View Full Version : Gripe of the day - What is yours?
DarrenSV650S
04-12-19, 07:01 PM
Sorry to hear that Gary. Hope you both get through this soon :(
garynortheast
04-12-19, 07:04 PM
Thanks Darren, me too. This isn't what I expected to be dealing with when my girls were born.
shiftin_gear98
04-12-19, 09:50 PM
Gary, that sounds like a phonecall I don't ever want myself. I'm glad she is now in the best place to be looked after. Stay strong, tomorrow is another day. Best wishes to all your family. Mabel too.
garynortheast
04-12-19, 09:56 PM
Thanks Martin. I feel like I'm inhabiting some strange and not very pleasant other world right now
Geodude
04-12-19, 09:57 PM
I'm not good with words but i hope you all get through this and find happiness, sending man hugs and strength my friend xGx
shiftin_gear98
04-12-19, 10:00 PM
I too have seen into that other world when my missus wasn't well. Be positive and stay out of there. It's not a very nice place. All the best, tomorrow will be better.
garynortheast
04-12-19, 10:00 PM
Thank you Geo, it means a lot to have the support. Hopefully we'll come out the other side of this in one piece.
garynortheast
05-12-19, 04:37 PM
Bloody uncomfortable night on a chair by my daughter's hospital bed last night. My wife came in this morning so I went home, showered, changed, took my other daughter for a doctors appointment and now I'm about to head back to Shrewsbury hospital for another night on the chair of torture. My daughter has been on a drip for 24 hours while they flush her liver. Hoping we can go home tomorrow.
shiftin_gear98
05-12-19, 07:37 PM
Fingers crossed.
Sir Trev
05-12-19, 09:22 PM
Good luck to you all with this Gary.
Dave20046
05-12-19, 10:00 PM
Today's gripe is mainly the arguments arising from tight fisted scots clashing with even tighter fisted yorkshiremen (me)
What a bloody awful day. :(
Got off the train at Machynlleth this morning to a phone call from a friend whose daughter goes to college with my daughters, telling me that my friends daughter was escorting one of my daughters to some help at college after she admitted to swallowing a large number of paracetamol and ibuprofen last night and this morning. Currently sat in Shrewsbury hospital with my girl who is hooked up to an intravenous drip to flush her liver out. We're going to be in overnight so it looks like I have an uncomfortable few hours in a chair ahead of me. My daughter seems much more herself again now but she is prone to sudden plunges into terrible sadness. She's about to restart counselling with CAMHS.
Then to cap it all, I bumped into a good friend in the corridor just by where my daughter is, and she said her mother, who I also know fairly well, has just been brought in having had a stroke and suffering with possible pneumonia.
The two of us were stood in the corridor very close to falling apart.
What a sh1te day.
That is ****e Gary, all the best with that and unfortunately it's not uncommon. Thought I'd pitch in to say you're not alone, in fact a family member's just had the same scenario with their teenager. Wish I had some useful magic solution to recommend but it's difficult - they are dealing with it with counselling and trying to be as supportive and open as possible - but as we all know teenagers like to hide everything from their parents so it's back over to counselling. I would think knowing it's not too uncommon would help avoid further feelings of embarrassment or isolation becoming a knock on from 'the event', although I suppose in conveying that you've got to be mindful in not downplaying/dismissing it. Tough stuff. I really don't think it's easy for teenagers these days.
Wish you all the best with it
garynortheast
05-12-19, 11:01 PM
Thanks for the words Dave. I’d agree with you about it being difficult for teenagers now. There were pressures when I was growing up in the 50s and 60s but they were not the horrible insidious pressures of a thoroughly nasty, consumerist society being loaded on them today. Makes me so angry when I hear selfish, ignorant ar3eh0les of my generation telling the world that “kids have it so easy these days”.
I think we have got to the bottom of this particular instance. It seems to have been triggered by stress and pressure over an academic issue, namely maths, and because she was comparing her ability with her twin sister (who is a maths and physics geek).
maviczap
06-12-19, 07:01 AM
F#ckin hell Gary, glad she's ok, you're right it's not easy being a teenager these days, too many external pressures to succeed these days.
I'd quite happily go back to my teenage days, they're certainly happier days than I'm experiencing now.
Suicide leaves too much carnage behind for those left picking up the pieces, I know I've had to deal with the after effects. So I'm glad you're not, although I appreciate it's an extremely tough time for you, there's no easy answers to these teenage anxiety issues, as my eldest suffers with it, and she'll be 22 this December
Best wishes to everyone, Gary. Really tough issues to deal with.
garynortheast
08-12-19, 10:21 AM
Thanks embee. We seem to be back on an even keel again now. More counselling is due to start soon, in the meantime I'm just being extremely vigilant.
