Early Risers.

[Gwiwer]

The end of the world is nigh. 

 

A tawny owl is hooting in the trees in mid-afternoon.  

 

  

[Tony_S]

38 minutes ago, The Lurker said:

much to his disappointment.

There are some nice photos of new F1 cars. I look at the magazine online. Essex Library have access to loads of magazines for those of us with a library card. 

[andyram]

Afternoon all. The sun is shining and it is a lovely Spring day here in South Derbyshire. Unfortunately my mood is not as sunny as the weather following an unpleasant incident earlier this afternoon. I apologise for the lengthy post!

 

As I mentioned last night, I was out delivering to a customer in Doncaster today. With the nice weather, it promised to be a pleasant drive and a change of scenery whilst delivering a large quantity of Thomas products to a customer in time for their child's birthday. I had only left the house three minutes previous when it happened...

 

I was driving along a standard residential road out of estate, houses on both sides, some parked cars and both sides have pavements. A jogger was coming towards me. He was running on the road, close to the kerb facing myself as the  oncoming vehicle. Due to traffic on the opposite side of the road I was unable to pull out to go around him so I slowed down, expecting him to step onto the pavement. He didn't! I ended up slowing to a stop, being ultra careful because this "gentleman" had only one leg. I kid you not, his other leg was the blade type of equipment made famous by Oscar Pistorius (before his other acivities).  He kept coming towards me before stopping in front of the car. I gestured to him that he ought to go onto the pavement and the guy just flipped out. He shouted at me that "I was an idiot" and "I should know my Highway Code" coming around to the driver's door he banged his hand on the roof of the car and continued his tirade. In response I wound down the window and shouted back that I had to stop because he was in the road, should have been on the pavement and could not get past him because of the oncoming vehicles. 

 

The jogger continued his abuse stating I was a f****** moron and idiot and did not know the Highway Code. He then moved to the back of the vehicle banging his hand on the roof as he want. I pulled to avoid blocking the road. At which point he had moved round to the passenger side, wrenched open the passenger door and again hurled the same three pieces of abuse. I instinctively reached for my mobile at which point he said "what are you going to do? Call the police?" To which I responded that I would if I had to because I was not having his abuse. 

 

The jogger then took out his phone and moved to the rear of the car. I pulled forward slightly to which he shouted "call the police then you f****** coward". I actually pulled forward to clear the road so I could reach across and close the passenger door. Out of my mirror I could see that he was pointing his phone camera at the car licence plate. I got out and asked him what he was doing to which he stated he was going to report me. 

 

A lady on the opposite side of the road shouted across to ask what was happening. The jogger yelled back that "this idiot had tried to run him off the road". I responded that I had simply stopped because he was in the road and I could not get around him and that he should have been on the pavement. Jogger's response that "he had every right to be running on the road" and "I did not know the Highway Code" and I had "tried to run him over"

 

The lady stated that she did not see what had happened, that no-one was hurt and that we should "leave it", which was wise words indeed. I just responded that I had no problem and had done nothing wrong. To which jogger repeated the accusation that I had tried to run him down (by this point I rather wished I had). During this exchange I believe he did take a photo of the car and of me. Under normal circumstances he would not have got away with that because I would have separated him from his phone - but in these days of social distancing I was not touching him.

 

He said that he had got my name and number and was going to report me. I just turned round and told him to do it then because I had done nothing wrong. Another passer by did shout at the jogger and told him that he should have been running on the pavement and was greeted with the response that jogger had "every right to be on the road" and that both the observer and me "did not know the Highway Code".

 

At this point he did take his leave, and I did the same. The result was that the subsequent drive to and from Doncaster was not quite the relaxing journey I had hoped and was spent mulling over the incident. The black dog is definitely poking back out of the kennel now.  I am 100% sure I did nothing wrong and the rules state that pedestrians should use a pavement if one is present. However it has left me a little shaken and concerned that the "gentleman" might make an issue of it either via the legal channels or via social media.

 

I rather think that I will need a few ales this evening!

 

Stay safe, stay safe, and watch out for abusive one legged joggers.

 

Andy

[jonny777]

3 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Have you had “the jab”?

 

 

 

 

Yes thanks. Two weeks ago now. 

 

I don't know the frequency that other automatic gizmos operate on, (car locks, remote opening garage doors, etc.) but wondered if someone pressing a button on a device close by our house wall might be picked up by the boiler and interpreted as the start signal from the thermostat? 

 

Just thinking aloud really. 

[The Lurker]

There are times when it is a real pain to be a decent human being Andyram.

 

The knowledge that you can't do anything about it without making it worse is just so frustrating. 

[The Lurker]

On a more positive note, the world has been saved. Mrs Lurker has acquired Autosport and Younger Lurker can devour the stats and the news therein.

