Twirly

What makes me curious is why the first 3 penalty points didn?t increase your caution when driving, and why it took getting a further 6 and the possibility of losing your licence and your job before you suddenly reverted to following the rules of the road? I managed to get 3 points last summer by doing 30 over Tower Bridge, as I missed the sign saying the speed limit was 20 (it?s a small one), so thought I was within the speed limit. I?m still amazed that I managed to do 30, as every other time I?ve been over it, there has been so much traffic that doing 10 mph is a challenge! It was early on a Saturday morning is the only way to account for it. I was always pretty good at sticking to the speed limit anyway, but I?m even more careful and observant now. I am also quite curious about this stranger who got into your car and insisted on being taken to Harrow? when did s/he make their escape in your little story?

Slightly off topic, but I do wonder why some of our local independents do close as early as they do. And I wonder if they?d do more business if they opened later and closed later, thereby catching the business of people on their way home from work. For example, I do sometimes manage to nip into SMBS on the way home just before they close. I don?t know what time they open, but if they stayed open till say 7 or even 8 (maybe even just one or two nights a week) would they do more business? I believe that Pretty Traditional open at 7.30am, but are closed by 5.30pm. Would they do more business if they opened at 8.30 but closed at 6.30? Although I realise that as they bring their supplied from the market very early, this might not be very practical for them.

How come we've got another thread about this ? we had one a couple of months ago didn?t we? Yes, here I filled in the online questionnaire (from my work PC, so the IP address would not have been particularly local), and put comments on the original thread. I still think that an expansion on the Saturday would be good, and although I don?t live along the street/s affected, I?m not in favour of Sunday opening as it would negatively affect the very local residents. I hope that they get together and campaign against this. However, I also wonder how economically viable it is. Will it be the same stall holders you have on a Saturday there, or a completely different group? We keep being told that there will be less disposable income this year, so will it really thrive? If it does go ahead, then a once a month farmers market might be good. Trouble is, I?d never remember which weekend it was on, and I tend to do all my food shopping in the local shops on a Saturday so that I don?t have to think about it on a Sunday and can stay in bed in the morning!

peterstorm1985 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > If persuaded, my vote would be for M&S as it's > product range is narrower and less likely to > destroy the local independents That's a really good point.

I don't think it's necessary. Between a big shop every couple of weeks in Sainsbury's, basics in the Co-op on a weekly basis, more unusual stuff from SMBS and my veggies from Pretty Traditional, LL covers just about everything I need. If you really want Waitrose, do an Ocado order. If you really want M&S, there seems to be a food place at most of the major stations in London these days. I worry that it would be the start of rents going up and the independents moving out. I know it's probably inevitable, but I'd like to see the homogenisation of LL held off for as long as possible.

I wonder how much it will cost for the banks to change their software to accomodate this? I also wonder if the giving will be done as a gift aid donation, thereby allowing the tax to be claimed back by the charity? It being done through a bank, that should be easy, so there's no excuse for it not to happen. And how many charities will you be able to chose from? I also imagine that it will probably just be major ones, which could have a negative impact on smaller more local ones. I don't mind if they do this, but it's not how I would chose to give. I give to a couple of charities each month, but it comes out of my account by direct debit at the start of each month, and I barely notice it. That's my preferred method at present. Previously, I've done matched giving through an employer which was great too. But I guess that different methods will suit different people. If it appears on the menu when you chose your service (cash, cash with receipt, balance, etc.) then I wouldn't have a problem as I could ignore it, but if I put my PIN in and the first thing it does is ask me to donate to charity before I can do anything else, I'd find that really annoying after a while (probably 2nd or 3rd usage actually!) as I already have my giving sorted.

I know that this isn't much help, but with regard to Amazon stuff that has left the depot and gone into the system, but not turned up and which you've got a refund for - it may well turn up after Christmas. I had this happen with a couple of things during the last postal strike. Ended up with two of a couple of things.

Saw a fox in the back garden in the snow today - am on the 1st floor, so grabbed my camera and took some photos from my nice warm bedroom window as they made their way across the neighbour's shed roof :)

We will have a tree, presents, lots of nice food at the festival known as Christmas. Although for me it's got nothing to do with the birth of anyone. I agree with others - what else to do at this dark and dismal time of year?

