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SueC62's latest comments
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7th Apr 2024SueC62 commented on:
Are you particular about loading your dishwasher?Mine has a cutlery tray, rather than basket, so I group by type which makes it easy to scoop them up when dry. It irks me when friends load it haphazardly. That's my ocd,ViewDate:
25th Jan 2024SueC62 commented on:
Is it right to consider cutting postal deliveries to three days a week?It's totally unreliable in its current format and despite claims to the contrary, parcels are prioritised over letters. I've had 1st class parcels arrive next day and 1st class letters take upto a week! I'd much rather not get the unsolicited rubbish mail and things such as hospital appointments sent by email or through the NHS app (quicker and cheaper for the nhs). Important stuff such as passports, I already get an email notification of intended delivery and can redirect or get them to hold. I recently did that with my passport. First put it to be collected and then arranged for it to be delivered on a specified day, all confirmed on email except they didn't deliver it! I had to go to the sorting office where it was still in the 'waiting to be collected' box! That only leaves birthday and Christmas cards. I've not come up with a solution for those yet lolViewDate:
25th Jan 2024SueC62 commented on:
Do you bank online?I've banked online for years, have paperless statements, use an app and find it much more convenient. The 'chat' can be a bit frustrating but I usually get through to a human quickly if needed. Cheques can be paid in via the app and when I needed to pay some cash in, I did it at my local PO rather than travel to my bank branch. As Wilf said, it's progress.ViewDate:
8th Dec 2023SueC62 commented on:
Have you adopted a ‘life is too short’ attitude?I lost too many friends who never made it past their 50s to not enjoy every day that I have left. I'm pretty good at hunting for bargains in every area to help stretch out my money, so it looks as if I've got more disposable income than I have. Walking and using my travel pass saves me a lot every month and keeps me fit.ViewDate:
3rd Nov 2023SueC62 commented on:
Do your Royal Mail deliveries currently meet your expectations?It's difficult to tell as I get little mail these days, preferring emails or other online communication. However, I do seem to get a number of items, usually junk mail on one day. I'm happy for Royal Mail to 'sit' on this and make one delivery.ViewDate:
3rd Nov 2023SueC62 commented on:
Will you be sending Christmas cards this year?I only send with a letter to those fee friends that I don't see often but don't want to lose touch with.ViewDate:
27th Oct 2023SueC62 commented on:
Do you think that the speed limit should be reduced to 20mph on all urban roads?Not 'all' but, in addition to schools and hospitals, there are 'rat run' roads that benefit from a 20mph limit with speed bumps. In my town, just past the supermarket, there is a heavily used urban road that is a shortcut to avoid a set of traffic lights, and that works well with 20mph and bumps.ViewDate:
27th Oct 2023SueC62 commented on:
Do you keep your eggs in the fridge?I go by 'consistent temperature' so I don't store them in the fridge if the shop I buy them from doesn't., which is the norm in the UK.ViewDate:
27th Oct 2023SueC62 commented on:
Do you support the delay to the 2030 ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars?Even after watching a programme on EVs, I feel they are being forced on us as a solution to climate change whilst not addressing issues surrounding them - safe disposal of the dead batteries, cresting the electricity in a sustainable way, sufficient charging points, etc. It's just moving the problem elsewhere. I already use public transport more, my hybrid is only 3 years old and very low mileage so I will probably give up driving when that dies. .ViewDate:
27th Oct 2023SueC62 commented on:
Do you agree with the decision to axe HS2 northern leg?When I worked, I regularly travelled, by train, from West Yorkshire to London. The journey was 3 hours which was enough time to set up my laptop and do some work. On the odd occasion I travelled from Birmingham to London, the journey time wasn't long enough for me to do any work. The HS2 link to the North wasn't saving enough time to make the cost, and destruction to the landscape, worth it. Improve the existing infrastructure!ViewDate:
27th Oct 2023SueC62 commented on:
Should ultra-processed foods be labelled ‘addictive’?I've voted yes because people need educating about nutrition and balanced diets. I learnt about nutrition at Brownies, doing my Homemaker badge and later at secondary school in Domestic Science. It doesn't seem to be a thing these days.ViewDate:
