The grumpy thread

[Tamworthbay]

Or this?

[vulgalour]

Wow, just had the most aggressive cold call ever.  First chap was nice enough, asking to speak to a business and politely informed we're not a business, this seems to happen a lot, our number is similar to a local business somewhere.  He went into a spiel about how he can halve my line rental and I again politely decline, he says something incomprehensible because the line goes all funny and I have this new, aggressive person unable to understand I don't want to sign up to a new contract for a phone line based on the strength of a cold call presumably from India (going by accents, could easily have been Bradford or Sheffield, really).  He got so aggressive about my refusal to do something stupid I hung up.

 

I was more surprised than anything at how hard the sell was that I didn't think to hang up sooner.  Sort of like telephone rubbernecking, I just couldn't believe someone would be so balls out mental when representing a company trying to get customers.  It was bizarre.

[oldcars]

In a fit of misguided enthusiasm, I recently attacked the Blingo (not a straight panel on it; many small dents/scratches and one big'un) with a hairysole of Halfrauds' finest* Mediterranean Blue.  Actually looks a lot better, as long as you don't get closer than 6ft...

For my effort to look good you would need be be in a different postcode.

[panhard65]

Wow, just had the most aggressive cold call ever.  First chap was nice enough, asking to speak to a business and politely informed we're not a business, this seems to happen a lot, our number is similar to a local business somewhere.  He went into a spiel about how he can halve my line rental and I again politely decline, he says something incomprehensible because the line goes all funny and I have this new, aggressive person unable to understand I don't want to sign up to a new contract for a phone line based on the strength of a cold call presumably from India (going by accents, could easily have been Bradford or Sheffield, really).  He got so aggressive about my refusal to do something stupid I hung up.

 

I was more surprised than anything at how hard the sell was that I didn't think to hang up sooner.  Sort of like telephone rubbernecking, I just couldn't believe someone would be so balls out mental when representing a company trying to get customers.  It was bizarre.

Tell me about it cold callers to businesses are really doing my head in. They just will not take no for an answer I just had some woman on the phone trying to get me to move my phone line and broardband. I told her my crappy contract want 400 quid to swap even though it only has 6 months to run. No problem she says we would cover it and credit your account (instead of paying it direct to me in cash). When I tell her that I am not prepared to pay the 400 quid and wait a year or two to be paid back she got really stroppy and would not take no for an answer, so I hung up on her. Unfortunatly all these wonderful consumer rights are only for private individuals and the sharks can get away with hassling businesses. Another favourite is charity muggers who call up saying I agreed to sponsor them and the bill is now due. I never donate or sponsor any charities so know it is a lie, but I expect that they catch no end out where the accounts departments will just pay up assuming it's been authorised. I could moan for hours about the joys of running a small business.

[purplebargeken]

If our landline rings it is usually a bunch of wankers from India insisting we tell them which brand of TV or internet provider we have. Ben swears at them in Hindi, Rita sings to them in Hindi (scary) and I tell them that they have come through to the international fraud department of the Met Police. 

[anonymous user]

This both irritated and amused me in equal measure yesterday.

 

I should first declare a personal interest in this, as my niece has cerebral palsy and uses both a chair and a mobility scooter.

 

But.

 

Why oh why does this van need TEN POINT THREE METERS of space left behind it? I, better than many, understand that at times you need a little more space when you have a wheel chair.

 

But you don't need a runway. Nor do you need more length than the actual vehicle itself left clear.

 

I honestly believe signs like this are really unhelpful. I can't be the only person who looks at it and laughs. It's just "noise".

 

Let's just think about that. 10.3 meters.

 

10.3m.jpg

 

wtAf

I suspect it's a misprint and it's meant to say 10' or 3m

[Mr A Lawrence]

Tell me about it cold callers to businesses are really doing my head in. They just will not take no for an answer I just had some woman on the phone trying to get me to move my phone line and broardband. I told her my crappy contract want 400 quid to swap even though it only has 6 months to run. No problem she says we would cover it and credit your account (instead of paying it direct to me in cash). When I tell her that I am not prepared to pay the 400 quid and wait a year or two to be paid back she got really stroppy and would not take no for an answer, so I hung up on her. Unfortunatly all these wonderful consumer rights are only for private individuals and the sharks can get away with hassling businesses. Another favourite is charity muggers who call up saying I agreed to sponsor them and the bill is now due. I never donate or sponsor any charities so know it is a lie, but I expect that they catch no end out where the accounts departments will just pay up assuming it's been authorised. I could moan for hours about the joys of running a small business.

  

If our landline rings it is usually a bunch of wankers from India insisting we tell them which brand of TV or internet provider we have. Ben swears at them in Hindi, Rita sings to them in Hindi (scary) and I tell them that they have come through to the international fraud department of the Met Police.