No 6 Oh no, the dishwasher isn't working!

That's what I wondered this morning to tbh. Thanks.

Mr Twirly is in the same boat with regards to Amazon, and is having to go into town on Saturday to Christmas shop for me, poor thing. We are getting other post though. And something I ordered through Amazon, from another supplier, after the snow had melted in London, arrived within a couple of days. The most delayed things seem to be those ordered whilst the weather itself was bad. I sent a package up to Scotland, to an area badly hit by the snow, via Parcelforce, 48 hour delivery, on 4th December - it arrived on the 15th. So things are getting through. I sent something special delivery from London to Stranraer yesterday, so it'll be interesting to see if that arrives on time.

Does anyone know what is happening with the buses/roadworks in Rye Lane? Thursday morning, Mr Twirly was very happy when the 37 dropped him right out side the station and the northbound diversion appeared to have come to an end. But this morning, both the buses we took went around via Copeland Road again, but the temporary bus stop wasn?t there (was a bit worried that the bus wouldn?t stop actually). What's going on?

Buy him a bib for Christmas? ;-) Although on a more serious note, a direct approach is probably best. Men don't get hints (sorry guys!). Taking a video on your phone is a good idea though, as when he denies that he does it, you have the evidence to prove it.

I do carry two bags on me all the time, so am afraid that I agree with the manager of G&B. I would say I use mine most days and wouldn't be without them. I do end up with plastic bags occasionally, but usually when buying clothes (due to their heavy usage, my folding bags aren't terribly clean!). I have one of these: http://www.paperchase.co.uk/travel/wild-heather-folding-bag/invt/00478927/ and you can also buy these: http://www.onyabags.co.uk/shop.php?crn=205 from the eco shop on Lordship Lane.

On a crowded 484 from Denmark Hill tonight, the recorded message... "Please move down the bus... there are seats available on the upper deck" ::o Brrr!

Woof - er, and your point is? felt-tip, that is exactly how I started off my complaint e-mail to the wedding list company. They did apologise at the time, and said in a subsequent e-mail "Unfortunately I will need to wait until you receive your item before I can write your closing letter." It is this closing letter that I'm now waiting for. The item in question cost nearly ?300, and I could have had that money sitting in my bank account in the 7 months they've had it, earning me interest, not them, so I do want more than just a written apology. I've been thinking about the Oyster card debacle, and I suspect that I'll just have to settle for a written apology, although if I can find the energy, I'm tempted to write out the entire situation in a letter of complaint. What I'd like is for their systems to be improved, and I'm a great believer in companies not being able to do that unless we let them know what is wrong, although I guess that I don't have much faith in that actually happening, hence my ponderings. Thanks for your responses everyone.

superhans Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Twirly - whereabouts exactly did you pick up > the 63 from? We saw lots going in the other > direction with "Peckham Rye" as the destination > but waited 20-30 minutes by Peckham Library > without managing to get one. The stop outside the > station said it was not in use. Trying to line up > an easier trip for tomorrow if the trains are bad > again... Thanks. The edge of Peckham Rye itself, just before Rye Lane starts. The buses were going as far as the Co-op building, terminating and then turning round and heading back north from there. I'm sure the one I was on stopped by the Library though, on Peckham Hill Street. Better luck tomorrow.

As yesterday, I walked up to Peckham Rye where they seem to be terminating/starting a lot of buses from, and got on a 63 no problem. In fact it was half empty. This was just before 9. Got to Blackfriars just after 9.30, which I though was pretty good. Seems that staggering the journeys is probably a good idea though. And I was amazed at the amount of traffic on the road around East Duliwch Road/Peckham Rye junction this morning - serious traffic jam. So anyone waiting around the Clockhouse, just walk down the road a bit and you'll be fine (so long as you don't slip on the ice).

