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Same actually with pork scratchings. Over 40 years ago I had to wait for a train at some station in Brum and downstairs was an indoor market. A stall was flogging pork scratching from big black dustbins. I bought a carrier bag full for a few pence. By god I was thirsty by the time I got to Gloucester!
My Nan used to have a pub, one day i went with her to the Cash & Carry and persuaded her to let me have a whole bar card of Pork Scratchings. Like, 48 packets of them.
I'm probably still disproportionately cross I didn't manage to make them last more than a couple of days.
Forum members who you've always thought to be pretty sound posting something that is just 100% dead wrong. but turn out to have dead fish floppy handshakes.
Now that I'm back at a real keyboard,
Two lanes going to different places, flying down the empty one and carving in at the last minute (unless you're genuinely lost and screwed up) is a total dick move.
Two lanes going to the same place where they merge into one, flying down the empty one and carving in at the last minute is totally fair game because that is what the road is there for. If you were supposed to merge half a mile back, it would have been coned off half a mile back. Leaving unused space is achieving nothing other than increasing the length of the queue, potentially causing wholly avoidable issues back down the line. Well done to anyone who's the type to create a rolling roadblock, they might just have gridlocked a roundabout a mile behind them.
And also...
Forum members who you've always thought to be pretty sound posting something that is just 100% dead wrong.
Yeah, I'm thinking this is possibly about my comments. If not then I'll write a bit more anyway
Reading it back(original rant done while I'm trying to get ready to leave for work so possibly wasn't thinking things through fully) it comes across as a bit strong and binary in my view, so I apologise for that. I don't mean to be so black and white.
I think there are lots of different situations on the road and of course 'zipper merging' is what SHOULD happen in a lane closure type situation and not doing it does increase the length of the tailback obviously but I guess that I see so many situations where what people are doing is clearly not zipper merging, it's just blatantly pushing in aggressively. Relatively short queues and as Cougar says, lanes not going to the same place, and then people firing up the other lane and forcing in right at the end.
It's stuff you see every day unnecessarily increasing tension on the roads and the injustice of people being total dicks and being free to do so.
Anyway, late for work again. Never enough time to read things properly on here anymore, so yeah, apologies if I was a wrongun. I got drawn in, in a rush and a grump 😊👍
Anyway, late for work again. Never enough time to read things properly on here anymore, so yeah, apologies if I was a wrongun. I got drawn in, in a rush and a grump 😊👍
Here's a tip ... take the moto and lane filter all the way 🤩
(only kidding)
Beetroot juice. I quite like it and know it supposedly has health benefits, but I don't drink it all that often. So I forget on my subsequent bathroom visit that alarm, panic and a 999 call due to a suspected massive internal haemorrhage is not actually required.
The (dinner plate sized) info screen in the new Mini*.
FFS, minimalist dashboard my Rss , there is no need for that monstrosity, no need at all.
*not my car
I watched an Ep of Ancient Apocalypse on Netflix
My work teammate, who I get on well with, recommended this to me as I, apparently, like "high brow stuff" (I think this is because I watch University Challenge and not Love Island)
A quick Google of it made it obvious that it was complete horseshit, so that's what I told him. "Well yeah", he says "but he makes some interesting arguments". Sigh.
Here's a tip ... take the moto and lane filter all the way 🤩
Motorcycle riders who don't filter when there is plenty of space to do so....... just get off that flipping bike and let me ride it you useless posing ****
Relatively short queues and as Cougar says, lanes not going to the same place, and then people firing up the other lane and forcing in right at the end.
The road into Colne from the M65 is notorious for this (look up Vivary Way on Google Street View). It's a two-lane dual carriageway, the left is straight on and is permanently rammed even off-peak, the right is right turn only and goes to a Mini dealership or something about three people want to visit. After the lights it's single lane so you can't go straight on unless you either push into the left lane or boot it to get the drop on the vehicle to your left when the lights change. The number of vehicles pulling this stunt got so endemic that the two lanes are now separated with bollards.
There's a pre-bollards video on YouTube somewhere of two high-performance cars at the lights. The lights changed, the one taking the piss stood on the loud pedal, the one in the correct lane presumably thought "I'm not having that" and did likewise, they both ended up what looked like a very large repair bill. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Motorcycle riders who don't filter when there is plenty of space to do so....... just get off that flipping bike and let me ride it you useless posing ****
Speaking as a former motorbike rider,
Filtering isn't mandatory and can be difficult to get right. One filtered past me the other day in a "four narrow lanes" part of (I think) the M6. Traffic was slow-moving and he came past at pace, I didn't see him until he was right behind me. If I'd had an extra coat of paint on my door mirror he would have clipped it.
