The grumpy thread

[morris_ital_lover]

We've got three TVs, 1 plasma will do the washing-up in HD etc etc TV and two Cathod rays. The plasma is only young and unproven as of now consequently it shouldn't die (yet) but one of the CRs is on its 13/14th year whilst the other which is on its last legs is there because the fancy electronicery that is came with is dieing no the main CR/Receiver bit.

 

m0rris

[wuvvum]

Truck speeds on single carriageways are a pain to be honest. 40mph and everyone's held up (and I'm usually in something too feeble to overtake). 50mph and OMG SUMWON FINK OF THE KIDS. Fast tractors are a pain too. Tractors should be slow and overtakeable!

Isn't there something in the Highway Code about if you're going significantly slower than the speed limit and are holding up a queue of traffic you're supposed to pull over when safe to do so and let them past? Tractors normally seem to manage it (with a few notable exceptions ), so why can't Tesco lorries?

[dollywobbler]

Truck speeds on single carriageways are a pain to be honest. 40mph and everyone's held up (and I'm usually in something too feeble to overtake). 50mph and OMG SUMWON FINK OF THE KIDS. Fast tractors are a pain too. Tractors should be slow and overtakeable!

Isn't there something in the Highway Code about if you're going significantly slower than the speed limit and are holding up a queue of traffic you're supposed to pull over when safe to do so and let them past? Tractors normally seem to manage it (with a few notable exceptions ), so why can't Tesco lorries?

 

Or bloody horseboxes!! (sorry, the horsebox grump is one that seems to crop up fairly often!)

[Louise2cv]

I'm guessing that its because not only would the driver like to get home, he's probably got some evil manager who's never driven a truck breathing down his neck about how long he's been on the road or who's sent him miles out of his way because "the system says its doable".

 

I used to work for a big company, one NYE (half day) I was sent to Newtown after a job in my village. As I got in the van to go to Newtown I got a call to say "you have to go to Telford, but could you still do Newtown?" Erm NO. Then when I get to Telford another call: "maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate, Aberdoveys not that far from you is it?".

 

EDIT "my village" being near Caernarfon, and the job-slots were allocated 40minutes, but you never knew how big the job would be 'til you got there.

[dollywobbler]

Very true Louise.

 

So, you're either back on the 'net very soon after giving birth or still waiting. Curry?

[messerschmitt owner]

Very true Louise.

 

So, you're either back on the 'net very soon after giving birth or still waiting. Curry?

a good 'rogering' works too!

 

makes the wee blighter move!

 

Ours was ten days late! - Might explain the 10lb 3oz size and the 2nd degree tear!

[55bloke]

And how often to CRT televisions fail? Not very often - which is why tips always have plenty of fully working ones. Great work by the TV manufacturers to get people to replace their lumbering and fully working TVs with new fancy ones, that seem to break in no time at all and need replacing every few years.

 

 

Seems to me you could say exactly the same thing about motor manufacturers!! Which is why we're all on this site, is it not?!

[ChinaTom]

DW - that stretch used to be 60 - occasional A14 users may not have realized it is 70 again now. Never seems to be a problem for me though - I average about 25 along there in the traffic...

 

When did it used to be 60? (on about the Kettering section especially). I lived there a fair few years!

 

Sorry DW, thought you meant the stretch that used to be called the A604 before the A45 became the A14. This Cambridge to Huntingdon stretch was I'm sure restricted to 60 when the average speed cams were installed.

[barefoot]

Can I have a moan about pubs?

 

I have to walk 45 minutes to the next village to find a pub that's still worth a visit

 

here's the window of one of the drinking haunts of my younger days...

 

 

"Bring the kids in to play Wii"

 

Can you think of anything worse?

No wonder the bloody places are closing.

 

 

 

as you were.

[Louise2cv]

 

Ours was ten days late! - Might explain the 10lb 3oz size and the 2nd degree tear!

 

 

Thanks for that!

 

It's nowhere near yet I reckon. I'm going to walk the dog again in a sec, see if gravity can help us!

[scaryoldcortina]

I'm supposed to be at work, Mrs S has a doctor's appointment in under 3 hours.

