The grumpy thread

19,438 · March 31, 2019

Oh for the love of...

Had to dive out to go grab some Immodium because someone in the family has been having tummy troubles today. Fine. Discovered that our local pharmacy has changed their hours so were closed. Whatever, will go to Morrison's. Only a five minute drive, even if it does mean trying to dodge the idiots doing burnouts away from the traffic lights etc...

On the way back I get pulled over by the police. For a "random check as part of a narcotics operation in your area" and "would I mind if they did a quick check of my vehicle?"

*Shrug* "Help yourselves...about the most exciting thing you'll find will be an asthma inhaler or three..." Figured that saying "no" isn't likely to make me any friends after all!

I wasn't quite prepared for the heavy handedness which then ensued. First thing they did was decent the bag which lives in the boot to contain any random rubbish that occurs from day to day all over the boot. Then the guy went and broke the cord holding the parcel shelf up and jammed the rear windscreen sun shade, when he refused to believe that it wasn't in fact a "hidden compartment" in the parcel shelf. Apparently the concept of a sun shade was completely alien to them.

I then got a massive grilling about why did I have a shovel in the boot? Apparently "I've been taking trailer loads of garden waste to the tip all week and it's to help me get the last bits out the trailer into the skip" wasn't a satisfactory answer. I then got another massive grilling about the "appalling condition" of my front tyres. Seriously mate...sod off. They're getting to the end of their life sure enough, but they're nowhere near illegal...not like the plethora of cars you see around here with bloody canvas showing. Not at any part of the tread surface is near the wear bars...

They then spent a further twnety minutes going over every damn millimetre of the car, messing with every bloody adjustment of my seat (fair enough you want to move it forward and back to check under it but did you really need to faff about with the lumbar support and height too?)...

Half an hour later I was begrudgingly let on my way. Random stop my backside...you saw an older car and wanted to get an easy stop and hand some points out.

My uncle is a policeman (and has been for 30+ years) so I have every respect for the majority of them...this particular pair, not so much.

So tomorrow I need to clear up a huge mess in the boot, replace a snapped parcel shelf cord...and try to figure out what the heck they've done to the sun blind.

Or write to your MP with a copy to the chief cuntstable

26,124 · March 31, 2019

I just found a really nice Lexus IS200 on autotrader.

One problem. It's in Fishguard. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201903306446062

Why must all the half-decent cars be so far away?!

17,559 · March 31, 2019

Yay I thought, finally found a place that answers my enquiries re: Rover 45 CVT dipstick. Rover specialist breakers in Birmingham.

Yes, we have one. Yes, it is absolutely, totally the correct dipstick for the Rover 45 CVT gearbox. Yes, it is the orange one. Package turns up, they sent me the one for the fucking engine oil. Fucking joy.

27,997 · March 31, 2019

To be fair, the Police may or may not have had a genuine reason to stop you but breaking the car is not on. Write to them using the medium of social media and ask if they're paying for the new part. I agree they have a difficult job to do but sounds like these clowns were taking their bad day out on you.

22,339 · March 31, 2019

Zel's boot contents when stopped by police

16,454 · March 31, 2019

First gig of the year last night, except is wasn’t as my brain decide 5pm was a good time for a migraine, when I should have been playing I was lying in a pitch black room wishing the fucking dust mites would be quieter. The rest of the band did brilliant without me bit I am gutted, noth8ng until the beginning of May now either and still feel shit today.

March 31, 2019

Liked because there isn't a not like button.

19,678 · March 31, 2019

Oh for the love of...

Had to dive out to go grab some Immodium because someone in the family has been having tummy troubles today. Fine. Discovered that our local pharmacy has changed their hours so were closed. Whatever, will go to Morrison's. Only a five minute drive, even if it does mean trying to dodge the idiots doing burnouts away from the traffic lights etc...

On the way back I get pulled over by the police. For a "random check as part of a narcotics operation in your area" and "would I mind if they did a quick check of my vehicle?"

