The grumpy thread

[trigger]

It appears to be working fine for me Lobz?.

[Mr Lobster]

Back up now. Was down for an hour or so - http://thenextweb.com/uk/2010/12/12/ama ... -to-blame/

[Albert Ross]

Kids. 22 year old who's just passed his test, announces that he's going to Sidcup next week, to buy Army Uniform in preparation for a wedding. Turns out he's taking my car. Really? Did you not think to ask? "I'm insured!" he states. Yes, but you stil need permission from me to drive it. So I ask him if he knows how to change a flat tyre for a space saver. "I'm a soldier, of course I do!!!" Therefore, according to his logic, I can also strip a 50 cal. Turns out he hasn't a clue. I asked him what the toll was on the Dartford Crossing. "The what???" Exactly. He says it's ok, they will send a bill. Bollocks will they, I get a fine in MY name through the door. I think he's decided to go in a mate's car. For fuck's sake. Why can they NOT learn about bloody restecp for other peoples' property? All I wanted to do was make sure it was prepped for a long high speed run. My Mrs thinks I was arguing with him on purpose. No, I was atttempting to preserve an expensive purchase. One I never drive, as the Mrs doesn't let me, but still!

I wasn't saying no, I was saying "how about we have a conversation about it", and we can discuss how to prepare you and it for the journey. Bloody hell. Now I'm the bad guy.

[Guest]

Nice work Albert, we need a few more kids being told "no" with regards to driving! Probably better off getting the train either way.

[ashmicro]

Put him on stag for 2 hours at your front door, Albert, then make him run round the block 20 times wearing just a respirator and his skiddies. Soldiers understand that sort of thing.

[warren t claim]

RIP Tom Walkinshaw.

 

I now feel the urge for a TWR Mazda 626.

[ashmicro]

RIP Tom Walkinshaw.

 

 

 

+1

[retrogeezer]

thats a shame...RIP Tom.

 

Did some work on one of these TWR 323's once, awesome car:

 

[retrogeezer]

bloody Royal Mail...

 

I've just received a parcel that was sent 1st class on the 29th November!

 

and I've just been in to post something to negativecreep....if the parcel was 4kg it would have been £8.96 1st class recorded but the parcel was 4.2kg so how much more do you think that 5% increase in weight cost??? 50p?? £1?? Nope, £2.80 (30%) extra!!! What a fookin con.

 

Lets just hope it gets there safely and quickly.

[Richard]

Walkinshaw must have been a genius if he could get a 323/626 to handle, or respond at all to any of the controls.

[Tayne]

.

[morris_ital_lover]

Tis a shame that Tom Walkinshaw has popped his clogs, especially with cancer, after these comparatively short years! He did so much inspiration work with cars (although his taste in rugby clubs left something to be desired ) I'll remember him for his Jags, Rovers, Bennetton et al!

 

 

Oh and as for royal mail... useless bunch of lazy overpaid pricks (I say overpaid since a company as totally incompetant as royal mail shouldn't be paid for doing such a shite job) of course some of them are now tucking into their christmas "bonuses" .

 

m0rris

[mnde]

RIP Tom. My favourite TWR racecar has to be:

 

 

On a grumpier note, I've heard various reports of moar snow showers expected at the end of the week.... I've got plans to get to know Lucy's new Skoda (that we're hopefully picking up in the week) and apply some Autoglym High Gloss Protection and some spray-on stuff for the alloys before we head down the dirty great M4 on Thursday next week. I've seen the state of cars this time of year in South Wales, and t'would be a shame to get it all dirty straight away.

 

Mark.

[mnde]

Ah, I only tend to be there in late December

 

Mark.

[barrett]

+ whatever for the Royal Fail..... I've been waiting on several packages for AGES now. Bastards

[morris_ital_lover]

Unfortunately I have found on occasion that UPS/DHL have matched their performance only with less robbery, it will all be irrelevant by the end of 2011/2 though since the royal fail is going to be part privitised, cue lots of adopted children of rockstars taking to the streets and hanging off flags from the senotaph against class warfare. FFS.

 

m0rris

[Richard]

Once the Royal Mail falls into private hands you can kiss goodbye to deliveries in outlying areas, and the definition of an outlying area will increase year on year.

[Tayne]

.

[Cavcraft]

Once the Royal Mail falls into private hands you can kiss goodbye to deliveries in outlying areas, and the definition of an outlying area will increase year on year.

