The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.

[Mr Larrington]

The sky above the 'stow is the colour of television, tuned to a dead channel.  What the hell kind of a time is this for a Gentleman of Leisure to be forced to get up

If you live where I think you do then I doubt you can see "The Stow" from there!!  - as I knew it years ago when I used to go the dog racing (and one of my brothers drove a stock car there a few times)

I haven't been around there for years but I understand that the lights on the listed frontage are working again.

I might be able to if I got onto the roof of the flats over the road and stood on tiptoe…. Not been down that way in the dark recently so cannot voice for the lights, although my preferred branch of Mr Sainsbury’s House of Toothy Comestibles is pretty much opposite the mortal remains of the dogs.

Also I have to take issue with Hunter S. Thompson on that one, as Barstow is smack in the middle of the desert.

[Cudzoziemiec]

The dog track in Bristol became an Ikea, so not so much House of Toothy Comestibles as House of Tinny Furnishings. Or even House of Totey Commodities.
Tote End

[ian]

The one in Catford became an estate of very tiny flats. Possibly they were intended for the greyhounds.

[Mr Larrington]

The dog track in Bristol became an Ikea, so not so much House of Toothy Comestibles as House of Tinny Furnishings. Or even House of Totey Commodities.
Tote

The Man made the developers keep the Art Deco frontage of 'stow Dogs, complete with spiffy neon signs, but the rest of the site has been turned into overpriced housing.  The muddy bombsite opposite – which used to be the car park – is now occupied by a Peugeot/Citroën dealer.  Mr Sainsbury’s House of Toothy Comestibles next door is an unlovely box whose main claim to fame is having a high-tension electricity pylon smack in the middle of the car park.  There’s also a Holiday Inn Express.  And a six-lane section of the North Circular.  Nice.

[hellymedic]

I think Hendon Greyhound Stadium vanished without trace when Brent Cross flyover was built.

My erstwhile workmates spent an evening watching the doggies run at 'Stow, shortly after I retired in 2004.

[Polar Bear]

Had my first off of the season today, at lunchtime 

I hope that the only damage is to pride and not to yourself or your bicycle.

Ta. One of the front mudguard bridge bits is now longer attached to the plastic but fairly minor.

Relatively good outcome then were such a thing ever possible.

Hope you don't have any aches and pains this morning.

Do you know what caused it?

[Basil]

Feeling OK this morning, Mrs P?

[Mr Larrington]

I wot not the colour of the sky over the 'stow at the same time this morning, but that didn’t stop me from waking up at the same time because, like a big divvy doppo, I neglected to switch the bastard alarm clock off yesterday.  Arseburgers.

[T42]

Had my first off of the season today, at lunchtime 

I hope that the only damage is to pride and not to yourself or your bicycle.

Ta. One of the front mudguard bridge bits is now longer attached to the plastic but fairly minor.

Glad that hardware is the main preoccupation.

[Mrs Pingu]

Had my first off of the season today, at lunchtime 

I hope that the only damage is to pride and not to yourself or your bicycle.

Ta. One of the front mudguard bridge bits is now longer attached to the plastic but fairly minor.

Relatively good outcome then were such a thing ever possible.

Hope you don't have any aches and pains this morning.

Do you know what caused it?

Feeling OK this morning, Mrs P?

Yes all fine thanks.

It was ice. I had spotted that the cycle path was a little frosty looking so I was taking it easy but when I went round a corner and uphill a bit gravity attacked.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Ah. A useful reminder for us southerners that ice still exists. Glad you're okay.

[Mrs Pingu]

To be fair, early December is pretty darn late for a first decent frost for us (put it this way, stuff still flowering, or flowering again in December is a bit weird), just not expecting it at lunchtime cos I'm not usually commuting then (in normal times). I guess being right next to the river on the wrong side of a slight hill didn't help.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I guess it's not just that you're quite a lot further north, you're also on the east coast, away from the balmy Gulf Stream.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Hot water out this morning, boiler fault. British Gas = Tuesday, which is vexing.

[Basil]

Forgot how early it gets dark now.  Had to wear a head torch to cut some thyme for tonight's dinner.

[The_Dwarf]

Not sure if this is the best place or this...but...it is a Grumble - setting into a rant maybe - about Halfords covering two issues

DOUBLE WHAMMY

Apologies if this is in the wrong area :\
... ... ...

Had a Bronze Service yesterday following joining their Cycle Care Plan (I am not mech-savvy at all) in Mid-November as I done 200-miles so ahead of their suggested 6-weeks. Was out this morning, doing my 8-laps around Villa Park for my 12-days of charity cycling...

Please see my other thread listed, here, regarding my charity cycle challenge:
Aston Villa Foundation - Festive Dash 2020

...included in their service (And part of the 7-point check) was inflating tyres to correct pressure.