But yeah, I agree, if there's plenty of space then why not use it.
People who paste reams of ChatGP/CoPilot output into threads. I really don't understand why people thing this is helpful as anyone can access that info. It's a useful as Googling something and pasting in a screen shot of the results.
IIRC you can fail your motorbike test for not filtering when safe to do so
The BikeSafe courses run by police motorcyclists certainly encourage filtering when safe to do so.
I nearly always filter when there's opportunity, but occasionally I don't. Even though I'm advanced trained with 25 years of riding experience, it requires eyes on stalks and even more concentration than normal riding. So sometimes I just cba and am happy to chill and take slightly longer to get where I'm going. Especially when I've got my wife on pillion and am fully loaded with panniers and top box. I'm not a courier or commuting, I'm retired and riding for fun, so getting to my destination a few seconds or minutes earlier isn't always my top priority. Stressed out throbbers who can't mind their own business and take exception to this, can **** right off! 😉
You tell me if this is disproportionate
Son had private procedure at a <name-brand> hospital about 6mo ago. Received bill from surgeon, anaesthetist, etc. which was paid. He also had a meal after the surgery, and breakfast the next day, wife had a cup of tea and a cake in the evening while visiting - obvs it was an extortionate sum for what they had but <1% of the total, however this has to be paid direct to the hospital. When he was discharged, no-one was able to take a CC payment, so they said they'd send the bill to my email. Which they did a few days later.
I paid bill through their online portal and emailed them back, referencing the payment request number and the payment transaction.
Last week he (not me) got a letter saying that he hadn't paid the bill and if they didn't have payment in 5 days they would pass to debt collection.
I called them but because the account is in my son's name they wouldn't talk to me. He emailed them explaining it had been paid, forwarded email, etc., and gave me permission to speak to them on his behalf, as per their suggestion. Last part of the email - please confirm by return that payment has been made.
Nothing.
I called them yesterday and they wouldn't speak to me because...... after much back and forward the credit person agreed yes, they could talk to me but they couldn't trace the payment being made, can I provide more details. After actually reading the full email, they then confirmed yes, they do have the details they need, but as it was by now late afternoon and the cash office needs to trace the payment, someone would call me today.
By mid afternoon, nothing. So I call again, again have to explain that I don't need the boy to confirm OK to talk to me, etc. And now it seems the cash office can see the payment in, but can't see where it has been allocated to but it's not this account that's where there's still a sum outstanding. By now, I may be 'disproportionately cross' and point out very politely if they bought something from me and gave me a tenner - if i came home and then binned it, or shredded it in the washing machine, or put it in a drawer and now can't remember where...... that's on me, not on them to send me another tenner because I'm a ****.
I've been promised a call back tomorrow.
And I've also been told that if we get a letter saying that it's been passed to debt collection because we haven't paid within 5wd, to just ignore it. What faith do I have in that do you think.....
And I've also been told that if we get a letter saying that it's been passed to debt collection because we haven't paid within 5wd, to just ignore it. What faith do I have in that do you think.....
Do nothing... let them pass it to debt collection and then ignore them, too.
Hopefully you (your son) will eventually get a court summons.
You then request to the court they throw the case out, citing your evidence the debt is paid, and your evidence that you have already told them it's paid, and them admitting they have the money.
It's the only way they learn.
This isn't my first rodeo either. Here's a slightly amended excerpt from a letter I sent to a debt collection agency who were chasing a non-existent debt.
The Office of Fair Trading Debt Collection Guidance states that in not ceasing collection activity whilst investigating a reasonably queried or disputed debt you are using deceptive and/or unfair methods.
Furthermore, ignoring and/or disregarding claims that debts have been settled or are disputed and continuing to make unjustified demands for payment amounts to physical/psychological harassment.
I found out today I have two identical health insurance policies. I'm not sure how it happened, but I'm certain it's my idiocy. Now I have to try to get the insurance company to refund me one set of premiums. I imagine my chances of success will be limited. But I'm going to try, obviously.
