The grumpy thread

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

In other news, I am quite grumpy because I still haven't heard from that place in London where I had an interview, despite their assurances that they'd get in touch by yesterday morning. I am tempted to ring them and swear at them- how hard would it be to just call me and say I didn't get it, or they need a bit more time to decide or whatever. I'm hoping they chose someone else who is in the process of thinking better of it (the pay is less than ideal) and they'll call me soon saying I got it as a runner up. FAT CHANCE. Plus, the only other interview I seem to have gotten is a 'telephone assessment'. With an insurance company. In Darlington. I hope I will manage to avoid killing myself.

[ashmicro]

  Luxobarges_Are_Us said:

I think that, for some reason (something historical related to the Troubles? Different regulatory mechanisms from GB?), a lot of British insurers don't bother with offering motor insurance for NI residents, which results in less competition therefore even higher premia than if you only accounted for the volume/value of claims.

 

 

I'd like to believe that too, but a lot of people here are a thieving, dishonest and amoral shower of shit.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

  ashmicro said:

  Luxobarges_Are_Us said:

I think that, for some reason (something historical related to the Troubles? Different regulatory mechanisms from GB?), a lot of British insurers don't bother with offering motor insurance for NI residents, which results in less competition therefore even higher premia than if you only accounted for the volume/value of claims.

 

 

I'd like to believe that too, but a lot of people here are a thieving, dishonest and amoral shower of shit.

 

I think you will find that to also be the case throughout most of the UK, if not most of the entire bloody planet.

[Pete-M]

  ashmicro said:

People in Northern Ireland bleating about the cost of car insurance - STOP YOUR FUCKING SPURIOUS CLAIMS, THEN.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again.. Whiplash claims are actively encouraged by insurance companies. There are so many 'bungs' in the industry it beggars belief. In my job I come into contact with one hell of a lot of people who're claiming for whiplash when in truth there's absolutely fuck all wrong with them other than they're skint and someone has bent their car a bit.

 

One claim I know of is a perfect example:

 

Newish Ford Galaxy minicab with six passengers clipped by a truck. Galaxy wasn't that old but the damage was to the rear 1/4 which meant it wasn't going to be getting fixed. Cabbie chucked in a whippy claim as did his six passengers - they're encouraged to by claims companies offering them £300 on acceptance of their claim. Cabbie is happy to chuck claim in as the claims company pays him to do so, and he doesn't have to fork out £500 or so for an insurance excess. Cab company owner is happy cabbie has claimed as cabbie gets a brand new replacement vehicle so the fleet looks better, and cab company owner gets a few hundred quid bung from claims company. Galaxy would cost about £2500 to fix, but as it's five years old and the local authority won't allow anything over six years old as a cab so cabbie and claims company, together with insurance assessors (paid for by claims company solicitors) get the thing written off.

 

So, so far paid out £2100 in bungs to cabbie and passengers and £500 to cab company. Replacement seven seater is £180ish a day (+vat) plus £200 delivery, plus £300ish to plate it as a cab. Insurance assessor will have had a couple of hundred quid for his ten minutes work. There's also the doctors fees for the 'specialist' who tells the cabbie what to say if asked and does a quick 5 min examination, and the same again for the six passengers.

 

Galaxy gets written off. Cabbie gets £7000 for a replacement.

Cabbie is in hire vehicle for two months - £13000 + £200 collection fee. (Rate set by insurance company)

Cabbie and six passengers get £2200 whiplash each. £15400.

Loss of earnings for cabbie and three passengers, lets say £1000 each to be generous. £4000.

 

The claim came to just over £100,000 in total. Cabbie got just over £10k. Passengers saw £15k. The rest is amongst claims companies, replacement vehicle companies and solicitors.

 

Yet people still chuck in 'whippy' claims left right and centre as they don't see that they're only getting the tip of the iceberg compared to what is actually being paid out. Then they whine like buggery about the cost of insurance the next year.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Pete, they are doing the right thing by making that whippy claim. See "tragedy of the commons".

 

It's up to the legal system to put these things right.

[trigger]

I got this email from the VOBA (Vauxhall Opel Bedford club) yesterday

 

  Quote

Hi trigger, We are looking for cars to represent us at this years Classic Car Show at the Birmingham NEC Indoor Arena. The show is a full weekend (Thursday - Sunday) and most importantly is all indoor....so no weather excuses!!

 

As a thank you for showing your car you will receive free entry into the show which will give you access to both the Classic Car Show and also the Top Gear MPH Show. For more information and to register your interest please visit the thread below http://www.justopelvauxhall.com/showthr ... ember-2011

 

Thanks The JOV Events Team

 

ARGH!, Now after reading that I'm having serious mixed feelings about selling the Kadett now!, On one hand I have a very rare car which is pretty much perfect apart from the light rust on the wings which at the moment has costs me sod all and makes me grin everytime i use it but on the other hand I really want something more practical which i can use more often, which is easier for parts and I can possibly use for going on holiday in without going deaf, feeling knackered and having a bad back.

