Yes, keep the door open, but some oil heaters have an exhaust outlet, it my old workshop I put a flexi hose to the outside, but still had a carbon monoxide detector
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What's made you grumpy today?
Not sure the situation for you guys over on the mainland nowadays, but since Covid our GPs have had this 'everybody needs to call at 8.30 on the dot for a same day appointment and when they're gone, they're gone'. But five years on... here we are. Their excuse is 'this is what the health service is telling us we need to do', not just my GP surgery. That's honestly fine for me but now that we're having to try and arrange appointments for my mum who quite literally can't get words out anymore for non urgent issues such as medication or depression how is that supposed to work?
We're all working as well so if they say 'come back at X time today' it's not easy to keep asking for time out. She's already not processing dates / times / simple yes or no things correctly either. How would they expect someone with this weird form of dementia to be able to ring 30+ times just to get the call to connect then wait on hold, have the call dropped etc and then remember or be able to say whatever it is she needs. Total joke of a system.
And to add insult, another story, we were trying to get the PIP thing sorted for her as this is a life changing / never going to be able to work again situation. You can't just go to a job centre you need to call up.... Can't be done in person. Can't be done via email or anything, that is of course, unless you're a member of the LGBT community... for some reason, they will then see you in person and allow you to do it online - anything at all for them. But anyone with an actual illness completely impacting them from understanding or communicating, nah, pick up the phone mate and deal with it... Unbelievable.
We're all working as well so if they say 'come back at X time today' it's not easy to keep asking for time out. She's already not processing dates / times / simple yes or no things correctly either. How would they expect someone with this weird form of dementia to be able to ring 30+ times just to get the call to connect then wait on hold, have the call dropped etc and then remember or be able to say whatever it is she needs. Total joke of a system.
And to add insult, another story, we were trying to get the PIP thing sorted for her as this is a life changing / never going to be able to work again situation. You can't just go to a job centre you need to call up.... Can't be done in person. Can't be done via email or anything, that is of course, unless you're a member of the LGBT community... for some reason, they will then see you in person and allow you to do it online - anything at all for them. But anyone with an actual illness completely impacting them from understanding or communicating, nah, pick up the phone mate and deal with it... Unbelievable.
Some of us have actual inside knowledge on how to address both of these issues….. but because of blocking those persons as well as being completely obnoxious in the past to the afore mentioned person….
Well looks like you’re on your own.
This is a “new” car being made in China.
I can’t help but think a law suit will follow.
I can’t help but think a law suit will follow.
The Nextbase IQ is overall a cool little investment, I got the cheaper bundle (1k resolution) as the others were out of stock but functionally the same.
However... the thought occurred to me last night that... Had I spent the £350 on two cameras for outside the house, pointing both directions and showing the spaces I park in... any foul play or nonsense going on that could impact my car would be caught... plus the 24/7/365 ability to 'tune in' to it and see any issues surrounding the house. Sort of wish I'd spent the money there now instead... D'OH
However... the thought occurred to me last night that... Had I spent the £350 on two cameras for outside the house, pointing both directions and showing the spaces I park in... any foul play or nonsense going on that could impact my car would be caught... plus the 24/7/365 ability to 'tune in' to it and see any issues surrounding the house. Sort of wish I'd spent the money there now instead... D'OH
Next door has recently had a full camera system installed. Door bell camera and two cameras mounted on their soffits covering front and back of the property. All part of a major revamp of their house - block paving to the front, Fancy electric roller shutter garage door, patio laid to the rear and a "garden room". The soffit cameras are mounted at the end of the house nearest to us and face along the front and rear of the house. Takes in pretty much all of the front and rear of their property but next door neighbour on their other side claims it's breaching their privacy in that it probably records some of their back and front gardens. I'd have been delighted if they'd aimed them our way as we had an intruder in our back garden recently and he/she might have been put off by the camera if he/she noticed it.
Ah yes, that old debate. Think if it points towards a street you're fine, since it's public but other gardens, not sure the legal situation there. I suppose they'd need to make a police report, have the police investigate it and if it's an issue, tilt it to not include their garden but still some protection.
