One of the clear signs for me that my brain has had enough, is the lethargy. While the brain is active, all is well. I stay talkative, quite focused and alert. But as soon as there is nothing to distract me, I immediately become sleepy. I am guessing it is my brain wanting to switch off before it gets overloaded with thoughts and confusion. The situation is similar in the mornings too. Having become a creature of habit and getting up at 6 something every day for months now, suddenly I wake but in a very different state. Deep tiredness, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep. On a couple of occasions now I have done just that and slept in til around 8am.
Losing focus is very much a big thing for me right now, just writing this is a bit of an effort, with my eyes and mind darting about all over the place, and having to make a conscious effort to stay on track. That said, I am only writing this paragraph as I have completely lost my track.
Today has been on of those days so far for me, and possibly one of the worst in this phase to date. Waking up just before 7am, and doing as I promised myself, getting up and out with the dogs ASAP to try and get back into the stride of things. All went well, good hour walk with the dogs, some fresh air and getting the heart pumping. Got home, fed them, sat down for breakfast, watched a program while I ate.... Then went back to bed. Unable to fight the feeling today, I just had to go with the flow. Yet here I am, after an hours nap, and still yawning like I haven't slept for days. Bags under my eyes, looking like crap, and feeling how I look.
The ever confusing yo-yo feelings of depression strike again. This time yesterday I was full of trepidation and anxiety about meeting a friend for dinner. Nervous about the trip over to West London, lots of people and possible interactions. The train journey over there was spent mainly staring into space when on trains, avoiding looking at people, focusing on the floor most of the time. And the transfers between trains where I had to walk, I mainly stayed close to the wall and walked along looking at it out of the corner of my eye. Sounds weird I know, but I was just along for the ride, my brain did as it pleased.
Turns out though that the evening itself, at two quite relaxed venues, was a good moment of clarity for me, and it felt good to clear my head for a bit, and stay distracted long enough to unwind for a while. A breath of fresh air for sure, and much needed. Proof to myself that I'm still in here somewhere. So thanks to Jason for taking the time out of his day to keep me company, and get my brain working right for a bit. Some interesting conversations for sure, and I even unloaded a few thoughts that I struggle with.
The rest of the time, when I am able to fight the tiredness, I feel like a bit of a zombie right now if I'm honest. As I said before, losing focus on thoughts is an issue. Trying to stay on topic can be a fight. Even watching programs I love can be a chore just trying to concentrate enough to make sense of things.
You know when someone says "clear your mind", something most of us find impossible at the best of times, to think absolutely nothing. But for me, I have moments where it is just that..NOTHING! Like I am rebooting, just staring, with nothing at all going on, until I catch myself, then it is a huge wave of thoughts crashing over me. Much like a real wave, once it passes all that remains is fragments of it. So when my thought wave hits, it is like being bombarded with a whole day of thoughts and emotions at once, and seconds later you are left with tiny pieces which together form nothing. Soaked through with pieces you cannot put together. This if course is followed by deep confusion for an undetermined period of time.
So with all that going on, I am hardly surprised that my brain just wants me to sleep. Lock me and itself away from generating any more thoughts to deal with. Problem there is, no matter how nice sleep is, I don't wake rested, I feel like junk for it, then beat myself up for having wasted time in the day. I have other things I need to get done, but can neither find the motivation nor the concentration to take on some tasks that would otherwise be deemed mundane. So there is a void in the day where there is almost nothing I can do with myself. Walking would be super cool, but I am trying to moderate that as its taking its toll on my feet and achillies, and of course there are a finite number of places I can walk to. Sure I can travel somewhere to walk, but that seems like a chore. Driving or getting public transport is an effort. All that said, the outdoors is calling me, so I might venture out for a while.
Distraction is what I need right now. Non stressful, relaxing distraction. Conversation over coffee, entertainment to keep my mind occupied, so I shall seek to find myself some of that. But you know, just writing that has caused a wave of tiredness, almost like my brain trying to shy away from the idea. So who knows eh.
The plan for me right now, the hours and days ahead is to fight sleeping and inactivity, to focus on getting up at a reasonable time. Structure my day in a way I can stay busy somehow, without exhausting myself and causing more stress. Easier said than done. I am seeing the doctor again in a weeks time, so hopefully I will have levelled out a bit by then, or at least she will be able to make sense of things, and point me in the right direction.
