MrLongbeard wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 9:57 am
The neighbours had a racing pigeon come in that they couldn't get rid of, apparently it had been in their gaff for 2 weeks and they declined my offer to get rid of it
If they fed it it probably decided it quite liked the new 'loft'.
It should have had a ring on, if you can get the number, any local pigeon bod will be able to trace the owner. If it had a second (usually rubber) ring on it had been in a race and got fed up/lost. Sometimes the owners stamp contact details under the wing too.
Used to see them in some French seaside places trying to get scrounge enough food to recharge and tackle the Channel and get home if they'd hit bad weather and couldn't get across first go.
Post Office used to do good value Travel Insurance which included riding large cc motorcycles (if you were the owner etc). They've stopped that completely. (Probably changed the under-writer).
BAH!
@gremlin ,@Cousin Jack , @Beancounter - you've all been on riding holidays recently - who did you get travel insurance through?
Rockburner wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 10:35 am
Bloody insurers.
Post Office used to do good value Travel Insurance which included riding large cc motorcycles (if you were the owner etc). They've stopped that completely. (Probably changed the under-writer).
BAH!
@gremlin ,@Cousin Jack , @Beancounter - you've all been on riding holidays recently - who did you get travel insurance through?
I hire a bike, so it comes with insurance.
However, surely your bike policy includes so many days European cover? In which case, you only need travel insurance for the boring stuff like stolen cameras, etc.
Rockburner wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 10:35 am
Bloody insurers.
Post Office used to do good value Travel Insurance which included riding large cc motorcycles (if you were the owner etc). They've stopped that completely. (Probably changed the under-writer).
BAH!
@gremlin ,@Cousin Jack , @Beancounter - you've all been on riding holidays recently - who did you get travel insurance through?
I hire a bike, so it comes with insurance.
However, surely your bike policy includes so many days European cover? In which case, you only need travel insurance for the boring stuff like stolen cameras, etc.
The bike insurance does (I think) cover a certain period abroad - but don't think it covers things like repatriation, which you need travel insurance for, which is negated if you're riding a big bike.
The bike insurance does (I think) cover a certain period abroad - but don't think it covers things like repatriation, which you need travel insurance for, which is negated if you're riding a big bike.
Might be worth a call to your insurer. If you're covered in Europe and have an accident there, being 'covered' should be just that, i.e. they get you and your bike back home.
gremlin wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 9:02 am
Apple store prices.
Gremlinette needed a high-speed charging plug-type thingy, as the Fairies of Disappearance have swept through Chez Gremlin once more. As we were passing, we popped in.
A three-pin charger with 2 x USB-C ports - £69.
1 x 2m USB-c to USB-C cable - £19.
Even the Gremlinette, who worships at the alter of All Things Apple, snorted in derision.
Amazon sorted us out for less than a score.
Those prices are pretty much on par with other premium brands. I paid almost that yesterday for a 100W charger and a 1M cable, usually I go cheap but these things handle a lot of power and get hot so I don't want a fire risk.
I was out at Forwards fez here in sunny Bristol sat and attempted to get the 12:15am bus home from the Centre. It didn't turn up, nor did the next bus at 12:25am, nor did the 12:45am, nor did the 1:05am so i left to walk home (i actually got half way home and got an uber).
Get a fucking grip First bus. There must of been about 50 people waiting on the bus stop and the atmosphere was pretty fighty!
Used to see them in some French seaside places trying to get scrounge enough food to recharge and tackle the Channel and get home if they'd hit bad weather and couldn't get across first go.
Pretty amazing athletes.
Can't they just get a small boat like everyone else?
In seriousness, we had one land in the garage in Wales. There was a phone number (throw a towel over the bird to catch it). Turned out to be from Ireland.
The guy actually said to wring it's neck...!!!.... we fed it and watered it for a couple of days and chucked it out before the cats got it.
I was out at Forwards fez here in sunny Bristol sat and attempted to get the 12:15am bus home from the Centre. It didn't turn up, nor did the next bus at 12:25am, nor did the 12:45am, nor did the 1:05am so i left to walk home (i actually got half way home and got an uber).
