What's made you not grumpy but not smile either today?

[porta]

Lovely, much like places that ask you to fill in your name 3 times on their web sites. But, not a terrorist? Well thats a bit of a leap mate, its only an E Card! You could have forged it.

I worked in Health and Safety and had to go on some 'fancy' sites, Rail, ICI, British Aero Space, Military Barracks and Dockyards, and worst of all the Oil refinery in Hull. The latter being the most stupid of all. Changing PPE and badges for different areas.... walking up the road to insepct mainly grounds. Some of the precautions were amusing! I should have kept all the passes it would cause endless amusement sending them back saying "found on a beach in Acapulco".

The military ones were hilarious, if it was a civilian worker then yes, you were obligated to investigate or assess, if it was military, you were kept at arms length whilst they ‘did their own thing’. If it was a combination, they told you ‘only what you needed to know’, which basically meant, nothing…similar could be said of ‘specialist industries, like oil, gas, electricity, chemicals, governmental bodies, they’d have you running around in circles just to keep you away from ‘contentious’ areas

 

[The Panda Nut]

The military ones were hilarious, if it was a civilian worker then yes, you were obligated to investigate or assess, if it was military, you were kept at arms length whilst they ‘did their own thing’. If it was a combination, they told you ‘only what you needed to know’, which basically meant, nothing…similar could be said of ‘specialist industries, like oil, gas, electricity, chemicals, governmental bodies, they’d have you running around in circles just to keep you away from ‘contentious’ areas

Aye, the bits where standards were so low it made your hair fall out not just stand on end.

 

[porta]

Aye, the bits where standards were so low it made your hair fall out not just stand on end.

And they don’t even get a real punishment, ‘Queens Censure’ (suppose it’s kings now) is little more than a slapped wrist with tissue paper

 

[The Panda Nut]

Aye, the bits where standards were so low it made your hair fall out not just stand on end.

What these folk didnt know is after bording school, where aged 8-12 we used to get up at night and go off on rampages, often pursued by teachers with hunting equipment LOL I reckon I could get into and closely examine anything on any of the sites I visited no problem at all, and they wouldnt even know I had been there. Nothing like the thrill of standing next to the hunters and them still not knowing tou were less than 3 feet away, while they discussed what they were going to do when they caught you. Or better still when a few hours later they crashed into the dormitory and found you half asleep in bed.

 

[The Panda Nut]

And they don’t even get a real punishment, ‘Queens Censure’ (suppose it’s kings now) is little more than a slapped wrist with tissue paper

Yep. I respect the need for common sense, but not the failure to take precautions in a reasonable manner in the circumstances. Its all, of course, down to people in charge. You someone good and things are done right, but the good ones are sadly not so common.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Well, yesterday actually. My delivery from S4P arrived just in time as I had just removed the pollen filter from Peanut. SO I opened up my £217 parcel and NO pollen filters. Apologies to S4P fro calling them rude things only to find yours truly had not ordered the pollen filters or Noops TA air filter. What a wally I had to pay par more locally and now need to build up another order to get the necessary stock. I suppose I can buy some gearbox oil as well. Once again shop4parts delivered great value in double quick time. (Highly recommended)

As I've said many times on here, great people to deal with, good prices for quality stuff and quick delivery. But, not worth ordering just one or two small items due to shipping cost.

 

[The Panda Nut]

As I've said many times on here, great people to deal with, good prices for quality stuff and quick delivery. But, not worth ordering just one or two small items due to shipping cost.

After the cost of my locally supplied pollen filters I think I might just pay postage! I hesitated long enough to get 20% off by asking if thats the best price they could do, but it still hurts.

 

[portland_bill]

After the cost of my locally supplied pollen filters I think I might just pay postage! I hesitated long enough to get 20% off by asking if thats the best price they could do, but it still hurts.

Have you had a look at https://www.partsinmotion.co.uk/
I discovered them a year or so ago, and have used them lots since. Fast delivery, and usually very good prices.

