Off Topic Rant thread

While I don't doubt these experiences have been hugely negative, just for balance I should say that over the last 6 years I have spent a fortune renovating my Victorian terraced house - new wooden sash windows, new bathrooms (which included a lot of unforeseen structural work to stop the house falling down), bespoke fitted wardrobes for a house with no straight lines, garden redesign, and last year new kitchen which involved raising a ceiling. All the trades involved have been locals, except one Lithuanian decorator. In all cases I have been delighted with the outcome, pleased with the attitude, politeness and humour and completely stunned by the level of perfectionism shown by many of them, spotting things that only they and my wife can see. Also the creativity in dealing with issues that a 160 year old house which probably wasn't very well built in the first place can throw up. Certainly some lax timekeeping sometimes and some 'why isn't anything happening' frustration, but overall really pleased. In all cases took references/went on recommendations from people we trust. And perhaps it helps that I know where nearly all of them live, and they know I know.

 

Bloody hell, seems I am not alone. Perhaps this is fallout we are suffering from years of youths being scooted off to University to take graduate courses in Media Studies/Harry Potter/Soil Erosion in Honduras etc when their abilities/efforts might have been more usefully placed completing an old school trade apprenticeship.

 

Spot-on, when I started in Facilities Management with ILEA in the early 80s every chippie had their own apprentice in tow, learning on the job. Yes, ILEA was profligate as was the GLC it was attached to but the level of tradesmen was top drawer. When the GLC was abolished followed by the ILEA four years later the local boroughs that took over never followed the same work practices so all the qualified tradesmen lost their 'sidekicks' and the apprenticeships dried up.

Putting all the maintenance out to tender in the 90s was the death-knell for apprenticeships as everything was then cost-driven and that, more than anything else, is why there are so few apprenticeships out there now. My grandson is finishing a carpentry course at Lewisham and Southwark College and will then go on to an apprenticeship next year but so many of his mates are doing the mickey mouse courses at universities that are nothing more than jumped-up polytechnics...

 

TBH, I use a local ENGLISH guy to do most of my work. So far he has fitted double glazing, a conservatory and extended the kitchen into the garage. He sub contracts some of the work (plumbing/electrics) to other local tradesmen (when I say 'local' I mean within a mile of where we live). I have spent about £50k with this guy and he is not less than brilliant. I have recommended him to friends and family and they are all pleased too. You CANNOT go through life without a trusted tradesman.

Anyway, back to the rant: People who don't clear up after their dog has parked it's breakfast, the twunt in the close over the road who dumped his garden rubbish in the storm drain down the road (he got caught on CCTV), the ****er!!

Door to door double glazing salespersons who ignore the fact that I live in a 'NO COLD CALLING AREA'. I pointed this out to one of these plebs and he then showed me some legislation on his mobile 'phone that said it was not enforceable. Unfortunately the thick twat had forgotten that he had taken said legislation from the Sussex CC website and I live in Bedfordshire. I pointed this out to him and advised him that he should leave my property or be removed with force, if necessary. The idiot them threatened to visit me in the small hours and smash my car up. All of which was recorded on CCTV!! What a tool!!!

 

People who use parent child parking spaces when they don't have kids.

 

I'll do that when the car park is packed. I wouldn't use a disabled space though.

 

Checkout staff that want to have a chat with you. You don't really care if I've had a nice day and I don't really want to tell you about it.

The state of the housing market. I'm sure it won't take us too long to save £20k for a deposit, whilst paying someone elses mortgage on their 2nd/3rd home and knowing it probably cost a third of what we'd pay for it now.

My neighbour's chickens. What's the point? Are eggs really that expensive?

People who can't be arsed to do their job properly, which causes you twice as much work.

People who can't park in the middle of a space and leave you no room. I'll get in through the boot, shall I?

 

No ****ing centre forward!!

 

**** you Wellington rail
Told me the last train out was 11.05 so I had to leave the guns and roses concert early
11.28 now and still the train has not left
Apparently we will not be leaving till the concert has finished and the train is full
Judging by the amount of pissed off people on the train I wouldn't want to work in the complaints department tomorrow

 

****ers who use the machines at the gym and don't wipe them down afterwards.....I really don't want to train in your pool of sweat, prick !!!

More ****ers down the gym who spend 20 mins sitting at one machine, using it for 2 mins and spending the other 18 mins ON THEIR ****ING PHONE !!

As you might tell.....I've just got back from the gym.

 

Louis Spence. I think he is a c*nt. Every time is see this Z lister he is trying to hog the limelight. F*ck off!

 

Who?...

 

At least your train is running, try Southern Rail over here, more strikes than Aguero and like cattle trucks when they do run...

 

Overtly camp blokes (who appear or want to appear, to be gay) irritate me too.

If you are a homosexual, I understand and I don't discriminate, I truly don't care.

But if you see fit to constantly act in an OTT "ooooohhh look at me, I'm camp as Christmas, chase me" kind of way, like the judges off that godawful Strictly dancing program Mrs Iwas seems obsessed by, don't be surprised if less exuberant, lets say NORMAL, men (straight and gay) consider you to be a total w4nker.

 

Oooooh, you bitch!...

 

Cyclists who chose to use the ****ing pavement when the traffic lights are against them and jump red lights if the pavement is busy. I saw some c*nt do this last week and he promptly hit a SUV and came off worse. I ****ing pissed myself!! Just wish my dashcam was on!!

 

ANYONE who has EVER been on one of those voyeuristic TV shows such as I'm a celebrity, Big brother, X factor, the list goes on ad nauseum.

Judge: Why do you want to be the next pop superstar?

Talentless, acne infested 16 year old shoe shop assistant: Cos it's all I ever wanted to do innit? It's my life innit? **** off!!
What about the 6 kids that you have with 7 different council estate delinquents!

Antondec (a right pair of twats): What made you come on I'm a celeb?

Northern slapper bint Jordan wannabe: Cos I wanted to get my charlies out on national TV, take ITV for £100k and get shagged by a ****ing no marks on the first night in the jungle. Oh, and I'm a slag.

They could put every contestant that has ever done one of these piss poor shows on one island, loads of cameras, no food, no drink. I would tune into that alright, just to watch their miserable lives disintegrate and come to an end. In fact, I'll fund the ****ing show!!

 

...and breathe...

 

You should try and crowd fund it...