The grumpy thread

[wuvvum]

26 minutes ago, artdjones said:

Why is the pronunciation of French names on Google Maps so ear grindingly awful.

Almost every town in France will have a Place de la République.

The Google version? Imagine a 25 year old PR girl from Esher saying "Turn left onto Playce dee lar Republikew". And that's mild compared with some others.

When my parents moved back to Blighty I went car hunting with my dad in Wales.  His iPhone eventually gave up trying to pronounce place names and just spelled them out instead - presumably thinking they were extremely long acronyms rather than actual words.

[artdjones]

 

 

49 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

When my parents moved back to Blighty I went car hunting with my dad in Wales.  His iPhone eventually gave up trying to pronounce place names and just spelled them out instead - presumably thinking they were extremely long acronyms rather than actual words.

My mother, having arrived in the UK from an Irish farm in the 1950s, had grave difficulties with the pronunciation of Ystrad Mynach. I wonder what Google makes of it?

[EyesWeldedShut]

1 hour ago, artdjones said:

Why is the pronunciation of French names on Google Maps so ear grindingly awful.

Almost every town in France will have a Place de la République.

The Google version? Imagine a 25 year old PR girl from Esher saying "Turn left onto Playce dee lar Republikew". And that's mild compared with some others.

We're just back from a satnav assisted argument holiday in Normandy. Apple Maps and Google Maps were awful but if you use the French Mappy app it's 1,000% mirth making - I got a male siri voice just making shit up on the phone - we have not laughed as much in ages e.g. a place near as called La Bouille - Siri called it La bowel.
Voice instructions in  general: Google lags a bit. Apple can be a bit previous on multiple, close  junction routes.  Mappy is best.
Heads up display: Apple +  Mappy both pretty spot on.
All of them can give shitty routes at times - using a laptop to get a clearer idea of what/where was useful and we took a paper Road Atlas (<< giffer)

We found running with the voice off was easiest.

Anything actually grumpy from us? None in France but UK Border Control can take a flying f*ck for the delays at Calais and so can the Audi driver that almost had a head on with us near Welshpool - closely followed by a biker who hit gravel on a 60 degree bend with the front wheel, toed himself upright and wobbled past us on a single carriageway 50mph section. Total heartstopper our end, brown trousers at his (I so feckin' hope).
 

[Yoss]

2 hours ago, Pieman said:

I only listen to it, looking at it distracts me too much.

I think you may need to adjust your driving style because even if your satnav can pronounce Székésfehérvár it won't sound anything like the word I've just typed. I can recommend Székésfehérvár though, lovely little old town. 

[Pieman]

Bless you.

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, artdjones said:

 

 

My mother, having arrived in the UK from an Irish farm in the 1950s, had grave difficulties with the pronunciation of Ystrad Mynach. I wonder what Google makes of it?

Hopefully, it will tell you it's in Wales. Or if it isn't, it should be.

[comfortablynumb]

Last time I went into Wales, my satnav steadfastly refused to admit it exists, any of it.

Apparently we spent about 3 hours in the sea....🤦

[Remspoor]

21 hours ago, artdjones said:

Why is the pronunciation of French names on Google Maps so ear grindingly awful.

Almost every town in France will have a Place de la République.

The Google version? Imagine a 25 year old PR girl from Esher saying "Turn left onto Playce dee lar Republikew". And that's mild compared with some others.

Google and waze are same here in Spain. Plus my TomTom does not do Spanish

[Jazoli]

9 hours ago, comfortablynumb said:

Last time I went into Wales, my satnav steadfastly refused to admit it exists, any of it.

Apparently we spent about 3 hours in the sea....🤦

Why not use google maps on your phone? It’s a million times better than any standalone satnav.

[comfortablynumb]

2 minutes ago, Jazoli said:

Why not use google maps on your phone? It’s a million times better than any standalone satnav.

Because I'm a tight git who refuses to pay for mobile data😄

[New POD]

I live off a road called Alt Road.  Named after the River Alt, which runs not far from here winding its way to the sea.  

Google maps thinks it's clever.

Turn left into Alternative Road. 

Stupid fucker. 

[New POD]

4 minutes ago, comfortablynumb said:

Because I'm a tight git who refuses to pay for mobile data😄

How much do you pay a month ? Just asking. Lebara. For the win. 15GB for £7. 

