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Sir Trev
09-07-23, 02:49 PM
Kids parties. We get a lot of people parking on our road at the weekend as we have a huge park with kiddies playground at the bottom of the road (4 doors down). Just got back from the garden centre to find the road rammed, but oddly every car was an A6 or an S-Class Merc... Then I heard the noise from next door - oh flip, its a kid's party (their youngest is about 8?). Must be lots of family round as a lot of the screaming/crying is much younger kid's so I do hope it does not last too late!

To get clearance for their now fully built extension they ripped out the end three of the 10 foot beech hedging plants, and the remaining plants have not yet filled the gap. So every time I sit out on the patio or head to the greenhouse I feel I'm being watched. With lots of visitors outside on their new patio it means I don't really want to go outside now. I am getting so grumpy as I get older :D

maviczap
10-07-23, 06:34 PM
Changed the discs and pads on my car the other day. Everything went fine, been driving around to make sure everything was ok, which it seemed

Drove from home to Sunny Hunny, half way things didn't feel right. But pressed on carefully.

One brake is binding, car has no jack, and I don't have the right tools to do anything.

Wife is stuck at home, as the dog had an emergency operation today, so can't travel, so she can't bring me anything to examine the offending brake.

admin
13-07-23, 10:42 AM
I'm fed up hearing about the BBC presenter. Just sounds like another distraction story to divert attention from the Boris etc.

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Luckypants
13-07-23, 11:08 AM
I'm fed up hearing about the BBC presenter. Just sounds like another distraction story to divert attention from the Boris etc.
Of course it is. The Sun (spits) had been running this for a couple of days before the BBC responded and it was a BIG DEAL. That just happened to coincide with the court deadline for Boris to hand over the device containing all the Covid WhatsApp messages expiring. I believe Boris is now in contempt of court. You don't see that on the BBC or other MSM.

maviczap
13-07-23, 12:36 PM
Goes from bad to worse. Just been told my cousin passed away last night rather unexpectedly. :( The family is devastated.

Sorry to read this Mike :-(

Luckypants
13-07-23, 12:46 PM
Sorry to read this Mike :-(

Thanks Mav, its a full year since she died. While everyone was quite shocked, it has had a lovely consequence in that it has pulled the family closer together. I now know Anne's children so much better. Silver linings and all that.

Craig380
14-07-23, 08:37 AM
Both a gripe and a smile: the weather forecast wasn't great yesterday but I went out anyway. I was 15 miles from home after a dry ride thinking I'd got lucky, when out of nowhere the heavens opened. After 5 miles of soaking, hammering rain and blinding spray, I emerged into sunshine as quickly as if I'd stepped out of a shower cubicle.

Serves me right for believing I'd got away with it!

Seeker
14-07-23, 08:54 AM
Both a gripe and a smile: the weather forecast wasn't great yesterday but I went out anyway. I was 15 miles from home after a dry ride thinking I'd got lucky, when out of nowhere the heavens opened. After 5 miles of soaking, hammering rain and blinding spray, I emerged into sunshine as quickly as if I'd stepped out of a shower cubicle.

Serves me right for believing I'd got away with it!


Ditto. We were at Claythorpe, I checked the rain radar and it showed that my laundry, which I'd left outside, would be getting wet - it was passing quickly though. We decided to ride the coast road to get an ice cream at Conisholme but another shower popped up (not shown on radar when we had last looked). The Yam has been in more rain in a year than the SV in 7 years.

garynortheast
14-07-23, 11:56 AM
I'm fed up hearing about the BBC presenter. Just sounds like another distraction story to divert attention from the Boris etc.

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There will be another celeb type distraction along soon, to try and divert attention away from this.

https://news.sky.com/story/westminster-accounts-powerful-group-of-tory-mps-scrutinised-by-expenses-watchdog-after-sky-news-investigation-12919851

rowdy
19-07-23, 10:59 AM
Kids parties. We get a lot of people parking on our road at the weekend as we have a huge park with kiddies playground at the bottom of the road (4 doors down). Just got back from the garden centre to find the road rammed, but oddly every car was an A6 or an S-Class Merc... Then I heard the noise from next door - oh flip, its a kid's party (their youngest is about 8?). Must be lots of family round as a lot of the screaming/crying is much younger kid's so I do hope it does not last too late!

To get clearance for their now fully built extension they ripped out the end three of the 10 foot beech hedging plants, and the remaining plants have not yet filled the gap. So every time I sit out on the patio or head to the greenhouse I feel I'm being watched. With lots of visitors outside on their new patio it means I don't really want to go outside now. I am getting so grumpy as I get older :D
Yep, neighbours can be a right PITA.
I am by no means a model neighbour, and don’t pretend to be. I am council house ‘scum’. Our previous neighbour was an ****, when we moved in the fence on our rhs back garden blew over. We had dogs so lashed it up as best as we could at the time, having been told it was next door that erected the fence.
I was then hospitalised for a month having part of my lung removed, nearly died from sepsis etc, but in the meantime the neighbour came round and ranted at my wife. He basically called us council scum that claim benefits. We actually run a business, pay sh!t loads in tax and vat, employed about 10 members of staff and didn’t claim any benefits. So we spent about £600 putting up a new fence to replace his dilapidated one. His wife also came round having a melt down because our dog woke her up early hours and she was a nervous wreck. Our dog would bark once at 7:30 to say feed me. She even admitted that ‘early hours’ was 7:30. They also had a dog and their daughter used to drop her Jack russell off with it and they would bark all day.
They also made us get rid of our chickens as apparently they woke them up too (I used to put a towel over the coop window and they wouldn’t wake up until I went out and took it off)

They moved, new neighbours seemed nice. First week they were drilling holes at 8:30 in the evening. No problem with that, normal neighbours at last. I was doing a few bits to the house and got a complaint so ever since any time I need to do anything we make sure with the neighbours if it’s ok to do so/when is convenient for them etc. We were walking our dogs at about 6:30. They do get a bit excited and bark as we are leaving but then get a message to walk them after 7:30 as that is when they wake up. My wife got me an electric guitar that I would shut myself away in the kitchen on the other side of the house. Neighbour comes round and moans, so have played it probably 4 times in 3 years since when I know they have gone out. Walls are very thin and when they have their grandchildren round can hear them through our living room wall pretty clearly.
Our dogs if left at home alone occasionally bark if they see something outside and one of them wines a little now and then because, since lockdown, gets a little separation anxiety. Got moaned at about that. I recorded them on the iPad a few times to see how bad it is and, well it isn’t really that bad. In fact the birds in the garden are louder. We now pay our friends 19 year old son to come round and play xbox/watch Netflix and sit with the dogs so we know they have company. On the days he can’t do I have to stay at home and not book jobs in!