8th Sep 2023SueC62 commented on:
Do you support the new expansion of the ULEZ in London?Similar situation in Manchester. Our (Labour) mayor organised it as requested by the Conservative government, Boris ridiculed it and its been on hold ever since. I can't pretend to be knowledgeable on the details either here or London but I had to regularly travel into London for business and no way would I have driven in. Far less hassle to stay in St Albans, or even Milton Keynes, and use public transport.ViewDate:
28th Aug 2023SueC62 commented on:
Are you concerned about mass train station ticket office closures?This weekend, I travelled from Piccadilly Manchester to Buxton and return. Outgoing, I just showed my local area foc pass. On the train, the guard was ticket checking before we got to the Manchester limit. Coming back, there were two staff sat in the ticket office, no staff on the platform, no electronic gate and no check at all on the train. I only showed my local area pass back at Piccadilly so, I could have got away with not paying at all. I can see that between smaller stations with low footfall and no staff or just a ticket office, fare dodgers get away with it, so far better to have the staff on the platform assisting and checking, than sat behind a window in the corner of the waiting room. All small stations should have electronic gates fitted so it's impossible to get through without an appropriate ticket. Admittedly there's an initial capital investment but that should be recouped over time with more ticket sales. Where usage of ticket offices is so low, then close them BUT redeploy the staff on the platforms to provide assistance and ticket checks or as guards on the train but I do realise that they'll just make them redundant because the train companies just see a saving. In fact making the staff redundant will, at many stations, lead to even more fare dodgers.ViewDate:
28th Aug 2023SueC62 commented on:
Should we be penalised with airport drop off charges?I don't object to the drop off fee because it makes me look at the available alternatives which I use depending on the time of day I'm going out/coming back and the length of time I'm out of the country. Time of year plays some part too. The only time I've had to pay a drop off is when I needed to be at the airport for 0330 for an early flight and I was away for 2 months, so a taxi was the best option. For shorter trips abroad, if daytime flights, I use the tram/train which is either free or less than £5 (Manchester) or for night time, I leave my car at one of the reputable off site parking services with a free shuttle. I look at it as being as environmentally friendly as I can be.ViewDate:
28th Aug 2023SueC62 commented on:
Do you own an electric car?Now I have my bus pass, senior railcard and time, I try to use public transport and walking as much as possible. I'm hoping my 70 plate hybrid will last until I decide I no longer can/want to drive as I do less than 3k miles in the year and try to use it just for longer journeys that would require multiple trains/buses. I feel that EVs are just shifting the problem. I do appreciate that we are not going to stop people driving, or flying for that matter, as both are so convenient but I'd like to see more effort put in to mitigation. More reliable buses, more trees planted, more wind and water power.ViewDate:
28th Aug 2023SueC62 commented on:
Have you switched supermarkets for your main weekly shop?I've been using Lidl for years (Aldi now for my coffee beans, much cheaper). Tesco is my 'filler' shop for the items I can't get at Lidl and is also good for reduced items; I fill up my freezer with meat from the 'oops' shelf. Having said that, I think Tesco are now dramatically reducing prices, particularly for Clubcard holders. Last week, I bought a seeded batch for £1, a seeded bloomer at Lidl is £1.39ViewDate:
28th Aug 2023SueC62 commented on:
Do you still use your cookbooks or have you shifted to online recipes?I use a mix of hard books, pages ripped out of magazines, recipes I saved to pdfs and others that I've got from the internet. The only problem I found with the internet, is I couldn't always re-find a recipe. Now, I'll take an internet recipe and print to pdf so I can save it.ViewDate:
28th Aug 2023SueC62 commented on:
Do you ask guests to take their shoes off when they come into your home?Absolutely! I MAKE visitors remove their footwear at the front door or they aren't coming in. I also provide, if they need, a selection of house slippers. I've got brand new carpets in the house and I don't want dirt, bacteria and particularly dog poo walked into the house; mats don't get rid of it all. My dad was blind and often walked dog poo into the house because we didn't have that rule back home. Before I had the new carpets, I let my friends bring their dog in and wasn't concerned about shoes off. Two days later, I found two worm like grubs on the lounge carpet ugh! It's common practice in most other countries to leave shoes at the door and in Turkey, workmen put blue shoe covers on before entering, as do my gas servicing company here in the UK.ViewDate:
2nd Jul 2023SueC62 commented on:
Should we encourage children to identify as cats and other animals?It shouldn't be encouraged as the child might then feel they have no way back to their normal life. Nothing wrong in humouring them to a certain extent until they realise being a cat or dog isn't quite what they thought; no phone, internet, no tv, no clothes, no cutlery. More importantly, what is driving them? Do they see the family cat or dog getting more attention and love?ViewDate:
2nd Jul 2023SueC62 commented on:
Is the digital world excluding older people?The digital world, of which I'm a fan and user, is much more convenient BUT there must still be non-digital options for those who grew up before personal computers and the internet. Technology is advancing rapidly and, as we age, even those of us currently comfortable might struggle to adapt.ViewDate:
3rd Jun 2023SueC62 commented on:
Was leaving the EU a mistake?I'm gobsmacked that so many DON'T think it was a mistake....ViewDate:
8th May 2023SueC62 commented on:
Does being referred to as middle-aged stop at 60?I'm coming up to 69 but am nowhere near middle aged yet. On the other hand my 50 year old son has been an old fossil for years.ViewDate:
8th May 2023SueC62 commented on:
Should pay and display parking cash machines be replaced by parking apps?I've used machines that had both apps and cash options. I prefer the apps. Before now, I've had to pay over the odds because I didn't have the right small change and even had to leave a car park because I didn't have any change that the machine accepted.ViewDate:
8th May 2023SueC62 commented on:
Should pay and display parking cash machines be replaced by parking apps?I've used two different parking apps and neither asked for bank account details. With both payment was by either debit or credit card.ViewDate:
8th May 2023SueC62 commented on:
Do you have access to an NHS Dentist?When I moved house, I lost access to an NHS dentist but got in as a private patient. Wanted to see me again in 3 months!! Yet my old NHS dentist used to tell me that my teeth would outlive me. I now get my annual check up and clean at a dentist in Turkey, who confirmed what my old NHS dentist told me. In total, this year it cost me about £35, compared to over £100 in the UK. The equipment they use is far superior to that in the UK.ViewDate:
8th May 2023SueC62 commented on:
Do you feel comfortable with online banking?I've been doing it for years. I first moved to telephone banking and then online. When I was working, it was extremely difficult to get to a bank during the week, as I was all over the country and at weekends, the queues were out the door, so making the move to telephone and then online a necessity for me.ViewDate:
3rd Mar 2023SueC62 commented on:
Do you feel confident overtaking HGV's on the motorway?I'm horrified at the % split. If you don't feel confident enough to deal with any situation on a motorway then you shouldn't be driving on a motorway! Many non-HGV drivers have no understanding of HGVs and make moves that they shouldn't, then blame the HGV driver when it goes wrong. I don't have an HGV licence but have been a passenger in one and have great respect for HGV drivers.ViewDate:
24th Feb 2023SueC62 commented on:
Are you in favour of ‘digital IDs’?What a sensible suggestion. Currently we have multiple ID numbers - NI, NHS, passport, driving licence, etc. The only one I can remember is my NI number as it's quite simple. My friends in Turkey have one number for everything; much easier. Yes, it would make sense for it to be retained on a mobile phone but I'm sure for back up, and those who don't have a mobile, a card would be issued with the number contained digitally.ViewDate:
17th Feb 2023SueC62 commented on:
Should the Church of England refer to God as gender neutral?As a child, I thought of God as an old man with a beard sat on a cloud. As an adult, I realise God has no physical form. The terms 'he' and 'father', to me, take on totally different meanings to the norm in relation to God and don't denote gender. Just like when my old boss said "guys" to us, it was an inclusive term, which neither I or my female colleagues took offense at. Again to me, the word 'man' in certain terms means 'person' so I don't have an issue with words such as spokesman being used whether referring to a male or female.ViewDate:
17th Feb 2023SueC62 commented on:
Are you considering 'unretirement'?Until I'm offered a high paying, internet based, working at home, totally flexible position, the answer is a firm NOViewDate:
23rd Sep 2022SueC62 commented on:
Should the Queen be given an everlasting title?I've seen in the media that already she's been referred to as Elizabeth The Great, so that will probably 'stick'. It's also an existing title, ie Peter and Katherine The Great. I thought it lovely to read that Her Majesty was already, throughout the world referred to as 'The Queen'. A most remarkable woman.ViewDate:
3rd Sep 2022SueC62 commented on:
Should 'Best Before' dates on fresh products be scrapped?I use them as a guide to buy the freshest items wuth the longest 'life' but then at home use my own judgement on how soon they need to be used.ViewDate:
3rd Sep 2022ViewDate:
25th Jul 2022SueC62 commented on:
Should sweets and chocolate carry graphic health warnings similar to cigarettes?I'm in favour but not sure it will make any difference to those who need the information the most. We need overall education on how to eat everything but in the right quantities and balance..ViewDate:
25th Jul 2022SueC62 commented on:
Would you welcome the 80's mullet hairstyle back with open arms?It's no worse than that (to me) awful currently popular style where the fringe is cut absolutely straight across and the back shaved off nearly to the crown. Is the Peaky Blinders cut? I haven't seen anyone where it looks good. But I guess whatever the era, at the time the styles are popular and thought of as great, only to be ridiculed years later.ViewDate:
28th Jun 2022SueC62 commented on:
Do you mainly use cash or cards?I use my credit card wherever I can, it earns me points which can be converted to money off vouchers. The card is paid off in full every month. I keep track to control my spending and even analyse my spend (I'm an Excel nerd ). I do carry cash, in case somewhere doesn't take card but I come across more 'card only' than 'cash only' places these days.ViewDate:
10th Jun 2022SueC62 commented on:
Is a four-day working week the way forward?Before I retired, I was an area operations manager, working from home when not visiting clients or my teams based on client sites. My employer sold the concept of remote working to clients and utilised it themselves. We had an excellent vpn system and the necessary applications to facilitate remote working whether it was managing holiday requests, holding meetings, training sessions, etc. For my employer, it meant I was more productive as I saved time not travelling to one of our offices. For me, I could work flexibly within each day. Home working, where physically possible, would easily facilitate full time hours within four days.ViewDate:
10th Jun 2022SueC62 commented on:
Would you like to see imperial measurements return?Like most others, I still personally measure myself in feet, inches, stones and pounds and convert recipes to imperial for my old balance scales but no way do I want to return to imperial measurements. Anyone 50 and younger will have grown up with metric and even us oldies have got used to it. Totally stupid idea.ViewDate:
20th May 2022SueC62 commented on:
Should police be more lenient with shoplifters during the current economic crisis?Looking at it from the the point of view of the question, ie being lenient because of the current economic crisis, I voted 'no' because if the police don't prosecute the problem is hidden. They need to go to court, even if the magostrates hand out suspended sentences. There is a very real problem of extreme proverty, that needs to be highlighted, not hidden. In my local area, a young woman was so desparate that she planned to end her life, believing that was the best solution for her children, as she wouldn't steal. Luckily, she was directed to a charity that provides energency supplies to those desparate souls that haven't been accepted for a foodbank.ViewDate:
6th May 2022SueC62 commented on:
Does the inclusion of calories influence your menu choice?I've just been to a fab place in Chorley which has three separate menus - kids, gluten free and 'normal' - printed on A3 paper so you have a placemat too. The calorific values are printed against the food and drink, except wine for some reason.... Whilst it didn't influence my main meal choice, I saw it had the lowest calorific value so rewarded myself with a slice of chocolate and raspberry torte .