The grumpy thread

[MrGTI6]

4 minutes ago, Popsicle said:

 

It says the complaint was made regarding the nature of your driving, and yet there's no evidence to suggest there was anything wrong with your driving.

I'm not surprised that no further action took place.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

12 minutes ago, Popsicle said:

I feel your pain DV. I've had a day doing deliveries around a local tourist area, the Peak District. Double parked on tight country lanes, dawdling along in a convoy of campers, holding up the tipper trucks from the local quarry, who really don't hang about, saw some spectacularly shit driving by tippers and campers today.

Then the other side of things are the bikers driving at 10/10ths like Barry Sheene and cyclists in a pack blocking the road like they're on the Tour de France. I watched a pack of cyclists overtake a tipper truck on a downhill section of the A515 towards Ashbourne, 50mph limit, no overtaking signs, so the trucks stayed behind the campers doing 30, push bikes went flying by. Makes me wince, as there are so many side roads joining and it only takes one vehicle to pull out and its game over.

I'll probably get another one of these through the post in a few days 😂.

I wouldn't mind the letter so much as the use of the word 'bare' when the writer clearly means 'bear'.  Infuriating...

 

[artdjones]

Just now, GrumpiusMaximus said:

I wouldn't mind the letter so much as the use of the word 'bare' when the writer clearly means 'bear'.  Infuriating...

 

Typical of the high quality induhviduals the police employ these days.

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, Mrcento said:

Panel Vans. Not the Vans themselves, but more the drivers of said vans.

They need to realise vans are massive fucking hunks of metal that you cannot see through and at least try to be a little considerate.

I am utterly fucking sick to death of them just now, always parked/dumped on corners, or near junctions or crossings.

How the fuck are you meant to look for oncoming traffic when they are parked a few feet from the corner on your right side? Even creeping out of a junction to see around them and anything oncoming is right on you?, Meanwhile 20ft down the road there's a massive space they could have stopped and kept the sight lines clearer, but of course they stop at the worst bit and make a hazard. Ever. Fucking. Time. Every. Fucking. Junction.

How the fuck are you meant to cross the road at the designated spot? Pop your head around said parked van and scare the living shit out the driver who doesn't know if you're going to just walk or not any more?

Utter fucking cunts.

Not all, mine is quite smoll. Also there are drivers with a brain, not universal though

[Metal Guru]

2 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

Norway is starting to be invaded by foreign tourists all summer long now. It started already in May where I live and will probably last out August. Motorcycles that treat the roads like their own racetrack and campers and caravans that think it is acceptable to drive far below the speed limit on roads where the local massive logging trucks keep the speed limit and more just fine. It's frustrating but I can't really complain as my area is mostly quiet, it's worse for the poor people who live in tourist areas, they experience people shitting in their gardens, people camping everywhere, throwing trash all over and going to the bathroom everywhere. I've seen this myself and it's disgusting.

My dislike of people just grows.

Sounds just like Scotland especially the NC500.  

My biggest grump though is on single track roads there are big signs explaining what to do, but are completely ignored by arrogant British drivers. However, on the whole, foreign tourists are able to grasp the principle of a passing place and the need to pull over if you have 27 cars behind you. Oh, and more than 10% of them can actually reverse properly if needed.

Probably would say, the Dutch are the best on the whole.

[Snipes]

On 15/06/2025 at 08:35, comfortablynumb said:

I had a mate with a house on a hill in brizzle, box of those with no underfloor access one side, but 4 feet the other.

He went and a long-saved- for trip to Australia, it appears he'd only been gone a few days when a pipe went.

It filled the entire underfloor area, and wasn't noticed until it was literally running out of the front door.

He had mould spores everywhere, the whole place turned a weird orange colour with growth, everything had to be binned and he was in alternative accomodation for about 6 months.

I suppose it was a mixed blessing that he was the last house in the row, if he'd have been the first it'd probably have been noticed sooner, but there'd have been more damage to others.

Not a nice scenario to come home to 

I thought it was bad enough coming home from holiday to find ants had broken in through the BT box...

[Dyslexic Viking]

8 hours ago, artdjones said:

Are the Germans still coming over towing caravans with agricultural tractors?

Haven't seen or heard of any yet, but they are probably coming. Because what better way than to spend your holiday than on an old tractor with a top speed of 25km/h while terrorizing other traffic.