As a footnote, I have to say that last night was one of the hardest battles I have had to get to sleep for a few days now. Just unable to relax my mind, being bombarded with thoughts with no relevance to the day just gone. Overloaded, and all just flashing through my mind, it was a very unwelcome feeling, and one I was hoping had passed for the time being. Guess it shows you never know what to expect when your mind is misbehaving.
Right, this has been enough of a challenge for my tiny mind just getting this far, and trying to make sure it makes sense, so will leave it there.
Thank you to anyone who has shown genuine concern, less so to those who just want to pry or make stupid comments, both sides have a huge impact on coming to terms with the situation.
Showing posts with label idiots. Show all posts
Showing posts with label idiots. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Dear Catriona Stewart and Herald Scotland...
Firstly may I apologise for the poor penmanship and structure of this open letter. I left school before taking any exams, and am therefore illiterate, uneducated and a smear on society. (Lets get the generalisations out of the way early on, eh!)
Now, lets get to the point of this blog entry.
Mid August some stills, and then a video of a man vandalising a car in a supermarket car park went viral. 48 year old Gary Brissett, while out on a walk with his child in a buggy, had taken it upon himself to cause £7,000 of damage to a parked Aston Martin. The reason for this, still unknown as he has not disclosed it in his court appearance to date.
The reason SO many were taken aback by this action varies from social group to social group. There are car enthusiasts who appreciate the beauty of the car, and craftsmanship which goes into every vehicle. There are people who are sick of mindless idiots causing damage to cars, and forcing their insurance premiums up. Then of course there is the majority. Law abiding citizens of the country, with morals and who know right from wrong.
On the flipside you have your eco-loving, mindless, jealous, judgemental fools who feel they can pigeonhole people, and build up a non-existent social structure. Drawing divides, makings judgements on people based on their choice of clothing, food, or transport. I would firmly put Ms Stewart into the latter. (You know what, you are right, it feels good to judge!)
So, somewhere in your deluded mind, while viewing the world through your eco-green coloured glasses, you decided that because a man decided to buy an expensive car, he deserved to fall victim to every narrow-minded vandal that passes by the car. How dare he work hard for a living and treat himself to a material item. How dare he be individual and stand out from the crowd. In fact, there lays the first issue. I assume you have done your research on this, and are sure this car is indeed an outright purchase, and not a company lease, private lease, a very expensive credit agreement?
You applaud and celebrate a criminal act, but then on Twitter claim you don't condone or encourage the action. All while saying "I often feel like keying swanky cars. I particularly feel like keying performance-cars". If nothing else, you glorify the act, and suggest it is rational to want to cause damage to someone else's property, based on your preconceived judgements of the person.
We are in agreement at one point, and that is that there are some people out there who drive like utter arseholes. However to suggest that either it is only performance car drivers, or that ALL performance car drivers fall into this pigeonhole of yours is ludicrous to the extreme. Some of the most horrific high speed accidents in the UK involve non performance cars. In fact I would go as far as to say that had some of the cars involved in some of these accidents had the equipment of a performance car, they may have been able to stop or turn, rather than crashing. When the arse biscuit behind the wheel decided he was a racing driver for the day.
Judging someone simply on a vehicle they drive, while being somewhat uneducated on the whole automotive world (which I will hazard a guess you are) is plain pathetic. To then play judge and jury on a high profile criminal matter, belittle the work done by the Metropolitan Police in finding Mr Brissett. Giving your character reference to the courts suggesting imprisoning poor nasty little Gary will be bad for his child, well that bit is just laughable. Are you familiar with the phrase "roll model"? Or do you think by putting up the hood on the buggy, Mr Brissett was shielding his child from the act, and would never encourage such behaviour from his children as they grow?
Speaking of Mr Brissett and his buggy. Let us focus on that for a moment. Now, I am a little out of touch with fashion in both clothing and baby products, but am reliably informed that Gary was in no way dressed in rags, and the illusive buggy which was used to shield the child from his actions, is in fact close to £1,000 in value.
Now, taking the buggy for an example. Am I to assume by you fussy judgemental logic, that a person of lesser stature is well within their rights to put a slash down the side of the unoccupied buggy, based on someone daring to have such a materialistic item? Oh of course, that's right. On Twitter when asked about similar actions based on spending obnoxious amounts of money on an item, deserving it to be vandalised, you switched back to the "boy-racer" argument.
