Teaching the kiddies to drive

He did it. While I wasn't in the car, Phyllis passed his test, and received compliments from the tester, and a couple of words of  advice. She made him reverse parallel park with a twist, on top of a spend hump.

I didn't quite understand what Kosov was telling me, as I don't think he did himself, but Phyllis couldn't take the test driving my car because of its electronic brakes! What? The car is four years old. Many cars have electronic brakes. Staff in the centre told him he had two minutes to find a driving instructor among the people there to in the testing centre to take him in the instructor's car. He did and kaching, an extra $180 to pay. 

Kosov and I stayed in my car while Phyllis underwent the test. Eventually I worked out that it was the electric hand brake that was the problem. I searched the VicRoads website and found the answer. If using your own car, it must have a centre mounted conventional brake handle for use by the tester or instructor in case of emergencies. That is, they can reach to the centre and grab the handbrake.

However, certainly at low speeds, my handbrake comes on if I lift the button and it is within reach of the passenger. I can't imagine it would not work at higher speeds. Phyllis passed, but he was annoyed by the extra cost, especially as he said the car he was tested in had the same electric handbrake as mine. Yes Phyllis, but the instructor in his car has a brake pedal on his side as well. I do think it should be made clearer to drivers who about to sit their licence test. They are already nervous enough without the extra botheration. At the end of the day, he would have had to pay regardless. 

I have a question for those of you who have taught their children to drive a motor car.

As learner drivers, you constantly correct them as you teach them driving skills. At what point do you stop correcting their driving and keep your mouth shut?

I think I will struggle to stop correcting Phyllis' driving now, even now he is a probationary qualified driver and allowed to drive on his own. 

Nevertheless, I am rather proud of him for passing his driving licence test. And just a bit of tiny pride in myself for getting him there in about six months when initially he didn't know which way to turn a steering wheel.

Next year it will probably be Kosov who I will teach, but he has a better idea of driving than Phyllis did, and he has often been in the car while Phyllis was learning. 

Well, I will be away for a few days, taking the lads to the countryside, that is Kosov's belated birthday present. When I say taking, Phyllis will be driving, and over the (treacherous?) Black Spur to a place where my maternal grandparents used to stay at a holiday guesthouse.  

Tata. 

Deer, oh dear

Some very unfortunate political play has happened over deer hunting. Let's begin with the fact that before white people arrived in Australia, there were no hard hooved animals in Australia. Cattle, horses, sheep, buffalo, pigs and deer were introduced by white people. While cattle and sheep are managed as farm animals, wild populations of horses, buffalo and deer exist. Horses and buffalo are partly controlled by government contracted exterminators, the others are not generally except by private hunters.

Hard hooved animals do terrible damage to our fragile environment and should be eliminated. 

Deer have no protection in Australia beyond cruelty to animals laws, except for in my state, Victoria. They are able to be shot by hunters, but otherwise they are a protected species. They are often hit by cars, causing terrible damage to cars, and I should think danger to those who run into them,  and aside from dingoes and wild dogs, they don't have a natural predator. Why has this protection nonsense just be reinforced by our state government? 

In my view it is solely down to the hunting lobbyists. They don't want to see the pest species eliminated because they won't be able to hunt them. The Labor(sic) state government has caved into pressure from the hunting lobby, over the environment and motorist safety, and it is a disgrace. 

With our preferential voting system, I've always voted Labor, or directed my preference to Labor after voting for The Greens. It will be a pointless exercise, but I will inform the Labor Party of my disgust and disappointment. If enough people do as I do, maybe it could make a change. 

My apologies if I've upset your Bambi feelings, but it is an important environmental and road safety matter, and we don't want to end up like Debby mentioned in her post referring to deer. 

Surprises

"Andrew, we are taking you out on Saturday for lunch for your birthday." The whole point of being away for my birthday was to avoid such things, but it seems it was all in vain. It was also a day or so short of Kosov's birthday.