But I've seen some of the German expedition trucks, think Unimog with a house on the back. So they clearly believe that Norway is an untamed wilderness and we are a bunch of savages who still wear animal skins and live in caves and commute to work on a reindeer.

[comfortablynumb]

6 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

believe that Norway is an untamed wilderness and we are a bunch of savages who still wear animal skins and live in caves and commute to work on a reindeer.

Well that's my beliefs shattered.. 😆

[paulplom]

11 hours ago, Popsicle said:

Woo-hoo, 7th puncture this year.....

I read somewhere years ago that on average you only get a puncture every 90k miles. I've had two so far this year.

[EyesWeldedShut]

1 minute ago, paulplom said:

I read somewhere years ago that on average you only get a puncture every 90k miles. I've had two so far this year.

Barring slow leaks, I've not had one in ages. Must be due one soon. Now I'm grumpy too.

 

49 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

But I've seen some of the German expedition trucks, think Unimog with a house on the back. So they clearly believe that Norway is an untamed wilderness and we are a bunch of savages who still wear animal skins and live in caves and commute to work on a reindeer.

Not just the Germans but we get all sort of nationalities rocking up here in Unimogs and the latest, expensive, AWD Sprinter Mahoosives:
Saw one of these the other day parked up 'wild camping' in the forestry turning where we park the Pug Boxer if we take the horses up there. It's a gravelled track with a couple of puddles and the residents drive past in things like Toyota Avensis, Pug 308s and so on. Makes the Sprinter thing look, err, well.... silly

[loserone]

1 hour ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

Haven't seen or heard of any yet, but they are probably coming. Because what better way than to spend your holiday than on an old tractor with a top speed of 25km/h while terrorizing other traffic.

I mean, at least you get to enjoy the view as you drive? 

Loads of folk around here going up and down dale at 25mph in normal cars in the summer staring out of the windows.  I came across two on Sunday and they must have thought I was mad when I passed them like they were standing still.

[Merryck]

We get loads of the overlanding lot around here, being near Folkestone and Dover. There's a nice viewing/dogging spot I drive past on my commute and they're always parked in there. Some of them are really well done, others are heinous. Saw a fairly well done 130 Defender yesterday and a couple of weeks ago a DAF T244 that had been fully kitted out.

I'd like to build one one day. The mixture of playing with older vehicles and finding clever, lightweight, compact solutions to various problems would be quite fun. I've been tempted to stop and talk to them about it a few times, but you never know how that's going to be received!

[comfortablynumb]

Theres some people near me who've got two of those overLander style trucks, think ones an old Bedford army truck.

Where they are is between two houses, I guess they're living in them, but since they're the same price as a house, why not!

At least you can change the view

[comfortablynumb]

With regards to enjoying the view, there was a group in landy s1's on one of the internet things a while ago who did the NC500 in 14 hours.

Yeah, I guess you can, but why? If I was doing that (Which now it appears to be Scotland's version of the M25 is pretty unlikely in my case) I'd want to actually see something while doing it, stop if there's a view, something interesting etc.

[Merryck]

500 miles in 14 hours? 

Isn't the point of them meant to be to take it slow and enjoy the journey?

[artdjones]

41 minutes ago, comfortablynumb said:

With regards to enjoying the view, there was a group in landy s1's on one of the internet things a while ago who did the NC500 in 14 hours.

That's an average of 37mph which certainly isn't slow kept up for 500 odd miles on twisty roads, and usually implies speeds of 50-60mph for substantial amounts of time. In fact, thinking about the  on road dynamic capabilities of S1 Land Rovers, I would say that seems too fast for safety.

[Metal Guru]

2 hours ago, paulplom said:

I read somewhere years ago that on average you only get a puncture every 90k miles. I've had two so far this year.

I’ve only had two in the last 10 years, but both times involved a badly damaged tyre with no spare, a long way from home, involving a trip to a tyre fitter. Great service from the much maligned Kwikfit  and Halfords got us home eventually albeit £100+ poorer each time.

[comfortablynumb]

59 minutes ago, artdjones said:

That's an average of 37mph which certainly isn't slow kept up for 500 odd miles on twisty roads, and usually implies speeds of 50-60mph for substantial amounts of time. In fact, thinking about the  on road dynamic capabilities of S1 Land Rovers, I would say that seems too fast for safety.

