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GOGS...Grumpy Old Gits Society..

414K views 9K replies 138 participants last post by  Wobble 
#1 ·
after all the years of suffering being called a miserable old bar-steward by mrs zz , I am finally rejoicing that she has come round to my way of thinking. the source of this wonderment?... a newly found joint loathing of the foul phenomenon of otherwise seemingly intelligent individuals starting a sentence with the word "so"!!!! if you have been asked , "how do you propose to re-attach that button"? , or , "what method would you use to distribute seed in your garden" , fair enough but otherwise , nooooooooooo! other current hot favourites are "yoofs" with their kecks hanging out the top of their trousers and newly qualified drivers with a green p plate (clearly designating pillock) who refuse to commit to crossing a roundabout without having received a written invitation at least a fortnight in advance! what gets your hackles up?
 
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#953 ·
It's a strange thing. In theory, I should like anything that allows me to communicate easily as my ears continue to deteriorate to the stage that I can hear someone if they speak to me about six inches away - mostly.

So email and this forum mean I can socialise to a degree. I could use a mobile for text I guess.

But it was mobiles and smartphones that led to 'social media' and the constant staring at a screen instead of human interaction and the plain rudeness of people taking phone calls when we are supposed to be keeping company.

In some ways, the deafness means that people have to make a real effort when talking to me which means they have to concentrate and make sure I am getting what they say.
 
#955 · (Edited by Moderator)
There were four guys sitting in a pub having a beer after work. Ring ring, Nigel answers his phone. "OK Hun, I'll do that" . "The wife want's me to get some milk on the way home"... "Nice phone Nige" ... "yeah it's a new Samsung S9". More beer and chat. ...buzz buzz ... John gets out his iPhone and answers a quick txt. ... "Are you going to get the latest iPhone John?" ... "Might do". Another round. Reginald slides up his sleeve. "The misses is reminding me the in-laws are coming for tea" ... "Nice Reg. New?" ... "Got it yesterday" ... Another round and there's a muffled buzz and Mike starts wriggling on his chair. "What's up Mike, you OK?" ... "Yeah, got a fax coming through"
 
#956 ·
I should have added in post 949 ^^^ that when WL arrived home her first words to me were "I've got 2 missed calls from my mam". Why do you want to 'phone someone for a chat when you've just been told that they're out shopping?
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#959 ·
My wife, Jen, got home from a few days away with friends and asked if I got her text? I replied that I hadn't turned my phone on. It lives in the jacket I wear motorcycling in case the bike breaks down.
That, for me, is exactly the point of having a mobile phone. Urgent messages that could save a situation or a life.
Preeeeeecisely!
 
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#961 · (Edited by Moderator)
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?
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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.
 
#963 · (Edited by Moderator)
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".
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?.........
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Service....not rocket science.
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?
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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!
 
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#967 ·
Television audiences that respond with that high pitch wwooooooooooooo!!!!!

Mostly female voices too, I am sorry to say.

What happened to clapping?
On the rare occasions I actually stay in the room when the television is on, as soon as a programme with a live (or, even worse, "canned") audience comes on I beat a hasty retreat. I love going to proper live shows (especially jazz gigs) and even in the largest auditorium the applause never bothers me. I'm sure that on television they deliberately mix the applause through the sound system excessively loud. .....And it's not just that, they don't fade the applause when the compare(s) are speaking so you can't hear what they're saying (which is often not a bad thing, I suppose).
 
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#968 ·
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.
 
#969 · (Edited by Moderator)
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.
Must be different were you live, because down here most of those problems are caused by elderly BMW X3 drivers.
 
#970 ·
OK BMW X3.....that sort of neither either model of vehicle gets my goat....try a sedan, stationwagon, convertible, sports car, pickup truck, 4X4 but the X3 is one of those that isnt any particular thing.

We see it here with many Japanese imports eg people mover small, people mover medium, people mover large.....yuk yuk yuk.
 
#971 ·
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:

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

EM
 
#973 ·
Capital letters. For names. First names. Last names. Capital letters.

I'll say no more.

It's been cathartic.

Thank you.

As you were with lane discipline and all.

Actually, a point of order Mr Chairman; I spent four hours on the motorways of this green and pleasant land yesterday, the discipline was, mostly, completely absent. Biggest offenders seemed to be drivers who appeared to be in their thirties and below. And, the mad under-then-over-taking this occasionally prompted was, well, mad.
 
#974 ·
i dont think most people these days even know the rules of the road

i find lane hogging unacceptable at any time , and im sure a law has been passed against it

I also find it very irritating when someone in the inside lane doing 70 suddenly brakes because someone on the slip road wants to join the motorway

its the other way round you idiots, the car on the slip road has to stop as it does not have the right of way, as indicated by the broken regular white line that they have to cross to get on the motorway

read the highway code it explains it in simple enough english
 
#975 ·
and im sure a law has been passed against it
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.
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#976 ·
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
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