Deterrent is the best thing. This Nextbase IQ.. does its job. But sometimes it's slow to connect... outright refuses to download clips and can fairly quickly exhaust the car battery and shut off being pretty useless. But it does flash / light up when it comes on much more obviously than older cams. Seen some 'problem neighbours' (who are a little too attached ot the public spaces outside their houses) do some staring at my car now, after they've reversed right up to my car to try make it difficult to get out. This was my primary reason for investing... as if my car gets 'burnt out' or smashed up with the camera stolen or damaged, I'll catch them and have the footage on the cloud... But by the ugly looks on their faces, they should now be aware it's monitored and be smart enough to simply stick to their annoying but non prosecutable attempts to intimidate me lol I'm losing a lot less sleep now never needing to look out the windows or be overly concerned with the car, just knowing the phone will pop something up. Though the cameras are definitely coming soon...
I'd like one of those Apple HomeKit compatible ones as they handle storing the footage.. clearing it but also detecting cars / faces and stuff. Can have it pop up on the TV too, if we were to get a doorbell one when someone knocks. Need to figure out wiring these into the house...
Oh, neighbour across the street has a 'Ring' doorbell. A couple of months back those 'YouFibre' knobs were around the street. For some reason one of the reps asked to come into the house... weird. She let him in. Was talking about how he can't give us a leaflet, or show us any contract and how to get his offer we'd need to sign up 'then and there'... Rude but he was quickly told where to go. 5 minutes later he calls my girlfriends number - now neither of us have ever so much as enquired or heard of them before. Somehow they got the data... used it incorrectly. Big no-no for GDPR for them to be buying databases of names these days like that. Initial complaint.. They lied and said without the guys full name can't do anything. told them the date / time / area, nope, played dumb. Thankfully the neighbour captured her whole (equally not nice) experience of him at her house, we were able to use this... and now they admit who the person was and are 'dealing with it'... So they do come in handy. I'm all for neighbours having them, as you say, can help me or you as well if something were to happen. Think hers even caught him walking in our door. No issue with that personally.
I may have recounted this her before, but that little snippet reminded me.
Many years ago, (must have been early 1987) I lived opposite a small garage. My car was parked on the road, where some of their staff, and customers also had to due to limited space in their tiny yard. Their workshop foreman (Triumph 2000) and their car valeter (Lada 1200) would usually arrive about 10 minutes before we left for work wach morning. Both of these clowns would move right to my car, touch bumpers (all metal bumpers, including my Marina), then move away just a few inches. Often one ahead, one behind, so I would have to go into the reception and ask to be let out.
Then, I was replacing one Marina with another, so both were on the road. One day, the foreman reversed to one car, and moved away only an inch. So I trotted across the road, moved my other car up to his front, moved away an inch, and we went to work on the motorcycle. Left it three days, until the weekend when I was ready to swap radio over. Only then did I release him. Having had to beg use of the workshop van, he didn't do it again.
Later, one Saturday morning, the valeter squeezed tight to my rear bumper. In front was a Vauxhall HA van, signwritten with the details of a painter/decorator, based 15 miles away. This particular part of the street was only near our five properties opposite, so only us and the garage were likely customers of that van. When I went over to ask to be released, the workshop manager, on duty that morning, happily stated that the valeter had gone into town on an errand, and they knew nothing about the van, so, tough. Two customers waiting while their cars were worked on looked a little surprised at his rudeness, but he, like his staff, seemed unaware of the poor attitude their actions conveyed.
Across the road, back home, I dialled the number on the van. (No mobiles then). The guy's wife answered. She couldn't tell me any details, but only knew he was painting a car showroom. Back across the road, "He's not back yet" was the greeting from the manager. "You're having your showroom painted?" I said. A surprised look, as he realised the significance. Before he replied, "Would you like to ask him to move his van, while I explain to these two customers about the black marks on the exit from the yard." He moved rather quickly.
Never blocked in again.
Glad it worked out in the end because you didn't take any crap.