They, on the other hand don’t let us know if they are having their noisy grandkids around. They don’t ask or let us know if they are having their conservatory re roofed, or having a path put in their garden with whacker plate going etc. Don’t let us know if they are going on holiday so we are safe to be normal humans.
Yes, they might own their house but what does a retired couple expect buying a three bed semi detached house on a road of ex council houses where some of them are still council (well housing association) family homes.

My wife treads on eggshells all the time not to upset them, as she is worried that we might be evicted if they complain.
The funny [sic] thing is her parents live in an ex council house (it was actually my father in laws parents council house that he bought from the council) and for many years had a peadophile live next door that took about 20years of being raided before he was evicted (used to film child pornography). They now have a family of pikeys that moved in, their son is autistic (so am I but not badly) that goes around the house knocking on all the walls etc.
This isn’t so much of a problem for us as we have grown up in the area with the local ‘traveller’ families, my father in law grew up with the dad of his neighbour, so he has been told in no uncertain terms by his dad not to upset my father in law.

So, my gripe is neighbours. Specifically townies that move to the country and moan. If they ever did decide to evict us, and we bend over backwards to try and make them happy even though the miserable cvnt struggles to put his hand up and say hello, I hope for his sake he doesn’t get a peado or a pikey move in next door. Being an outsider he would likely get his face punched in.

Apologies for the massive rant!

redtrummy
19-07-23, 05:54 PM
I was brought up on a council estate just post war so loads of different class of people. It was a great childhood with good neighbors all around. Dad bought a piece of land and there was a dispute over the boundary and I was also called council scum. When I married we bought a place on a very quiet road, had great neighbours for 18 yrs or so until next door changed hands and then the atmosphere totally changed. It is a real lottery whether the neighbours are good or bad. Moved back to my Dads place (big garden and fields behind (for now) but I do miss the wonderful times we had. (Dogs next door where we are now live outside and would bark all day if I let them.
Having experienced both scenarios I can sympathies with you.

rowdy
19-07-23, 08:20 PM
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to be a nuisance neighbour and we try very hard not to be.
I just don’t get people that move to the country from more urban areas, that think they are moving to some idyllic and peaceful location when they move into a three bed ex council semi, when they really should be living in a one or two bed detached house or bungalow where the chances of disturbance from an adjoining family inhabited home are much lower.

That and the fact townies are very naive. Not long after the neighbours moved in there was a knock at the door. My wife was asked by the neighbour if she could come and look at an injured bird she found in the garden. She thought it was a duck. It was a fecking wood pigeon, and a very sick one at that, being eaten by maggots. I had to go round there when I got home from work and dispose of it.

Bibio
21-07-23, 09:49 AM
i stay in council estate but my neighbours are superb (well most of them). i'm on an end terrace and i could not ask for a better adjoining neighbour, he cuts my grass and hedge and i let him park in my drive. never ever complain about each others tv, music or parties. neighbours at the back are superb, there is even one that goes to the shops for me and vice versa. if any of us need anything doing then we just ask.

yes i had a bit of trouble with some of the youths but a quick going round the doors put a stop to that.

i would just like to add that where i stay was classed as one of the most undesirable areas of kirkcaldy but the street i stay is great. i originally come from the very centre (montague street) of edinburgh but i prefer it here. fifers by and large are very nice friendly people but you do get scum just like everywhere else.

yes i feel blessed sometimes.

admin
26-07-23, 06:36 PM
Rain, rain,rain.

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Craig380
26-07-23, 07:17 PM
I got out for a good ride this morning but have ridden a LOT less this summer compared to the past couple of years.

garynortheast
26-07-23, 09:06 PM
Just managed to dodge the rain this morning on my walk from Mitchell's Fold to Bromlow Callow and back. It just started as we got back to the car. Been continuous ever since....

Craig380
27-07-23, 07:54 AM
I might have mentioned this before but the stone circle at Mitchell's Fold is one of the spookiest places I've ever been. I've no idea why but to me, there's an dark vibe about it which I found really unsettling, in a way that I've never felt at any other ancient site such as the Rollright Stones or the old Iron Age forts in Northumberland.

redtrummy
27-07-23, 09:21 AM
Phone /broadband noisy. You tell them you have checked it at the demarcation point as it comes into the premises, but they still send you an idiots guide on what to go through before they will except that they have to look at the problem

garynortheast
27-07-23, 09:35 AM
I might have mentioned this before but the stone circle at Mitchell's Fold is one of the spookiest places I've ever been. I've no idea why but to me, there's an dark vibe about it which I found really unsettling, in a way that I've never felt at any other ancient site such as the Rollright Stones or the old Iron Age forts in Northumberland.

Just continuing this here..... (https://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=240895)

Sir Trev
27-07-23, 05:38 PM
When your customer headhunts your account director responsible for that customer... What muppet failed to put a restriction clause in their employment contract?

All the "only share the summaries" instructions we've been getting along fine with for years are now "give me the nth degree of detail or I won't sign off your invoices!" is driving us nuts.

