The grumpy thread

[Tamworthbay]

I have had a few of these, I work with an ex army nurse who told me a trick she learnt in Africa. Put a spoon in a cup of tea then hold in on the bite for as long as you can stand it. It breaks down the poison and stops the itching. You may need to give it a couple of goes but it works better than any cream or medicine I have bought in the past.

[richardmorris]

Pharmacys will be closed today now but if you find one in the morning they will be able to advise. There are also nasty mosquitoes about including the Tiger variety.

 

Tiger mosquitoes?

 

Hell!

 

 

Anyway all this was on Thursday, Friday hadn’t swelled or started to fester so looks ok. I carry a basic kit ( wipes and a plaster really plus a penknife ), Photo is just now. It was the bite last Sunday that really alarmed me, I’ve never had a reaction like it. I’d really like to know what bit or stung me so I can avoid it again.

[puddlethumper]

On the way to D Spares to pick up some bits and now waiting for recovery coz THE FUCKON CLUTCH CABLE I FITTED LAST WEEK has gone nipples up. A week ! Ffs. Same thing everytime, it pulls the plastic end bit through the bulkhead.

[richardmorris]

I have had a few of these, I work with an ex army nurse who told me a trick she learnt in Africa. Put a spoon in a cup of tea then hold in on the bite for as long as you can stand it. It breaks down the poison and stops the itching. You may need to give it a couple of goes but it works better than any cream or medicine I have bought in the past.

 

Interesting, I expect it works in a similar way to the pizo zapper thing I have in that it blocks the nerve action.

[lesapandre]

Thanks I have a good respect for French pharmacies.

Luckily as I was already on antihistamine piraton and had the cream with me ( as well as very mini first aid kit ) I seem to be ok. Ive never thought about fly spray before, but will certainly do so in future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don’t wish to get anyone at all excited about the photo to come. Indeed it would be the first time a shot of my leg got anyone excited!

 

 

 

 

 

This is the current state of the horse fly bite. When I noticed the thing sucking blood, it left a deep red mark about 5p sized.

Yes I always wear insect repellent in France in the summer otherwise I always get bitten. Mosquitos even attack my hands - I've had a few horsefly bites too. Sounds like you are on top of it. Have a nice time.

 

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-wales-44502725/horsefly-season-how-to-avoid-being-bitten

[lesapandre]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-wales-44502725/horsefly-season-how-to-avoid-being-bitten

[richardmorris]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-wales-44502725/horsefly-season-how-to-avoid-being-bitten

Perhaps I should have worn stripes not checks? I don’t begrudge their right to live, but wish they didn’t bite me!

 

The poor dead cow I passed on Friday undoubtedly had it worse though. Blown up like Donald trumps baby balloon it was and crawling with flies.

[Remspoor]

Back up one should always back up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It will save a lot of work when you have a PC die on you, like I have at the moment.

[rainagain]

I was away on holiday from the 29th of June and arrived home at midnight last night. I checked my emails and found that I had been sent one on the 29th to tell me I'm going to be in Shetland all week, not coming back until next Saturday morning, when I have another job to do that I was told rather than asked about.

 

I am contracted to work from 8:30 to 4:30, and 3:30 on a Friday. We used to be told when nights away or Saturdays were coming up so we could discuss the best way to fit them in. Now it seems to just get booked in, and it's our responsibility to tell the work if we had any plans.

 

There's also the issue that I was guilt-tripped into cancelling the second week of my holiday because another engineer was going away and two of us can't be off at once- except somebody else has been given the week that I had to cancel.

 

It feels like the piss is being taken here and I'm about to send an email to the management with what I think are reasonable demands along the lines of

 

Give us a copy of the list of work that's generated at the start of each month. We used to get it, and it gave us some warning about overnights and Saturdays.

 

No overnight or Saturday work to be booked without consulting the engineer, preferably at least a week in advance.