It was going to be a car trip to the charity shop, then to the big green shed for some gap filler and a duster for home. Apparently though, something was booked, so without a clue where we were going, Phyllis' phone guided us from the South Melbourne charity shop towards Richmond, then north. We are going to Easey Street in Collingwood, it seems. There is nothing much there but local people my age will remember the infamous street where the Easey Street murders occured. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easey_Street_murders 

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/the-case-of/introducing-the-case-of-the-easey-street-murders/105922022

Finding an on street car parking space was challenging, after dropping off Kosov in Easey Street as we were a bit late for whatever was happening. We found a space and Phyllis reverse parked not quite expertly, but not badly. I knew it was paid parking, but I was feeling a bit stressed by not knowing what was going on and forgot. We walked down Easey Street to meet Kosov and I remembered the paid two hour parking. Phyllis went back to deal with it. I didn't give him the car remote, so I hoped he didn't have to put a ticket on the dashboard, and he didn't. He just had to enter the car registration number plate on the parking pay machine, and pay of course, which he did with his phone. 

Kosov greeted me at the doorway into a dim building, we were checked in and told the stairs were to the left. Ok, five storeys we climbed and ended up in an eating area. We were seated at our table and there were nice views from our seats. I looked around a bit, and what hit me was the double sliding steel doors, with a handle. OMG, we are in one of those three old 1970s retired Hitachi train carriages, sitting atop a four storey building. What a super surprise, and the meals were nice. 

Later we wandered along Smith Street and stopped for coffee at Kent Street Bar. We were supposed to go to the big green shed in Port Melbourne after lunch, but I'd had enough of 'being out'. 

Once home, I received the bottle of wine I mentioned on Sunday there was a heap of tiny Cherry Ripe bars, and a special meal was made for me and this appeared attached to the shelves.

The next day a parcel arrived containing various things Phyllis and Kosov had ordered. For me there was a new black case for my phone, which I love, and also this case for my car's black fob. It's not a match to the colour of the car but not far off. 

The cafe carriage is far right. The others might be offices. There is a lift but I think that is used as a dumb waiter.

So the next day after Kosov went to work, Phyllis drove us to Brunswick to collect what he had ordered for Kosov, a three kilo container of Nutella. It absolutely poured with rain on the way home, as Phyllis negotiated the tricky Haymarket Roundabout, and then another massive roundabout at South Wharf. I thought Phyllis may have been in the wrong lane in the heavy rain as we traversed the Haymarket Roundabout, because a car blasted its horn at us, but later after checking maps, we were not in the wrong lane, the horn blaster was. 

We soon reached Bunnings in Port Melbourne and bought what we needed, along with a sausage with onions in bread each at the charity fundraiser barbeque.

This tale will be continued.

Friday Frippery

I have posted this clip before but a long time ago, and the clip was made even a much longer time ago. As brilliant as the concept is, I think I can safely say, it didn't catch on. 

On a serious note, it was sad to hear of the death of Dr (Dame) Jane Goodall. If you don't know who she was, do yourself a favour and look her up. You will be uplifted. 

The entourages

JB mentioned about 29 car motorcade used by the couch fucking eyeliner wearing Vice President of the United States, J.D. Vance when he holidayed in England's Cotswolds. The rather well to do local residents were not impressed by the restrictions placed on them.

I expect #47's motorcade is even bigger.

From a quick check, the English PM's motorcade and the Royals' is quite a bit less.

What about our PM? 

PM Albanese travels in an armoured Series 7 BMW, a slightly later model than this 2017 model. 

It is surprisingly hard to find out what our PM's motorcade is but from what I can find out, it could be a couple of  local police cars to clear the way, followed by a Federal Police escort car, with a couple of local police motorcycle outriders, and trailed by another similar BMW.

For other politicians, their cars come from the Commonwealth Car Pool. Their cars will be appropriate to their security risk and their needs. 

For high profile politicians when on official walks, they may have two or three discreet bodyguards, but I suspect there are more surveilling. 

I doubt our Governor General, the King's representative in the Commonwealth of Australia (fact checking needed) is at much risk, and for their official duties, they have a 1970 Rolls Royce Phantom VI, with a number plate featuring the Tudor Crown. Otherwise they get a car from the Commonwealth car pool. The GG would have minimal security.

Shouldn't our PM be riding in this car above?

Then there are the six state Governors, also representatives of Kingie Charlie. Their cars have a number plate featuring the crown of St George. I would guess all state governors would have cars like Victoria's governor. I wouldn't mind a ride around in Governor Margaret Gardner's car, a 1976 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow.

Alas, it is rarely used and for official duties, as she travels around in State Government car pool Series 7 BMW. For official duties, there will be a police escort, but mostly not otherwise. Our state governors are probably at no more security risk than any other Australian. 