Seeker
29-07-23, 12:31 PM
I suppose my gripe is about human frailty. I looked after my Dad as he was descending into the abyss of dementia - eventually not recognising me. Now my neighbour has started on the same path. Jean is a sociable, chatty, 80 year old lady that would do anything for you but her forgetfulness is now obvious to anyone.

Three times this week she has been shouting out of her window at passersby that she was locked in, another time she stopped me to say she was locked out because she'd put the chain on the door (forgetting she exited through a different door). Fire truck turned up 2 nights ago...(to open the door). She keeps hiding her keys and forgetting where. She asked me if I'd seen her Mum and where Roy (her deceased husband was).
She doesn't have any direct family but a once-removed step daughter (it's confusing) comes round and we all pitch in. She is adamant she doesn't want to go into a home but I think it would help her to be around more people on a regular basis - she's the type that thrives on company.


I sincerely hope they get a fix for this hideous disease.

Craig380
30-07-23, 07:37 AM
Sorry to hear that, S. My wife's mum is at roughly the same stage, increasingly unable to manage everyday tasks. Unfortunately we live a 240-mile round trip away, which makes helping difficult, and she's adamant she won't move.

maviczap
31-07-23, 08:58 PM
I suppose my gripe is about human frailty. I looked after my Dad as he was descending into the abyss of dementia - eventually not recognising me. Now my neighbour has started on the same path. Jean is a sociable, chatty, 80 year old lady that would do anything for you but her forgetfulness is now obvious to anyone.

Three times this week she has been shouting out of her window at passersby that she was locked in, another time she stopped me to say she was locked out because she'd put the chain on the door (forgetting she exited through a different door). Fire truck turned up 2 nights ago...(to open the door). She keeps hiding her keys and forgetting where. She asked me if I'd seen her Mum and where Roy (her deceased husband was).
She doesn't have any direct family but a once-removed step daughter (it's confusing) comes round and we all pitch in. She is adamant she doesn't want to go into a home but I think it would help her to be around more people on a regular basis - she's the type that thrives on company.


I sincerely hope they get a fix for this hideous disease.
Both my mum and my wife's Mum went through this, before they passed away.

Luckily my mum still recognised me up to the end, and was a gentle dementia sufferer, but it was horrible to watch her fade away in a few months that she was in care. At least the home she was in was so lovely and they were brilliant

It is a horrible disease

Bibio
01-08-23, 09:54 AM
i now know what bloo toilet bowl cleaners taste like. my brand new packet of porridge is smelling and tasting of the stuff as it was next to it in the shopping bag.

its not an unpleasant taste its very floral but not what i want in porridge lol some people might actually like it.

garynortheast
01-08-23, 11:09 AM
Lance, you're clean round the bend then.

admin
01-08-23, 11:09 AM
Lance, you're clean round the bend then.Groan.

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maviczap
02-08-23, 08:20 PM
Lance, you're clean round the bend then.

:smt038:smt038:smt038

admin
03-08-23, 01:58 PM
I've just picked up a bag of dog **** left in the hospital car park. What the Fck is wrong with people. Who takes their dog to the hospital anyway.

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Luckypants
03-08-23, 02:03 PM
Agree John, lots of folks seem to think bagging it is all that is needed. All that does is create litter! Take your litter home folks or drop it in the bin.

My gripe on this score is all the cat crap about the place, no one berates cat owners for it though. Just found my dog has worms for first time in his life with us due to eating infected cat crap. Yes, he is a grim dog! He was only wormed a month ago too. More tablets required.

garynortheast
03-08-23, 06:02 PM
Yes, the dog crap being bagged and then left infuriates me. In town and built up areas, it needs bagging and binning. Out here, away from the town, either bag and bin or stick and flick as long as there is somewhere suitable to do that.

admin
03-08-23, 06:12 PM
Yes, the dog crap being bagged and then left infuriates me. In town and built up areas, it needs bagging and binning. Out here, away from the town, either bag and bin or stick and flick as long as there is somewhere suitable to do that.There was a bin 15ft away.

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garynortheast
03-08-23, 06:18 PM
There was a bin 15ft away.

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Dirty, idle gits. :smt093

DarrenSV650S
07-08-23, 08:49 PM
You know those days you should have just stayed at home?

Thought I'd go for a little evening ride tonight and take the long way to the shop. Turns out I had to take the very long way, then double back on myself because the dual carrigeway is shut in various locations for a cycle event tomorrow. No warning signs or information just completely shut.

While I was doubling back to the shop via country roads, I lifted the front end going over a little hill, shut the throttle and the bike landed quite harshly. Stupid me.

Didn't think too much more of it, but then the bike started cornering weird. I started panicking thinking there's no way I've buckled the front wheel, or knackered the headstock bearings with 1 wheelie! Wheel looked straight, nothing unusual. Headstock felt fine. Checked the shocks, the yokes. Bolts all tight. What else could it be!

I'm just being paranoid because of that wheelie, it feels fine now. So went to the shop, left and as I was pulling out of a junction the back wheel skipped a little. Must be a little gravel. Then the steering started going all over the place. Pulled over and it finally clicked...

Relief! The front end was ok! And there is a petrol station at the shop 50 yards away. So I hobble in to the air pump thinking I'll just top it up quickly to get me home. I pay for the air and of course it won't even start pumping because the tyre is completely flat now.

So hazards on and hobble back to the house about 1 mile.
As I'm riding home at 20mph with my hazards on, a car passes me and puts his hazards on as if to let me know I have mine on. Yeh... thanks, there is a reason they are on!

Tyre was a bit hot but seems ok. I put the bike on the paddock stand and put a little air in to get the tyre back in shape.

https://i.imgur.com/XEKBazc.jpg

Whatever it was is gone now. And at least it is a fixable part of the tyre.

https://i.imgur.com/s7hdDCj.jpg

garynortheast
07-08-23, 09:24 PM
Not a good trip Darren! Glad the tyre is fixable rather than scrap though.

