Or -- alternative suggestion -- a visit to one of the parts of eastern Europe where the Orthodox Church is the Christian "flavour of choice" -- those folks celebrate January 7th as Christmas Day !
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Comedic "things you would ban": minor things that irritate you
- Thread starter py_megapixel
- Start date
Or -- alternative suggestion -- a visit to one of the parts of eastern Europe where the Orthodox Church is the Christian "flavour of choice" -- those folks celebrate January 7th as Christmas Day !
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RailUK Forums
That was a holiday savings club, it was the right time for them to advertise. They will keep quiet for the rest of the year.I'd ban excessively early Christmas adverts on television ( or indeed anywhere else ).
There was one on telly earlier this week that was waffling on about Christmas 2022 for goodness sake...
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
Was it? I sort of filtered it out and stopped paying attention as soon as Christmas 2022 appeared on the screen the first time...
Exactly how I feel pretty much. Sometimes I get a bit 'bah humbug' in November because I'm still grumpy about the end of the longer days of summer, but enjoy the Christmas atmosphere in mid-late December.
IMX continental countries do indeed keep the Christmas atmosphere going right up to new year and even to Jan 6th (which in many other countries is a more significant celebration than the UK in any case).
Tracked
Established Member
There's a bar in town here advertising it being only 350 days till Christmas 2022 ... not been in there, doubt I willI'd ban excessively early Christmas adverts on television ( or indeed anywhere else ).
There was one on telly earlier this week that was waffling on about Christmas 2022 for goodness sake...
ABB125
Established Member
"Customer service" departments which are anything but.
I have a number of books on order from a second hand retailer on Amazon, for a family member. They were ordered just after Christmas. According to Amazon's parcel tracking system, they were dispatched a few days later. The latest tracking update (New Year's Eve) is that the delivery has been delayed "due to external circumstances"; however, the location is given as a town a few miles from home. Given that the delivery firm (Hermes) doesn't have any distribution facilities at this location, it must be a local "drop off your parcel" type of place (which, according to Google maps, there are two of in the town) which also serves as the pick up location for the local delivery driver(s). My parcel has (apparently) spent over 10 days here, doing nothing.
Anyway, the easiest thing to do would be to just go and collect the parcel in person. However, that would involve speaking to Hermes, which is basically impossible (their online help system is absolutely useless for anything other than "where is my parcel?"). So I contacted the retailer through Amazon's system, explaining the situation. I received a reply, here is a direct copy:
The exact same message, copied and pasted. What an absolute waste of effort!
(Incidentally, if anyone has any suggestions as to what I could do next, please let me know!)
I have a number of books on order from a second hand retailer on Amazon, for a family member. They were ordered just after Christmas. According to Amazon's parcel tracking system, they were dispatched a few days later. The latest tracking update (New Year's Eve) is that the delivery has been delayed "due to external circumstances"; however, the location is given as a town a few miles from home. Given that the delivery firm (Hermes) doesn't have any distribution facilities at this location, it must be a local "drop off your parcel" type of place (which, according to Google maps, there are two of in the town) which also serves as the pick up location for the local delivery driver(s). My parcel has (apparently) spent over 10 days here, doing nothing.
Anyway, the easiest thing to do would be to just go and collect the parcel in person. However, that would involve speaking to Hermes, which is basically impossible (their online help system is absolutely useless for anything other than "where is my parcel?"). So I contacted the retailer through Amazon's system, explaining the situation. I received a reply, here is a direct copy:
Fair enough. I replied, in a polite manner, restating that it's been over 10 days, I know it's not your fault, can you just ask them what the problem etc. Guess what reply I got?
The exact same message, copied and pasted. What an absolute waste of effort!
(Incidentally, if anyone has any suggestions as to what I could do next, please let me know!)
Mcr Warrior
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Claim for a full refund on the basis of non-delivery, and once you've got your money back, re-order from somewhere else?
Suppose it depends on how easily available the ordered book items are from elsewhere.
ABB125
Established Member
According to Amazon, if they aren't delivered tomorrow, I can claim a refund the following day.
I seem to remember that there were several alternative options available when we ordered them. Usually more expensive though!
Mcr Warrior
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That's invariably the case! Definitely annoying!
Gloster
Established Member
Next time use a proper bookshop that will post the books themselves.
Or buy them physically. They might being trying to push us online, but the physical shopping experience is still superior in getting what you want.
Busaholic
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Couldn't devise a better answer myself.
py_megapixel
Established Member
That's true for some things but not for books. If I go to a physical bookshop I can only choose from what is in stock. Ordering online I can pretty much get any book in the world that is in print at the moment, and then some - and I can even get it in digital form and have access to it instantly.
Reading the first few pages to see if you like it can be done online as well. There is no advantage to seeing the physical article, as copies of the same book are all, by their nature, pretty much identical!
