Growlybear

When my mum had her 80th birthday, I booked for us both to go on a day trip on the Orient Express. She had no idea beforehand and thought that we were just passing through Victoria and her face was a picture when she saw the train. It was expensive, but I was surprised that I thought it was actually worth every penny. The food and service were wonderful, and we had an escorted trip around Cambridge. The trip lasted about 12 hours, and almost all of the other people on the train seemed to be fairly ordinary people celebrating a special event. Ten years on, and my Mum still talks about it. I had thought about getting pictures or drawings framed, but it never feels quite right to give pictures of grandchildren etc to parents, as they feel obliged to have them on display when they really might not want to!

I have no knowledge of Wilson's in recent years, but St Olave's has a brilliant reputation and gets exceptional results. If you have reservations about the journey, my daughter went to Newstead Wood, which is the nearby girls' selective school, and the journey really wasn't an issue. The parents' association for the two schools ran three coaches, one of which started from Crystal Palace, and which dropped children off at the school gates. We used this service for the first year, and then my daughter travelled by train from either West Dulwich or Penge East; there is a regular bus service from Orpington Station to both schools.

In over 40 years at Forest Hill Road Group Practice I've still never had cause to complain. If I need to be seen as an emergency, I have always been able to get a same day appointment; if it's routine, then I don't object to a wait of a few days to see the GP of my choice, but all of the doctors at the practice seem to be very good at present. The reception staff are almost always polite, friendly, and very helpful - when I'm waiting in the queue to speak to a receptionist, I'm regularly shocked by the disgraceful way some patients speak to the staff. I've also rarely experienced long waits on the phone, and usually get to speak to someone within a couple of minutes.

I wondered what had happened to the thread! I posted to say that both John Stainer and Myatt Gardens are really good schools. I know John Stainer well, and think it is a really exceptional school, with an inspirational headteacher and wonderful staff. The school has recently been extended and refurbished and is magnificent.

Well I would check the legal position before I posted a photograph of someone without their permission on a public internet forum, particularly if I was accusing them of allowing their pet to commit such an dreadful offence. woodstock Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I have no idea. I am doing a public > service?showing someone clearly committing an > offence which is punishable with a fine of up to > ?1,000, and more importantly is deeply > anti-social. Hopefully if more people posted > similar pictures then some dog owners might become > more responsible. > > Growlybear Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > On a more serious note, are there not issues > about > > publishing photographs of someone on a public > > forum without their knowledge or consent under > > circumstances such as this?

On a more serious note, are there not issues about publishing photographs of someone on a public forum without their knowledge or consent under circumstances such as this?

Do you seriously have nothing better to do than post pictures of a dog relieving itself on the pavement? Why not go the whole hog and ring the Police? You would only find threads like this on the East Dulwich Forum!

I've found that Endsleigh are very good at finding insurers who will cover property with historical subsidence.

El Cotillo in Fuerteventura is a lovely laid back place to go with a young child, with wonderful beaches. It's only four hours away, with lots of direct flights, and the weather should be really pleasant at that time of year.

We had an almost identical experience to Zebedee with Southwark's Planning Committee. After a great deal of work in preparing our objection to our neighbours' planning application, not one of the councillors bothered to question any of the points we or several neighbours had raised, and the application was approved with no discussion whatsoever. No-one acknowledged that the planning officer had never bothered to visit us to see the impact the development would have on our property, despite assurances that he would discuss the proposal with us, and his comments regarding our concerns were based on what little he could see from peering over the dividing garden wall. This application was heard late in the evening, after a long debate about a controversial application, by which time it was very clear that the councillors wanted to get home. Now that it has been built, the extension is every bit as hideous as we had feared; it has ruined the outlook from the rear of our house, and has greatly reduced the light to our patio.

I've been with the Forest Hill Road Group Practice for over 40 years, and they are brilliant.

I wasn't aware that the public needed to be notified before a PCN can be issued. Surely the fact that there has been a bus lane in place for several years with clear signage about the operating hours is sufficient notice? and I;m sure bus lanes are also covered in the Highway Code. I'm amazed if people haven't been issued with tickets before now. I think anyone who has managed to get a refund for their PCN has been incredibly lucky - if I drove in a bus lane, I would expect to get a PCN, regardless of how recently a camera may have been installed.