Seeker
12-08-23, 11:21 AM
The houses 3 and 4 doors down from me have become short term rentals. At 4pm yesterday afternoon the party and bbq started with thumping bass line music. No problem so far. By 3:30am with the party still outside and the music still pumping (and my windows shut in my hot dormer bedroom), I reached my pain threshold. I tried yelling "turn it down" but couldn't yell loud enough to overcome the sound system. I called the police only to discover that: "Oh, we don't respond to noise complaints anymore". "Call the council". (They were kind enough to give me the phone number :rolleyes: )
I called the council which, via an automated switchboard, referred me to their website which, in turn, told me that a singular noise event is not cause to make a complaint.
I recorded a video snippet at 4am for future use and (praise be) the music stopped at 4:30am. Yay! but resumed at 5am - I got up and had breakfast. :mad:
It quietened down by 6am but (none dance) music tried to resume at 8am when another neighbour yelled (and did say thank you when the music stopped).


The music lyrics were in a foreign language as was the loud conversation (to overcome the music). As for the girls giggling and yelling - I have no idea. The landlord advertises the place as perfect for contractors but I suspect these were not contractors.


I get even grumpier when sleep deprived.

garynortheast
12-08-23, 12:06 PM
I think I would have lost it and paid a visit with a napalm cannon.

admin
12-08-23, 02:37 PM
I think I would have lost it and paid a visit with a napalm cannon.Me too. Very selfish.

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Sir Trev
13-08-23, 11:23 AM
Can you find which platform they are listed on make a complaint that way? Defo pursue via the council further though, and get your neighbours to do the same. If they get a slew of complaints they're less likely to ignore you.

Hope you don't get a repeat!

Seeker
13-08-23, 12:43 PM
Can you find which platform they are listed on make a complaint that way? Defo pursue via the council further though, and get your neighbours to do the same. If they get a slew of complaints they're less likely to ignore you.

Hope you don't get a repeat!


I got a reply today from the landlord (myshortlets.co.uk) who agreed the tenant's behaviour was unacceptable and that they, the tenants, were contacted and they apologised for their behaviour. Joanna (landlord rep) also apologised and said they wouldn't let to these people again. They were due to leave today (it was quiet last night).


The house adjacent to the rental property has just sold and I don't think the new owners realise they are moving in next door to a short term rental property. The street was known to be quiet and is popular for retirees.

I was surprised by how little official recourse there seems to be in this situation, it is up to you to trace the landlord and gather evidence before the council can even be approached. Maybe it's always been like this but I remember my Dad making a hard standing for his caravan at the front of the house many years ago (different property, a detached house same town) and one person complained and he quickly got a letter from the council telling him the caravan had to be moved.


Edit: Postscript - I just had a visit from the local rep for the property who also apologised and gave me her phone number in case there is another event (she hoped there wouldn't be). She bribed me with a box of chocolates...

Luckypants
14-08-23, 07:22 AM
We need a 'Like' button for posts like this ^^^^

Sir Trev
14-08-23, 05:32 PM
Good to hear they took it seriously.

garynortheast
16-08-23, 08:03 AM
Having to deal with the parasitic kn0bheads at Nexus, the company which administers various car parks. One of theirs is the pay and display car park on Ffordd Senghennydd in Caerdydd. The cameras for this car park point at the actual public road rather than the car park entrance. Consequently when I drove down this road to go to Senghennydd Court to park at the allotted time in the student flats parking space, the cameras at the PaD car park back up the road took a picture of my car. They then proceeded to send me a letter telling me I owe them a penalty payment for parking in a car park I never even entered. The pictures they sent me in the letter quite clearly show my car on the public highway, not in the car park entrance, and when you look at google street view it's even more obvious that this is the case.

I sent them a snotty response on their appeals form and suggested they take a look at the positioning of their cameras, and they responded by ignoring that and telling me I owe them money. Unscrupulous b@astards.

I've also now sent an official appeal response to POPLA, the ombudsman, telling them about this. While I know I am completely in the right over this, it's still causing me a lot of anxiety (to which I am quite prone these days, sadly), so in some ways I would be happy for them to try and take me to court. If that happens I will make sure they are properly nailed for this and be claiming compensation for the stress and anxiety caused.

Parasites.

redtrummy
16-08-23, 08:36 AM
Farrell got off - going to take several days to get that out of my system

Bibio
16-08-23, 08:43 AM
not good Gary. i have a similar ongoing one about a pay and display that never said blue badge holders were not exempt

admin
16-08-23, 10:33 AM
Having to deal with the parasitic kn0bheads at Nexus, the company which administers various car parks. One of theirs is the pay and display car park on Ffordd Senghennydd in Caerdydd. The cameras for this car park point at the actual public road rather than the car park entrance. Consequently when I drove down this road to go to Senghennydd Court to park at the allotted time in the student flats parking space, the cameras at the PaD car park back up the road took a picture of my car. They then proceeded to send me a letter telling me I owe them a penalty payment for parking in a car park I never even entered. The pictures they sent me in the letter quite clearly show my car on the public highway, not in the car park entrance, and when you look at google street view it's even more obvious that this is the case.

.



Parasites.

Let them take you to court Gary. You've got sufficient evidence to make them look stupid.

The selling off car parks to these parasites does boil my blood. Modern day clampers.

It seems that wherever you go these days, supermarkets, cinema, hotel etc, they all have some outsourced parking arrangement.

Grrr



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Seeker
18-08-23, 06:49 AM
I have a pension pot in the US (it's called a 401k), upto this month it was administered by TRowe but my last employer (Kodak) decided to switch it to Merrill. Uh oh, I thought. I know I'm a negative person but I also predicted this would cause issues for someone outside of the US.
I tried to open an account following the instructions.