The week that is was

Monday was the usual hanging around for my meals on wheels delivery. Each three course meal costs $11, but I never sit down to a three course meal. I can choose three main meals, three sandwiches or soups and three deserts. Of sandwiches, I choose two, and one soup, potato, leek and bacon. Of deserts I normally choose two fresh fruit, which gives me four days of fruit for my cereal, and one naughty and very sweet bread and butter pudding. 

Before my meals arrive, I cross the road to sit and have coffee. That was after I had gone down a paper rabbit hole after my Dead in Bed neighbour HH asked me question about my council rates. I didn't go out until late, just to Prahran for something I can't remember.

Tuesday I was back in Prahran, to see my doctor. I requested new scripts for medications, asked him to look at my hernia surgery scar and his opinion, he reassured me that my recent MRI indicated no further action needed to be taken about a suspicious mass within my pancreas, prescribed an ointment for some dermatitis looking spots on my ankle. The ointment is Kenacomb, one I'd never heard of. 

Some time after four, a man came to check before quoting to supply and install a new air conditioner. His tan tradie boots had a velcro siding to remove them easily. He began to take one off when I said, no need. Just as I was letting him out the door, Phyllis and Kosov arrived home. 

Ondrewwww, your special friend has just left. 

Don't be silly. 

Ondrewwww, why are you blushing? We don't judge you. 

I'm not, and why do you think I would be interested in an older man like him?

Ondrewwww, your breath smells of something! 

Can you both just piss orf. 

When our car used to need servicing, Ray would book it in for 8.00am. I once asked him why so early? He replied, so that it is finished early. I found that 8.00am car delivery very unsettling. I booked my car in for its annual service at 10.30. It would be ready by 4pm. I changed the name of the business's account to my my name. I had to catch a tram to the city and then one from the city to get home, and reverse to pick it up. There were complications because I changed the day from Friday to Wednesday, but not a big problem. I then said, damn it, I will pick the car up tomorrow morning. 

Back in the city, I bought some new socks at Big Trouble You (Big W) at QV and some milk. I was struggling with walking by then. I don't walk well in the mornings. I stayed home for the rest of the day and paid out a horrendous amount of money, $2,200 for the quarterly body corporate fee, $1,200 plus for council rates, $370 for my October train trip, and about the same for my October air flight. 

I don't know why, but who handles my Centrelink dealings with our social security government department, wanted all my bank statements back to when I began receiving my government pension, that took me about forty minutes to do online. My government pension has dropped from about $860 a fortnight to $300. The maximum government old age pension here is about $1,200 a fortnight, a bit higher if you are a home renter rather than a homeowner. If I inform Centrelink of all my expenditure this week and my bank account balance, adding about $700 for the car service, I should see my pension rise for a time.

It may rise further, because after collecting my car this Thursday, I drove it to do my weekly shopping. I was home before noon. The early bird does catch the worm, but generally I have little desire for worms. I went back to the city for a haircut. Phyllis rearranged my delivered corned beef with mustard sauce and salad to something a bit more palatable. Some of the meals I receive are great, some are not, and the corned beef was very tough.

On the way home from town, the quote came in for new air con, $3,500 or a better unit, $3,700. I will take the latter as it has a feature of self mould cleaning. My old unit does have a little visible mould inside. So, that will be installed in a week or so. 

Phyllis gets it when I said we are going pussy hunting on Friday, Kosov, hates it. No Ondrewww, don't say that. 

I can't decide if we will tram and train it to the Lost Dogs Home to find a homeless cat to adopt, or Phyllis should drive us in the newly serviced Pearl. We may choose a cat tomorrow, but we won't bring it home until next week, when we have all that is necessary things to home a cat.

Cat problem is; my age nearly 68. A cat may live for twenty years. I will be 88. I think it is unlikely I will live to that age That's ameliorated somewhat by we won't be buying a kitten but an adult cat. What if Phyllis and Kosov can't stay in Australia? It will then be my cat. What if I die? Well, Sister or Oldest Niece would take it on. 

Kosov told me of when his family got a cat when he was young, and it was quickly established that his sister wae allergic to cats, and within one day, it was decided the cat had to go. He cried for three days afterwards. He told me he doesn't want any more heartbreak like that. I understand. In the 80s Ray and I took on a dog from the Lost Dog's Home, and she was totally unsuitable for us, and we made the hard decision to return her to the home. She was a lovely dog, but not right for us and our existing dog and cats. I had tears in my eyes as I took Tess back, and the staff understood. 

