Early Risers.

[Coombe Barton]

... Today has been getting admin done, correcting someone else’s cockups and getting assessments out. Praise be for mailmerge. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/03/22/covid-age-effects-were-not-in-the-anthropocene-and-would-have-been-our-ruby-minus-one-anniversary/

[The White Rabbit]

1 hour ago, The Lurker said:

... ION new next door neighbours (on the other side) are having an extension. we got the planning permission notice on Wednesday and two letters from different firms of solicitors offering us their Party Wall Agreement services. One says that the costs are "usually" paid by the person having the extension. But I do need to be pro-active or should I expect the next door neighbours and their architect/builder to be already doing this? Neighbours are so new that "good morning" is all I have said to them, on the one occasion I have actually seen them!

 

Your neighbours should pay your surveyor's costs as well as their own, whether you opt to choose your own surveyor or go with the one your neighbour is using. Without knowing the specific circs, two pieces of generic advice, talk to your neighbours and take pre-works photos of the 'site'. It would be prudent for someone in your neighbour's position to be diplomatic towards [you] and to ensure their professional advisers behave correctly and pro-actively. But ... in the world we live in, I wouldn't take things for granted. 

[Andy Hayter]

3 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Portland is contemplating experimenting with a speed-sensitive traffic light timing sequence - in 'high-crash' corridors where most of the pedestrian fatalities occur.

 

Cars detected as speeding will be presented with a red light at the next intersection. 

 

I couldn't say whether the timings are well designed to permit free flowing traffic at the speed limit on those streets but I have encountered places where they are.

 

Very much less sophisticated but very effective: a town near where I lived in Germany had a main street with 6 or 7 sets of lights for intersections and crossings.   The speed limit was 50kph (30mph).  They introduced the Grüne Welle (Green wave)  Travel at 40kph and you would guarantee that every light would change to green just before you got there.  Travel at 50 (still within the limit) and you were guaranteed the lights would still be at red as you got to them.

 

It actually worked and only needed a timing sequence to be effective.  

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

Amazon's "Executive Relations Team"

Did they perchance sound like Nigerian royalty? 🤣

 

In other news a good watch was had today. Bright mostly sunny conditions, a warmth in the breeze and with people around. 
 

The totals were 2 dolphins, 2 seals, 2 fishing vessels, 9 commercial vessels, 12 walkers (all in pairs and most of whom dropped in for a chat) plus 110 geology students!  All those yellow helmets climbing the Cape looked like some sort of snake. 50 years ago I had been one of them. 
 

Charles de Gaulle enjoyed his bath in the silvery sea 

 

 

And a little later the car roof provided a different view offering reflection as the sun went down. 
 

[Coombe Barton]

15 minutes ago, Andy Hayter said:

Very much less sophisticated but very effective: a town near where I lived in Germany had a main street with 6 or 7 sets of lights for intersections and crossings.   The speed limit was 50kph (30mph).  They introduced the Grüne Welle (Green wave)  Travel at 40kph and you would guarantee that every light would change to green just before you got there.  Travel at 50 (still within the limit) and you were guaranteed the lights would still be at red as you got to them.

 

Slough used to have this sort of scheme - if you travelled at 25mph

[Gwiwer]

17 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

Slough used to have this sort of scheme - if you travelled at 25mph

You would be lucky to travel through Slough now at 25mph. More like 2.5mph on the times I have had to go through 

[New Haven Neil]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

"Professional Uni Student" at the Taxpayer's expense perhaps - with no hope of ever being able to (or intending) to repay the loan?  Be interesting to know just how many courses they've done, what they were and how old the person is.......

 

We had one of those when I was at the Kolledge of Nollidge as a Merchant Navy officer cadet, he was on his third attempt to pass the final year (engineering).  No realistic company (we were all employees - paid) would put up with such behaviour, but he was Libyan and worked for their equivalent (allegedly) of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.  He was quite a character to say the least, so laid back he would fall over, had loads of cash, a fancy car (an X1/9 when they were new...on a cadet's wages?).  We always wondered what he really was there for.  He was sort of the course mascot, everyone got on really well with him, lecturers included.