This guy has a white Kuga Vignale - as far as Ford's go, it's a nice one. Pearlescent paint too I think. Has a steering lock and some weird Dashcam as well. It's his car, a big gap of about two Panda lengths and an i10. Then a gap and a corner. Kids sit on and kick a football off an electric box near the corner in front of the i10 as I used to park there when the main space outside the flat isn't free (a downstairs flat parks there sometimes which is fair enough - nobody actually owns it). But kids were leaning on my car and the ball was hitting it, sometimes rather hard - but kids being kids, nowhere really decent for them to go. So I moved the car to the gap between the other cars - safer that way. It's a dead end street too so no further traffic. This guy doesn't like me parking there.
One day a few weeks back I was headed out to my car there as he drove back into the street. Thought it would be a good opportunity to start a friendly conversation. his car was away for a couple of weeks about two months ago and a horrendous 2025 plate MG of the same size appeared for a while. Thought he traded in the Kuga for it... thought to myself what a damn shame. So my entry to the conversation was going to be to ask if it's his car, and when he says yeah, say "Thought you traded her for an MG there, would have been a shame!". You know, stroke the ego and all that. Then slip in why I've started parking there, which he'll likely understand as I'm sure he'd equally not want his car leant on or hit with a ball. At least even if he was cheeky, he'd know I'm not doing it to be a dick and would hopefully register that I too care about my car and as such he can bet I'll never like, park it close to his or want either of our cars damaged and all that... BUT.. that day, as he parked up, in front of mine, I sat with the door open on my car but in the drivers seat on my phone waiting until he got out to go in. Nearly 10 minutes passed though and he wasn't getting out. and I had to leave so I did, but as I turned around and drove out of the street, looked back in my mirror, he was reversing right up far enough so that if I was coming back that night, there'd be no room. Sort of made me think what a knob. In front of his space, is the entrance to his driveway - one of the only houses around here that has one, he has a red car parked there (wife or kid maybe). So in any case, it's not like me being there makes him or the i10 owners job of getting out any more difficult. Parked there the other day, and at some stage he left and when he came back, reversed RIGHT up to the front of my car. Luckily I left enough space behind me to reverse and get out easily, but I don't know what he gets out of that. With the camera I can see exactly the difference between where he was initially and then was after.. When he's reversed right up to me, he's leaving half a car of space from his driveway (which he could block if he wanted - not that he'd need to).. so I can't just go in front of otherwise that'd be me blocking his driveway which I can't.
You might think just park anywhere else but I've parked all around here and no matter where I go, it's stepping on someone's toes which I'd like to avoid obviously. Been around now for 3 years and will be moved in here at the end of the year. But the attempts to intimidate aren't nice. There is that one space I mentioned that debatably, is the one that belongs to either of these flats, but even before the downstairs tenant moved in or the previous one who didn't drive was there, the rest of this row (actual house units) all have their spaces right outside, and they have these annoying little 'if you don't live here don't park here signs'. As a courtesy I've never even once parked in those spaces, even when the one I prefer isn't free. But it's annoying then to see the same people parking their second cars or their cars there. One guy had an old beat up Ford off the road and left it there for months in a row.
The only hope is keep up this learning... get a higher paid job ... and get a house with a driveway :'-) Peace.. someday
It can be very difficult. We are quite high density housing but there is enough room we don't need to fight over parking spaces. Also we all, except for one rather "strange" family perhaps, get on very well with one another and it's no problem to have a wee friendly word with anyone. For instance my neighbour was soaking my car with his lawn sprinkler every time he watered his front lawn and the discs on that side of the car were showing signs of rusting which the ones on the other side were not (steel wheels would have protected the discs, but not the alloys!) A polite word in his ear and he now takes more care aligning it. He didn't take offence at all. The one big problem we do have with cars is when there's a big funeral on at the crematorium because many of the streets around us are yellow lined and this means residents use up the available spaces so there are fewer spaces for people attending the funeral. It works not too bad with a normal "family" funeral but if it's bigger than that then you get people rushing around at speed looking for a space and then abandoning the car on a corner or across your driveway or on the grassy area by the garage block etc etc. It can be absolute chaos! Luckily this doesn't happen all that often but when it does it really is a big problem. For instance, if a fire engine needed access it just wouldn't get down the street, even ambulances and supermarket delivery vans, the larger ones anyway, find it difficult. We've told the police and council but the police don't have the manpower to do anything about it and the council tells us they are considering making us a controlled parking zone - which will mean those without off street parking will have to pay to buy permits.
