What's made you grumpy today?

[vexorg]

Dog will bark at anything, and is allowed to continue to bark until it just gets tired and stops.

Our neighbours dog only barks at us (or any people). It would sit looking through the fence watching for us to come out then bark at us as soon as we went out. Mostly fixed by covering the fence. My preferred option was to run at the fence shouting "Raaarrrr!!" and the dog would run off yelping, but for some reason my wife thinks that would eventually upset the owners.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

We are in a semi-detached house. The attached neighbours have a small dog, arrived at start of lockdown 2020. Owners have no idea about discipline or training, themsleves, or the dog.
Dog will bark at anything, and is allowed to continue to bark until it just gets tired and stops. Now they seem to have bought it a squeaky toy, so between bouts of barking, we just get a continual squeaking.
I cna now sympathise with people who kill their neighbours in a fit of rage. Sadly, or perhaps thankfully, I no longer have an axe, gave it away to someone who would use it safely.

I should declare right away that, although we don't have one, I rather like dogs. My mother was a founder member of The Dog Aid Society of Scotland and I was brought up with dogs always around us. Not withstanding that I can sympathize deeply with you PB. Our street is a very pleasant place to live. Many of the neighbours have, like us, been here since the houses were built nearly 40 years ago so the demographic trends towards us all being more elderly. There are a few younger families but all very pleasant and we are glad to have them as it keeps a nice sense of proportion and it's delightful to see the children out playing in the summer. However, a number of years ago the people who live almost opposite us, as a result of their business becoming successful, moved away to a larger "posher" detached house and another family moved in. I feel inclined to cut them some slack as a couple of their children seem to have behavioural problems which I think probably have a "medical" definition. What I don't find acceptable is the "menagerie" of animals they keep in the house. Our houses are not exceptionally large and our gardens are quite small - typical city type high density housing - so our living styles have noticeable impact on our neighbours. They have the more usual type of thing like Cats - at least 2 maybe 3 - Rabbits - multiple, but I think that comes with the territory with rabbits? - and other small stuff - Lizards etc - but they also seem to keep snakes. One upstairs room, which seems to have lots of glass tanks in it, has the lights on 24 hours and we all wonder what's being kept in there.

The biggest problem with them though is their dogs. They have 3 and they're not small "Lap Dogs" - look like those dogs the Pharoes used to keep, which you can see bounding around their living room, jumping on and off the furniture and standing at their front window with paws up on the front window sill whilst they bark loudly at anything which takes their interest - which is just about anything which moves! This barking, although not incessant, goes on at all hours of the day and night. It's not unusual to hear them when you wake up in the morning and sometimes they can be heard in the early hours (ie 2am on a couple of occasions) The house is an end terrace and the people who live next door to them are good friends with us so we speak with them often and they tell us their sleep is often interrupted by the barking. I can't imagine what it must be like for them, being next door just through the wall, when we can hear them on the other side of the street through our new, and very efficient, double glazing! Our neighbour's husband told me recently that the idea of the snakes worries him so much he has a large concrete block which he places on top of the toilet lid each night just in case one gets into the waste pipes - he tells me he recently read of a case where this happened somewhere. I was talking to their neighbour on the other side - there is an alley between them and this house - and he tells me they are so fed up they are thinking of moving but have not done so yet as they have spent a lot of time and money getting their house just how they want it.

We have all tried remonstrating, singly, and together as a delegation, with them. The SSPCA (Scottish version of the RSPCA), social works and the local council have all been asked to intervene and although very obvious visits have taken place - Sign written vans seen at their door - The dogs still bark and the tanks are still very evidently in that upstairs window. For us, on the other side of the street behind our insulating double glazing, the impact of these selfish people is minimal but I feel so sorry for our neighbours next door to them, especially as the husbands health is now failing and he's becoming quite confused. Having all this nonsense going on is completely unacceptable The neighbour on the other side of the alley actually called the Police last time it happened in the wee small hours but, although they attended and were seen at the front door, no further action seems to have resulted. Difficult to know what else to try and still stay within the law.

 

[s130]

but for some reason my wife thinks that would eventually upset the owners.

Well yes some of us adults are respectful of others even if they have upset us.

