The Night Mail

[Dave Hunt]

Took my car in this morning and on the way home asked Jill to stop at the pound shop (or whatever it is called today) so I could get some cheap hairspray for doing the green scenery on my layout. Those who know me will also know that I am somewhat follicly challenged (euphemism for bald as a billiard ball) and when I got to the check out with my two large cans of hairspray the cashier's face was a picture.

 

Dave 

[Porkscratching]

1 minute ago, Dave Hunt said:

Took my car in this morning and on the way home asked Jill to stop at the pound shop (or whatever it is called today) so I could get some cheap hairspray for doing the green scenery on my layout. Those who know me will also know that I am somewhat follicly challenged (euphemism for bald as a billiard ball) and when I got to the check out with my two large cans of hairspray the cashier's face was a picture.

 

Dave 

Of course if you grew a bit of hair on one side you could use some to do a classic Bobby Charlton / Arthur Scargill comb over😁

[Dave Hunt]

Two weeks ago I ordered some pond treatment stuff from America as for some reason it is no longer obtainable in the UK. I've just received it and out of interest tracked it. It was posted in Dayton Ohio, on November 8th then went to Cincinnati, Chicago, Madison Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Oak Creek Wisconsin, back to Chicago, Carol Stream Illinois, Glendale Heights Illinois, back to Chicago again, Melrose Park Illinois, yet another visit to Chicago, back to Melrose Park then finally via customs clearance to UK having spent 9 days touring America, sometimes going to several places in one day. Once this side of the pond it took three days to get here. It was obviously impressed by Chicago judging by the number of times it went there. The amazing thing really is that when I ordered it the estimated delivery wasn't until next Wednesday. The senders must have used UPS before.

 

Dave    

[Dave Hunt]

16 minutes ago, Porkscratching said:

Of course if you grew a bit of hair on one side you could use some to do a classic Bobby Charlton / Arthur Scargill comb over😁

 

A comb over? Yuck. Despite no longer having the rogueish good looks of my youth, I still have a bit of pride left.

 

Dave

[polybear]

2 hours ago, SM42 said:

Time has come to renew the car insurance. 

 

I found quite a good deal with the Company that insures Mrs SM42. 

 

That was until it was established that they had yet to recover their costs from when Mrs SM42 ( named driver on policy)  was rear ended 8 months ago. 

 

This then added £260 to the price as it was a fault claim. 

 

But you'll get it back when the claim is settled.  

 

What about the interest? How  much will they make on it in the  interim.?

 

Seems to me that there is an incentive  for the companies not to settle up quickly so they can all add hundreds to a premium for an interest free short term loan

 

Andy

 

The good 'ol AA recently tried to shaft a certain Bear with a significantly jacked up premium cos' I'd been rear-ended (behave....) by another driver - their fault entirely.  Their insurance rolled over immediately and they covered all costs, the AA were informed but played no part in the claim whatsoever and it cost them sweet F.A. - yet the AA saw fit to jack the renewal premium up.

"Ah yes, Mr. Bear - but you've been involved in an accident......"

They no longer receive money from a certain Bear....

 

I'm sure lesser Bears/those without Internet access/little old ladies who don't know any better etc. roll other to such tactics every time.

 

20 minutes ago, Porkscratching said:

Of course if you grew a bit of hair on one side you could use some to do a classic Bobby Charlton / Arthur Scargill comb over😁

 

...or get Jill to put some scatter up top.  Trendy grass green, or traditional ballast grey?

[Willie Whizz]

1 hour ago, Porkscratching said:

Of course if you grew a bit of hair on one side you could use some to do a classic Bobby Charlton / Arthur Scargill comb over😁

Having become somewhat ‘folically challenged’ in my late thirties, I adopted this tactic for a time. It seemed fine, except on windy days. However, I gave it up after intently watching an absorbing TV programme one evening and suddenly realising that my 8-yo daughter had not just been playing with my hair from behind the sofa, but had actually put the combover into a plait and added a red ribbon. 
 

It was off the following day!

 

I must add, though, that it took a few years to get used to seeing my reflection as a ‘slap head’, and worrying that no woman would ever fancy me again (though that does assume of course that any ever did, much -  which is a debate my pride will not allow to occur …). I would far sooner have gone a ‘distinguished’ grey, even at the same comparatively young age. 