 

If we say that we won't be able to fit in the jobs that have been booked in for a day, don't automatically assume we are being lazy and don't give us attitude when we don't get all the jobs done. I started at 5am one day in an attempt to get everything done because I had things to do in the evening and I still didn't get home until 8pm, and that was with no breaks.

 

 

 

Are these unreasonable things to ask for?

Sounds like my last job, I remember getting hassle because I said I couldn’t go away on a friday as I had a concert, I booked the tickets three months before but hadn’t put in for a holiday as I stupidly assumed 7:30 at night was my time and not the companies.

 

I never forget my boss saying “work comes first” when I said I couldn’t go, this was one of the (many) reasons I eventually told them to stick their job and left. My only regret is I didn’t do it sooner.

[rantingYoof]

Yesterday while at Festival of the Unexceptional, my phone rang.

 

I answered it, and Autotrader's 'number protection' service chimed 'Someone is responding to your Autotrader advert' (this means they are on a mobile and have pressed the 'Call' button on the page).

 

I hurried to distance myself from the loud speakers, and the chap first asked me if my car was still for sale, which is fine.

 

'Yes it is for sale.'

 

Then, I set the trap...

 

'Sorry, just to be clear you've seen the Autotrader advert, right?'

'Yes I've seen the advert.'

 

However...

 

'How many miles on the car?'

 

 

Through gritted teeth...

 

'It's done just over 121 thousand miles, and it's going up as it's my only car.'

 

'Why are you selling it?'

 

Ah, okay. Didn't see that one coming...

 

'I just want a change, no other reason.'

 

'Okay okay. Any issues with the car?'

 

 

Instead of responding...'everything you need to know is in the advert' and letting them try to figure it out (or not bother), I made a mistake myself...

 

'Well, it's got a slight flywheel rattle which has no impact on the car's perf...'

 

'Zzztt....beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee'

 

Chap hung up on me.

 

Just fuck selling a car that isn't 100% perfect for under a grand. WBAC offered me £215 though, so must perserve...

[SiC]

Instead of responding...'everything you need to know is in the advert' and letting them try to figure it out (or not bother), I made a mistake myself...

 

'Well, it's got a slight flywheel rattle which has no impact on the car's perf...'

 

'Zzztt....beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee'

 

Chap hung up on me.

 

Maybe next time respond along the lines of "I drive it daily and it drives just fine."

 

Not a lie.

[rantingYoof]

My problem is that I'm too soft. I've been the guy before who's driven a substantial distance to view a car after being told something like that, only to arrive and discover an issue of some description that I will have needed to take into consideration in respect of budget at some point, even if not immediately.

 

As I was mightily pissed off (granted I was looking at spending a substantially larger sum of money) I try to be the seller I would want to encounter as the buyer.

 

However, your response is looking quite appetising now that I've been worn down by a number of copy/pastes of the above experience, albiet without the actually hanging-up-in-the-middle-of-a-sentence...

[Tadhg Tiogar]

.....'Okay okay. Any issues with the car?'

 

 

Instead of responding...'everything you need to know is in the advert' and letting them try to figure it out (or not bother), I made a mistake myself...

 

'Well, it's got a slight flywheel rattle which has no impact on the car's perf...'

 

'Zzztt....beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee'

 

Chap hung up on me....

That to me says everything about the lack of courtesy that people show today. No grace. Politeness is dead.

 

Also, the abrupt termination suggests (to me, anyway) that your caller had no actual interest in your car and every intention of wasting your time.

[rantingYoof]

My niaive optimism has me unable to fathom anyone wanting to indulge in such an exercise just for the sake of doing so. I suspect you're right, though.

 

This is all basically telling me to stay ahead of the curve by buying cheaper shite and only owning it for a few months...I've forgotten how torrid this process is .

[Tadhg Tiogar]

My niaive optimism has me unable to fathom anyone wanting to indulge in such an exercise just for the sake of doing so....

 

That's what they do. They do it for the shits and giggles.