[New POD]

8 minutes ago, Jazoli said:

Why not use google maps on your phone? It’s a million times better than any standalone satnav.

Wife's newish car has Satnav built in. It's shit. It will lead you to a traffic jam, because it has no way of knowing.

Google maps is only about usually 15 minutes behind knowing that shit is happening, and to divert. Or in the case of overnight roadworks, will divert when not needed because the motorway is now open. 

[TataBobu]

3 hours ago, comfortablynumb said:

Because I'm a tight git who refuses to pay for mobile data😄

Download it over wifi, at home, and instruct google maps to work offline. You can save locally multiple maps.

[myglaren]

3 hours ago, comfortablynumb said:

Because I'm a tight git who refuses to pay for mobile data😄

This may not be very helpful but I have had a mobile phone since BT gave me one (yes, free) with a broadband upgrade.  It was £5 a month* with unlimited (I think, never talk on it**) calls and texts.

I use it as a satnav, Googly maps or Waze and have never paid for any mobile data.

 

 

*Recently increased to an outrageous £6.50 

 

** Except one Christmas or birthday when I had to phone my brother and was charged a few quid for a four-hour call.  Don't do talky on the phone normally.

[Remspoor]

I have found that Google/Waze can sometime throw a wobbly and send you way off the route you chose.

[richardmorris]

A riot in Bagshot this evening apparently. I missed it cycling home just before 5. Local coop looted, windows smashed. Spokes the bikeshop closed at 4.30 as did all other business after police advice. 20 police cars.

a traveller funeral! Local conservative councillor whose pub they booked is unusually silent on Facebook.

I’ve just spoken to an artist friend about some things I’ve just ordered from her and the back window of her car was smashed by some youths*. 

[sheffcortinacentre]

I'm sure it'll have nothing to do with those upright pillars of society.

[Pieman]

Or if it does, no one will be allowed to say anything against them and everyone will be gagged from complaining even online.

[ruffgeezer]

My back has given out again, it's been a bit moody since I moved all the panels for the new garage, but on Thursday whilst attempting to put on my trousers, it pinged completely.

Not as bad as the last event that left me laid up for the thick end of 2 weeks, and indeed I have managed a fair bit of walking over the weekend, but only with the aid of my walking stick.  I'm 41 for fuck's sake, I should have liked to have been able to get on with things for a little bit longer really.

I've the (sold) berlingo on the drive awaiting it's floor repair, the new garage to put up plus all the day to day gardening etc to contend with, so I'm really rather fed up with everything at the moment.

[Dyslexic Viking]

My cat was admitted to the vet on Sunday evening and I have received almost no updates or information since.

And I called 1 hour ago and asked for it and they were supposed to call me back which they have not done.

How difficult is it to provide any kind of customer service and understand that someone is worried about their animal and needs updates.

I'm really angry now, I have a sick cat and don't know anything, if they can't be bothered to give me a proper update then I'll have to consider driving down there and refuse to go until someone can bother to tell me something.

[comfortablynumb]

I'd find another vet @Dyslexic Viking, we've got multiple animals, if I'm not getting the service I want from one supplier, I'll take my business elsewhere.

The vets we use currently are pretty good, albeit not cheap, one of our elderly cats had to take the one way trip last month, it was £142.

They did send us a bunch of flowers a day or two later with a 'sorry for your loss' card

[Dyslexic Viking]

3 minutes ago, comfortablynumb said:

I'd find another vet @Dyslexic Viking, we've got multiple animals, if I'm not getting the service I want from one supplier, I'll take my business elsewhere.

The vets we use currently are pretty good, albeit not cheap, one of our elderly cats had to take the one way trip last month, it was £142.

They did send us a bunch of flowers a day or two later with a 'sorry for your loss' card

This is the 3 vet in less than 8 years. It is almost impossible to find a good one,  typical of society today nobody cares and is only at work to get a salary.

The veterinary situation is so bad that I doubt whether I want more animals after this one.

[Metal Guru]

14 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

My cat was admitted to the vet on Sunday evening and I have received almost no updates or information since.

And I called 1 hour ago and asked for it and they were supposed to call me back which they have not done.

How difficult is it to provide any kind of customer service and understand that someone is worried about their animal and needs updates.

