OT Time wasters - rant - selling motorbike security chain

Many years ago I worked for a private company doing contract work for the government.

The company went on to rival G4 in barrel scraping for staff, but in those days there were "requirements".

One of their temporary maintenance contracts was advertised for hands on aerial work in Germany.

The jobs were filled and all went quiet.

A few months later the same advert was posted with the line stating that the personnel applying should be happy working at height.

Little gems like this, and of course the Brexit vote lead me to believe that it is totally impossible to underestimate the mental abilities of the population of Britain.

AB

Reply to
Archibald Tarquin Blenkinsopp
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Some time ago I took advice on uk.rec.motorcycles about the possible value of a Squire padlock, chain and bag for securing a motorcycle.

After due consideration I listed it on Gumtree for £25 (including another lighter spare chain).

One person interested (apparently) conversation over some days went roughly:

Still got it?

Yes.

What's your best price?

As listed.

Any movement on the price yet?

No. Must be worth at least £100 new.

O.K. fair enough - will you post it? (!!!!!!!)

Yes. Squire chain etc. weighs 5.9 kilos cost of postage is £20.50 via Royal Mail. Extra chain weighs 3.1 kilos and postage would cover that as well. Just send me a cheque for the cost including postage, and once it has cleared I'll send the chain.

Strangely, it has all gone quiet.

Contemplating a few points, such as Gumtree shows your approximate location, this person presumably has a motorbike then what is the issue with turning up and paying cash?

Is this some sort of scam where Gumtree is trawled to find a trusting soul who will post off goods without money up front?

Or is this an idiot who hasn't even worked out that motorcycle security chains are HEAVY?

Ah, well, better with that off my chest.

Cheers

Dave R

Reply to
David

ebay rip you off but you have to be giving stuff away to sell on scumtree.......

Reply to
Jimbo ...

Possibly they would have sent you a fake Western Union money transfer email ...

Owain

Reply to
spuorgelgoog

In what way do Ebay rip you off ? They supply a service, and they charge a fee for that service.

Reply to
YTC#1

6.49 via Hermes - and a drop off point often more convenient than the post office.
Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

X-posted to uk.d-i-y so you must expect a higher than normal number of mouth-breathers.

Reply to
The Older Gentleman

That's assuming Herpes don't lose it. Which they will.

Reply to
The Older Gentleman

I'm rather old. And have posted many many things. Only one ever got lost. By Parcel Force. Luckily, I was insured. Took a lot of effort to get payment, though.

Pray tell how many things you've posted with Hermes that they've lost?

But perhaps you typed in the names wrong. ;-)

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

They've never actually lost anything of mine. Occasionally they've hidden i t in a very strange place and had to come back the next day to find it agai n and actually deliver it to my door.

Citylink put my loudspeakers in the wrong cage and had to retrieve them fro m the recycling plant before they got granulated.

The only one who's actually lost something has been Royal Mail / Parcelforc e.

The problem with Hermes is you don't know when something will actually arri ve, as in 6pm on Sunday is a perfectly sensible delivery time if that's whe n the Hermes lady is passing. The Hermes drivers all seem to be pensioners, and with me they have to climb a lot of stairs to earn their 50p per packa ge.

Owain

Reply to
spuorgelgoog

I'm also never sure when a RM parcel will be delivered - unless by the regular postman. And he can vary by a couple of hours.

Hermes deliveries round here seem to be mainly youngish Eastern Europeans

- like so much else.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I've started to receive parcel notifications from them e.g.

Royal Mail has received your item WU002891251GB from 4YOURHOME at Swan House DO and we'll attempt to deliver it today, 14th March unless we have alternative arrangements with you. Your item will not require a signature on delivery

Reply to
Andy Burns

Go somewhere like parcel2go, and book it with UPS or similar. They will collect it form you as well.

Reply to
John Rumm

I am an eBay business seller and use Parcel2Go all the time - they're good. And I use UPS as my preferred courier. There's a drop-off point half a mile away as well.

Reply to
The Older Gentleman

And the added bonus that they might do themselves an injury chucking it over the garden gate.

Reply to
Mike Fleming

Davey wrote in news:pbj7aj$7qr$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

Yes, deliveries to me by Hermes are no problem as regular chap is great

- he wouldn't leve some plant plugs outside one day due to a frost so I picked them up from his house a mile away. Same with signed for items, go get them from his house if not at home on the day.

Yes, they are the best as you can easily change the date by logging on. Givi stuff from Italy arrives in 3 days!

not had a problem but again, depot is nearby to collect items

I try to use click & collect where possible for purchases and the availability will influence my choice of retailer

Reply to
wessie

You can now track exactly where the driver is at any given point in time. On Friday I went downstairs to the front door just as he was pulling into our road.

Reply to
Colin Irvine

And you weren't even expecting a parcel , stalker ! :-)

Reply to
YTC#1

I can usually guess the day things will be delivered. Some companies give you a time window too. Which is very useful if you're not intending being in all day.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Ah - UPS. CPC used then for a while. They put cards through the door without even ringing the door bell. On several ocassions. CPC no longer use them here for their 'free' deliveries after lots of complaints.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

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