Something is kicking off at 'The 'Gog' tonight. Barriers have been erected, all leaking water. When I first saw these barriers in Melbourne, perhaps in the 1990s, they were called New Jersey Barriers. Does Boud know why?  They are no longer called that. 

Driving lesson #47

Phyllis drove Sunday before last, but he was unwell this weekend with perhaps a viral infection. He has recovered Monday. He has been masked when he leaves his room, which was rare. I've learnt girlie man sickness is even worse than man flu. 

Anyway, I gave him a driving lesson regardless, from the balcony. I took photos. Now sorry, but it will do my head in to try and explain this to those of you who drive on the wrong side of the road, but the pictures should help you understand. Just to note, while in England at least, you cannot overtake on a multilane road on the left. We can here, leading to more lane changing. England does it better. Are you allowed to do so in other countries? That would be can you overtake on the right on multilane roads?

This truck in the right hand lane of the two left turning lanes is a very long semi trailer.  

Here the truck approaches the corner. Fellow motorists are wisely giving it a wide berth, but they don't always. 

The cab is still in the same lane, but the trailer is going awry. 

The cab is still in the same lane, but the trailer is completely in the next lane. When a truck is labelled at its rear, 'Do not overtake turning vehicle', take that seriously.

In what I paste below, there is a single left turn lane and the truck mounted the footpath. A temporary solution was to mark footpaths to keep pedestrians back from the corner. Why penalise pedestrians and treat them as the problem on a footpath when the truck driver was clearly in the wrong? The problem is that there is only one left turn lane, and semi trailers simply can't turn without using a second lane. 

Victorian police have charged a man over a serious crash in Southbank that left five pedestrians injured.

Key points:

• A 64-year-old Wyndham Vale man has been arrested and is assisting police
• Detectives say the truck mounted a footpath and hit a traffic light while making a left turn
• Investigators are trying to determine if the driver was aware of the crash when he drove on without stopping

Police said the 64-year-old driver from Wyndham Vale was arrested after the incident on Thursday night. On Friday night he was "initially" charged with two counts of dangerous driving causing serious injury.

In a media statement, police said it was alleged that while turning left, the truck cut the intersection corner and mounted the footpath, knocking over a traffic light.

Five pedestrians — four men and a woman all aged in their 20s — were injured.

The driver has been remanded into custody and will face the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today.

Earlier, investigators said the B-double tanker was turning left from City Road on to Power Street about 7:00pm on Thursday when it mounted the footpath. 

Friday Funny

This is a clip from a comedy tv show, broadcast after the kiddies have gone to bed. You are warned. Three metres in the old money is close to ten feet. The bridge has its own website and Facebook group. A couple of weeks ago, the bridge was slammed three times in three days. The bridge always wins.

Kinda back

I am not making my splendiferous return to the world of blog. I just want to write a little rant, after hearing weirdness on one of our commercial tv news bulletin. I call it the car crash news, and there was ripper tonight whereby many cars were damaged and the driver of an unmarked police car accidently gave the miscreant a bump with the police car, with him receiving multiple bone fractures, and he is under police guard in hospital. 

The incident was also covered by the 7pm ABC TV News, somewhat less sensationally than the Channel 7 news. 

Then came the pre ad promotion for a following story by Channel 7 newsreader, Peter Mitchell. 

How to reduce your risk of dying by 40%! 

The 40% odds for perpetual life is quite good. The detail was made clear in the story. I calmed down, until this...

Reduce your mortality by 25%.

In spite of my poor lifestyle choices, isn't that something for me to grasp at too?

PS For those who follow Elephant Child's blog, I am sure we are all wishing her well as she recovers from serious surgery. I think she is the most caring person I've come across on the internet, and that is quite a statement. Be well, EC.   

Learner driver route, the day before

This is today's route for Phyllis, Thursday 19/06/25. 

Reinforce correct seating and mirror adjustment before moving the car. Exit car park, right into Queens Lane, right into Bowen Crescent, left into St Kilda Road, left into Albert Road, left into Lakeside Drive, left then right into Queens Road, pass under the St Kilda Road Junction.

Near the corner of Chapel Street after travelling along Queensway, stop and Phyllis learns how to fill the car with petrol. Left into Dandenong Road, U turn across tram tracks, then down Westbury Street to turn left into Inkerman Street/Road. Turn right at Orrong Road, then left into Balaclava Road, right into Normanby Road, left under the train viaduct to turn left into Dandenong Road. 