Good news Gary. It seems these days that you're not allowed to fail which ramps up the pressure on youngsters. We can't all be good at everything. It takes a while to learn that and be comfortable with it. Counselling will help with that.
I'm crap at a lot of things as my wife points out.[emoji6]
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i have been filling the penny jar so i could get a nice RCM (record cleaning machine) i have wanted one for a looooonnng time. i finally saved enough money and got myself one. so whats the gripe?
arrived broken.... i got all excited about using it only to have my dreams shattered....
yes i'll get an exchange but i'm all disappointed now... and i'll have to wait even longer to play with it.
arrived broken.... i got all excited about using it only to have my dreams shattered....
... looks at pictures of his H1...
I know the feeling only too well. :(
shiftin_gear98
24-12-19, 08:48 AM
Who else is at work today?
Sorry, nope. Off until the 2nd.
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Not me for a change. Although I'm working boxing Day and the day after. The joys of retail.
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Grant66
24-12-19, 08:55 AM
Don't go back till the 6th, Christmas prep all done so spending the day making a media server.
This shouldn't be in gripe [emoji3]
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punyXpress
24-12-19, 10:13 AM
Who else is at work today?
Early 60s worked somewhere a bit different over Christmas: the City of London!
London Metal Exchange company was being sold to an American one and stock figures were required for the sale date.
There were 4 of us, plus the client company's Company Secretary.
Felt like Marie Celeste's ship's cat - 3 days and not a soul about!
Two good things:
Riding into work was the easiest 3 days travel
Company gave us all gifts of spirits & fags - since others were of Pakistani persuasion, they were eager to swap their dring for my smokes.
Win win !
I used to work up to the 24th when I was in full time employment. As you say it's nice and quiet and you can catch up on a few things.
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punyXpress
24-12-19, 12:42 PM
Best day was Christmas Eve:
Working in London, but on the train.
Early long lunch (liquid) & met pal who had collected their turkey from Smithfield Market. Put it in huge carpet bag, leaving feet sticking out using rubber bands to move the claws.
Managed to get seat, and as other drunks joined us, he moved the claws.
New arrivals went green and left the compartment so we had lots of space!
Happy Daze, and we made our fun in simple ways.
shiftin_gear98
24-12-19, 12:45 PM
The only good thing so far about today were the empty streets this morning. :riding:
For the last couple of months I've been getting a new email scam - the threat to deactivate my bank account(s). What's interesting is that most of the banks in question have been in the Philippines - a place I've never visited nor opened an account.
It starts with a warning about a (non existent) dormant account and then increases in threat levels to account closure - they are quite persistent, I've had the same bank emailing me for the last 4 days - I just bin them. I suppose it makes a change from Nigerian princes.
DarrenSV650S
24-12-19, 04:50 PM
Who else is at work today?
The scamera van operators were working hard today :toss:
the quality of new vinyl lp's is shocking. i got a few new lp's and they all arrived with surface marks on them along with masses of dust. i would class that as used not new.
Stupid BMW driver, took the bike out today to take advantage of the nice weather and I come up behind this guy. He is slowing picking up speed and ends up doing 40mph in a 30 leaving me behind. We hit national speed limit and he then does 40 in a 60. Nice long straight bit of road and he then brakes for no reason. I wait for the cars going the other way to clear and left him behind.
Stupid BMW driver, took the bike out today to take advantage of the nice weather and I come up behind this guy. He is slowing picking up speed and ends up doing 40mph in a 30 leaving me behind. We hit national speed limit and he then does 40 in a 60. Nice long straight bit of road and he then brakes for no reason. I wait for the cars going the other way to clear and left him behind.Very common style of driving around here. 40 everywhere.
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The wife's alarm clock going off at silly o'clock. She forgot to change it from yesterday. Maybe I should just say, "the wife."
Geodude
01-01-20, 08:32 AM
Haha Bri that'll be that special time zone 'Barboclock' :smt082 ;)
Sir Trev
01-01-20, 09:25 AM
Stupid, drunk, selfish a-holes who were still letting fireworks off at 01:30 this morning. Fairly sure I added a rant about exactly the same thing last year but it annoys the hell out of me. If people cannot be trusted to be considerate then fireworks should not be sold to the general public.
SV650rules
01-01-20, 10:54 AM
Very common style of driving around here. 40 everywhere.
They even have their own name 'the forty milers'... My wife retired before I did and both of us were used to the rush hour traffic of people going to and from work, where despite the extra traffic drivers 'made progress' - I used to say to my wife, must be nice to drive in the daytime when traffic is lighter, she laughed and said 'just you wait' - well she was right - driving in the daytime is utterly spoiled and fouled up by 'the forty milers' - who seem totally oblivious to their surroundings and the half a mile+ of traffic jam behind them.. and even worse, when you overtake some of them they speed up while you are alongside them, and once you pass slow down again...