Get a fucking grip First bus. There must of been about 50 people waiting on the bus stop and the atmosphere was pretty fighty!
Don't know about Firstbus, but the shower I worked for trialled late night buses and made them a voluntary add on at the end of the driver's duty. Most drivers just didn't so them.
I was out at Forwards fez here in sunny Bristol sat and attempted to get the 12:15am bus home from the Centre. It didn't turn up, nor did the next bus at 12:25am, nor did the 12:45am, nor did the 1:05am so i left to walk home (i actually got half way home and got an uber).
Get a fucking grip First bus. There must of been about 50 people waiting on the bus stop and the atmosphere was pretty fighty!
Don't know about Firstbus, but the shower I worked for trialled late night buses and made them a voluntary add on at the end of the driver's duty. Most drivers just didn't so them.
Nor would i if i was given that choice. Why not just pay extra for the extra shifts?
Used to see them in some French seaside places trying to get scrounge enough food to recharge and tackle the Channel and get home if they'd hit bad weather and couldn't get across first go.
Pretty amazing athletes.
Can't they just get a small boat like everyone else?
In seriousness, we had one land in the garage in Wales. There was a phone number (throw a towel over the bird to catch it). Turned out to be from Ireland.
The guy actually said to wring it's neck...!!!.... we fed it and watered it for a couple of days and chucked it out before the cats got it.
It never wrote and thanked us, or even called.
Yeah. That's pretty typical if the bird hasn't won them any money - they have to pay the cost of the bird being sent back and shifting livestock about is a bit (It used to be you'd put 'em in a suitable box with food and water, take them to a railway station and they'd travel in the guard's van to the destination where the owner collected. The guards would often feed them on the way. There's a few stories of them getting out and flapping around in the guards van). Fortunately, unlike wood pigeons, they're usually used to being handled - getting race rings on and off, dosing them, moving them around for pairing them up etc.
Quite often, when you release them on a weekend they'll latch onto a passing group that's in a race and pitch up at another loft.
It used to be the working man's equivalent of hoss racing (who's the best breeder, trainer, who has the best 'eye' for a winner etc) but, as ever, big money got involved eg the South African 'one loft' races...$2 million+ prize money... and things change...not for the better.
My Dad was pretty good at the breeding/training thing. One of his won the biggest UK race...the National Combine which pitted everyone that raced a particular direction (you train them to race a particular direction rather than send them off in random directions). I've got the studio photo of the bird - 'Big Red'. Dad got a half page obit in the 'pigeon papers' - bit of a legend in a smallish world.
gremlin wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 1:42 pm
Having to pay £422 to insure my car for a year. FFS, I'm 53 and it's a dull-as-dishwater Toyota.
I only pay that for my Modified Golf GTI in one of the worst postcodes in Bristol, however, i have just got a renewal and it going up £200 to about £630.
I'm going to quiz them later today as to why!
Give them a call and tell them you have got a quote elsewhere and you are happy to pay your previous years renewal price, tis what i shall do if they cannot give me a decent enough excuse as to why it's gone up 25%.
gremlin wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 1:42 pm
Having to pay £422 to insure my car for a year. FFS, I'm 53 and it's a dull-as-dishwater Toyota.
I only pay that for my Modified Golf GTI in one of the worst postcodes in Bristol, however, i have just got a renewal and it going up £200 to about £630.
I'm going to quiz them later today as to why!
Give them a call and tell them you have got a quote elsewhere and you are happy to pay your previous years renewal price, tis what i shall do if they cannot give me a decent enough excuse as to why it's gone up 25%.
The renewal email was great. 'Last year you paid £258. This year we're pleased to let you know it's £558'.
Well, I'm glad you're pleased, coz I ain't! Obviously told them to do one, but two comparison sites later and it's fairly obvious that £422 was the cheapest I was going to find.
and they declined my offer to get rid of it
(It used to be you'd put 'em in a suitable box with food and water, take them to a railway station and they'd travel in the guard's van to the destination where the owner collected. The guards would often feed them on the way. There's a few stories of them getting out and flapping around in the guards van). Fortunately, unlike wood pigeons, they're usually used to being handled - getting race rings on and off, dosing them, moving them around for pairing them up etc.
