The grumpy thread

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, Cavcraft said:

'aswell'

Better than 'aswell as canbe expected' shirley?

[maxxo]

failed my ADI part 1 again today, hazard perception, bit pissed about that

alternator has failed on the XM

got to drive to scotland on saturday to collect said alternator

slight job uncertainty at the minute

however, had a really nice interview at halfords autocentre today....an actually enjoyable interview and lovely staff, might use them for MOTs

[High Jetter]

17 minutes ago, maxxo said:

failed my ADI part 1 again today, hazard perception, bit pissed about that

alternator has failed on the XM

got to drive to scotland on saturday to collect said alternator

slight job uncertainty at the minute

Condolences, and I suspect you might find working at Halfrauds somewhat...entertaining. Maybe, if you get it, you should think about a "Confessions of a..." thread? Something we seem to be lacking atthe moment

[maxxo]

22 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Condolences, and I suspect you might find working at Halfrauds somewhat...entertaining. Maybe, if you get it, you should think about a "Confessions of a..." thread? Something we seem to be lacking atthe moment

oh yes i shall be doing that!

i'd always disregarded that one as it doesn't look the best from outside, but they seem friendly enough

[Chuck Buckles]

20 hours ago, maxxo said:

failed my ADI part 1 again today, hazard perception, bit pissed about that

alternator has failed on the XM

got to drive to scotland on saturday to collect said alternator

slight job uncertainty at the minute

however, had a really nice interview at halfords autocentre today....an actually enjoyable interview and lovely staff, might use them for MOTs

Halfords boss on Radio 4 this am saying how they are trying to recruit lots of new staff to train as vehicle techs. sounded like good opportunities so hopefully it works out for you. 

[Remspoor]

From Confused.com. Is postage free or not?

 

[neil1971]

1 hour ago, Remspoor said:

From Confused.com. Is postage free or not?

Free shipping to those countries, if you spend at least 99 euros?

[wuvvum]

That's how I'd interpret it.

[D.E]

Was that a Dutch website, Remspoor? If yes, then it is probably a poor translation of the word "vanaf".  Yes, free shipping to those countries for orders above 99 euro.

[warch]

I've heard of warrior cyclists, but I encountered the motorcycle equivalent on a roundabout between Birmingham and Kiddie. I had noticed him a few miles back filtering traffic but didn't actually clock him until he decided to ride around a roundabout on my inside (actually in my blindspot, more or less opposite my passenger door). Cue furious beeping and beans shaking whilst he rode deliberately slowly in front of me for a few miles, and actually tried to brake check me a few times. 

I don't ride much anymore but I have ridden something like 50,000 miles, mainly commuting and often in suboptimal conditions. A few rules I lived by (to postpone the alternative) included, never linger next to anyone's car door (because you're effectively invisible), don't ride up the inside of moving traffic, least of all on a roundabout at night, and above all never try and provoke someone on four wheels, because one day you'll encounter a lunatic and come off second best (ref. Toecutter in Mad Max). 

[Metal Guru]

3 hours ago, warch said:

I've heard of warrior cyclists, but I encountered the motorcycle equivalent on a roundabout between Birmingham and Kiddie. I had noticed him a few miles back filtering traffic but didn't actually clock him until he decided to ride around a roundabout on my inside (actually in my blindspot, more or less opposite my passenger door). Cue furious beeping and beans shaking whilst he rode deliberately slowly in front of me for a few miles, and actually tried to brake check me a few times. 

I don't ride much anymore but I have ridden something like 50,000 miles, mainly commuting and often in suboptimal conditions. A few rules I lived by (to postpone the alternative) included, never linger next to anyone's car door (because you're effectively invisible), don't ride up the inside of moving traffic, least of all on a roundabout at night, and above all never try and provoke someone on four wheels, because one day you'll encounter a lunatic and come off second best (ref. Toecutter in Mad Max). 

Brake checking someone while on a motorbike is a sure sign that you really haven’t thought things through.

[somewhatfoolish]

On 11/10/2022 at 10:28 PM, adw1977 said:

Why does nobody make built-in vented tumble dryers any more?

Plenty of vented freestanding ones, but I need a built-in type that the cupboard door attaches to and for some reason they are only available as a heat pump dryer which apparently takes 2-3 times as long to dry anything and requires emptying the condensed water out afterwards.  So the vent I have in the wall will be useless.  And the heat pump dryers cost twice as much.