I remember Edinburgh when I started to drive back in the 1960s. you could park almost anywhere without really all that much problem, even up in the very centre of town. Now it's such a nightmare and so easy to get fined without knowing you've contravened some obscure regulation that I just don't take the car into the town any more unless I'm just driving through on my way to somewhere else. Which I suppose is exactly what they want?
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
1. Not enough grumpiness!
2. Noops battery . Stop start doesnt work and battery only gets to 3 bars of charge on my smart charger. A new one is needed before winter I think . Yes I know.. Tayna... I will seek a price there following much good recommendation from feoolw sufferers .
2. Noops battery . Stop start doesnt work and battery only gets to 3 bars of charge on my smart charger. A new one is needed before winter I think . Yes I know.. Tayna... I will seek a price there following much good recommendation from feoolw sufferers .
Definitely Tayna. However don't rule out Halfords and their Yuasa range of batteries and no shipping charge if bought in store. However the big "thing" with them is if you can access one of their trade cards - maybe you know someone who has one? I got Becky's battery that way and, because there's no shipping, actually ended up paying less than I would ordering from Tayna - but not by enough to make any real difference.
I went with Varta back in 2023 for the Avensis from EuroCarParts... from that point on that thing started so strong it scared me. Will probably be looking for one in the next year (best case) for the CT. You reckon Tanya is the way to go or just shop spec and any decently known brand?
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
Im a fan of Yuasa. If they are good enough for Honda they will do for me. The other 3 cars have them. I generally get 10% off stuff at Halfords with a wriggle. Their club which I keep rejoining.....
Also they price match but after the MOT saga they will need to be cheapest from here on.
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
I do like Varta too from previous cars.
I very much divide Halfords into two parts. The shop, and the repair garage side. The shop side I've had very good interaction with. Mainly at my local Seafield branch but also at the one out on the southside of the city. I've also bought stuff when down in Barnstaple at Mrs J's sister and found them very helpful too.
The workshop side I have little experience of but, from other's comments, I would lump them in with most of the other "faster fit" type operations, especially where MOTs are concerned. My perception is that their business model is predicated on upselling so, personally, I'd avoid them. Probably the best for an "honest" MOT are the workshops which do not do repairs and therefore have no vested interests in failing the vehicle. Our local COOP workshop, where the funeral vehicles were maintained, offered MOTs to the public but required you to remove the vehicle that day and did no repairs other than to their own vehicles. (I think if you hold a license to do MOTs you have to offer them to anyone who asks?) They were quite strict but very fair and I went there for many years until they closed the workshop and farmed out the vehicle maintenance to local garages. Next best is, in my experience, to find a smaller, probably family owned, workshop. But a good one does take a bit of research to find. Avoid, like the plague, workshops offering an MOT at discount prices! The present cost pretty fairly covers the time and equipment depreciation costs of doing the test. You're not making money offering discounted MOTs. So, if you're discounting, it's got to be because you're picking up repair work from failure/advisory notes? The temptation to push a repair not immediately needed or even, gasp, report something which just doesn't need done! has to be a factor? A small local garage near me, with whom I'm friends, surprise surprise
gets a lot of people in seeking confirmation of reported failures from a "Faster Fit" outfit just down the road from him. Some of the stuff failed is so outrageous he started keeping a board with a copy of the reported work needed and a copy of the repairs he carried out with his charge for doing it compared to the quote from the other party. It was pretty shocking reading but, for someone like me, highly entertaining. The board has disappeared now, I think they became aware of it and threatened him with legal action but I've never been rude enough to ask.
