Mr Brindley - who said Ms Davey needed to pay the fine because her permit was on her dashboard, not her windshield - also stayed at the scene, hoping she would concede
My dad experienced a similar jobs worth recently when taking my disabled grandmother to the bank. He had displayed her "blue badge" on the dashboard, but was given a £70 fine by the warden because the badge was 180 degrees round from the way the warden expected it to be displayed. It was still clearly visible, and easily read if the warden tilted his head. Not surprisingly, my dad is contesting the fine through the council.
I sent a form to a government office and it needed a copy of a tax declaration attached. Somewhere in the 5 pages of confusing and contradictory small print it said the attachment must be pinned, not stapled. I had stapled it with a small staple. Fine, my mistake, but not exactly the crime of the century.
It was sent back to me, registered mail, with a printed note explaining that I had not followed the instructions, but it did not say in what respect. After a time consuming trip to the post office to collect the letter as I'd been away, I took it back, and after going through everything and the only 'error' I could see was the staple. So I carefully unstapled it and pinned it. The harridan on the counter took 5 minutes looking through it, all the time looking as if somene had farted under her nose, and then told me she could not accept it as it had an extra set of holes in it from the staple.
I sometimes think they employ people purely to be obstructive and obnoxious. Is there a University somewhere that produces these people or do they breed?
...she could not accept it as it had an extra set of holes in it from the staple.
Was there a rule in writing she could show you that said extra sets of holes were not allowed? You can jobsworth some of these idiots back, but it takes an exhaustive amount of effort.
Being a reformed civil servant I used to work with a number of them (they're just as irritating as colleagues, particularly if you have to supervise them and deal with the constant trouble they cause). I think it's generally caused by an individual's mixture of stupidity, tunnel vision and power tripping.
The other problem with government employment everywhere is that as a supervisor you're not allowed to have a go at them, because technically they're doing their job. I took one to task for a similar act of moronity to the ones above and got chipped for it, because he was following the guidelines (my boss privately agreed that he was a moron, but that's the way it goes).
Couple that with a system where employees are also chipped for lateral thinking (which is the case at the lower levels of most government departments I know of) and you just encourage people to carry on like this. Occasionally one of them does something incredibly dumb that gets media attention but most of the time it passes unnoticed.
Since starting bus driving exactly twelve months ago, l think that l`ve come across Joe Public.
A total shock. l didn`t know these people existed. 25% are normal. 25% are plainly mentally ill. 50% are what l can only describe as "lifes`walking wounded".
Wildly guess work of course, but from that demographic you have 1 chance in 4 of any hope of common sense on the street.
On that basis Clint`s " do you feel lucky Punk ?" takes on a whole new meaning.
ps. the laughing was meant for the post before yours. l hope l didn`t cause offence.
You can jobsworth some of these idiots back, but it takes an exhaustive amount of effort.
Advertising not allowed but Google the words "Bureaucrats" and "R.T. Fishall". You'll be able to have years of fun getting your own back.
"Hey diddle diddle! The stamps in the middle!"
P.S. Just followed my own advice to see about buying a new copy (I left my old one behind in Borneo) and discovered that "R.T. Fishall" is a pseudonym for Sir Patrick Moore. That figures. A particular hero of mine is Sir Patrick.
Last edited by Blacksheep; 28th Feb 2011 at 08:13.
Reason: To add an interesting snippet discovered when Googling "RT Fishall".
At Bristol airport I placed my liquids in a clear plastic bag and went through the ususal "security"scrutinity to be told that my plastic bag was not regulation size and that the contents could not be taken on the aircraft.
I asked what was the standard size and where was this defined - the Jobswrorth said 8" x 6" (or thereabouts) so I asked her to measure my bag to show it was outside the limits. They didn't have a ruler, but instead she showed me a "standard" plastic bag which was smaller than mine - I then asked her to show that the "standard" bag was the maximum permitted size - "sorry I havn't got a ruler, but you can take my word that it is"
My flight wasn't due to depart for another hour or so, so I asked to see the supervisor, 10 minute wait whilst supervisor was found who also had no ruler, but said that I have two choices - leave the bag or buy a correct one from the nearby dispenser at £1 for 3 bags, but the bag I had was NOT going to be accepted. I left it, f*ckwits.
Just where do these people come from? The Goebbels School of customer service?
I was carrying a part used tube of hair gel in my hand luggage when I was pulled up at Changi International's "security". The tube was marked 150 ml and the limit is 100ml. I pointed out that it was less than half full but they insisted on confiscating it. Being a cantankerous old git, I squeezed out all the gel into my hand and spread it generously upon my hair, then gave them the empty tube. I didn't have to comb my hair for days afterwards.
