Lights
Posted: Fri 4 January, 2008 Filed under: Cynicism, Driving 5 Comments »Yeah, another post about driving, and car lights. I’m driving in to work between 6.30 and 7.30 in the morning at the moment, so it’s where I start waking up and thinking about something for D4D™. Them’s the breaks.
Anyway, another thing that surprises me when I’m driving at night (or in darkness, anyway) is just how many people drive with knackered headlights – usually where only one is working. Now, how come people don’t notice this? I haven’t ever had a knackered headlight, but I figure I’d notice if I could only see half the road, for example.
OK, I suppose that these people could all be on the way to the garage to get the headlamp replaced – but somehow I doubt it.
Tipless
Posted: Mon 24 December, 2007 Filed under: Customer Services, Cynicism, Domestic 1 Comment »The BBC has a story about bin-men complaining because they’re not getting tips this year, and in some places they’re getting abuse instead.
Now, I don’t actually believe in giving them grief – any policies that are in place about bin collection etc. aren’t really going to be rectified by having a go at the binmen, but instead by complaining (repeatedly) to the local authority – but I can give you one reason they’re not getting tips.
It’s because they do a lot less than they ever used to. Now it’s the householder’s responsibility to take the bins to the front of the house (top of the drive, whatever) in time for the bin-men to come, and then to take it back down the drive to its proper place afterwards. You’ve got to make sure that any extra rubbish is put in the “proper” bags (not that we ever have any extra rubbish, but other people do) or they won’t collect it, and will instead leave it sat by the (now empty) bin.
So all the bin-men actually do is load the wheelie-bins onto the back of the wagon, push a button, and then unload the bins again. And they want a fucking tip for that as well?
Perhaps if the bin-men did something extra – say, even for “just” the pensioners and infirm – to take the bins from their place up to the lorry, and then put them back – like they used to do- then they might get a bit more gratitude and respect. And maybe even some tips.
Another Big Brother
Posted: Sat 22 December, 2007 Filed under: Cynicism, Thoughts Leave a comment »Is it just me, or does this entire concept for Big Brother sound utterly, utterly unappealing?
Not that I watch the “normal” Big Brother stuff on TV either, but still, this one manages to appeal even less than the usual ones. Which is quite an achievement, in fairness.
Foglights
Posted: Thu 20 December, 2007 Filed under: 1BEM, Cynicism, Driving, Thoughts, Travel 11 Comments »Ah, you knew it wouldn’t be long ’til this one happened (again).
This morning I was driving in to work, and the weather was fairly grungy – lots of freezing fog, and not much fun at all. However, it has to be pointed out that this was at 7am this morning, while it was still completely dark. You can see where this is going, can’t you?
Fog-lights are only supposed to be used in thick fog when visibility is abysmal. They’re not meant as “It’s foggy, use your lights” – there’s supposed to be some application of common sense. In this case, because it’s night, I can see cars half a fucking mile away. There’s no need for foglights if you can see that fucking far, you bollock-minded individuals!
Yes, of course, the foglights came on, and stayed on. Even in the clear bits. Hell, most of the twunts will still have them on this evening when I drive home, I’m sure.
The highway code is a bit wishy-washy on this one – again, I assume, because of the necessity hope of using common sense in these situations – but still it makes it pretty clear that foglights should only be used in poor visibility. Of course, common sense is a commodity in short supply at the moment, so maybe it needs to be re-written in light of that.
Personally, I think that car manufacturers are (slightly) to blame on this one as well – you get a warning light on the dashboard when you put the lights on, but there’s no extra warning/reminder to tell you you’ve put the foglights on. (Well, in Ford cars anyway. I can’t be certain if the same applies to all/most other car manufacturers) But then, if a driver hasn’t got the memory-span to remember they’ve turned the foglights on, should they really be allowed to be driving in the first place?
8 days to go
Posted: Mon 17 December, 2007 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season, Thoughts Leave a comment »
In eight days, the Festering Season will be upon us in all its “glory”. In nine, it’ll be all over.
All around us in the village, people have been decorating their houses with lights, icicles, glowing bloody santas, and all sorts of tat. In fairness, there are a couple of places that actually look pretty good (including one I’ve nicknamed “The gingerbread house” – all the lights seem to be aimed at that kind of theme) but they’re far outweighed by the ones that just look utterly naff and tacky.
At some point this week, I plan to go off on a small tour and get some photos of the abhorrences, just for future delectation. There’s one in particular that just leaves me shaking my head every time I go past – and not in a good or admiring way. Although I suppose it does serve its purpose of making Christmas more religious, because each time I see the place, I find myself saying “Jesus Fucking Christ”. Ahem.
Still, I find myself wondering why people do it, in much the same way I wonder why some people wear the outfits they do. It’s that “Do they really think that looks good/cool/classy?” thought again.
OK, I’m distinctly Scroogian at the best of times, but house decorations leave me completely befuddled – I just don’t understand the motivation for covering one’s house in manky faux-neon flashing tat.
Bah Humbug, indeed.