After travelling along the multi lane Dandenong Road in heavy traffic, right into Chapel Street then left into Commercial Road, right into St Kilda Road, left in Bowen Crescent, left into Queens Lane and into our carpark. 

I don't over praise him but he likes to be reassured that he has done well, and he has.

My mistakes when teaching him? The car made a strange alarm, one I didn't know. Phyllis said, I think I pressed the brake when my foot was on the accelerator. Oh. I neglected to tell him to only use his right foot on the accelerator and brake. He immediately changed that. I should have been firmer about slowing down when there is a potential hazard, and be more prepared for a situation. I've reinforced that now.

With my guidance, he is always in the correct lane, but once on his own, he will have to work that out as he goes. I am pretty confident that he could now drive on his own.  

Recovery and driving

I am not allowed to drive, lest I need to make an emergency stop and apply full brake pressure, which could set back my surgery recovery. I haven't made an emergency car brake stop since the 1990s when twice I had to rapidly impede the progress of my Humber Super Snipe, once when someone turned in front of me, and once when a car pulled out in front of me. The power assisted front disc and rear drum brakes performed well to slow the beast very rapidly. Or course it was nothing like how a modern car can stop on a dime, and what kiddie would know what a car without power brakes was like to drive, let alone stopping a car of extreme weight.

But I can be a car passenger, so I took Phyllis out for another quite challenging driving lesson. He was quite chuffed when I told him that some country folk would be terrified of the driving he had done today, Kingsways, Burnley Tunnel, Church/Chapel Street, Commercial Road, Prahran Square Car Park, Greville Street, Punt Road, High Street, St Kilda Road, then to be faced with a demonstration in St Kilda Road, so Kingsway, Albert Road, 3 point turn, Albert Road Kingsway and home.

Trams were disrupted, so Kosov was struggling to get to work, even in spite of trying Ubers. He cancelled work, called, pick me up. He called mid driving lesson, Andrewww, I don't have keys to get home. He is due a lecture about taking keys. (It was given)

He was supposedly catching a bus to Doncaster from Latrobe Street, but  met us in Prahran by catching a 246 bus from St Kilda Junction (don't ask) and then walking. 

As all this was happening, American le bomb went off in Iran. Very disturbing is an understatement.

I am slowly recovering from surgery. As per usual, medical staff told me to not be a martyr and take pain killers. Unlike for arthritis, painkillers do seem to work to ease the surgery wound pain. 

Skipping to the next day, another driving lesson for Phyllis, over the West Gate Bridge to Williamstown and then via the Altona ford that's been been remade, to Altona Village for coffee and then back home across the bridge. Again quite challenging driving, with the outbound bridge being quite congested, but I felt quite relaxed once back in our carpark, without an aching right brake foot. He did well but he needs to pay more attention and care at intersections and roundabouts. Or maybe he is absorbing what he sees more quickly than I do at my age. 

The new range hood will be fitted tomorrow, as I write. No driving lesson for a couple of days. I need some time alone. 

"Kosov, what is that blue thing sticking out from the loin of the robot and what is the dinosaur doing? Shame on you, Kosov. You are terrible Muriel". 

Enough, The Age

In its early days, Melbourne's The Age newspaper was a pompous and conservative broadsheet. Around the time I began reading and buying the newspaper each day, it has become quite adventurous with its reporting. Its sister Fairfax company paper The Sydney Morning Herald also caught up with modern times.

A late friend gave me lots of laughs when he referred to another gay couple who in the 90s rose from their slumbers and both sat at their respective desktop computers to read the electric newspapers. While I may have laughed, it wasn't too much later I was doing the same. Eventually the newspaper forced me to pay for access, and it is now about AU$1 a day for The Age but I also have access to The Sydney Morning Herald, the digital Brisbane Times and WAtoday (Western Australia Today). That's fine, and I am happy to pay this.

But, what I am not happy about is horribly intrusive advertising, not on the desktop version, but on the shortcut web link I have on my phone. As you are quickly scrolling through a story, advertising pops up and you can't smoothly scroll past it. I keep trying to scroll and end up at the end of the story and I have to backtrack. I've long has the app on my phone but for some reason I can't remember my link to the online newspaper worked better. It doesn't now. I went to try the app again and while my email address showed, it was shown that I was not a subscriber. There was nothing I could do to login.  As seems to be happening more often now, I deleted the app with my information and reinstalled it, and I was able to log in normally. So, I will see if this works better for than the overly intrusive advertising on the normal website available on phones. 