Found out last week that MrsMC and I both have a family membership of the Camping and Caravan Club. Both thought it was the other one. Both thought the other one was cancelling it.
Not camped for a couple of years now....
You tell me if this is disproportionate
Sorry, no... you want the "Stuff that makes you proportionately cross" thread...
People* shoving coins into rocks at the Giant's Causeway .
Very bad craic indeed.
*probably the same type of throbbers that hang padlocks on bridges
*probably the same type of throbbers that hang padlocks on bridges
Well, not really. Bridges can be replaced - if that ever became really necessary.
I lost my favourite cufflinks, they fell out of my bag somewhere. (I wear cufflinked shirts almost never, but I was attending a funeral.)
Found one a couple of days ago. I've just found the second and now I'm absolutely damned if I can remember what I did with the first one.
My dad told me I was getting a "bit of a paunch". I was disproportionately cross because a0 he and my mum wanted me to take them out for their weekly socialisation at a cafe and b) I am well aware of the situation and did not need reminding!
Well, not really. Bridges can be replaced
Well,yes really. 😀
I lump them all in that needy, attention seeking, small time fly tippers and vandals tribe.
A photo is just not good enough for these citizens, cheap tat has to be left.
and don't get me started on roadside flowers 😉
I've just found the second and now I'm absolutely damned if I can remember what I did with the first one.
Excellent.
So I'm not on my own 🙂
Ordered some shorts online for holiday next week. "UK shipping via Royal Mail!"
And it is. Once RM has received the shipment from $%^&ing China.
My dad told me I was getting a "bit of a paunch".
People that humblebrag. You're the same age as me, I'd be well chuffed with 'a bit of a paunch', I've got a full fatmanfoldover (the man alternative to the muffintop)
My dad told me I was getting a "bit of a paunch".
People that humblebrag. You're the same age as me, I'd be well chuffed with 'a bit of a paunch', I've got a full fatmanfoldover (the man alternative to the muffintop)
To be fair, my dad was being polite and playing it down. He wanted a lift to a cafe....
I may be disproportionately sanguine about this, not sure:
Last ride before going on a week's holiday yesterday, lost my Garmin 810 and won't get to retrace for at least a week. I'm a bit "bah" and a bit "meh"about it
Did a walk this morning, one of the footpaths goes through a nice golf course. Loads of lovely signage to tees, greens, driving range etc. Minimal signage for the footpath. Only needed a couple more signs.
A helpful foursome pointed us in the right direction, assuring us that if we walked in the middle of the fairway we'd be safe from being hit by golf balls.
A helpful foursome pointed us in the right direction,
We've all been there when we've lost control of our balls.
Just been to the cinema.
The Salt Path, as you asked.
Why TF do people have to get up, faff and chat loudly the second the first credit goes up, despite the picture carrying on with atmospheric images and music?
Then, why TF do so many people just leave all their snacking crap on the seats and the floor? Take it into the foyer and bin it you lazy self-centred melts ffs!
Same people who leave dog eggs in trees I reckon. 😡
I've pretty much given up on the cinema, mostly for the reasons you suggest. There's precious little out that I can't wait a couple of months for. Plus, is it just me who misses intermissions?
How was Salt Path? It looks pretty good.
How was Salt Path? It looks pretty good.
It wasn't amazing if I'm honest. Ok. Not amazing.
Not sure what their accents were supposed to be. Stoke? Brummie?
It looked really engaging and emotional in the trailer. Not too sure I felt that but lots of people get stuff from films I don't so I fully expect that others will love it.
I'm not a cinema fan either really but sometimes you have to take one for the team. 😊
Peeling a potato with a peeler and the peel gets stuck in the blades and all you're achieving is buffing the potato until you clear said blockage and the whole nightmare starts again.
I'm not usually one for peeling potatoes but the recipe calls for it.
The frailty and cruelty of life.
My friend went to wake her daughter up yesterday morning, she had passed.
19, going to start uni later this year, a whole new adventure, experiences and opportunities lay ahead, but no, life had different plans.
As well as being desperately sad for them, I'm so ****ing angry at the cruelty of this.
So sorry to hear that RM. How desperately tragic and sad. Very much proportionate to feel sad and angry about it. Shout if you need to bend someone's ear.
Back to trivial stuff, online glasses retailers that don't allow searching by bridge size, arm length etc. I don't want to have to click on every frame to find ones that might fit me!