Room 101 open for deposits.....

This is the place for posts that don't fit into any other category.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
User avatar
mickthemaverick
Donor 2024
Posts: 13523
Joined: 11 May 2019, 17:56
Location: Hertford
My Cars: 70+ former cars (list available) including 11 Citroens, 3 Renaults
Current cars: 2004 Subaru Legacy 2.5 SEn, 1994 Mazda MX3
x 6011

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by mickthemaverick »

Not as such Marc. Apparently the fact that he could see she had attempted to transfer the full amount and only been able to send £1000, he accepted her normal card details as proof of her id and completed the balance transfer for her!! It would have been no problem at all had it not been for the 45 minutes it took to actually get through to speak to a human!! Within 2 minutes of getting through the transaction was complete!!

The basic issue here is that the banks simply do not take the measurements in Erlangs of the incoming telephone traffic and provide sufficient staff to answer within an acceptable time scale. In the old days we used to continually monitor incoming calls to the operator and the directory enquiries desk to ensure that ALL calls were answered within target time. As I remember it the targets were 999 - 3 seconds, 100 15 seconds, 192 20 seconds. Generally those targets were met by ensuring sufficient staffed positions, which in the case of Watford ATE meant 12 fully manned to take 999 and 100 and up to 38 further positions available at peak times. The directory enquiries desk sited along the centre of the Switchboard Room had 8 positions of which usually only 5 or 6 operators were needed to meet the target response time. There were 4 separate positions which dealt with 191 General enquiries although traffic was pretty low on those!! How times have changed!! :( :(
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
User avatar
GiveMeABreak
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 37005
Joined: 15 Sep 2015, 19:38
Location: West Wales
My Cars: C3 Aircross SUV HDi Flair Peperoncino Red (The Chili Hornet)
C5 X7 2.0 HDi Exclusive Mativoire Beige (The Golden Hornet)
C3 1.6 HDi Exclusive Aluminium Grey (The Silver Hornet)
C5 MK II 2.0 HDi Exclusive Obsidian Black
C5 MK I 2.0 HDi SX Wicked Red
Xantia S2 2.0 HDi SX Hermes Red
C15 Romahome White
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Emerald Green Pearlescent
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Polar White
XM 2.0 SX Polar White
CX 20 Polar White
GS 1220 Geranium Red
CX 2.4 Prestige C-Matic Nevada Beige
GS 1000 Cedreat Yellow
x 5646

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by GiveMeABreak »

Indeed - I myself could not get through to a landline number in Plymouth - phone did not ring - just dead - had this issue to date. Tried to get hold of 151 - seems that is now automated and prattles on about your broadband or landline - totally irrelevant. Tried the Operator - waited an age for her to tell me that is not a BT number! So essentially there is nothing I can do to report a fault with a number.

Here's the thing - out of frustration I tried to call the number from my mobile - started ringing and was answered straight away???? Back to my BT landline - still cannot call the number - dead.

I tried telling them there is an issue with their landline (when I got through from a mobile), but they refuse to accept that saying they are getting calls all the time. If somebody wants to try it just to see if it starts ringing, then it may help me determine if there is a fault here or there. I can call other landlines no problems.

Edit: I just solved it - we have permanent number withheld on our phone - and so I temporarily overrode it when calling and it went through. Another useless company that is so buried int heir tech that they can't be bothered to let callers with this option know that they need to unblock their number before making the call! So I am putting in the iOutlet into room 101 for wasting 2 weeks of my time.
Please Don't PM Me For Technical Help

Marc
User avatar
GiveMeABreak
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 37005
Joined: 15 Sep 2015, 19:38
Location: West Wales
My Cars: C3 Aircross SUV HDi Flair Peperoncino Red (The Chili Hornet)
C5 X7 2.0 HDi Exclusive Mativoire Beige (The Golden Hornet)
C3 1.6 HDi Exclusive Aluminium Grey (The Silver Hornet)
C5 MK II 2.0 HDi Exclusive Obsidian Black
C5 MK I 2.0 HDi SX Wicked Red
Xantia S2 2.0 HDi SX Hermes Red
C15 Romahome White
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Emerald Green Pearlescent
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Polar White
XM 2.0 SX Polar White
CX 20 Polar White
GS 1220 Geranium Red
CX 2.4 Prestige C-Matic Nevada Beige
GS 1000 Cedreat Yellow
x 5646

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by GiveMeABreak »

BT or Open Reach - take your pick.

As many of you will know the PSTN gets dumped by 2025 - so all landlines with copper lines are going it seems.

My neighbour who has only just got fibre was sent a text message (no letter, no call, just an SMS!) to tell her to plug her phone into the back of her Smart Hub as they are switching her to digital calling. I think that's a disgrace to start with - what would happen if there is no mobile signal (we can only get a bar from one company here)? Would they just switch them off without any further contact?

Next, this is going to be an issue for people like me who prefer to use their own routers instead of the junk 'Smart' hubs BT dish out with locked down firmware and open back door holes for BT engineers to get in.

