Rant of the Day v2.

[Sisemen]

The wonderful bureaucracy that runs our local hospital, ULHT, has decided to downgrade what's left of the local hospital's A&E department to an Urgent Treatment Centre - they had already "temporarily" closed the night-time A&E. That means it will no longer be able to treat life-threatening conditions - heart attacks, strokes, severe bleeding, etc - resulting in patients with those conditions having to travel at least 25 miles to the nearest A&E in Lincoln which is already overloaded because of ULHT's mis-management of its hospital services - that's if an East Midlands ambulance bothers to turn up. ULHT managing its services? It can't even manage its car parks.

All this a week after the local council approved plans for a massive increase in the number of houses to be built in new developments around the town. Joined up local government and services?? - not a hope in Hell's chance in this part of the country.

From what I've seen it would appear that Grantham's going to hell in a handcart! All that AND the bloody Post Office is closing and moving to a desk in WH Smiths - that bloody place is fraught enough without having postal services as well. AND the bloody Poles and Rumanians keep swiping the trout and the ducks out of the Witham.

Continuing the theme from the latest posts - on the Grantham Journal facebook page the other day they had a list of jobs on offer down at the Job Centre. I'm ashamed to say that my RAF pension pays more than some of the jobs on offer.

[Pontius Navigator]

They are trying desperately to create a workable plan. Its communications are abysmal. A nice new cinema near the centre with a nice new car park next to it. But the whole thing is the wrong side of the main road so that a national restaurant chain has declined offer of space as it wouldn't get the footfall.

The main road is crossed by a 'major ' East-West road that is wholly unsuitable for HGV. The town is bisected by a railway line. At least it is above the town, no level crossings, and you can get out of Dodge quickly. There are lots of good edge of town shops but all in little groups. They need a single service road rather having traffic mix with through traffic.

At least one bright spot to make up for no Waitrose, no Tesco superstore

[Sisemen]

Always thought that Grantham was extremely well served by supermarkets. First port of call when I pitch up at my daughter's is a run to Morrisons or Asda for a Melton Mowbray pork pie - it's a nice little starter for the haddock, chips and mushy peas from the chippy in Cecil St followed by a pint in the Lord Harrowby

[4mastacker]

Siseman,

Mr Watkins on Wide Westgate produces a far superior product to that served up in the supermarkets. The shop opens at 5.00am and there's always plenty of business even at that ridiculous time in the morning.

I can't say I lament the move of the Post Office to Smiths. The PO counter staff must be the most surly crew around. Being not able to smile whilst taking an age to rip two stamps out of a book must be the criteria for working in that place. The other surviving, smaller POs around the town are staffed by very pleasant people.

[Krystal n Chips]

Always thought that Grantham was extremely well served by supermarkets. First port of call when I pitch up at my daughter's is a run to Morrisons or Asda for a Melton Mowbray pork pie - it's a nice little starter for the haddock, chips and mushy peas from the chippy in Cecil St followed by a pint in the Lord Harrowby

I would recommend the greasy spoon, adjacent to the Honda dealership....if both are still there that is.

[Smeagol]

I have to live a minimum of another 16 years (which will take me to age 83) in order to make taking the annuity option on part of my pension fund worthwhile. Less than that and the actuaries win.
Must admit that my long term aid to to live longer than my mother. She made 97.

[Pontius Navigator]

I can't say I lament the move of the Post Office to Smiths. The PO counter staff must be the most surly crew around. Being not able to smile whilst taking an age to rip two stamps out of a book must be the criteria for working in that place.

They obviously went to the same training school asthe team in Woodhall Spa. We once had a pleasant Scots lady join the team. They soon knocked that out of her. I prefer Great Gonerby even if it is at the opposite end of town. They would probably come out to my car if I asked them

[4mastacker]

Always thought that Grantham was extremely well served by supermarkets. First port of call when I pitch up at my daughter's is a run to Morrisons or Asda for a Melton Mowbray pork pie - it's a nice little starter for the haddock, chips and mushy peas from the chippy in Cecil St followed by a pint in the Lord Harrowby

I would recommend the greasy spoon, adjacent to the Honda dealership....if both are still there that is.