SV650rules
01-01-20, 11:00 AM
Stupid, drunk, selfish a-holes who were still letting fireworks off at 01:30 this morning. Fairly sure I added a rant about exactly the same thing last year but it annoys the hell out of me. If people cannot be trusted to be considerate then fireworks should not be sold to the general public.
Spoke to my Asian mate about fireworks, and festival of light, diwali or whatever they call it, and I asked him why the fireworks go off after 11pm, he said 'simple mate, that is when the men of the family get back from the pub, women are not allowed to mess with fireworks'.... just another one of the many rights their women don't have it seems...
Chris_SVS
01-01-20, 11:54 PM
Prepping big Tracer for a big day out around Donegal, have a sticky chain link and a second link that has chewed the seal.
And for some reason (I was out recently) my back tyre had lost 35psi but no obvious foreign sharp things in tyre..
Adam Ef
02-01-20, 09:05 AM
And for some reason (I was out recently) my back tyre had lost 35psi but no obvious foreign sharp things in tyre..
I found out the valve on my rear wheel on the VFR is dodgy. It's fine if it's not moved at all but when I cleaned it I must have pushed the valve about scrubbing the wheel and let out about 20psi. Worried me as I'd done a puncture repair on it a couple of weeks before that I thought had failed, but it was ok. I need to swap out the valve some time. Have you checked the core is in tight too?
the bluray harry potter collection... its a joke, dvd quality and sound. thought they would have remastered.
Chris_SVS
02-01-20, 10:11 PM
I found out the valve on my rear wheel on the VFR is dodgy. It's fine if it's not moved at all but when I cleaned it I must have pushed the valve about scrubbing the wheel and let out about 20psi. Worried me as I'd done a puncture repair on it a couple of weeks before that I thought had failed, but it was ok. I need to swap out the valve some time. Have you checked the core is in tight too?
Have't but I will, thanks
Chris_SVS
03-01-20, 05:21 PM
Breaking chain tool when riveting link..Rescued the tool with a hacksaw and persuasion device so can still press rivets out, I didn't get the job finished so bike can't move
Adam Ef
03-01-20, 05:38 PM
What chain tool are you using? Name and shame!
Chris_SVS
03-01-20, 07:12 PM
I'll have to look, it's a plain hardcase. It's Draper or Sealey I think
SV650rules
05-01-20, 06:28 PM
I'll have to look, it's a plain hardcase. It's Draper or Sealey I think
Get a 'Laser' brand one..
shiftin_gear98
06-01-20, 08:10 AM
Work
BoltonSte
06-01-20, 12:20 PM
Getting ill again, feels like what I had before Christmas that put me on my **** for a week.
The fun of two kids, they are just getting over their colds, we are such a sharing family.
Adam Ef
06-01-20, 01:35 PM
Trying to be decisive about the Street Triple, so have decided to sell / trade it. Remembering what a nightmare the previous couple of private sales have been I thought I'd lose a bit of money and go for a simpler trade-in. Turning out to not be simple at all! Why is it so hard to get test rides, ideas of PX value etc. Dealers want fees for getting their bike serviced to test ride (thanks but no thanks Fowlers), commitment to buy after the test ride (How does that work? .. so it's not really a test ride but a ride on your own bike you've committed to?!) and seem to try their best to slag off what is basically a very low miles immaculate bike I'm trying to trade.
Then there's trying to compare prices, only to find the cheaper good deal you've seen isn't so good once you've added on £129 admin fees and "on the road" fees!? Why do they not price them with that all in the marked price? (Rhetorical question.. I know the answer).
Not helping me be decisive. Every time I've tried to take photos etc to list it I've decided I want to keep it. When the weather gets warm I know I'll just be keeping it if it hasn't sold as it'll be a joy to ride in the heat of summer.
SV650rules
06-01-20, 04:18 PM
I'll have to look, it's a plain hardcase. It's Draper or Sealey I think
chain link extractor laser 4191
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Laser-4191-Motorbike-Chain-Extractor/dp/B0012M9K1K/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=chain+link+extractor+laser+419 1&qid=1578327150&sr=8-1
Have had one of these for years, done several chains - all you need is a dremel or drill with grinding stone ( at a pinch small angle grinder ) to grind head off one of the existing chain rivets before pushing it out...
Trying to be decisive about the Street Triple, so have decided to sell / trade it. Remembering what a nightmare the previous couple of private sales have been I thought I'd lose a bit of money and go for a simpler trade-in. Turning out to not be simple at all! Why is it so hard to get test rides, ideas of PX value etc. Dealers want fees for getting their bike serviced to test ride (thanks but no thanks Fowlers), commitment to buy after the test ride (How does that work? .. so it's not really a test ride but a ride on your own bike you've committed to?!) and seem to try their best to slag off what is basically a very low miles immaculate bike I'm trying to trade.