1) My US Social Security number (you use it a lot in America, it's 9 digits and everyone has their's memorised), so no problem.
2) DOB - remember to switch over day and month - no problem.
3) City of residence - Cleethorpes (not sure I'd ever call it a city, I have many other names for it).
4) First 5 digits of ZIP code (Zone Index Postal if you ever wondered, common ones are 5 digits long but sometimes they have a 4 digit hyphenated suffix) but post code was mentioned. First 5 digits of a UK postcode? I would have never entered that. Hmm. :confused:


"Unable to create account" (surprise :rolleyes:). I'm guessing it's the postcode but after 3 attempts I was locked out.
I emailed the lady at Kodak who is the contact for the switchover. She couldn't help (?) but said she would call her contact at Merrill.


Merrill called last night at 6pm (they're in NY, 5 hr time difference) and asked me some security questions -SS #, DOB etc but then it got difficult.
1) Date of hire, month/year (I was working for Scitex,we got taken over by Creo and then taken over again by Kodak over a 10 year period, my 401k started with Scitex - which company hire date?)
2) Date of termination, month/year (apparently "about 14 years ago" is not accurate enough).

The Merrill guy got locked out too (join the club).

I emailed Kodak again. This is when it gets odd imho, Kim (at Kodak) emails me a screen grab from Merrill showing the information that they just asked for. I feel like a soap bubble circling the drain hole. I suppose Kim calling Merrill and saying: "this is the person he says he is" is not much security although the required information seems readily at hand to everyone except me and the login computer.

Merrill are calling me tonight when we can continue the adventure of creating my login. Assuming we stick to the same security questions I feel positive (well, guardedly neutral) that it may work this time.
To be continued ...


Edit: ...continued. Successfully created a log in account and it works. Well, it worked once, I'll make sure it's ok by trying again today. (Oh, ye of little faith as my Dad would say).

There was one oddity. My phone rang at 18:30 and I could see it was the US number (of Merrill). I answered and asked if it was the same guy as yesterday because I now have the answers to his questions. He said: "I cannot answer that until you answer my security questions". Huh? So - Last 4 digits of US SS#, DOB: Then he said: "Yes, we spoke yesterday".

admin
18-08-23, 07:30 AM
That sounds like fun. At least you're making progress if slowly.

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BoltonSte
18-08-23, 11:33 AM
Don't expect them to apply logic and try a work around.

When we first went over on secondment:
- I'd like to open a bank account.
- You need an address and a social security number.
- I arrived on secondment 2 days ago, will the temp accommodation do?
- No you need a permanent address and a social security number.
- I need a bank account to be able to rent anywhere and don't have a social security number yet.
- You need a permanent address an a social security number.
- Will my work address do? It'll be permanent for the next 3 years and I'll be there every day.
- No you need a permanent address
- I can't get a permanent address as I can't rent without a bank account...

- Hello, I've just arrived from the UK on a work secondment, could I organise a social security number.
- Not a problem sir, what's your address...

Kenzie
31-08-23, 03:28 PM
Why is car shopping so difficult? I need to replace my aging Civic coupe but I can't find anything that grabs me.

Sir Trev
31-08-23, 06:32 PM
I had the same problem earlier this year when I was thinking about changing my bike. Everything I liked was either too tall or had no torque...

And I'm really not looking forward to replacing my car in three or four years time as I seriously doubt you'll be able to buy anything other than a crossover or SUV. a trend I really dislike!

Kenzie
31-08-23, 06:35 PM
I might go look at an A6 tomorrow, but it's a diesel. I'm a little unsure tbh. Got lots of toys though.

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redtrummy
01-09-23, 08:05 AM
Car 20 yrs old. bike 1 53 yrs old, bike2 24 yrs old . Most used cycle 38 yrs old - I am just a coward.

Kenzie
01-09-23, 08:07 AM
Haha, my Civic is 22 years old this month. I paid £3000 for it in 2007 and it's done well until now.

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garynortheast
01-09-23, 11:37 AM
Most of the morning spent on the phone to British Gas about the now closed electricity account I had with them (now with Octopus, thankfully) and the current gas account. Spent 20 minutes on the phone waiting to speak to someone, as the person on the chat thing didn't seem able to do anything much. 20 minutes of a loop of some grim piece of muzak. :smt067

Now on the phone to Powys County Council. Another loop of muzak while I wait to talk to someone about solar panels. Losing the will to live.............](*,)

admin
01-09-23, 01:51 PM
Most of the morning spent on the phone to British Gas about the now closed electricity account I had with them (now with Octopus, thankfully) and the current gas account. Spent 20 minutes on the phone waiting to speak to someone, as the person on the chat thing didn't seem able to do anything much. 20 minutes of a loop of some grim piece of muzak. :smt067



Now on the phone to Powys County Council. Another loop of muzak while I wait to talk to someone about solar panels. Losing the will to live.............](*,)"your call is very important to us"

"We're experiencing large call volumes"

"Most problems can be resolved by visiting our website"

Customer care is pretty poor these days. No one invests in it as it doesn't produce a revenue stream.

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Seeker
01-09-23, 02:40 PM
HMRC - it's tax time again (for me). Yet again the Self Assessment form has changed. I started paying the "on account" thievery last tax year and assumed that it would be deducted from this years tax liability (apparently, it should be) but I haven't found the correct box to enter the figures (so until I sort it, I'm paying twice the tax) plus the usual hassle with foreign income.

I've had to break down and consult a tax preparer, appointment on Tuesday. Paying taxes isn't nice but at least it should be easy.
I think the SA form should start with 1 question - "Have you received any additional forms of income?". If no, you get last years form so you can just enter the new figures. Simple.

garynortheast
01-09-23, 03:22 PM
So glad I don't have to wrestle with the poxy self employment tax forms any more.

Seeker
01-09-23, 05:03 PM
So glad I don't have to wrestle with the poxy self employment tax forms any more.

