Things that piss you off that shouldn't

[mjmooney]

I wonder how people managed to ride bikes before lycra was invented?

Pair of trouser clips is all you need.

[darrenm]

I wouldn't "like" them to wear anything in particular (ooh-er!) but as I said, it just strikes me as grown men taking themselves far, far, far too seriously. Do you not find grown men in full football team kit a little bit pathetic? Are you familiar with the term "full kit rocket polisher"?This is the same thing IMO. Sorry if this particular thing-that-pisses-me-off-that-shouldn't has upset you.

Excuse me for the lag but just to back up veloman.

This anti-cyclist stuff has gotten way out of hand. It's becoming dangerous on the road because of the dehumanisation of cyclists into an object.

Do you dislike swimmers for wearing speedos and being FKWs? Or should they wear normal clothes just so they look like they aren't taking themselves too seriously?

Cycling gear has to fit closely and be comfortable so it has to be lycra. Otherwise material is flapping about causing issues, slowing you down, getting in the way, in the same way wearing a duffel coat would wearing it in the pool.

I don't wear my cycling gear except for when I'm cycling, and when I'm riding I'm mostly training so I need to wear the clothing which the sport requires, in the same way as playing football needs you to wear football boots.

Woah, chill! 

 Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this a thread for the little every day things that slightly annoy us? BUT SHOULDN'T? I find FKW cyclists mildly irritating but only at about a 2 on the annoyance scale of 1-10. You didn't read my post properly (I hate it when people say that. But you didn't) and have got disproportionately defensive. I thought it would have been reasonable for it to be assumed that people who actually cycle for a team don't piss me off. I only took issue (and again, I stress in a very, very minor fashion) with the amateurs who dress up in full Team Sky etc. regalia. It's the equivalent of a grown man playing 5-a-side in a full Man Utd kit. But in a similar way, it doesn't really bother me that much. I might think that they're a bit of a tool but that's about it.  Of course I have no issue with people wearing Lycra for cycling. I didn't say that and inferring that would be silly. Your swimwear analogy doesn't work.  I also didn't go on an anti-cyclist rant and I certainly didn't "de-humanise" them. Dare I say it, your ultra-defensive attitude seems somewhat typical of the militant minority of cyclists who ride through red lights, over pedestrian crossings, undertake, fail to give way to ambulances, ride on dual carriageways  etc. etc. and it's still always someone else's fault.  FWIW, I'm pro-cycling. I'm just not pro-people-being-dicks (I'm not talking about FKWs here, although there is invariably an overlap), whether they be riding a bike or driving a car. I know that cyclists put up with shit from some absolute words removed. Don't take your frustrations with them out on me.  Sorry for the rant but it's kind of fitting; your post has pissed me off. And it probably shouldn't have. P.S. Yes, I recognise the irony of me telling you to "chill" at the start of this post .

Wowzers, perhaps I should have put some smileys or something in there. In no way was I having a go at you, I was just on my soapbox because the topic of cycling had come up. I still can't see anything particularly offensive in there still, but anyway. There's nothing to piss you off here, so congratulations, you have succeeded in the thread by finding something that pisses you off that shouldn't have. :-)

[Marka Ragnos]

I am sitting here, waiting for an appointment, listening to kids learning how to play bagpipe. It sounds like a sick ewe or something. Dunno how to describe. I know that almost all instruments except perhaps harp sound bad when someone's learning, but bagpipes, wow -- it's actually kind of disturbing. 

Edited September 16, 2015 by Plastic Man

[JB]

I wouldn't "like" them to wear anything in particular (ooh-er!) but as I said, it just strikes me as grown men taking themselves far, far, far too seriously. Do you not find grown men in full football team kit a little bit pathetic? Are you familiar with the term "full kit rocket polisher"?This is the same thing IMO. Sorry if this particular thing-that-pisses-me-off-that-shouldn't has upset you.

 

Excuse me for the lag but just to back up veloman.

This anti-cyclist stuff has gotten way out of hand. It's becoming dangerous on the road because of the dehumanisation of cyclists into an object.

Do you dislike swimmers for wearing speedos and being FKWs? Or should they wear normal clothes just so they look like they aren't taking themselves too seriously?

Cycling gear has to fit closely and be comfortable so it has to be lycra. Otherwise material is flapping about causing issues, slowing you down, getting in the way, in the same way wearing a duffel coat would wearing it in the pool.