 

I occasionally dip into the F1 thread on here just to try to keep up with him!

 

If only he had taken a shine to something to do with trains....mind you it would probably have been the GWR, about which I know even less than I do about the Southern.

[polybear]

7 minutes ago, andyram said:

Afternoon all. The sun is shining and it is a lovely Spring day here in South Derbyshire. Unfortunately my mood is not as sunny as the weather following an unpleasant incident earlier this afternoon. I apologise for the lengthy post!

 

As I mentioned last night, I was out delivering to a customer in Doncaster today. With the nice weather, it promised to be a pleasant drive and a change of scenery whilst delivering a large quantity of Thomas products to a customer in time for their child's birthday. I had only left the house three minutes previous when it happened...

 

I was driving along a standard residential road out of estate, houses on both sides, some parked cars and both sides have pavements. A jogger was coming towards me. He was running on the road, close to the kerb facing myself as the  oncoming vehicle. Due to traffic on the opposite side of the road I was unable to pull out to go around him so I slowed down, expecting him to step onto the pavement. He didn't! I ended up slowing to a stop, being ultra careful because this "gentleman" had only one leg. I kid you not, his other leg was the blade type of equipment made famous by Oscar Pistorius (before his other acivities).  He kept coming towards me before stopping in front of the car. I gestured to him that he ought to go onto the pavement and the guy just flipped out. He shouted at me that "I was an idiot" and "I should know my Highway Code" coming around to the driver's door he banged his hand on the roof of the car and continued his tirade. In response I wound down the window and shouted back that I had to stop because he was in the road, should have been on the pavement and could not get past him because of the oncoming vehicles. 

 

The jogger continued his abuse stating I was a f****** moron and idiot and did not know the Highway Code. He then moved to the back of the vehicle banging his hand on the roof as he want. I pulled to avoid blocking the road. At which point he had moved round to the passenger side, wrenched open the passenger door and again hurled the same three pieces of abuse. I instinctively reached for my mobile at which point he said "what are you going to do? Call the police?" To which I responded that I would if I had to because I was not having his abuse. 

 

The jogger then took out his phone and moved to the rear of the car. I pulled forward slightly to which he shouted "call the police then you f****** coward". I actually pulled forward to clear the road so I could reach across and close the passenger door. Out of my mirror I could see that he was pointing his phone camera at the car licence plate. I got out and asked him what he was doing to which he stated he was going to report me. 

 

A lady on the opposite side of the road shouted across to ask what was happening. The jogger yelled back that "this idiot had tried to run him off the road". I responded that I had simply stopped because he was in the road and I could not get around him and that he should have been on the pavement. Jogger's response that "he had every right to be running on the road" and "I did not know the Highway Code" and I had "tried to run him over"

 

The lady stated that she did not see what had happened, that no-one was hurt and that we should "leave it", which was wise words indeed. I just responded that I had no problem and had done nothing wrong. To which jogger repeated the accusation that I had tried to run him down (by this point I rather wished I had). During this exchange I believe he did take a photo of the car and of me. Under normal circumstances he would not have got away with that because I would have separated him from his phone - but in these days of social distancing I was not touching him.

 

He said that he had got my name and number and was going to report me. I just turned round and told him to do it then because I had done nothing wrong. Another passer by did shout at the jogger and told him that he should have been running on the pavement and was greeted with the response that jogger had "every right to be on the road" and that both the observer and me "did not know the Highway Code".

 

At this point he did take his leave, and I did the same. The result was that the subsequent drive to and from Doncaster was not quite the relaxing journey I had hoped and was spent mulling over the incident. The black dog is definitely poking back out of the kennel now.  I am 100% sure I did nothing wrong and the rules state that pedestrians should use a pavement if one is present. However it has left me a little shaken and concerned that the "gentleman" might make an issue of it either via the legal channels or via social media.

 

I rather think that I will need a few ales this evening!

 

Stay safe, stay safe, and watch out for abusive one legged joggers.

 

Andy

 

Bear had cause to go and get a paint sample pot, along with some paint brochures this afternoon (oh, the joys of choosing a colour....).

Anyway, Bear is sitting at a busy crossroad intersection, watching the traffic zoom past on the A10 dual carriageway; a Police car was across the other side of the A10 at the front of the queue (facing Bear), waiting for the red light to change.  A cyclist filters up the middle of the line of traffic next to the Police car, rides across in front of the Police car, jumps the red light and crosses both carriageways of the A10 that had right of way as they were on a green.  What does the Police car do?  Nothing, now't, zilch.....

Perhaps I should send the dashcam footage to the Chief Constable and ask why?  On second thoughts, the Police car will no doubt have footage of my car, and my numberplate.  I'll let it pass, this time....