 

[portland_bill]

Lovely, much like places that ask you to fill in your name 3 times on their web sites. But, not a terrorist? Well thats a bit of a leap mate, its only an E Card! You could have forged it.

I worked in Health and Safety and had to go on some 'fancy' sites, Rail, ICI, British Aero Space, Military Barracks and Dockyards, and worst of all the Oil refinery in Hull. The latter being the most stupid of all. Changing PPE and badges for different areas.... walking up the road to insepct mainly grounds. Some of the precautions were amusing! I should have kept all the passes it would cause endless amusement sending them back saying "found on a beach in Acapulco".

There's a large water company I visit fairly frequently. Doing driver training, I only go onto the site as far as reception, and the loo, then we're out in a vehicle. Yet still I had to undergo induction training, security checks, etc, as obviously 'one size fits all'. Funniest was when they changed their sign in from a physical book, to a 'scan a QR code'. My phone usually has data turned off, as I only use it for calls and texts. It also does not automatically scan QR codes, that needed an app, which I did not have. First visit, receptionist said just take a picture of the QR code. When I told her all that would do was give me a photo of the code, she did not understand. So I handed her my phone, for her to do just that. The puzzled look was very funny. I only needed the loo, then back out, off the premises for the restof the morning, so why the need to sign in? The time to find, download and install an app was unnecessary, as by then my trainee was waiting. I won. I was allowed in to the loo, then back out again. Subsequent visits have gone more smoothly, as she recognises me now, and just declares 'no need', and releases the door to the inner sanctum and the loo.
It is not even a water processing site, just administration, training and vehicle maintenance.

 

[Cheest]

As for not being a terrorist, I was subject a criminal background check every time I applied. The check always came back with a goose egg. One time the HR lady said that I must be close to sainthood. I told her I don't smoke, I don't gamble, and I don't chase women. If it wasn't for alcohol, I'd go nuts.

Military bases were nuts. One I'd been to a number of times had an ID card for me on file. The last time I visited, I got on base all week without a problem with the ID card, save for the last day. The card had expired the previous year and no one, not even I, had noticed it. So, my two hours I had planned to wrap up the job took six because I had to go through the same BS classes again. I did charge them an extra 4 hours for labor for that experience.

Right now, with what F'Elon and the FELON are doing the government staff in DC will probably mute all that stuff though. That's for the grumpy thread.

 

[portland_bill]

Military bases were nuts.

Whilst teaching learner drivers, I've had a few that were either service people, or civilian employees at military bases. Security has varied, although all rather better these days.
One nearby had officer housing on site, inside the gate. If the gate had been advised of my arrival, I was allowed on site, to drive to the house to collect the student. If they'd forgotten to tell the gate, I had to wait in the car park for the student to walk out to me. Even if the same guard wason duty as last time, and recognised me. At that time, I was in a fully liveried driving school car. Returning at the end of a lesson, there was only a cursory check. They recognised the student, no ID required, and in we both went.
Except on Sundays, when the gate was open and unmanned. Do terrorists all have a day off on Sunday? Later they reconfigured the access road, so that it was outside the gate, and the gate became manned 24/7.
Another base was quite different. Gate manned 24/7. Park in small car park outside gatehouse and car is only left unattendeed while visiting the gatehouse. No access at that base, always wait outside for the student. Was a good idea to visit the gatehouse and tell them who I was, and who I was waiting for, then back to the car and wait. All this despite the very obvious car.
Contrast with a large naval base I lived near when much younger, (early 70s), when working at a small garage. Despite a guard on the gate, we'd go in and out frequently with just a wave, although the guards did recognise the company vehicles. Would collect and deliver cars for service and repair unhindered. We also serviced most of the guards' cars too.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Woke up early today, the sun was barely up and lay wondering what had woken me. Then noise outside in the street so pulled the curtain aside and it's the chap who lives across the road with the Tesla. It has automatic defrosting of the windows but he was scraping the glass to move the frost? Then he started opening and closing the rear O/S door and driver's door, several times, banging them closed aggressively. He didn't seem to be taking anything out or putting anything in so I've no idea what he was doing but he was making a lot of noise. Eventually he got in and drove away. I snuggled back down under the duvet and tried to sleep but then the council bin lorry arrived to empty the big bins outside the Flats. The bins are thoughtfully hidden away from view behind some shrubs but this means the operatives - used to call them "Scaffies" - have to manhandle them out into the road so they can attach them to the lifting mechanism on the truck which then revs it's engine and lifts them up to empty them. Unfortunately, for a number of months, I've noticed this truck has something wrong with it's hydraulics in that it emits a piercing whistle/squeek as the hydraulics operate. Then the bins have to be trundled back up the slope and placed behind the shrubs, which makes more noise. I gave up trying to go back to sleep and got dressed, made a cup of tea and went to sit in the living room.

