Minor Annoyances (Vol 2)

[Tim Healys Chutney Spoon]

5 hours ago, SuperBacon said:

No use now @BomberPat and obviously cash wasn't any use but isn't there a way people can get cash out of an ATM with a code in an emergency, so you don't have to visit an actual branch?

Yes there is with NatWest. You get a code that you enter at the cash machine (within 15mins of the code being generated I believe) and it spurts out cash.

 

Definitley not the best of days for you Pat!

[BomberPat]

13 hours ago, Tim Healys Chutney Spoon said:

Yes there is with NatWest. You get a code that you enter at the cash machine (within 15mins of the code being generated I believe) and it spurts out cash.

I think that's unique to NatWest/RBS Group banks, not something HSBC offer. 

It's all sorted now, anyway; a slight panic on first attempting to use my new Monzo account to buy a bottle of water and it being declined, but on second attempt it worked out fine, and had no issues using it for public transport and several rounds at the pub. Though still a bit mardy about having gone back and forth to work twice in one day, and getting drenched in the rain waiting for a bus I shouldn't have needed. But such is life.


Today's minor annoyance is that I was expecting a Royal Mail delivery today, signed for. The same postman came to our building twice, both times pressing the buzzer to our flat to be let in, and both times just leaving our post at the bottom of the stairs as you enter the building. That's a bit odd, as our usual posties don't do that, they will deliver to our door, and because we're up three flights of stairs I'll usually pop out and meet them halfway up to save them the trek. So I opened the door and saw him leaving my signed for parcel at the bottom of the stairs, taking a photo of it as proof of delivery, and then scribbling something on his pad. Sure enough, I check the tracking status, and it says that my parcel has been signed for, and there's an unintelligible scribble next to "customer signature" and my name. So the postman - knowing that there's someone in, because I let him into the building in the first place - effectively forged my signature, presumably because he couldn't be bothered going upstairs to deliver. 

On one hand, it doesn't really matter in this case, because I've got the parcel. But it's not on, is it? 

[simonworden]

25 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

I think that's unique to NatWest/RBS Group banks, not something HSBC offer. 

It's all sorted now, anyway; a slight panic on first attempting to use my new Monzo account to buy a bottle of water and it being declined, but on second attempt it worked out fine, and had no issues using it for public transport and several rounds at the pub. Though still a bit mardy about having gone back and forth to work twice in one day, and getting drenched in the rain waiting for a bus I shouldn't have needed. But such is life.


Today's minor annoyance is that I was expecting a Royal Mail delivery today, signed for. The same postman came to our building twice, both times pressing the buzzer to our flat to be let in, and both times just leaving our post at the bottom of the stairs as you enter the building. That's a bit odd, as our usual posties don't do that, they will deliver to our door, and because we're up three flights of stairs I'll usually pop out and meet them halfway up to save them the trek. So I opened the door and saw him leaving my signed for parcel at the bottom of the stairs, taking a photo of it as proof of delivery, and then scribbling something on his pad. Sure enough, I check the tracking status, and it says that my parcel has been signed for, and there's an unintelligible scribble next to "customer signature" and my name. So the postman - knowing that there's someone in, because I let him into the building in the first place - effectively forged my signature, presumably because he couldn't be bothered going upstairs to deliver. 

On one hand, it doesn't really matter in this case, because I've got the parcel. But it's not on, is it? 

As someone who was a postman as a teenager I'd strongly suggest calling the sorting office and reporting that. When I was learning as a spotty 16 year old oik I made some cock ups with signed for procedure unintentionally and they had to have a quiet word. The managers were very nice about it.But my job was part time covering a few rounds for older postie's who needed an extra day off, they basically told me I was one step of getting the sack.

Not being serious with the signed for stuff is pretty bad, signing someone else's signature is awful!

[BomberPat]

yeah, I've reported it - my other half used to work for Royal Mail, and was horrified when I told her what had happened. 

Aside from fucking about with signatures, the main thing that stands out to me is that it's clearly the postman trying to take shortcuts - twice not bothering to come upstairs, and then recording something as signed for without actually getting me to sign for it. If they're cutting corners there, what else are they doing?

[King Coconut]

Leave it out gents. There are more important things in life than reporting someone who can't be fucked climbing the stairs that you've decided to live up.

[Doog]

Aye and the postie is probably trying to do you a favour too, mine always signs it for me when in not in and chucks it through the letterbox/leaves it in the shed, otherwise it'd be a right fuck on trying to get it as we're never home between 9 and 5.

Edited January 29, 2025 by Doog

[MVP RULZ]

4 hours ago, Doog said:

Aye and the postie is probably trying to do you a favour too, mine always signs it for me when in not in and chucks it through the letterbox/leaves it in the shed, otherwise it'd be a right fuck on trying to get it as we're never home between 9 and 5.

Think there is a difference In living in a house to living in a flat though.

It's fair game for the most part to leave a parcel in a safe space outside a house (ours usually get left in the outside cupboard we have) though I must admit I've never had a parcel signed for by the driver before and I think I'd have a slight issue with that even if it was left in a safe space

But living in a flat and leaving any package just at the bottom of some stairs seems dodgy on its own and just waiting for it to be stolen but a signed for package just being left is definitely not on in my book.

What if it was stolen? Royal Mail could say well it was signed for, it's the drivers word against yours that it wasn't signed for by the correct person.

