Grumble Thread

[Serial_Apologist]

I won't go into our local post office as they have twice tried to diddle me in the past. A few years ago, when I was working, I weighed a small parcel on the office scales to check the cost. We weren't allowed to send personal post from work so armed with the knowledge of the cost I took it to our post office.

The staff weighed it and quoted a figure way in excess of what I'd found. When I queried it they went on about next day first class signed for recorded delivery or whatever as if I would have just stumped up without question.

The second time they tried to charge me for more stamps than I'd actually bought.

I wondered if they were deliberately trying these tricks in order to maximise revenue on instructions from above.

"Computer says no"!

[Dave2002]

I'm going to grumble about Rishi Sunak's attempts to force immigrants to go to Rwanda. Now we hear that ridiculous numbers of people are going to be paid to enforce the expulsion of some of these. Yes - I want to stop the boat people and the traffickers, but I don't want to have to pay ludicrous sums in order to "make" this happen. Probably some of the Lords will be grumbling about this too, later tonight.

PS: and indeed this now seems to have happened - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68840441

[smittims]

A cautionary tale, Petrushka.

I had an unpleasant experience years ago in a local shop whwre I'd been a regular customer for nine years. The proprietors weren't there and I was served by a part-time assistant who gave me change out of ten pounds instead of twenty. Unfortunately I didn't notice it until I was approaching the door, when I returned and explained. They said 'can you wait till tomorrow, as when we cash up it will come out?' Like a fool I said 'all right', as in those days I was trying to be a 'Christian' and turn the other cheek. Of course the next day they said the cash was 'spot on' which meant of course, that they could have pocketed the tenner.

I could have complained to the proprietor who knew me but again I was tryig to be 'nice' . Nevertheless it left a nasty taste; the loss of ten pounds was no great matter to me but I couldn't help thinking it could have happened to a child entrusted with a £20 note who was afraid to make a fuss.

[oddoneout]

Fake stamps.

How on earth is the RECIPIENT deemed to be at fault and have to say where the stamp was bought?

https://www.theguardian.com/money/20...orizon-scandal

It's always been the case that the recipient pays the default(or in much earlier times the total delivery charge) and I have had to so so on occasion. Where it is a business that has been at fault I have kicked up a fuss to try and get reimbursement, mostly with some level of success.
I gather that some countries require a return address to appear on the envelope but that isn't the case in this country, so how would you go about contacting the sender to correct the postage deficit?
However the bigger issue here is that once again the presumption is that the service user is at fault (whether directly(sender) or indirectly(recipient))and should stump up, when doubts exist about the reliability of the scanners, even before the issue of fake stamps is considered. Horizon - should have made that kind of argument rather more difficult to put forward but doesn't seem to be the case here - but then again Royal Mail is no longer Post Office...
I can't help wondering whether there is an element of the voter ID 'solution in search of a problem' about all this. There was doubtless fiddling of the system with the previous stamps, but the new ones don't seem to have been without problems - except that now the user has no chance of winning an argument if a genuine error is made since the barcode/scanner set-up is deemed correct by default. The incentive to keep going is considerable though if mistakes "don't happen" and so can always attract a financial return.

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm going to grumble about Rishi Sunak's attempts to force immigrants to go to Rwanda. Now we hear that ridiculous numbers of people are going to be paid to enforce the expulsion of some of these. Yes - I want to stop the boat people and the traffickers, but I don't want to have to pay ludicrous sums in order to "make" this happen. Probably some of the Lords will be grumbling about this too, later tonight.

PS: and indeed this now seems to have happened - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68840441

The idea that this will cure "the problem" by discouraging further attempts is in any case delusive, as many reporters have evidenced from talking to would-be immigrants at numerous points on their long desperate journeys, not only in camps on the French side. They are made aware of the Tories' beliefs and intentions through the criminal gangs "helping" them. The solution has long been supporting post-colonial movements to free poverty and environmentally devastated lands into genuine (ie not multinationals backed by the World Bank/IMF) economic independence and political freedom so they can collaborate and determine their own fortunes and futures, and then trade with them. That's the way in the end to stop people fleeing their countries of birth and help them rebuild sustainably.

[LMcD]

If I miss a call from the hospital and there's no message, the number of the hospital's main exchange comes up. They have no idea who called or why, and neither do I.

[Sir Velo]

I think the point is that you can refuse to pay the charge but then of course you won't receive the package. There's certainly no way they can compel you to pay the charge if you refuse delivery.