Even If my router supports Digital phone connections and management, BT or Open Reach are presently not releasing the configuration data for allowing this.

So unless this policy changes it is going to be people who want their own routers and who also want a landline who will have to re-install a wretched Smart Hub to connect the phone to.

As it turns out there are ways to get around this by using the Smart Hub as the main Router, but putting in your connected routers into the DMZ zone and tweaking the port forwarding so that the Smart Hub does nothing except pass everything to your other routers. It can be a bit fiddly, but seems like the only option to maintain privacy and control over your own network.
Please Don't PM Me For Technical Help

Marc
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

What size is the Allen Key slot at the top of both front struts fitted to the Renault Clio 2 in my maintenance fleet?
Well it is bigger than a 6mm and it is less than a 7mm.

What size is the biggest offset spanner in my tool box? 19mm. What size is the top mounting nut on each suspension strut on the Renault Clio 2 in my maintenance fleet...21 mm.

So off to the local indy goes a broken spring job, pretty much the same as I had recently done on the Micra myself.
The enthusiasm of wrestling with grinding off strut top nuts expired with the MIcra job.

So into room 101 goes the generality of "ridiculous sizes of tools required for simple dismantling", with exhibit A being the 6.5mm Allen key or bit, and indeed the oversized 21mm nut on those strut tops.

REgards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
User avatar
mickthemaverick
Donor 2024
Posts: 13523
Joined: 11 May 2019, 17:56
Location: Hertford
My Cars: 70+ former cars (list available) including 11 Citroens, 3 Renaults
Current cars: 2004 Subaru Legacy 2.5 SEn, 1994 Mazda MX3
x 6011

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by mickthemaverick »

NewcastleFalcon wrote: 22 Jul 2021, 18:52
So into room 101 goes the generality of "ridiculous sizes of tools required for simple dismantling", with exhibit A being the 6.5mm Allen key or bit, and indeed the oversized 21mm nut on those strut tops.

REgards Neil
100% agree with you there Neil, but we all know the real reason - trying to keep the main stealer servicing department in business. :evil: Of course it doesn't really work because anyone who discovers the issue is going to be a DIYer like us and the backup is never going to be a main dealer!! :-D
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
User avatar
bobins
Donor 2023
Posts: 5697
Joined: 05 Jul 2012, 18:07
Location: Midhurst, West Sussex
My Cars: Kia Sportage
Mazda BT-50
Land Rover SIII SWB
V-F-R800
SL320
MX5
x 2871

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by bobins »

You might find that your Allen key slot might actually be a crudded up Torx bit hole requiring some cleaning and redefining as they can look remarkably similar after many years of neglect. Been there, done that #-o :roll:
Sadly no longer a C5 owner :(
User avatar
mickthemaverick
Donor 2024
Posts: 13523
Joined: 11 May 2019, 17:56
Location: Hertford
My Cars: 70+ former cars (list available) including 11 Citroens, 3 Renaults
Current cars: 2004 Subaru Legacy 2.5 SEn, 1994 Mazda MX3
x 6011

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by mickthemaverick »

I've been mulling over the concept of allen key/torx key apertures in the end of bolts and realised that the size of the aperture must be quite a precise science. If the aperture is too large the key will be stronger but the surrounding bolt will be weaker. On the other hand make the aperture too small and while the bolt will be much stronger the key will be weaker!! So to enable the necessary torque for the part involved those sizes need to be quite carefully engineered so I may have been a little hasty in my previous summation!! :oops: :-D
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

bobins wrote: 22 Jul 2021, 19:03 You might find that your Allen key slot might actually be a crudded up Torx bit hole requiring some cleaning and redefining as they can look remarkably similar after many years of neglect. Been there, done that #-o :roll:
The holes did get a fair dowsing in brake cleaner, and they certainly appeared to be hex bit shaped. The T40 bit was the tightest fit I had but not right, but really I needed the offset 21mm spanner to make a start anyway. Not a kick in the pants off a 7/8" imperial but didn't have one of them either :-D The 6.5mm hex is also round about 1/4" imperial...yes didn't have one of them either. :-D

Didn't take much convincing to sub-contract out the job :-D

REgards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
User avatar
myglaren
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 25366
Joined: 02 Mar 2008, 13:30
Location: Washington
My Cars: Mazda 6
Ooops.
Previously:
2009 Honda Civic :(
C5, C5, Xantia, BX, GS, Visa.
R4, R11TXE, R14, R30TX
x 4888

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by myglaren »

1606339988761.png
User avatar
GiveMeABreak
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 37005
Joined: 15 Sep 2015, 19:38
Location: West Wales
My Cars: C3 Aircross SUV HDi Flair Peperoncino Red (The Chili Hornet)
C5 X7 2.0 HDi Exclusive Mativoire Beige (The Golden Hornet)
C3 1.6 HDi Exclusive Aluminium Grey (The Silver Hornet)
C5 MK II 2.0 HDi Exclusive Obsidian Black
C5 MK I 2.0 HDi SX Wicked Red
Xantia S2 2.0 HDi SX Hermes Red
C15 Romahome White
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Emerald Green Pearlescent
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Polar White
XM 2.0 SX Polar White
CX 20 Polar White
GS 1220 Geranium Red
CX 2.4 Prestige C-Matic Nevada Beige
GS 1000 Cedreat Yellow
x 5646