 

[vexorg]

Well yes some of us adults are respectful of others even if they have upset us.

That's the kind of foolish talk that keep Boris in power....

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Well yes some of us adults are respectful of others even if they have upset us.

Aye, I'm all for a quiet life, but there are limits!

 

[The Panda Nut]

Noops back fully repired so I cannot tell where I damaged him. See Bodyshop recommendations for Norfolk thread if in mid Norfolk.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Axe!!!!. Get a back bone man and buy a Howitzer. 3 rounds rapid fire, job done, re sell quick on ebay and get rid of evidence. eBay also sell suitable disguises! I do sympathise. Dogs can be trained with effort but some people are too B lazy to make the effort and should be locked up - preferably with B Johnson for company. If that were the penalty no dogs would ever bark again! ............... ever.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Howitzer or 25 pounder. Our ACF squad at school was part of a gunnery regiment and sometimes, on summer camp, we were allowed to accompany the big guns on live firing exercises. - that was when we weren't painting the large rocks around the parade ground with white gloss paint! There were Howitzers around but "we" fired the 25 pounders. First time I was near one I got a helluva shock when it was fired - not just deafeningly loud but also the compression you felt on your body. I used to enjoy going out with the spotters most of all, crawling along on your belly for hundreds of yards to remain concealed until you attained a concealed observation point where you could see the target and then calling the fire down onto the target. The destructive force is truly terrible and I'm so very glad I've never had to fight a war. By the way, notice how little smoke the gun produces compared to the blanks you see being fired for the queens birthday etc.

 

[s130]

Well I worked on the Chieftain Tank IFCS (Improved Fire Control System) back in the late 70s. I learnt the meaning of cold hard steel, how to get on and off that great hulk of iron and how as a civvy not to be pissed off when a Sergeant Major rained verbal encouragement at you. No tank armour could protect you from that A civvy jump was never as enthusiastic or long as a regulars! But we levelled up on drinking capabilities (only joking).

 

[portland_bill]

Howitzer or 25 pounder.
First time I was near one I got a helluva shock when it was fired - not just deafeningly loud but also the compression you felt on your body.

For a time in the late seventies/early eighties, I drove a parts delivery van around south-east dorset, Lulworth, Corfe Castle, Swanage. Part of the route took me across the Lulworth army ranges, wher they fired those type of guns. Had to heed the road closure schedule, as meant a diversion. Often the road in the firing line got overnight repairs having been hit by a shell. The diversion went past a firing position, only 20yds from the road. (firing away from it, of course) If they fired just as you passed, the boom shook the van, and as Jock says, you felt the force. Opening the windows reduced the shock force. Learnt to listen to the booms, and time my pass to avoid them.

Well I worked on the Chieftain Tank IFCS (Improved Fire Control System) back in the late 70s. I learnt the meaning of cold hard steel, how to get on and off that great hulk of iron and how as a civvy not to be pissed off when a Sergeant Major rained verbal encouragement at you. No tank armour could protect you from that A civvy jump was never as enthusiastic or long as a regulars! But we levelled up on drinking capabilities (only joking).

Part of the van route delivered to the two garages in Bovington camp. Civilian area, but did on one occasion get shouted at by some prat with pips on his shoulders. He wanted me to bring him some parts for his car, at trade prices. I told him to see the garage I was sat outside. He had no authority over me, he could shout all he liked. Used to get quite a bit of 'demanding behaviour' from army people.
Having previously worked in a small garage on Portland, when there was a large naval base there, only ever got polite respect from navy people of all ranks.

 

[StevenRB45]

The Pre-Christmas puncture continues to annoy...tyre won't hold air, been slowly going down. Took it back today, bloke at the garage was "ah I remember this one 23rd of December wasn't it? Yeah it was marginal at the time if it would repair but we couldn't get you a tyre on the day so we thought we'd try it. If it's not holding air you'll need a new tyre I'm afraid."

To be fair this is the second time this particular tyre has been plugged so it would be throwaway time anyway..however always a pisser throwing away an 8mm tyre. Second time I've done it in my driving career, at least with it being a rear the other one will be a similar tread depth.