[Sir TophamHatt]

8 hours ago, jonny777 said:

Dry and bright here in North Somerset, but I woke up at 4am feeling hot. 

 

I laid there for a while wondering just how mild it must be outside to be this warm in bed (I hate warm bedrooms) when something persuaded me to feel the radiator. The heating was on. 

I hate when that happens!

 

Only happened a couple of times but since it's stopped being icy, I've noticed our house is a lot warmer and so I'm having to change the bed more being all "sticky" in the night

But then I am carrying more weight these days   And I've had a really long cold - about a month or so.  Had one, then just got over it and caught another really quickly.  Only just getting over the second one now.

[polybear]

Bear has just received an email from OWL Neighbourhood Watch - not a new scam (it's been around for some years) but this time includes a picture of the device used:

 

ATM Cash Trap device
 

Dear Watch Member,

ATM Cash trapping is a prominent method used by cyber-criminals to attack an ATM.

 

The attackers physically insert a device inside the ATM which traps cash that is allotted by the Cash dispenser to the customers.

 

A  fake ATM cash dispenser is placed in the front of the real cash dispenser to trap the money. The money is dispensed from the machine, but the customer doesn’t see it,  It is placed on the machine for around an hour before being removed by the offender, full of cash.

 

Reports are being received, we’ve personally heard of incidents in the Hertford and Hoddesdon areas. 

 

The image below is an example picture of the device on the cash dispenser. Advice would be that should anyone see this device on an ATM, to not use the machine and inform the Bank and ring the Police on 101 (Non-Emergency number) 

 

[Tony_S]

22 minutes ago, andyram said:

apologise for the lengthy post!

Don’t worry. Incidents like that are rather unsettling but I suspect the jogger is  just another Mr Angry, probably looking to provoke someone. 

[jonny777]

My worst experience, of trying to sleep in a warm room, was in a Brighton hotel. It was August and the weather was warm and humid anyway, but due to obsessive safety considerations the bedroom windows would only open an inch. 

 

When I arrived the air conditioning had been set to 23C and the room was far too warm for me. I turned the thermostat down, but the lowest it would go was 19C and there was no off-switch. The hotel corridors were even warmer than the room, and so wedging the room door open and trying to get some circulation was not an option really. 

 

The problem was made worse each day by the 'helpful' cleaners closing the windows while I was out during the late mornings. 

[TheQ]

I've bin pfizered , very well organised, 

Someone on the gate checked you were on the list, then pointed you to parking.

A lady on the door asked all the questions of whether we had symptoms of Covid, when we were cleared,  another lady booked us in , and gave each of us  a  card with our names and what we were being stuck with.

Once in the hall we would have been directed to waiting chairs but there were vacant stabbers. So we went to them. More identification questions, while she looked up our records. More questions on allergies, to which I threw her anaesthetics, which caused a double take. So gave her the official title of it.. she said it was rare which it is.. 

Anyway that's not related to vaccines so she stabbed me.. being Pfizer everyone had to sit for 15 minutes,  big clock set up on the stage.

Tesco visited on the way home, 

Now await the effects, satellite tracking, green blood, talking to lizards..

 

Had the AC for my room is Saudi fail once..that was not p!easent, when I woke up it was probably 35C in there. Hotel maintenance put in another within an hour though..

Edited February 25, 2021 by TheQ

[Barry O]

meanwhile in France people are refusing the AZ jab.. @jamie92208 a chance to get a jab more quickly?

 

In another country in Europe they have ordered lots of jabs.. but seem unwilling to sign any  of the vaccines off.

 

In other news.. been sunny but cold all day. Her indoors managed to get two loads of washing done and dried .. the wind outside worked well at the drying bit.

 

A slightly frustrating day.. some muddling completed. successfully... other items await some bits I thought I had but can't find. Replacements have been ordered so I guess the missing ones will show up when the replacements arrive. Pah!!

 

Work next door has slowed down - he is out doing his "kitchen/bathroom " trade work I gather.. so it is quite peaceful at the moment. Long may this continue!

 

@andyram.. if you could have taken a photo of him without revealing the fact it may have come in handy.. dashcam footage can get people like your "opponent" to calm down a lot.  Sounds like he is out to create trouble.. just happened to be you he picked on today..

 

Baz

 

[Coombe Barton]

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

A tawny owl is hooting in the trees in mid-afternoon.  

 

Nah - just means that the Government's moved to Hogwarts to try to see if they can wizard themselves out of this mess.

It's in your neck of the woods because they got lost while trying to do it.

[chrisf]

Andyram, feel better soon.  I suspect that oscar-pistorious-happy-and-glorious is all mouth and jogging bottoms.

 

Chris

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Sad news this afternoon, my friend who I mentioned earlier passed away at lunchtime. Ray Palmer 1924-2021 RIP.