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by GiveMeABreak »

I wished I'd known - I've just had a major blitz of 3 garages and I've got tools coming out of places I won't mention. Things like 20 spanners the same size, a thousand sockets from various kits over the years, gadgets and all in one thingies with knives, allen keys and other contraptions all built in - and I've been vowing to go through it all as I can't move. Suffice it to say I have shoved all of it bar the bare essentials in the room 101 Annex, the 101 Foundry, never to be seen again.
Please Don't PM Me For Technical Help

Marc
Gibbo2286
(Donor 2020)
Posts: 7171
Joined: 08 Jun 2011, 18:04
Location: GL15***
My Cars: 2006 C5 2.0 Litre HDI VTR Automatic Estate.(now sold on)
Currently Renault Zoe 2014 ZE
x 2500

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by Gibbo2286 »

You seem to have forgotten imperial sizes, a quarter inch Allen key is 6.35mm . :)
Man is, by nature, a lazy beast, he does not need twice encouraging to do nothing.
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Gibbo2286 wrote: 23 Jul 2021, 09:46 You seem to have forgotten imperial sizes, a quarter inch Allen key is 6.35mm . :)
6.5mm is round about 1/4"
Close whats 0.15mm amongst friends :-D

I was less accurate with my 7/8ths for 21mm, a 13/16ths offset spanner would have been closer :-D Anyone got one of them lying around, prizes for the first picture :-D

Regards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
RichardW
Forum Treasurer
Posts: 10814
Joined: 07 Aug 2002, 17:12
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars: MK2 '17 C4GP 1.6 BlueHDi 120
'13 3008 1.6 HDi GripControl
x 984

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by RichardW »

NewcastleFalcon wrote: 23 Jul 2021, 09:55
I was less accurate with my 7/8ths for 21mm, a 13/16ths offset spanner would have been closer :-D Anyone got one of them lying around, prizes for the first picture :-D

Regards Neil
I am pretty sure that I have done 5 front springs (Mk1 C4 Pic, 307, 3008) which have a 21mm nut on the inside mount buried under the windscreen wiper motors / mechs with an imperial spanner as I don't have a 21mm offset ring :-D
Richard W
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

bobins wrote: 22 Jul 2021, 19:03 You might find that your Allen key slot might actually be a crudded up Torx bit hole requiring some cleaning and redefining as they can look remarkably similar after many years of neglect. Been there, done that #-o :roll:
You were right,

..and while the offside one looked more like a rounded off hex, the one I did today was indeed a T40 Torx on closer inspection and a tight enough fit for a Torx key I had, and together with a bit of luck and creativity the job was done as posted on "Toolbag Tales" :-D

viewtopic.php?p=692402#p692402

Regards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Room 101 open for deposits.....

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Town Driving in general, and specifically traffic lights which have an amber phase which appears to last a microsecond.

I'll have to have a little review see if I have dumped it before. Drove into Central-ish Newcastle today for the first time in ages. I used to do it regularly, was very familiar with the junctions/speed limits/bus lanes at that time, and the idiosyncrasies of "lanes to get into" well before you find out the inside lane is for left turn only, not straight-on and left, and ditto for the right hand lane.

Emerging from the city limits onto the open road, and country roads was sigh of relief time. Town driving metaphorically is a period of being ordered around and watched. Do this, do that, don't go there, don't stop here, stop/start, slow down speed up, speed cameras/red light cameras/CCTV controlled parking, you will be clamped, no entry, bus lane (9.00am to 7pm every day) etc etc.

REgards Neil

Edit Yes Thought I had put a similar aspect of Auld Reekie into 101 before
NewcastleFalcon wrote: 10 Nov 2018, 08:55 Well I am loathed to put Edinburgh in Room 101 as in general it has a special place for me and I have wandered virtually every nook and cranny of it over the years and know it well.

Its been a while since I have driven into it and attempted to park though!

Was heading for the Grassmarket to a particular cake and coffee place I had read about, but abandoned it after a frustrating drive hampered by bus lanes/ traffic lights/ illogical routes and lane markings/ no entries/ no left of right turns etc etc, and when you did get within 400 metres of your intended destination £4 an hour parking if you could find any, and construction vehicles occupying 90% of the potential spaces!

Time to take our well-earned dollar away from Edinburgh Centre, headed out to Stockbridge for coffee and cake at Artisan Roast (excellent coffee!) got parked easily enough in the £2.20 an hour zone and strangely for me thought well that's not bad.

So what goes into room 101?

The Towns and cities around the country which conspire to make it difficult for the visitor to visit.

Regards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
Post Reply