Pixiewoo Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 White football and hockey socks! Seriously?! Why even manufacture them? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacqueline Posted November 19, 2016 Share Posted November 19, 2016 Just been into town for my annual can't put it off any longer visit. The humanity, the tat filled shops in amongst the boarded up ones. The peace and goodwill of it all. Anyway, I was just walking back to the car and I passed a woman steering a small boy along the pavement. She was smoking a cigarette like it was a serious habit. The little boy was coughing continuously. I heard her ask him if he had taken the cough sweet she gave him! I didn't hear his reply but I thought maybe if she put the fag out instead of blowing smoke all over him, it might be a start to curing his cough. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted November 19, 2016 Author Share Posted November 19, 2016 Just been into town for my annual can't put it off any longer visit. The humanity, the tat filled shops in amongst the boarded up ones. The peace and goodwill of it all. Anyway, I was just walking back to the car and I passed a woman steering a small boy along the pavement. She was smoking a cigarette like it was a serious habit. The little boy was coughing continuously. I heard her ask him if he had taken the cough sweet she gave him! I didn't hear his reply but I thought maybe if she put the fag out instead of blowing smoke all over him, it might be a start to curing his cough. I grew up in Stevenage, and haven't been shopping in the town centre there for quite a few years... until the other day. Oh dear, it is terribly run-down with a lot of empty shops, many of the big names have gone and been replaced by discount 'pound' shops, mobile phone retailers and pawnbrokers. Makes me rather sad to think of how it used to be. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacqueline Posted November 19, 2016 Share Posted November 19, 2016 I grew up in Stevenage, and haven't been shopping in the town centre there for quite a few years... until the other day. Oh dear, it is terribly run-down with a lot of empty shops, many of the big names have gone and been replaced by discount 'pound' shops, mobile phone retailers and pawnbrokers. Makes me rather sad to think of how it used to be. Same here, thoroughly depressing. There has been some sort of scheme mooted over the last few years, to big up the area along the canal and turn it into some sort of shopping/eating/tourist destination. They've got their work cut out cos Amsterdam it ain't! It's been on hold due to uncertainty about the HS2 route but now seems to be on again. If it does happen, that will be the final death knell for the town centre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 Supermarkets which throw away perfectly good bunches of flowers because they're past their sell-by date. These were carnations, so not exactly going to expire 24 hours after their date! Just think of those people who can't afford the luxury but would really have appreciated a bunch of flowers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 And landlords who go and cut the power to your PC while you're in the middle of working on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarriott Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 "Just been into town for my annual can't put it off any longer." "I grew up in Stevenage, and haven't been shopping in the town centre there for quite a few years... until the other day. Oh dear, it is terribly run-down with a lot of empty shops, many of the big names have gone and been replaced by discount 'pound' shops, mobile phone retailers and pawnbrokers. Makes me rather sad to think of how it used to be. " Surely this is why town centre shopping areas are so bleak nowadays - we stopped going in favour of out-of-town malls and online ordering. I'm just as guilty as anyone of this but I too mourn the once lively high street which is now a sorry stretch of betting shops, pound shops, fast food outlets and charity shops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacqueline Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 One of the main reasons I stopped going into town was because the parking became so expensive. There used to be certain roads within walking distance of the shops where you could park free for a set time, but the council slapped meters everywhere or residents only permits which means the spaces are empty for most of the day as the residents are elsewhere. There has been no attempt to encourage people into town, just to put them off it seems. Apparently coach trips still bring people in to visit the now threadbare market which must be seriously disappointing for them. The outlets offer free parking and most of what you could possibly want under one roof, but I can't abide such places. I do some online shopping, but I really prefer to try before I buy. I would like to live in a place where I can walk to nice shops, Miss Marple style with my basket and buy locally sourced produce at fair prices. Only without the murder and people wanting to know my business of course! But I also want convenience, good value, to get the shopping over with as quickly as possible and I have an aversion to carrying things. Maybe people will eventually tire of malls and Internet shopping and the high street will come back to life. These things do go in cycles I suppose. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 My local council started parking charges about 2 years ago and basically can't be making much money because the car parks are largely empty and the cars are parking in all the local roads instead - well clogging things up! This summer they started charging in the car parks that give access to the beach and the Iron Men. The charges are not huge compared to the city centre but I think it is having an effect on the numbers of visitors. Fortunately for me, local residents can get a permit for £35pa. I am making sure I get my money's worth!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 The council responsible for the place where I grew up (Banstead, in Surrey) is putting forward new plans to "modernise" the High Street, which currently is used a lot by locals. This is because it has things such as a library, day centre, church institute, and community hall, as well as attractive old buildings with shops below and flats above, houses, and restaurants. Oh, we even have a pub. Their plan is to knock all the non retail buildings down, including the library, and build lots of new blocks of flats with ground floor retail space. They say this will "revitalise" the High Street. As they plan to build over the only existing car park, I can't see who will be using it. It will simply kill off the entire High Street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 Fonty, I'd hit the angry button if there was one! Do these people have no sense? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted November 21, 2016 Author Share Posted November 21, 2016 The town council of a lovely historic town near me has been spending the last 20-odd years talking about regenerating an eyesore 1960's shopping precinct in the middle of the town. Needless to say, they have yet to come to any decision, despite having paid hundreds of thousands to numerous 'consulting' firms and having endless plans drawn up, all of which have been met with scorn and contempt disapproval by the local population. Mainly because they tend to be along the lines of flats and restaurants, and building them on land which is currently the largest car park in the town. No doubt it will drag on for another few decades yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 We left the south east nearly three years ago. I saw St Albans ruined as well as Stevenage and other small Hertfordshire towns. It's so sad. Endless repetitions of coffee chains and supermarket chains have made all these towns identikit and dead. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon2 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 Drivers at traffic lights who are never ready to go when they turn green. Always seems to be a surprise to them and by the time they have registered they can go and done anything about it you are lucky if two cars get through the junction on each light change. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 I offered to give my niece a lift to work for a particularly early start. Got up at ridiculous o'clock to do the links. Was just unlocking at the front to go out and get a phone call - "I misread my schedule, I haven't got to be in till half 9"!!!!!!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 Drivers at traffic lights who are never ready to go when they turn green. Always seems to be a surprise to them and by the time they have registered they can go and done anything about it you are lucky if two cars get through the junction on each light change. ...often because they are checking their text messages while the light is on red... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 People on the tube who turn into the platform entrance and then just STOP. Does it not occur to them that if they want to get onto the platform, others might too? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon2 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 ...often because they are checking their text messages while the light is on red... You know that had not occurred to me! When I'm stuck in a slow queue after a night shift I will be even less tolerant of the idiots now. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Newcombe Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 Little hope for doing anything about "Texting Pedestrians" , I believe. Quite a few States in the US have tried to introduce legislation and have failed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 Jane that's one of my annoyances though try ( on some days at least) to be more tolerant But there are these awkward and weirdly timed traffic lights at Woodingdean ( just outside Brighton) and as soon as they change I'm ready for off even third car back!! Then no.one car is just stationary for what seems like ages......meanwhile my blood pressure is getting dangerously high .....what ARE they doing? The view is not particularly exciting at that point ....so perhaps they are checking their text messages...grrrr.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted November 24, 2016 Author Share Posted November 24, 2016 Even worse is when the traffic lights go green on your side, you start to move and a car whizzes around the corner coming the other way - because you know they must have just jumped a red light... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacqueline Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 A lot of roadworks round our way at the moment along with the temporary traffic lights. One near here has three way lights and a bus stop right in the middle. The wait for a green light is interminable, then if there is a bus and it stops, there is no way round it so the queue and the wait get ever longer. Then the lights change for traffic to come the other way, but it can't move because the bus and all traffic behind it is still coming through. Then you get dirty looks and horns blaring as you come past, as the people you are passing have a green light so they assume you must have gone through on a red, even though you were just stuck behind the bus. All the highway people need do is move the bus stop, but they say people complain about it then being too far to walk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 That is the first time i have ever heard of highway employees listening to the people. Normally, they just take away the bus stop. I would like to nominate a name for Room 101, if they have not already been nominated. Nigel Farage. Do I need to give my reasons? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacqueline Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Well, they say people have complained, but I wonder if they just get a laugh out of not moving the bus stop and the traffic chaos that ensues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Migraine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 I'm not sure whether to "Like" a couple of the most recent posts or not. Seems a bit inappropriate somehow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon2 Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Well, they say people have complained, but I wonder if they just get a laugh out of not moving the bus stop and the traffic chaos that ensues. I'm amazed they haven't had to move the bus stop. What if an emergency vechicle needs to get through? If the oncoming traffic is stopped at the red light not an issue as it will wait for vechicle to get through the roadworks. If oncoming traffic is stuck behind a bus at a stop that is going to add minutes to its response time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacqueline Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 I'm amazed they haven't had to move the bus stop. What if an emergency vechicle needs to get through? If the oncoming traffic is stopped at the red light not an issue as it will wait for vechicle to get through the roadworks. If oncoming traffic is stuck behind a bus at a stop that is going to add minutes to its response time.Good point. This town seems to have several areas where access is a problem even without roadworks. The main road to/from the hospital/town is always busy and takes in a low tunnel under the railway. There is nowhere to give way - a raised walkway with railings on one side and a brick wall on the other - if an emergency vehicle appears. Any alternative route for the ambulance is a very long way round, almost certainly just as congested and could be the difference between life and death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Sorry while we're on cars and roads Another thing that annoys me is people who lose speed whilst changing gears ....so,they move off at the lights with a perfectly clear road ahead of them and then almost come to a stop whilst they change to second gear or whatever! When I learned to drive I got shouted at by the instructor if I did this ......and also if I didn't get cracking once the lights had changed ....given no obstructions ahead etc..... I had eight months of him before he was prepared to put me in for my test so some things have stuck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porthesia Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 And another vote for Southern Rail, train 40 minutes late today so DD had to cancel her physio in London. Only date they can give her is very late on 28th December which they are not on strike for at the moment which is a shame as they actually run better when the conductors are on strike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 According to the poster on my station concourse Southern are striking 22nd-24th December, bad news for me as I panned to catch a 5am train to Gatwick from East Croydon on Christmas eve. I'm starting to worry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 May I please put all leaf-blowing machines into Room 101? 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melody Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 Oh, definitely. Such a stupid waste - all they ever seem to do is move leaves around, and as soon as there's any wind they scatter again. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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