Lucky you.;)


This "on account" scam is an awful system and having spent a while googling it seems many others are confused too. It looks like the SA form assumes you haven't made any "on account" payments until you submit the form for the new tax year at which point HMRC records deduct the prior tax years "on account" from the current one (which may take 72 hours to show). What could go wrong? Also, if you don't pay enough you get interest charges but pay too much and they merely refund the overpayment.

This is why I need to speak to a tax preparer, it seems so screwed up.


Edit - with further investigation it seems you are responsible for deducting the prior years "on account" from the current years - what a system.

Seeker
05-09-23, 10:59 AM
Self assessment "on account" again.
Summary: say your income means you owe £2000 tax year 21-22. HMRC will want a further £2000 "on account". So Jan31 you'd pay £2000+£1000 and July31 you'd pay £1000. I get that.


Tax year 22-23 you owe £3000 (from income) so you'd pay £3000+£1500 Jan31 and £1500 Jul31. Which is where is breaks down for me - you're now paying double tax unless you can deduct "on account" 21-22 from 22-23. This point isn't explained anywhere I can find.


The tax preparer wasn't much help - I can understand him not wanting to give away his business but to be told I didn't understand the system multiple times didn't help my mood.

I had two basic questions - if you paid £1000 (x2 Jan31 & Jul31) "on account" for tax year 21-22 and HMRC are now saying you need to pay £1500 (x2) for tax year 22-23. do you:
1) Deduct the amount and pay the difference
2) Enter the value somewhere on the tax form.


Initially the tax preparer kept telling me it's the system when you have to pay the on account amounts. I tried to point out it meant you were effectively paying twice the normal amount of tax since the "on account" amount was half your "normal" tax bill (calculated from your income) paid twice - unless you only pay the difference between successive tax years.


Eventually he got my point and said you have to enter the prior years "on account" value but wouldn't tell me where because of "liability" issues.


He wants £220 + VAT to do my taxes. It's no good, I am going to have to call HMRC - wish me luck (this morning the estimated wait time was 60 minutes so I'd need to charge my phone).

admin
05-09-23, 01:01 PM
FFS. It shouldn't have to be this hard.

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Seeker
05-09-23, 04:27 PM
Aha! Found this:
In second and subsequent years your payments on account are deducted from your tax bill leaving a balancing charge (additional tax to pay) or a refund if you’ve paid too much.

Progress! That is how I thought it should work now I just need to find out if I make the calculation myself and pay the difference or pay the full amount and HMRC will refund the excess.
So much info on what "on account" is but virtually nothing on what happens on your second year regarding payment.

Sir Trev
05-09-23, 07:05 PM
Unfortunately, there so many levels of training and accreditation in the finance industry it can be a minefield finding the right person to help with your accounts, planning, and tax matters. I had separate people do all three when I was contracting but did not get the right people first time.

Hope you get it sorted.

Seeker
07-09-23, 07:44 AM
Ok, the last comment on Self Assessment for anyone still interested. One very kind accountant explained how it works in theory (you take off your 21-22 tax year's "on account" figure from the 22-23 tax year's bill and pay that plus the 22-23 "on account" figure by Jan 31 and the second "on account" amount by Jul 31.)

How does that work in practice though? Do you make the calculation yourself and submit that?

I called HMRC (only a 35 minute wait) and was told that you submit your Self Assessment form with the full 22-23 tax bill and the "on account" figures, wait a few days (length of time not precisely stated) and log back in at which point the owed amount will be shown which should be the values the accountant stated above.


Fingers crossed ;)

admin
07-09-23, 08:20 AM
My son called late last night. His car has blown up on the A23. He had no details of the breakdown insurance (even though I've given it to him several times). He got recovered after I dug out the relevant information and the car is now at his local garage in Brighton. I suspect the bank of mum and dad are about to buy him another car.

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Seeker
07-09-23, 10:51 AM
Manufactured potholes. I know potholes form naturally through weathering and/or usage by too many (heavy) vehicles. No one talks about the manufactured ones. Top dressing may be a wonderfully cheap way of extending the life of a road surface but each time it adds a new layer and manhole/drain covers gradually get lower and lower forming a man made pothole.

Kenzie
07-09-23, 10:54 AM
I hate surface dressing, especially when they don't go back and sweep it up. It's absolutely lethal when riding.

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Sir Trev
08-09-23, 07:00 PM
Drove through a pothole in the dark on Saturday - one heck of a jolt - and now my automatic handbrake o tha car has packed up... Shame, as it was very handy in stop-start traffic. Service time soon so it'll have to wait until then.

DarrenSV650S
11-09-23, 03:35 PM
Brand new rear tyre on the bike, I've been on one run so far.
I was washing it today and notice not one but two nails stuck in it. Opposite sides to each other. The previous tyre also had a puncture that had to be repaired.

](*,)

garynortheast
11-09-23, 05:03 PM
Brand new rear tyre on the bike, I've been on one run so far.
I was washing it today and notice not one but two nails stuck in it. Opposite sides to each other. The previous tyre also had a puncture that had to be repaired.

](*,)

Bugger! Are they repairable Darren?

DarrenSV650S
11-09-23, 06:14 PM
Hope so! I'm taking it to my tyre guy tomorrow. I initially thought it was just one nail and was pretty miffed about it. Couldn't believe it when I found the second :rolleyes:

Air was bubbling out of the first one, so it's definitely punctured, but maybe the second one is a short nail and hasn't gone right through.

Sir Trev
17-09-23, 03:02 PM
Fudging bicycle shop... I went in yesterday and asked for a 28x2.15 inner tube, ie what's written on the tyre. He sold me a 28 x upto 1.75, saying it will expand and fit. Utter liar. It won't push the tyre out to engage in the rim groove, because IT'S TOO NARROW!!!!

Now I have to back there tomorrow and argue with the annoying owner, who kept saying "it will say 700x something on the tyre somewhere". No, it does not! It may be the widest one you sell but if you didn't have the size I asked for just tell me.