So which is it? Do people who drive like prize idiots on the public road deserve to have their car vandalised, or do people who work hard in life and reward themselves with a nice car deserve to have their cars wrecked?
The whole reason this case gained such public support isn't because it was the middle classes rising up against the social scum of urban society. If you are not familiar with London streets, inner and outer, there are plenty of cars which are priced £50k and up, sports car, luxury cars, they are all there. Not a rare nor eye catching sight.
No, the reason it got the support it did, was because a nasty spiteful little piece of work, was caught bang to rights, lining up the offence, preparing for it, and carrying it out. All in glorious HD thanks to modern tech and dash cams. For the majority of people, actually watching someone carry out such an act is almost sickening. It angers people to see someone who believes they can judge someone, and in turn punish someone.
Suggesting the choice of car is in some way making up for a shortfall in his manhood. How very 1970's of you. Women drive Aston Martin's too you know. As well as Bentley's, Porsche's and other expensive cars. What do the cars say about these women? They have loose vagina's and a mono-brow? And by driving one it somehow makes us overlook this issues with them.
Not everyone is quite as judgemental as you think they are. Sure we all make brash judgements on some people who thrust themselves to our attention. Take you for example. I would guess that 90% of people who read your article think you are a lonely, bitter, electric car driving, cat loving, readymeal eating, Katie Hopkins wannabee, eco-loony. Probably all wrong, but hey, it's fun to judge, right?
Now some facts. You say you can't spend more on a car than a house. Well again. This is London, if you can find houses for under £100,000 which are habitable, I suggest you snap them up now, as there has clearly been a mistake in its pricing.
Racing along suburban streets, again, a bit of a myth really. With speed humps and traffic calming increasing at a rapid rate, the idea of speeding around London is a thing of the past. Especially given the traffic. Sure it clears up and there is the odd occasional chance to squirt it, but that's hardly an everyday thing. Of course, it is easy to forget, which the UK's rich racing heritage, just how many race tracks and airfields there are to use these high-performance penis extensions on.
You don't get boy racers in a Fiat 500.. Nope, you are right, because they are girls cars! (Sorry I got all judgemental again there. Wow it really gets a hold of you doesn't it!)
The Fiat 500 Abarth, with 160bhp, 0-60 in the mid 7's, top speed of 130mph (almost double the UK limit) and coughing out 155g/km Hmmm no potential to be an arse biscuit in that now is there?
Your summary will draw my blog to a neat close I think. Suggesting that "ostentatious cars" are somehow a symbol of all that is wrong in the country. Forming an opinion on someone based on the car they drive, I would argue, is far worse.
It is in fact those who feel they can pre-judge someone, and understand everything there is to know about someone. Their wealth, morals, social position, purely based on what car they drive. THAT is where things go wrong. Not giving people a chance, taking no interest in a person, but merely the material objects which surround them. Deciding in a split second that you indeed stand on the moral high ground. My god, the irony is all too much.
Without knowing a single thing about someone, you have decided they because of the car they drive, they are beneath you, and idiots like Mr Brissett should take the law into their own hands, and serve a sentence on said person. To write such a piece, and for the media outlet to then publish it simply perpetuates everything that is wrong with this country. Not an economic divide with the wealthy brushing away the poor and working class. But narrow minded, big mouthed idiots with a little bit of an audience, inciting others in to acts of stupidity, while banging the social divide, tax the rich drum.
Take a moment longer to know someone, before judging them. A little consideration goes a long way.
Yours sincerely
Smart Car driving wanker.
Now, lets get to the point of this blog entry.
Mid August some stills, and then a video of a man vandalising a car in a supermarket car park went viral. 48 year old Gary Brissett, while out on a walk with his child in a buggy, had taken it upon himself to cause £7,000 of damage to a parked Aston Martin. The reason for this, still unknown as he has not disclosed it in his court appearance to date.
The reason SO many were taken aback by this action varies from social group to social group. There are car enthusiasts who appreciate the beauty of the car, and craftsmanship which goes into every vehicle. There are people who are sick of mindless idiots causing damage to cars, and forcing their insurance premiums up. Then of course there is the majority. Law abiding citizens of the country, with morals and who know right from wrong.
