75ZT Community

What a rotten day

I had arranged to draw a largish sum from my Halifax Account in cash a week earlier.

Been with them 40 years, but still. 'We need to see your passport or other ID, when you collect?' was the conditional farewell. At this visit I also paid in a cheque.

When I mentioned I wanted the cash in 3 days, I was told

'You'll have to wait for another four days, until this cheque clears'

'Why'? I asked

'Because that's our rules', was the retort

'So are you saying I cannot access my own money'?

'What do you mean?'

'I have considerably more than the amount I wish to withdraw, already in cleared funds in that account'.

Clearly she hadn't seen my balance, but there was no apology.

Anyway, I went to collect it yesterday and was asked ...

'What was the cheque you paid in for, who was the issuer?'
'It was an unexpected pay out from 'Scottish Widows' on a life policy my late wife must have taken out'

'Can you provide written evidence?' was the the next invigilation! - followed by ...

Why do you want the money, what's it for'

Being the senior Economist for one of the World's largest companies until I retired, I attended many meetings with the Serious Crime Squad, Anti -Terrorism brigade' etc. etc. However this needless and impersonal line of questioning, to an almost life-time customer with established profile, demonstrates just how far we have let this kind of nedless inquisition develop. Also how separated and impersonal 'personal' banking has become.

Mindless, sop on TV adverts suggesting getting ' Xtra help' are benign and innocuous - crap in fact!

I didn't recall that great bastion and success story of British business 'Sir' Fred Goodwin being questioned too closely as he cleared off with his £13k a week pension and squidzilla cash payout. But then he only broke HBOS, RBS and as a corollary Lloyds as collateral damage. In Russia they'd have shot him.

Anyway then to Tesco, to buy some discounted razor cartridges. Buying few items retail these days I use a plastic bag for convenience. I have a weekly home-drop from them anyway. However they are 'magically' prone to non-delivery on discounted items. Visit the store and well - there it is? Probably 'just in time' logistical dynamics, (cont page 96 etc) !! So I picked up six, paid and was leaving, when I was apprehended by a pair of morose 'Nicht Beauftragt' Security Stormtroopers.

Their line was I shouldn't use the plastic bag etc etc. I pointed out that essentially being one handed, a heavy wire basket was difficult and indeed sometimes painful to utilise. Empathy I discovered was not their strong suit, and they were evidently dismayed that I'd paid! It was somehow the malignant determination to make me feel guilty, I'd paid, why not say nothing - but oh no, I'm wearing a Pilot's shirt with blue epaulettes, so somehow, I need to confirm my stunted inadequacy, by expressing my ignorance.

Therefore within an hour, two ribald instances of degradation, tolerance and tunnel vision. I know, (and please hear this a a pre repsonse caveat), the ungodly are impressing their wretched ways upon us all, but somehow 24 hours on I still feel shaken.

One things for sure, I won't be going out in the future any more than I have too. Contact with UK 2010 enhances the risk of such friction!


Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do

you have my thought , the world is mad

A very sad tale Martin.

I don't think I'd have had your patience in the bank. "What do you want it for?" would have been met with an instantaneous demand for ALL the remaining balance, in that and any other account. After all, one can be insulted in any branch of any bank these days

The second part of your rotten day unfortunately, there is no cure for. Morons, given a little authority, will always react in that way. It is a fact of life and really shouldn't deter you from venturing out into the world. If necessary, pitying them and their insignificant insular existence.

I think that most of us have more negative experiences with 'society' these days than positive but, by the same token, when a positive thing happens to me, it tends to blot out the idiocy, discourtesy, harassment, bigotry that is the normal fare.

Perhaps I speak from the advantageous position of regularly seeing, hearing about and dealing with the sundry and diverse amoebae we seem to be saddled with these days.

Not sure about the reference to the ungodly, old boy I've already got the pope (lack of capitalization intended) criticising me and calling me a Nazi because I don't subscribe to the notion of god , and personally, I don't think I'm too bad an individual "for a' that"

Martin, you are unique and too important to become a recluse.

Last time my bank asked me what I wanted cash for, I told them it was for a gun and getaway driver. .. They don't ask now...
...

Sorry to hear your story. I'm afraid I would have been asking to see the manager at both places.

No, demanding, actually.

Duncan wrote:Sorry to hear your story. I'm afraid I would have been asking to see the manager at both places.

No, demanding, actually.

The world has gone mad, people are so so rude and not very helpful towards each other. More and more folk do not have any common sense now-a-days, people are to keen to make things awkward for one-another.

Sorry to read that, Martin. It seems like manners and common sense are endangered species nowadays.

Duncan wrote:Sorry to hear your story. I'm afraid I would have been asking to see the manager at both places.

