Random Irritations

[PhilTheFragger]

Partners daughter has been working on a cruise ship in the Canary Islands, flew home yesterday evening, supposedly to Manchester, which is where her car was parked.

Lots of delays, finally boarded 2 hours late and they were then told just before take off that plane was going to Birmingham due to bad weather at Manchester, Que panic phone call and we said we would go to Brum, rescue her and I’d go up by train today to get her car.

Got to Brum Airport at 11 pm
Only to get a call that the plane had made it to Manchester after all and we weren’t required. Got back home at 1 am

At least I don’t have to travel up to Manchester today in this weather, so a sort of silver lining

 

[jim8flog]

Good friend of mine does plumbing and electrical work. He doesn't even like TRVs on rads as they "constantly break" it does seem a lot want to be able to know how things work and a smart meter takes a bit of knowledge away from them that doesn't sit right as it's trusting someone else.

The smart meter thing the standard reply is energy suppliers cutting you off remotely. Then some banned bits I won't mention.

I also know a fair few sparks with smart meters. All depends who you speak with. Soon as someone says something that sounds very tin foil hat I try and avoid the subject.

My experience with some electricians has been - as soon as electronics are involved they do not want to know.

Agree with the point about TRVs to a little extent. In my house very often it is just a stuck actuator in the valve (mainly because they never get adjusted) rather than the head, the heads have been removed on some of my valves as I always have them turned to max anyway.

 

[jim8flog]

So if you're at the car but on the outside scraping the windows while the engine is running, is it unattended?
If you're not allowed to defrost the car, and you're also not allowed to drive it with the windows obscured by ice, then you're basically stuffed.
I suppose they could argue that you can use de-icer, but that's not exactly enviromentally friendly either.

Why don't all cars have heated windscreens like Ford? Once had a Fiesta with one, and it was a marvelous feature. The patent must surely have expired by now.

Back in the days before cars had even rear heated screens you could buy heater kits that stuck to the windscreen. My mate got pulled over by the police for having one on his front screen, they claimed it impaired his vision.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

So if you're at the car but on the outside scraping the windows while the engine is running, is it unattended?
If you're not allowed to defrost the car, and you're also not allowed to drive it with the windows obscured by ice, then you're basically stuffed.
I suppose they could argue that you can use de-icer, but that's not exactly enviromentally friendly either.

Why don't all cars have heated windscreens like Ford? Once had a Fiesta with one, and it was a marvelous feature. The patent must surely have expired by now.

The car isn't unattended if the engine running but you are scrapping the windows clear.
Heated windscreens are slowly becoming more common now, as I think they exclusivity thing Ford had has finished.
My VW van has one, and yes it's handy to speedily clear the screen but it's a pain at night on when sunny as it alters the light path.

 

[cliveb]

Unfortunately times have changed dramatically

"Changes to windscreen cover in policies including removal from comprehensive products need to be clearly communicated to customers, warns Defaqto. As windscreens become more hi-tech and costly to replace it’s an area which has seen a lot of change for consumers."

Some "fully comp" aren't even including windscreen cover now (causing complaints) rightly so

I haven't seen one with a "zero excess" for a long time , it became too costly when Gavin for autoglass told everyone he could repair it for free

Interesting stuff, and not that surprising. Next time I renew my car insurance, will need to carefully read what it covers for glass.

Checking my current policy (with Halifax), the excess for glass is £100, for other damage it's £125, so not much difference.
It also includes glass damage in the list of things that don't affect the NCB.
Here's hoping things don't change.

 

[Imurg]

Partners daughter has been working on a cruise ship in the Canary Islands, flew home yesterday evening, supposedly to Manchester, which is where her car was parked.

Lots of delays, finally boarded 2 hours late and they were then told just before take off that plane was going to Birmingham due to bad weather at Manchester, Que panic phone call and we said we would go to Brum, rescue her and I’d go up by train today to get her car.