On the flipside you have your eco-loving, mindless, jealous, judgemental fools who feel they can pigeonhole people, and build up a non-existent social structure. Drawing divides, makings judgements on people based on their choice of clothing, food, or transport. I would firmly put Ms Stewart into the latter. (You know what, you are right, it feels good to judge!)
So, somewhere in your deluded mind, while viewing the world through your eco-green coloured glasses, you decided that because a man decided to buy an expensive car, he deserved to fall victim to every narrow-minded vandal that passes by the car. How dare he work hard for a living and treat himself to a material item. How dare he be individual and stand out from the crowd. In fact, there lays the first issue. I assume you have done your research on this, and are sure this car is indeed an outright purchase, and not a company lease, private lease, a very expensive credit agreement?
You applaud and celebrate a criminal act, but then on Twitter claim you don't condone or encourage the action. All while saying "I often feel like keying swanky cars. I particularly feel like keying performance-cars". If nothing else, you glorify the act, and suggest it is rational to want to cause damage to someone else's property, based on your preconceived judgements of the person.
We are in agreement at one point, and that is that there are some people out there who drive like utter arseholes. However to suggest that either it is only performance car drivers, or that ALL performance car drivers fall into this pigeonhole of yours is ludicrous to the extreme. Some of the most horrific high speed accidents in the UK involve non performance cars. In fact I would go as far as to say that had some of the cars involved in some of these accidents had the equipment of a performance car, they may have been able to stop or turn, rather than crashing. When the arse biscuit behind the wheel decided he was a racing driver for the day.
Judging someone simply on a vehicle they drive, while being somewhat uneducated on the whole automotive world (which I will hazard a guess you are) is plain pathetic. To then play judge and jury on a high profile criminal matter, belittle the work done by the Metropolitan Police in finding Mr Brissett. Giving your character reference to the courts suggesting imprisoning poor nasty little Gary will be bad for his child, well that bit is just laughable. Are you familiar with the phrase "roll model"? Or do you think by putting up the hood on the buggy, Mr Brissett was shielding his child from the act, and would never encourage such behaviour from his children as they grow?
Speaking of Mr Brissett and his buggy. Let us focus on that for a moment. Now, I am a little out of touch with fashion in both clothing and baby products, but am reliably informed that Gary was in no way dressed in rags, and the illusive buggy which was used to shield the child from his actions, is in fact close to £1,000 in value.
Now, taking the buggy for an example. Am I to assume by you fussy judgemental logic, that a person of lesser stature is well within their rights to put a slash down the side of the unoccupied buggy, based on someone daring to have such a materialistic item? Oh of course, that's right. On Twitter when asked about similar actions based on spending obnoxious amounts of money on an item, deserving it to be vandalised, you switched back to the "boy-racer" argument.
So which is it? Do people who drive like prize idiots on the public road deserve to have their car vandalised, or do people who work hard in life and reward themselves with a nice car deserve to have their cars wrecked?
The whole reason this case gained such public support isn't because it was the middle classes rising up against the social scum of urban society. If you are not familiar with London streets, inner and outer, there are plenty of cars which are priced £50k and up, sports car, luxury cars, they are all there. Not a rare nor eye catching sight.
No, the reason it got the support it did, was because a nasty spiteful little piece of work, was caught bang to rights, lining up the offence, preparing for it, and carrying it out. All in glorious HD thanks to modern tech and dash cams. For the majority of people, actually watching someone carry out such an act is almost sickening. It angers people to see someone who believes they can judge someone, and in turn punish someone.
Suggesting the choice of car is in some way making up for a shortfall in his manhood. How very 1970's of you. Women drive Aston Martin's too you know. As well as Bentley's, Porsche's and other expensive cars. What do the cars say about these women? They have loose vagina's and a mono-brow? And by driving one it somehow makes us overlook this issues with them.
Not everyone is quite as judgemental as you think they are. Sure we all make brash judgements on some people who thrust themselves to our attention. Take you for example. I would guess that 90% of people who read your article think you are a lonely, bitter, electric car driving, cat loving, readymeal eating, Katie Hopkins wannabee, eco-loony. Probably all wrong, but hey, it's fun to judge, right?
