The grumpy thread

[Guest Hooli]

Nah my last experience of taking anything to court is they lie & fuck you over for daring to expect justice. Appears to be within a pointless course range (10%+9mph) so hopefully just a day of getting bollocks spouted at me while I pay a fee for the 'privilege'.

[busmansholiday]

Decided to fuck off Virgin Media as price for just broadband was getting silly. Chose the Sheffield mob with award winning customer service. So far it's anything but. They are going to install the line & router on the one day I said I wasn't in. Now getting through to them involves a half hour, at their estimate, of shite music and on line chat isn't currently available. FFS!!

[Kiltox]

Half a mile? Yeah lube up

[Bren]

After sorting out remortgage I find that property management company that manage lease get £175. Talk about money for nothing. Ground rent is a pain in the arse.

[DodgeRover]

Fucking speed cameras. Empty clear motorway with only one other car in sight. Gantry signs flick up 40 as I'm approaching so I slow gentley as there is obviously no reason for it and flash at about 47-48.

 

FFS!

Got Dashcam footage? There's your defense right there if you have and there was no reason for the change visible over the next however many miles.

[Guest Hooli]

Got Dashcam footage? There's your defense right there if you have and there was no reason for the change visible over the next however many miles.

 

Nope, no dashcam. I won't have one as they appear to be the sign of a shit driver in the way hats were in the 90s. Besides, speed limits don't work on sense/need/safety it's a black n white thing.

[Kiltox]

I did actually think you had to pass one gantry with a new speed limit on before you could be done though - they’re not allowed to put speed cameras right next to limit changes anywhere else so why on the motorway?

[Guest Hooli]

Well the rear facing camera flashed after I passed so I had passed the limit sign. I know what you mean though.

[DodgeRover]

Nope, no dashcam. I won't have one as they appear to be the sign of a shit driver in the way hats were in the 90s. Besides, speed limits don't work on sense/need/safety it's a black n white thing.

I'm sure there was a case when variable speed limits came in on the M25 where it was challenged and the police etc were asked to give a reason / evidence for why the limit change in that case there was none and the prosecution was thrown out.

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Oh yes, I remember the time I slowed to a posted 40mph whilst the 4 lanes of the M25 traffic continued at 60/70 and 80. I should have sued the bastards for trying to kill me. So there, I tried it once and it sucked. Smart motorways are not smart.

[dozeydustman]

At least stepdaughter had a go at the car course. You never know if you like it until you try.

Buy her an hairdressers car as a reward for trying.

She wants to persue cars as a hobby as opposed to a full time career, she has said she’d still help me with working on the cars we have, so her diploma isn’t going to waste. And she can go back on the course if new choice doesn’t work out. She has a natural talent at working on mechanics, so perhaps not challenging enough.

 

She doesn’t want a hairdresser car, she wants the Corolla, so I think she’s a natural shiterette.

[DodgeRover]

She wants to persue cars as a hobby as opposed to a full time career, she has said she’d still help me with working on the cars we have, so her diploma isn’t going to waste. And she can go back on the course if new choice doesn’t work out. She has a natural talent at working on mechanics, so perhaps not challenging enough.

 

She doesn’t want a hairdresser car, she wants the Corolla, so I think she’s a natural shiterette.

Fair enough, can she finish the stage/ module that she is on to keep her credits or whatever so he can pick it up again should she choose to.

What does she want to do now?

[beko1987]

Oh yes, I remember the time I slowed to a posted 40mph whilst the 4 lanes of the M25 traffic continued at 60/70 and 80. I should have sued the bastards for trying to kill me. So there, I tried it once and it sucked. Smart motorways are not smart.

And then you feel bad for doing as you were told, but the penalty for ignoring it would be huge. I was on the m42 going to Tamworth (past the nec) on my pre shitefest errands and got so scared with the constant cameras and speed changes I did 55 behind a lorry the whole way. Other cars were bowling along in the other lanes braking for the odd gantry camera, but they do it every day (or are just idiots), it was my first ever time there!

 

I avoid the m25 wherever possible, think the last time I drove on it was a 3 junction hop on the way back from shitefest. Stayed in Lane 2 as l1 kept peeling off with short notice and I was worried about not being able to move over (and I wouldn't brake to find a gap on an mway) and being thrown into a congestion/low emissions zone, both of which I'd fail at...

[rainagain]

eBay is being a delight, as ever.

 

I listed a double DIN head unit ('as new'; it didn't fit in the SVX or the Impreza) on a three day auction with a very long dispatch lead time listed because of my working hours.

 

I list postage at £15 because it's a medium parcel over 2kg.

 

Buyer complains as he pays that the postage is too expensive. I explain why the postage is what it is and if there's any difference I'll refund him. There wasn't.

 

Two days later he asks for an update; I respond that day while I'm working over the weekend that it'll be Monday or Tuesday before I can send it out.

I receive nothing over the weekend, then on Monday night I get an angry message saying that I'm taking the piss and that he's: 'had stuff posted quicker from China.'