*Shrug* "Help yourselves...about the most exciting thing you'll find will be an asthma inhaler or three..." Figured that saying "no" isn't likely to make me any friends after all!

I wasn't quite prepared for the heavy handedness which then ensued. First thing they did was decent the bag which lives in the boot to contain any random rubbish that occurs from day to day all over the boot. Then the guy went and broke the cord holding the parcel shelf up and jammed the rear windscreen sun shade, when he refused to believe that it wasn't in fact a "hidden compartment" in the parcel shelf. Apparently the concept of a sun shade was completely alien to them.

I then got a massive grilling about why did I have a shovel in the boot? Apparently "I've been taking trailer loads of garden waste to the tip all week and it's to help me get the last bits out the trailer into the skip" wasn't a satisfactory answer. I then got another massive grilling about the "appalling condition" of my front tyres. Seriously mate...sod off. They're getting to the end of their life sure enough, but they're nowhere near illegal...not like the plethora of cars you see around here with bloody canvas showing. Not at any part of the tread surface is near the wear bars...

They then spent a further twnety minutes going over every damn millimetre of the car, messing with every bloody adjustment of my seat (fair enough you want to move it forward and back to check under it but did you really need to faff about with the lumbar support and height too?)...

Half an hour later I was begrudgingly let on my way. Random stop my backside...you saw an older car and wanted to get an easy stop and hand some points out.

My uncle is a policeman (and has been for 30+ years) so I have every respect for the majority of them...this particular pair, not so much.

So tomorrow I need to clear up a huge mess in the boot, replace a snapped parcel shelf cord...and try to figure out what the heck they've done to the sun blind.

can you make some official complaints and ask them to pay for the damage?

shame you weren't pottering about in the Invacar

"ok we are going to search the boot..."

"sure be my guest *snigger* "

"uhhh"

because I bet they have never encounter a rear engined car before

52,845 · March 31, 2019

Tried to cancel my AA membership because of their refusal to recover my broken down car yesterday and guess what? They're CLOSED!

Super. Smashing. Great.

4,179 · March 31, 2019

Tomorrow morning the Buick goes in for its CT (MOT), so I thought I'd better check the bleedin' obvious, lights, wipers, horn etc.

So off course overnight the central locking decides to lock itself. I never lock my cars

Drivers door lock does nothing.

Passenger door lock is farked:

Much faffing with the key and WD40 and I got the boot open. Normally I open it by pushing a switch in the glove box.

I was hoping to stuff 12v down the boot central locking plug and hopefully open the doors but that didn't work

So I lost my rag and cut a hole:

Reached through and prodded a back door lock and access was granted.

Couldn't be arsed to find out why it locked in the first place so I heaved the door panel off and snipped the wire to the locking servo.

Hopefully April 1st wont see a joke of a fail sheet.

14,098 · March 31, 2019

Had a bit too much to drink last night. Slept until half 2 this afternoon so I lost a day of car tinkering (I had planned to change the ball joints on the Toyota). I also have a really bad pain in my right shoulder.

19,553 · March 31, 2019

There is a T25 camper parked up down a back street near here. It's purple and looks like someone's pride and joy.

Drive past today and saw this...

Real shame

4,024 · March 31, 2019

I just found a really nice Lexus IS200 on autotrader.

One problem. It's in Fishguard. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201903306446062

Why must all the half-decent cars be so far away?!

If anyone needs a car sold and wants top money for it, i know how to do it.

Offer it to me, the second i look at a certain model/spec of car and decide it'll do me, they suddenly all sell, become unavailable within 500 miles and the ones that do all triple in price overnight.

Even if it's a shonky broken Astra worth about £400, no worries, it'll be worth 2 grand by the time the mornings up.