Now some facts. You say you can't spend more on a car than a house. Well again. This is London, if you can find houses for under £100,000 which are habitable, I suggest you snap them up now, as there has clearly been a mistake in its pricing.
Racing along suburban streets, again, a bit of a myth really. With speed humps and traffic calming increasing at a rapid rate, the idea of speeding around London is a thing of the past. Especially given the traffic. Sure it clears up and there is the odd occasional chance to squirt it, but that's hardly an everyday thing. Of course, it is easy to forget, which the UK's rich racing heritage, just how many race tracks and airfields there are to use these high-performance penis extensions on.
You don't get boy racers in a Fiat 500.. Nope, you are right, because they are girls cars! (Sorry I got all judgemental again there. Wow it really gets a hold of you doesn't it!)
The Fiat 500 Abarth, with 160bhp, 0-60 in the mid 7's, top speed of 130mph (almost double the UK limit) and coughing out 155g/km Hmmm no potential to be an arse biscuit in that now is there?
Your summary will draw my blog to a neat close I think. Suggesting that "ostentatious cars" are somehow a symbol of all that is wrong in the country. Forming an opinion on someone based on the car they drive, I would argue, is far worse.
It is in fact those who feel they can pre-judge someone, and understand everything there is to know about someone. Their wealth, morals, social position, purely based on what car they drive. THAT is where things go wrong. Not giving people a chance, taking no interest in a person, but merely the material objects which surround them. Deciding in a split second that you indeed stand on the moral high ground. My god, the irony is all too much.
Without knowing a single thing about someone, you have decided they because of the car they drive, they are beneath you, and idiots like Mr Brissett should take the law into their own hands, and serve a sentence on said person. To write such a piece, and for the media outlet to then publish it simply perpetuates everything that is wrong with this country. Not an economic divide with the wealthy brushing away the poor and working class. But narrow minded, big mouthed idiots with a little bit of an audience, inciting others in to acts of stupidity, while banging the social divide, tax the rich drum.
Take a moment longer to know someone, before judging them. A little consideration goes a long way.
Yours sincerely
Smart Car driving wanker.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Dear Enterprise Rent a Car....
I have just received a letter from your Traffic Violations Department regarding a traffic violation during my last rental with yourselves.
So before I get started, let me post a couple of pictures and see if someone other than the idiot that compiled the letter can work out what is wrong. I would not usually call someone an idiot for a 'simple' error, but as you will see, it has a far deeper impact than that.
So here goes.... I will go a bit easier on you in following blogs if you can spot it in under 30 seconds.
Got it.
If not, please join the issuer of the letter in the corner, and take it in turns to share the hat.
If so, then lets proceed.
Now, there are a couple of ways this could work, so lets explore.
Essex might have the date of the offence on their letter wrong (along with the automated reference number which also contains the date) If so, and the offence did indeed take place on 22nd Feb 2014 as your letter to me suggests, then I would have indeed have been in possession of the car at that time. Darn it!
Oh hold on.... May I bring your attention to this..
https://twitter.com/MichaelSnasdell/status/437175757023215616
Now while I know its not actual proof, for me to have been in Snowdonia at 10.43, sending the series of tweets that I did, and then be on Thremhall Ave in Essex 30 mins later, I must have done a bit more than 69 in a 50 I tell you.
Allow me to dumb is down a bit.. I was 277 miles away !
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Llanberis&daddr=Thremhall+Ave,+Essex,+UK&hl=en&sll=51.875855,0.229855&sspn=0.053519,0.123425&geocode=FVGEKgMdwwTB_ymdAfncOghlSDF5DRqn3E0dZg%3BFXqGFwMd3IEDACkp6DArsY_YRzH4fwtNJUkOwg&oq=llanbe&mra=ls&t=m&z=7
Now, just for a little bit of fun on the day, ironic or what, but I decided to take a selfie of THE car, in the mountains of Essex, oh errm I mean Wales of course (must keep my story straight if I'm to be believed eh)
Awww look, you can even see the registration. And I'm sure if you check the image data.... Sorry there I go over complicating things again.
So, lets move on shall we, and pretend, just for the sake of sarcasm, that I have my days wrong, and I was indeed in possession of the car in January instead.