 

Now is OBVIOUSLY the best time to start painting the living room ceiling!

[Rusty Pelican]

HD isnt all its cracked up to be although stuff like country file does looks very clear . I was told this so not sure if its 100% true .LCD under and inc.32 inch is ok on 50hz above this 100hz is far better , for CR movment quality then 600hz on LCD or go plasma

All too complicated for me .

[trigger]

I went out last year and spend far too much money on a Sharp HD TV, and also now have Sky HD, It is clearer on some channels, You can really see the make up on some peoples faces which isn't great really, Movies looks great on it though, I remember watching The Hangover (GR8 Film) with my mouth wide open at how clear and colourful the picture was.

 

The best thing i have seen on HD though was the 1969 version of The Italian Job, It was crystal clear, I was really shocked.

 

My PS3 games look proper good as well, The scenery on Gran Turismo is amazing, I keep crashing as I'm too busy looking at the mountains in some races.

[eddyramrod]

I'm guessing that its because not only would the driver like to get home, he's probably got some evil manager who's never driven a truck breathing down his neck about how long he's been on the road or who's sent him miles out of his way because "the system says its doable".

 

Precisely! It isn't even confined to the big businesses, sadly. I used to work for a small one (think "Sex Lives Of The Potato Men" and you won't be far off) and the owner's standard greeting to his three drivers when any one arrived back was "Where the bloody hell have you been until now?" I moved to a branch of a national business (where I was the sole driver) and the manager's usual greeting was "Bloody hell, are you back already? Get yourself a cuppa!" Unfortunately he was replaced...

 

Truck driving isn't like an office job, where you can just close down the computer, put your coat on and walk away. You need to get 70 grand's worth of vehicle back to base so it can be reloaded, before you can pick up your own motor and head for home; in my last driving job I considered myself lucky if I got home within an hour of setting off, and this would be at the end of a 12-14 hour work day that saw me out of my pit at 3.30am. Hence the Volvo estate. Total commuting weapon!

 

And by the way: "system" timings are calculated at 3am using a Honda Fireblade, and bear no relation at all to a 26-tonne ERF in rush hour. The office always uses the system timing...

[Louise2cv]

I think the system at our place was "as the crow flies". The mountains and even the sea meant nothing, let alone traffic and the fact we only have one dual carriageway up here!

 

Things then changed, with promised improvement to our planned workload (yeah right) when trackers were fitted to the vans.

 

To this company, my patch: "North West Wales" meant Birkenhead/Runcorn down to Builth Wells, Holyhead across to Nantwich. The productivity level they desired was 10 40minute jobs a day. Needless to say I never made bonus! I quit in the end due to stress (not only down to the travel patterns but it didn't help) and as you can probably tell I'm still really bitter. I think I need counselling.

 

The main worry for me is that all companies behave the same way these days. Will I ever cope with a job?

 

I went to my manager several times to ask for help and even ended up crying down the phone a couple of times... his response: "if you don't say no we'll just keep sending you the extra work". How's that "management"? Now call me old-fashioned, but I was bought up to do as i was told. Starting the day arguing with the boss doesn't seem healthy to me.

[eddyramrod]

The main worry for me is that all companies behave the same way these days.

 

They do, and that is a damn good reason to come in here and have a grump! If anyone finds a company that treats its staff like humans, please let us know. Any company, of any size, in any business at all, anywhere in the world at all. It's like looking for an honest politician. I'm not holding my breath.

[55bloke]

It's sad, but so true. Every company I've ever worked for make all the right noises, about our staff being our greatest asset and your welfare/safety is our prime concern. It's absolute bollocks! Just how stupid do they think we are? Of course you treat your greatest asset with utter contempt and total lack of respect, and expect greater and greater effort in return for less and less! Then they wonder why there's no loyalty!!

[myglaren]

The main worry for me is that all companies behave the same way these days.

 

They do, and that is a damn good reason to come in here and have a grump! If anyone finds a company that treats its staff like humans, please let us know. Any company, of any size, in any business at all, anywhere in the world at all. It's like looking for an honest politician. I'm not holding my breath.