Apparently they use a lot less electricity, but with the typical lifespan of modern appliances I doubt it will pay back within its lifetime. 

Almost invariably they have a drain you can plumb in to a gutter/downpipe/etc instead of using the internal tank; you already have a hole in the wall so...  

On 11/10/2022 at 11:04 PM, cobblers said:

 The first generation ones were total shite but the technology is very mature now and they work fine providing you take the heat exchanger out into the garden and hose the fluff off it every 9 -18 months (the instructions usually say to do it every load 😄)

HX need cleaning at least monthly(or every ~dozen dryings I guess) IME; they lose a lot of efficiency with even a thin layer of fluff/gunk.

On 11/11/2022 at 2:26 PM, cobblers said:

Man, I'm really getting fed up of constantly being bothered by people, it's getting me down, I just want some fucking peace and quiet. It's just none fucking stop, the phone calls and messages just keep coming. Whether it family, work stuff, friends etc, all just constantly bothering me for stuff. I have every distraction completely sets me back from whatever I was trying to get on with, it will take me an hour to get going again, and then the fucking phone goes. If I don't answer it they ring my wife, or the land line, or just turn up and bang on the door.

Now somehow several estate agents have got my phone number and email address from somewhere and are badgering me about my wife's house for sale. It's not even my fucking house, and it's already on the market with a different estate agent! fuck off you vultures!

I'm about 3 phone calls away from throwing my phone in the canal and driving to Dundee in my bare feet. 

 

IIRC you already have as much work as you can do, so stop answering the phone before lunch time and after 3pm; if it's urgent they'll leave a message. If there are clients who need pandering get another mobile & number and only give it to them.

  

On 11/15/2022 at 8:20 AM, myglaren said:

And late wife's Kindle died.  It has been unable to display pictures for a couple of months, then just stopped doing anything.  No response to any of the keys or buttons.

Took the battery out and the page it stopped on is still displayed, two days on.  Replacing the battery does nothing.

The display doesn't draw power except when changing what is displayed; battery probably knacked.

[DavieW]

2 words - Black Friday 😡😡

[goosey]

10 hours ago, warch said:

I've heard of warrior cyclists, but I encountered the motorcycle equivalent on a roundabout between Birmingham and Kiddie. I had noticed him a few miles back filtering traffic but didn't actually clock him until he decided to ride around a roundabout on my inside (actually in my blindspot, more or less opposite my passenger door). Cue furious beeping and beans shaking whilst he rode deliberately slowly in front of me for a few miles, and actually tried to brake check me a few times. 

I don't ride much anymore but I have ridden something like 50,000 miles, mainly commuting and often in suboptimal conditions. A few rules I lived by (to postpone the alternative) included, never linger next to anyone's car door (because you're effectively invisible), don't ride up the inside of moving traffic, least of all on a roundabout at night, and above all never try and provoke someone on four wheels, because one day you'll encounter a lunatic and come off second best (ref. Toecutter in Mad Max). 

Was he on an early 80s ratty looking Honda ? There’s a guy I see regularly on my drive home when I’m at the office nr Kiddy who rides how you describe and he’s quite well known for being a bell end 

[warch]

6 minutes ago, goosey said:

Was he on an early 80s ratty looking Honda ? There’s a guy I see regularly on my drive home when I’m at the office nr Kiddy who rides how you describe and he’s quite well known for being a bell end 

He was riding a black commuter bike of some description, something like an old ER6-F.  

[Zelandeth]

You know, maybe this isn't the smartest time to close a road which provides the main entry/egress for a retail park...just saying...

Oh well, the burger van on the sole remaining way in/out through the middle of the industrial estate will do a roaring trade this weekend I guess!

[Remspoor]

18 hours ago, D.E said:

Was that a Dutch website, Remspoor? If yes, then it is probably a poor translation of the word "vanaf".  Yes, free shipping to those countries for orders above 99 euro.

Yes And I expect that is the explanation. The rest of the site is in perfect English (and Dutch obviously).