On January 21st, my dog went in to have surgery on his face, and I took a week off work to take care of him during his recovery. On Jan 22nd he was still very sleepy and poorly from the procedure, so as much as I would have liked to have been out driving along the A120 in Essex, I was very much at home, tweeting, and facebooking images of him.
Anyway I won't spend any more time on the sarcasm, I will get down to business.
First up... The letter.
I received an read the letter stating that I, Michael Snasdell, named on contact 479918 had been involved and reported for a traffic violation, and that further more there would be a £35 admin fee to yourselves, which you will take automatically as per my signed and dated rental contract.
Right, so lets break this down.
If you have not already worked it out, the offence ref 1120/14/0002 Dated 22/01/2014, timed 11.25 is NOT the same as the date you state on your letter which is referred to as 'Citation Issue Time/Date 22/02/2014 @11:25. Do you see the problem now? ITS THE WRONG MONTH !!!
Now the usual reaction to receiving such a notice is a sinking feeling, and that oh damnit feeling, before doing what is required, sending off your licence and payment, and taking the 3 points on the chin.
But this is different, VERY different. You see I need my licence, for my future, for my career, and for my livelihood. SO the reaction for me was something very deep, dark and upsetting. I will go so far as to say distressing.
Of course the disbelief leads to checking (something that should have been done before the letter was generated) and then there is the feeling of relief, along with the self forgiveness for even thinking for one moment that you might have actually committed the offence. So for me, this goes a bit further than a small admin error. Yes s*** happens, but sometimes when it does, things need to happen to make it right again.
THEN.... we have the next part which states that £35 is due to yourselves for having to go through the arduous task of getting this so badly wrong, then causing me so much upset and I should add anger (does it show?). Yes I did indeed sign as part of my contract with you IN FEBRUARY that you could charge my card with any fines relating to my rental period... IN FEBRUARY ! Not however any prior fines that previous renters had incurred, just loaded up on me. So should you decide to exercise your right to make that charge to my credit card, please be aware that I will report this immediately as an unauthorised transaction, and exercise my right to be a PITA to the furthest extent possible.
Now if you read up from this point, you will see that a lot of time and effort has gone into compiling this reply to your letter, including tracking back through Twitter, Facebook and other social media sources, as well as through my phone to retrieve relevant information and pictures. Easily 10 times the amount of effort that went into the poor effort of a letter to me with so many errors.
So, here's the deal... IF you charge the £35 to my credit card following receipt of my actual email that I will be sending, politely pointing out the issues, I will in turn seek £350 in admin charges, damages, incorrectly informing Essex Police that I was the driver, and other costs for this blog entry.... Fair ?
I would also like to point out a few more things very briefly.
Your phone number for Traffic Violations is broken, so I could not call to tell you about this.
I believe from your letter that you have already informed Essex Police that I was indeed the driver. So would request that you formally write to them again, and tell them you are idiots, and that in fact I was NOT driving the car. I would like to be CC'ed on this letter (i'm serious, maybe not about the calling yourselves idiots, but the rest)
And finally, that this whole matter has been rather stressful for me. While I have seen the funny side now, I am 100% serious that it caused genuine upset at the time of opening the letter.
Anyway, I look forward to my next rental from Enterprise Rent a Car, because all the above put to one side, you do great cars at great prices.
So before I get started, let me post a couple of pictures and see if someone other than the idiot that compiled the letter can work out what is wrong. I would not usually call someone an idiot for a 'simple' error, but as you will see, it has a far deeper impact than that.
So here goes.... I will go a bit easier on you in following blogs if you can spot it in under 30 seconds.
Got it.
If not, please join the issuer of the letter in the corner, and take it in turns to share the hat.
If so, then lets proceed.
Now, there are a couple of ways this could work, so lets explore.
Essex might have the date of the offence on their letter wrong (along with the automated reference number which also contains the date) If so, and the offence did indeed take place on 22nd Feb 2014 as your letter to me suggests, then I would have indeed have been in possession of the car at that time. Darn it!
Oh hold on.... May I bring your attention to this..
https://twitter.com/MichaelSnasdell/status/437175757023215616
Now while I know its not actual proof, for me to have been in Snowdonia at 10.43, sending the series of tweets that I did, and then be on Thremhall Ave in Essex 30 mins later, I must have done a bit more than 69 in a 50 I tell you.