Then there's trying to compare prices, only to find the cheaper good deal you've seen isn't so good once you've added on £129 admin fees and "on the road" fees!? Why do they not price them with that all in the marked price? (Rhetorical question.. I know the answer).
Not helping me be decisive. Every time I've tried to take photos etc to list it I've decided I want to keep it. When the weather gets warm I know I'll just be keeping it if it hasn't sold as it'll be a joy to ride in the heat of summer.
Selling private is probably better seeing as you're not in a rush to get rid. The right person will come along and know what they want and their budget, unlike a dealer who wants it for as little as possible for profit, people simply want ' a good deal'.
They're a good bike and it will sell, just need to price it right (with a little wiggle room built in) and you'll be ok. Ebay is a good place to be fair (iirc listing fee is only £20) and I sold my bike on their with relative ease.
Chris_SVS
06-01-20, 09:00 PM
chain link extractor laser 4191
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Laser-4191-Motorbike-Chain-Extractor/dp/B0012M9K1K/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=chain+link+extractor+laser+419 1&qid=1578327150&sr=8-1
Have had one of these for years, done several chains - all you need is a dremel or drill with grinding stone ( at a pinch small angle grinder ) to grind head off one of the existing chain rivets before pushing it out...
Grinding the head is new to me, I just use the tool :confused:
The link is the exact same tool I broke :o I'd be dubious about buying another even from a different brand. (if I commuted still I'd be up a fecal creek with no paddle today)
Adam Ef
06-01-20, 10:31 PM
Grinding the head is new to me, I just use the tool :confused:
That's the way most tools are broken. Grind the head off first or angle grinder through the chain. Most tools can cope with pushing pins in, but few will survive getting them out.
Ive got the Oxford one to try. It got good reviews. I'll report back when I've used it.
Chris_SVS
07-01-20, 07:12 AM
Just to be clear, the pins for removing links and riveting are different. Used the former numerous times but the latter once.
I say once, it broke without even beginning to press the rivet
Adam Ef
07-01-20, 08:41 AM
The reason I went for Oxford was seeing quite a few bad reviews of the Sealey and the unbranded look-a-like versions. Reviews saying they break like yours has.
SV650rules
07-01-20, 09:04 AM
Grinding the head is new to me, I just use the tool :confused:
The link is the exact same tool I broke :o I'd be dubious about buying another even from a different brand. (if I commuted still I'd be up a fecal creek with no paddle today)
Mate, you have to grind the head of rivet at least flat with the side plate of chain otherwise you are giving the link extractor an impossible job to do, like forcing a bolt through a hole without taking the nut off...... You may well be surprised how easily the pin pushes through after grinding. I am totally shocked that the Laser tool instructions do not mention grinding off the head, it seems like a total no brainer to me....I have always done it, not as though you can use the pin again.
shiftin_gear98
07-01-20, 09:37 AM
I always just angle grind the old one off, why **** about.
DarrenSV650S
07-01-20, 09:38 AM
If you've got a grinder you would be as well just grinding through the two side plates. Much quicker and easier
Chris_SVS
07-01-20, 09:45 AM
Mate, you have to grind the head of rivet at least flat with the side plate of chain otherwise you are giving the link extractor an impossible job to do, like forcing a bolt through a hole without taking the nut off...... You may well be surprised how easily the pin pushes through after grinding. I am totally shocked that the Laser tool instructions do not mention grinding off the head, it seems like a total no brainer to me....I have always done it, not as though you can use the pin again.
See above post
Adam Ef
07-01-20, 12:46 PM
It's not the removal Chris is having problems with. It's the riveting pin when joining back together.
timwilky
08-01-20, 09:12 AM
Todays gripe. Telephone scammers
I was in the bathroom drying off from the shower when my wife start screaming for me. I ran into the bedroom to find her on the phone visbily shaking and she said she was going to be arrested and they were on their way.
Background is she has terminal cancer and a PIP package has been put in place to help her. We had to go down this route to request a blue parking badge. The guy on the phone to here had said she had made a benefit claim whilst working. (PIPs are independant of work status) and she had to repay plus a penalty what she had been issued. and this was a one time offer to stop the arrest.
As soon as I went on the phone he sodded off. But left her scared.
How did he know she had recently been awarded a benefit or simply trying his luck?
I have reassured her that she is breaking no law, DWP would never operate like this over the phone etc. But what a scumbag.
Todays gripe. Telephone scammers
I was in the bathroom drying off from the shower when my wife start screaming for me. I ran into the bedroom to find her on the phone visbily shaking and she said she was going to be arrested and they were on their way.