 

With 170 watchers on the ebay advert now and being up to £1700 (the reserve is £3000) there's certainly interest out there for it, but what do i do??!! I wish i had room and the money to keep it and buy something else.

[Station]

  Pete-M said:

  ashmicro said:

Yet people still chuck in 'whippy' claims left right and centre as they don't see that they're only getting the tip of the iceberg compared to what is actually being paid out. Then they whine like buggery about the cost of insurance the next year.

 

I got offered 300 quid to put a claim in, I'm not pure as snow, but I thought that was really shitty and dishonest. The bloke said just claim you've got a sore neck, even though I hadn't. 300 quid is nice, but it felt wierd and the way he tried to get me in on his scam by bullshitting, I just refused straight away, to his surprise.

This appeals to 99% lowest common denominator type people.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

  Station said:

  Pete-M said:

  ashmicro said:

Yet people still chuck in 'whippy' claims left right and centre as they don't see that they're only getting the tip of the iceberg compared to what is actually being paid out. Then they whine like buggery about the cost of insurance the next year.

 

I got offered 300 quid to put a claim in, I'm not pure as snow, but I thought that was really shitty and dishonest. The bloke said just claim you've got a sore neck, even though I hadn't. 300 quid is nice, but it felt wierd and the way he tried to get me in on his scam by bullshitting, I just refused straight away, to his surprise.

This appeals to 99% lowest common denominator type people.

 

That sounds like a criminal offense on his part. How about reporting him, even if it's just your word against his (or, as someone less scrupulous than myself may say, you can always claim that your best mate listened to it on t' speakerphone when the call was made).

[ashmicro]

^^ and that sort of thing, dear friends, is why Mrs Ash, who is a solicitor, works for the Crown Prosecution Service. She could make twice her £60k salary in private practice, but I doubt she'd be able to sleep at night.

 

My earlier point was that while I'm no whiter than white type person, I actually was grievously injured in a motorcycle-meets-taxi accident a lot of years ago. Put it this way, if it hadn't been for the Police, I'd have bled to death. Due to dishonest claimants, and their representatives bunging up the system, the insurers concerned in my case were really slow to settle. I required specialist treatment which was best done privately. I'm lucky my parents saved up their money and had a few quid put by in the meantime.

[Cavcraft]

Just to add to the snowball effect of the claims merry-go-round the people whose insurance has gone up due to others spurious claims are themselves more tempted to claim if they're in an accident themselves. Making me grumpy is the fact it seems not a single person in Lincolnshire knows how to drive properly or how to stick to speed limits.

[The Moog]

I have been offered some right shite including £600 Drizzler Multipa this week but missus has put her foot down. I need to get rid of all my cars. Apparently we are saving for something that may or may not happen. This from the person who said I could have a hobby playing with cars earlier on in the year. Women

[Polystratus]

  Cavette said:

Just to add to the snowball effect of the claims merry-go-round the people whose insurance has gone up due to others spurious claims are themselves more tempted to claim if they're in an accident themselves. Making me grumpy is the fact it seems not a single person in Lincolnshire knows how to drive properly or how to stick to speed limits.

 

Welcome to Lincolnshire! No suprise that the county got a high accident rate - you drive at 60 and some just pass you looking like your doing 20mph, A17 is bad for it even though they put 50mph on certain sections.

[cobblers]

There's the other side of this - Decent people are ashamed to claim because of scumbags stigmatising it by making whiplash claims almost obligatory.

 

Someone run up the back of my mum when she was sat waiting at a busy roundabout a few months ago. Not a bad knock really, it only cracked the bumper and tweaked the exhaust on the MX5. The woman who ran into her wanted to deal outside insurance (because she had done the same to someone 2 weeks prior and didn't want two claims on her "record" )

 

My mum had some fairly serious brain/neck surgery about a year ago, which she had almost recovered from.

This fairly minor hit (I've done ten times worse on track loads of times and laughed it off) has set her back massively, to the point where she should really go and have brain surgery again, but she daren't. She's also probably going to lose her front teeth (she chomped down when hit, and the dentist says it's buggered the root up and they'll probably fall out in a few months)

 

I had to beg her to insist on claiming on the other womans insurance - Despite her going direct to hospital and having several CT scans which confirm that it's knocked her brain down the back of her neck again. She's had to have more time off work on sick (after having months off just a year ago for her brain op) because she can't feel her hands and her neck hurts terribly.

[ashmicro]

^^ This is different. ALways call the police mate.

[dollywobbler]

Aye. You've got three years to get a personal injury claim sorted, so more than enough time for her to change her mind.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

It does sound awful. Having to go off sick would be the last of my worries if my brain was at risk of dislocation.

[Lord Sterling]

  Pete-M said:

The grass is not greener on the other side. Sorry.

 

I've been on about moving to Czech for years now, but the language is a bloody killer and nobody in the rural bits speaks English. Lovely place, a bit similar to here in the 60's / 70's but with mobile phones and the interwebz. The rules and regulations though, fuxake, you think this country has problems? At least here it's easy to make money if you can be bothered getting off your fat arse and doing something.