[polybear]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-68626046?fbclid=IwAR3BZBycANZzekfd67jDUhn9lSjsRXoRgj9Y6XRx-Fk3-gXOmeUaa1xtvV0

The sad story of the fire is here.

 

Seven years for 3 lives?  Seems a tad light to this Bear 🤬

 

1 hour ago, The White Rabbit said:

Your neighbours should pay your surveyor's costs as well as their own, whether you opt to choose your own surveyor or go with the one your neighbour is using.

 

If you have a Surveyor then definitely a separate one - otherwise there's a very real risk of conflict of interest.

 

2 hours ago, The Lurker said:

ION new next door neighbours (on the other side) are having an extension. we got the planning permission notice on Wednesday and two letters from different firms of solicitors offering us their Party Wall Agreement services. One says that the costs are "usually" paid by the person having the extension. But I do need to be pro-active or should I expect the next door neighbours and their architect/builder to be already doing this? Neighbours are so new that "good morning" is all I have said to them, on the one occasion I have actually seen them!

 

I'd look at the plans & talk to the new Neighbours to see what's involved first - if it's an "ordinary" single story bung it on the back extension etc. then chances are it'll be now't to worry about (but think about access to shared drains etc. - do they have the manhole covers - and will they be building over them etc.) and also things like how close to the fence they'll be building - and will you still be able to access the fence for maintenance etc.?  Also drainpipes.  Costing the new Neighbours £X thousand for unnecessary professional fees won't be the best way to start good relations.

 

If it's more extensive than that - double height, messing with the roof (if the houses are terraced), changes to party walls etc. then I'd be a lot more concerned to protect your own interests.  Then they can have the bill and lump it.  HTH

[polybear]

12 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

We had one of those when I was at the Kolledge of Nollidge as a Merchant Navy officer cadet, he was on his third attempt to pass the final year (engineering).  No realistic company (we were all employees - paid) would put up with such behaviour, but he was Libyan and worked for their equivalent (allegedly) of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.  He was quite a character to say the least, so laid back he would fall over, had loads of cash, a fancy car (an X1/9 when they were new...on a cadet's wages?).  We always wondered what he really was there for.  He was sort of the course mascot, everyone got on really well with him, lecturers included.

 

There were a few Libyans at Bear's old College (I'd left by then) when the US bombed Libya (1986); I heard they did a disappearing act and the word on the street was the Gov didn't even know they were in the Country.....

[TheSignalEngineer]

3 hours ago, The Lurker said:

ION new next door neighbours (on the other side) are having an extension. we got the planning permission notice on Wednesday and two letters from different firms of solicitors offering us their Party Wall Agreement services. One says that the costs are "usually" paid by the person having the extension. But I do need to be pro-active or should I expect the next door neighbours and their architect/builder to be already doing this? Neighbours are so new that "good morning" is all I have said to them, on the one occasion I have actually seen them!

Tread carefully. Two doors down from our daughter the new occupants decided to build a basement. The next door conservatory decided it was too heavy and started to move. Has turned into a very acrimonious situation. I wonder why the bothered buying the house as knowing the ground conditions there I think they could end up with an underground swimming pool.

[New Haven Neil]

7 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

There were a few Libyans at Bear's old College (I'd left by then) when the US bombed Libya (1986); I heard they did a disappearing act and the word on the street was the Gov didn't even know they were in the Country.....

 

This was 79, IIRC.  I'm sure he was up to no good, but how anything we dealt with would be of value escapes me.  he certainly liked a drink, and suspect other smoky stuff too.