[oddoneout]

The curse of the smartphone assumption rides again! About 5 years ago the GP surgery was insistent that as I had a mobile phone they needed to have the number to contact me, despite me pointing out it was a dumbphone that was switched off 90% of the time. I gave it on the understanding it was noted as not my main contact number. During Covid, when they outsourced the vaccination admin to another local practice which only sent texts I had a lot of problems sorting out appointments for jabs as the info was links I couldn't use, and my attempts to try and sort out an alternative got nowhere.
A week ago I had blood tests done and was told that they would contact me if anything needed discussing, otherwise assume everything was OK.Now I've found that there isn't a note on my record( the mobile number is shown as my only contact, so I wonder if they ever did note my caveat) ) so a text message that was sent on Monday asking me to make an appointment to discuss some of the results didn't reach me at the time. The only reason I know is because I managed to log in to my patient record to check if a test for VitD status had been included, and found the note saying a text message had been sent to make an appointment. I had switched my phone on on Thursday to see if there were any new messages(I try and remember to do so every week) but there weren't any notifications, perhaps they don't remain beyond a certain time, although the text message is still unread in the inbox.
Just as well none of the issues is urgent, although two at least do need action. I do wonder whether they have any system to check that such messages have been acted on - although if they do that would be another text I suppose...

[Serial_Apologist]

I would not give mobile details or say I didn't have a mobile, and just do appointments online or by landline call.

That said, I have just had a shimozzle over an anti-Covid jab booked online but then re-arranged by phone call from the pharmacy for 3.20 this afternoon - apparently. There was no revised email then sent to supersede the first, confirming date and time I had scribbled down on a grabbed piece of paper: when I had attempted to dictate down the details she'd given in very broken Asian English over the phone she'd just put the phone down! Anyway the pharmacy was shut, a presumably regular notice on the door saying Saturday openings times 9am - 1pm. I went to pour my annoyance out to the sweet Bosnian girl nearby who always sells me the Big Issue, but this time it was her English that was not up to gathering what I was saying! Back home I checked that booking confirmation email and attempted to use its complaint link, but the procedure is more interested in itself giving satisfaction or otherwise than in details of the appointment and its making! So in the end I re-applied for an appointment - at the same pharmacy, which is my nearest - and it has registered - for Monday afternoon! I now expect to turn up at the appointed time and for no reference to be made about my "missed appointment" by them, or me!

[oddoneout]

I would not give mobile details or say I didn't have a mobile, and just do appointments online or by landline call.

That said, I have just had a shimozzle over an anti-Covid jab booked online but then re-arranged by phone call from the pharmacy for 3.20 this afternoon - apparently. There was no revised email then sent to supersede the first, confirming date and time I had scribbled down on a grabbed piece of paper: when I had attempted to dictate down the details she'd given in very broken Asian English over the phone she'd just put the phone down! Anyway the pharmacy was shut, a presumably regular notice on the door saying Saturday openings times 9am - 1pm. I went to pour my annoyance out to the sweet Bosnian girl nearby who always sells me the Big Issue, but this time it was her English that was not up to gathering what I was saying! Back home I checked that booking confirmation email and attempted to use its complaint link, but the procedure is more interested in itself giving satisfaction or otherwise than in details of the appointment and its making! So in the end I re-applied for an appointment - at the same pharmacy, which is my nearest - and it has registered - for Monday afternoon! I now expect to turn up at the appointed time and for no reference to be made about my "missed appointment" by them, or me!

I resisted for a long time giving a mobile number, but they got rather shirty; I think they were under pressure to show they were tackling failed appointments, for which they use a text reminder system. I did suggest they use my email, since I check those every day, unlike the mobile, but that wasn't acceptable for some reason - not explained - maybe to do with privacy concerns, ensuring that only the patient concerned sees the message.
Making appointments online hasn't been possible for years, and telephoning is expensive, but fortunately the surgery is 10 minutes walk away in a part of town I visit often - shops and library - so I book in person. It's not as if I have to do so very often - 4 times in the last 5 years - so not a problem.

[Jonathan]

Migraines seem to be getting more frequent and are now starting to impact on my life in that I was too ill to drive to the British Shell Collector's Club show in Theydon Bois.

[Serial_Apologist]

Migraines seem to be getting more frequent and are now starting to impact on my life in that I was too ill to drive to the British Shell Collector's Club show in Theydon Bois.

Really sorry to hear this, Jonathan.

[french frank]

Much encouraged to be no 2 in phone queue to council as that sounded pretty good. Have now been told 10 times I'm no 2, after 25 mins. I think they must all be at lunch and they're not actually dealing with anyone.

I'm No 1 !!

Finished.

[vinteuil]

Migraines seem to be getting more frequent and are now starting to impact on my life in that I was too ill to drive to the British Shell Collector's Club show in Theydon Bois.

... I'm assuming you've gone down the usual routes? My wife's enjoyment of life was revolutionised by her discovery of almotriptans, which knock on the head the migraines from which she suffers

.

[oddoneout]

Fingers crossed the communication problem with the GP surgery has been sorted. When I went in today to make the appointment to discuss the blood results I mentioned not having got the message and asked if they could use my email instead. The nice young girl said that was fine(so something has evidently changed since I was refused that option in favour of the mobile number) and she has taken my mobile number off my records as well. Have had a verification/confirmation message so something has been recorded...