 

Eh? You seem to forget that I have lived/worked/been educated abroad and whatever. And yeah, I get that the grass aint greener and all that shit, I'm happy to take on shit, I'd just prefer to do it elsewhere. Shit happens everywhere in case you're not aware. I've made an aim, I intend to see it through, end of

 

You learn something new everyday, this wasnt one of them.

[Pete-M]

  Lord Sterling said:

  Pete-M said:

The grass is not greener on the other side. Sorry.

 

I've been on about moving to Czech for years now, but the language is a bloody killer and nobody in the rural bits speaks English. Lovely place, a bit similar to here in the 60's / 70's but with mobile phones and the interwebz. The rules and regulations though, fuxake, you think this country has problems? At least here it's easy to make money if you can be bothered getting off your fat arse and doing something.

 

Eh? You seem to forget that I have lived/worked/been educated abroad and whatever. And yeah, I get that the grass aint greener and all that shit, I'm happy to take on shit, I'd just prefer to do it elsewhere. Shit happens everywhere in case you're not aware. I've made an aim, I intend to see it through, end of

 

You learn something new everyday, this wasnt one of them.

 

WTF are you on about? You appear to have taken insult with someone who was pretty much agreeing with you.

[flat4alfa]

  trigger said:

  Quote

Hi trigger, We are looking for cars to represent us at this years Classic Car Show at the Birmingham NEC Indoor Arena. The show is a full weekend (Thursday - Sunday) and most importantly is all indoor....so no weather excuses!!

With 170 watchers on the ebay advert now and being up to £1700 (the reserve is £3000) there's certainly interest out there for it, but what do i do??!! I wish i had room and the money to keep it and buy something else.

I did the NEC thing with one of the Lancia Betas

 

Had to take Thurs Fri Sat off work, mandatory.

Drove up 100 miles, in the rain, undoing all the valeting effort.

Was expected to stand by the stand all w/e. Did a fair share.

Saw all of both shows, but by Friday evening rang Missus up to collect, out of boredom.

Showed up Sat noon and found stand barely manned but public clambering about my car inside and out. Members had been out on the piss night before hadn't they, and weren't handling the next day too well.

Took keys back. Locked it up again. Hung about a bit. Went back to Hotel at dusk.

Sunday night, drove it home 100 miles, in rain, in dark.

w/e must have cost me £250 with hotel, taxis, stuff and ting.

 

Nah

 

Sell it.

[Pete-M]

I'm not mentalist enough to try and show it. Was thinking more along the lines of "Shove it in the car park with a FOR SALE sign in the window!"

[Lord Sterling]

  Pete-M said:

WTF are you on about? You appear to have taken insult with someone who was pretty much agreeing with you.

 

  Pete-M said:

...The grass is not greener on the other side. Sorry...

 

...money is easy to make over here if you can bothered getting off your fat arse and doing something...

 

These fella, sounded like you were aiming those particular comments at me. If I read it wrong, fair enough.

 

Seriously, if the Czech language is a barrier for you, try and see if you can pick up the language whilst out and about in Czechslovakia or get some mates to try and teach you some lines or something, the way I learnt pretty much alot of Arabic and French (Though I also learnt much of French at school in Belgium) was mixing amongst native French or Arabic speakers.

[trigger]

I see your point Mr fiatalfa! I don't think i have enough holiday left to do it anyway.

 

I thinking of buying a classic at the moment capable of towing and going all Seth like by buying a trailer tent and going camping in it, not that I've done that before but it look like fun.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

The Accord has been broken into for the second time in two weeks. Helpfully, they also broke the steering column this time! I'm pissed off beyond belief.

[tonedepear]

I had a week like that when I lived in leafy S8. 3 times in a week. 3rd time the law caught him on his way over a fence. Robbed a load of xmas presents I'd left hidden in the boot. Took dog for a walk and found my godmother's empty diabetic chocolate box! Dense robbing bastard. Bet he enjoyed them!

 

Was my old Saab. Broke the reverse lock eventually, and obviously tried to get it going, but never managed. One time took the cd player out and then carelessly left it on the roof and forgot it.

 

Dense robbing bastard.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

They really are stupid...I mean, you've fucking broken into it before, in the exact same spot. You know that there hasn't been and there won't be much worth stealing in there. Yet you break in again, hoping to hotwire a car with an immobiliser (and a flat battery, but ok he won't know that)?

[cort16]

I'd think about fragging it before someone torches it. Seriously it sounds shit too have to do it but at least this way you'll get a couple of hundred quid you can put towards something else in the future and or spend on beer.

[ashmicro]

What a shower of bastards. It's a pity it's illegal to wire your car up to the mains.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

...or even park it outside your block of flats FFS.

[tonedepear]

  cort16 said:

I'd think about fragging it before someone torches it. Seriously it sounds shit too have to do it but at least this way you'll get a couple of hundred quid you can put towards something else in the future and or spend on beer.

 

+1

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I reckon it can be saved. Should be able to get it into the lock-up within 10 days or so. Is there any parking space anywhere near your place, Mr Pear? On-street is fine as long as it's legal and there's some street lighting, as I hadn't properly installed the replacement window, so they only had to cut the parcel tape this time around.