Halfords often have offers on batteries, if not, then dont
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
Yes this mirrors my experiences. Maybe margins are much better in retail. In their shops my experience is 100% positive.I very much divide Halfords into two parts. The shop, and the repair garage side. The shop side I've had very good interaction with. Mainly at my local Seafield branch but also at the one out on the southside of the city. I've also bought stuff when down in Barnstaple at Mrs J's sister and found them very helpful too.
The workshop side I have little experience of but, from other's comments, I would lump them in with most of the other "faster fit" type operations, especially where MOTs are concerned. My perception is that their business model is predicated on upselling so, personally, I'd avoid them. Probably the best for an "honest" MOT are the workshops which do not do repairs and therefore have no vested interests in failing the vehicle. Our local COOP workshop, where the funeral vehicles were maintained, offered MOTs to the public but required you to remove the vehicle that day and did no repairs other than to their own vehicles. (I think if you hold a license to do MOTs you have to offer them to anyone who asks?) They were quite strict but very fair and I went there for many years until they closed the workshop and farmed out the vehicle maintenance to local garages. Next best is, in my experience, to find a smaller, probably family owned, workshop. But a good one does take a bit of research to find. Avoid, like the plague, workshops offering an MOT at discount prices! The present cost pretty fairly covers the time and equipment depreciation costs of doing the test. You're not making money offering discounted MOTs. So, if you're discounting, it's got to be because you're picking up repair work from failure/advisory notes? The temptation to push a repair not immediately needed or even, gasp, report something which just doesn't need done! has to be a factor? A small local garage near me, with whom I'm friends, surprise surprise
Stoneacre reminding why I stopped using them...
Since the car was serviced in May I've had multiple letters and phonecalls about both service and maintenance plans.
If you were to take up every being offered it would amount to about a grand a year.
They sell Toyota and Mazda...who the hell is spending that much annually on less than 10 year old Japanese cars?
So they sent me something today for brake and tyre cover 39.90 a month to cover new brakes and tyres, 19.95 each.
4x premium brand new tyres (with insurance covering repairs for free and replacement if not repairable) was 337 quid. So to make a profit..need to burn off 4 tyres in 17 months.
The brakes are even more crazy, it covers you for a set of brake discs every 2 years...even the Citroën with it's crazed thirst for brakes managed a year longer than that. 3 years of that cover 718 quid. Disc and pads all-round fitted on the Citroën with good quality bits was 500 quid. Other than the Citroën I've only replaced one set of discs and pads in 15 years as generally I'm pretty light on them.
Perhaps it makes more sense with more "exotic" cars...but if course they are a Mazda and Toyota dealer...so they don't really sell those.
And then there's the trying to get me to sign up to a 3 year service plan on a 9 year old car. If you think you're seeing me once the 10 year warranty is done you are sadly mistaken I'm not going to be paying your parts prices and labour rates...
Since the car was serviced in May I've had multiple letters and phonecalls about both service and maintenance plans.
If you were to take up every being offered it would amount to about a grand a year.
They sell Toyota and Mazda...who the hell is spending that much annually on less than 10 year old Japanese cars?
So they sent me something today for brake and tyre cover 39.90 a month to cover new brakes and tyres, 19.95 each.
4x premium brand new tyres (with insurance covering repairs for free and replacement if not repairable) was 337 quid. So to make a profit..need to burn off 4 tyres in 17 months.
The brakes are even more crazy, it covers you for a set of brake discs every 2 years...even the Citroën with it's crazed thirst for brakes managed a year longer than that. 3 years of that cover 718 quid. Disc and pads all-round fitted on the Citroën with good quality bits was 500 quid. Other than the Citroën I've only replaced one set of discs and pads in 15 years as generally I'm pretty light on them.
Perhaps it makes more sense with more "exotic" cars...but if course they are a Mazda and Toyota dealer...so they don't really sell those.
And then there's the trying to get me to sign up to a 3 year service plan on a 9 year old car. If you think you're seeing me once the 10 year warranty is done you are sadly mistaken I'm not going to be paying your parts prices and labour rates...
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
Stoneacre...
I just deleted what I thought of them. Inappropriate for posting on the forum! Thanks, I'd rather walk than use them.
