The grumpy thread

[Lacquer Peel]

 

 

Winter fukin tyres - which wanker invented that shite?

 

Re Eat Kent vs Scotland for snow

 

I have lived in East Kent for the last 20 odd years give or take and I have yet to see snow that prevents travel

 

North East Scotland on the other hand:

 

Circa 1985

 

Bonus points for location identification are available

 

Twas a great car albeit ex farmer so fucked.

Winter tyres weren't as essential when cars had sensible wheels and tyres and didn't weigh as much as a Silver Shadow.

 

I've seen long disused cars in northern Scotland with chunky winter tyres fitted so they're not exactly a soft modern invention.

 

Love the 305 photo.

[cort1977]

True, but a similar size & weight means similar impact damage I'd have thought?

 

Not saying they aren't a cunt to fly it there, I'm just wondering if it's a typical over reaction from those in authority to a minor issue.

 

I totally agree from a physics point of view.  I also thought it was a massive over reaction (see also closing the motorway for hours when there's a crash) but perhaps in this drone case the intention is to make a big deal out of it to get some publicity and discourage drone flying near airports.

 

A couple of stiff sentences along with some unpayable damages bill for closing down Gatwick might make some of these idiots think again.  I don't get it, why would you want to risk your presumably not cheap drone getting a 737 in the face?

[DodgeRover]

The house buyer process, lying pressurising estate agents along with less than honest vendor.

 

I'm hoping our conveyancer who has been moaned about (not by us) has directed them to the response given in Arkell v. Pressdram

[myglaren]

John Lewis ripped me off yesterday then because I paid £299.99 + 5p for a bag!

 

ETA: follow up.

 

[Guest Hooli]

I totally agree from a physics point of view.  I also thought it was a massive over reaction (see also closing the motorway for hours when there's a crash) but perhaps in this drone case the intention is to make a big deal out of it to get some publicity and discourage drone flying near airports.

 

A couple of stiff sentences along with some unpayable damages bill for closing down Gatwick might make some of these idiots think again.  I don't get it, why would you want to risk your presumably not cheap drone getting a 737 in the face?

 

I agree with your logic there.

[Kiltox]

The house buyer process, lying pressurising estate agents along with less than honest vendor.

Yeah fuck houses

 

Although I might own one in the next hour or so

[Zelandeth]

Bloody sodding councils who make every inch of parking within about a mile of the city centre pay & display...and can't be bothered to maintain the bloody ticket machines.  Went past six of the bloody things before finding one that worked.

 

Also, their "pay by phone" thing is hopeless as it only allows you to have one reg number attached to your account...and there's no way to change it.  You have to call their customer services line, wait an hour, delete the whole account, then create a new one from scratch again via their computerized voice recognition system...

 

If it hadn't been tipping it down I'd have just walked.

 

Oh...and they've got rid of the entrance numbers in the shopping centre during the facelift they're doing...so easy to get turned around now...

[myglaren]

I may not live in the most pleasant part of the world but am thankful not to be burdened with the nightmare that is parking charges.

 

Almost got hit with them a couple of weeks ago in Blaydon, due to impaired observational skills, thankfully slid away from that though.

[Zelandeth]

I don't even mind the charges. It's £0.50 for an hour, it just feels like if they're going to go as far as to actually charge for parking...at least make it easy to do so. Walking around for ten minutes trying to find a machine that's working should not be necessary...

[Guest Hooli]

Road parking should be free, we've paid for the roads enough times already through various taxes.

[mercrocker]

Down here they use a thing called Ringo....It allows me to store all my cars and is not smart-phone dependent.  Otherwise it could fuck right off.....

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Down here they use a thing called Ringo....It allows me to store all my cars and is not smart-phone dependent. Otherwise it could fuck right off.....

Here too. Used to use another app-based service daily in an old job and it worked but it had a number too, fortunately...

[wuvvum]

I've been underpaid this month - looks like my overtime wasn't put through properly.  Not the ideal time of year for that to happen tbh.

[Cheggers]

Down here they use a thing called Ringo....It allows me to store all my cars and is not smart-phone dependent. Otherwise it could fuck right off.....

RingGo is really good, I can store multiple reg numbers and multiple payment methods. Really useful if some are for work and some not.

[cobblers]

If all in one transaction you may get lucky - mine was several smaller transactions.... I had to disprove every fucking one! The fact I was in the office in another country meant sweet FA to them - had to get signed proof I was in het office for every single transaction - it was bloody ridiculous! 

 

good luck fella.

 

 

Santander stopped my card and told me of suspicious transactions, sent me a list of recent ones and asked to confirm any I had not made the refunded them.

They did ask if I would be prepared to speak to fraud squad detectives but I never heard any more about it other than a new card a couple of days later.

 

 

I had exactly the same with RBS, very easy and painless

 

 

Yeah, I was well impressed. Fraud department opened at 8AM, and I had all the money back in my account 25 minutes later.

 

They said they'd investigate and tigerbum me if they had cause to believe any of the transactions were me, but it was pretty textbook fraud stuff (£5.99 netflix first of all to check the card details were valid, followed by £1600 at some shitty London hotel and a final £80 through interflora sleaford for some reason, presumably there's a dodgy franchise there.

[MikeR]

we have a small town here with sweet FA in it but charity shops some expensive independents and a supermarket .......... and its still park and pay ...