If you complain (to a company) what do you expect to get out of it? Is an apology sufficient, or should you expect financial compensation? I?ve had good cause to complain to a couple of companies recently. One took an order for an item that was on the shop floor at the time, but then found it couldn?t deliver. Not only did it not tell me that it wasn?t going to deliver that, and several other items (on our wedding list) in the first delivery, it didn?t bother to check when it could deliver the item ? I had to phone manufacturers myself to find out. So although we ordered in May, we only took delivery yesterday. And although I?m not going to name and shame, it was not a company you?d expect that level of service from. I am now waiting to hear how they propose to compensate me ? and I?m hoping for vouchers. I am also trying to sort out problems with a lost Oyster card/annual season ticket. Having bought a new card, I took it to a tube station last week to register it (despite having done so online) as instructed by the Oyster call centre (after a series of problems that I won?t bore you with). I put my card in the little dip in the ticket office whilst I finished filling the form in and the chap took it. When I?d finished the form, the chap denied that he had my card. I insisted he did, he insisted that he didn?t (I started doubting myself, despite seeing him pick it up), I was asked to move to the next window and someone would come and help me, which I did ? but no-one came and then they closed the ticket office. I was still without the Oyster card. Fortunately there was a customer relations (!) chap in the ticket office, and although he also insisted that the chap in the ticket office did not have the Oyster card, after some histrionics from me, he agreed to go and check ? and reappeared with the card. However, the office was now closed, and I still couldn?t register the card! I was away for a long weekend, so only managed to do it today, so still don?t have the season ticket? I put in a complaint, however I was thinking today about what I want the outcome to be. I have already received a verbal apology from customer relations chap and the call centre. What I really want is for it not to happen again, but I?m never going to know whether it does or not. So do I want money? I received a call from the Oyster call centre just now, and there is yet another problem which means they are going to have to send me out a brand new card ? but they?re refunding me ?15 as a goodwill gesture. When you complain, what do you expect to get?

No, we'd need men standing outside trying to persuade you to go in and eat in their establishment for one thing...

So sorry to hear this, and hope you're OK. Thank you also for bringing it to our attention - am going to Sainsbury's tonight, and will be doubly vigilant.

I wish good luck to the pair of them, but like LadyGooner, not sure I?d want that ring bearing in mind what happened to Diana. Still, at least he?s given her a second hand ring rather than spending a small fortune on a new one. Wonder what else they can recycle for the wedding? I do think it?s remarkably good timing though. A nice royal wedding to distract us all from the woes of the recession (like that hasn?t been done before). I also wonder if someone pointed out that they?d better get a move on, as if they wanted to get married it had better either be 2011 or 2013 or later ? don?t think that London could cope with the Olympics AND a royal wedding in 2012. We?d go into economic meltdown! Cynical, moi? ;-)

So far as I can recall Polys did do research. I did my degree at City Poly as it then was, and my psychology lecturer was certainly involved in research. Though maybe they didn't do as much as at a traditional university. However, degrees were seen as second class to the traditional university, which was why the sectors were merged. I suspect that they were also seen as second class in terms of employment for academics, a lot of whom do actually want to do research (if all they wanted to do was teach, maybe they'd be in a school or 6th form college). And not all the courses were vocational either - the majority at City were academic. There was a furniture design department (a whole college that had become part of City) which could be described as vocational, but I believe they still did degrees. In terms of funding, research is (or was - have not worked in the sector for a while) funded separately from undergraduate tuition, so I don't think this would have a significant impact on costs. It may also depend on what you actually mean by vocational courses, and the level of such qualifications too. But I'd have expected a further education college would be much more suitable for this expansion, which I believe we've needed for many years, particularly as degrees are now less valuable than they were 20+ years ago. The value of a degree is relative to its ubiquity. What might be more useful is an assessment of what skills society requires, and then look at how best the education system can provide them. How many graduates are needed in English literature, media studies, geography, biological sciences, physics etc. versus our need for plumbers, electricians, nurses, dental hygienists etc. There is the value of learning for the love of knowledge, but going to university has probably just become the thing to do at a certain stage in your life, not necessarily because you have a thirst for knowledge of French or English lit. I can?t say that I?ve ever used knowledge acquired in my degree in my working life (though having done psychology, I?ve certainly applied it in my personal life, and loved studying the subject). Had I known what I wanted to do at 18 or so, then a vocational course might well have been better value for money.

There is actually a bus shelter (for what it's worth) outside the station though - a small advantage in inclement weather.