer) the fucker rounded out. 

Absolutely no chance getting anything else on there so had to take hub off then grind the bolt head off with the angry grinder.

Luckily I had some spare M10 fine bolts in stock for refitting, proper hex head this time. 

Probably added two hours to a job I've quoted four hours total (still got front brakes to do tomorrow). 

I'm in two minds about charging extra to the lady - I think other garages would charge extra, there was no way those bolts were coming out easy, they were proper fucked. 

I've had success with soft allen keys by using VW style triple square bits -they seem to be conveniently made slightly bigger than the allen key recesses so when hammered in they cut 12 neat splines in the bolt head. The hammering in process probably helps too 

[grogee]

21 hours ago, vulgalour said:

July/August is always tough going.

I don't want to have an in depth discussion about The War, football, how women are supposed to be second class citizens, Empire, flag shagging nationalism, what a good job the Tories are really doing, or whatever other right wing bollocks you seem to think I'm going to be interested in.  I might be elbow deep in the engine bay of an antique product of an extinct colonialist Empire, but I'm all about respecting pronouns and human rights so you can jog on if you think I'm going to stand for the national anthem. 

+1 the flag shaggers and Tories can rot in hell. We're heading for an enormous cost of living crisis and there's an extended episode of The Apprentice to see which numbnuts 'wins' No.10. But also, Big Dog's on holiday. 

Interested in your view of summer months, I have the opposite problem. I'm loving this dry weather and long evenings to do car stuff, and I hate the Autumn because it just makes me want to cry. I don't know if it's a hangover from 'back to school' or what but the thought of brown leaves and long shadows fills me with dread. 

That said, if summer is a problem for you to do work - why not holiday instead? £asy for me to say of course; I'm still getting over spending thousands for a week in Spain with the kids. 

[vulgalour]

It's because in my dark haunted inner core I'm still a 90s goth and summer means velvet and leather are off limits which sucks.  I tan in five seconds flat too, and I absolutely hate having a tan.  Why would I tan so easily when I hate being in the sun so much?  It doesn't make sense.  Autumn is my favourite season, mostly because I get to wear pretty much what I want, it's rarely too hot or too cold and although it does rain, it can't rain all the time.  Winter is a bit of a bummer, balanced out by being able to wear really big stupid coats.  Spring is lovely because everything is coming back to life and also hateful because you know Summer is coming.

I had considered fleeing north for Summer, I've got a couple of friends north of the border I keep wanting to visit, but I just don't have the funds for it.  I've not had a holiday for years in fact.  Might happen next year but while I loathe the summer the other half loves it so it might be a solo holiday and that's kinda weird.  Generally, I have a 1 week holiday once every 10 years or so, I'm about due again really there's just nowhere I really want to go.  Holidays are pretty stressful really, all I ever do is worry about all the stuff I should be doing and all the work that's piling up at home.

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, Sunny Jim said:

I thought I'd check - it's seven days.

"The police can stop a vehicle for any reason. If they ask you to stop, you should always pull over when it’s safe to do so. You’re breaking the law if you do not stop.

If you’re stopped, the police can ask to see your:

• driving licence
• insurance certificate
• MOT certificate

If you do not have these documents with you, you have 7 days to take them to a police station. You’re breaking the law if you do not show the requested documents within 7 days."  from ww.gov.uk

They can check your MOT status and insurance online at the roadside and I believe if you've got means of proving your ID your licence too.

It's different across the pond. It's why their cop shows are so much more exciting*

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, Wack said:

Arse 

My wife asked me to clean the venetian blinds in our bedroom , as I was doing it I thought it's looking shabby , so I ripped all the wallpaper off, only this pulled the paint off underneath in lumps so I had to get it all off 

We chose wallpaper,  then realised it wouldn't go with any of the furniture so that got smashed up and down the tip 

Floor to ceiling wardrobes , which when removed revealed a damp patch on the ceiling , so I took the plasterboard down , and fuck me 

if your wife ever asks you to clean the blinds , just clean the blinds 

ive now got a builder coming in the morning to fix the roof so I can start the job that should've taken 20 minutes 

"Right, said Fred..."

[New POD]

9 hours ago, Wack said:

Arse 

My wife asked me to clean the venetian blinds in our bedroom , as I was doing it I thought it's looking shabby , so I ripped all the wallpaper off, only this pulled the paint off underneath in lumps so I had to get it all off 

We chose wallpaper,  then realised it wouldn't go with any of the furniture so that got smashed up and down the tip 

Floor to ceiling wardrobes , which when removed revealed a damp patch on the ceiling , so I took the plasterboard down , and fuck me 

if your wife ever asks you to clean the blinds , just clean the blinds 

ive now got a builder coming in the morning to fix the roof so I can start the job that should've taken 20 minutes 

Also. Mission creep.

Wife noticed the radiator in our "spare bathroom" was rotten with rust. 

Rather than just swap, like for like, we want a towel rail.  Behind the radiator, the plaster is missing, and there's no paint on the wall. 

