Trivial things that make you annoyed beyond expectations?

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newfhouse

Resolutely on topic
I'm not even sure you are allowed to
When I was a teacher there was a concept of making exam rooms block mobile phone signals because every teacher fears some kid will loose GCSE's just because they forget their phone is in their pocket.
But it turned out that doing that is illegal - something complicated to do with interfering with radio signals.
Passive shielding is entirely legal but it can be surprisingly hard (expensive) to do it effectively. Active jamming is illegal without authority, which won’t be granted unless you’re MoD, law enforcement, prison service and so on.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Passive shielding is entirely legal but it can be surprisingly hard (expensive) to do it effectively.
Apparently so... It gives me an excuse to post this again and it illustrates the point perfectly!
I was shivering now that the warmth from the exertion of riding had faded. My cycling clothes were sodden. But at least all I had to do now was to cycle down the hill to Bradford Interchange to catch my train home.

I got to the Interchange with 10 minutes to spare until my train. Normally, I would nip up the stairs carrying my bike, or perhaps pick it up and use the escalator. I don't know what made me choose the lift ...

Anyway, choice made ... I wheeled my bike into the lift, pressed the button, the doors closed, CLUNK, WHIRR, SILENCE! I pressed the button again. Nothing. Door open button. Nothing. Oh deep joy ... absolutely bloody wonderful - just what I needed when cold, tired and desperate to get home!

Still, there was an alarm button. Surely that would summon help? PRESS. Ah yes, a very loud alarm started sounding outside the lift. The instructions said to ring it for 5 seconds. A robot voice came out of a speaker telling me that the lift company were being alerted. Eh!!! I don't want some company in Glasgow/London/Wherever to be told that the lift needs servicing - I want someone at the station to open the door! The sound of a call being made, then an answering machine message - 'All lines are busy, please try again'. I tried again. Apparently, all lines were busy. I tried again. Engaged! Oh, FFS!!!!!!!!!!

After about 10 attempts, I got through to a young man who asked how he could help me. I suggested that getting me out of the lift that I was trapped in would help! He asked where the lift was so I told him that it was at Bradford Interchange. He asked where that was ... Er, it is in Bradford. Bradford, West Yorkshire. That is in England, UK! (He didn't seem to see get the humour ...) Next, he wanted to know the postcode of Bradford Interchange! I told him that the next time I planned to get stuck in a lift I would make a note of the postcode, but sorry, this slacker hadn't done so. How about Googling it? Oh, er yes, just wait while I see if I ca ... CLICK, SILENCE! Hello lift person, are you there liftie, LIFTIE, LIFTIE? Songs started playing in my mind ... Don't leave me this way, I can't survive, I can't stay alive - don't leave me this way!

I tried again. All lines busy. Again. Busy. Engaged. Engaged. Busy.

I need a break from typing. Please enjoy the following artistic photograph. It is called 'Jammed lift, with bike'!

jammed-lift-with-bike-jpg.jpg


I pressed the alarm button again. Busy. Engaged. Busy ... And then I got a young woman. Bradford. I don't know the postcode. It's a railway/bus station. Which? Both. It is a bus and railway station combined - 'Interchange' is the clue! You can change buses, change trains, or change between buses and trains, all under one roof. Yes, it is a good idea. Er, can we get back to extracting me from the lift. Certainly sir, er, hold on while I ... CLICK, SILENCE! That bloody song again ... Don't leave me this way, I can't survive, I can't stay alive - don't leave me this way!

I don't know if you are like me, but I have wondered why people start to freak out when they are trapped in lifts. Surely someone will soon be along to let them out! I was beginning to have second thoughts though. It was a small lift and the air was already starting to get clammy. Condensation was running down all the metal panels of the lift. I had been in there about 20 minutes and nothing had happened. Ok, the gloves are off now you b*st*rds! I pressed and held the alarm button. The alarm sounded like the banshees from hell. A busy station buzzing with people couldn't ignore THAT! ALARM, ALARM, ALARM, ALARM, ALARM, ALARM,ALARM, ALARM,ALARM, ALARM,ALARM, ALARM,ALARM, ALARM,ALARM, ALARM,ALARM, ALARM ...

IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE ..

F.F.F.F F.F.F.F S.S.S.S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could hear people outside walking around the concourse. I shouted ... IGNORE. IGNORE, IGNORE!

I started kicking the door while sounding the alarm ... IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE!

Was I in some kind of alternative universe where sound only travelled in one direction? I began to think I could be in there for hours and would miss the last train. Just what I needed.

And then my phone rang ... Eh? Being a former electronics engineer (and smart arse), I had always assumed that phones would not work in lifts. Faraday Cages and all that ... It hadn't occurred to me to try my phone!

It was my sister asking me where I was. She had been trying my landline all day. I told her that I was trapped in a lift in Bradford. I said that I didn't know how long we would have a signal so could she try and sort it out for me. I was in the lift to the railway ticket barriers at Bradford Interchange. Cheers.

She rang back 5 minutes later to say that she had got hold of the security staff at the station and they were on their way. Suddenly I heard a thump on the door and the welcome sound of a friendly voice. THANKS SIS, SPEAK TOMORROW!
:laugh:
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Apparently so... It gives me an excuse to post this again and it illustrates the point perfectly!

:laugh:
There's over half a dozen postcodes, depending on where you are within the building. The ground floor has a different one to the staff only area, in between the ground floor and the railway station. The railway station has a seperate postcode to the booking office.

Why didn't you just go up the ramp on the outside? Save all that trouble with the lifts.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Why didn't you just go up the ramp on the outside? Save all that trouble with the lifts.
It might have something to do with having just ridden 163 km (101) miles over some big climbs in the Dales totalling 3,000 m (10,000 ft) of ascent, and ending the ride into strong headwinds and then getting caught in torrential rain... :whistle:

I was knackered and got lazy at that last possible moment! Obviously, if there had been a warning notice on the lift door about the risk of getting trapped, I would have gone the other way. :laugh:
 

classic33

Leg End Member
It might have something to do with having just ridden 163 km (101) miles over some big climbs in the Dales totalling 3,000 m (10,000 ft) of ascent, and ending the ride into strong headwinds and then getting caught in torrential rain... :whistle:

I was knackered and got lazy at that last possible moment! Obviously, if there had been a warning notice on the lift door about the risk of getting trapped, I would have gone the other way. :laugh:
You're honest, I'll give you that.
 

lazybloke

Considering a new username
Location
Leafy Surrey
I was shivering now that the warmth from the exertion of riding had faded. My cycling clothes were sodden. But at least all I had to do now was to cycle down the hill to Bradford Interchange to catch my train home.

I got to the Interchange with 10 minutes to spare until my train. Normally, I would nip up the stairs carrying my bike, or perhaps pick it up and use the escalator. I don't know what made me choose the lift ...

Anyway, choice made ... I wheeled my bike into the lift, pressed the button, the doors closed, CLUNK, WHIRR, SILENCE! I pressed the button again. Nothing. Door open button. Nothing. Oh deep joy ... absolutely bloody wonderful - just what I needed when cold, tired and desperate to get home!

Still, there was an alarm button. Surely that would summon help? PRESS. Ah yes, a very loud alarm started sounding outside the lift. The instructions said to ring it for 5 seconds. A robot voice came out of a speaker telling me that the lift company were being alerted. Eh!!! I don't want some company in Glasgow/London/Wherever to be told that the lift needs servicing - I want someone at the station to open the door! The sound of a call being made, then an answering machine message - 'All lines are busy, please try again'. I tried again. Apparently, all lines were busy. I tried again. Engaged! Oh, FFS!!!!!!!!!!