I don't wear my cycling gear except for when I'm cycling, and when I'm riding I'm mostly training so I need to wear the clothing which the sport requires, in the same way as playing football needs you to wear football boots.

 

Woah, chill! 

 Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this a thread for the little every day things that slightly annoy us? BUT SHOULDN'T? I find FKW cyclists mildly irritating but only at about a 2 on the annoyance scale of 1-10. You didn't read my post properly (I hate it when people say that. But you didn't) and have got disproportionately defensive. I thought it would have been reasonable for it to be assumed that people who actually cycle for a team don't piss me off. I only took issue (and again, I stress in a very, very minor fashion) with the amateurs who dress up in full Team Sky etc. regalia. It's the equivalent of a grown man playing 5-a-side in a full Man Utd kit. But in a similar way, it doesn't really bother me that much. I might think that they're a bit of a tool but that's about it.  Of course I have no issue with people wearing Lycra for cycling. I didn't say that and inferring that would be silly. Your swimwear analogy doesn't work.  I also didn't go on an anti-cyclist rant and I certainly didn't "de-humanise" them. Dare I say it, your ultra-defensive attitude seems somewhat typical of the militant minority of cyclists who ride through red lights, over pedestrian crossings, undertake, fail to give way to ambulances, ride on dual carriageways  etc. etc. and it's still always someone else's fault.  FWIW, I'm pro-cycling. I'm just not pro-people-being-dicks (I'm not talking about FKWs here, although there is invariably an overlap), whether they be riding a bike or driving a car. I know that cyclists put up with shit from some absolute words removed. Don't take your frustrations with them out on me.  Sorry for the rant but it's kind of fitting; your post has pissed me off. And it probably shouldn't have. P.S. Yes, I recognise the irony of me telling you to "chill" at the start of this post .

 

Wowzers, perhaps I should have put some smileys or something in there. In no way was I having a go at you, I was just on my soapbox because the topic of cycling had come up. I still can't see anything particularly offensive in there still, but anyway. There's nothing to piss you off here, so congratulations, you have succeeded in the thread by finding something that pisses you off that shouldn't have. :-)

Yep. And I believe that's exactly what I said at the end of my post.  Apologies if I misread the tone of yours.

[chrisp65]

cyclists

[BOF]

I am sitting here, waiting for an appointment, listening to kids learning how to play bagpipe. It sounds like a sick ewe or something. Dunno how to describe. I know that almost all instruments except perhaps harp sound bad when someone's learning, but bagpipes, wow -- it's actually kind of disturbing. 

Bagpipes are the only instrument I'm aware of that still sound terrible when they're being played by an expert.

As they say, a gentleman is someone who can play the bagpipes but doesn't.

[darrenm]

cyclists

There's no such thing as a cyclist, only a person. Posts like this only serve to make us an object to be aimed for on the roads.

[emoji41]

[veloman]

it found trades for prisoners, trained 'em up inside and got them a first job on the outside

Was that NACRO by any chance ? 

[troon_villan]

I am sitting here, waiting for an appointment, listening to kids learning how to play bagpipe. It sounds like a sick ewe or something. Dunno how to describe. I know that almost all instruments except perhaps harp sound bad when someone's learning, but bagpipes, wow -- it's actually kind of disturbing. 

Bagpipes are the only instrument I'm aware of that still sound terrible when they're being played by an expert.

As they say, a gentleman is someone who can play the bagpipes but doesn't.

You've obviously never heard an expert. Very emotive if used for the right occasion, such as the adverts during Braveheart.

[choffer]

It pisses me off that I have no idea how well my charitable donations are being spent

 

Having worked for a number of charities over the years, I'd wager to suggest that there's a very large chance your donations are being spent poorly.

 

 

Staff salaries and bloated operational costs or unnecessary day trips and lunches? Or am I way wide?

Charities reflect the class system perfectly.

The plebs get to stand in the rain rattling tins, while the admin get to eat five-quid cupcakes at events and told what good people they are. 

 

I made a mistake of doing quite a lot of work for free for a charity, the work took time, but it also cost money with a good few trips to London. When the work finished, the guy running the charity came to our office and rolled up in a convertible E Class Merc with a private plate that was the name of the charity.

