Insignificant/ Significant things that BYP or just wind you up a little

[gremlin]

This woman: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce9p0kkeer8o

Summary: woman moaning about her bank. She gets a cheque from HMRC but the Lloyds app doesn't scan it to allow pay-in for some reason. Complains it's a long way to drive to her branch to pay it in from her home in rural Cornwall , given the option to use a Freepost envelope but 'doesn't trust it'. Fuck me, love. You want the moon on a fucking stick, you do.

And what's the betting she won't move her banking to another provider...


Of course, it does beg the question as to how the government can, on one hand, petition to scrap cheques entirely and yet allows govt. agencies to throw them about like confetti.

[Druid]

I expect the number of people who don't bother to cash the cheques makes it worthwhile posting them out.

[Saga Lout]

...

Of course, it does beg the question as to how the government can, on one hand, petition to scrap cheques entirely and yet allows govt. agencies to throw them about like confetti.

Also, if the government can take money out of your bank account, why are they unable to pay money into your bank account?

Mind you, one of the attractions of living in the arse end of nowhere is that you're a long way from the distractions of modernity, but it does have its downsides.

[gremlin]

I expect the number of people who don't bother to cash the cheques makes it worthwhile posting them out.

Nah. You've been watching Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels again, innit.

They'll operate on a de minimis basis to avoid the cost of sending cheques below the cost of producing it, but as far as govt. agencies go, it's just laziness.

Many moons ago the govt. of the day supported a proposal from the British Banking Association to phase out cheques due to the logistical costs of processing them coupled with the fact that they were, back then, the main medium of fraud*. A load of M.P.s then pushed back arguing that the socially deprived and pensioners replied upon cheques to live their lives. So here we are a good couple of decades later, still using an antiquated system of paper IOUs.

*Even the bloody fraudsters have moved on!

[Horse]

Many moons ago the govt. of the day supported a proposal from the British Banking Association to phase out cheques due to the logistical costs of processing them coupled with the fact that they were, back then, the main medium of fraud*. A load of M.P.s then pushed back arguing that the socially deprived and pensioners replied upon cheques to live their lives. So here we are a good couple of decades later, still using an antiquated system of paper IOUs.

*Even the bloody fraudsters have moved on!

@Noggin

Re 'a good couple of decades', could you give Gremmers some examples of the futuristic French banking system?

[Cousin Jack]

This woman: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce9p0kkeer8o

Of course, it does beg the question as to how the government can, on one hand, petition to scrap cheques entirely and yet allows govt. agencies to throw them about like confetti.

That question is easily answered with several options.

The left hand of government doesnt know what the right hand is doing.
The government is just plain innept and not fit for purpose.
The civil service doesn't GAS and does stuff that is easy for itself and sod the taxpayer.

These are not mutually exclusive.

[Mussels]

I expect the number of people who don't bother to cash the cheques makes it worthwhile posting them out.

Nah. You've been watching Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels again, innit.

They'll operate on a de minimis basis to avoid the cost of sending cheques below the cost of producing it, but as far as govt. agencies go, it's just laziness.

Many moons ago the govt. of the day supported a proposal from the British Banking Association to phase out cheques due to the logistical costs of processing them coupled with the fact that they were, back then, the main medium of fraud*. A load of M.P.s then pushed back arguing that the socially deprived and pensioners replied upon cheques to live their lives. So here we are a good couple of decades later, still using an antiquated system of paper IOUs.

*Even the bloody fraudsters have moved on!

As part of the cost analysis they would also consider how much the unpresented cheques are worth on the government's balance sheet. Even if they are all eventually presented the delay of several days is worth a lot of money.
HMRC are borderline criminals and will try every trick in the book.

[Noggin]

Many moons ago the govt. of the day supported a proposal from the British Banking Association to phase out cheques due to the logistical costs of processing them coupled with the fact that they were, back then, the main medium of fraud*. A load of M.P.s then pushed back arguing that the socially deprived and pensioners replied upon cheques to live their lives. So here we are a good couple of decades later, still using an antiquated system of paper IOUs.

