GOGS...Grumpy Old Gits Society..

OK, back on 'phones again, but slightly different today. I've just been making calls to various companies...........

Company 1, local double glazing company to arrange to get a problem with a recent install rectified. Very polite lady on other end, most apologetic. "Sorry to hear you're having problems, Mr.B....." "I can get someone round Mr.B....." "If that's not convenient, Mr.B..... we can fit round you".

Company 2, will writers. I had a letter from them asking me to call (which I think is probably to do with this GDPR nonsense). My call is answered by a very young-sounding girl. "Can you give my your reference number?" (No "please") "Can you confirm your full name and the first line of your address?" "OK Stuart, all the advisers are busy, I'll get them to call you back". I explain that I'll be in and out all day. "Can I take your mobile number, Stuart?" a. I don't do mobiles & b. Why the hell would I want to discuss my will in public? I then think of a 2 hour window when I'm likely to be at home this afternoon. "OK, Stuart, I'll get someone to call you".

Double glazing company 1, Will writers 0.

StuBeeDoo said:

I then think of a 2 hour window when I'm likely to be at home this afternoon. "OK, Stuart, I'll get someone to call you".

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I was never out of hearing distance of the landline for the whole of that 2 hours (plus probably 10mins either end). Did they 'phone?.........

munter said:

Service....not rocket science.

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That leads me to another grump, John. When I left college (over 40 years ago now), I worked for a couple of years for a national High Street newsagent/stationers. As part of the basic training we were taught that when giving customers change you counted coins into the customer's hand first and then placed any notes on top, because it's easier to then place the currency into a wallet/purse. So why the hell is it now the norm to do it notes first? I find it's bloody awkward getting the change into my wallet without dropping the coins all over the counter and/or floor - especially with our new non-paper notes. .........And when you do drop the coins, the checkout operator rolls their eyes as if it's you that's at fault!

Today I've been on a 300 mile, mostly motorway, jaunt to have a look at a couple of 1:1 cars I may have been interested in buying. This is going to be another "two grumps in one post"..............

1) Lane discipline. I know I've done this one before, but for the first hour or so of today's trip I counted the lane-hoggers. I lost count just after 30. That's an average of one for every two miles travelled. ........And I really don't want this to sound sexist, but the vast majority of them were women in A- or B-segment cars, driving at roughly 65mph. One was a young lass driving a Citroen C1 in lane 3(!!!) on the M1.

2) I'm sure I mentioned this one before, as well........ The largest car dealership group in the UK. I've just travelled to view one of their offerings. I've seen better condition cars going through auctions. The pics on their website were carefully taken so you couldn't see the scrapes on the bodywork. They might possibly have jet-washed it when they took possession of the car, but they haven't even vacuumed it out or cleaned the glass properly. "We don't do any of that until we have a sale agreed." I'm sorry, but I'm not dropping £15k on a car that hasn't been prepped. .....And the body repairs will need to be totally invisible, not blown-over with a cheap aerosol.

The second car (at a single-outlet garage, slightly higher mileage, much better condition, 14 months newer, £250 less) I fell head-over-heels in love with and I was just about to put a deposit on it when I bottled-out because I'm not convinced Wor Lass will like it.

A bit different around here - the most aggressive drivers? in BMW 3 series (for some strange reason mostly blue) They often make me wish I still had this one:



1951 Chrysler Imperial convertible - Hemi V8 (the first) 20+ feet long, 5500 lbs -it would intimidate New York city taxi drivers!

EM

Dopamine said:

Must be different were you live, because down here most of those problems are caused by elderly BMW X3 drivers.

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Love it!

davekp said:

and im sure a law has been passed against it

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A law was passed a few years ago. I doubt the Police have the resources to catch many offenders. Now I come to think of it, I don't remember seeing a single patrol car in over 250 miles of motorway driving on Monday.

It's a bit like people still regularly using their 'phones while driving. 6 points (IIRC) and hefty fines for offenders, if caught, but every day on my 9 mile each way commute I must see at least 5 people flouting the law. They're going to, aren't they, if there are no Police on the road to catch them? I also regularly see one woman driving one-handed because she's holding a tea/coffee mug in the other hand.

One of the problems seems to be the thought that the car will save you these days. There are so many aids that it's a wonder you even have to hold the wheel at all - that's coming I know.

Back in the mists of time when the likes of me learnt to drive, you actually had to learn to control the damned thing or it would kill you. One hand on the wheel is not enough to control it. I gave my step son driving lessons and in the end told him that if he continued to drive with one hand and the other leaning on the door as it looked cool, not only would I stop teaching him but I would confiscate the car. He did pass but immediately returned to his Mr. Cool driving position. We finally fell out when he tried to get me to accept a few points on my licence as he was about to lose his for yet another offence. He was upset and said it showed I didn't really care for him. My lecture about personal responsibility went down like a lead balloon

munter said:

This is something that the young people here are having trouble with.

I heard a lawyer speaking on national radio that she wanted police pursuits to stop immediately because of all the young people being killed when they crash.

Well guess what I want?

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World peace?

munter said:

I heard a lawyer speaking on national radio that she wanted police pursuits to stop immediately because of all the young people being killed when they crash.

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Perhaps they should train the police drivers better so that they don't crash in the first place.

Reminds me of a crash I was involved in many years ago as a racing cyclist. Out training one winter's evening with roughly 15 other cyclists, dressed like Christmas trees in reflective stuff and lights, riding two-abreast as we always did because that way we were far more visible to motorists than we would be riding in a single line, a police car decided to overtake us and then promptly pull in to a petrol station right in front of us. Trouble is, the police driver underestimated the speed we were travelling at (somewhere between 25 to 30mph) and the 4 riders at the head of our group ploughed into the side of the police car. The police driver (female, although that's probably irrelevant) was subsequently prosecuted for, and convicted of, careless driving.

I don't know what it's like in New Zealand, but in my part of the UK, Sussex, the police appear to have abandoned any form of policing other than persecuting motorists.