Unless I go to Halfords I have little choice but to use these guys. So annoying. You can probably tell.

Seeker
20-09-23, 06:43 AM
Russell Branded to death.
If the allegations are true he should be punished because they are horrific but the media seem to be falling over themselves to dig up every old interview and say: " see, we told you so", yet said little/nothing at the time.
I don't want to see Brand's face or hear his name any more until an investigation is concluded.

admin
20-09-23, 06:57 AM
Russell Branded to death.
If the allegations are true he should be punished because they are horrific but the media seem to be falling over themselves to dig up every old interview and say: " see, we told you so", yet said little/nothing at the time.
I don't want to see Brand's face or hear his name any more until an investigation is concluded.I've been ignoring the whole thing. Not because of what he's accused of but the way it's covered in the press.

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garynortheast
20-09-23, 07:33 AM
Certain sections of the media are like vultures when it comes to this sort of stuff.

Useful distraction from the actions of some of the other villains as well.

Craig380
20-09-23, 08:11 AM
The media love a juicy 'sex pest' story, especially when they've had a significant role in building up the profile / career of the person involved.

Unfortunately, 'trial by media' is sometimes the only way that wrongdoing is uncovered.

admin
20-09-23, 08:48 AM
Certain sections of the media are like vultures when it comes to this sort of stuff.



Useful distraction from the actions of some of the other villains as well.Look at the hatchet job the BBC did on cliff Richard

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Chris_SVS
21-09-23, 10:48 AM
My beloved Tracer is off to a new owner tomorrow (hopefully) No plans to replace it in the near future unless something cheap and cheerful appears that can sit in the shed and not be too concerned about, I'd even consider another SV.

garynortheast
21-09-23, 12:26 PM
You're going to miss two wheels before long I reckon Chris...

Chris_SVS
21-09-23, 05:25 PM
More than likely end up with an MX bike, bikes are in my blood but have no draw to ride on roads.. Same with cycling, my collection of cycles are all gone too (although Im still suffering complications from the 'rona)

admin
26-09-23, 03:24 PM
My son's car has a flat battery and he can't unlock the doors. So he tried the old way and inserted the key in the driver's door and still nothing. Apparently this is common on Vauxhall Insignias and you still need some power to the lock mechanism. Would you believe the one way to fix this is to remove a fog light to access a relay, remove that and insert a 12v feed into one of the connections.
What is the point of a mechanical lock and key if you still need power?

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embee
26-09-23, 04:01 PM
Car insurance up for renewal. Quote from existing (LV) was way too high so shopped round as usual and got something sensible (Aviva, existing customer so some discount). All OK.
Go onto LV site to make sure it won't auto renew. Total PITA, as is common these days. Trying to find where to see auto-renew status is convoluted. Eventually find a tick-box but when ticked you don't get any sort of confirmation so not sure if it has been registered or not.
OK, so decide to phone, 10mins hold (not too bad I suppose), get through to UK call centre, great. Girl on line has one of the strongest regional accents I've heard recently and gabbles at warp speed, have to keep asking her to slow down and repeat (embarrassingly so). Eventually I think she confirmed it wouldn't renew, but not 100% sure because she said it so quickly and with such a strong accent and I'd lost the will to live by this tme.
Does no-one say to call centre folk that they need to speak clearly and slowly?
At least the Aviva site uses a simple "do not renew" tick box, why can't all companies be sensible?

admin
26-09-23, 04:17 PM
I was on the phone to LV today to cancel the breakdown cover on my bike. They answered quickly and I've had an email confirmation since.

I also cancelled membership to Boundless (was CSMA) as they've raised their prices again. I only joined years ago for discounted LV car and breakdown cover but they don't want to cover my son's car as he no longer lives at my address and my bike is now covered by Honda (AA).

I got breakdown cover for my son with https://www.startrescue.co.uk/breakdown-cover for less money and better cover. It's Which recommended.

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Kenzie
26-09-23, 04:30 PM
I had a haggle with AA for Gold cover as it had crept up. Managed to get it down from £27 to £19.99 for their Gold cover with nationwide recovery for two people (any vehicle). My insurance is due for renewal end of October and despite not having any issues for over twenty years of driving I've had two no fault incidents in the last four months. Hopefully it won't affect things too much.

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embee
29-09-23, 11:47 AM
GOTD - the feeling that "they" have tried to take the mick.

A couple of years ago my regular MOT chap (cars and bikes) retired, he was the only reason I traveled 10mls to get MOTs, so found another local place. I've taken a couple of cars there a couple of times, absolutely no porblems.
Took my little toy car in today, it's done about 600mls this year, 25k in total in 27yrs, always garaged, pretty much spotless. It once failed on a wiper blade which had started to split at one end and I hadn't noticed, fine, otherwise no issues ever.

Call from garage, failed on dip beam alignment, both too low. Now as far as I recall they've never been touched, and I carefully checked everything over this morning before taking it in, including the headlights against the garage door and everything "looked" fine. OK I know beam alignment equipment isn't a garage door at the end of the drive, but I was still surprised and said so. "We can adjust them now if you want, ...... £9 +VAT ......... each".
My reaction was that it was literally a 2min job (if that), and was a retest free if I took it away and adjusted them and brought it back?
"Oh OK then, we'll do it for free, just come and get the car". (slightly abrupt tone).
Me - "No, if it needs doing then do it but the price sounds too much, how about charge me the price for one?"
"No, just come and get the car, take it away".

I go and get the car, apologised for sounding a bit awkward, didn't mean to be, but I was genuinely surprised. OK they say, no problem.

Got car home, let's just see what the lights look like against the garage door. Dip beams fine (separate main/dip), one main is correct, the other is about a foot too high. Now it definitely wasn't like that earlier this morning when I got the car out. Checked that the lamp was fitted fully home and the clip was on, that can throw them out, but all fine. It took 6 full turns on the adjuster to get it back to where it should be.