*Even the bloody fraudsters have moved on!

@Noggin

Re 'a good couple of decades', could you give Gremmers some examples of the futuristic French banking system?

Well, given that when the NS&I refused my bank transfer to them for premium bonds because it wasn't a UK account (it was from Revolut but a sterling transfer) they sent me a cheque for the amount, rather than bouncing back the transfer, I don't think the UK is any further in the future than France!!

(FFS, if I've sent a transfer from a non UK bank, the chances are that I don't have a UK bank to pay a fucking cheque into )

[Count Steer]

Many moons ago the govt. of the day supported a proposal from the British Banking Association to phase out cheques due to the logistical costs of processing them coupled with the fact that they were, back then, the main medium of fraud*. A load of M.P.s then pushed back arguing that the socially deprived and pensioners replied upon cheques to live their lives. So here we are a good couple of decades later, still using an antiquated system of paper IOUs.

*Even the bloody fraudsters have moved on!

@Noggin

Re 'a good couple of decades', could you give Gremmers some examples of the futuristic French banking system?

Well, given that when the NS&I refused my bank transfer to them for premium bonds because it wasn't a UK account (it was from Revolut but a sterling transfer) they sent me a cheque for the amount, rather than bouncing back the transfer, I don't think the UK is any further in the future than France!!

(FFS, if I've sent a transfer from a non UK bank, the chances are that I don't have a UK bank to pay a fucking cheque into )

You used to be able to countersign a cheque (on the back?) and give it to someone else so they could pay it into their account but my memory is hazy on it.

Maybe not if it was a 'crossed' cheque.

[Jody]

Buying a set of Bone conducting head phones only to realise that they have a specific charge cable, not a USB C (as I had assumed every thing is nowadays?)

Ohh well, back in the post they go.

[Taipan]

My toothbrush has packed up, so as the wife is going shopping, I asked her to pick me up a new one. She said which one? I said they last years, so get a good one, top-of-the-range OralB or suchlike. She said the top one is £140! Howfuckingmuch! I quickly lowered my standards and the price! TF she told me and didn't just buy one.

[Mussels]

My toothbrush has packed up, so as the wife is going shopping, I asked her to pick me up a new one. She said which one? I said they last years, so get a good one, top-of-the-range OralB or suchlike. She said the top one is £140! Howfuckingmuch! I quickly lowered my standards and the price! TF she told me and didn't just buy one.

That's a cheap one, Oral-B toothbrushes can be found in boots for £500. I think I've seen more expensive than that!
They seem to be on eternal 50% off sales, never buy full price and I'd get the cheapest Oral-B one I can find as the extras are usually junk.

[gremlin]

My toothbrush has packed up, so as the wife is going shopping, I asked her to pick me up a new one. She said which one? I said they last years, so get a good one, top-of-the-range OralB or suchlike. She said the top one is £140! Howfuckingmuch! I quickly lowered my standards and the price! TF she told me and didn't just buy one.

That's a cheap one, Oral-B toothbrushes can be found in boots for £500. I think I've seen more expensive than that!
They seem to be on eternal 50% off sales, never buy full price and I'd get the cheapest Oral-B one I can find as the extras are usually junk.

I was gifted one a while ago which had Bluetooth connectivity and an app which would enable me to collate stats on my brushing habits.

When it packed up I went for the cheapest Oral-B, on sale at Waitrose, Partnercard discount applied.

[gremlin]

I'm lining up interviews for a role in my team. A couple of them are internal applicants who don't have the product skills but seem to be sharp so I asked HR, sorry...my 'Talent Acquisition Partner', to arrange some interviews.

'No problem, I'll get the Teams invites sent out'

Nope, not Teams. I want face-to-face interviews'

'Oh, that's unusual'

'Well, the job is majority office-based and permanently office-based when they're learning, which will be for some time if they're coming in green'

Already had one candidate drop out.