They are and Nurburgers is very popular with the motorcycling fraternity. I doubt if it's in the 'greasy spoon" category as it has a food hygiene rating of '5'.

[Pontius Navigator]

I have only ever seen on establishment with anything other than a 5. That was a hotel in Woodhall Spa. They were not impressed.

[Sisemen]

I can see the beginnings of an Ops Normal Grantham bash in the offing

[Flintstone]

Today's rant.

We live opposite two schools, have done for about twelve years. We moved here when our daughters were attending them so it was quite handy and we knew there would always be people parked on the road at drop-off and pick-up times. We have a driveway large enough for four cars so no skin off my nose.

But.

There is an element of society that doesn't give a flying **** about anyone else. They feel they are entitled to do what they want and to hell with everyone else and this includes parking on pavements outside the schools. I've seem mums with prams and buggies forced into the road, people in wheelchairs too but most worryingly children having to either try crossing the road or being forced into the road bu these self centred bastards. The school periodically send letters home with the children but of course it's never 'them', it's always someone else. Recently the school bought some traffic cones which the caretaker places along the kerb during the day, to save him lugging them back and forth I told him he could store them behind our hedge. In the space of two weeks half have been either stolen or run over.

Today as I was reversing off my drive I spotted a parent parked on the pavement with a cone crushed beneath his car so I approached him and asked what he thought he was doing. His 'defence' was that the cones weren't meant to be on the pavement. Through gritted teeth I uttered "Neither are you. Are you honestly telling me that you'll park there despite the school clearly trying to stop you? What about the mums, wheelchairs and children that have to walk in the road to get round you?".

An utter, utter ****. Him that is. Well alright, I can be sometimes.

[Slasher]

Flint, why FFS aren't the police involved? Surely it's illegal to park on the bloody pavement even temporarily. Or have yer cops been neutered by the PC knackery and rendered impotent?

BTW what was that arsehole's response to your question?

[Sisemen]

Hammer or screwdriver Flint. But probably best done when the vehicles are unoccupied

[Slasher]

Or a good flicknife in the tyre.

[Rwy in Sight]

Today's rant.

We live opposite two schools, have done for about twelve years. We moved here when our daughters were attending them so it was quite handy and we knew there would always be people parked on the road at drop-off and pick-up times. We have a driveway large enough for four cars so no skin off my nose.

But.

There is an element of society that doesn't give a flying **** about anyone else. They feel they are entitled to do what they want and to hell with everyone else and this includes parking on pavements outside the schools. I've seem mums with prams and buggies forced into the road, people in wheelchairs too but most worryingly children having to either try crossing the road or being forced into the road bu these self centred bastards. The school periodically send letters home with the children but of course it's never 'them', it's always someone else. Recently the school bought some traffic cones which the caretaker places along the kerb during the day, to save him lugging them back and forth I told him he could store them behind our hedge. In the space of two weeks half have been either stolen or run over.

Today as I was reversing off my drive I spotted a parent parked on the pavement with a cone crushed beneath his car so I approached him and asked what he thought he was doing. His 'defence' was that the cones weren't meant to be on the pavement. Through gritted teeth I uttered "Neither are you. Are you honestly telling me that you'll park there despite the school clearly trying to stop you? What about the mums, wheelchairs and children that have to walk in the road to get round you?".

An utter, utter ****. Him that is. Well alright, I can be sometimes.