Now, what would you think?

Hmmm, maybe off somewhere else next year.

admin
29-09-23, 03:31 PM
It does sound iffy. I'd Google the garage and see if there are comments from other customers.

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Sir Trev
29-09-23, 06:36 PM
Sounds incredibly iffy. Things can go out of whack if you go over a rough pothole but you'd certainly notice that!

embee
29-09-23, 09:39 PM
Interestingly, the tester told me verbally that both headlights were too low, the MOT report online says both too high and too far to the right. Doesn't mean much but just another oddity.
The emission test has the time on it, unfortunately the MOT cert doesn't have a time so I can't compare when the cert was filed and when they phoned me but it was almost 40mins after the emission test. The emission test is usually done near the end of the MOT in my experience.

My mind is made up, next year all my cars go to the local Council MOT station, they don't do repairs so no vested interests.

Seeker
02-10-23, 06:50 PM
I have been emailing my (Tory) MP endlessly - I didn't really count them but I was looking for a URL in my sent emails folder and noticed there were (several) hundreds. He never responds but I find it cathartic. :)
I was discussing this with my friend and we both thought that the MP (Vickers) had a filter for my email account.

Today I sent an email to Vickers from an account that doesn't have my name in the address - I got a response the same day from the casework manager.

So I guess we proved that theory, this is the first response I have had in over 2 years.

I have several email accounts so I guess I need to keep switching between them and/or create more. ;)

Kenzie
02-10-23, 07:10 PM
What on earth are you emailing them about?

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Seeker
02-10-23, 08:30 PM
What on earth are you emailing them about?

Sent from my Nokia XR20 using Tapatalk


Well, it has been over a 10 year period. Austerity, covid, BoZo, brexit, collapsing infrastructure, the constant changing of policy over onshore wind turbines, unethical behaviour, privatisation failures, lack of investment, immigration, building aircraft carriers when we don't have planes and the need for them anyway, HS2, east/west rail links, NHS, Cameron, Osborne, Truss, Sunak, Hunt (as health minister),broken promises, hostile takeover of GKN (he agreed with me on that and then voted to let it go through: hypocrite). Age limits and term limits for MPs (he's in his 70s). The constant infighting in their party at the expense of the country, relaxation of environmental rules including pesticides. One recurrent theme is asking him to name anything that is better since Tories came to power (except MPs bank balances), etc, etc.


I think a better question is why everyone isn't writing to their MPs. We are up sh*t creek with no paddle.

redtrummy
02-10-23, 09:43 PM
like it Seeker! I have sent e-mails on occasions to my MP. Most of the time he has agreed with me, but now he has been kicked out of the Party (Bridgen) cannot see he has much influence now.

Bibio
03-10-23, 09:07 AM
its not all the tories faullt. remember gorden brown financially furked the world by letting the bos drop interest rates so he could borrow more money but keep the payments the same. its largely his fault that we are in the state that we are in.

embee
03-10-23, 10:00 AM
its not all the tories faullt. .....

Mr.Sunak has just released his campaign song ......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJHPfpOnDzg

At least he has had the decency to admit that all the plans have been wrong up to now and he is going to change all that .......

Craig380
03-10-23, 10:30 AM
its not all the tories faullt. remember gorden brown financially furked the world by letting the bos drop interest rates so he could borrow more money but keep the payments the same. its largely his fault that we are in the state that we are in.

GB made some mistakes as chancellor, but those were drops in the ocean compared to what really fooked global economies: the crash of 2007 / 8 when institutions were exposed to CDOs that had no real worth.

Brown & Darling's interventions in bailing out the UK banks probably saved the UK economy from an even worse collapse; their only mistake was not imposing stringent conditions on the banks they bailed out with public money (unlike the USA, which basically allowed Lehman Bros to completely die as a warning to other financial firms).

Add 13 years of austerity measures to the above and here we are. The real catalyst for it all was the Thatcher govt's 'big bang' deregulation of the City: that allowed the trading in the types of financial instruments that triggered the 2008 crisis.

Seeker
03-10-23, 11:45 AM
Jeremy Hunt has just said without smiling: "Sound money under the Conservatives or run out of money under Labour".

A tweet soon followed regarding our national debt as a percentage of GDP:

2010 64%
2016 81%
2023 101%

Don't let the facts get in the way of a good soundbite.

admin
03-10-23, 12:49 PM
Jeremy Hunt has just said without smiling: "Sound money under the Conservatives or run out of money under Labour".

A tweet soon followed regarding our national debt as a percentage of GDP:

2010 64%
2016 81%
2023 101%

Don't let the facts get in the way of a good soundbite.That was always the Tory mantra but it doesn't really hold water anymore especially since the Truss fiasco.

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Craig380
03-10-23, 01:36 PM
That was always the Tory mantra but it doesn't really hold water anymore especially since the Truss fiasco.


It wasn't HER fault, or Kwarteng's, it was the notoriously tofu-munching, Guardian-reading woke bankers and city traders ... ;)

embee
03-10-23, 03:32 PM
Different subject .....

Got the Virgin Media message that seems to have been around for a few months now, email not available. My first reaction is what sort of scam is it, but it seems to be genuine. Whatever way I try to get into the emails it's not working.
It shows a pretty convoluted step by step guide which I follow as far as possible, but it seems to fall over at various steps. Eventually I think I've got through it, but still no email access.
At the moment I just feel like screaming "utter pile of s**t" at the lot of them.
I suppose it will get worked out eventually but what a stupid palaver to go through.

:smt072

Seeker
03-10-23, 03:53 PM
Different subject .....

Got the Virgin Media message that seems to have been around for a few months now, email not available.


Royal Mail tracking is down, too.

Luckypants
05-10-23, 07:22 AM
We have Covid in the house..... :(:(