Visions of the splendid Neddy Seagoon, suffering from Spong - a condition that results in one's kneecaps exploding - came to mind. Exploding hair! Wow that's a good one. We'd all have to be shaved bald before being allowed to board an aircraft.
At Bristol airport I placed my liquids in a clear plastic bag and went through the ususal "security"scrutinity to be told that my plastic bag was not regulation size and that the contents could not be taken on the aircraft.
A slightly over-sized plastic bag on board an aircraft is obviously a serious terrorist threat. I'm terrified at the thought and will look out for these in future
Some of these people in official positions are addicted to soap operas; with no real life of their own and no common sense.
Some years ago I applied for new passports for my wife and I. It was required that we make an appointment at the Post Office to do the paperwork and have an interview. I made an appointment over the telephone and arranged a date at time for my wife and I do this.
THe day arrived for our appointments and we turned up at the appointed time. The Post Mistress (who bore resemblence to Colleen McCullough) told us that an appointment had only been made for me an not my wife and refused to make a booking for her there and then. No, we had to make an appointment by telephone.
I could see in her appointment book that there were no other passport appointments that day. Despite this, she still refused to grant us an appointment unless we left and called on the telephone for an appointment. My wife, being a wag, pulled out her mobile and called to make an appointment whilst I was being interviewed. The assistant made the booking for 5 mins after I was due to finish mine.
This call was made whilst my wife was standing inside the post office!!
I tried to pay a gas bill at the same Post Office at another time (clearly marked : "Payable at any Post Office") however they refused to accept payment as they said that the bill was for a house in Victoria and we were in New South Wales.
And I thought it was we Southerners who were supposed to be poncey?
You don't get much more southerner than Simonstown, Tanky.
...but that aside, it was Mrs BS's idea. It didn't work. Even my Mum gave up in frustration at the impossible task of turning my hair into any style other than "raggy-arsed street urchin".
...neither did our daughters' hair-dying experiment that ended with me being abducted by a female Orang Hutan at Kuala Lumpur Zoo - but that's another story.
Capetonian. How VERY slack of you. Anyone with an ounce of common sense would have removed the staple and, very carefully, stuck a pin through the holes caused by the staple!! An excess of holes is never a good thing. Take MORE care in future.
The UK Passport Office at Newport I have found incredibly efficient, friendly and helpful. As this is not allowable, the government are closing it.....
I'm one of those who keeps a big old glass jar & chucks the pocket change into it. Once a year it fills up & I take it round the bank in exchange for crispy beer tickets.
Anyway, I was doing this at Barclays one quiet Thursday afternoon, preceded by banking a business remittance north of 30k. Once that's done, could you please change these up for me.
No.
Oh, why not?
Security issues.
What? What security issues?
Just security issues.
Sour faced old harridan, I refused to budge & asked for the manager. That got her moving, so the security issue was there is no security issue, she just didn't fancy sticking the bags on the scales to check I hadn't done an Arfur Daley & took ten pence out of each one, as that would involve a sliver of effort on her part, miserable old bag she was.
While towing a Huey helicopter across a Dispersal Ramp at Blackpool airport one evening....me holding the old darling's tail stinger at the far end from the bright yellow Tug....up shows the Security Person. He very formally informed me I did not have on my required Hi-Vis Vest.
Patience not being one of my very few virtues....it took some intervening by the owner to keep me from having an unscheduled meeting with some real Police fellers. My sarcastic comment about how blind someone would have to be to run over me without seeing the Huey and Tug did not matter as the rules clearly state one must have on said Hi-Vis jacket. The fact he did not have one on himself while telling me that did not help in his effort to convey the importance of that concept. I guess his yellowish coat emblazoned with "Security" thereon met the standard. Of course this is the airport where one leaves airside by means of a hole cut into the Security Fence to go get a Sandwich and Coffee. I reckon the Hi-Vis jacket is the way the Jobsworth is able to discern trespassing Terrorists from local airport staff.
I get my medical care from the guvmint owing to some dents and dings I picked up in a small Southeast Asian country in another life. My assigned Out-Patient Clinic and Primary Care Physician fortunately lies just around the corner from where I live. Having been taken ill with a bug that caused me to go into coughing spasms and resulting problems from all that.....I deemed it the thing to do was to seek medical care.
I committed a Sin.....I walked in....the Nurse launched into an ear bashing that seemed never to end....refused to see me then....and said I had to call in....amidst the din....I called by cell from the nurse's room therein....but that was not the end....it all wound up with the Nurse sticking a big hypo in my rear end. I guess it all worked out for the better. I got well....the Nurse got even.