 

[Captain Furious]

If its my mobile and I don't know the number I don't bother answering.  Then put it into google and see what the internet has to say about it - any bad form and it goes into the blocked list

Witheld numbers, just cancel the call

I Don't answer the home phone either, quite frankly I don't even want a landline but for some preposterous reason you cannot get broadband without one.  Only person that has the number is my mum, because, well, you kinda have to give them your number or they get all angsty.  So unless its her then its a no as well 

 

Not had problems with a cold caller in ages now..

[fordperv]

A minor grump I bloody hate gardening, I've had to do front and back gardens today, hedges, weeding, digging over and lawn, i take my hat off to those who love doing it

[RayMK]

Same here, except that I have not touched mine for weeks. I rely on my son to do the mowing but his enthusiasm for cycling always takes priority.

[Tetleysmooth]

There was an accident on the Dartford Bridge in the early hours of this morning involving one car, which hit the crash barrier.

Traffic is STILL gridlocked in the area now. I gave up trying to get to work tonight.

The Crossing Authorities really must get a grip of things.

[Parky]

Agreed Tet. I got around 300 metres from my house in Chafford before I hit gridlock. Quick squiz at my Waze app and I realised there was no way I was getting anywhere near Canary Wharf by car today.

 

Turned around and got the train instead. Apparently someone hit the barriers at 2am - no mention of any other cars involved so fuck knows what must have happened there.

 

it does seem that any bridge problems are having a much bigger effect than they used to. Chafford and Lakeside just lock up instantly

[Bren]

Saw a mondeo on ebay. Local to me (Northwich) 78k 08 plate titanium estate. Auction with no reserve.

 

I knew it was a bit lavender when my request for MOT number and service history were ignored.

 

Car sold for £2800.

 

Car back on ebay - bidding currently at £655. MOT history show car has 260k on the clock - seller says must have had clocks changed.

 

Seller has been on ebay sine may and has 81% rating. That's some going.

[Tetleysmooth]

 

 Apparently someone hit the barriers at 2am - no mention of any other cars involved so fuck knows what must have happened there.

 

 

According to some sources, the woman driving the Beemer tried to commit suicide by driving through the barrier.

Personally, I'd go for the blowout theory.

The crossing control shut the bridge far too easily in my opinion - every time there's a slight bump.

[rainagain]

 

I've noticed in the last couple of years though that overtaking in general seems to be more 'taboo', people seem too scared to overtake, and if I do, I get abuse for it. When I was learning back in 2005 both my dad and my instructor actively encouraged me to overtake anything that was doing less than about 45mph on an NSL road.

 

I was driving home last night in front of me was three cars then a tractor, the road became long and straight, perfect to overtake. All three cars just sat there, not one tried to overtake, I couldn't overtake any of them as they were all driving too close to each other. It's time like this I wish I had my old Alfa as I could have blasted past all of them in one go.

[Negative Creep]

Same here, except that I have not touched mine for weeks. I rely on my son to do the mowing but his enthusiasm for cycling always takes priority.

 

I'm currently staying at my grandparent's house before we sell it in the new year. They used to love tending to theirs, but it's left us with a bit of a headache now as we barely know where to start

 

 

You can't even see the summer house and two sheds in this picture, not to mention the front and side of the house. Just keeping it going must have been almost a full time job

[rainagain]

A grump of my own, lending people stuff. Have people lost all respect of other people's property or is it just me having too high standards? My OH lend her friend our buggy base as it fitted their car seat, when our youngest was born we asked for it back. It was returned filthy and scratched, there was even a piece of dog shit on one of the wheels. I recently lent someone a power supply when it was returned the front label was ripped and part of it was hanging off, the top of it was also covered in dog hair.

 

When someone lends me something I tend to take even more care of it than if it was my own, when I return it I always make sure I clean it up so it is as clean as when it was lent it to me, normally cleaner.

[Sheefag]

Some people are just ungrateful, mannerless cunts I'm afraid. It's not a new thing though.

[Captain Furious]

I have a pretty strict no lending policy, especially with money.  But I did once lend someone £20, knowing full well I'd never get it back, but that it would also insure this person would stay away from me.

 

One of the best £20 I ever spent.

[M'coli]

I was driving home last night in front of me was three cars then a tractor, the road became long and straight, perfect to overtake. All three cars just sat there, not one tried to overtake, I couldn't overtake any of them as they were all driving too close to each other. It's time like this I wish I had my old Alfa as I could have blasted past all of them in one go.

Just gie it the gutty and get on with it - 8 cars dithering behind a bus doing 25mph overtaken in about 0.3 miles in a Metro 1.3HLE is my best - I reckoned that I might get 4 of the dithering twats, but I was into 3rd gear by that point and doing 55...so just kept the clog in and hoped no-one else ahead would suddenly feel brave and pull out to overtake too.

[dollywobbler]

...so just kept the clog in and hoped no-one else ahead would suddenly feel brave and pull out to overtake too.

