The General Chat Thread (2023)

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TastyReuben said:
I’m the other way round - bright lights bother me, so I’m prone to sitting in very dimly lit rooms when I have the option, and I usually wear sunglasses outside, even on overcast days.
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Hey, same! That's how I initially found out I needed glasses. I couldn't read things anymore when there's a light on them.
 
caseydog said:
It is 29F outside, and "rain"is on the way. Oh yeah, that's below zeroC. Wanna' guess how that "rain" will hit the ground.

Looks like I need to dig up my tow rope so I can pull my friends, and people I encounter, out of the ditches. A few days out of the year, I get to really appreciate quattro.

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CD
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It is brilliant isn't it?
We used to love the quattro in our old Mark 3 A4 (when engine sizes were 2.8L not the 3.2L it is now). We literally could go anywhere with her and not worry. We did on one occasion have to use the bumper as a snow plough to clear the 1mile long track of ours of deep snow. She was a darn good vehicle that one, shame about the winter around town fuel economy (about 20miles to a gallon, but on a run was double that).
 
Sometimes people surprise you and that happened today with a company I have a reasonable amount of mountaineering kit with. They're not a cheap company but the quality of their kit is fantastic, so despite the cost over the years I've returned to them time and time again. Most of my kit has lasted over a decade per item.

I had reason to contact their repairs department a few weeks back after my old waterproof jacket didn't survive being washed & re-treated. It's been washed and re-treated many times before but this time around some of the seam tapes decided enough was enough and called time on life. The shoulder tape and the hem tape came off completely and the sleeve seam tape has started to peel. Looking at the jacket I could see that it wasn't too difficult to repair if I could get hold of certain stuff, but i couldn't, so I contacted the repairs team explaining that the normal form for a repairs quote wouldn't allow me to use it because I didn't buy the product in this country... in fact, I didn't even buy it in this hemisphere.

I'd used the waterproof jacket extensively whilst cycling around the world: oddly enough not what it was designed for, it's a climbing/mountaineering waterproof but the helmet features designed for a climbing/caving helmet meant a cycling helmet fitted under it just fine. The jacket is over 12 years old and by my own admission has had a tough life.

They agreed to look at it and even paid the return postage for me.

About a week later, I got a very reasonable quote for the repairs with a note that there was a little concern about how many other seam tapes may loosen in their washing of the jacket (it's had chain oil on one sleeve for about 11 years, nothing budged it). That's a fair concern. I'd seen a few other edges lifting and was concerned as well. They also offered a very reasonable 30% off any new jacket if I wanted to replace it rather than repair it.

We've emailed back and forth a couple of times regarding what was available and I'd noticed that the filter on their web page didn't give one of the jackets that they had sent me a link to (a like for like replacement), so I'd mentioned it to them. I was torn between upgrading to the next level jacket which features some newer technology and better able to cope with rucksacks or to stay with the one I had but they only had an orche brown that I didn't really like...

Last night we made the decision to upgrade. I could stay with the blue waterproof I preferred and get the better rucksack resistance of the newer fabric. So I sent my reply before I went to bed and could change my mind again! Lol.

Today they have sent me the one off discount code, increasing the discount to 40% (no explanation given) and asked if they can upcycle my old jacket! Win win. That's a staggering $500 off the cost of the new jacket!

Thank you Arc'teryx! You've definitively just kept this customer happy!
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
Sometimes people surprise you and that happened today with a company I have a reasonable amount of mountaineering kit with. They're not a cheap company but the quality of their kit is fantastic, so despite the cost over the years I've returned to them time and time again. Most of my kit has lasted over a decade per item.

I had reason to contact their repairs department a few weeks back after my old waterproof jacket didn't survive being washed & re-treated. It's been washed and re-treated many times before but this time around some of the seam tapes decided enough was enough and called time on life. The shoulder tape and the hem tape came off completely and the sleeve seam tape has started to peel. Looking at the jacket I could see that it wasn't too difficult to repair if I could get hold of certain stuff, but i couldn't, so I contacted the repairs team explaining that the normal form for a repairs quote wouldn't allow me to use it because I didn't buy the product in this country... in fact, I didn't even buy it in this hemisphere.

I'd used the waterproof jacket extensively whilst cycling around the world: oddly enough not what it was designed for, it's a climbing/mountaineering waterproof but the helmet features designed for a climbing/caving helmet meant a cycling helmet fitted under it just fine. The jacket is over 12 years old and by my own admission has had a tough life.

They agreed to look at it and even paid the return postage for me.

About a week later, I got a very reasonable quote for the repairs with a note that there was a little concern about how many other seam tapes may loosen in their washing of the jacket (it's had chain oil on one sleeve for about 11 years, nothing budged it). That's a fair concern. I'd seen a few other edges lifting and was concerned as well. They also offered a very reasonable 30% off any new jacket if I wanted to replace it rather than repair it.

We've emailed back and forth a couple of times regarding what was available and I'd noticed that the filter on their web page didn't give one of the jackets that they had sent me a link to (a like for like replacement), so I'd mentioned it to them. I was torn between upgrading to the next level jacket which features some newer technology and better able to cope with rucksacks or to stay with the one I had but they only had an orche brown that I didn't really like...

Last night we made the decision to upgrade. I could stay with the blue waterproof I preferred and get the better rucksack resistance of the newer fabric. So I sent my reply before I went to bed and could change my mind again! Lol.