As I was sitting there watching the sun come up through the living room window and looking at the Panda and Scala both covered in thick frost I had a thought - As I mentioned in a recent post, I've been trying to reduce my carbon footprint of late and one of the things I've been doing is not to use a car for local journeys (we're lucky in having a very good public transport system here in Edinburgh, trams and, especially, busses. It does take longer and is not quite so convenient but still very good and there's no problems with what to do with the car when you get there). However it occurs to me that The Scala is only doing one trip per week now. It's a decent journey of about an hour one way out to or younger boy's house and then an hour return with a wee bit of running here and there when we get there taking the grand children swimming or whatever. For the rest of the time it sits on my wee hard standing with my nice new Battery charger in maintenance mode connected to stop battery degradation - I noticed the battery typically drops to around 12,1/12.2 volts after standing for the week without use. Through the week we use the Panda for almost everything we need transport to do, like supermarket shopping etc, where we need to carry goods. So the Scala sits for a week without running and I'm thinking to myself, the oil is obviously going to drain back into the sump and stuff like cam bearings, big ends, cylinder walls, etc are going to dry out too. Many years ago Castrol made a big thing of "clingy" oil, - Magnatec - which, they claim, stays on surfaces much longer than the older oil formulations. I think many of the better quality oils do this now? but I wonder if running an engine like this is going to eventually result in bearing failures and other problems?

I'm reluctant to just start her and run her for a few minutes, say every 2 or 3 days just to circulate the oil as I think this would potentially be actually more damaging. Any thoughts on this folks? We probably should just be getting by with one car to be honest.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Woke up early today, the sun was barely up and lay wondering what had woken me. Then noise outside in the street so pulled the curtain aside and it's the chap who lives across the road with the Tesla. It has automatic defrosting of the windows but he was scraping the glass to move the frost? Then he started opening and closing the rear O/S door and driver's door, several times, banging them closed aggressively. He didn't seem to be taking anything out or putting anything in so I've no idea what he was doing but he was making a lot of noise. Eventually he got in and drove away. I snuggled back down under the duvet and tried to sleep but then the council bin lorry arrived to empty the big bins outside the Flats. The bins are thoughtfully hidden away from view behind some shrubs but this means the operatives - used to call them "Scaffies" - have to manhandle them out into the road so they can attach them to the lifting mechanism on the truck which then revs it's engine and lifts them up to empty them. Unfortunately, for a number of months, I've noticed this truck has something wrong with it's hydraulics in that it emits a piercing whistle/squeek as the hydraulics operate. Then the bins have to be trundled back up the slope and placed behind the shrubs, which makes more noise. I gave up trying to go back to sleep and got dressed, made a cup of tea and went to sit in the living room.