Yeah I'm not sure if I believe it, series 1's don't take kindly to being hustled along, and probably wouldn't do 60 anyway.

The main thing is that to my mind it's completely pointless, it's a trip, not the time attack series 🙄

[artdjones]

7 minutes ago, Metal Guru said:

I’ve only had two in the last 10 years, but both times involved a badly damaged tyre with no spare, a long way from home, involving a trip to a tyre fitter. Great service from the much maligned Kwikfit  and Halfords got us home eventually albeit £100+ poorer each time.

I've made a decision never to have a car without a spare for that very reason. Aerosol cans can't do anything about a damaged sidewall.

[andyberg]

How does the Safrane reward me for making her my daily??? The alternator doesn’t want to alternate anymore 😡😡😡 do you think I can find a reconditioned one anywhere?? Nope, more chance of finding a double decker bus on the moon! A second hand one ordered from Renbreakers but if that’s goosed then it’s potentially goodbye Safrane ☹️☹️

[GrumpiusMaximus]

4 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

Haven't seen or heard of any yet, but they are probably coming. Because what better way than to spend your holiday than on an old tractor with a top speed of 25km/h while terrorizing other traffic.

But I've seen some of the German expedition trucks, think Unimog with a house on the back. So they clearly believe that Norway is an untamed wilderness and we are a bunch of savages who still wear animal skins and live in caves and commute to work on a reindeer.

I've been to Narvik, I see your ways.

[Momentary Lapse Of Reason]

2 hours ago, comfortablynumb said:

a group in landy s1's on one of the internet things a while ago who did the NC500 in 14 hours.

Sounds like Team Faff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh-SZf6WcYU

 

[Zelandeth]

Bloody Evri, why do you have to be so utterly useless...

Claimed to have "delivered" a parcel, which they had in fact just chucked over the fence.  Which would be great if the fence backed into our property.  It doesn't, it's an area of open council owned greenery.

No surprises the parcel has since "walked."

[High Jetter]

FML...

Garage doesn't seem too keen on replacing the suspension arm...

[barefoot]

4 hours ago, Merryck said:

I've been tempted to stop and talk to them about it a few times, but you never know how that's going to be received!

Give it a go, I was once taught no end from a woman in a Citroën H van.

[IronStar]

2 hours ago, andyberg said:

How does the Safrane reward me for making her my daily??? The alternator doesn’t want to alternate anymore 😡😡😡 do you think I can find a reconditioned one anywhere?? Nope, more chance of finding a double decker bus on the moon! A second hand one ordered from Renbreakers but if that’s goosed then it’s potentially goodbye Safrane ☹️☹️

Can you not just get it rebuilt? Plenty of 150 quid and under results on Google

[andyberg]

10 minutes ago, IronStar said:

Can you not just get it rebuilt? Plenty of 150 quid and under results on Google

I could but car is needed just about everyday. I have managed to source a new one 🤞 £130. I’ll get my garage to keep the old one then get that rebuilt as a spare maybe. I thought this car had a new alternator at some point but I can’t find it in the extensive history, so I guess 27 years isn’t too bad going really. 

[IronStar]

2 hours ago, comfortablynumb said:

Yeah I'm not sure if I believe it, series 1's don't take kindly to being hustled along, and probably wouldn't do 60 anyway.

The main thing is that to my mind it's completely pointless, it's a trip, not the time attack series 🙄

Every trip is a time attack if you set your mind to it 😄

Jokes aside, there really is something very fun about driving a completely unsuitable car through twisties as fast as it'll go. 

[Supernaut]

As someone sitting about 50 feet from a S1 Land Rover that I drive reasonably frequently... You do NOT want to try hustling one of them along. 🤣

[comfortablynumb]

Great.

Booked in for MOT with the escort cabrio for tomorrow.

Checking over lights, and if I put the headlights on, I get main beam, and the main beam warning light, regardless of where the dipped/main stalk is.

Swapped the switch, and the light/wipers switch, no difference.

Checked all the fuses, nothing.

Looks like I'm circuit testing through tomorrow then, MOT cancelled 😕 

Edit- and the dash lights are so dim, I can't see them in the sunlight...