Got to Brum Airport at 11 pm
Only to get a call that the plane had made it to Manchester after all and we weren’t required. Got back home at 1 am

At least I don’t have to travel up to Manchester today in this weather, so a sort of silver lining

Wouldn't the airline have to provide transport to the original airport in a case of diversion..?
They can't just abandon a couple of hundred people 90 miles away can they..?

 

[Fade and Die]

Do smart meters allow energy companies to cut you off remotely? - Full Fact

While smart meters do mean energy companies can cut off your supply without going to court for a permit to enter your home, they should only cut you off after taking other steps to help you pay your d

fullfact.org

Best to use full fact as they give the full story rather than the cherry picked daily mail headline lol

It’s not the tin foil hat stuff I just don’t need a smart meter.

Btw your full fact article actually proves the point. Smart meters can be used to remotely disconnect the supply. It goes on to say that they have to write to you first and they cannot cut off vulnerable people, but that’s not the question being asked.

The comment I made to Jim was supposed to be an electrician to electrician thing but Jim didn’t pick up on it so I’ll leave it there.

 

[Slime]

As you were in the car it's allowed.

''A common method of de-icing your car is leaving the engine running whilst you get ready for work – but this is environmentally unfriendly and is also illegal. Rule 123 of The Highway Code clearly states ‘You MUST NOT leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running’, so to be safe and avoid an £1000 fine, it’s best to carry out different ways of de-icing your car. ''

A kettle full of warm water is the way forward.

 

[hambugerpete]

A kettle full of warm water is the way forward.

I hope you have windscreen excess

 

[rudebhoy]

I think that’s just a targeted add specifically for you as I’ve never seen that before on these boards.

I think you are right - I've never had that advert.

A couple of years ago on a football forum I frequent, we had one guy complaining that the club should not be advertising Thai brides. No-one else had ever seen that ad. He got ripped to pieces

 

[Slime]

I hope you have windscreen excess

I've never had one crack in over 45 years of doing this.

 

[PJ87]

A kettle full of warm water is the way forward.

They warn it's can crack instantly.

I saw a safer method Is to get a little reseal bag. Fill with hot tap water and wipe over the screen as a more gentle way to do it .. to take away the extreme of the boiling hot

 

[D-S]

They warn it's can crack instantly.

I saw a safer method Is to get a little reseal bag. Fill with hot tap water and wipe over the screen as a more gentle way to do it .. to take away the extreme of the boiling hot

Isn't the key word Slime has used warm?

 

[RichA]

I've never had one crack in over 45 years of doing this.

I did this for years without a problem. Since I got a Swedish ice scraper I actually find it quite satisfying doing it the hard way.

 

[Billysboots]

I hope you have windscreen excess

Warm water won’t crack a windscreen, even one with a chip in. I’ve been using that method for forty years and never had an issue.

Boiling water, maybe. Warm water? No.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I use tepid water, it works perfectly and there is no danger of the windscreen cracking. I think people have seen warm and assumed hot because it's coming from a kettle. The only thing you have to be careful of, if it's really cold, is the water freezing on the windscreen once poured. Swish the wipers a couple of times once you've poured the water on and you are good to go

 

[Fade and Die]

I've never had one crack in over 45 years of doing this.

Me neither, hot water from the tap is my preference. Plastic milk bottle full poured over the windscreen… you do have to be quick on your toes when the auto wipers kick in though!

 

[cliveb]

Wouldn't the airline have to provide transport to the original airport in a case of diversion..?
They can't just abandon a couple of hundred people 90 miles away can they..?

Ryanair?

 

[Mandofred]

As far as iced windscreens, I no longer worry about it. Recent purchase of a house with a double.....double garage. I park inside.... is this what rich people feel like?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

As far as iced windscreens, I no longer worry about it. Recent purchase of a house with a double.....double garage. I park inside.... is this what rich people feel like?

I'd say you're living the dream, with a double garage and no more iced up windscreens, but then I note your other posts about building work............. Next winter, you'll be living the dream