It felt like I'd been had.

Ah now that wasn't my experience at all. I've spent a good 8 or 10 years of my career working with and for a variety of charities (but I don't like to talk about it).

To answer Pongo's original question, I'd say very wide of the mark. In all such places I worked, frugality was the order of the day. Salaries were less than market for comparable roles, no great perks and everything done on a shoestring.

The real problem with charities is the people who work for them (and I appreciate the irony of me saying this as I was in their employ for so long). There's two types of people who work for charities (sweeping generalisations coming up...); those who can afford to and those who would struggle in the real world. The former are often trustafarians with sufficient money to not have to worry about their salary being lower than it could, the latter are people who aren't really cut out for "real" jobs who charities are prepared to carry out of a sense of moral obligation. There are of course, a percentage that don't fit neatly into either bracket who through circumstance or choice, ended up wanting to work for a charity.

Ultimately though, the problem charities have is one of effectiveness. I saw so many examples of wastefulness through ineptitude that I eventually had to get out for the sake of my own sanity. Charities are staffed with generally well-meaning people but more often than not, people who aren't the best at managing things properly and efficiently.

As for Chris' example of the E-Class-driving berk, I'd imagine he didn't get rich working in the not-for-profit sector. There's an odd implied expectation that if you work for a charity, you should live the life of a cistercian monk and not have materialistic possessions in your life or your somehow cheating. Bit like refugees having smartphones, I guess.

 

[chrisp65]

Yep, that's a very good post there and does pretty much match my experience - not least the part about trustafarians.

I've got no problem with somebody running a worldwide multi million pound charity having a decent car or whatever. But in this one particular case, there was a lot of asking people to work for free, lots of taking advantage of contractors good nature, followed by posh evening receptions to promote the cause that the people that donated time weren't invited to.

But that's all a one off situation not to be taken as industry standard.

Personally, I'm a big fan of Oxfam, I don't look into it too closely but they appear to do good works and are well established. MSF are the sort of trendy new kid on the block I guess. 

[troon_villan]

Recently, the word 'chill'.

[choffer]

 

Personally, I'm a big fan of Oxfam, I don't look into it too closely but they appear to do good works and are well established. 

Agreed. Oxfam do proper good work. occasionally hamstrung by their size by they pass muster by any test of accountability in my book.

[mjmooney]

I am sitting here, waiting for an appointment, listening to kids learning how to play bagpipe. It sounds like a sick ewe or something. Dunno how to describe. I know that almost all instruments except perhaps harp sound bad when someone's learning, but bagpipes, wow -- it's actually kind of disturbing. 

Bagpipes are the only instrument I'm aware of that still sound terrible when they're being played by an expert.

As they say, a gentleman is someone who can play the bagpipes but doesn't.

As an Irishman, how do feel about uilleann pipes? I think they sound pretty good (as do their near relative the Northumbrian pipes). The Scots version only sound good when you're surrounded by the enemy, and the Jocks are coming through the cannon smoke to your rescue.

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

If yer a fan of the uilleann pipes check out 'The Poet & The Piper' which is a CD collaboration between Seamus Heaney & Liam O'Flynn.

[mjmooney]

If yer a fan of the uilleann pipes check out 'The Poet & The Piper' which is a CD collaboration between Seamus Heaney & Liam O'Flynn.

I will do that, thank you.

[BOF]

You've obviously never heard an expert. Very emotive if used for the right occasion, such as the adverts during Braveheart.

Oh they're emotive alright.  Probably why there are so many fights in Scotland #generalisationftw    

 

[villa4europe]

Marseille fans smashing up a cafe with about four old people in it in Groningen, no wonder we still get treated like scum bags that no one wants there at games

[BOF]

As an Irishman, how do feel about uilleann pipes? I think they sound pretty good (as do their near relative the Northumbrian pipes). The Scots version only sound good when you're surrounded by the enemy, and the Jocks are coming through the cannon smoke to your rescue.

Uileann pipes have a much softer sound to them.  Far far softer than the wailing 'strangled cat' drone of a bagpipe.  And they're so rare that it's nice when you hear them (being played properly).  If there's a traditional band playing in a bar then the uileann pipes fit in very well.  Not that you hear all that much of them.

[tonyh29]

Bagpipes ... the instrument of choice by lazy NME journalists in Big Country reviews