The All New Gripes Thread

[PaulR]

I can never understand why commercial vehicles do not have the rear end blanked off with an impcact zone.

Many (many!) years ago Quinton Hazell introduced just such a device which they called an Underider. They hawked it around for years with little take-up. It was a good idea and certainly would have saved many lives if it had been implemented as standard but, as there was no financial benefit to the trailer owner, simply withered away.

QH bumper for Don | 18th May 1979 | The Commercial Motor Archive

 

[Captain Jack]

Building contractors. Probably one of the worst trades I've had the displeasure of dealing with.

Promises of giving quotes are rarely kept and half the time, they don't bother showing up. There are exceptions, of course, but 90% of time, it's missed appointments, substandard work and bad advice

A sparky was supposed to be here today to wire up our conservatory but noone is here and noone is bothering to tell me what's happening. Basic customer service skills are completely out of the window.

I find that the older/retiring generation are much better at this - also helps that they have many real years of experience as opposed to some spotty teenager just starting out and using my house as a training ground.

 

[sonnetpete]

A sparky was supposed to be here today to wire up our conservatory but noone is here and noone is bothering to tell me what's happening. Basic customer service skills are completely out of the window.

Sadly problems with tradesmen aren't confined to the UK. This house needed a complete rewire when we moved in (almost 15 years ago). We contacted three contractors, two French, one English. One of the French ones didn't bother turning up and the other arrived, got out of his van and trotted across the lawn to take a leak in the corner of the garden (we thought he was scent marking his territory). He didn't seem interested in the work and didn't follow up with an estimate. Needless to say the English sparks got the job...(and didn't pee on my lawn).

 

[Captain Jack]

I think they have enough work coming in to pick and choose what they want. And do a crap job of what they do do...

 

[Lazarus]

I used to do Buildings Regulations Part P/ECA Membership Assessments around ten years ago and most Sparks were on their best behaviour - but a few were pretty shoddy and clueless and expected to be accredited simply because they'd paid their fee. One chap made a complaint about me because I declined to accept skirting level sockets on a full rewire. This despite us sending out a definitive guide to Part P well in advance.

I suspect the fact that it was his own brother's house that he was working on and said brother was present when I informed him all the sockets had to be relocated within the permitted height band.

 

[Lazarus]

Well, I've just got back from a trip into town in filthy weather: Poor light, visibility even more restricted by rain, snow and spray - and around 30% of vehicles had no lights on at all.

These people are surely from the same mould as those who can't be bothered to clean their Dryer fluff filters then wonder why it all goes pete tong.

See - and be seen

It's not hard.

 

[PaulR]

See - and be seen.

My late father would drive around on sidelights long after everyone else had switched on their dipped beams. And he NEVER went to main beam as he reckoned it increased the number of moths that splatted onto the windscreen.

 

[sonnetpete]

I've mentioned before that SWMBO likes to watch Sky News, however I get fed up with reports being prefaced by the (please don't sue us) warning "this report contains flash photography". Oh for the day it's announced, "We should warn viewers, this report may contain news"....

 

[Lazarus]

Now, I'm with you on the Flash thing - Auntie does it too.

When I were young (Last Century) we were at least made aware it was a warning to those prone to epilepsy et al.

These days, it's unqualified, so I reckon most people haven't a clue why the caveat is made.

 

[PaulR]

Bloody PlusNet.

I arranged for my brother to move to PlusNet two months ago. There was an offer available through moneysavingexpert which included a £75 cashback if you changed by following the special link at MSE.

I tried to use the link and could get through most of the process but at the end I couldn't complete the change. I rang the helpline and they said that they could do it all over the phone. I asked whether they were sure as it said internet only and they said yes.

Flash forward a month and no cheque has arrived. I spend an hour or so on the phone asking where the rebate is. They promise to look into it. The next thing I know they've closed the query as they say he's not entitled to the rebate. Another hour or so on the phone telling them what has previously been said and they promise to look into it and they'd get back to me in a few days. More time passes and nothing is heard so another phone call, another promise to get back to me. Which they don't so another call and they tell me that they're having trouble finding the record of my phone call. Eventually they do find it; they agree that he's entitled to the rebate and that a cheque will be sent out and will be with him within two weeks.

So here we are three weeks later. My brother confirms that he hasn't received a cheque so I get back to PlusNet. This time using online chat as I can't phone UK 0800 numbers from France. Just over an hour and half this time. They tell me that the cheque will be with him tomorrow. Very suspicious. They apologise (again) but say that they have had some problems with sending out cheques. By this time I'm more than just a bit peeved with them and ask for some compensation for my wasted time. The starts a very long conversation which eventually, after being transferred to the Webchat Support Manager, resulted in him being given an extra two months free internet.

Their strapline is "We'll do you proud". It took a hell of a lot of pushing to get hem to come close. I had once considered moving to PlusNet myself. Not any more. They're too close to their parent BT for my taste.

I'll give them an extra couple of days for the cheque to arrive. Then we'll see if more time is needed to be wasted.

 

[A nonymous]

Having your daughters pet euthanised really sucks, this is going to be a really tough week

 

[Archive-8]

Having your daughters pet euthanised really sucks, this is going to be a really tough week

my thoughts are with you, :-(

 

[Lazarus]

@PaulR

Yes, PlusNet Customer Disservice is notorious and I fell foul of it on several occasions.

I shan't describe them all, as I'm already approaching my 60th Birthday but, when they introduced Line Rental Saver it took me three months of near coronaries and a massive amount of disgruntlement to resolve what, for them, should have been a two keystroke job to do a simple Product Change. Money taken even though they knew it shouldn't have been. Delays and argument over getting it back, and derisory compensation.

But they were cheap (At the time).

Best experience was Porting my phone number to my VOIP supplier and then stopping my ADSL and closing my Account. Avoided the dreaded "Retentions" sermon as the number Porting was automatic and I already had my replacement Broadband by Wireless up and running.

 

[Archive4]

Enigma 2 stb´s or the software, or both.
I have stuck the VU+ Solo SE in a box because its blindscan was at best erratic at worst sh*t.
The new Xtrend twin tuner appears quite good on blindscan, until now.
Following another thread I decided to blindscan 28.2 tonight and the box missed several transponders in its existing predefined transponder list.
Why is that? !!!!!!!!

 

[Lazarus]

Comparison Websites (Energy, Insurance, Car Buying, etc.), some of which let you go through their entire process before declining to give you the results without divulging personal information that you wouldn't necessarily want to share until you've got the information you seek.

Cart before the horse.

Waste of time.

 

[Archive4]

Ooops

 

[pgh13]

Ooops

Ah! The inspiration for Porsche, VW etc.

 

[bim]

Power Tools ahhh When you buy them the electric leads always fit nicely in the box alongside the said tool but low and behold try and fit them back in after a long days work !!!!!!!!!!!!! All for the sack of making the plastic box a bit bigger.

 

[bim]

And Spelling ....... sake !!!!!!!!!

 

[Lazarus]

..... and who hasn't got a bagful of those plastic prong protectors that the UK plugs come adorned with?

Do they ever get re-used?