As I was sitting there watching the sun come up through the living room window and looking at the Panda and Scala both covered in thick frost I had a thought - As I mentioned in a recent post, I've been trying to reduce my carbon footprint of late and one of the things I've been doing is not to use a car for local journeys (we're lucky in having a very good public transport system here in Edinburgh, trams and, especially, busses. It does take longer and is not quite so convenient but still very good and there's no problems with what to do with the car when you get there). However it occurs to me that The Scala is only doing one trip per week now. It's a decent journey of about an hour one way out to or younger boy's house and then an hour return with a wee bit of running here and there when we get there taking the grand children swimming or whatever. For the rest of the time it sits on my wee hard standing with my nice new Battery charger in maintenance mode connected to stop battery degradation - I noticed the battery typically drops to around 12,1/12.2 volts after standing for the week without use. Through the week we use the Panda for almost everything we need transport to do, like supermarket shopping etc, where we need to carry goods. So the Scala sits for a week without running and I'm thinking to myself, the oil is obviously going to drain back into the sump and stuff like cam bearings, big ends, cylinder walls, etc are going to dry out too. Many years ago Castrol made a big thing of "clingy" oil, - Magnatec - which, they claim, stays on surfaces much longer than the older oil formulations. I think many of the better quality oils do this now? but I wonder if running an engine like this is going to eventually result in bearing failures and other problems?

I'm reluctant to just start her and run her for a few minutes, say every 2 or 3 days just to circulate the oil as I think this would potentially be actually more damaging. Any thoughts on this folks? We probably should just be getting by with one car to be honest.

I remember seeing a demonstration some years ago now, for magnatec at some sort of show, they put something that had stood a while with magmatic against some “regular” oil, the usual spinning wheel and they forced a bar against the spinning wheel and the demonstration was pretty good. When I had my older cars such as my old Mondeo and Saab I used to always use magnatec in them and they ran really well.

When I started buying diesels such as my 1.3 Punto (2004) I started using castrol edge as this was supposed to be good for diesels.

I have a lot of time for castrol oils, they used to be “expensive” but honestly these days all oils seem expensive to me.

The golf always gets serviced by a VW specialist now and they use quantum as recommended so I don’t have a lot to do with it now.

The Mini gets service at the same place I suspect they just use some large (200L) barrel of castrol or alike for that car, as it’s not a vw, but it’s my wife’s car and I’ve not given it a lot of thought.

I’m not sure I would be running the car every few days. Maybe make more effort to use the Skoda another journey or two during the week and that would negate the need for running it just to circulate the oil. Maybe try an experiment to only use one car and see how you get on? Just use the skoda and disconnect the battery on the panda for a week or two, and see if you can make one car work

 

[StevenRB45]

I think this possibly falls under overthinking it a bit.

There will be element of waiting for oil to be supplied from the pump to the head after a long stand.

But the mileages you're covering as result of the car standing probably negate any engine damage it would do, while starting and running it unnecessarily will also cause wear.

My thoughts on it would be yes, it will probably accelerate wear slightly...so it would be more worn at say 50k miles than it would be if all those miles were on the motorway. But you'll take a decade to reach 50k if this is your usage cycle so is it actually worth concerning yourself with? Also more worn does not = knackered.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I have similar thoughts about our under used cars. I think once a week is probably Ok. VAG engines will be fine and dont suffer the drain back of the ancient Panda engine. As you change oil like clockwork It should be fine. My Dads car got less use than that. The only thing to suffer was the body work from his damp garage and the air con pump he didnt switch on.

 

[bugsymike]

Jock! You do realise most people are out of bed by lunchtime, so cars starting and bin lorries don't bother them.
On a more serious note, like you I have more than one vehicle and do not do many miles, so generally I alternate them every week and in all cases run them long enough to get a few miles at normal temp. This way batteries stay up and all the running gear is worked, it usually involves a 60-70 mph bit of dual carriageway as well in the mix.
The other benefit of alternating vehicles is my neighbours are less likely to feel they have an abandoned wreck outside there property.

 

[SB1500]

It has automatic defrosting of the windows but he was scraping the glass to move the frost?

From what I've heard about the build quality of Tesla's, everything outside of the electric drivetrain is probably 2000s GM level... I'd be surprised if the heated windscreen still worked... and failing that, he's probably scrimping on the already reduced mileage range from a frosty day, made worse if he has to use more electricity for the defroster

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Jock! You do realise most people are out of bed by lunchtime, so cars starting and bin lorries don't bother them.
On a more serious note, like you I have more than one vehicle and do not do many miles, so generally I alternate them every week and in all cases run them long enough to get a few miles at normal temp. This way batteries stay up and all the running gear is worked, it usually involves a 60-70 mph bit of dual carriageway as well in the mix.
The other benefit of alternating vehicles is my neighbours are less likely to feel they have an abandoned wreck outside there property.