 

Er, no, my postage terms were clear; by posting it then, which I informed him of in advance, I was still well within my stated dispatch terms.

 

He then went on to demand a refund, which I read as I'd just happened to post it.

Scrambled to get the parcel back, sent him another message explaining that I'm not a Chinese sweatshop, I wasn't picking my dispatch terms out of my arse and that he can either have it sent tomorrow or have a full refund. He likes responding in the evening, which is nice. Working, eh? Funny, I do that too. No way you're having it while you mull over a refund, matey - I've been scammed that way before by a buyer in Italy who claimed I never sent the amp he paid for (and got refunded on). I don't send stuff to Italy any more as a result.

 

Companies like Amazon have made next day delivery an expectation even when people are dealing with private sellers. I'm pissed off with his sense of entitlement. If he can't be arsed to read the terms of postage then I really don't know what to say.

I just list all my stuff as free postage now and factor it into the starting price, as I got so sick of people moaning the parcel had £3.95 on it but I’d charged them £5 for p&p. After all the packing material, my time and my fuel for dropping it off at the post office all are all free.

[nebuchenezer]

I fell down some steps in Turkey and almost landed on some poor geezer who was sat a few steps below minding his own business texting on his phone. My ankle still hurts slightly now.

Last time I fell down some stairs this was the result:

 

 

By crikey it hurt for a while

[Guest Hooli]

You fell into a tattoo shop? I've heard they sting under arm.

[loserone]

That barbed wire is remarkably effective

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Tired of drawing the short straw? Yes, being a man can suck sometimes. If the wife and/or Kidz have a hospital appointment, there's always a lift for them... There and back... Whenever they like...

 

Me? Oh, my hernias appointment is today and I have to cycle for an hour... And it looks like rain...

[Zelandeth]

Just had a phone call.

 

My other half, away on a work trip, has had a suspected stroke and is in hospital.  In Shanghai.

 

Only point of contact I have is the health insurance provider for the university - and they're proving as much use as a chocolate teapot and won't tell me anything "due to reasons of data protection" which is exceptionally unhelpful.

 

No idea what state he's in, no idea when/if he'll be able to come home.

 

I really didn't want him going on this trip in case something happened...guess I should have voiced that concern more.

[SierraMikeHotel]

Shit, I'm really sorry to hear that. Hope he's ok.

[oldcars]

Shit, really sorry to hear that. Hope he is ok and you get the information you need about him.

[mrbenn]

My God. Hope he’s going to be alright.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Ah fuck fella - obviously can't like at all....... best of luck! 

Edit - the hospitals out there are sodding amazing though to be fair! Top notch staffing and equipment...... he's in good hands I'm sure

[LightBulbFun]

As per what the others have said

 

really sorry to hear that Zel 

 

I hope he makes a swift recovery and if you need someone to talk to you have my number and im available 247

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Bad news man. If you like, I can cycle over to there after i'm done. I'm sure me missis' wouldn't mind...

 

Seriously, hope it works out.

[Guest Slongchod]

By ignoring everyone, including the student newspaper.

 

 

Ah, refuting is proving something is wrong.

 

Ignoring, on the other hand, is shit behaviour.

 

Well done for doing something about it.

[Zelandeth]

Not to expect any update medically until tomorrow apparently.

 

Currently trying to untangle how long it will take me to get a visa to get there - and whether there's any point as as far as China is concerned I've no legal relationship to him. So also looking at getting his (elderly, and with health issues of their own) parents moving from the US as well.

 

For the same reasons I've been told there's no point in me trying to contact the hospital directly.

[New POD]

Not to expect any update medically until tomorrow apparently.

 

Currently trying to untangle how long it will take me to get a visa to get there - and whether there's any point as as far as China is concerned I've no legal relationship to him. So also looking at getting his (elderly, and with health issues of their own) parents moving from the US as well.

 

For the same reasons I've been told there's no point in me trying to contact the hospital directly.

Your partner is a university employee.

 

Ring up the vice chancellor on an hourly basis and mention that you expect his or her total commitment to making this right.

[Zelandeth]

To be fair, the university have thus far been really helpful. It's the middle of the night there now, so I'm not especially surprised it'll be a bit of time before we hear anything substantial from a medical perspective. It's more the not even knowing if I could see him if I got there that's the headache, and that's not something the university is likely to be able to help with.

 

It's the whole first 24 hours in a hospital not knowing what's going on - but amplified a million percent because it's on the other side of the planet.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Limited experience - but work colleague was victim of hit and run over there one night (years ago so may be changed now) - his long term GF - living together, kids etc.... was told Visa would be rushed - but still a week almost and she'd be on her own once there. Not legally recognised, so no option to help from the 'channels'.

 

Despite same sex legality since mid/late 90's - the social view if markedly different too bud. I'd be prepared for a shitstorm of opposition and even abusive contact if you do make the herculean journey....... don't want to be a downer - just what I saw and what friends over there have reported back.