[beko1987]

Amys got food poisoning! Gr9, last minute annual leave taken. Shame, as I had a hoover turning up today

[SiC]

Amys got food poisoning! Gr9, last minute annual leave taken. Shame, as I had a hoover turning up today

Wet and dry vac? Could be handy in this situation!

[beko1987]

Sadly not, it's paid work! Do have the crap vax to hand. It wouldnt be so bad if she was just sick and went back to bed, but she doesn't do vomit well (bit fucking stupid really as she works in an old folks home...) Charlie is playing in the garden and I'm playing with windows XP and nlite and a thinkpad!

[Cavcraft]

Next time one of those wankers puts the ‘phone down mid conversation, ring them back and say ‘does your phone do this, dickhead?’ and press the end call button.

[BavarianRetro]

I do it exactly the other way round,

"I'm really sorry. I think we got cut off there. This phone is crap. Sorry....., what were you saying?...."

[Guest Hooli]

I've never* got bored of talking to people & gone 'so you know what's really annoying?' 'click'.

[Supernaut]

This humidity can FRO.

 

It's overcast here, but hot, and raining. I've been at work 2 hours and already want to go home and have a shower. Eeeeuuurgh.

[beko1987]

This humidity can FRO.

 

It's overcast here, but hot, and raining. I've been at work 2 hours and already want to go home and have a shower. Eeeeuuurgh.

Yep! It's been grey and overcast and cool all morning, been lovely! Charlie's been out in the garden with no hat etc. Now, full sun, ffs.

[meggersdog]

Test as presented.

 

Last week I was presented with a septic spec Mercedes 450SL. No paperwork, no registration mot it on the chassis number. All I'm told is it's a 1980 car. The car was dropped off next door for some work and collected from them when it was finished.

 

This morning I get an arsey phonecall from the owner."you've moted it as non EU .It was registered in Belgium". Well there is no registration or any paperwork with it.American spec marker lights, massive bumpers and 85mph speedo.How am I supposed to know it was registered in Belgium ?. "well, well I've sent the paperwork off to the dvla.They might throw it out".

 

If I had known the bloke was an arsehole  I would have tested the car to April 1980 seeing as there are no provisions for a rear fog light but hindsight is a wonderful thing.Anyway he has another car nextdoor which is on French plates.I've just been round to tell them no paperwork I will refuse to test it.

[Aston Martin]

You piece of fucking shit Citroën.... Another flat fucking tyre.

[Guest Hooli]

Turn it over, it's only flat at the bottom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then you'll discover punctures are heavier than air, as they are always at the bottom.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

This humidity can FRO.

 

It's overcast here, but hot, and raining. I've been at work 2 hours and already want to go home and have a shower. Eeeeuuurgh.

 

Equally sweaty here in the Tropic of Ealing 

[Parky]

Was in the City today. Suited and booted with a heavy rucksack full of shiz.

 

Now it wasn’t exactly yomping to Goose Green with a full pack but it honestly felt that walking from Cannon Street to Liverpool St was going to kill me. I was drenched in sweat when I got to where I was going.

 

Whereupon embarrassment at how wet my back was ensured I kept my jacket ON in an non air conditioned office during a very long (but fortunately enjoyable and interesting for a change) briefing.

 

Apart from that an early morning meeting with a recruiter where i was told I wasn’t senior enough to do a job I have been doing for ten years. Apparently that company wants someone who has been doing it for fifteen. What annoyed me is the recruiter already knew that.

 

Not too bothered. The company concerned is talking a good game but entering a crowded market where the competition is fierce. Plus I found out they have just taken on a new senior guy I have no desire to see anywhere than under something big, heavy, and spikey so wouldn’t have taken it any further anyway

[Cavcraft]

Had a glut of sellers recently who, when faced with polite questions about the condition of their item have just said 'had loads of interest in it' as their first reply. I didn't fucking ask how much interest they've had, I've asked about the condition and an answer wasn't forthcoming.

Interest over.

[bramz7]

This 164 fiasco has proper fried my old car mojo

Might slingshot them all. Even the 21.