Allow me to dumb is down a bit.. I was 277 miles away !
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Llanberis&daddr=Thremhall+Ave,+Essex,+UK&hl=en&sll=51.875855,0.229855&sspn=0.053519,0.123425&geocode=FVGEKgMdwwTB_ymdAfncOghlSDF5DRqn3E0dZg%3BFXqGFwMd3IEDACkp6DArsY_YRzH4fwtNJUkOwg&oq=llanbe&mra=ls&t=m&z=7
Now, just for a little bit of fun on the day, ironic or what, but I decided to take a selfie of THE car, in the mountains of Essex, oh errm I mean Wales of course (must keep my story straight if I'm to be believed eh)
So, lets move on shall we, and pretend, just for the sake of sarcasm, that I have my days wrong, and I was indeed in possession of the car in January instead.
On January 21st, my dog went in to have surgery on his face, and I took a week off work to take care of him during his recovery. On Jan 22nd he was still very sleepy and poorly from the procedure, so as much as I would have liked to have been out driving along the A120 in Essex, I was very much at home, tweeting, and facebooking images of him.
Anyway I won't spend any more time on the sarcasm, I will get down to business.
First up... The letter.
I received an read the letter stating that I, Michael Snasdell, named on contact 479918 had been involved and reported for a traffic violation, and that further more there would be a £35 admin fee to yourselves, which you will take automatically as per my signed and dated rental contract.
Right, so lets break this down.
If you have not already worked it out, the offence ref 1120/14/0002 Dated 22/01/2014, timed 11.25 is NOT the same as the date you state on your letter which is referred to as 'Citation Issue Time/Date 22/02/2014 @11:25. Do you see the problem now? ITS THE WRONG MONTH !!!
Now the usual reaction to receiving such a notice is a sinking feeling, and that oh damnit feeling, before doing what is required, sending off your licence and payment, and taking the 3 points on the chin.
But this is different, VERY different. You see I need my licence, for my future, for my career, and for my livelihood. SO the reaction for me was something very deep, dark and upsetting. I will go so far as to say distressing.
Of course the disbelief leads to checking (something that should have been done before the letter was generated) and then there is the feeling of relief, along with the self forgiveness for even thinking for one moment that you might have actually committed the offence. So for me, this goes a bit further than a small admin error. Yes s*** happens, but sometimes when it does, things need to happen to make it right again.
THEN.... we have the next part which states that £35 is due to yourselves for having to go through the arduous task of getting this so badly wrong, then causing me so much upset and I should add anger (does it show?). Yes I did indeed sign as part of my contract with you IN FEBRUARY that you could charge my card with any fines relating to my rental period... IN FEBRUARY ! Not however any prior fines that previous renters had incurred, just loaded up on me. So should you decide to exercise your right to make that charge to my credit card, please be aware that I will report this immediately as an unauthorised transaction, and exercise my right to be a PITA to the furthest extent possible.
Now if you read up from this point, you will see that a lot of time and effort has gone into compiling this reply to your letter, including tracking back through Twitter, Facebook and other social media sources, as well as through my phone to retrieve relevant information and pictures. Easily 10 times the amount of effort that went into the poor effort of a letter to me with so many errors.
So, here's the deal... IF you charge the £35 to my credit card following receipt of my actual email that I will be sending, politely pointing out the issues, I will in turn seek £350 in admin charges, damages, incorrectly informing Essex Police that I was the driver, and other costs for this blog entry.... Fair ?
I would also like to point out a few more things very briefly.
Your phone number for Traffic Violations is broken, so I could not call to tell you about this.
I believe from your letter that you have already informed Essex Police that I was indeed the driver. So would request that you formally write to them again, and tell them you are idiots, and that in fact I was NOT driving the car. I would like to be CC'ed on this letter (i'm serious, maybe not about the calling yourselves idiots, but the rest)
And finally, that this whole matter has been rather stressful for me. While I have seen the funny side now, I am 100% serious that it caused genuine upset at the time of opening the letter.
Anyway, I look forward to my next rental from Enterprise Rent a Car, because all the above put to one side, you do great cars at great prices.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
My Guy Fawkes night (Nov 5th 2011)
Amoongst all the doom and gloom of all the recent events and my entries, there was a ray of light... Well more like multiple flashes of light actually.