After about 10 attempts, I got through to a young man who asked how he could help me. I suggested that getting me out of the lift that I was trapped in would help! He asked where the lift was so I told him that it was at Bradford Interchange. He asked where that was ... Er, it is in Bradford. Bradford, West Yorkshire. That is in England, UK! (He didn't seem to see get the humour ...) Next, he wanted to know the postcode of Bradford Interchange! I told him that the next time I planned to get stuck in a lift I would make a note of the postcode, but sorry, this slacker hadn't done so. How about Googling it? Oh, er yes, just wait while I see if I ca ... CLICK, SILENCE! Hello lift person, are you there liftie, LIFTIE, LIFTIE? Songs started playing in my mind ... Don't leave me this way, I can't survive, I can't stay alive - don't leave me this way!

I tried again. All lines busy. Again. Busy. Engaged. Engaged. Busy.

I need a break from typing. Please enjoy the following artistic photograph. It is called 'Jammed lift, with bike'!

jammed-lift-with-bike-jpg-jpg.jpg



I pressed the alarm button again. Busy. Engaged. Busy ... And then I got a young woman. Bradford. I don't know the postcode. It's a railway/bus station. Which? Both. It is a bus and railway station combined - 'Interchange' is the clue! You can change buses, change trains, or change between buses and trains, all under one roof. Yes, it is a good idea. Er, can we get back to extracting me from the lift. Certainly sir, er, hold on while I ... CLICK, SILENCE! That bloody song again ... Don't leave me this way, I can't survive, I can't stay alive - don't leave me this way!

I don't know if you are like me, but I have wondered why people start to freak out when they are trapped in lifts. Surely someone will soon be along to let them out! I was beginning to have second thoughts though. It was a small lift and the air was already starting to get clammy. Condensation was running down all the metal panels of the lift. I had been in there about 20 minutes and nothing had happened. Ok, the gloves are off now you b*st*rds! I pressed and held the alarm button. The alarm sounded like the banshees from hell. A busy station buzzing with people couldn't ignore THAT! ALARM, ALARM, ALARM, ALARM, ALARM, ALARM,ALARM, ALARM,ALARM, ALARM,ALARM, ALARM,ALARM, ALARM,ALARM, ALARM,ALARM, ALARM ...

IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE ..

F.F.F.F F.F.F.F S.S.S.S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could hear people outside walking around the concourse. I shouted ... IGNORE. IGNORE, IGNORE!

I started kicking the door while sounding the alarm ... IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE!

Was I in some kind of alternative universe where sound only travelled in one direction? I began to think I could be in there for hours and would miss the last train. Just what I needed.

And then my phone rang ... Eh? Being a former electronics engineer (and smart arse), I had always assumed that phones would not work in lifts. Faraday Cages and all that ... It hadn't occurred to me to try my phone!

It was my sister asking me where I was. She had been trying my landline all day. I told her that I was trapped in a lift in Bradford. I said that I didn't know how long we would have a signal so could she try and sort it out for me. I was in the lift to the railway ticket barriers at Bradford Interchange. Cheers.

She rang back 5 minutes later to say that she had got hold of the security staff at the station and they were on their way. Suddenly I heard a thump on the door and the welcome sound of a friendly voice. THANKS SIS, SPEAK TOMORROW!

Such a trivial thing to make you "annoyed beyond expectation". Get a grip! :tongue:
 

Accy cyclist

Legendary Member
I've just heard on a radio news report saying that the Duchess of Cambridge 'wore earrings owned by her mother in law Princess Diana'. How could she have been her mother in law, when Diana died long before her son William married the now Duchess of Cambridge? 🤔
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I've just heard on a radio news report saying that the Duchess of Cambridge 'wore earrings owned by her mother in law Princess Diana'. How could she have been her mother in law, when Diana died long before her son William married the now Duchess of Cambridge? 🤔
A valid point, but...
Such a trivial thing to make you "annoyed beyond expectation". Get a grip! :tongue:
:laugh:
 

youngoldbloke

The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
Duvet covers.
 

youngoldbloke

The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
I like them inside out, they're much easier to get on the naked duvet in that condition. Grab two corners of the duvet with your hands inside the cover at the inside-out corners, and flip'n'shake ... job's done!
- I'll try that! I do have one with ties on the inside corners - obviously what they are for.
 
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