The grumpy thread

[warren t claim]

£18.60?? Is that what it costs to go across in a car?

Transit sized and above.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I'm fairly sure that once the royal mail is gone and we all have to rely on privately run courier services for delivering anything we'll be regretting 'our' decision, as no courier company that has been invented so far is anything other than a FUCKING NIGHTMARE to deal with, the whole industry is a massive compendium of wankers all of whom should be gassed.

[Cavcraft]

Privatisation is always a good thing, when I think back to British Rail/Steel, National Coal Board, Post Office telephones I can't believe how much better things are these days, am sure the Mail will be the same, prices will drop service will improve etc

 

Oh aye, train services are really reliable* these days and at least the f*cking companies aren't still getting propped up by our money.

National coal? What f*cking coal?

Post Office telephones? Went to shit when BT took over.

 

Oh wait...

[Wilko220]

The vast majority of the many, many companies that have been privatised over the past 30-40 years, people don't even remember were ever in state ownership. There were hundreds of them, dating back to the wacky "commanding heights" policies of the early-mid 20th century Labour Party. So I agree that, in general, privatisation has been a good thing.

 

That said, there are some things (like the railways, like electricity supply, like the postal service) which are simply always going to be a natural monopoly - and I have never understood how privatising them and injecting fake, subsidised "competition" into them has made any sense.

 

Any good idea can be taken too far.

[autofive]

Privatisation is always a good thing, when I think back to British Rail/Steel, National Coal Board, Post Office telephones I can't believe how much better things are these days, am sure the Mail will be the same, prices will drop service will improve etc

 

i notice you forgot to include british leyland, british gas or the water board

 

privitisation is an excuse for the tory bastards to line their own pockets at the publics expense, as usual

[Richard]

I think there was a degree of irony in Doctormop's post, that's how I read it anyway.

[Station]

First class stamp? 64p?!

[chaseracer]

A combination of degree-level economics training, life experience and left-leaning politics (I'll get my coat in a moment...) tells me that a 'mixed economy' is the way forward. Nationalised utilities and major public transport (the 'natural monopolies') operated for the benefit of the public (instead of grossly subsidised by them as now) not for the enrichment of large shareholders, combined with open competition everywhere else.

I have my Nomex suit on now...
 

[skattrd]

My experience tells me .... Don't talk politics on Autoshite

[mattblack]

OH FFS...

 

I've had this week off work to do some work on the Cortina. Been scraping the loose crap off the underneath on the offside, cutting out some bits of grot and welding some patches on. Now bear in mind that I didn't actually start until late Tuesday morning and I've been starting at 9.00 - 9.30 and finishing any noisy work by 5.30 - 6.00 and having about an hour between about 12.30 and 1.30 for my dinner. This morning the woman over the road come over ranting about how "she's sick of all the noise, I've no consideration, the classic 'my son's a policeman', I'll get on to the council, the woman next door has to take the baby out to get it sleep" (but apparently hasn't complained herself because 'she's too polite'). She then come out with the 'I'm a trader' bollocks, the evidence for which is that about 2 1/2 years ago I parked a car on next doors drive (which they invited me to do as they were going away for a while) and some pikeys came round and bought it. Oh yes, that would by my late fathers Mondeo, which I sold for him as he had to give up driving because he had dementia, thanks for reminding me.

 

Oh well, I await the knock at the door...

[Rocket88]

Dog turd through letter box?

[purplebargeken]

My classic response is a steely eyed glare and 'fuck off'. 

[chaseracer]

Must try that.

[trigger]

She's sounds like a total kunt. As Watanabe would say.

[RobT]

Is she retired by any chance?  Some of the old gits where I live have fuck all else to do but nose around and complain about others.

[RedSparrow]

I like to ignore them as if they're not there. After a while all they can hear is themselves repeating themselves and walk off in a huff feeling stupid.

Passive aggressive.

[Mr Lobster]

I send a ps3 game the other day wanting it signed for and it was 4 pissing quid. I'm sure that it'll be 24 quid once it's privatised. Is there anyone who thinks privatising the mail is a good idea cis I've not met one.

I'm not against privatisation in some circumstances but Royal Mail should be left alone. I don't buy this bollocks that they need the money to invest anyway, they still made a very handsome profit last year as it is. Privatisation will only bring greater costs for the users and a poorer service. And if you live somewhere remote (Scotland, the Isle of Wight, Cornwall) then you're probably shafted. The current situation whereby Royal Mail and the Post Office are entirely seperate organisations is stupid enough as it is.

 

BTW, the Post Office (as seperate from RM) are going to scrap all that medium /. large packet silliness they introduced a few months back and bring prices back down. Apparently they have lost a lot of over the counter business because of it.

[autofive]

I like to ignore them as if they're not there. After a while all they can hear is themselves repeating themselves and walk off in a huff feeling stupid.

Passive aggressive.

 

ignoring them works a treat

 

like the dumb bitch who complained that 'my husbands disabled' when i lit a weed and bush fire, in a metal container, in my own back garden, for the first time in about 2 years

 

i completely ignored her and slowly walked away. This made her unbelievably enraged.

 

 

on the other hand....

 

sometimes.....