Background is she has terminal cancer and a PIP package has been put in place to help her. We had to go down this route to request a blue parking badge. The guy on the phone to here had said she had made a benefit claim whilst working. (PIPs are independant of work status) and she had to repay plus a penalty what she had been issued. and this was a one time offer to stop the arrest.
As soon as I went on the phone he sodded off. But left her scared.
How did he know she had recently been awarded a benefit or simply trying his luck?
I have reassured her that she is breaking no law, DWP would never operate like this over the phone etc. But what a scumbag.Dreadful. We don't answer our phone because of this. If the phone display shows an unknown number we let it go to the answerphone. If it's important then the caller can leave a message. Scammers don't usually bother. Sometimes I call the number back on my mobile and most times it's a number not in service.
It is creepy that they seemed to know about the PIP status though.
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SV650rules
08-01-20, 09:52 AM
@ timwilky Not as appalling and callous as your case but-
When my brother moved into a new house years ago ( not a really new, house - just new to him ) he started getting phone calls and letters from various home improvement people and insurance etc... He suspected either the estate agent or the building society ( older readers will remember building societies, they would only lend you what you could afford, not 20x your salary and 150% of what the property was worth like banks - IMHO it is banks that have fueled the rise in house prices with their shoddy lending ). Anyway he got in touch with both estate agent and building society and gave them a piece of his mind about giving out his personal details to businesses and insurance companies etc. This was pre-internet but it still goes on today with 'personal data leakage'...
timwilky
08-01-20, 09:56 AM
Thanks John
From what she has now told me, she assumed it was related to the PIP as he said fraudulent benefit claim. The PIP was only awarded last week. So more likely phishing and got a bite.
He had started to ask for her to identify herself. By the time I got to the phone she had given name and address.OK anyone can get these from the electoral roll but now they have a telephone link.
I am guessing she is now in a scammer database with minimal information name, address, tel num and a vulnerability flag.
The caller ID was 0203200269 which does not ring etc and searches say it is an answering service for rent. So fools people into thinking it is a London number.
How many vulnerable people are there who get legitimate benefits, who would immediately start to bite on the hook as soon as someone starts with keywords DWP, Benefit fraud and arrest. The system is already skewed to make claiming difficult and there is always the worry the wrong box may have been ticked etc.
BBC. Now using the word homicide in today's article about the murder rate for the last year. Homicide is a word that the merkins use to try and make the word murder sound more acceptable.
Petty I know but it bugs me.
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daktulos
08-01-20, 11:23 AM
BBC. Now using the word homicide in today's article about the murder rate for the last year. Homicide is a word that the merkins use to try and make the word murder sound more acceptable.
My understanding was that homicide is any death involving another person, so would include accidental deaths. Do you think it's lazy journalism, or is someone trying to manipulate figures?
R1ffR4ff
08-01-20, 11:23 AM
BBC. Now using the word homicide in today's article about the murder rate for the last year. Homicide is a word that the merkins use to try and make the word murder sound more acceptable.
Petty I know but it bugs me.
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I agree and there's lot of Americanisms that have crept in over the years but that's language for you.
I don't like the misuse of the word,"Bring" instead of,"Take" by the Americans. You don't,"Bring it back to the shop" you,"Take it back to the shop"<grin> :smt041
Conversely the Yanks have taken on some of ours like in a lot of US comedies they use our term,"Bum and Bottom " instead of A** for the posterior and,"Loo" for toilets :grin:
Grant66
08-01-20, 11:34 AM
... merkins ...
Public wigs or our Trump supporting cousins?
Ironically Trump does appear to wear a merkin on his head.
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My understanding was that homicide is any death involving another person, so would include accidental deaths. Do you think it's lazy journalism, or is someone trying to manipulate figures?In the past the BBC would have called it murder rate, rather than homicide. I've not researched the word homicide but the Americans rarely use the word murder.
Usually the BBC dumb down their language with phrases like 'the news where you are' rather than 'your local news'. Another pet hate is the word 'explainers' that they like to use.
I know language is an evolving thing but BBC do seem stick out in this respect.
I'll put my soap box away.
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daktulos
08-01-20, 01:33 PM
In the past the BBC would have called it murder rate, rather than homicide. I've not researched the word homicide but the Americans rarely use the word murder.
Usually the BBC dumb down their language with phrases like 'the news where you are' rather than 'your local news'. Another pet hate is the word 'explainers' that they like to use.
I had a quick look, and it's homicide because the stats includes manslaughter as well as murder - the descriptions coming from the 1957 Homicide Act.
I agree with the the sentiment though. My biggest annoyance is (often the police) using the adjectives "male" and "female" as nouns. I suspect it's a battle that's long been lost, unfortunately.