 

as I have said before , I do my shopping on the way home , its all done for Xmas bar the booze which I will pick up soon ..

 

from out of town ...

[Pillock]

I love Ringo and much prefer using that to a cash or card based thing.

 

Firstly, cash is crap. A pocket full of metal to swap with goods or services is a bit mediaeval.

Secondly, you can add more time remotely which is useful when work overruns.

Thirdly, it emails me a receipt for my expenses.

 

I also like making bystanders think I'm the kind of person to just ignore parking charges. When actually I will sort it as I walk off, probably adding a couple of minutes.

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

I can't move, feel like I have a pelvis made from iron I do. Hernias were both hammered back in yesterday and manouvering is a little bit awkward. So I treated myself to the luxury of driving instead of cycling to the station. Trouble is, I parked a little too right and then later the car next to mine parked a little too left...

 

 

But don't worry, I managed to get in although my eyes may have watered a bit, I may have undone some surgery and there may have been some swearing, the main thing is that all the disabled bays were nice and clear... just in case someone turns up...

[SierraMikeHotel]

 

 

I love Ringo and much prefer using that to a cash or card based thing.

 

Firstly, cash is crap. A pocket full of metal to swap with goods or services is a bit mediaeval.

Secondly, you can add more time remotely which is useful when work overruns.

Thirdly, it emails me a receipt for my expenses.

 

I also like making bystanders think I'm the kind of person to just ignore parking charges. When actually I will sort it as I walk off, probably adding a couple of minutes.

I'd agree with you if they were any good, but the ones I've used have been absolutely hopeless - and I'm not a luddite or someone who normally resists these things.

 

I don't think I've used Ringo, will give it a chance of the situation arises.

[mercrocker]

Trust me man, I hate things that are more complicated than putting 50p in a slot.   However, the advantages of Ringo far outweigh the arse-ache of finding a parking space, realising you are 20p short of a meaningful stay and every sparsely-spaced shop is either shut or full of grockles.

[bramz7]

Another vote for Ringo here. Easy as.

 

I once tried an NCP ring and pay and it was utter crap. Obviously it didn't get one digit of my numberplate right.

[Zelandeth]

Had forgotten this one, but remember having a right royal sod of a time last time we went through Heathrow because the ANPR camera at the entrance gate misread the last digit of my number plate...and the camera at the exit gate decided that the plate didn't match the one associated with the ticket...so the barrier wouldn't let me out.

 

Took about 15 minutes for someone to answer the damned phone and let me out.

[rusty998]

Today I had a fender bender, thanks to a woman who asked her grandson if it was ok to go from the junction, not a good week so far and this made it top bloody banana,

[New POD]

The house buyer process, lying pressurising estate agents along with less than honest vendor.

 

I'm hoping our conveyancer who has been moaned about (not by us) has directed them to the response given in Arkell v. Pressdram

My client requests to know what your clients next step would be if he were to perhaps say Fuck Off.....?

[Guest Hooli]

Talking of parking 'parkonmy' is wank. It took 30mins on the phone one morning as it's payment system wasn't working and obviously their 'helpline' didn't.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Grandfather has been diagnosed with cancer.  First one in my family that I know of.  He is 90.  His reaction - to go off bellringing.  It's not like they can do anything for him anyway so we'll just have to see.

[captain_70s]

Another vote for Ringo here. Easy as.

 

I once tried an NCP ring and pay and it was utter crap. Obviously it didn't get one digit of my numberplate right.

Yup. I can't park in most of the multi-story car parks in Glasgow because they only seem to be able to make out "782" and the rest is random gibberish, thus the barrier won't rise when I try and leave.

[LightBulbFun]

Had forgotten this one, but remember having a right royal sod of a time last time we went through Heathrow because the ANPR camera at the entrance gate misread the last digit of my number plate...and the camera at the exit gate decided that the plate didn't match the one associated with the ticket...so the barrier wouldn't let me out.

 

Took about 15 minutes for someone to answer the damned phone and let me out.

 

 

 

Yup. I can't park in most of the multi-story car parks in Glasgow because they only seem to be able to make out "782" and the rest is random gibberish, thus the barrier won't rise when I try and leave.

 

 

if only that could happen with speed traps etc etc 

[Zelandeth]

if only that could happen with speed traps etc etc

Let's not forget that this was after I'd just been charged something like £28 to park for two hours and three minutes. Ah, the joys of meeting someone there where their flight is meant to be shorter than the drive to the airport...so you don't find out their flight is late until you arrive to collect them.

 

I have a lot of trouble with the Lada and ANPR car parks because the front plate is recessed quite a ways back under the front bumper and the cameras are often directly above the entrance.

 

Our local Sainsbury's (which granted I despise so use as rarely as possible anyway) never sees it arrive. They've got a board which flashes up your reg no and when your three hours free parking expires - never does anything when the Lada drives in.

[MorrisItalSLX]

Bloody sodding councils who make every inch of parking within about a mile of the city centre pay & display...and can't be bothered to maintain the bloody ticket machines.  Went past six of the bloody things before finding one that worked.

 

It is even worse when you return from finding a functional ticket machine only to discover you have been given a fine for parking without a ticket!

 

Thankfully, I successfully contested that ticket.