I'm really angry now, I have a sick cat and don't know anything, if they can't be bothered to give me a proper update then I'll have to consider driving down there and refuse to go until someone can bother to tell me something.

That’s pretty much how the NHS treated my Dad before he died a couple of years ago. He was admitted to hospital about 3 weeks before he died and due to his ward being on Covid lock down we couldn’t visit. Despite this, no one made any effort to keep us informed about his condition, then about 4 days before he died they said he was getting x,y and z treatment and they made out he was getting better.

Next (and only second call in 3 weeks), they tell us he died.

[richardmorris]

8 hours ago, Metal Guru said:

That’s pretty much how the NHS treated my Dad before he died a couple of years ago. He was admitted to hospital about 3 weeks before he died and due to his ward being on Covid lock down we couldn’t visit. Despite this, no one made any effort to keep us informed about his condition, then about 4 days before he died they said he was getting x,y and z treatment and they made out he was getting better.

Next (and only second call in 3 weeks), they tell us he died.

That’s appalling. And so callous.

[Lord Sterling]

On 14/09/2024 at 19:26, artdjones said:

Why is the pronunciation of French names on Google Maps so ear grindingly awful.

Almost every town in France will have a Place de la République.

The Google version? Imagine a 25 year old PR girl from Esher saying "Turn left onto Playce dee lar Republikew". And that's mild compared with some others.

How you described the UK Google Maps girl pronouncing French place names is absolutely correct 110%

I personally find it even more amusing to use when in Belgium, as Belgium is split into Flemish/French halves. She doesn't give up easy but it amusing to listen to her deciphering what to me is easy to pronounce.

[Lord Sterling]

Since Friday I've been feeling rougher and rougher. I thought it was just a "change in weather" thing but last night it turned into a full blown flu.

It started with minor headache that I'd struggle even to call an ache in the head, more a mild annoyance. When I came home from work on Saturday morning I thought a good sleep would sort it out, but I woke up feeling rougher and continued to feel like this until last night.

I dropped off a vehicle for someone thinking that a nice shower, some fresh air and some good concentration would see me right as rain. Nope, last I coughed so much my back nearly gave out. Then I started hallucinating whilst trying to get some sleep, forcibly making my brain think about how AI is forcing its way into selling you stuff you need and how annoying I was finding it, it also focussed on a very certain part of Belgium that I rarely take much notice of.  (When I had Covid back in 2020, my hallucination was thinking I was Robert McCall in a 1980s episode of The Equalizer looking for my S3 black Jaguar) also yesterday I managed to trap a nerve in my shoulder, tried having a warm bath and it's made no difference. 

I bought and took a covid test and thankfully it was negative. However the severity of it coming on has really put me out. Hopefully on the mend now, but may have to take the rest of the week off work due to their absence policy.

[New POD]

19 hours ago, comfortablynumb said:

I'd find another vet @Dyslexic Viking, we've got multiple animals, if I'm not getting the service I want from one supplier, I'll take my business elsewhere.

The vets we use currently are pretty good, albeit not cheap, one of our elderly cats had to take the one way trip last month, it was £142.

They did send us a bunch of flowers a day or two later with a 'sorry for your loss' card

I'd have rather been charged £130 and no flowers. 

Anyway sorry for your loss. 

[jakebullet]

My estate is turning to shit got a little bit closer to home overnight. I illegally* looked out the front window this morning to see the cunts stood around looking glum. The cuntmobile is parked minus number plates, so be on a dodgy one by now.

There was a community meeting a few days back, where the police wanted to know if anyone has any ideas why it's going to shit. Dunno officers, can't be anything to do with the council using OAP maisonettes as a dumping ground for druggies, crims and other workshy twats could it?

On the brightside, when mrs. CND reports her stolen number plates hopefully cars with that plate will be stopped. So she'll have to not do illegal things herself for a while.

[hairnet]

old git 

the u bend is leaking under the sink cant get to it cos of drawers - yes you can i can get my hand (i started unscrewing the joints)

theres no crack in the pipe so its the seal - only when touch the screw ons do i feel wet (theres only one seal)

ooh need to get man out

no you dont

turn the water off

within 30 secs u bend is unscrewed and off - and seal looks a bit flat

go to shop and ask for one of them - if that doesnt do it ask him for the u bend

dont spend 10 quid spend a pound ffs

how much for plumb gadge to do that 30-40 quid

ffs