[Dave Hunt]

It's been a while since I posted on ERs, mainly due to the fact that I've spent over two weeks on a cruise to the top end of Norway including five days above the arctic  circle. While on board the ship I was threatened with allsorts of retribution by SWMBO if I spent any time while we were away on "that flamin' website" and being a natural born coward I wilted before the threats. I have for many years resisted the idea of cruising but I have to say that the experience was fantastic. We went with Saga on what is described as a small cruise ship that takes just under 900 passengers and I can honestly say that I would recommend Saga to any of our readers of an age. We were collected at our front door, driven to Portsmouth, boarded the ship whilst our luggage was delivered to our cabin, spent 15 days in what is basically a 5 star floating hotel with several excursions and seeing the northern lights on three occasions, driven back home after our luggage was picked up from the cabin and delivered to the waiting car, and didn't have to spend anything at all on board as everything was included.  The ship's appointments are top class, our cabin was brilliant and the service on board was superb; the only drawback is that the weight I lost since new year has reappeared as we basically ate and drank for Britain. 

With 500 crew you get a lot of attention and nothing is too much trouble. The lack of kids and a casino suited us, the choice of five restaurants in which to eat was a bonus, the shore excursions we picked were very good and what entertainment we decided to attend was first class. We both decided that we may well venture on another cruise some time but Jill suggested somewhere a bit warmer next time - once my wallet has stopped whimpering and cowering in a corner. We got back home on Sunday night but it has taken until now to sort out the unpacking and get on top of the jobs and admin niffnaff and trivia that have piled up in my absence. I did think about trying to catch up with what has been going on in ERs but looking at the page count convinced me that trying to read even a fraction of the posts was unrealistic, even with speed reading and a lot of skipping over so I haven't even tried. 

 

Dave 

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

Slough used to have this sort of scheme - if you travelled at 25mph

 Bradford installed one on the new inner ring road in the mid 80's.  Set to about 37 in a 40 limit. It worked. 

 

Jamie

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

This was 79, IIRC.  I'm sure he was up to no good, but how anything we dealt with would be of value escapes me.  he certainly liked a drink, and suspect other smoky stuff too.

Sounds to me like he was sent out of the country because he'd blotted his copybook and got in trouble. Probably the son of some official who had enough 'pull' to get him on the course no matter what and sufficient funds to pay for him to not live like a student.

[Winslow Boy]

10 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

 Bradford installed one on the new inner ring road in the mid 80's.  Set to about 37 in a 40 limit. It worked. 

 

Jamie

 

There's a set of four lights near me which if you keep below the speed limit you'll get through three of them but not the fourth.

Only problem is the pr£ts speed up when they see the green light, get through only to be stopped at the next one which is of course on red.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I went shopping at Tess Coes this afternoon. I timed it for 4 PM when the little darlings were home from school. Big mistake, many schools broke up today for the Easter break and Tess Coes car park was full of Chelsea tractors. I only went for the basics anyway and I used the auto tills as you can take your time bagging up and loading it back into the trolly. The staffed tills they push the stuff through too fast for you to pack properly.

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

A relatively busy day here as we left Hovis at mils and went down to Newark to visit Mum and look at motor caravans.  Wallet sighed with relief as no purchase was made. Other than phone calls and messages from work nothing else to report.
Goodnight 

Edited March 23 by Erichill16
Spelling

[TheQ]

Yes everyone I know says 7 years was a bit light for causing the fire, and that was the sentence, what did he actually serve? I've tried to see what happened to him, but there are too many john Cheeseman around..  one got done for murder in 1980.

 

It was Iranians in the RAF electronics trades , all their trainees were automatically Sergeants, they had vast amounts of money. They'd arrive, buy a new car, send that home , buy another new car and use that. The local prostitutes would ring the Sergeants mess to see if Xxxxx was coming out that night.. then in 1979 they were gone..

 

evening Awl, 

On departing for the MRC the next village I come to, I'm blinded by two horizontal bars of light with a lower round light each side of that. Blinded and it wasn't even dark yet. Flashing my headlights at him made no difference. When it went past I saw it was a motor cycle with what looked like two strip lights instead of a head lamp, and two spots one on each leg bar. All unfocused spreading a bright white light everywhere.. Mr plod where are you?

 

MRC did not go well, two of three items could not be made to work properly  each on the end of a wire in tube..

Serious engineering is required, but the solution without total replacement from a built unit of unmentionables is not obvious.