No, demanding, actually.

Do they have managers these days ? or rather programmed robots dressed up in the particular institutions uniform........

James.uk wrote:Last time my bank asked me what I wanted cash for, I told them it was for a gun and getaway driver. .. They don't ask now...


...

Think we should now call you , 'Jesse James'.........



Mike

Chartermark wrote:What a rotten day

I had arranged to draw a largish sum from my Halifax Account in cash a week earlier.

Been with them 40 years, but still. 'We need to see your passport or other ID, when you collect?' was the conditional farewell. At this visit I also paid in a cheque.

When I mentioned I wanted the cash in 3 days, I was told

'You'll have to wait for another four days, until this cheque clears'

'Why'? I asked

'Because that's our rules', was the retort

'So are you saying I cannot access my own money'?

'What do you mean?'

'I have considerably more than the amount I wish to withdraw, already in cleared funds in that account'.

Clearly she hadn't seen my balance, but there was no apology.

Anyway, I went to collect it yesterday and was asked ...

'What was the cheque you paid in for, who was the issuer?'
'It was an unexpected pay out from 'Scottish Widows' on a life policy my late wife must have taken out'

'Can you provide written evidence?' was the the next invigilation! - followed by ...

Why do you want the money, what's it for'

Being the senior Economist for one of the World's largest companies until I retired, I attended many meetings with the Serious Crime Squad, Anti -Terrorism brigade' etc. etc. However this needless and impersonal line of questioning, to an almost life-time customer with established profile, demonstrates just how far we have let this kind of nedless inquisition develop. Also how separated and impersonal 'personal' banking has become.

Mindless, sop on TV adverts suggesting getting ' Xtra help' are benign and innocuous - crap in fact!

I didn't recall that great bastion and success story of British business 'Sir' Fred Goodwin being questioned too closely as he cleared off with his £13k a week pension and squidzilla cash payout. But then he only broke HBOS, RBS and as a corollary Lloyds as collateral damage. In Russia they'd have shot him.
[/i]

Open an account with someone else transfer all you money and accounts.
Go in to the Halifax and tell them you are closing all your accounts with them

They will bend over backwards to be nice to you - you may even get a free drink and a biscuit

They did with me 12 years ago and I had great pleasure in telling the person what their customer service had been like in the previous months.
After thanking them for the free shares I told them what they could do with their business before walking out.

Thank you for your reply.

Trouble is,their all the same. We call it an oligopoly - amongst other things of course.

I did 'do the rounds' back in the days of the Northern Rock avalanche and found that all Bank/Building Society girls sound the same, rather like Weather & News presenters.

I should add that as an attorney for a large estate I can swing large sums around. That factor did cause The Halifax to climb out of the 'Tree of Arrogance' back in 2008. Now comfortably cossetted by Uk.gov they could'nt care less about the odd million here or there ...

In reply to you all, I'd like to relate how invigorating I have found your kind and reflective remarks.

Over the years I worked as close as you get, for some remarkable people. Three wonderful Vice Presidents at a vast American Oil Company, who let me see the world in all it's beauty and contrite ugliness by the age of 28.

Octav Botnar the Geman genius who started importing Datsun cars to the UK in 1966 with no more than £10,000. By '79 he was earning £300 + million a year. By a long way not everything he said or did was good, but he was the nearest thing I saw to a genius.

Then Victor Gauntlett, who started a diminutive Petrol Company called Pace, with even less money than Botnar and sold out to Q8 for a fortune.

He then became Chairman of Aston Martin and probably saved the company during his term, recruiting fabulously wealthy shareholders and giving everyone enduring belief in their product. The quintessential English gentleman, many drew resolve and strength from his inspirational leadership. Tragically he died seven years ago, very suddenly aged just 59.

All these people had an abundance of common sense and the will to question without fatigue, that which was blatantly wrong. Today the legion of brain dead automatons that infest every facet in the business world are like the universal soldiers of molded miscegenation.

No longer it seems capable of rational objectivity, they acquiesce every stupid tenet their 'brain dead 'management decree.

There's no drive, creativity, no spark of ingenuity Where are we going within this amorphous stodge? Suddenly, the Centre controls the periphery and secrecy and 'the need to know' have become the aims within themselves.

We are shortly to experience a rough paradigm shift within the Economy. The gathering clouds of statistics threaten to culminate in changes the like of which we've never seen, as we swim from the sinking ship of fools we've all been sailing on for the last decade.

What really concerns me is recovery. Our 'Private' sector is undernourished both in creation and investment capital, due to the excesses of an unregulated finance sector.