Well, I do not know if this is their fault or not - but after cycling literally 8.5-miles I had my first proper BLOW OUT - thankfully I had finished my 8-laps around Villa Park and was was just heading off to head home at walking pace when...
BANG
...my rear inner tube exploded, as far as I can tell along the inner rim. While cycling along my final two laps I did feel something off with my rear tyre. The only way I can describe it is that it felt like there was a lump or something as the wheel rotated.

Would it be too much, do you think, to ask Halfords for a free inner tube, as it violently blew out not even 10-miles following a professional servicing?

Also...

I noticed that they signed the customer signature on my behalf - by putting in the box "covid-19". Thankfully, Covid-19 hasn't effect me personally. But member of my family have had to self-isolate due to being in the vicinity of others who have tested positive - so had to go into self-isolation as a precaution.

I am tempted to write out complaint e-mail over this. As I would not be happy if I saw that Covid-19 had effect me more personally. Comes across as insensitive and dis-respectful for what is a very hard situation for many.

Do you think it is too far to issue a formal complaint regarding the covid-19 "customer" signature?

[robgul]

Not sure if this is the best place or this...but...it is a Grumble - setting into a rant maybe - about Halfords covering two issues

DOUBLE WHAMMY

Apologies if this is in the wrong area :\
... ... ...

Had a Bronze Service yesterday following joining their Cycle Care Plan (I am not mech-savvy at all) in Mid-November as I done 200-miles so ahead of their suggested 6-weeks. Was out this morning, doing my 8-laps around Villa Park for my 12-days of charity cycling...

Please see my other thread listed, here, regarding my charity cycle challenge:
Aston Villa Foundation - Festive Dash 2020

...included in their service (And part of the 7-point check) was inflating tyres to correct pressure.

Well, I do not know if this is their fault or not - but after cycling literally 8.5-miles I had my first proper BLOW OUT - thankfully I had finished my 8-laps around Villa Park and was was just heading off to head home at walking pace when...
BANG
...my rear inner tube exploded, as far as I can tell along the inner rim. While cycling along my final two laps I did feel something off with my rear tyre. The only way I can describe it is that it felt like there was a lump or something as the wheel rotated.

Would it be too much, do you think, to ask Halfords for a free inner tube, as it violently blew out not even 10-miles following a professional servicing?

Also...

I noticed that they signed the customer signature on my behalf - by putting in the box "covid-19". Thankfully, Covid-19 hasn't effect me personally. But member of my family have had to self-isolate due to being in the vicinity of others who have tested positive - so had to go into self-isolation as a precaution.

I am tempted to write out complaint e-mail over this. As I would not be happy if I saw that Covid-19 had effect me more personally. Comes across as insensitive and dis-respectful for what is a very hard situation for many.

Do you think it is too far to issue a formal complaint regarding the covid-19 "customer" signature?

Given that the very basic Bronze service part for the tyres was just to (possibly?) pump them up then the blow-out is unlikely to be attributable to them . . . did you check the pressure before riding (just a thumb-press will suffice) as is good practice?

IME, running an LBS, the most frequent cause of a blow-out is for the tube to be trapped between the tyre and the wheel rim . . . it may blow as soon as you pump it up, you may ride for hundreds of miles before it decides to blow . . .

Given the relatively low cost of tube I wouldn't waste my time even complaining.

The other point about the signature is probably just an instruction from HO . . . as part of their Covid safety protocols.

[The Family Cyclist]

Cv19 is or covid is pretty much the de facto signiture on most things that I come across currently

And in my experience every blow out I've had except one was either while pumping the tyre or very shortly after. I've been lucky enough never to have one while on the bike but had one go around 10 minutes after getting home once which took the tyre off the rim

[hellymedic]

Both David and I have had rim tape failure cause blow-outs, sometimes on bikes innocently parked indoors, minding their own business.

[rogerzilla]

Mr Dwarf, yellow-on-white doesn't show up very clearly.  That's why snow is so dangerous.

[The_Dwarf]

Mr Dwarf, yellow-on-white doesn't show up very clearly.  That's why snow is so dangerous.

Oh... is that why it tastes so odd??

[The_Dwarf]

Upside...I actually changed an inner tube - GO ME!!!
And only wanted to give up once, maybe twice


Although - Google servers are down in the UK at least
And apparently my email address cannot be found because of it
GRRRR

EDIT:
Think Mr Google looked down the side of the sofa somewhere - email address now found
lol

[cycleman]

Yellow fonts are are difficult to see on white background s .
Well done for completing your tube fettling 

[Cudzoziemiec]

Okay, so for 'demanding clients' (let's call them an international NGO) we now have a QA process following normal editing. Which is what I'm meant to be doing right now, rather than idling on YACF. And thank fuck we do, cos

Is it possible in this particular case that what Charlie was taking was heroine?

does not refer to opiates. 

[spesh]

Had the boiler annual service booked for today, and we'd agreed on late morning.

The gasman cometh not. So far...

Might as well make lunch and see if that catalyses his arrival.