I won't even mention the battle I've had with the road toll company Linkt over the hoops I've had to jump, as I cancelled Ray's account and made my new one. I only did so because the electronic tag in the car to deduct toll money had stopped working. I stupidly mentioned that Ray had died and I was now the account holder. No you aren't, was the reply. He is dead. You need to set up a new account. Stop!!! I said I won't mention it. 

Things on the home front were fine until, "Andrewww, the cooking exhaust fan is not working". 

Lordy, Phyllis recently asked me rather cheekily what I do with the board they pay me. I told him it is not his business. They both think I am rich. Compared them, I suppose I am, but it really costs to live in the 'privileged'  western world. 

Bah, just two months ago I bought new LED lamps for the range hood. I will take them out and maybe they can be reused down the track. 

Just a day

Yesterday was a busy day. More electronic paperwork this morning which meant I didn't finish blog reading.

At 10.30 we set off for Phyllis' second driving lesson. He had improved, so much so that we left the quiet environs of Albert Park Lake, after he successfully made a three point turn and ventured down Kerferd Road to Richardson Street where he negotiated a large roundabout and two smaller ones, one with a tram travelling through. He knew that he had to give way to trams at all times, including at roundabouts and I pointed out that he has to look left as well as right at a roundabout if there is a tram line. 

If this map link works, you can see there are curves around the lake where he increased his turning skills, and he took to driving in heavier traffic quite well. 

We stopped at Armstrong Street to buy coffee, he angled parked perfectly and I then drove home. 

It was then into to town on the 58 tram for lunch where I really wanted thali at Villas. It was busy and the food was nice, although perhaps a little overpriced. The beef was a bit tough and the spiciest dish was the vegetable one. Lovely gulab jamun. Phyllis drank the left over syrup. There was a little uneaten, which they put into a plastic container provided by the restaurant. This is interesting because some places won't do this, citing health regulations. I remember researching and I could never find such regulations. My tight arse ABI Brother takes containers with him when he eats out.

Phyllis and Kosov paid for my thali and a glass of wine. 

After lunch we walked down to Swanston Street and they headed up the hill to Melbourne Central shopping centre and I caught a tram home.

It was my aunt's birthday and Ex Sis in Law's husband's birthday. I wished them happy birthday on FB. 

Wombat, formerly Our Friend in Japan, asked if I was interested in a gay Christmas in July public lunch event. I probably would have gone, but I will be away on cat care duties.  

After a large lunch, home alone, I had soup and a sandwich for dinner.     

I should have stayed home x 2

Yesterday, which was Sunday as I type on Monday, Kosov had a job interview in the suburb of Tullamarine. It would take about one and a half hours to get there by public transport, with a bit of a walk too. I did not think this would be sustainable, should he have gotten the casual job. However, he needs a job, and it would be experience for him.

As I had nothing planned for the final day of cars screaming around a race track, I offered to drive him, and Phyllis came along.

It was raining as I drove along the freeway, but we found the place in Sharps Road easily enough, which was actually within a service station. 

It was a waste of time. The interviewer had changed the job to full time, which students can't work, and possible 5am starts and 1pm finishes. I didn't say anything but it was a total waste of my time, petrol and toll road costs. We decided to visit the Airport West shopping centre for some food. 

At the food court they went one way and I went the other, and I bought some very ordinary pork thingies with some rice, found a table and ate it on my own. I kept scanning the area for them but they weren't there. They had gone off to a shop, apparently. I tried to call them but within the shopping centre, the signal was poor. Phyllis called and said they would join me in five minutes which they did and they hadn't even bought food. They bought some extremely spicy chicken and I was annoyed that I would have to sit there while they ate. I wanted to go home. They asked if I wanted to stay or should they take the food home. Of course I said, take it home. Once home, one bite of chicken had my eyes watering. I've just remembered the name, Nene Chicken Shop. 

It is hard to be annoyed with them. Once in the car and ready to drive home, Phyllis told me to close my eyes, and I did while he unwrapped something. OMG, I love it. You may remember I have metal geckos on my bedroom wall.

