The All New Gripes Thread

[2cvbloke]

I don't expect to buy a new car and then spend half my time trying to get it started. Maybe in the 70's....

Remember that the technology of a lawnmower engine IS of that of a car from the 1970s, well, much earlier infact as the basic engine design has changed very little since the first early gas vapour internal combustion engines were developed...

It'd be far too costly to have multipoint, common rail injection with electronically timed ignition on such a small thing, so the basic carburetted designs remain king...

The only gripe I have with my mower (Aldi/Lidl "Gardenline" speshul with a Briggs & Stratton 575EX engine) is the auto-choke which stays on for too long, but shall modify that this year with a manual choke...

 

[pgh13]

I used to use Flymo but they really were crap. The thing with rotary mowers is the grass needs to be fairly dry or it sticks to inside.

I'm stingy when it comes to lawn mowers. I've been using my dad's old Flymo for over 10 years, but last year I treated it to a new blade. Waste of money.... it's as soft as sh1t. Probably a 'elf n safety requirement, that they can't be hardened (or just a rip off mild steel part)

 

[Captain Jack]

Remember that the technology of a lawnmower engine IS of that of a car from the 1970s, well, much earlier infact as the basic engine design has changed very little since the first early gas vapour internal combustion engines were developed...

Indeed. It smells of my uncle's Lada that he had in the 80's when we had to roll it down a hill in the winter to get it started. The battery was clearly not man enough to turn over an engine in -20C....

 

[2cvbloke]

The battery was clearly not man enough to turn over an engine in -20C....

I guess he didn't feel like using the hand-crank starter then...

There's a Ford Sierra at the top of this street that smells worse than my lawnmower, reeks of petrol, and when it drives by smells like it's running richer than cream...

 

[Captain Jack]

And speaking of progress... my wife's Suzuki Swift something-or-other has a "keyless" start system, which is the most pointless thing in the world. Especially as it's not a keyless entry - you still have to take the key out, press a button to unlock the doors ... only to put them away. Whenever I drive it, I always want to shove the thing into a key hole that's not there. You still turn the "mechanism" to start the engine, so it's not even the stop-start button thing.

That you get in Honda Civics... you have to put the key in and then push a button next to start it. Argh! Just.... why?!

 

[Archive4]

And speaking of progress... my wife's Suzuki Swift something-or-other has a "keyless" start system, which is the most pointless thing in the world. Especially as it's not a keyless entry - you still have to take the key out, press a button to unlock the doors ... only to put them away. Whenever I drive it, I always want to shove the thing into a key hole that's not there. You still turn the "mechanism" to start the engine, so it's not even the stop-start button thing.

That you get in Honda Civics... you have to put the key in and then push a button next to start it. Argh! Just.... why?!

Microsoft school of engineering!

 

[Captain Jack]

Microsoft school of engineering!

Well spotted.

 

[Lazarus]

I take Fatal Exception to all this bolshie talk .......

 

[Archive4]

I take Fatal Exception to all this bolshie talk .......

Perhaps this is more to your liking!

 

[TJExcalibur]

I get annoyed when ads state up to //%. In a survey up to 86% agree in a sample of 344 women. Is it 86% or is it 10% or is it the average. Bloody hell I am getting grumpy as I get older......

 

[Archive4]

Of course, it would depend if your average ls mean, median or mode.
As for 86% of 344 women ever agreeing is statistically unlikely!

 

[Lazarus]

Exactly how Statistically Unlikely?

We should be told.

 

[Archive4]

I could bore you all to death explaining this using various mathematical terms and calculations. Let alone the three averages, I could go down the road of logarithm rules, simultaneous or even quadratic equations to explain it. But, there is a far easier way to prove it.
Over the years, we have all been out to many a Christmas Dinner dance, or Pigeon Club Dinner, Works outing, etc,etc etc.

" Have you seen what she´s wearing this evening! "
If you get 25% to reach agreement your bloody lucky, 86% NFC

 

[Archive4]

Of course, on occasions, mathematics can be taken too far, even for me!

Calculation puts a lid on bickering over toilet seat

 

[pgh13]

And speaking of progress... my wife's Suzuki Swift something-or-other has a "keyless" start system, which is the most pointless thing in the world. Especially as it's not a keyless entry - you still have to take the key out, press a button to unlock the doors ... only to put them away. Whenever I drive it, I always want to shove the thing into a key hole that's not there. You still turn the "mechanism" to start the engine, so it's not even the stop-start button thing.

That you get in Honda Civics... you have to put the key in and then push a button next to start it. Argh! Just.... why?!

A few years ago we had a company car in the US that had keyless start, which was clever. You walked up to it and you could keep the key in your pocket, the car would sense proximity and allow the doors to open and, I think, you put foot on brake and car into gear and the engine started. Too clever for humans though. On one occasion I handed the car to someone else and they were quite a few miles away before it was realised I'd still got the key in my pocket

 

[PaulR]

Fabulous boy's toy.

Turns this




Into this



Takes the best part of a day even with mechanical help.

 

[Captain Jack]

What else can I moan about...? Oh yes, postage charges. First they give you a price to send a parcel and then they put on extras on top of it, like "cover" for in case it gets damaged?! I am not giving you a parcel to play football with it - I am giving you the parcel to get to it final destination safely. Why should I have to pay extra for what should be a standard service?

Paul - that looks like an excellent playing field for large satellite dishes....

 

[PaulR]

Paul - that looks like an excellent playing field for large satellite dishes....

Don't think I haven't thought about it.

The problem is that not all of the field is my property. The bit you can see me cutting is actually next door's - I was doing them a favour cutting it. The other view shows the bottom field and I own about half of it in a strange L shape.. The best place for the dish (I have paced it out for best "look" at extreme SW) would be just around the corner of the L but slap bang in their line of sight.

Now I know we're all captivated by the sight of a large dish but there are strange people who don't see the beauty in them. It's further complicated by our new neighbours having just split up and the house going on the for sale market next month. Who knows what our new neighbours might think.

 

[Captain Jack]

Getting a planning permission in quick! Then it won't matter what the new owners will think...

 

[PaulR]

Did I mention it's in France?

Slightly different rules there. In fact I'm not even sure what the rules are. Probably involves the Mairie though.