 

screaming at them to fuck off is also fun, especially if others are out in the street to hear

 

if you have an audience; maybe you could try shouting "no, i dont want to see your underwear" or 'that is disgusting, its no wonder your husband goes cottaging" at her when she starts moaning

[Doctormop]

i notice you forgot to include british leyland, british gas or the water board

 

privitisation is an excuse for the tory bastards to line their own pockets at the publics expense, as usual

 

I think there was a degree of irony in Doctormop's post, that's how I read it anyway.

 

 Sorry chaps, was indeed trying to be ironic and tongue in cheek and failing miserably, serves me right for watching Will Self on question time!

Didn't mean to sound like a trolling knob muncher,

[Mr Livered]

I do think that in general politics is best avoided on a forum such as this.

 

The one thing I can't resist pointing out is that even Mrs Thatcher couldn't face privatising the Royal Mail, I think that tells us something.

[rml2345]

^ I know both politics AND Mrs. Thatcher are dangerous subjects on here but reading that reminded me she couldn't face privatising the railways either...

[beko1987]

I always answer I'll do it later to those, and never do. If I ever have to then it'll be a 99p SIM card from asda that donated it's number

I'll then keep it turned on on a Shit phone to monitor who gets the number sold to them and complaining appropriatly!

[nigel bickle]

DVLA.

 

I want to tax a 1957 car, last used in the mid 90's. Its still on the blue V5 -never been issued a red one.

So, I visit my Post Office (a few weeks back -as you'll soon see) who proclaim that they can't tax it, as its not showing on the system (it does appear on the DVLA website).

On their advice I send it, with insurance & MOT exemption certificate, to my local VRO. 

 

4 weeks later, nothing, so a long phone call discovers that they (Brighton) sent it to Maidstone (no reason given) who have now sent it to Swansea. I'll hear soon....

 

2 weeks later- nothing, so we get on the phone.

Eventually I'm told that Lindsey (gender indeterminant) will call me back -and 3 days later , she does.     Sadly I'm  not there,  but when I do get to call back the number,  its a fax machine.    So -back through the whole loop to be told that Lindsey will again call me back, and indeed she does, 3 days later, when  my son catches the call.

 

She explains that it needs to be taxed at a Post Office, as they can't/won't  do it until the Tax Class is changed (currently PLG) -by taxing it!                                                             On the ball, he asks her to write confirming that, which she reluctantly agrees, explaining that it will follow on after the V5.

 

One week later a red V5c (so -some progress) drops through the letter box, albeit without the Insurance Certificate or MOT exemption. Oh well..

 

A few days later a letter does indeed arrive- telling us/ me that we need to tax it at the Post Office; who will then send her the V5c she has just sent me, so she can amend the tax class to exempt...                  

 

Still with me.?

 

So, over 8 weeks after I started, I tried to tax it at the Post Office today.

 

They cant tax it.      If we try to do it 'free' the computer rejects it  as PLG.

                                 If I try to pay £77 (6 months) the computer rejects it -as the age dictates it can be a Years disc only.

                                 If I try to pay £145(12 months) the computer rejects it -as the age dictates it to be Historic ,and therefore free.

 

I gave them the DVLA letter -we spent 15 mns trying every route possible.  Nothing.  Computer says 'NO'.

 

So ,they were good enough to give me a PO headed A4 sheet detailing all they've done, to return to the fragrant Lindsey, at DVLA. 

 

Buggeration is that I probably don't want the car taxed now -as I kinda wanted it out for summer. 

 

The saga continues!

[HillmanImp]

What was the car Nigel?

[nigel bickle]

Standard Pennant -but that's not really relevant. is it?

[chaseracer]

Perhaps not, but - like HI - I too was vaguely curious...

 

[nigel bickle]

_{I have a motley collection of old Standards, that seem to have withstood storage remarkably well. We felt curious to try one this summer, to see if they drove as I remembered -esp from a younger perspective.}

 

_{I extracted a simple saloon, which took 10 mins to start (stale fuel) retained good brakes (silicone fluid),  good silencing (stainless system bulk (bought in the 80's) & no (structural) rust.}

 

_{Seems its to wait the Spring, now.}

[warren t claim]

STOP TELLING ME THINGS I ALREADY KNOW ABOUT MY CAR.

 

Gear linkage has gone again in C4. ('oh no, load of rubbish these, what you want is a Golf, they never go wrong' )

None of my usual places can do it any time soon. Local 'expert' bell-end mechanic reckons:

'You'll have to strip the interior out and the linkage is a main agent part and it's £500 to fix'

 

Got to admit, if you'd of bought a Golf you probably wouldn't of had as many problems and as a bonus you'd own a great car to drive with fantastic residuals. 

 

You live and learn!

 

 

[vulgalour]

Morrisons are now selling advent calendars.  It's not even October yet.

[cms206]

Since when was a Golf a great car to drive? When?

 

I wouldn't have one given. If it was a company car, I'd thrash it to death and never clean it. If I won one I'd sell it straight away, taking advantage of those 'great residuals' by flogging it to some tedious What Car reader. 'Wow just wow what a quality car.'

 

My friends have had nothing but problems with Golfs. Not niggling little problems - ones you'd frag a snotter for.

^^ this. Never driven a good Golf yet; my mate's missus bought a Mk4 to replace an M-reg Corsa and two engines later I finally convinced her to get shot of it. I'd sooner have a Mk3/4/5 Astra, Mk6 Escort or Mk1/2 Focus than a pissing dull overpriced pile of germanic wank.