 

That's what I hate about overtaking several cars at once. That or one of them deciding to turn right. Had a very scary experience in the XJS in one such encounter. Turns out they'd actually put the signal on really early just to warn everyone, so I would have been safe to get past both vehicles before the junction, but I went into full-on panic braking mode and slotted back in behind the first car in the line. 

 

I mean, overtaking SHOULD feel like a risky business - it is dangerous. I'm sure lots of accidents are caused by people who just don't seem to realise how dangerous it is. People who overtake towards blind bends for instance. This seems to happen far more frequently than it used to. 

 

While grumping about drivers, I'll just complain about the twat in the Transit van on the M4 yesterday. I was doing 70mph in the middle lane (passing slower traffic) so he swerved out into the fast lane to get past. Towing a sodding car trailer! He came off at the next junction. Well played sir. Saved yourself a ton of time there. That's the second time I've had someone towing a car trailer overtake me in the third lane of a motorway in a month or so. They haven't changed the law without telling me have they?

[beko1987]

Just set up the tax on the Xantia (I know, naughty for leaving it so long) and the first payment is bloody £41.15, then £20 per month

 

Screws me over a bit this month, luckily Amy did ask if she needed to put any money towards bills this month and I said 'Maybe' not 'No love, it's all sorted'...

[Tamworthbay]

Just took the 318 for its first mot with me, failed on minor things, handbrake adjustment, a drop link and one brake line. Looks easy except that the brake line is one inch at the end of a run that goes under the tank over the prop and is going to to be a right royal pain in the arse to sort. If only it had been an advisory last year I could have got a bit of grease on it. Prevention is better than cure......

[Dick Cheeseburger]

A grump of my own, lending people stuff. Have people lost all respect of other people's property or is it just me having too high standards? My OH lend her friend our buggy base as it fitted their car seat, when our youngest was born we asked for it back. It was returned filthy and scratched, there was even a piece of dog shit on one of the wheels. I recently lent someone a power supply when it was returned the front label was ripped and part of it was hanging off, the top of it was also covered in dog hair.

 

When someone lends me something I tend to take even more care of it than if it was my own, when I return it I always make sure I clean it up so it is as clean as when it was lent it to me, normally cleaner.

I've had my trusty trolley jack for years (24 to be exact). The dole-bludger who lived across from our old place asked to borrow the jack handle as he couldn't find his, and reluctantly I obliged. I think I was going through one of those rare phases of trying to be a little nicer to people, even if my gut feeling told me they were a waste of oxygen. I made it clear (in a pleasant manner) that I wanted it back ASAP. It was only when moving house around six months later that I moved my trusty jack into the new garage, only to realise that is never been given the jack handle back.

 

If in doubt, don't lend it out!

[Kiltox]

Just set up the tax on the Xantia (I know, naughty for leaving it so long) and the first payment is bloody £41.15, then £20 per month

 

Screws me over a bit this month, luckily Amy did ask if she needed to put any money towards bills this month and I said 'Maybe' not 'No love, it's all sorted'...

Leaving it so long has caused your problem to be fair - if you set it up earlier in the month the first payment would be half what it is with a slightly earlier DD payment date

[bub2006]

Payment date I've always found is the first. Later through month higher first cost,early in month though can mean two payments. I've been stung like this.

[Kiltox]

Payment date I've always found is the first. Later through month higher first cost,early in month though can mean two payments. I've been stung like this.

One of my three DDs is the 26th or something like that so they do vary the payment date sometimes depending on when you set it up

[beko1987]

Leaving it so long has caused your problem to be fair - if you set it up earlier in the month the first payment would be half what it is with a slightly earlier DD payment date

Ah well that's fair enough then. The payment date is fine, 2nd of the month.

 

It's still shown as taxed throughout all of this though, which I find odd. Plus whenever I thought about it it was past 8pm, or sunday, or I didn't bring the V5 to work with me (yesterday).

 

Poor excuses I know! But done now

[Sheefag]

I was working down in Eastbourne and stayed a few days in a right tidy old pub.

Nice staff, nice rooms, decent price and a great breakfast.

 

And then they had to go and spoil it.

 

Came back at night, ordered dinner, 'I'll have the Sirloin please'.

Out it comes, with chips, with Onion ring and pointless salady bits.....

 

ON A FUCKING PIECE OF SLATE.

 

I'm sick of this shit, wtf is wrong with a fucking plate?

 

I'm not the only one it seems.

 

http://wewantplates.com

[dugong]

I was working down in Eastbourne and stayed a few days in a right tidy old pub.

Nice staff, nice rooms, decent price and a great breakfast.

 

And then they had to go and spoil it.

 

Came back at night, ordered dinner, 'I'll have the Sirloin please'.

Out it comes, with chips, with Onion ring and pointless salady bits.....

 

ON A FUCKING PIECE OF SLATE.

 

I'm sick of this shit, wtf is wrong with a fucking plate?

 

I'm not the only one it seems.

 

http://wewantplates.com

I'm sure the staff earning minimum wage were sympathetic to your first world plight.