I had this last week off work due to factory shutdown. Had planned lots of days out.  No. I'm painting the bathroom, and the decking and the stairs and landing and all the wood work, and she doesn't like the light fittings, and redoing the plants in the window boxes....but....The stairs have weird wall paper, so I'm removing that and repairing plaster, and then....

She starts complaining on Wednesday that I have not planned any days out.......

Apparently the ceiling I painted in the bathroom isn't white enough. (It's jade white.  Ie very very light blue) 

 

[Wack]

14 hours ago, Wack said:

Arse 

My wife asked me to clean the venetian blinds in our bedroom , as I was doing it I thought it's looking shabby , so I ripped all the wallpaper off, only this pulled the paint off underneath in lumps so I had to get it all off 

We chose wallpaper,  then realised it wouldn't go with any of the furniture so that got smashed up and down the tip 

Floor to ceiling wardrobes , which when removed revealed a damp patch on the ceiling , so I took the plasterboard down , and fuck me 

if your wife ever asks you to clean the blinds , just clean the blinds 

ive now got a builder coming in the morning to fix the roof so I can start the job that should've taken 20 minutes 

Good news , it was just the flashing round the flue that was leaking 

[warch]

Not so much grumpy as shiiiittt!!! Needed to break out the old Landrover to use for a few jobs. Normally has no more than four or five gallons in the tank, but I decided to brim it. Cue horrible looking fuel leak when the pump clicked. 
 

Luckily it was leaking from the seal for the fuel gauge (mounted on top of the tank) which overflowed because the filler neck had fuel in. Tightening the screws seemed to cure it. 

[Remspoor]

On 8/5/2022 at 6:48 PM, Spurious said:

Now have a spare driving license, so no harm

https://www.gov.uk/apply-online-to-replace-a-driving-licence

You have to return it.
 

Quote

 

What to do if you find your old licence later

You must return your old licence to DVLA explaining what’s happened if you find it after applying for or receiving a replacement.

 

 

[Low Horatio gearbox]

Filling the Eloys DPF fluid tank on the GFs C30.  For the utter faff of refilling it (tucked up under the body twixt tank and suspension)and also due to the fact no warning /imdicaton was given the tank was in need of refilling and it killed the DPF at 38k.

[twosmoke300]

Weird . Usually a very reliable system . Normally needs refilling at 90-100k and officially a new dpf at the same time but 75% of the time you can just tell the ecu it’s had a new one and get away with it .

[somewhatfoolish]

WTF is this? Of all the memorable eateries there have been in Glasgow you've picked a cheesefest franchise outlet from Yorkshire that lasted a whole 16 years? Even the Blue Lagoon is of more note than this and is still trading. All we need now is a paean to Frankie&Bennies or some other anonymous faux-US not-actually-a-diner miseryfests.

[Lacquer Peel]

51 minutes ago, somewhatfoolish said:

WTF is this? Of all the memorable eateries there have been in Glasgow you've picked a cheesefest franchise outlet from Yorkshire that lasted a whole 16 years? Even the Blue Lagoon is of more note than this and is still trading. All we need now is a paean to Frankie&Bennies or some other anonymous faux-US not-actually-a-diner miseryfests.

It was quite a big deal in Inverness too. Drive through chippy, wow! It was never very good. 

Seems like churnalism

[GMcD]

2 hours ago, somewhatfoolish said:

WTF is this? Of all the memorable eateries there have been in Glasgow you've picked a cheesefest franchise outlet from Yorkshire that lasted a whole 16 years? Even the Blue Lagoon is of more note than this and is still trading. All we need now is a paean to Frankie&Bennies or some other anonymous faux-US not-actually-a-diner miseryfests.

I'm not sure what's wrong with it? It's harmless. 

Glasgow live is chock full of trip down memory lane articles like this.  It's nostalgia laden stuff that will  generate thousands of Facebook pushed clicks to the article by those who remember the place. Hardly cutting edge stuff but that's the sort of shite that sells nowadays. 

There will probably be an article on it somewhere about stealing pick n mix at Argyll Street Woolies before heading home on the bus. 

[chadders]

14 hours ago, somewhatfoolish said:

WTF is this? Of all the memorable eateries there have been in Glasgow you've picked a cheesefest franchise outlet from Yorkshire that lasted a whole 16 years? Even the Blue Lagoon is of more note than this and is still trading. All we need now is a paean to Frankie&Bennies or some other anonymous faux-US not-actually-a-diner miseryfests.

The original in Guisely was brilliant.

When it was sold and became a franchise its fate was sealed as often happens in these cases, the Brighton one being particularly disappointing in my experience.

[Richard_FM]

I remember a Chinese girlfriend of mine needed the concept of Frankie & Bennies explaining, getting confused over being a mix of Italian & American food! My local one is now a Tim Horton's.

I've only ever been to the original Harry Ramsden's, it seemed a hard sell as a franchise as there are still lots of independent fish & chip shops around with sit down areas.