8 minutes ago, Tdci-Peter said:

A few years back, I wanted a state pension forecast.

Funnily enough, that's exactly what I wanted to check!  Martin Lewis mentioned it on his show last week. 

Although I'm nowhere near pension age, I am interested to know how many NI credits I have.

2 hours ago, Tdci-Peter said:

"checking with credit reference agencies", took ages and just said it could not identify me

If your name is hidden from the public version of the Voters Roll then that could have been the problem. Apparently the one of the credit reference agencies that the government use cannot Identify you if that is the case.

One of my brothers had a similar problem in 2020 when he tried to order an online Covid test, he couldn't and on checking up why that was the reason.

3 hours ago, Tizer said:

If your name is hidden from the public version of the Voters Roll then that could have been the problem. Apparently the one of the credit reference agencies that the government use cannot Identify you if that is the case.

One of my brothers had a similar problem in 2020 when he tried to order an online Covid test, he couldn't and on checking up why that was the reason.

I had the opposite problem. I was identified ok but  I was 2 people at the same time in 2 different locations according to credit ref agency. All sorted out now though. 

Anyone had problems with Freeview over the last few days?

Seems to be fine during the day but from about 5pm almost every channel is unwatchable due to pixelation and stuttering.  BBC stations are watchable but still getting a bit pixelated.

I know Jimps mentioned about WiFi masts recently but surely that wouldn't only affect it at night?

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

Anyone had problems with Freeview over the last few days?

Seems to be fine during the day but from about 5pm almost every channel is unwatchable due to pixelation and stuttering.  BBC stations are watchable but still getting a bit pixelated.

I know Jimps mentioned about WiFi masts recently but surely that wouldn't only affect it at night?

Contact freeview themselves [less than useless] then speak to restore tv, they will send a man out with all the gear to check signals and strength, it may take a filter or a new ariel possinle water ingress. All free and gratis. see if  freeview are doing any work on the transmitters or a new BB mast is destroying your signal. explain that its after 5pm. could be a neighbour with a ham radio trashing the airwaves.

A few of my recent dislikes...

1) the scum that stole the catalytic converter from my boss's husband's car at some point last night/early this morning. Parked up in the Crown Plaza Hotel's car park at the NEC and they also hit another car at the same time in the same car park.

2) Lane jumpers. Having just spent ~3 1/2 hours each way to the NEC and back, idiots that jump from one lane to the next, with or without signals, into the smallest of gaps just to 'get ahead' when traffic's stop/start/crawling along. Not sure if it's worse in front of you, or when you catch them within a whisker of taking you from behind!!

Well, this is weird...  Had a text from Vodafone yesterday, saying they were 'sorry I'm leaving' and that services would be cut off...  But I left them 6 months ago.  

Thought it might have been a scam, although it seemed legit, but thought no more of it.

Just checked emails this morning and I've got the same thing in email, so it must be genuine.  Anyone know what might have happened there?  As I say, I left them 6 months ago as far as I'm aware! 

On the plus side, the Freeview signal seems to be back up at full strength without having done anything to it.  We did have a whole day of torrential rain and storms over the weekend, so perhaps it was just the weather (damp, dense air?) that was interfering with the radio waves.

17 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

On the plus side, the Freeview signal seems to be back up at full strength without having done anything to it.  We did have a whole day of torrential rain and storms over the weekend, so perhaps it was just the weather (damp, dense air?) that was interfering with the radio waves.

I'd still make them aware, of potential issues from the mast serving you.

Anyone managed to get Peter Kay tickets this morning then?

Wanted to buy a pair as a Xmas gift but no chance...230,000 people in the online queue by the time I joined it!  

(Sadly, some/many of the tickets were bought by selfish ar*eholes to resell immediately on other websites at ridiculous prices.  That's what I don't like!)

I don't like the downside of holidaying in Spain! No water in the apartment this evening!

I was so looking forward to a cup of tea at supper time as well but I had to make do with a can of lager instead! 😀

1 minute ago, Turvey said:

I don't like the downside of holidaying in Spain! No water in the apartment this evening!

I was so looking forward to a cup of tea at supper time as well but I had to make do with a can of lager instead! 😀

It's a hard life you lead , we all feel sorry for you. I'm sure you will struggle on. 

Thought I was on a bombing run a few mins ago , Hercules flying low near the house. Thought I had skid marks on the roof the noise it made!!! That was low and slow. 

On 11/14/2022 at 8:49 PM, iantt said:

Thought I was on a bombing run a few mins ago , Hercules flying low near the house. Thought I had skid marks on the roof the noise it made!!! That was low and slow. 

Coincidentally, just had 2 Apache gunship helicopters narrowly miss my chimney. Are we on some sort of high alert because @StephenFord has made comments about Putin on another thread?

 

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Coincidentally, just had 2 Apache gunship helicopters narrowly miss my chimney. Are we on some sort of high alert because @StephenFord has made comments about Putin on another thread?

Ya wimp LOL Growing up in NI, I always had the sound of helicopters flying at all hours of the day/night! 

11 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

Ya wimp LOL Growing up in NI, I always had the sound of helicopters flying at all hours of the day/night! 