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

Took my car in this morning and on the way home asked Jill to stop at the pound shop (or whatever it is called today) so I could get some cheap hairspray for doing the green scenery on my layout. Those who know me will also know that I am somewhat follicly challenged (euphemism for bald as a billiard ball) and when I got to the check out with my two large cans of hairspray the cashier's face was a picture.

 

Dave 

 

"I'm buying it for a friend..."

 

Of course, it could have raised eyebrows if you had turned up at the till clutching a couple of cans of furniture polish!

 

[Porkscratching]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

Two weeks ago I ordered some pond treatment stuff from America as for some reason it is no longer obtainable in the UK. I've just received it and out of interest tracked it. It was posted in Dayton Ohio, on November 8th then went to Cincinnati, Chicago, Madison Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Oak Creek Wisconsin, back to Chicago, Carol Stream Illinois, Glendale Heights Illinois, back to Chicago again, Melrose Park Illinois, yet another visit to Chicago, back to Melrose Park then finally via customs clearance to UK having spent 9 days touring America, sometimes going to several places in one day. Once this side of the pond it took three days to get here. It was obviously impressed by Chicago judging by the number of times it went there. The amazing thing really is that when I ordered it the estimated delivery wasn't until next Wednesday. The senders must have used UPS before.

 

Dave    

Cool, does that work as a "hair growing tonic" then? 😁

[SM42]

Further insurance fun

 

I called the claims department to see why it was taking so long and was told as the named driver I had no authority to deal with it. 

 

Interesting in that I arranged the policy, my credit card paid for it, I'm the registered keeper (but not the main driver) I started the claim going and dealt with various issues  with it around getting the repair and courtesy car at the same time and made several enquiries as to progress. 

 

Suddenly I can't deal with it

 

Looks like I'll not be switching to them.

 

It'll cost me deltic  over their original price, but will be cheaper than their cheeky any excuse to jack the price price  

 

Other companies are much higher for less cover and one even won't look at us because of the claim made this year.

 

It's getting to the point where the fine is cheaper. No wonder so many don't bother 

 

Andy

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

5 hours ago, SM42 said:

The motherland ud a nightmare for speeds limits. 

If you are going this route please be consistent:

Yje ,pyjwe;smf ud s mohjy,str d[rrf ;o,oyd/

 

Watford has a spectacularly good one if approached from the North. Dual carriageway in an urban area, 40mph limit. No change to the road but on the nearside only a 30mph limit sign which can be obscured by any SUV or anything taller. Intentional fine generator?. I think so.

[pH]

3 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Two weeks ago I ordered some pond treatment stuff from America as for some reason it is no longer obtainable in the UK. I've just received it and out of interest tracked it.

Always an entertainment with something ordered from the US. 
 

I once ordered something from Dallas, to be sent to my brother-in-law in Houston - a distance of less than 250 miles. It did a tour (shorter than yours, though) which also included places in the Chicago area.

[2E Sub Shed]

6 hours ago, SM42 said:

What about the interest? How  much will they make on it in the  interim.?

 

Seems to me that there is an incentive  for the companies not to settle up quickly so they can all add hundreds to a premium for an interest free short term loan

 

I believe I read somewhere that they make no money on the insurance, but generate the profits on interest from monies held.

[Happy Hippo]

Today was mainly collecting the oak leaves from the lawn and terrace.

 

By the time I'd got to the far end, the near end was already covered again.

 

In better news, I assembled the new pillar drill.  I now need to make the new  drill table top which will have T track installed so I can easily clamp work to it and  be able to fit a slotted fence to it, which will make fitting stops for repeatable work a doddle. 

[Northmoor]

A relative of mine has had three accidents within the last decade but in only one case were they actually in the vehicle.

 

The first, they were stationery, waiting to turn right when they suddenly realised the car behind wasn't stopping.  Fortunately they were unhurt but the elderly man driving the car behind wasn't so lucky and never left hospital.  The car got written off.

 

The replacement car they had for several years and were just about to sell it when someone reversed into it when parked in the street.  So that was sold for Spares/Repair.

 

The third was also parked in the street when someone drove into it sufficiently hard to break the steering rack.  The car was removed for repair and it took about a fortnight to find out where the car had gone.  After a period of driving around in a courtesy car with no communication of any kind relating to the (definitely repairable) car, they found it had been written off and then sold on.

 

Last I heard they had raised a case with the Insurance Ombudsman about how an insurer can sell someone else's property without their permission.

