biggs682
Touch it up and ride it
- Location
- Northamptonshire
Pretty sure that can be arranged at some point in the future
Taking over the bike shop...
- Thread starter Andy in Germany
- Start date
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Pretty sure that can be arranged at some point in the future
All uphill
Still rolling along
- Location
- Somerset
Can I book my place in the queue too?
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Don't even ask about the state of my garage... 
D
Deleted member 1258
Guest
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Putting red next to green may cause problems for people with Red/Green colour blindness, which is pretty common. Even better would be not using both red and green but it may be a bit late for that.
OP
OP
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Freiburg im Breisgau
Bu99er; I didn't think of that. I'll check when new clients come and change as required.
OP
OP
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Freiburg im Breisgau
I've made one now...
DCLane
Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
- Location
- Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
If you do one as spots and the other as stripes you should be OK.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
It kind of depends on the shade of red/green. For example, I'd be fine with fire-engine red and lime green. I don't have a problem with traffic lights. I'd struggle with more muted shades. I also have trouble with browns and reds/greens, and blues and purples. Other people have different issues.
OP
OP
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Freiburg im Breisgau
I used to worry about all the variables until someone with more experience pointed out the obvious solution:
Ask.
OP
OP
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Freiburg im Breisgau
I've been a bit quiet here since the refurb because things are generally setting into a routine, or they would be if it wasn't for the underlying chaos, which doesn't make for interesting posts.
However, today I had a mnor success; a while ago a client came into work in a bad state to the extent my supervisor thought he was taking a controlled substance. The client claimed something different had happened which was a serious problem, but it hadn't involved anything illegal. The substances they claimed to have taken seemed to fit to the side effects but my supervisor claimed I was being too naive and we should consider this to be illegal drug use.
Today my supervisor and I went on a consultancy with some people more experienced than us (ie: 20 years in drug rehab)and I was able to describe the situation as a case study. When I described the substances and the symptoms the consultant confirmed that this was exactly the symptoms for the legal substances my client claimed to have used. My client had (as he himself admitted) been a right idiot, but the way I was dealing with the problem was sufficient. Hopefully this also means my supervisor will back off a little...
However, today I had a mnor success; a while ago a client came into work in a bad state to the extent my supervisor thought he was taking a controlled substance. The client claimed something different had happened which was a serious problem, but it hadn't involved anything illegal. The substances they claimed to have taken seemed to fit to the side effects but my supervisor claimed I was being too naive and we should consider this to be illegal drug use.
Today my supervisor and I went on a consultancy with some people more experienced than us (ie: 20 years in drug rehab)and I was able to describe the situation as a case study. When I described the substances and the symptoms the consultant confirmed that this was exactly the symptoms for the legal substances my client claimed to have used. My client had (as he himself admitted) been a right idiot, but the way I was dealing with the problem was sufficient. Hopefully this also means my supervisor will back off a little...
OP
OP
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Freiburg im Breisgau
Still here, but a lot of what I'm doing at the moment is more to do with clients than bikes.
Today was a case in point, and also a case of the system catching up with someone. One of my clients has refugee status, which in Germany means they can work and stay, but if they want to stay long term they need to go through the integration programme which includes language training and learning about the constitution et c. The vast majority manage either or both of these and have become part of society; Syrians in particular have become very valued by employers.
Inevitably there are a few who don't get with the system though, and they tend to land in programmes like ours.
Integration training costs money, so refugees are given a Berechtigung; basically a 'Training voucher'; a piece of paper to give to the school they want to attend. This is valid for a certain time so if the person is ill they can go back later. Three can be issued so if they drop out once there's two more opportunities.
Today a client came and asked me about a letter from the Immigration Authority. This turned out to be a reminder that he's obliged to go to an integration course ASAP. Several phone calls later to various places and we had established that this client has been ignoring the repeated instructions to go on an integration course, or dropped out of the courses for 'health reasons' and didn't go back. Eventually all the Training Vouchers ran out and he still hadn't finished the training. This is despite repeated warnings from the Job Centre and Immigration Service over the last several years since he came to Germany.
He'd been telling the Immigration Authority that he had a "job" with us so he was "exempt" from the training requirement. Except he doesn't have a job; he's on a training placement for three hours a day, specifically so he can attend the integration training. the local immigration service person was Not Amused when she found this out.
Now the Immigration Service has said he has to attend an integration course, pronto, and that if he doesn't he may risk deportation.