SV650rules
08-01-20, 03:42 PM
IIRC 'bring' is used in Ireland as well, and was before Americans started using it.. Really the yanks are in no small way responsible for the dominance of English language in the world...
And look, the society for protection of the apostrophe has closed down https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/dec/01/laziness-has-won-apostrophe-society-admits-its-defeat
Dave20046
08-01-20, 10:11 PM
What went wrong with your private sales? I've sold a number of bikes and only really ever had an issue once but it was quickly diffused when the plonker realised he'd just flooded it (it was a 2stroke). If it's a genuine bike and you only take cash I'd say it will be the best way. A dealer will need to take hundreds of pounds, if not more to offset their risk and costs and it's absolutely coming out of your pocket. It might make negotiation easier...but you're effectively haggling for your own cashback.
As for keeping it... I guess you have to think about your reasons for selling it.
I find main dealers are better for test rides, I've done that at Triumph, BMW (a few times , they once offered me a s1000 for 3 days) and Harley. Independents are a bit more protective of their stock. That said, there was a guy on here who kept a diary of test rides, I'm sure he was aiming for something stupid like 50000 miles. Depends what you're after, you really need to narrow it down first.
Trying to be decisive about the Street Triple, so have decided to sell / trade it. Remembering what a nightmare the previous couple of private sales have been I thought I'd lose a bit of money and go for a simpler trade-in. Turning out to not be simple at all! Why is it so hard to get test rides, ideas of PX value etc. Dealers want fees for getting their bike serviced to test ride (thanks but no thanks Fowlers), commitment to buy after the test ride (How does that work? .. so it's not really a test ride but a ride on your own bike you've committed to?!) and seem to try their best to slag off what is basically a very low miles immaculate bike I'm trying to trade.
Then there's trying to compare prices, only to find the cheaper good deal you've seen isn't so good once you've added on £129 admin fees and "on the road" fees!? Why do they not price them with that all in the marked price? (Rhetorical question.. I know the answer).
Not helping me be decisive. Every time I've tried to take photos etc to list it I've decided I want to keep it. When the weather gets warm I know I'll just be keeping it if it hasn't sold as it'll be a joy to ride in the heat of summer.
Adam Ef
08-01-20, 10:37 PM
What went wrong with your private sales?
Had a very bad time selling a Tracer last year. Numerous people messing me about, several no shows. One guy who got very nasty who as far as i could work out was just trying pretend to be interested to string me along and mess up my sale who possibly had one for sale himself? I had to block messages from him in the end as he got so aggressive.
Took a deposit on the Street Triple today at asking price. A very keen buyer. That's the decision finally made for me.
Dave20046
10-01-20, 10:27 AM
Had a very bad time selling a Tracer last year. Numerous people messing me about, several no shows. One guy who got very nasty who as far as i could work out was just trying pretend to be interested to string me along and mess up my sale who possibly had one for sale himself? I had to block messages from him in the end as he got so aggressive.
Took a deposit on the Street Triple today at asking price. A very keen buyer. That's the decision finally made for me.
That's not fun!
But well done on finding the buyer.
shiftin_gear98
10-01-20, 01:22 PM
See didn't take too long....
garynortheast
12-01-20, 07:24 PM
Life has a knack of just turning into one great big festering bag of sh1te.
Life has a knack of just turning into one great big festering bag of sh1te.Oh no. What's happened?
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garynortheast
12-01-20, 08:09 PM
Looks like I'm headed down a similar route to Mav. Struggling to deal with it atm.
Looks like I'm headed down a similar route to Mav. Struggling to deal with it atm.Oh no. Not good.
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maviczap
12-01-20, 08:30 PM
Looks like I'm headed down a similar route to Mav. Struggling to deal with it atm.
Flipping heck Gary, you have my sympathy. It is not nice to have this lumped in your plate. Life is shizz.
I heard yesterday that a former retired colleague has terminal cancer, and another serving colleague who only has about 18 months to go has liver and stomach cancer.
I'm going to the funeral of one of my old bosses next week. Cancer got him too :-(
Chris_SVS
12-01-20, 09:47 PM
Gripe of the Weekend is getting brake cleaner in my eyes on friday and they're still irritated, probably better it was clean spray rather than brake dust
GOTD: Sorry to read that Gary
andrewsmith
12-01-20, 10:50 PM
Looks like I'm headed down a similar route to Mav. Struggling to deal with it atm.S***
Not good! Don't get into a hole.
If your struggling to cope go see your doctor. I'm talking from experience of having a near total breakdown
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Geodude
13-01-20, 08:38 AM
looks like i'm headed down a similar route to mav. Struggling to deal with it atm.
:(
s***
not good! Don't get into a hole.
If your struggling to cope go see your doctor. I'm talking from experience of having a near total breakdown
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+1
Looks like I'm headed down a similar route to Mav. Struggling to deal with it atm.
