Comedic "things you would ban": minor things that irritate you

[D821]

Is this because there isn't VAT on children's food and is on adult's? Been a while since did my accounting unit at uni though so might have changed now.

Ah, that's fair enough. As long as it's just the VAT.

 

[S&CLER]

I'm irritated by people who donate faulty CDs and DVDs to charity shops instead of throwing them away, as there's no way of telling that they are faulty before you buy. Of course a reputable shop should give you a refund if you can produce a receipt, but it's still annoying to have to take faulty goods back.

 

[PeterY]

I'm irritated by people who donate faulty CDs and DVDs to charity shops instead of throwing them away, as there's no way of telling that they are faulty before you buy. Of course a reputable shop should give you a refund if you can produce a receipt, but it's still annoying to have to take faulty goods back.

I work in a charity shop and look after CD's, DVD's and books.

I find that generally with CD's they are generally in good condition. I get the occasional broken, cracked case and disc's that have been copied on to a CD ROM.

Adult DVD's are also generally good again with occasional cracked or broken cases with the very occasional scratch. Very rarely, they are imports without UK age certification, or copies. Children's DVD's on the other hand, looks like they've rubbed sandpaper all over the disc. It's rare to get a saleable children's DVD.

Books vary from the excellent to the awful. We get a nominal amount for scrap books.

We will always refund, if anything slips though the net.

 

[gg1]

I'm irritated by people who donate faulty CDs and DVDs to charity shops instead of throwing them away, as there's no way of telling that they are faulty before you buy. Of course a reputable shop should give you a refund if you can produce a receipt, but it's still annoying to have to take faulty goods back.

To be fair they may not necessarily know. Not uncommon to have an older CD or DVD which plays fine for years but then suddenly starts skipping or freezing out of the blue.

If I decided to give DVDs I haven't watched for years to a charity shop, I'm certainly not going to watch them all to check they all still play okay.

 

[PeterY]

To be fair they may not necessarily know. Not uncommon to have an older CD or DVD which plays fine for years but then suddenly starts skipping or freezing out of the blue.

If I decided to give DVDs I haven't watched for years to a charity shop, I'm certainly not going to watch them all to check they all still play okay.

Neither would I check everyone I give but I look after mine.

You can pick up DVD's in charity shops 50p to £1 so it's a bit of a gamble and really not a great loss. Customers can also check them before they buy.

Charity shops are very savvy nowadays. Before we put CD's DVD's and books on the shelf, we scan them, There is a company that buys second hand stuff and to see if they'll offer more than a £1 . Very occasionally we'll stumble across something that is rare.

A couple of weeks ago I brought all 7 seasons of Deep Space 9 (I'm a trekkie ) for £25. A true bargain.

On the whole, with donations in general, 60% + is tat . Luckily we sell the rags. A bag of rags will generally generate £5 to £6 . All based on weight.

 

[jfollows]

Is this because there isn't VAT on children's food and is on adult's? Been a while since did my accounting unit at uni though so might have changed now.

Although I'm not an expert, I think you're mistaken here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/catering-takeaway-food-and-vat-notice-7091 states that VAT exemption only applies to catering supplies to schools, colleges & universities, and that even then VAT needs to be charged on supplies of catering to staff and visitors (apart from visiting students).

 

[Busaholic]

Although I'm not an expert, I think you're mistaken here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/catering-takeaway-food-and-vat-notice-7091 states that VAT exemption only applies to catering supplies to schools, colleges & universities, and that even then VAT needs to be charged on supplies of catering to staff and visitors (apart from visiting students).

I'm not an expert either but I don't believe it's feasible there is any VAT differentiation in providing exactly the same food in a restaurant to an adult or a child. otherwise VAT fraud on this would reach epic proportions!

 

[Gloster]

I would have thought it was simple economics. All the ‘overheads’ (staff, power, buildings, etc.) are pretty well the same for both adult and child portions. The restaurant accepts making a smaller profit on a child’s portion because a child will be accompanied by one or more adults, who have been enticed into your restaurant by the belief that they are getting a bargain. “Look, little Johnny won’t eat a normal portion, so we are getting a bargain in only paying for what he does eat.” You make your profit on the meals of the adults who Johnny brought in. If they only eat and pay for a child’s portion, bang goes your profit.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes, ban VAT. I think I said this in another thread.

 

[birchesgreen]

Although I'm not an expert, I think you're mistaken here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/catering-takeaway-food-and-vat-notice-7091 states that VAT exemption only applies to catering supplies to schools, colleges & universities, and that even then VAT needs to be charged on supplies of catering to staff and visitors (apart from visiting students).

Yes you are right, its been 29 years since i've done this class

 

[BanburyBlue]

I would have thought it was simple economics. All the ‘overheads’ (staff, power, buildings, etc.) are pretty well the same for both adult and child portions. The restaurant accepts making a smaller profit on a child’s portion because a child will be accompanied by one or more adults, who have been enticed into your restaurant by the belief that they are getting a bargain. “Look, little Johnny won’t eat a normal portion, so we are getting a bargain in only paying for what he does eat.” You make your profit on the meals of the adults who Johnny brought in. If they only eat and pay for a child’s portion, bang goes your profit.

l always think it’s short sighted. If that happened to me I’d never go back to said restaurant again. So is it better to have returning customers paying a little less, and possibly giving good reviews to others, or alienating your customer base?

we had something similar with a pub near here. There were a pie pub. The pies were fantastic, but huge. For us, far too big for lunch. So we asked to share a pie and they refused - one pie, one plate. After we moaned, they gave us a second set of cutlery but no second plate. We never went back.