We all are sometimes, Flintstone. Last autumn, I parked in a parking spot marked for another company than the one I was to use next door to each other. It was very convenient as I was able to finish the job very fast. It was not a nice move but so practical for me. As an afterthought it seems when not everyone plays be the same rules those who don't get a better quality of life. So the temptation is large to bend the rules in your favour. Parking three times illegally while doing errands can save you half an hour. Difficult choice isn't it - keep in mind you see people doing it and getting away with it.

[Krystal n Chips]

Flint, why FFS aren't the police involved? Surely it's illegal to park on the bloody pavement even temporarily. Or have yer cops been neutered by the PC knackery and rendered impotent?

BTW what was that arsehole's response to your question?

It's possible the "school run " has not yet developed into the same social status category in Oz as it is in the UK. Whilst it's true, that, for some parents they have no choice in getting their children to and from school, for many, it's become part of their daily social diary....and, as such, any inconvenience caused can and is simply ignored.

At a little hamlet in Shropshire, a UKIP / Tory haven I have to say, the "thoughtfully and considerately "parked vehicles...all top of the range marques, disgorged their contents straight into the main route through said hamlet...cue, one loooong jam. Opening the offside door, and leaving it open ! to enable little Tabatha and Tarquin to alight ensured nothing could actually get past.....subsequent to school, they would arrive outside an upmarket supermarket ( which admits pig farmers ! beginning with "W" ) and, despite the large car park thoughtfully provided and certainly in bad weather...the traverse of the car park could easily induce onset hypothermia !....would park in lines directly outside the entrance....

" They are and Nurburgers is very popular with the motorcycling fraternity. I doubt if it's in the 'greasy spoon" category as it has a food hygiene rating of '5'



Delighted to hear that good news....however, you may be surprised to learn, that, apart from those outlets that may best be described, as, ahem "transient ", Environmental Health have been quietly imposing standards on those that are more permanent. This is actually good for the business concerned hence the display of the food hygiene rating. The K n C "fine dining " guide to such outlets across the UK is available on request.

[Capetonian]

I used to dread taking my son to school when he was young due to the daily encounters with the Porsche Cayenne and BMX X driving scummy mummies. The fathers were generally less inconsiderate. There was no public transport from where we lived so no choice, and it was on my route to work so it made sense to take him. To see true selfishness in action you need to watch mothers delivering offspring to school in an upmarket area.

Other cars blocked in was the daily norm. I saw them bashing doors open against other cars, driving over kerbs and barriers, and one morning saw a woman reversing in a huge vehicle and missing, by inches, a small child who admittedly shouldn't have been behind her vehicle, but was.

Nearly every morning I would have some kind of confrontation with one of these bitches.

[Hydromet]

To see true selfishness in action you need to watch mothers delivering offspring to school in an upmarket area.

E.g., stopping on a pedestrian crossing to drop diddums off at the school gate. Not unusual around our way. Or the woman who drove into a school past the "No Entry" sign and killed a child.

[ExSp33db1rd]

.

.......daily encounters with the Porsche Cayenne and BMX X driving scummy mummies.

It was the ubiquitous Volvo Estate in my day, with the duty Golden Retriever gazing out of the back. My two preferred me to park our Mini Countryman - the one with the wooden slats on the side - around the corner and walk the last bit, to avoid any embarrassment.

My motor bike currently costs me more then 3 times the cost of the "average " car to register each year, ( State Insurance Levy due to the cost of putting many injured motorcyclists together again, they say ) and when I feel particularly liverish I park it across the middle of two kerbside in-line spaces, and when taken to task explain that I would occupy 3 spaces if I could, and rarely get too much aggro. A policeman once challenged me, and when I explained he said " good on'yer, Mate" and walked away.

[Pontius Navigator]

Flint, why FFS aren't the police involved?

Such behaviour has been abrogated to Civil Enforcement Officers run by the council. Traffic Wardens in old money.

We have CEOs, PCSOs etc all reducing police manpower and funding needs.

In the US, on Holmes Beach in Florida, at chucking our time, the local sheriff would park near the school crossing. There were no parking problems.