 

Monday always annoys me as it is the day my food is delivered at the inconvenient time between noon and 1when I am normally out at that time. I work around it and I needed milk, soda water, and soft drink for visitors, the weight which would add up to six kilos, plus whatever else I needed, so I took the car. I drove to Port Melbourne, but the normal road was closed, so I had to divert and it took so much longer, but I had the spare time. 

I bought some of what I wanted, but where was the potato salad and coleslaw. I couldn't find it, so I gave up. As I was checking out what I bought, some scrag was kicking off. She wanted half a dozen eggs but there weren't any half dozen boxes. She was insisting staff cut a box in half for her, which they can't do. She was going on and on and really harassing the staff. I took what I bought to the car and returned through the supermarket walkway. The woman was still going off, demanding one staff member's name. I stopped and said the woman, Do you know how absurd your behaviour is? 

I hate it when innocent staff have to deal with people like her. I took her photo, and she said, don't you fucking well do that. Well, I did, and I was in a seriously bad mood by then. I broke my rule about not attacking people who you think are less powerful than you, provoked by her dreadful and ongoing attack against staff over half a dozen eggs. 

There is normally a guard on duty at the supermarket, but maybe they were on a lunch break. I went outside and called police, and they said they would attend. 

After I finished my call, an entitled and privileged jerk pulled up in his Mercedes and stopped in a bus stop where buses are reasonably frequent and busy. He parked there for maybe seven minutes. I knew he wouldn't be long, and I melodramatically had my phone pointed at his car as he came out and roared off towards the city from Bay Street. I reported him using Snap, Send, Solve, and shortly after, the matter was solved. He won't be prosecuted by me just sending a photo, but he may be noted.

I normally like visiting Bay Street, Port Melbourne. It is a friendly area, where shop keepers remember you, and you have some good interactions with them. People are very accepting of difference, and with some public housing nearby, tolerant of those with mental health issues. It just wasn't the right day to be there. 

A better day tomorrow, I hope.   

Listen to the Stentophone

Stentophone is a new word to me, and apparently a new word to spellchecker.  How about you?

I found this a great read,

https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/the-birth-of-stand-on-the-right-how-londons-first-recorded-escalator-announcement-shaped-tube-etiquette-79638/

It has always seemed a queer thing to me that while British drive on the left, I think generally walk on the left, and trains mostly run on the left, on an escalator you pass by on the left and those standing on the escalator, stand on the right. As far as I know, convention around the world follows the side of the road you drive on; you overtake on the right of a left travelling vehicle, or person. I note for Japan, it varies from area to area.

In Melbourne I am always interested in guessing about those who stand on the right of the escalator, clearly ignorant of the stand on the left custom. At some underground railway stations, it does say stand to the left. Department stores are even worse. Such people will not be regular users of escalators, and so I can mentally place them in a box. "You aren't folk from around here then?", to quote a line from something. 

Didi, the bad and good

When Phyllis travelled home to southern India last year, he was so overloaded with luggage. Students receive a special luggage allowance, about 60/133. While Kosov was going with him to the airport using public transport, they would have to leave two hours earlier than if they took a cab. I felt sorry for them and ordered a Didi at my cost, which is like Uber but better in my opinion.

As we walked out the front door of the building, the Didi pulled up, luggage was loaded, goodbyes said, and off they went. 

A email receipt arrived promptly with a breakdown of the charges, and there was a $1.10 waiting charge. That was annoying as there wasn't any waiting. I should have complained but for $1.10? Doing so would be a bother.

Then came an expose of scandalous activity by taxi drivers and those who manage them. This is good timing to complain about the $1.10. 

I received a flight refund rather than a flight credit when Ray died, I believe partly because I made the request right when there were scandalous headlines about airline companies. (Bit of a pattern here, no?)

I looked at the Didi website and lord help you if you need to contact the company. I could not find a way to do so. The next time I used a Didi, I noticed on the app, a button to dispute charges, so I did so with a brief written line or two. Within a minute or so, my phone alerted me to a bank transaction, and sure enough, the $1.10 had been credited to my account. Yes, it is nothing to me, but if a driver does this multiple times, it can add up. It seems Didi's driver monitoring systems are vastly superior to our taxi industry.

While for a different reason, a similar thing occurred to a friend when he disputed a charge. 

I've used Didi a few times since, usually when I go to a pub to meet friends for dinner, and there hasn't been a charging problem. 

The email receipt gives a good break down, and the app works very well. This was from Sunday night when I was coming home from a pub, hence no Monday Mural post. I was going to catch a tram but it was just too hot and a bit of a walk. 