That's not to downplay the experience of browsing a bookshop, which is lovely, and if I find something I like while browsing I don't mind buying it there-and-then (I'm not one of those people who goes to a bookshop and then orders the books they find from Amazon) but it's not worth it if I just want a specific book which I have in mind already.
Busaholic
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You could, of course, order the book direct from the bookshop in the case of a new, in print book and, indeed, some old books. Then if it doesn't arrive at the bookshop that's their problem. Ordering costs nothing at the vast majority of shops, unless you want it posted.
ABB125
Established Member
Ordinarily I would, but I doubt many bookshops stock agricultural semi-academic text/reference books that are several editions out of date!Couldn't devise a better answer myself.
gg1
Established Member
Having discovered that the formerly excellent Chinese takeaway a few miles away is now awful (and 15-20% more expensive!!), I would like to nominate:
- Takeaways or restaurants continuing to use the exact same menus, websites and trading names when they change hands.
D821
Member
I'm often opinion many takeaways are great when they open but many of them let their standards slip the longer they're there.
I've sometimes accidentally left them on the back of Christmas cards, does that count?
Have you been reading Adrian Mole?
Drogba11CFC
Member
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- 868
Sneezing.
If only I could stop sneezing, or at least sneezing so hard. Stupid thing is like a volcanic eruption. Every. Single. Time. Just once, I'd like a small sneeze. It would be less painful.....
Can we ban any media coverage of Prince Harry & Meghan, and their self pitying, entitled whining and moaning about how badly they have been treated by the UK and the media in general.
Their latest whineathon about it "..not being safe..." for them to come back to the UK, because the taxpayer won't pay for their security arrangements, is really tiresome.
On the other hand, if it means that Mr & Mrs Entitled won't be in the UK for the Platinum Jubilee, then every cloud has a silver lining.
Their latest whineathon about it "..not being safe..." for them to come back to the UK, because the taxpayer won't pay for their security arrangements, is really tiresome.
On the other hand, if it means that Mr & Mrs Entitled won't be in the UK for the Platinum Jubilee, then every cloud has a silver lining.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
That last post shows how unattached I am to the news, I didn't know they weren't in the UK! More important things to do than be glued to the news, quite frankly, here!
As for the thread, I'd ban Avanti West Coast. Some terribly useless people on there, although I did appreciate the cheery lady in the shop on my northbound journey the other day. The train manager on the way back, who refused to do anything about the woman vaping at the opposite table, I'd have found him a P45 personally, he laughed it off as a non-issue when I approached him about it
As for the thread, I'd ban Avanti West Coast. Some terribly useless people on there, although I did appreciate the cheery lady in the shop on my northbound journey the other day. The train manager on the way back, who refused to do anything about the woman vaping at the opposite table, I'd have found him a P45 personally, he laughed it off as a non-issue when I approached him about it
The train manager on the way back, who refused to do anything about the woman vaping at the opposite table, I'd have found him a P45 personally, he laughed it off as a non-issue when I approached him about it
Isn't it amazing how they won't do anything about vaping, and yet if you aren't wearing a face covering, they treat you like a plague ridden piece of **** that you have just trodden in.
py_megapixel
Established Member
When did the post you're quoting ever say that this member of staff did that?
(If my understanding of vaping is correct, then the offending passenger must surely not have been wearing a face covering anyway)
I didn't say that the particular member of staff on this train did that, but I was referring to Avanti West Coast's general maskivist attitude, with announcements along the lines of "..please wear a face covering and respect other passengers..." and reports of train managers who hassle people who are quite legitimately eating and drinking, or who have a valid exemption.
Its the other way around. He wants to be able to pay for protection, by UK police.Their latest whineathon about it "..not being safe..." for them to come back to the UK, because the taxpayer won't pay for their security arrangements, is really tiresome.
As for the thread, I'd ban Avanti West Coast. Some terribly useless people on there, although I did appreciate the cheery lady in the shop on my northbound journey the other day. The train manager on the way back, who refused to do anything about the woman vaping at the opposite table, I'd have found him a P45 personally, he laughed it off as a non-issue when I approached him about it
Meanwhile, we've always had lovely service, whether it was Avanti or the previous operator Virgin. I think it's more complicated than either of you make out
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Virgin I never had an issue with, not since 2008 but that was the only time I had any significant complaints. My TM on the way back from Glasgow, yes he made announcements about masks but he didn't wear one himself. Whether or not he was exempt, I couldn't say as he had no visible item to say so (I thought this was required by those who are exempt), but this one's attitude was a case of 'yeah, right, I'll pretend to come down later' but he didn't come down to coach A until Crewe. By when she had stopped vaping but she was one of those people who didn't understand what earphones are for, let alone masks...
I'd be here all day if I discussed how many times I was surrounded by covidiots this week! For the sanity of the forum, I won't!
I'd be here all day if I discussed how many times I was surrounded by covidiots this week! For the sanity of the forum, I won't!