Today they have sent me the one off discount code, increasing the discount to 40% (no explanation given) and asked if they can upcycle my old jacket! Win win. That's a staggering $500 off the cost of the new jacket!

Thank you Arc'teryx! You've definitively just kept this customer happy!
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That's awesome! You definitely deserve some small good things in your life, I know how difficult things are for you :hug:
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
It is brilliant isn't it?
We used to love the quattro in our old Mark 3 A4 (when engine sizes were 2.8L not the 3.2L it is now). We literally could go anywhere with her and not worry. We did on one occasion have to use the bumper as a snow plough to clear the 1mile long track of ours of deep snow. She was a darn good vehicle that one, shame about the winter around town fuel economy (about 20miles to a gallon, but on a run was double that).
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I had one of those. The A4 now comes with a 2.0 Turbo, at least in the US -- great engine, I have on in my Q5.

But, as good as quattro is in snow, nothing is good on solid ice, which is what we have right now. it is 25F/-4C outside, and it has been sleeting on and off for about 12 hours. I stocked up at the store yesterday, and my car is not leaving the garage until this stuff melts.

The white stuff in these photos is not snow. It is hard packed sleet, AKA: ice. What makes it worse is that the warm ground melts the sleet, and the cold air freezes it, so it's rock solid ice.

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CD
 
Rocklobster said:
Looks like a typical day here. Not sure how I should react. Say I’m sorry or laugh at you. The first snowstorm is always a mess. People forget that they have to slow down. Watch yourself if you are out standing on the road side. People will slam on the breaks and fishtail into you.
Happens every winter.
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I'm not leaving the house today. We didn't get snow, we got sleet, which has turned into ice.

CD
 
caseydog said:
But, as good as quattro is in snow, nothing is good on solid ice, which is what we have right now. it is 25F/-4C outside, and it has been sleeting on and off for about 12 hours. I stocked up at the store yesterday, and my car is not leaving the garage until this stuff melts.
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I've always found it very interesting observing how different countries deal with snow and ice. The UK for example grits and tries to melt it away (the grit is actually rock salt, not grit). Australia does nothing where we live, you're just expected to slow down. So black ice is black ice and the inevitable happens usually with lethal consequences. In the Snowy's they insist of snow chains on every wheel of every vehicle inside certain areas with long areas set aside for you to put them on or remove them. The road marking are also a different colour inside the restricted area.
Ireland put down ground up recycled glass (or did last time we were there in winter). They don't try to melt it, just give you grip.
Norway and Sweden take a totally different approach. Rather than trying to melt the snow or ice, they deliberately compact it and then cover it in a layer of actual grit. Snow chains also get used where/when needed as do winter tyres.

On our expedition bikes and our mountain bikes, we had a set of studded tyres for cycling in winter on snow or ice. They were brilliant but did make cycling harder!
 
Geez!!!
Sitting in the waiting room at one DH’s doctor visits and one person is yacking on their cellphone, another is playing a game with the volume turned all the way up, and yet still another is watching something on their phone without any ear buds/ear phones.
Geez!!!
 
kaneohegirlinaz said:
Geez!!!
Sitting in the waiting room at one DH’s doctor visits and one person is yacking on their cellphone, another is playing a game with the volume turned all the way up, and yet still another is watching something on their phone without any ear buds/ear phones.
Geez!!!
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Talk about inconsiderate. I'd be saying something discretely to reception at that point. It annoys me at the best of times because of my sensitive hearing (it's one reason we have no neighbours).
 
Rocklobster said:
Looks like a typical day here. Not sure how I should react. Say I’m sorry or laugh at you. The first snowstorm is always a mess. People forget that they have to slow down. Watch yourself if you are out standing on the road side. People will slam on the breaks and fishtail into you.
Happens every winter.
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I love it (not) when I am pushing snow to the end of the driveway and the snowplow "plows by" at an accelerated speed and sprays dirty road snow all over me! And pushes a mountain of rather wet snow to build a wall separating the road from my driveway...
 
They go by after I leave for work so I come home to a nice wall of snow filled with heavy ice chunks. Sometimes it is so high I have to climb over it and walk to the house to get the shovel so I can clear a path to get the car in.
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
I've always found it very interesting observing how different countries deal with snow and ice. The UK for example grits and tries to melt it away (the grit is actually rock salt, not grit). Australia does nothing where we live, you're just expected to slow down. So black ice is black ice and the inevitable happens usually with lethal consequences. In the Snowy's they insist of snow chains on every wheel of every vehicle inside certain areas with long areas set aside for you to put them on or remove them. The road marking are also a different colour inside the restricted area.
Ireland put down ground up recycled glass (or did last time we were there in winter). They don't try to melt it, just give you grip.
Norway and Sweden take a totally different approach. Rather than trying to melt the snow or ice, they deliberately compact it and then cover it in a layer of actual grit. Snow chains also get used where/when needed as do winter tyres.

On our expedition bikes and our mountain bikes, we had a set of studded tyres for cycling in winter on snow or ice. They were brilliant but did make cycling harder!
Click to expand...

Rock salt is devastating to cars. Texas doesn't do it. Trucks put down a layer of very coarse sand on bridges and overpasses, and near intersections where cars need to stop. It's nasty, and makes your car really dirty, but it won't cause rust, like salt does.

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CD
 
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