 

Norwich too has a green wave system on the old ring road, but unless you are in the front couple of cars you won't make it to the next set of lights at green . Just too much traffic.

 

Muggachoccy gone, goodnight Awl.

[monkeysarefun]

23 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I went shopping at Tess Coes this afternoon. I timed it for 4 PM when the little darlings were home from school. Big mistake, many schools broke up today for the Easter break and Tess Coes car park was full of Chelsea tractors. I only went for the basics anyway and I used the auto tills as you can take your time bagging up and loading it back into the trolly. The staffed tills they push the stuff through too fast for you to pack properly.

 

 

You have to pack your own bags at the checkout? Apart from ALDI the checkout operators do  that - much better than I could!

[PhilJ W]

2 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

You have to pack your own bags at the checkout? Apart from ALDI the checkout operators do  that - much better than I could!

You have to request help with packing in most UK supermarkets, if it is available.

[monkeysarefun]

42 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

You have to request help with packing in most UK supermarkets, if it is available.

 

The operator has a little carousel with 2 or 3 bags on it, they just scan then straight in the bag, scan then straight in the bag. If its a fridge item it'll go in one of the other bags, same for fruit and vegetables, the operators have had more training and practice at bagging things correctly than I have.

 

I and many others avoid Aldi purely because of the crush at the end with people trying to bag stuff and sort out what goes in which bag, its ridiculous and feels pretty uncivilised and almost insulting  in comparison - after spending so much in their shop they  just can't be ar5ed popping it in a bag for you? Its  long been complained about since they turned up here but they dont listen..  German multinational grocery chain... you are UnAustralian!

 

of course, the introduction of self-checkouts is sending us down that path unfortunately, although many people dont use them if they are buying more than half a dozen items.

Edited March 22 by monkeysarefun

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[Gwiwer]

45 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

You have to request help with packing in most UK supermarkets, if it is available.

Too many UK supermarkets don’t even have a staffed checkout. It’s self-serve or nothing. 
 

If I have to shop in one of those - or if I am caught unaware by being somewhere different - I always do something to ensure a staff member has to come and help. 
 

Like deliberately placing my stuff in the wrong spot and triggering the “unexpected item in the bagging area” warning. 
 

When our (then local) M&S food hall removed their staffed tills I made a point of asking the manager what their policy was on serving disabled customers. The response was uninspiring. “If they’re blind they’ll have someone with them and if they’re deaf they can still see the instructions on the self-service tills”. When asked about autistic customers whose needs - including relying on the familiar - might not be immediately apparent the response was “artistic customers are always welcome so long as it’s not graffiti art”.  
 

A letter was sent to M&S Head Office. Five years later I still await a reply. 
 

I will never use a self-serve checkout when there is a staffed one. I am not paid to do their job, I do not receive a discount or any other benefit for doing their job for them and we need jobs, not bums forced by machines to fatten on sofas whilst getting state handouts, in this country. 

[PupCam]

Evening all, very late on parade today.

 

42 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

You have to request help with packing in most UK supermarkets, if it is available.

 

The first impossible task is to find any staff at all in most UK supermarkets now!

 

ION

 

Pergola re-construction is complete - Big tick

 

Parcelgate ......

 

Pressie ordered for SWMBO.    

Eventually notification received that it would be delivered by DHL.

Some days later DHL notification of parcel received.

Yesterday

      Early morning received text saying it would be delivered between 14:00 and 15:00.  

     16:00 message received saying "We're running late".

     Website tracking information stated "Delivering parcel 65 you are  delivery 89"

     18:00ish Tracking information removed

     19:00 message received stating "We've got your parcel in the delivery depot"

Today

      Early morning received text saying it would be delivered between 18:00 and 19:00.  

     Website tracking information eventually stated "Delivering parcel 29 you are  delivery 105"

     16:00ish Tracking information removed

      Waited until 19:30, put note on door stating "Can't wait any longer, leave it next door",  went down't pub for a meal

     20:00 message received stating "We've got your parcel in the delivery depot"

What a bunch!

 

Bedtime now.

 

Night All