Two of the firms I used to work for treated the staff like human beings - the first we were all friends, including the owner, and anyone leaving was still welcome to come back or just visit, which happened a lot. Things got done in the time it took - there were a few panics but not often and everyone pitched in if anyone was a bit snowed under.

 

The second just let me get on with things and never interfered.

 

The place I work now barely knows I exist, I mainly just potter around and do what I like - or deem needs doing - according to my own schedule.

[eddyramrod]

Wow! Are any of these in Cyprus? Do they need any shiteist staff? (Preferably p/t)

[Louise2cv]

The university I worked at was fairly good to be fair. It wasn't good management so much that they didn't really notice if you were doing as you were told. Basically as long as you did your job the best you could and in reasonable time, everyone was happy. Trouble is they can't afford* staff anymore.

 

 

*This is not a plea for more cash to uni's, I think the problem is way too many students, way too many degree courses and way too many unis!!

[55bloke]

*This is not a plea for more cash to uni's, I think the problem is way too many students, way too many degree courses and way too many unis!!

 

Good to see someone else thinks that! It's all very p.c. to say that everyone should be entitled to a university education, but what's the point of striving to get 50% of the population to obtain a degree, if there aren't going to be the same number of degree-requiring jobs for them? There are already too many graduates in "menial" jobs, or simply unemployed, wondering what happened to the "a degree is a guarantee of a better paid job" promise.

[myglaren]

Wow! Are any of these in Cyprus? Do they need any shiteist staff? (Preferably p/t)

Unfortunately not.

The first was in Sweden and I was an idiot to leave. It grew very big after I left, hopefully not a coincidence, then several major investors wanted their money out and killed it stone dead.

Second still exists here but the division I worked in has long since been closed. (property management)

 

Current one - "Management" is a rather optimistic appellation. Only the MD has a clue and the rest of the directors keep him pretty much in the dark, as with the rest of the staff.

[myglaren]

*This is not a plea for more cash to uni's, I think the problem is way too many students, way too many degree courses and way too many unis!!

 

Good to see someone else thinks that! It's all very p.c. to say that everyone should be entitled to a university education, but what's the point of striving to get 50% of the population to obtain a degree, if there aren't going to be the same number of degree-requiring jobs for them? There are already too many graduates in "menial" jobs, or simply unemployed, wondering what happened to the "a degree is a guarantee of a better paid job" promise.

 

How true.

Two of my kids have degrees and one works in a university and I'm sure she would agree with every word.

 

I often wonder how Finland copes with the very advanced and liberal education system that they have - any Finnish members care to comment on that?

[barefoot]

I used to work for UPS

the company allowed 3hrs & 15minutes

to travel from Bovey Tracey on the A38 south of Exeter

to East Midlands Airport - 210 miles

the assumption was that a Sprinter could average 70mph

& there'd be 15 mins slack

- departure time 18:00

[eddyramrod]

the assumption was that a Sprinter could average 170mph

EFA! My experience of Sprinters is that if you can average 17mph in one, you're doing well, and that's without town traffic, rush hour, stopping for deliveries, red lights, blah blah...

[Mr_Bo11ox]

^Thats balls, Sprinters can average 175mph on even a semi-congested motorway, unfortunately even a Sprinter has to slow down on a rush-hour UK motorway for obvious reasons.

[eddyramrod]

If it is, they will be pinballs, I used to work in an arcade...

[chaseracer]

...what happened to the "a degree is a guarantee of a better paid job" promise...

It was never the case. You still need to be in the right place at the right time, know the right people, go to the right school and/or kiss the right ass, just like it's always been...

[55bloke]

...what happened to the "a degree is a guarantee of a better paid job" promise...

It was never the case. You still need to be in the right place at the right time, know the right people, go to the right school and/or kiss the right ass, just like it's always been...

 

That's perfectly true (I know, I graduated in 1977 and never did get a graduate job) but today's graduates are competing against far more fellow graduates, for possibly even fewer jobs!

[Lankytim]

Its not who you know, its who you blow nowadays.