[TheQ]

When they were changing the speed limit at Warcop on the A66, the new signs had been up and covered by plastic bags for so long  the bags had mostly gone. So you had alternate speed limits of 40mph and 50mph, some only 10 ft apart... 

[PhilJ W]

9 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

I had the same situation about 40 years ago. The insurance company notwithstanding the fact that the other driver was insured with the same company and he was at fault (came out of a side turning and hit the side of my car). I went to renew my insurance when they told me that my NCB was suspended due to the accident. The magic words that made them change their minds on the spot were "I'll be talking to my solicitor about that." 

On that insurance claim the insurance company faffed about so much about getting he repairs done and when I queried it they said I'd have to arrange it myself. They did give me a list of their approved repairers, the nearest was about six miles away so I went to a repairer less than a mile from my home (I had already got an estimate from them and forwarded it to my insurers) and they asked me to bring it in in a few days time. They done an excellent job, virtually putting a new side in the car. This p!ssed off the insurance company mightily as they were debating whether or not to write the car off and the repairers charged (a lot) more than their 'approved' *repairers. *The approved repairers were approved because they were cheap and usually done a poor repair. 

[figworthy]

2 hours ago, TheQ said:

When they were changing the speed limit at Warcop on the A66, the new signs had been up and covered by plastic bags for so long  the bags had mostly gone. So you had alternate speed limits of 40mph and 50mph, some only 10 ft apart... 

 

I was on the M27 a few weeks back, and on the overhead gantries, lanes 1 and 3 had a different speed showing to lane 2, I forget which way around, but one was 40, the other 60.

 

Adrian

[Dave Hunt]

4 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

In better news, I assembled the new pillar drill.  I now need to make the new  drill table top which will have T track installed so I can easily clamp work to it and  be able to fit a slotted fence to it, which will make fitting stops for repeatable work a doddle. 

 

That all seems OK but most importantly have you installed the finger guard?? 

 

Dave 

[polybear]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

On that insurance claim the insurance company faffed about so much about getting he repairs done and when I queried it they said I'd have to arrange it myself. They did give me a list of their approved repairers, the nearest was about six miles away so I went to a repairer less than a mile from my home (I had already got an estimate from them and forwarded it to my insurers) and they asked me to bring it in in a few days time. They done an excellent job, virtually putting a new side in the car. This p!ssed off the insurance company mightily as they were debating whether or not to write the car off and the repairers charged (a lot) more than their 'approved' *repairers. *The approved repairers were approved because they were cheap and usually done a poor repair. 

 

A common trick now is that if you choose to have your car repaired by a non-approved repairer then the excess gets whacked up mightily - not a problem in a no-fault claim where the 3rd party insurer is picking up the tab, but if it's your fault then it suddenly becomes a big issue.

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

A common trick now is that if you choose to have your car repaired by a non-approved repairer then the excess gets whacked up mightily - not a problem in a no-fault claim where the 3rd party insurer is picking up the tab, but if it's your fault then it suddenly becomes a big issue.

It was the other drivers fault but the complication was that he was insured with the same company.

[AndyID]

11 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

"I'm buying it for a friend..."

 

Of course, it could have raised eyebrows if you had turned up at the till clutching a couple of cans of furniture polish!

 

 

At the risk of adding even more insult to injury the music teacher at skool had a glabrous cranium. A tin of chromium polish was discovered in the music room cupboard after which he was universally referred to as "Chrome Dome".

 

 

 

 

Edited November 21, 2023 by AndyID

[AndyID]

Re. the automobile insurance, when we moved to Arizona in 1982, auto insurance was not required. Well, it was the Wild West. 😄

 

In some, perhaps all?, US states you can self-insure by putting up some sort of bond.

 

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[polybear]

3 hours ago, AndyID said:

Re. the automobile insurance, when we moved to Arizona in 1982, auto insurance was not required. Well, it was the Wild West. 😄

 

In some, perhaps all?, US states you can self-insure by putting up some sort of bond.

 

 

I imagine the bond would have to be rather large; based on past performance a damages claim in the US for a serious personal injury could be many, many $M's

[Tony_S]

6 hours ago, polybear said:

 

I imagine the bond would have to be rather large; based on past performance a damages claim in the US for a serious personal injury could be many, many $M's

At one time, until quite recently here, a car owner could deposit £500000 to avoid the need for third party insurance. I suppose this would have been of benefit to a very rich person otherwise uninsurable for some reason. Not allowed now,  

Edited November 21, 2023 by Tony_S