The cretins I encountered yesterday are just typical of how unfit we are to strive for recovery. Now driven to tertiary activities (finance and insurance) we employ cyborgs to regulate customers like SS prison guards. Worryingly like obedient little cabbages everyone seems to accept being treated in this bestial fashion as everyday normality.

Finally look no further than TV's 'Dragons Den'. The majority of entrants are idiots, under prepared, argumentative and either plain dumb or arrogant to the point of despotism.

Had I ever presented an 'Authority for Expenditure' to an international board in such an instantiated manner, any or all of the people I referred to above, would have rung for a doctor believing me to be unwell. My figures which had to be in 'DCF' - (discounted cash flow, a rigorous fiscal discipline) needed to be exact to five decimal places.

The moronic and robotic application within businesses today makes me glad to think I'm nearer the exit than when I came in.

Without specific thought, I have become increasingly insular over the past year or so. I live a full and happy life but increasingly endogenous in its activity.

As a Penthouse Dweller, thats very easy to accomplish. Another feature within this profile also reflect in the Chavs who have arrived in exponential spontaneity this year as 'Staycations' become the way to go. I live close to the sea and now even closer it feels to East London.

This season from my 'erie' I have witnessed a severe stabbing, countless fights, (mostly between Chavesses) spontaneous drug taking (chasing the dragon mainly). To this cocktail add the mundanity of conveyor belt drunks swearing, and generally behaving with the decorum of cockroaches. This to the accompaniment of screeching tyres, 200 decibel CD tuners and behemoth motorbikes.

I had treble glazing in May and now I' going for full air conditioning, installed starting tomorrow. All this I suppose as a subconscious desire to repel intrusion and retain a self sealed lifestyle.

It's funny, but when I was twenty I used to feel sorry for my father, for living in his time, now I'm not so sure. I think I've seen all the good days of my lifetime. With positive reflection at least I have the education and innate intelligence to comprehend what's really happening out there, vile as it is.

Still at least it's Winter soon and we get our town back ...

Hi Martin,

Can I just reiterate what a pleasure it was to meet you at the last Wolves nano-meet.

Your post highlights how this country is degenerating into a scenario where people have no self respect, therefore no respect for other people.

As for 'customer services', well we have been conned by the PR people and the PC brigade who have introduced 'AMERICANISATIONS', have a 'nice day', when you are served food, 'enjoy', not small talk but virtually instructions.

I am an ex-supermarket manager and am disgusted by the poor level of PROPER customer service. We are all being brain-washed by the large chains into believing they care for us, they don't, the same can be written for nearly every public service.

Put the public services into the private environment and they will not last 5 minutes.

Rant over



Mike

Mike, I understand what you mean with the Americanisations, but had an interesting experience.

I've been to a few places in the US over the years. Some of it testing cars, plus a holiday in California.

The first trip took me to Los Angeles, and we went back to LA and SF on Holiday soon after. I was expecting to meet people that said 'have a nice day' because they'd been told to, and because they were supposed to. I expected they would say it with the same tone as they do over here (I'm saying this because I have to not because I care).

However, that couldn't be further from the truth. I was with a colleague, and we weren't sure if we needed to declare some test radios we had. We went to the lane, but there was no-one there, so we walked through. We were then called back by an official man in a uniform, and thought we were in trouble. However my colleague had dropped his coat, and that was all. Having collected it, we went on our way being wished 'have a good evening' as we went. It sounded like he meant it.

Had the same experience a few times.

East coast was a different matter, mind. They didn't care, and let you know!

Mike,

Thank you for your personal salutation, I empathise with your views on the insincerity of imported ideals. The garbage of Company 'Mission Statements,' you know them - 'Every Little Helps' - 'We Try Harder' etc etc, equate to zilch in practice. No training in these 'drivers' exists within UK plc as everyday practice.

Apathy within an underworld, where cliche cadenced call centre staff barely conceal their desire to insult, is now the norm.

'We don't give a ----' and 'Up yours' would be a far clearer address of intent.

I recently wanted to upgrade to Sky HD, but resisted when I found I could not complete this operation online. I rate their sub-continent based 'support' unit as the worse thing I've ever had the misfortune to engage. A true coronary creation formula at £££££££ per minute.

I've lived to work in both the USA and Japan, in '72 & '78 respectively. Both, especially the latter were like being in 'Wonderland', compared to the strictures of the UK in those times of austerity. I understand from my friends who are now retired to those countries, that Japan has developed modernity in all it's meanings. Feral adolescence, and criminality however is low and respect for your fellow man still prevails.

America, whilst it has degraded in both the above categories still retains it's cutting edge of sincerity in marketing and customer care.