[Yorick]

My toothbrush has packed up, so as the wife is going shopping, I asked her to pick me up a new one. She said which one? I said they last years, so get a good one, top-of-the-range OralB or suchlike. She said the top one is £140! Howfuckingmuch! I quickly lowered my standards and the price! TF she told me and didn't just buy one.

How much ????

30 bob from Tesco

Screenshot_20260519_101955_Gallery.jpg (147.38 KiB) Viewed 2220 times

[Mussels]

I'm lining up interviews for a role in my team. A couple of them are internal applicants who don't have the product skills but seem to be sharp so I asked HR, sorry...my 'Talent Acquisition Partner', to arrange some interviews.

'No problem, I'll get the Teams invites sent out'

Nope, not Teams. I want face-to-face interviews'

'Oh, that's unusual'

'Well, the job is majority office-based and permanently office-based when they're learning, which will be for some time if they're coming in green'

Already had one candidate drop out.

Are they being offered more money? If I had to go back to commuting I'd need £600/month on my salary to break even financially, then I'd wonder if the job is worth x hours of travel per day.
I'd do it if I had to but given a choice no thanks.

[Cousin Jack]

@Noggin

Re 'a good couple of decades', could you give Gremmers some examples of the futuristic French banking system?

Well, given that when the NS&I refused my bank transfer to them for premium bonds because it wasn't a UK account (it was from Revolut but a sterling transfer) they sent me a cheque for the amount, rather than bouncing back the transfer, I don't think the UK is any further in the future than France!!

(FFS, if I've sent a transfer from a non UK bank, the chances are that I don't have a UK bank to pay a fucking cheque into )

You used to be able to countersign a cheque (on the
back?) and give it to someone else so they could pay it into their account but my memory is hazy on it.

Maybe not if it was a 'crossed' cheque.

If it was your cheque you could open the crossing by writing pay cash and signing it on the face of the cheque. Then it could be swapped for cash. AFAIK any cheque could be paid into a bank account if the named payee had signed the bank.

[Mussels]

I kind of expect bike dealer websites to be a bit lacking but Honda can't work out what license is needed for a leccy scooter (CUV e:).
Go to the model selector on honda.co.uk and it says an A2 license, go to the model overview page and it says A1. It's only a small detail, who's really going to be bothered if they buy something they aren't allowed to ride.

It's fairly obvious it's below 125cc spec so an A1 license will do it but there's that niggling thought that a small unexpected detail means it really is A2.

[Noggin]

Had a replacement physio this morning because my usual Thursday/Friday physio is on hols.

Nice enough lady, a bit lightweight on the physio side BUT

FFS, who chews gum constantly during a professional treatment? And not only chews gum, but chews it with her mouth open constantly

I mean, it's bad enough someone chewing loudly at a dinner table, but there a smidge more distance then

This is someone close enough to manipulate a knee/move a leg around and she's champing constantly whilst doing the treatment and talking at the same time


Definitely something to note for the feedback I have to do at the end. Probably sensible not to say anything until my physio is back from hols, but, yuck, just yuck

[Noggin]

Well, given that when the NS&I refused my bank transfer to them for premium bonds because it wasn't a UK account (it was from Revolut but a sterling transfer) they sent me a cheque for the amount, rather than bouncing back the transfer, I don't think the UK is any further in the future than France!!

(FFS, if I've sent a transfer from a non UK bank, the chances are that I don't have a UK bank to pay a fucking cheque into )

You used to be able to countersign a cheque (on the
back?) and give it to someone else so they could pay it into their account but my memory is hazy on it.

Maybe not if it was a 'crossed' cheque.

If it was your cheque you could open the crossing by writing pay cash and signing it on the face of the cheque. Then it could be swapped for cash. AFAIK any cheque could be paid into a bank account if the named payee had signed the bank.

I don't have a uk account to pay it into and all the research I did said I could no longer just sign the back (I know it was possible, but not any more apparently )