As someone who went through this 20 years ago, I can fully empathise and I'm truly sorry for your situation. I still look back on it and wonder: "what if...?"
The only suggestion I can offer is the same as my old manager told me: Don't make any life changing decisions until 6 months have elapsed. I was ready to quit my job and return to the UK but he convinced me to wait. It's a bleak period you're in but it will get better.
I found it helped to talk to people - I was a field engineer and my customers knew all the details of what was happening - that'll teach them to ask how I was doing, they didn't expect to be told! Helped me enormously, though.
shiftin_gear98
13-01-20, 11:08 AM
Gary, not sure what to say.
All the best.
Grant66
13-01-20, 11:24 AM
As someone who went through this 20 years ago ...
The only suggestion I can offer is the same as my old manager told me: Don't make any life changing decisions until 6 months have elapsed.
Same here, unfortunately for me it came at the same time as moving house/jobs/country, my sanity took a hell of a beating for several months. I know I'm not the same person I was before this happened. I think I'd have handled it better if there hadn't been so much other change going on at the same time.
There may be a bad time ahead, but with the support of friends and family you'll get through it. You're a top bloke and have many people wishing you well.
Talk, it may not feel like it's helping, but it does. Don't be scared to show/voice your feelings, those that matter will understand and support.
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garynortheast
13-01-20, 05:13 PM
Thanks to everyone of you for your supportive comments. It means a huge amount to me. I read most of them while I was having a coffee break in a cafe in Welshpool and I had to hide my face while reading them as I didn't really want to be dealing with other customers asking if I was ok.
The next two or three months are going to be difficult. We will carry on in the same house until my daughters finish college in order to minimise disruption to them. My wife is then going to live in Shrewsbury while we deal with divorce proceedings. We're not getting solicitors involved as the house we are in here is rented and we have no shared material possessions of any value. I'm staying here as I don't want to live anywhere else, she wants to live in town (my worst nightmare).
One of my girls is off to Manchester uni to study physics when she finishes college at the end of the summer. The other has said she wants to continue to live here with me, and get some horticultural work locally for a year to gain experience and earn some money before applying for a place on the Historic and Botanic Garden Training Scheme.
So no huge unexpected changes of direction.
Except the end of a 24 year marriage. The hardest, and most painful change of all. :-(
Thanks to everyone of you for your supportive comments. It means a huge amount to me. I read most of them while I was having a coffee break in a cafe in Welshpool and I had to hide my face while reading them as I didn't really want to be dealing with other customers asking if I was ok.
The next two or three months are going to be difficult. We will carry on in the same house until my daughters finish college in order to minimise disruption to them. My wife is then going to live in Shrewsbury while we deal with divorce proceedings. We're not getting solicitors involved as the house we are in here is rented and we have no shared material possessions of any value. I'm staying here as I don't want to live anywhere else, she wants to live in town (my worst nightmare).
One of my girls is off to Manchester uni to study physics when she finishes college at the end of the summer. The other has said she wants to continue to live here with me, and get some horticultural work locally for a year to gain experience and earn some money before applying for a place on the Historic and Botanic Garden Training Scheme.
So no huge unexpected changes of direction.
Except the end of a 24 year marriage. The hardest, and most painful change of all. :-(Something similar happened to my friend Richard. His two sons had finished school and started work. His wife then suddenly announced she's leaving. He was devastated, he knew things weren't as good as they could be but he thought some counseling might help, but his wife had decided and that was that. Very hard.
It will get better, meantime you have the love of your daughters to help you through it.
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Sir Trev
13-01-20, 06:48 PM
Sorry to hear this Gary.
maviczap
13-01-20, 06:53 PM
Except the end of a 24 year marriage. The hardest, and most painful change of all. :-(
Agreed Gary, biggest punch in the guts you'll ever get I think
Amazon versus Ebay
How come I can order a £3 cable and a £2 disk drive holder from different vendors and they arrive within 2 days from Ebay yet a £60 (in stock) disk drive takes 7 days from Amazon? I don't have prime (and probably never will) because I only use Amazon twice a year (gift card from son). Maybe they're so busy avoiding taxes they don't have time to post things? :rolleyes:
It depends on where the item is coming from. Fulfilled by Amazon generally means they have it in the UK. It may have come from out of the country.
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It depends on where the item is coming from. Fulfilled by Amazon generally means they have it in the UK. It may have come from out of the country.
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It is coming from the West Midlands, 132 miles away. It was in stock and the vendor (small, family business) has a good reputation. I suspect Amazon just slows transactions down to make prime look better. If it were not for the gift cards my son sends I would never use Amazon.
garynortheast
21-01-20, 09:38 AM
I never use Amazon for much the same reason as I try to avoid using google where possible. They’re a bunch of greedy, tax dodging ratbags, who treat their employees appallingly.