 

And the cost of delivery will rise too. I know a couple of postmen and they work their bollocks off in all kinds of weather.

[seth]

Government-run = Fail, every damned time. Name one thing it does right.

 

I can't complain about the free healthcare we've been making use of from one of the best hospitals in the world for the last few years...

[Tayne]

,

[Mr Lobster]

Royal Mail are a bit slow at the moment. We are finding something like 80% of First Class & Recorded is getting to its destination within 1 - 2 days though. Some areas - particularly Scotland are particularly slow at the moment.

 

That said, we sent some stuff to a customer in New York last week using Fedex. Guaranteed next day to America. Took 5 days. Fedex blamed the weather and said it wasn't their fault so tough. Fortunately customer was very understanding.

 

I get a bit fed up of people knocking Royal Mail tbh. Its not at all perfect but if / when DHL / UPS / TNT get their hands on it, it will be worse and more expensive.

[keef]

Royal Mail are a bit slow at the moment.

 

Talking to a Postman this afternoon the trouble at the moment is all the agency staff they have in. They have no idea what they are doing so regulars are having to go round after them "picking up the pieces".

 

Let's face it some folk were having problems getting across town let alone across the Country over the last week or so.

 

I don't like knocking the Royal Mail, well not the delivery side anyway. The "new" pricing/weighing size thing was were it all went wrong IMHO.

[retrogeezer]

so you guys think waiting 2 weeks for a 1st class item is o.k then??? Everyone thinks it's fine until they don't get something they are waiting for.

 

I'm not blaming the delivery guys, the ones I spoke to said that they are not allowed out until 10am now. They don't have bikes anymore, 2 postmen go out in a van with the equivalent of 2/3 rounds each and use those little trolley things. Cutbacks,cutbacks, cutbacks.....how on earth they aren't making money when they want £22 for special delivery on a 4.2kg package is beyond me though.

[Guest]

I think for the cost, the postal system is bloody good. I send/receive loads of stuff and I've very rarely had problems. The few times I've had to use UPS/DHL/Fedex for parcels, the cost has generally been double and the service no faster/better (in the case of UPS, much worse).

 

The reason they aren't making money is simple. The government - who encouraged private sector companies to get involved - didn't force them to take on loss-making routes. What this essentially means is that someone like TNT will undercut the Royal Mail on a business contract, deliver to the "easy" city/town addresses and pop the "hard" out-of-town rural addresses in the normal post for the Royal Mail to do (and subsequently lose more money). As a result of this, profits go down and the cost of the service goes up. This is also responsible for the loss of quality as they have to keep cutting corners.

 

It's fair enough opening the market up to other people to generate competition, but the current situation is completely unfair as all it does is allow third-parties to take the profitable parts out of the Royal Mail without them having to share the burden of responsibility for ensuring everyone in the country gets their post.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I couriered a box to France with DHL recently, paid £20 for a '2-3 day express delivery', it took two f**king weeks, I could have walked it there myself quicker. They are impossible to communicate with and completely incompetent, getting every possible thing wrong that can go wrong with shifting a box from A to B. For a supposedly big name global logistics company they are utter shite. Post office staff might be a miserable lot but the PO is no worse than these other tossers.

 

The old 'waiting for a parcel.jpg' from viz tells you all you need to know about a privatised postal service.

[scaryoldcortina]

I can't fault the royal mail tooday, I got some post!

 

Unfortunatly.... there are two ominous looking envelopes. One is from the bank, one from the Council. I've had a really shit day, so I haven't opened them, but the one from the bank says I'm overdrawn and they are charging me £25 for telling me, and the one from the council wil be demanding the outstanding £200 on the council tax for this year. Bah.

[RedSparrow]

The old 'waiting for a parcel.jpg' from viz tells you all you need to know about a privatised postal service.

 

 

I think I will share for those not enlightened as it was one of the funniest things in Viz for ages.

Here it is:

http://fumaga.com/i/waiting-for-a-fucking-parcel.jpg

 

In other news I have a fucking massive spot/boil on the edge of my left eye socket caused by emigration/money stress. I can hardly see and look like someone has punched me. Any tips?

[mattblack]

"picking up the pieces".

 

Pity they can't pick up their fucking elastic bands.

[keef]

Pity they can't pick up their fucking elastic bands.

 

LOL

 

A friend picks these up and posts them in the post box!