Niggles

[Yorkie]

I suppose it's better than not receiving any calls, otherwise your 'phone would be redundant!!     L0L

One niggle I have is people who start a "private chat" halfway through a thread instead of using the Private Message facility!       

[DaveR]

SILENT TELEPHONE CALLS

For the last 2/3 weeks we have been receiving at least one silent call a day - you know the sort, you pick the phone up, there's nothing, then a click and a long tone. A 1471 enquiry says "We do not have the callers' number" which means the call was initiated outside the UK and so even if you are registered with the Telephone Preference Service as we are, they can't stop the calls.   :rage:

Stan, when you answer the phone to these calls, do you say anything? I've noticed that, unless you speak, the call will just end immediately. But, if you say anything, then the recorded message will spring into action.

[Yorkie]

Bit difficult to answer the phone without saying something, Dave!      And one doesn't know that it is going to be silent!         And "Auntie Dora" who is calling is expecting you to say something!        Difficult problem.

One idea is to let the answering machine do its job and if a known person starts speaking, grab the phone and answer them!   If its a recorded message just let it run out at the caller's expense.   

Or take this advice of how To Deal with Telemarketers

1. If they want to loan you money, tell them you just filed for bankruptcy and you could sure use some money.
2. If they start out with, "How are you today?" say, "I'm so glad you asked, because no one these days seems to care, and I have all these problems; my arthritis is acting up, my eyelashes are sore, my dog just died..."
3. If they say they're John Doe from XYZ Company, ask them to spell their name. Then ask them to spell the company name. Then ask them where it is located, how long it has been in business, how many people work there, how they got into this line of work, are they married?, kids?, etc. Continue asking them personal questions or questions about their company for as long as necessary.
4. Cry out in surprise,"Judy! Is that you? Oh my God! Judy, how have you been?" Hopefully, this will give Judy a few brief moments of terror as she tries to figure out where she could know you from.
5. Say "No", over and over. Be sure to vary the sound of each one, and keep a rhythmic tempo, even as they are trying to speak. This is most fun if you can do it until they hang up.
6. If MCI calls trying to get you to sign up for the Family and Friends Plan, reply, in as SINISTER a voice as you can, "I don't have any friends... would you be my friend?"
7. After the Telemarketer gives their spiel, ask him/her to marry you. When they get all flustered, tell them that you could not just give your credit card number to a complete stranger.
8. Tell the Telemarketer that you work for the same company, they often can't sell to employees.
9. Answer the phone. As soon as you realize it is a Telemarketer, set the receiver down, shout or scream, "Oh No!!!" and then hang up.
10. Tell the Telemarketer you are busy at the moment and ask him/her if he/she will give you his/her HOME phone number so you can call him/her back. When the Telemarketer explains that telemarketers cannot give out their HOME numbers you say "I guess you don't want anyone bothering you at home, right?" The Telemarketer will agree and you say, "Me, either!" Hang up.
11. Ask them to repeat everything they say, several times.
12. Tell them it is dinner time, BUT ask if they would please hold. Put them on your speaker phone while you continue to eat at your leisure. Smack your food loudly and continue with your dinner conversation.
13. Tell the Telemarketer you are on "home incarceration" and ask if they could bring you a pizza.
14. Ask them to fax the information to you, and make up a number.
15. Insist that the caller is really your buddy Leon, playing a joke. "Come on Leon, cut it out! Seriously, Leon, how's your mom?"
16. Tell them you are hard of hearing and that they need to speak up... louder... louder...louder...
17. Tell them to talk VERY SLOWLY, because you want to write EVERY WORD down.
 ££$

[DaveR]

You can tell it's an automated call as soon as you pick up the receiver usually, as there is dead silence until you say something. With a real person, there is pretty much always some background noise.

Another solution, of course, is to install Caller Display and not answer unrecognised numbers.

[Paddy]

Yorkie, number 18 for your list. do this.

TomMabe.com get this call on iTunes. The Murder Scene Call on the Bob and Tom Show, Tom Mabe

Classic!

[Fester]

I suppose it's better than not receiving any calls, otherwise your 'phone would be redundant!!     L0L

One niggle I have is people who start a "private chat" halfway through a thread instead of using the Private Message facility!       

Hang on a minute, there are two reasons why this might be totally appropriate..

1, The posting has some relevance (albeit vague) to the subject ot the previous posting.
2, The person posting might wish to share the thought with the wider audience....(to give public recognition or thanks for example)

Anyway...back on thread,  one of my niggles is people cutting and pasting L-O-N-G and time consuming (and only mildly amusing) anecdotes numbered one to eighteen, with dubious American references.
Excuse me, my phone is ringing.... I'm hoping its a double glazing telemarketer.... its just what I need.

[Yorkie]

Do you know what Fester - I ain't going to rise to it!     ZXZ 

I don't like videos that you have to read, especially after having had a c & p of a load of Yankee rubbish!   

Who suggested this thread in the first place - that's where the real niggle lies!     ¢¢## 

[DaveR]

People are having niggles about niggles now! 

[Pendragon]

Who suggested this thread in the first place - that's where the real niggle lies!     ¢¢## 

Hey Yorkie I'm not rising to it either.  WWW

[Pendragon]

I was on the eyesore post earlier and it reminded me of another really annoying niggle and that's chewing gum.
The club had all new carpets costing thousands of pounds when it opened. They have been ruined by chewing gum, how can people just spit it out onto the carpet, it beggars belief. I understand with the smoking ban came the increase in chewing gum consumption, don't get me wrong the majority of customers in the club dispose of their chewing gum in the bin. However there's a small element of customers not just in the club but elswhere too who dispose of there gum by pressing it under the tables or spitting  it on the carpet etc. Gross and irresponsible.

 ¢¢##

[Nemesis]

  my dog just died..."

Now Yorkie It's my turn. Mine just did, What was that about inappropriate comments ?

[Yorkie]

I've had a few dogs that have died.    :weeping:

Don't understand the rest of your comment which seems to be addressed to me,  Cannot recall having used the words "inappropriate comments"!  Please assist me in righting any wrong I may have inadvertently committed by elucidating.  Thank you.

[Nemesis]

I am now elucidating!
Remember when your sister was ill?
End of subject.

[Yorkie]

Good!
Yes!
Great - except to add that the only use of the word "inappropiate" in the whole Forum is in the two posts above!

[TheMedz]

Re my Gritting niggle I rang up the Highways department this afternoon to ask why they had not followed up on my request and filled up the nearby gritting box which is now empty. I was informed that the council has decided it is no longer filling gritting boxes because people had been using the grit that was in there. DOH!!!!  I told them that the grit box in question was on rather a steep road and it  was also on a bus route that wasn't on a gritting route and would the council like to take responsibility next time we had a cold spell and  somebody in a bus or car got hurt, because of the lack of ice prevention or removal. The lady on the phone took my details and phone number and said she would pass my message on to her line managers. I'll be interested to see if I get any grit, gritters or even a phone call.