 

[PeterY]

l always think it’s short sighted. If that happened to me I’d never go back to said restaurant again. So is it better to have returning customers paying a little less, and possibly giving good reviews to others, or alienating your customer base?

we had something similar with a pub near here. There were a pie pub. The pies were fantastic, but huge. For us, far too big for lunch. So we asked to share a pie and they refused - one pie, one plate. After we moaned, they gave us a second set of cutlery but no second plate. We never went back.

I'm not the worlds biggest eater but I hate it when places give you so much food, that there's no way I can eat it all. If I go with my friend, she always asks for a doggie bag but I don't bother. It never tastes the same once I've bunged it in the microwave

 

[MattRat]

I'm irritated by people who donate faulty CDs and DVDs to charity shops instead of throwing them away, as there's no way of telling that they are faulty before you buy. Of course a reputable shop should give you a refund if you can produce a receipt, but it's still annoying to have to take faulty goods back.

Oh dear you've brought back repressed memories. I used to volunteer in a charity shop, mainly cleaning and organising. My main gripe was customers who seemed to go out of their way to create a mess. If I had my way, they would have been banned from the shop. And even I'm not sure if I'm joking or not.

 

[gg1]

Neither would I check everyone I give but I look after mine.

As do I, as soon as I've watched/listened to a disc it goes back in it's box and on the shelf. Doesn't mean they don't degrade over time.

Most recent example, a West Wing DVD box set, last watched probably 3 or 4 years ago, I don't recall any problems at all. We watched it again a couple of months ago and there were a few episodes where the discs froze.

 

[52290]

As do I, as soon as I've watched/listened to a disc it goes back in it's box and on the shelf. Doesn't mean they don't degrade over time.

Most recent example, a West Wing DVD box set, last watched probably 3 or 4 years ago, I don't recall any problems at all. We watched it again a couple of months ago and there were a few episodes where the discs froze.

Try using a lens cleaner on your DVD player.

 

[gg1]

Try using a lens cleaner on your DVD player.

I do periodically.

If it was a dirty lens the skipping would happen more often that it does and more randomly, ie not on the exact same location of the same disc even after ejecting and restarting the affected disc.

 

[Bevan Price]

I do periodically.

If it was a dirty lens the skipping would happen more often that it does and more randomly, ie not on the exact same location of the same disc even after ejecting and restarting the affected disc.

Strong lighting can damage CDs and DVDs, so try to store them well away from windows - use cupbaords if you have enough space.

 

[Gloster]

Strong lighting can damage CDs and DVDs, so try to store them well away from windows - use cupbaords if you have enough space.

Somewhere I read that they should be stored vertically, not horizontally. It may be something about them bending (very slowly) if left flat.

 

[PeterY]

Somewhere I read that they should be stored vertically, not horizontally. It may be something about them bending (very slowly) if left flat.

I've only a handful of vinyl records, mostly kept for sentimental purposes, plus I've nothing to play them on but they are stored vertically.

 

[BanburyBlue]

I'm not the worlds biggest eater but I hate it when places give you so much food, that there's no way I can eat it all. If I go with my friend, she always asks for a doggie bag but I don't bother. It never tastes the same once I've bunged it in the microwave

I know what you mean. Our current bug-bear is Five Guys. Absolutely love the burgers, and you can have large or small. When it comes to the fries, they fill a pot, and then throw a couple of extra scoops on top just for good measure. Far too many, and such a wast.

 

[D821]

Luggage racks on commuter trains.
The only thing I see stored in them on the 507s & 508s are old copies of the Metro. Mainly, however, because I forget they are there and bang my head on them about once a month.

 

[Cowley]

The label on this bathroom rug that I keep forgetting to cut off.

 

[joncombe]

The label on this bathroom rug that I keep forgetting to cut off.

View attachment 106649

I'm amused you went to the effort of taking a photo, but still didn't cut it off.

 

[Mag_seven]

I know what you mean. Our current bug-bear is Five Guys. Absolutely love the burgers, and you can have large or small. When it comes to the fries, they fill a pot, and then throw a couple of extra scoops on top just for good measure. Far too many, and such a wast.

Yes I made the mistake of ordering a large fries on my first ever visit. Talk about enough fries to feed the 5000!

 

[Cowley]

I'm amused you went to the effort of taking a photo, but still didn't cut it off.

I read your reply and thought I’d better do something about it…



Finally!

 

[Gloster]

I read your reply and thought I’d better do something about it…

View attachment 106653

Finally!

And now you have a pair of scissors to stand on, probably when in your socks.

 

[Cowley]

And now you have a pair of scissors to stand on, probably when in your socks.

They’re back in the train room.

 

[Ediswan]

I read your reply and thought I’d better do something about it…

That is an impressive selection of different nail and screw heads holding the boards down.

 

[Cowley]

That is an impressive selection of different nail and screw heads holding the boards down.

It’s that kind of place.

 

[Busaholic]

It’s that kind of place.

A bit random? My kind of place.