The Adult Learning Centre has confirmed there are lots available, but the government 'only' covers about 50-60% of the cost, so my client will have to pay ca. 230€ (for a 900 hour course).
He is not happy.
He wanted us to call someone in the Immigration Service and tell them he wouldn't do it, so he's now even less happy that we refused point blank to do this, not least because it's nothing to do with us.
Tomorrow I expect he'll try and get my boss on his side because she is from a similar background. This will cause him further disappointment because she doesn't take kindly to this behaviour.
Today was a case in point, and also a case of the system catching up with someone. One of my clients has refugee status, which in Germany means they can work and stay, but if they want to stay long term they need to go through the integration programme which includes language training and learning about the constitution et c. The vast majority manage either or both of these and have become part of society; Syrians in particular have become very valued by employers.
Inevitably there are a few who don't get with the system though, and they tend to land in programmes like ours.
Integration training costs money, so refugees are given a Berechtigung; basically a 'Training voucher'; a piece of paper to give to the school they want to attend. This is valid for a certain time so if the person is ill they can go back later. Three can be issued so if they drop out once there's two more opportunities.
Today a client came and asked me about a letter from the Immigration Authority. This turned out to be a reminder that he's obliged to go to an integration course ASAP. Several phone calls later to various places and we had established that this client has been ignoring the repeated instructions to go on an integration course, or dropped out of the courses for 'health reasons' and didn't go back. Eventually all the Training Vouchers ran out and he still hadn't finished the training. This is despite repeated warnings from the Job Centre and Immigration Service over the last several years since he came to Germany.
He'd been telling the Immigration Authority that he had a "job" with us so he was "exempt" from the training requirement. Except he doesn't have a job; he's on a training placement for three hours a day, specifically so he can attend the integration training. the local immigration service person was Not Amused when she found this out.
Now the Immigration Service has said he has to attend an integration course, pronto, and that if he doesn't he may risk deportation.
The Adult Learning Centre has confirmed there are lots available, but the government 'only' covers about 50-60% of the cost, so my client will have to pay ca. 230€ (for a 900 hour course).
He is not happy.
He wanted us to call someone in the Immigration Service and tell them he wouldn't do it, so he's now even less happy that we refused point blank to do this, not least because it's nothing to do with us.
Tomorrow I expect he'll try and get my boss on his side because she is from a similar background. This will cause him further disappointment because she doesn't take kindly to this behaviour.
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Jameshow
Veteran
Wow that's pretty stringent!
Ah people. Strange things. Most are grateful for help but some just want to dump their problems on you for you to fix. And will complain if you don't. Will be volunteering at my local charity again later today and can guarantee, I will have a least one of the "you sort it" brigade. They will be told as politely as possible what the steps are to sort it themselves. We have the catchy term of "empowering the client" - or in practical terms FRO.
Had an Iraqi in one day with a HO/RT1 from the local police - aka a 'producer'. He was driving a taxi without a licence and therefore invalid insurance. Could I have a word with the local police to sort it? Perhaps in Iraq that was possible, but explained this is not the way here. Explained what to do when he went to court and how to plead his case to get the minimum fine/points.
Bosses though as more difficult to sort as some want to save everyone. We get a grant every 6 months for ad-hoc problems that need a small amount of cash to sort e.g. £300 for a washing machine. Problem is that this winter's grant and part of next spring's grant has already been promised as the boss can't say no.
Perhaps your client and your boss need empowered.
Had an Iraqi in one day with a HO/RT1 from the local police - aka a 'producer'. He was driving a taxi without a licence and therefore invalid insurance. Could I have a word with the local police to sort it? Perhaps in Iraq that was possible, but explained this is not the way here. Explained what to do when he went to court and how to plead his case to get the minimum fine/points.
Bosses though as more difficult to sort as some want to save everyone. We get a grant every 6 months for ad-hoc problems that need a small amount of cash to sort e.g. £300 for a washing machine. Problem is that this winter's grant and part of next spring's grant has already been promised as the boss can't say no.
Perhaps your client and your boss need empowered.
OP
OP
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Freiburg im Breisgau
He's been here nearly seven years, during which time his rent and living costs were covered by the German government. All that he has to do in return is attend the free integration course, the main goal of which is that he learns some basic German, integrates into the society that's paying his expenses, and try to get a job.
Instead he's tried to drop out and do as little as possible; sooner or later we have to draw a line.
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