New one booked for Monday, not with them though as they weren't willing to match another quote.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I checked my PAYG phone account before topping up It stands at -£1.73. I have noticed this happening before over 3 yeats+ but never done much about it. I complained but gpot told I was wrong. Last time it was -0.56 and I complainedagain and was told I was wrong and this could not occur. When I put £10 credit on the phone it immediately deducted the 56p!! Having really rattled their cage I am informed it cannot have a negative balance, and that my balance on screen at Threecall centre is 0.00 ... except it isnt. I am more than a little suspicious that there is some scam going on here. Does anyone else have a PAYG Three phone account doing this? I would be pleased to know as I have told Three that if they cannot explain the discrepancy within 3 days I am going to take the matter to FCA, The Phone Ombiudsman, The Police and the BBC. If all Three phone users are being overcharged this way there is a major fraud in operation. If you set an automatic top up in motion you would never be aware of what is going on and once the top up has been applied and you make 1 call again you could not see what is going on. Maybe there is a proper explanation for why the company says one ting but the reality is differen and this time its nearly 20% of my money that would disappear if I topped up!

 

[The Panda Nut]

I was thinking 88mm job. Not that I know anything at all about any firearms or artillery.

 

[Cheest]

Quote from the new head of everything at work regarding another new machine failure in the field. "How can you have 10 kg of parts left over and say a machine is ready to go? Why? Why is it the Field Service guy's responsibility to fix what you did wrong? You know that the Field guys want the whole lot of you fired because you are inept. I agree with them."

What he said made me smile, but another flight to the northeast to repair another factory fcuk up is really starting getting old.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Our house is a modern quite compact dwelling and I fitted it with 2 stand alone, battery smoke alarms, one on the upstairs landing and one in the downstairs hall. They are very loud when they go off, even the low battery "Bleep" wakes us up in the night if it goes off. Now the Scottish government has decided this is not satisfactory and I must now, by law, replace them with much more expensive interlinked alarms and add one in the living room and a heat alarm for the kitchen. Well for the last week or so I've been trying to source interlinked smoke and heat alarms - decided to put one in the garage too so need 4 smoke and 1 heat - to comply with the new Scottish law which comes into effect at the beginning of February. Seems to be a dire lack of supply and anyone who does have them seems, not surprisingly, to be charging top dollar - or more, considerably more - for them. I suppose I've been a little bit silly leaving it so near to the time they become mandatory but there's been a lot of "stuff" going on which caused me to fail to prioritize this.

Anyway, I've just read that our city authority will only have managed to fit up about half of the residential property they own before the law comes into effect so I'm not feeling so bad about my lack of success. I've tried ringing local electric factors but noone has stock and the big on line suppliers are all talking mid to end of Feb (if you preorder and pay up right now) Can they really expect people to comply with new laws like this without ensuring that stock is available and people can afford to do it? Silly me, of course they can! Apparently the cost to "do" the average dwelling is calculated at around £200+

They've also made it compulsory to have a CO2 alarm in any space that has a fueled heater. I think that's an excellent idea and I've had one where my central heating boiler is for years so it probably should be replaced but I'll need a new one for the living room where we now have a "fancy" gas fire, so 2 of those but they don't need to be interlinked so I can buy the cheaper stand alone versions, or, perhaps I should have an interlinked one for the boiler as it could set it's alarm off whilst we were in bed and we might not hear it? Ah well, I can still have a stand alone in the living room as it's only on when we are in front of it.

Just have to hope I don't need to make an insurance claim before I can get the alarms 'cos I bet they'd use that as an excuse not to pay up!? Strange that a fire assessment about 3, maybe 4 years ago complemented me on the fitment of alarms although I was advised some of the "stuff" in the garage might be better kept in my garden shed - aerosols, oil cans, etc.

 

[s130]

Reminds me of when the Part P electrical legal compliance regulations came in.

o Part P was/is to ensure that only qualified electricians can make wiring changes in wet areas (kitchen / bathroom / etc)
o Do major major changes
o All changes had to use the new wiring colours and a certificate issued
o New wiring was in short supply and the cowboys bought up all the old wiring so they could continue their bad practices

No surprises there:

What got many Chartered Electrical Engineers (note not electricians) really pissed off is that we are professionally qualified to design electrical equipment, installations, be expert witness etc. BUT WE CAN'T even change a bathroom light ceiling rose!