My closest friend is an American Citizen, domiciled in the UK, and through his auspices I visit one of the US bases here, for 'shopping' trips a few times a year. Every young person there, from a tender age refers to me as 'Sir', and as Duncan alluded, seem to mean it too.

That said, I'm sure the welcome in the Bronx, or downtown LA would be similar to that of Moss Side or Basildon here, but generally their expectations are higher and broadly they respect their country.

Here a corollary of the material world's duplicity, seems manifest in selfishness and social regression. Currently still just about a trend, will these ugly values soon just become commonplace?

Somehow a TV interview with one of 'Jill Dando's' neghbours following her heinous murder seemed to sum up viz;

"The shooting left a horrible atmosphere here for a while. It made you aware of all the terrible things that go on. But I don't think it has affected house prices."

Goodnight ...

Duncan wrote:Mike, I understand what you mean with the Americanisations, but had an interesting experience.

I've been to a few places in the US over the years. Some of it testing cars, plus a holiday in California.

The first trip took me to Los Angeles, and we went back to LA and SF on Holiday soon after. I was expecting to meet people that said 'have a nice day' because they'd been told to, and because they were supposed to. I expected they would say it with the same tone as they do over here (I'm saying this because I have to not because I care).

However, that couldn't be further from the truth. I was with a colleague, and we weren't sure if we needed to declare some test radios we had. We went to the lane, but there was no-one there, so we walked through. We were then called back by an official man in a uniform, and thought we were in trouble. However my colleague had dropped his coat, and that was all. Having collected it, we went on our way being wished 'have a good evening' as we went. It sounded like he meant it.

Had the same experience a few times.

East coast was a different matter, mind. They didn't care, and let you know!

My father in law relates a tale that happened to him and his wife about 10 years ago in California. He was over there to give a lecture (he worked for the DRA) and took his wife for a holiday. They were queuing to get into a popular restaurant and was told that there would be a long wait for a table for two. Another couple that had a table overheard this and invited Neil and Pat to join them. They had a pleasant meal talking to the Americans about England. The other couple left early and when it came for Neil to pay, the Matre De' told him the that the American couple had paid the full bill. In England They would have been left with the full bill.

Hi Martin, look forward to seeing you Friday.
We have had a few days like this recently. Our grandson Logan is disabled and on the highest disability allowance, he is 9 years old doubly incontinent, so still in nappies and has no communication either language or signing.
He has been accepted by Prudoe Hospital in Newcastle for treatment for 3 months [we live in Essex] It will probably require an air ambulance and several people to accompany him, to actually get him there. We are in receipt of free nappys for him courtesy of the incontinence service via our GP. He sometimes needs 13 per day!
The supplier of these nappies is in Corby, Northants and delivers all over the country. We contacted the supplier to organise these nappies to be sent to Prudoe Hospital and were told they cannot do this as the nappies are paid for by our health authority in Essex and can only be delivered to Essex. We are talking about an average cars boot load for 3 months use and they cannot deliver before our due date for delivery which is 5th Oct. We are expecting the transport for him to be arranged for this week. So the nappies will arrive in Essex a week after he leaves for Newcastle and we will have to arrange to drive to Newcastle with a boot load of nappies a week later.
When we complained to the Health Authority a very nice lady suggested we got on with toilet training as this would solve the problem! Luckily I was not on the phone to her at the time!
I can assure you, that you are not alone in thinking this country has gone to the dogs and that officialdom is alive and kicking everywhere!
Regards Dave

Dave,

When I read your story I couldn't believe it? Lets hope that this cretinous harridan from the PCT gets made redundant from it's 'not really' job very quickly. I'm looking forward to the next year or so as these 'do nothing' state fed, jobsworths get their come uppence. Some recompense for their meteoric growth rate to date.

Years ago, I witnessed something similar at The RAF spinal injury unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. Another heartless female pen pusher, with all the empathy of a cement bag, was remonstrating to one of the resident patients, who was suffering from dementia as well as having had half his face burnt away.

Apparently the errant inmate hadn't filled in his PX 555 x/45/1976/zubo form perfectly, and she'd come to get it, oh yes.' Whats your name'? the termagant shrieked at the poor chap.

Very quietly from the neighbouring bed came the reply, Wing Commander so and so - DFC and 2 bars!

I think the UK's finished, sunk in debt, nannydom and the hopeless chicanery of European originated bureaucracy!

I have read this thread with great interest...there are many points I would love to discuss...but, the overwhelming element that strikes me throughout this is that it isn't the 'fault' of Europe / management / Govts of any persuasion / officialdom etc. as such.

It is simply this.

The world is inhabited by many, many stupid, ignorant, insensitive, selfish people. To whit I present you with this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-11430203

And I rest my case.