Ha, ha! Actually Mike, I made a pact with myself to always be up and dressed by 08.00 hrs when I retired. I think it's too easy to let things slip and if you do it's the start of the slippery slope. I do admit to sometimes going downstairs in my dressing gown, but I'm always up and about and making a cup of tea to take up to Mrs J. So many of my retired work colleagues retired, joined the bowls or golf club - if they weren't already members - and spent a goodly part of their day propping up the bar in the club house. Extended bellies, shortness of breath and limited ambulatory ability ensued and before long I was up at the crematorium seeing them off. I decided that wasn't for me. I've tried bowls but found it boring and, although a bunch of pleasant enough people, the members of the club didn't share my interests and conversations became a bore. Golf was even worse as i couldn't hit the ball straight and I found I was enjoying being outside, walking about and listening to the birds much more than playing the game. I soon realized that that was one of the things I'd enjoyed so much about doing gardening for the last 15 years of my working life and I started pretty much every day. Seems to be working out as many of them are now gone but I'm still here!

I've decided not to worry about the Scala - I'm going to use it once a week to do the shopping which is about a 15 minute drive to the supermarket and then I'll go the long way round home - maybe 20 minutes and still go out to my boy's as usual which is a much longer journey. I think that'll do just fine. Mrs J still refuses to drive the Scala so having just the one car won't work just now unless I drive her everywhere - and I'm not doing that!

Edit, I'll space the two journeys so they are a few days apart.

 

[portland_bill]

The Tesla pre-heating system takes a huge chunk of power from the battery, reducing range significantly. Ideally shoudl be programmed to operate while plugged in to the mains supply, but that might be difficult if the charger is on the night tariff circuit, or not parked near the house.

I too have too many vehicles. The Fabia is the 'work' car, fitted with dual controls and insured for driver training. It gets used generally Wed and Thu each week, but often only one of those days. It is now 10 years old, and the battery is weakening, so the stop/start only works on Thursdays, if it has had a good run on the Wednesday.
The Panda, still my favourite, gets used at leat two days a week, sometimes once or twice more, sometimes just local, but mostly at least a 24 mile round trip.
The Doblo, the wheelchair adapted van, gets ignored, beign used when necessary for the occasional hospital or clinic appointment. So once a fortnight, it gets used for the shopping run instead of the Panda. Really it should replace the Panda, but I've had the Panda now for 15 years, and can't let go.
The trick, I think, is to keep alternating them, so they all get used a little.

 

[bugsymike]

Ha, ha! Actually Mike, I made a pact with myself to always be up and dressed by 08.00 hrs when I retired. I think it's too easy to let things slip and if you do it's the start of the slippery slope. I do admit to sometimes going downstairs in my dressing gown, but I'm always up and about and making a cup of tea to take up to Mrs J. So many of my retired work colleagues retired, joined the bowls or golf club - if they weren't already members - and spent a goodly part of their day propping up the bar in the club house. Extended bellies, shortness of breath and limited ambulatory ability ensued and before long I was up at the crematorium seeing them off. I decided that wasn't for me. I've tried bowls but found it boring and, although a bunch of pleasant enough people, the members of the club didn't share my interests and conversations became a bore. Golf was even worse as i couldn't hit the ball straight and I found I was enjoying being outside, walking about and listening to the birds much more than playing the game. I soon realized that that was one of the things I'd enjoyed so much about doing gardening for the last 15 years of my working life and I started pretty much every day. Seems to be working out as many of them are now gone but I'm still here!

I think you have sorted the balance out Jock re retirement, a regular routine, a bit of exercise with grandchildren and a bit of tinkering with machinery.
The only thing different I do is wake just before the radio goes off at 7am and I try to get to bed before 10pm.
There was a ditty "early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise", even one of those would be nice.