19 minutes ago, chrisf said:

Andyram, feel better soon.  I suspect that oscar-pistorious-happy-and-glorious is all mouth and jogging bottoms.

 

Chris

Sounds as if he has mental health issues, perhaps calling the police would have been a good idea, he's probably got 'form' for that behaviour.

[andyram]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Sad news this afternoon, my friend who I mentioned earlier passed away at lunchtime. Ray Palmer 1924-2021 RIP.

Sounds as if he has mental health issues, perhaps calling the police would have been a good idea, he's probably got 'form' for that behaviour.

 

Thanks Phil. My condolences to you on the passing of your friend. 

[Ozexpatriate]

 

1 hour ago, Coombe Barton said:

the Government's moved to Hogwarts to try to see if they can wizard themselves out of this mess

Perhaps the Ministry of Magic can come up with an incantation to cure the pandemic?

 

Or just use a mass "obliviate" charm to erase the last 12 months or so?

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

meanwhile in France people are refusing the AZ jab.. @jamie92208 a chance to get a jab more quickly?

 

In another country in Europe they have ordered lots of jabs.. but seem unwilling to sign any  of the vaccines off.

 

I

Oh that I could Barry. Macron and I beieve Merkel, have both decided in their infinite wisdom that the AZ  is not proven to be effective in 65's and over so it's only available to vulnerable  people aged 64 or less including diabetics. Over 75's can get  Phizered but both Beth and I cannot get anything at the moment despite Beth being vulnerable  on two counts. The expat paper, Connexion, described this as a petulant act by Macron. We are not happy at the moment. There is a very large anti vax movement in France but according to the France 24 TV this morning opinions are changing.  They have made a mess of it and Macron is getting slated.  The good thing is that due to the UK's success with the vaccine the pound has gone up at least 5 cents against the Euro so I've had a 4% pay rise.

 

Jamie

Edited February 25, 2021 by jamie92208

[Gwiwer]

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

meanwhile in France people are refusing the AZ jab.. @jamie92208 a chance to get a jab more quickly?

There are no-shows and refusers here too. I happened to collect some ales from our newly-opened micro-brewery earlier and in conversation with Mr. Micro-brewer it emerged that he, aged 41, had been invited for his jab (Pfizer, he told me) which surprised him somewhat. It continues to rankle with me that aged 63 I contunually hear of people locally much younger than myself who have “been done”. I still cannot get anywhere near a needle. 
 

I sympathise with Andyram’s situation. In my limited experience it seems to be the at-fault party who makes the most noise. But it is the no-fault party who ends up rattled and with even a good day spoiled. 
 

Let’s hope no more comes of it. 

[New Haven Neil]

Evening orl.

 

Andyram - get a dashcam.  Invaluable - ours save Mrs NHN from a difficult situation that went right to preliminary Court hearing (Newton hearing) before the other party was found to be a lying barste-oneofthose.

 

Her ladyship has worked her last Thursday in her current hell-hole job, the other manager was watching Game of Thrones all day on her tablet, 'hidden' behind her computer screen - except Mrs NHN can see the reflection of what she's is doing in the window behind....LOL.

 

 

[Gwiwer]

3 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

Nah - just means that the Government's moved to Hogwarts to try to see if they can wizard themselves out of this mess.

It's in your neck of the woods because they got lost while trying to do it.

Funny you should say that ..... 

 

Because, not a half-mile from here is the original .....

 

 

[monkeysarefun]

2 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

 

Perhaps the Ministry of Magic can come up with an incantation to cure the pandemic?

 

Or just use a mass "obliviate" charm to erase the last 12 months or so?

Or failing that release a 'self-care bingo' card with fun things you can do and tick off while in lockdown , like the British Columbia govt did a couple of days ago.

 

Edited February 25, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[Coombe Barton]

... and "what's next?" ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2021/02/25/the-picture-is-coming-together/

[skipepsi]

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

There are no-shows and refusers here too. I happened to collect some ales from our newly-opened micro-brewery earlier and in conversation with Mr. Micro-brewer it emerged that he, aged 41, had been invited for his jab (Pfizer, he told me) which surprised him somewhat. It continues to rankle with me that aged 63 I contunually hear of people locally much younger than myself who have “been done”. I still cannot get anywhere near a needle. 
 

I sympathise with Andyram’s situation. In my limited experience it seems to be the at-fault party who makes the most noise. But it is the no-fault party who ends up rattled and with even a good day spoiled. 
 

Let’s hope no more comes of it. 

We were texted me and MrsB last week with an offer to follow a link for a jab because we were carers both of us rang the surgery to say its not true neither of us are carers apparently being honest translated to declining the injection... When we found out that had been recorded against our names a follow up call to the surgery and we have both been jabbed today. After we got home I opened a letter from the NHS telling me to ring for a jab.