Sat 5th Nov was spent on Blackheath Common watching the ever amazing FREE fireworks display laid on by the local authorities. Huge number attended, and the weather held out until the last bangs and flashes had passed.
So below I have linked the 5 videos I shot of the display. This year viewed from a different point to normal, but was just as good.
Congratulations to the hundreds if not thousands of people who managed to arrive at the top of the hill at 8.25-8.30 just as the show ended. And to the hundreds more who were still making their way up the steep slope of Shooters Hill.
And before the videos, one more comments.
Thank you to all those working for London Fire Brigade last night. Your Tweetathon really did go some way to open my eyes and those of many others, and give us an insight of what you deal with annually. I am astounded by the number of idiots out there still trusted with matches, lighters and even petrol. For those wondering what I am on about, here are the totals that LFB dealt with last night...
Taken from London Fire Brigades Twitter page.
@LondonFire London Fire Brigade
Some grand totals on #bonfirenight From 4pm to midnight we took 528 calls and firefighters went to 114 bonfire related incidents.
@LondonFire London Fire Brigade
That's more than a call a minute and, roughly, a #bonfirenight fire every four minutes
LondonFire London Fire Brigade
Just been called to an out of control bonfire on a park nr Ikea in Croydon #bonfirenight
LondonFire London Fire Brigade
If you’re reading this and still have a #bonfire in your garden please take care. Another bonfire related incident in Mayeswood Road, SE12
LondonFire London Fire Brigade
Bonfire out of control on East St, Walworth and another one on East Avenue, Hayes #bonfirenight
LondonFire London Fire Brigade
Yet another call to an out of control bonfire - this is nr Eltham High St, SE9 #bonfirenight
LondonFire London Fire Brigade
Keep a close eye on your bonfires tweeple, just been called to one that's out of control on Bounds Green, New Southgate #bonfirenight
LondonFire London Fire Brigade
Out of control bonfire on Briar Road, Romford. You should always build your bonfire well away from buildings, sheds, fences, trees & bushes.
And so on...... Seriously, how stupid are people?
OK, video time, so here are my videos of Blackheath 2011, which thankfully the LFB DIDNT get called out to.
Sat 5th Nov was spent on Blackheath Common watching the ever amazing FREE fireworks display laid on by the local authorities. Huge number attended, and the weather held out until the last bangs and flashes had passed.
So below I have linked the 5 videos I shot of the display. This year viewed from a different point to normal, but was just as good.
Congratulations to the hundreds if not thousands of people who managed to arrive at the top of the hill at 8.25-8.30 just as the show ended. And to the hundreds more who were still making their way up the steep slope of Shooters Hill.
And before the videos, one more comments.
Thank you to all those working for London Fire Brigade last night. Your Tweetathon really did go some way to open my eyes and those of many others, and give us an insight of what you deal with annually. I am astounded by the number of idiots out there still trusted with matches, lighters and even petrol. For those wondering what I am on about, here are the totals that LFB dealt with last night...
Taken from London Fire Brigades Twitter page.
@LondonFire London Fire Brigade
Some grand totals on #bonfirenight From 4pm to midnight we took 528 calls and firefighters went to 114 bonfire related incidents.
@LondonFire London Fire Brigade
That's more than a call a minute and, roughly, a #bonfirenight fire every four minutes
LondonFire London Fire Brigade
Just been called to an out of control bonfire on a park nr Ikea in Croydon #bonfirenight
LondonFire London Fire Brigade
If you’re reading this and still have a #bonfire in your garden please take care. Another bonfire related incident in Mayeswood Road, SE12
LondonFire London Fire Brigade
Bonfire out of control on East St, Walworth and another one on East Avenue, Hayes #bonfirenight
LondonFire London Fire Brigade
Yet another call to an out of control bonfire - this is nr Eltham High St, SE9 #bonfirenight
LondonFire London Fire Brigade
Keep a close eye on your bonfires tweeple, just been called to one that's out of control on Bounds Green, New Southgate #bonfirenight
LondonFire London Fire Brigade
Out of control bonfire on Briar Road, Romford. You should always build your bonfire well away from buildings, sheds, fences, trees & bushes.
And so on...... Seriously, how stupid are people?
OK, video time, so here are my videos of Blackheath 2011, which thankfully the LFB DIDNT get called out to.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)