My theory, from watching ads closely near me, is the market here is just a complete shitstorm thanks to one man and his mates. He runs a garage and buys literally anything he thinks he can turn a profit on. He has mates watching all the ad places constantly and you see him getting tagged in EVERY ad that appears on FB. If it's in any way decent, He's round within half an hour with his lowloader and the cars back up for sale again a few days later at dealer price. Any failed gambles, he just punts off to Ebay or auction.

29,180 · March 31, 2019

I don't really see the appeal, but that is still very sad.

I moved our bikeshed today, with the assistance of the kids. One year old ate the dandylions and the two year old moved the batons and removed the fencepost I used as a roller.

Halfway through I had to stop to interrupt someone who had come to help themselves to the £2k worth of "scrap" bikes and unicycles temporarily squeezed between the MG and the legacy in the back lane. Fucking hell man.

4,225 · March 31, 2019

Ok, so I've been battling extreme fatigue for nearly six months now. Had loads of tests done, and chest Xrays show shadows shrinking and new ones appearing. Apparently I've got some sort of rare infection according to hospital and docs. Waiting on a urgent referral to the Respiratory team to pin point what it is. So bearing this in mind, I'm constantly tired, worn out, and sleep for England now. I've only needed 6 hours sleep for all my adult years to stay awake twenty hours so something is clearly wrong. So why is it, when yesterday I only got 4 hours sleep and today i got 5, I've had the first two days I've stayed awake all day. Still feel fatigued and worn out but wide awake. I'm wondering wether to cut my sleep down again tonight so I feel better at work tomorrow night and have a short nap a couple of hours before I go. I've been having an afternoon nap for the last few months due to being worn out and it's made no difference so maybe the key is to try and sleep less and not give in to it. All i know is I wish whatever it is would clear up, it's weird knowing I have an infection yet other than fatigue I feel totally fine in all other respects.With this on top of the constant back pain I'm finding things a real struggle. Answers on a post card please.

6,197 · April 1, 2019

Somehow, my car has been declared SORN, so I've not paid and road tax (I'm too fucking tired to argue over what it's called, that's universally understood and I don't know the right answer) for the last three months.

Upshot? Clamp on car Friday night, £100 lighter to get it removed, plus whatever they deem fit to fine me. An I really that stupid that I could have got through the whole SORN process online without realising I wasn't paying for car tax(see above)?

DVLA can't even tell whether SORN was declared online or over the phone, whilst obviously I need unequivocal evidence of everything.

It's possible I did it pissed and mistook declare SORN> confirm declaring SORN for 'enter all bank details, choose payment date, review DD schedule, confirm authorised to set up DD, etc, etc,etc ', but how likely is that?

4,225 · April 1, 2019

Somehow, my car has been declared SORN, so I've not paid and road tax (I'm too fucking tired to argue over what it's called, that's universally understood and I don't know the right answer) for the last three months.

Upshot? Clamp on car Friday night, £100 lighter to get it removed, plus whatever they deem fit to fine me. An I really that stupid that I could have got through the whole SORN process online without realising I wasn't paying for car tax(see above)?

DVLA can't even tell whether SORN was declared online or over the phone, whilst obviously I need unequivocal evidence of everything.

It's possible I did it pissed and mistook declare SORN> confirm declaring SORN for 'enter all bank details, choose payment date, review DD schedule, confirm authorised to set up DD, etc, etc,etc ', but how likely is that?

Have you checked all your emails for a confirmation message?

14,098 · April 1, 2019

2 weeks ago stepdaughter broke the passenger side mirror on the Corolla. Not a grump - she's still a relatively inexperienced driver and the garage is tight.

I've now just packed up the 3rd replacement mirror that doesn't fit. Might as well just try and fix the old one with araldite. WCPGR

8,677 · April 1, 2019

ages ago I lost my 8mm combi spanner , looked everywhere ..

had to buy another one which was from Halfrauds for some silly price ....

had a mooch around the wood store and saw a 8mm combi for buttons ........

then I flipped my magnetic dish the other day ,,,,

and there was my 8mm combi stuck to the magnet ......