Actually we do here, lots of training flights go over this area, usually RAF Pumas and Chinooks, but the Apaches are flown by the Army - just not usually that low! (Appreciate it wasn't training back in your younger days, though.)

This is in addition to USAF F-15s and Ospreys,  RAF Typhoons, Hercules, Atlas and Globemaster transports, plus we seem to be in a test area for the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight so sightings of Spitfire, Hurricane, Lancaster and Dakota are not unknown. 

Not that I'm complaining, always been interested in military aircraft!

We're also on the flight path for York Racecourse, get lots of civilian helicopters on race days as well.

Currently on holiday in Benalmadena as you may know 😀 frequently see low flying choppers and planes that don't show on Flight Radar etc think they might be Coastguard/immigration control etc 

11 hours ago, Turvey said:

Currently on holiday in Benalmadena as you may know 😀 frequently see low flying choppers and planes that don't show on Flight Radar etc think they might be Coastguard/immigration control etc 

drug dealers avoiding the fuzz ???????

Don't like realising the MOT on the Mk2 runs out a month sooner than I thought. 🤦‍♂️

It's not taxed or insured.  Does anyone know if it could be driven on trade plates like that?

The other options are tax & insure it and see if a relative will take it.  (Is it worth all the hassle & cost?).  Or just let the MOT lapse and leave it as the next owners problem.

(I still haven't managed to open it yet...must have been over a month ago when I tried the RCL and found the battery flat.  Must try and do something with it this weekend!)

6 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Don't like realising the MOT on the Mk2 runs out a month sooner than I thought. 🤦‍♂️

My mums car was due her tax renewal last month, but it needed an MOT & Insurance before I could do it. (The insurance had lapsed as she hasn't been driving it). I managed to buy a 30 day insurance policy for it so I could legally then get an MOT for it (+£200 repairs!), and then I could take the MOT + Insurance Cover note to Post Office to get 12 months tax. The whole procedure is an admin hassle...

13 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Does anyone know if it could be driven on trade plates like that?

Yes it can be driven on trade plates by a garage/motor trader with the purpose of transporting the vehicle to an MOT centre. A private individual can not borrow some trade plates and use them.

13 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Or just let the MOT lapse and leave it as the next owners problem.

On the face of it that would seem like a good idea. However the new owner will have the "chicken and the egg" problem.

They can't legally drive it away without it being Taxed,  MOT'd, and Insured. So they can overcome the Insurance by doing it on line the moment they buy it, and if DVLA no longer require a valid MOT to be able to tax a vehicle then they will also be able to do that on line. Problem then will be they will have to pre-book an MOT and drive immediately from your location to the testing station.

2 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

My mums car was due her tax renewal last month, but it needed an MOT & Insurance before I could do it. (The insurance had lapsed as she hasn't been driving it). I managed to buy a 30 day insurance policy for it so I could legally then get an MOT for it (+£200 repairs!), and then I could take the MOT + Insurance Cover note to Post Office to get 12 months tax. The whole procedure is an admin hassle...

Not quite so bad over here on the paperwork front unless things have changed.  VED can be bought online in a few seconds.  Insurance can be bought on a mobile app (Cuvva) in a couple of minutes.  The biggest hassle will be getting someone else to take it!  If the garage could collect it on trade plates without tax or insurance that would save a bit of hassle...

10 minutes ago, unofix said:

On the face of it that would seem like a good idea. However the new owner will have the "chicken and the egg" problem.

They can't legally drive it away without it being Taxed,  MOT'd, and Insured. So they can overcome the Insurance by doing it on line the moment they buy it, and if DVLA no longer require a valid MOT to be able to tax a vehicle then they will also be able to do that on line. Problem then will be they will have to pre-book an MOT and drive immediately from your location to the testing station.

Thanks Unofix.  Looks like trade plates are an option if the garage still offer collection then.  I'll have to make sure it's in a roadworthy condition first though.  (Possibly optimistic given how little I've managed with it lately.)

Yes, I've definitely considered the sales issue.  Though if the battery is toast, the brakes are seized and the MOT lapses it'll need to be trailered away anyway.  There's also the possibility that I could move before it sells...and it'd need to be driven somewhere else, which would be difficult with no MOT.  (But also impossible with a flat battery etc...and the Golf is currently stuck in it's space with a seized caliper after failing MOT a year ago).  Not quite sure how I keep making situations progressively worse!  

39 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

My mums car was due her tax renewal last month, but it needed an MOT & Insurance before I could do it. (The insurance had lapsed as she hasn't been driving it). I managed to buy a 30 day insurance policy for it so I could legally then get an MOT for it (+£200 repairs!), and then I could take the MOT + Insurance Cover note to Post Office to get 12 months tax. The whole procedure is an admin hassle...

Can you not drive to an MOT if its booked in as you can in the UK, with other legal bits missing ??????

Just now, Jimpster said:

Can you not drive to an MOT if its booked in as you can in the UK, with other legal bits missing ??????

No, you cannot have a car on the road without insurance (however dealer plates would make car covered under their generic insurance) but not private. Also, the car needs to be taxed even to drive to MOT. There is a slight glitch here in that because the MOT system has pretty much collapsed with tests taking 6 months to get an appointment, the Police have agreed to not prosecute for breach of driving without a valid MOT providing you can show evidence that test has been booked for a future date.