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Reminds me of when the Part P electrical legal compliance regulations came in.

o Part P was/is to ensure that only qualified electricians can make wiring changes in wet areas (kitchen / bathroom / etc)
o Do major major changes
o All changes had to use the new wiring colours and a certificate issued
o New wiring was in short supply and the cowboys bought up all the old wiring so they could continue their bad practices

No surprises there:

What got many Chartered Electrical Engineers (note not electricians) really pissed off is that we are professionally qualified to design electrical equipment, installations, be expert witness etc. BUT WE CAN'T even change a bathroom light ceiling rose!

Crazy world isn't it? Mains electrics and gas "scare" the pants off me so I tend to stay well away from anything much more complicated than changing a fuse or isolating the gas at the meter. I seem to remember some years ago reading that the electric regs in Scotland are somewhat more liberal than England and you can take some things on which would be illegal in England. Do you know anything about this? Not that it'll make much difference to me as I value my skin much more than saving a few bob.

 

[s130]

Crazy world isn't it? Mains electrics and gas "scare" the pants off me so I tend to stay well away from anything much more complicated than changing a fuse or isolating the gas at the meter. I seem to remember some years ago reading that the electric regs in Scotland are somewhat more liberal than England and you can take some things on which would be illegal in England. Do you know anything about this? Not that it'll make much difference to me as I value my skin much more than saving a few bob.

I've been retired for 13 years now so have not kept up to date with IET (formerly IEE) Wiring Regulations etc. Seems everything is a moving target. My 1989 house has an old style MEB Metal Cased Consumer Unit. Neighbours who had new boilers, electric showers etc. were told their metal unit did not meet current regulations so they were hit with additional costs to install new plastic/ABS units. Now the current regulations have outlawed these plastic/ABS units and only metal enclosed units are allowed. Go figure!

 

[portland_bill]

My uncle's old cottage has solid walls, so the rewire done sometime in the early eighties put the wiring on the the walls for all sockets and light switches. Only the stuff in the ceiling is hidden. In the corner cupboard of the kitchen are two very old fuse boxes, looking like they may be bakelite, then next to them, a smart meter. Much silliness.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

My uncle's old cottage has solid walls, so the rewire done sometime in the early eighties put the wiring on the the walls for all sockets and light switches. Only the stuff in the ceiling is hidden. In the corner cupboard of the kitchen are two very old fuse boxes, looking like they may be bakelite, then next to them, a smart meter. Much silliness.

Quite a number of years ago now, when all the "hysteria" for comparing energy prices first took hold, Mrs J got us signed up to a very good combined (gas & 'lecky) deal. Part of this deal was that they would install these wonderful "smart" meters which were going to do all sorts of marvelous, life enhancing, money saving things for us. When that deal came to an end - I dunno, maybe a year later? - we got another "wonderful" deal with another company and the "smart" functions of the installation turned "dumb" and have never worked since on any of the other providers we've been with. I now have to provide readings from the meter displays and email them. Our energy supplier went bust and we're now with one of the "mega big" companies who have asked for numerous readings - 3 times in one week on one occasion - and although the electric meter gives a constant display which can be read at any time the gas meter display is dead until you wake it up by pressing the "A" button. Then you wait a wee while until it sorts itself out before pressing the "A" button again to get the actual reading. I don't mind too much doing this but I hadn't realized that the gas meter display is powered by a non replaceable internal battery! Of course this has now gone flat so I now can't supply meter readings for gas to them. They are coming, sometime mid February, to install new smart meters - which I'm somewhat dreading - but I now read that meters currently being installed communicate with 3 and/or 4 G so in the not too distant future, when 3 and 4 G are turned off these meters won't then work on 5 G! With a bit of luck though I may be dead by then so I won't have to face the upheaval again.

On top of all that our house was built just when RCD main boards were starting to be installed. Our street was the last one on our estate to have a fuse board - next street over they all got RCDs - So now I'm wondering if the chap who turns up to strip out our old meters and install the new ones, is going to condemn what I have and say it's all got to be changed to RCDs?