26,626 · April 1, 2019

Somehow, my car has been declared SORN, so I've not paid and road tax (I'm too fucking tired to argue over what it's called, that's universally understood and I don't know the right answer) for the last three months.

Upshot? Clamp on car Friday night, £100 lighter to get it removed, plus whatever they deem fit to fine me. An I really that stupid that I could have got through the whole SORN process online without realising I wasn't paying for car tax(see above)?

DVLA can't even tell whether SORN was declared online or over the phone, whilst obviously I need unequivocal evidence of everything.

It's possible I did it pissed and mistook declare SORN> confirm declaring SORN for 'enter all bank details, choose payment date, review DD schedule, confirm authorised to set up DD, etc, etc,etc ', but how likely is that?

Yes. They have randomly declared one of my cars SORN mid term before.

I received the notification letter nigh on three weeks after the event, during which time I had been all over the country. Given I was somewhat preoccupied with dealing with the fallout from my father having dropped dead overnight I wasn't prepared to fight with them over it, just re-taxed it and crossed my fingers I didn't get any fines.

Due to the above going on, I can bloody well confirm that I didn't declare it SORN!

Thankfully I never got any fines despite the fact that I must have gone past a hundred ANPR cameras during the period it was untaxed - unless none of the ones on the M1, M6, M73/4, A9 or A90 work...

4,335 · April 1, 2019

Pretty sure I've got flu or something.

Shit me, runny nose/blocked nose. Head ache, neck ache, sore throat.

Sent from my VFD 710 using Tapatalk

4,179 · April 1, 2019

Buick failed its CT.

Big fail sheet

22,339 · April 1, 2019

Pretty sure I've got flu or something.
Shit me, runny nose/blocked nose. Head ache, neck ache, sore throat.

Sent from my VFD 710 using Tapatalk

It's the plague! Stay away from everyone and remember to ring a handbell and shout "Unclean, unclean" if you have to go out.

Or it may be man-flu so dose yourself up with lem-sip, Whisky and manfully tell everyone that you are at death's door but just getting on with it. (Well that's what I do)

26,626 · April 1, 2019

Sodding tree and sodding birds.

Just the state you want a car you'd ideally like to sell wind up looking after a couple of weeks.

6,427 · April 1, 2019

Never knew yours had a rear wiper.

26,626 · April 1, 2019

Never knew yours had a rear wiper.

No radio though!

14,457 · April 1, 2019

Buick failed its CT.
Big fail sheet
20190401_191313.jpg

My pigeon french makes me think Brakes, handbrake rusty lower arm, some bushes and a couple of bulbs?

22,339 · April 1, 2019

No radio though!

So only an 8 valve rather than a 16 valve

#really old joke

22,662 · April 1, 2019

Never knew yours had a rear wiper.

A posh lada!

44,475 · April 1, 2019

Had a lovely day playing with Vauxhalls. That's not the grump. No, the grump is the state of the M1. It was jammed solid southbound, which was part of my test route, so that scuppered the final drive. Did that, headed home - M1 Northbound. That turned into an UTTER PILE OF ARSE after a few miles. Waze took me off and through Milton Keynes, I think just for a laugh. I made the mistake of letting it take me back to the M1, which was even worse than before. Turns out there was a lorry fire further north. Turns out, there is no way off the motorway for BLOODY MILES after Milton Keynes. Sat Nav thought I could get off at Newport Pagnell services. It was wrong. Then Elly the 2CV conked out as I tried to rejoin, having finally had enough of covering about 5 miles in an hour.

I stomped off for refreshments and left her to sulk. Eventually, she fired up and away we went for a further 30 minutes of hot queue action. It was hot too. Sun was very warm. Eventually made it to Telford, where I managed to leave my backpack in the restaurant. Great!

Arrived back here about an hour ago. Seven hours to cover 200 miles. Pitiful!

The grumpy thread

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