Total $11.37 Fare Breakdown Fare $9.80 Duration 11 min Booking Fee $0.55 Government Transport Levy $1.32 Fuel Surcharge $0.12 Handling Fee $0.17 Voucher -$0.59 Payment Method Credit / Debit Card -$11.37

 

Lamenting the loss of the past

More so Ray than myself, but we both pined for the smaller and quieter Melbourne, with one third of its 5,000,000 plus present population. Covid lockdowns gave us a taste of a very quiet Melbourne, and we decided perhaps we didn't want to turn back the clocks to a quieter Melbourne. But was it so quiet in our younger years? In my memory, traffic was so free flowing but was it? Generally yes, but clearly there were congested areas. 

Perhaps Marine Parade, St Kilda in the early 70s was worse than it now is, with its current two lanes and bike lanes in both directions. It's an interesting photo. The single storey building to the left has gone, and I believe every building to the right has gone. No loss at all.

And perhaps Nepean Highway in Rosebud was not always so quiet. But nowadays a freeway connecting to a major road to the east of Rosebud is in place, which has fixed the traffic problem on the beach road which has not fixed the problem on the beach road and it is worse than ever. 

Friday Funny

The comedian who recorded what is being played on the car sound system is one Tim Hawkings but I felt like American comedian Bob Newhart would have done it better. Whatever, it made me laugh. 

Err, Tim Hawkins is American, but this clip is in a right hand drive car. I think the clip might be Australian. 

An argument sorted too late

Ray: Where is the jar that was in the glove box that contained money for parking meters?

Me: I don't know.

Ray: Why do you have to answer so defensively?

Me: I've learnt to. You sounded like you were accusing me of doing something wrong.

Ray: I did not. Anyway, what have you done with the jar.

(At some point during lockdown, all parking meters became either pay by card or using a phone app.)

Me: I have a vague memory we did do something with the parking money when we bought this car. 

Ray: What?

Me: If I could remember, I would tell you. You clearly can't remember either. 

Ray: You always have to have the last smartarse answer.

Ain't love grand? There was always an underlying issue when he spoke like that. It was curious where the money jar and its contents went, and all too late, a few months ago the matter was resolved, but too late for Ray to know. What's this pocket thing here, I wondered. Voila! And I've only been reminded again that the pocket is there when I came across the photo. Did I leave the coins there? I will check the next time I am in the car, probably not until Christmas Eve, if I remember. 

It is very dark down there, and you can't see what is on the buttons without the car running or the lights on, and so the buttons illuminated. I know what all the buttons do, excepting the top far right button. 

There was an incident

I took Kosov for a ride on VLine train yesterday. I think he was soon satisfied by the journey. He enjoyed my excitement when the train cracked 160 km/h, 100mph. I mucked up the platform number and I think I know why. The problem is the ultimate terminus names. Large on screens should be Geelong, Ballarat, Shepparton and Bendigo, then in a smaller font, the ultimate terminus. Wendouree, Marshall etc is just hopeless. 

I was going to take Kosov to Sunbury but because of my confusion, we just missed the train. It was an hour until the next one so I thought we'd catch the next VLine service to Melton. None of the stations we stopped at along the way seemed to have shops, but at the Melton terminus there were some and we had some food and a drink in a bakery. The VLocity trains are quite comfortable if a little noisy from the motors. Unfortunately on our return, as a same looking train had terribly hard seats. My god, 40 minutes of sitting on such awful seats is enough. How was this allowed!

Anyway, I didn't really mean to talk about personal stuffs in this post. There was an incident, a serious one on the street below.

I thought of describing what happened to my readers and translating it for those who drive on the wrong side of the road. I got to with the translation 'You are travelling on the right hand side of the road, with a dedicated cycling lane on your right. You are going to turn right at the next intersection and the cyclist is riding straight ahead, so you must give way to the cyclist on your right who is riding straight ahead'. And then my brain failed about travelling at making the turn. 

I hope the injuries the rider suffered are not serious but it didn't look great. I met the neighbour who has cameras on his balcony about three weeks ago. He is nice. The incident happened about a week later. 

In the clip the incident happens in the first few seconds. Clearly the motorist was in the wrong, but I also think the rider was not looking after their own safety. The car's left indicator was on and its intentions were clear. Riders need to be alert to stupid motorists for their own self preservation. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41NPLjAmn1E