Yes the driver would know someone was in and he probably wouldn't have left it if he hadn't been let in to the building but it only takes a second for it to be stolen after it's been left.

[Carbomb]

I dunno, I'd like to hear from @Mr_Danger

[Mr_Danger]

17 minutes ago, Carbomb said:

I dunno, I'd like to hear from @Mr_Danger

First thing I’d do is grab that postie and tell them to never forge a signature. You dws it, delivered without signature then you’ve always got an out with management. Rookie error. I worked with a guy who argued his case that he had delivered someone’s recorded deliveries that they denied receipt of because he’d signed their names and posted them himself. Idiot. Second thing I’d do is ask where the point of delivery for Pat’s flat is. If there’s no letterbox on his door then technically you’d argue that the delivery point is the main entrance door. What’s more is that they told us that we weren’t to take parcels up stairs if there’s no point of delivery. I wouldn’t worry about reporting him, if he’s smart he’ll just say he knew you were on your way down and didn’t want to wait. Shouldn’t be signing your name though, that can easily bite you on the arse. My attitude to doing anything dodgy that generates a complaint is fair enough, everyone gets one and it doesn’t happen again. Now if you complain about folded regular arse mail or loud knocking then your birthday cards are coming a week late and there’s going to be a faint smell of urine on them.

Edited January 29, 2025 by Mr_Danger

[FLips]

Someone has figured out how to change the font on Youtube videos and I don't know why but when I see it, it really bugs me.

[BomberPat]

So the layout is that we have external letterboxes, just outside the front door to the building. But anything bigger than a small packet won't fit, so they have to buzz to be let in. Quite often if there's no answer, they will try one of the other flats buzzers just to get into the building, so we're used to someone ringing ours but only delivering downstairs. If it is for us, I'll generally come downstairs and meet them halfway, and we've got a good relationship with our usual posties, who will always let me know if they need to go up the next flight as well.

I think if it was either of our regulars, we've got an established relationship there, I'll have a chat with them, they know that most days there's someone home, and I wouldn't think anything of it if they made a judgement call about delivery. In itself, leaving stuff at the bottom of the stairs isn't the problem - a lot of the other delivery companies do it (and Evri, bless them, just leave stuff outside the building in full view without even buzzing or trying to deliver, and half the time it's the wrong address anyway), but Royal Mail as a rule don't. And I don't think the "don't take up stairs if there's no point of delivery" thing applies here, because I let him into the building, so he knows there's someone in to take delivery, and he clearly also knows that it's supposed to be signed for, because he signed it. I'd have probably thought nothing of it if it had just been left, but seeing him actively signing for something without even trying to obtain my signature rang some alarm bells.

I'm not begrudging someone trying to have an easier life and take shortcuts at work, we all do it. I don't blame someone avoiding going up two flights of stairs. But when you've paid for something as recorded delivery, there's a reason for that. Again, it's not about the stairs - I'm happy to come downstairs to sign for something at the front door - it's about forging someone's signature that's supposed to act as proof of delivery. 

[Mr_Danger]

Yeah, the no walking up stairs unless there’s a point of delivery only really applies to parcels over a certain size and if there’s no lift. More a health and safety thing I think. Not sure what difference a mail box makes. Obviously you’d explain that to the customer who would come down but to be honest the only kind of flats that have letterboxes on the ground floor usually have lifts or only a couple of flights of stairs so it’s not something I’ve ever known anyone enforce. Technically you’d either leave it somewhere the customer has agreed is a safe location or you’d put a card through. Either don’t apply here as you were on your way down so there was no need to sign or leave the parcel. Surprisingly no one has ever objected to me signing on behalf of them but I’m a pretty good judge of if the person is likely to complain and I’d never do it on documents or anything that doesn’t look like the customer wants it. Loads do it and most other companies do to. It’s not something they usually threaten the sack with anymore unless it’s repeated and it leads to claims. Covid made our jobs a lot easier in that respect. In flats like yours I just take it back as the customer can easily deny receipt. It’s a 5 mile drive from my round to the office to pick it up so that helps.

And that’s how the boring sausage is made.

[air_raid]

On 1/22/2025 at 10:33 AM, air_raid said:

Here's minor for you. A bloke in Mrs raid's team (in his 50s, permanently baffled) is a proven bullshitter and is prone to making his phone calls with customers last as long as possible so he doesn't have to take has many.

Update on this wally. Just caught him saying on the phone "All our numbers will be seven digits long. For example, 5-7-8, 7-1-7-4."

FUCK ME. There's waffle and then there's plain insulting the customer's intelligence!

[hallicks]

5 minutes ago, air_raid said:

Update on this wally. Just caught him saying on the phone "All our numbers will be seven digits long. For example, 5-7-8, 7-1-7-4."

FUCK ME. There's waffle and then there's plain insulting the customer's intelligence!

I did laugh out loud at this, though it must be infuriating to experience IRL. 

[air_raid]

5 minutes ago, hallicks said:

I did laugh out loud at this, though it must be infuriating to experience IRL. 

It's balanced out by the cheap laughs we get from him, he's a full on stereotype of "things were better in my day" and "We had it rough. Inside toilet? You were lucky" like he's 105 rather than 55. And he's oblivious to the fact that his life hasn't been normal. The other day he said to Mrs raid and me (non-breeders) "As a parent, every day your kid isn't brought home by the police is a great day." The silent glances the rest of the parents in the room exchanged were PRICELESS.

Needless to say, I had the last laugh.