[High Jetter]

[Rant]Trying to get the best 'black friday' deal on a Moto G82. Currys have it at £249.99, Motorola themselves £10 dearer but if you subscribe to their newsletter you get 10% off. Except you don't, because the code they emailed doesn't bloody work! Grrr...[/rant]

[horriblemercedes]

Harrumph

 

[sierraman]

28 minutes ago, horriblemercedes said:

Harrumph

 

Annoying but bumper from co-part and back on the road. Could’ve been worse...

[horriblemercedes]

4 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Annoying but bumper from co-part and back on the road. Could’ve been worse...

Agreed. I'm not upset. It's a 235k mile car at 17 years old. Bumper will pop out and I'll continue driving it. The guys in the van that hit me were OK and I'm ok and that's the only thing that really bothers me

[RoverFolkUs]

On 11/23/2022 at 7:19 PM, High Jetter said:

Condolences, and I suspect you might find working at Halfrauds somewhat...entertaining. Maybe, if you get it, you should think about a "Confessions of a..." thread? Something we seem to be lacking atthe moment

 

On 11/23/2022 at 7:43 PM, maxxo said:

oh yes i shall be doing that!

i'd always disregarded that one as it doesn't look the best from outside, but they seem friendly enough

 

On 11/24/2022 at 3:35 PM, Chuck Buckles said:

Halfords boss on Radio 4 this am saying how they are trying to recruit lots of new staff to train as vehicle techs. sounded like good opportunities so hopefully it works out for you. 

I've found Halfords Autocentre techs and also the lads who've had Saturday jobs there etc are often the best people at heart, it's just the management and the T-Shirt that gets put on their back which give them the bad name 

[sierraman]

I’d go with the Halfords Autocentre on balance, they’re not mechanics but it’s a starting point to wing it into something else. Use it to broaden your knowledge, don’t expect working at Halfords to get you any credibility working at an actual garage though unless they have a commission basis on brake pads. 

[horriblemercedes]

20 hours ago, horriblemercedes said:

Harrumph

 

This straightened out quite well. No damage or bending underneath that I can see. I'll go ahead with the wheel bearing replacement and service that I was going to do in my mate's workshop on Monday. I guess I'll contact the guy about it but if it's going nowhere, I'm not going to bother with insurance

[Dick Longbridge]

4 minutes ago, horriblemercedes said:

This straightened out quite well. No damage or bending underneath that I can see. I'll go ahead with the wheel bearing replacement and service that I was going to do in my mate's workshop on Monday. I guess I'll contact the guy about it but if it's going nowhere, I'm not going to bother with insurance

E90s/91s are such well built cars. Our 2007 E91 is without doubt, the best car we've owned - massively capable, really comfortable and loads of grunt which some newer car drivers appear surprised about at times. I keep on saying to Mrs L that I'd like to see 200k in ours. I see yours has already hit this milestone and then some! 

[horriblemercedes]

2 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

E90s/91s are such well built cars. Our 2007 E91 is without doubt, the best car we've owned - massively capable, really comfortable and loads of grunt which some newer car drivers appear surprised about at times. I keep on saying to Mrs L that I'd like to see 200k in ours. I see yours has already hit this milestone and then some! 

I must say, it has been a really good car. I wasn't particularly looking for one but it popped up as a good deal so I had it. Then my mileage massively increased so I was glad to have it 

 

It's rusting a bit on the back arches, but I think I'll still get years out of them. I planned to keep it going until it's time to scrap it, so I'm not worried about a scrape here or there removing value. I can't imagine it's worth much! 

[cobblers]

 

My new unit is in Bakewell and the journey back home from it is down some winding country lanes. I pop in to the new place most days and end up driving back from there in the dark most nights.

More times than I can count lately I have been stuck behind people doing 20/30mph, on and off the brakes constantly because they are driving with only their dipped beam on and can't see where they are going. Almost every night I end up having to overtake several cars, and if you're being overtaken on a country lane in your Audi A3 by a 35 year old van with fucking mud tyres on that does 60MPH flat out then I don't know what to tell you other than please hand your licence in at a post office. I know it's not a race, but if the best you can muster is 30MPH on a road that's "normal travelling speed" would be 55/60mph then something is amiss

 

[Rocket88]

The next person who posts on social media with the words “ devastated / shocked/ disgusted  /or horrified will be visiting be a pestilence of biblical proportions….

[Pieman]

Referring to what?

[horriblemercedes]

1 minute ago, Pieman said:

Referring to what?

Paedos. All indignation on social media is about paedos