Adam Ef
21-01-20, 09:53 AM
It depends on where the item is coming from. Fulfilled by Amazon generally means they have it in the UK. It may have come from out of the country.
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Waited three months for a chain cleaner from Amazon once. It wasn;t clear from the listing, but it came from China. If I'd known I'd have spent a couple of quid more and got one that would arrive sooner.
My gripe is Hermes and how impossible it is to contact them. Someone has sent me a phone I ordered Dec 26th. They took ages to send and now it's been stalled since 7th Jan showing received on Hermes tracking but no progress. Spent the best part of two hours yesterday trying to actually talk to someone. The best result I got was eventually live chat on their website, which took about an hour waiting after being hung up on by a robot on the phone that took me through half an hour of options and waits and told me to try live chat, then said goodbye and hung up.
Then I sent a parcel with them myself in the afternoon and their system fritzed out and charged me twice. Only showing as one transaction on the Hermes site in my account but twice on my Paypal account. They can't doing anything about it and have sent me to get Paypal to sort it out. Paypal want me to sort it with Hermes... got a feeling this is going to be a long struggle. Longer than the £5 overcharge is worth, but there's no way I'm letting it go and paying £5 twice to send a parcel.
Sir Trev
21-01-20, 06:29 PM
I suspect Amazon just slows transactions down to make prime look better.
Pretty sure you've hit the nail on the head there. Tried to re-order some Gillette razor heads before Chrimbo but it no longer lets you for that product code unless you sign up to Prime. Er, no. I now use eBay as first choice if I must go mail order but found the razor heads on offer in Sainsbergs for just a quid or two more so happy days. Amazon really are getting too big for their boots these days.
Adam Ef
21-01-20, 07:12 PM
I never use Amazon for much the same reason as I try to avoid using google where possible. They’re a bunch of greedy, tax dodging ratbags, who treat their employees appallingly.
Interesting that the lastest Amazon advert is employees talkng about how great their jobs are and how well they're treated. Their marketing people must have worked out they were losing customers due to their terrible reputation on unfair employment conditions. A bit like the Uber ads that go on about how safe it is... because they know it's had safety problems and got a reputation for it.
Grant66
21-01-20, 07:35 PM
Arranging to meet your daughter, driving for an hour and arriving on time only for her to be 15 minutes late on a 20 minute journey...
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timwilky
22-01-20, 10:13 AM
Blind drivers.
Driving down the A6 with wife in passenger seat in her gutless 107. Van in filter lane waiting to turn right. As I pass it, a car shoots out from the right. I bounce onto pavement avoiding him ,my first thought was let him write off the thing but don't want insurance niggles as 3 policies renew in Feb.
Checked the wife was OK then had my rant at him. Why did you pull out on me. Why did you not look?
His response was he did look but didn't see me! Yes we all know that means I didn't look. His then was there is no damage so lets get on. Err no, I need your details as I have to get the steering / suspension checked. and begrudgingly he provided them. All the time I am reminding him that he pulled out without looking. How vulnerable a biker/cyclist would have been etc.
There is no damage. But I am so lucky my wife was there as the voice of reason. I had wrenched his door open to have my rant. So easy for me have gone that next step and end up in lumber myself.
Chris_SVS
24-01-20, 08:39 PM
Much like above, rather silly woman in a BMW who pulled out on me so late I should have closed my eyes and waited for the bang.
Usually wouldn't annoy me too much except I was in a hire van so explaining scrapes or worse would be interesting to say the least
Adam Ef
31-01-20, 07:35 PM
Another rear puncture on the VFR on the way home. In the dark. In the rain. First I knew was a very squidgy feeling when I couldn't make the bike go round a corner on a roundabout. Looks like a slash cut. Second one on the Road 5 tyres. Not sure if I'm just unlucky or if they're not very robust. They've done about 2000 miles.
Had to get wife to rescue me with a bike pump and try to get anough air in the tyre to get the last half mile home very slowly with air escaping fast from the tyre.
Another rear puncture on the VFR on the way home. In the dark. In the rain. First I knew was a very squidgy feeling when I couldn't make the bike go round a corner on a roundabout. Looks like a slash cut. Second one on the Road 5 tyres. Not sure if I'm just unlucky or if they're not very robust. They've done about 2000 miles.
Had to get wife to rescue me with a bike pump and try to get anough air in the tyre to get the last half mile home very slowly with air escaping fast from the tyre.I had an odd puncture on my vfr last May on a Michelin PR4. I wanted to plug it by the roadside but could not find a hole to fix. Had to use tyreweld foam to get it to stay up for more than 5 minutes.
My local tyre shop couldn't see where the fault was either. I fitted a Conti after that.
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