Onward and Upward

So I’ve covered the Sprint GT’s first service over on its own blog – I just need to start giving it the berries a bit more (although its trip computer must be over-reading…).

I also received a letter about my stepmother’s estate which was a piece of pleasant news and well timed, given I’m planning to buy a house or maybe even my apartment which may soon be up for sale.

Due to a change of plans, I had Saturday free so I decided to get the pushbike out to go for a little spin: maybe 5 or 6 miles on the advice of my Consultant Knee Surgeon and my physiotherapist at the excellent London Bridge Hospital. 11.4 miles later and I’d had a great time, keeping the cadence up and not putting too much effort through the knee. Same thing next week, I think.

GT popped over in the evening, meeting me for dinner at the O2 where we were then due to see Iron Maiden play. An excellent gig! Then over to Waterloo to say goodnight and back home to the apartment.

Up at a reasonable time on Sunday to head up to Norfolk for lunch with the ‘kids’ which was made more difficult by the completely inept road closure arrangements for the Prudential Ride London: every main road out of London to the East was closed despite the official sites claiming they’d be open earlier.

Monday saw more check-ups and blood tests – all fine – and a nice, long phone call as arranged the week before from Humberside Police to explain, as expected and agreed, that they wouldn’t be pressing charges against the psycho ex for her theft and disposal of some of my stuff (“intention to permanently deprive”), but only because it wouldn’t be in the public interest to waste taxpayers’ money on a prosecution: there was the passage of time caused by them, sadly, which they accepted was the case and they knew she would never admit guilt – she never does – and accept a caution, so the options were a full trial or nothing and the thefts were, as I told them, insignificant (I’ve long since replaced the stolen goods with better quality, newer things … a bit like I did with her, I suppose). They suggested I start a private prosecution, which is always an option, but I can’t be arsed to waste any more time on her.

But the good news is that they’ve now got the proof of what she’s really like: a liar and a thief. So that’s the end of that: maybe she’ll stop stalking me one day too?

So it’s onward and upward!

Sky and Domestic & General Services Ltd

I’m getting more than a little bit pissed off with unsolicited, nuisance telephone calls on a daily basis from a company called Domestic & General Services Limited who claim to call on behalf of Sky TV. Their number for those of you doing a Google search is 0800 1218143.

Contrary to what you may read elsewhere on the Internet, these jokers are indeed calling with Sky TV’s collusion and permission but not mine: they’re trying to sell you a £100 a year warranty for your TV and Sky box. See http://www.skyprotect.com for proof:

“Sky Protect HD is the only extended warranty scheme for Sky HD boxes that is approved and operated under the Sky brand name. Sky Protect HD is provided by Domestic & General Services Ltd.

Independent companies can legitimately offer extended warranties on digital satellite equipment, but these companies and their products are not connected to Sky or in any way endorsed by Sky. It is illegal for companies other than Domestic & General Services Ltd to state or imply that they are approved by Sky to sell extended warranty products.”

What happens is that Sky give your details to Domestic & General who then call you every single day trying to sell you this warranty, whether or not you are registered with the TPS not to receive such calls and whether or not Sky have obtained your permission to give/sell your details to them.

I rang Sky to complain – at 5p a minute too – and when I was finally put through to a Customer Complaints droid, she started looking up my details and then cut me off. And despite having my details to had, she’s not tried telephoning me back.

Appalling lack of customer service.