Why would you expect to get the PCN rescinded if you drove in the bus lane? The bus lane has been in place for years, and it has always been an offence to drive in it during the hours specified - I really don't understand why the installation of a new camera should make a difference?

I had a Mirena coil for about 8 years and at the time I thought it was wonderful. But I'm now aware of the research linking the coil to an increased risk of breast cancer and would never have had a Mirena if I had known at the time. When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, my breast surgeon was very concerned that I had been using the coil and felt that it was a contributory factor. I always felt well when I had my Mirena, I didn't put on weight, and I didn't have a period for years, but I wish I could put back the clock and have been sterilised instead.

The threads about this bus lane and the camera have really baffled me. Why should it make a difference as to whether you drive in the bus lane if there is a new camera? If people want to turn into Sainsburys, the road markings make it very clear where the bus lane ends. I don't understand why people complained in the other thread that they had received penalty charge notices for using the bus lane - it has been in place for many years - surely motorists know that they are not allowed to drive in bus lanes during the hours of operation and are liable to a penalty charge if they choose to do so?

Whether or not you get fined depends on the school concerned. In many of the schools I work with, parents who take their children out of school during term time are issued with fixed penalty notices.

It's always been quite clear that you can't go in the left hand lane until just before the turn. If you are turning into Sainsbury's you need to move from the right hand lane once the bus lane has ended. But as Dun said above, many drivers move into the left lane far too soon, which prevents people who are in the correct lane from changing lanes easily.

I've been using the parking spaces outside the vet for many years when taking my cats in, and it has always been clear to me that the spaces are for the use of the surgery's customers, in the way that the spaces outside the tile and bath shops are for the exclusive use of their customers. Regardless of the signs, I would have thought it was obvious that these spaces are for the use of the vets' clients. If I need to use any of the other shops in the parade, then I park in Melford Road and have never had a problem finding a space in all the years I've lived round her.

As Jeremy said, parking across a dropped kerb has always been an offence. I know many people who have been issued with tickets for parking across dropped kerbs, in various areas, and it's very clear in the Highway Code that local authorities can enforce this type of contravention.

I've been with Forest Hill Road Group Practice for 40 years now, and have always found the practice to be superb. Since being diagnosed with a very serious illness five years ago, the treatment I've had has been absolutely brilliant. So far, I've never been unable to get a same day appointment with the duty doctor if I've needed it, but have also been able to develop a good relationship with my GP of choice, although you often need to book ahead by a couple of weeks to see her. Over my time at the practice, I've always been able to get referrals to the hospital of my choice, and everyone has always bent over backwards to help me in recent years. I feel very fortunate to be in their catchment area.

I know nothing about Explore Learning, but my daughter did Kumon maths for several years. She started at the end of Year 1 when she was getting so bored by the lack of differentiation by her teacher. After an assessment, we were surprised by the very basic work that she was given initially, but this was aimed at making the four maths functions completely automatic. She moved through the levels very quickly, and was doing quadratic equations by the start of Year 6. The way in which the work was structured, and the routine gave her a wonderful grounding and understanding in maths. I think it was very important that she really liked her tutor, and I think he still runs his Beckenham class (my daughter went to the Gypsy Hill branch). Kumon really suited my daughter, and it helped to stretch her and relieve the boredom of an infant school with fairly low expectations. She stopped Kumon a few months after starting secondary school because she had a long journey to and from school, and it was difficult to get home in time to get to the classes. Kumon does take a degree of commitment by children and parents, and unless you are prepared to do the work set every day, without fail, even when on holiday or on Christmas Day, then I think it's pointless. But if you're prepared to follow the programme religiously then I think it's brilliant.

Like the poster above, I'm glad to hear that the child was OK, but surely the parents/carers have to take responsibility for their child? If you have a young child who is prone to running off, they you know you must keep a close eye on them, or keep them on reins. I don't understand why it would be the museum's responsibility to install a safety gate?

I live in Wood Vale and have just got home to find someone has been going through my green bin this morning.

I can't praise the Forest Hill Road Group Practice highly enough. I've never had a problem getting an appointment in the 40 years I've been registered, and have always found the doctors, nurses, and reception staff to be exceptionally competent and helpful.

Why would anyone who wasn't involved personally take a photograph of a car accident? It seems very strange.