Computer says no...

So... my insurance wrangle goes on! After phoning them this week only to be told that there was nothing on my claim and that a quote had not been received and the work had not been approved my patience finally ran out. After navigating the voice system and being transferred the conversation went something like this:

Me (polite): Hello. I was wondering if you could let me know how my claim is doing. You see, I would like my car back as soon as possible and it's been over a week already.
Them (In voice of Little Britian Character "Carol Beer"): There's nothing on your file. We haven't received a quote from the garage doing the repairs yet.
Me: I'm sorry but you have. I was told you received it last week.
Them: No...
Me: I was told by yourselves it would be £1400 after you tried to write my car off.
Them: No...
Me (exasperated somewhat): What do you mean no?
Them: There's nothing on the computer...
Me: I was told the claim had been authorised and the repair would go ahead.
Them: No...
Me: So can you tell me what is going on?
Them: There's nothing on the computer. We're wating for a quote.
Me (Sounding like John Cleese a la Dead Parrot Sketch by now): But I was told that was all taken care of! What happens now?
Them: We need a quote from the garage.
Me: OK. So can you chase that then please?
Them: Yes...
Me: OK. Can you let me know as soon as possible when you know?
Them: Yes....

I kid you not. This is practically verbatum. This conversation did not leave me with a warm and fuzzy feeling and sure enough after 3 hours I wasn't rung back. Again. This time I had had enough so I rang and made a formal complaint. They asked me to go through all my problems. I was on the phone for a looooong time!

It turns out that the computer crashed when I first registered my claim. As a result I had two claims running when someone tried to correct the problem and I only had one number. Why the company reps I talked to previously couldn't spot this is beyond me. I now have the actual claim number with the information attached to it! The upshot is that I got an apology and they are assessing my complaint for compensation. Fact is I would much rather they got things right in the first place! It has been hard work and stressful so I have earnt any compensation they pay me quite frankly. I am hoping it will at least cover my excess but I doubt it somehow.

I rang the garage myself by the way. Turns out I will have to wait three weeks for them to get the new locks for my car. They have to come from Japan. Surely it doesn't take three weeks??

For those of you who have never seen Little Britain, the following clip should illuminate who "Carol Beer" is. Ladies and gentlemen, it would appear that I took out that insurance policy!

What flavour are you?

You Are Vanilla Ice Cream

Your personality is anything but "vanilla" You're a risk taker, who's up for anything new. You go well with anyone and fit into any situation. You are most compatible with rocky road ice cream.

What Flavor Ice Cream Are You?

Not much news on my insurance saga front. Basically I haven't rung them. It's a kind of therapy i.e. if I have nothing to do with them then maybe my day will be less stressful! Still I need to ring them tomorrow to find out what is going on. Oh boy.

Anyhoo... I love ice-ceam so I was drawn to this fun bit of nonensense - a quiz that decides what flavour ice-cream you are. I was a bit disappointed when it told me I was vanilla. I like vanilla but my favourites are the rich chocolate, caramel, praline type ones. Oh, and it absolutely has to be the good stuff, not the cheap stuff with ice crystals in it. So vanilla seemed the safe and boring choice but apparently this is not so! The words actually fit me quite well, I can get along with just about anyone but obviously I like some 'flavours' better than others!

Anyway, this got me to thinking, I bet all of you are a different flavour - there is such a variety of folk out there in blog land. If you take the quiz, let me know. So which one of you is rocky road? :-)

My Visual DNA

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

I found this fun widget on Kenju's blog. It basically asks you to choose a visual cue in the form of a picture to answer questions about subjects such as your favourite drink, your vice, what love means to you etc.

For each of the headings on the widget it gives you a description: My answers say that I am adventurous, which is true. I love to travel and explore and curiosity has gotten me into trouble as a kid. I like natural beauty. This is bang on as I love the natural tones and feel of things like wood and stone. I think it is very hard for man to improve on natures beauty. My taste is definitely cool and contemporary - you should see my home. Lots of cream and muted tones, classic, clean and modern. I do like things to have their place. M thinks I am like Monica off 'Friends', huh, but if I'm honest there is a similarity but I am no way that anal! The freedom aspect is also spot on. I chose this over the passport simply because a passport signifies exploration to me while there is nothing like an open road in a beautiful country to make you feel free is there?

As ever, it's not exactly hard science but as the answers come from me there is certainly truth in them, though I have never thought of myself as a 'junkie monkey'! What do you think? :-) If you want to have a go, it only takes a moment. Let me know if you do and I will come and take a look! :-)

The Cog

My insurance saga goes on. I am too stressed and angry to write about it though. It seems that between them, the insurers and the motor company contracted by them to change my locks cannot get anything right. I'm swimming in treacle folks. I will certainly be making a formal complaint and I will be looking for other quotes when the policy needs to be renewed.

Anyway, I need to get on with my studies as I have soooo much to get done so I thought I would leave you with a car advert. It is called 'The Cog' and was made for Honda. No computer graphics are involved and it took 606 shots to get it just right and quite some time to set it up. I think it is very clever and considering what is going on in my world at the moment, I just love the irony of the last line of the ad!

Still smiling

I am trying to put the horrible experience that has been this past week behind me. Today I had to chase my insurance company (again) as I had no courtesy car and they were meant to provide one. This is when they tell me that my car will be written off so I don't get a coutesy car. I look into it and the maths don't stack up so I get back in touch. They say that they will ring me back. I end up having to chase them again. They tell me that they have lost my claim (again). I say some bad words. They find my claim and go talk to the engineer when I tell them how much it should cost and how much my car is worth (I think the repair company are inflating the price somewhat). They call back and say the locks will be changed after all but now it is too late to get me a courtesy car today.

It is not all sorted yet but hell, life is too short, I am fed up with this saga and needed a smile. I thought you might like these male/female definitions that I was sent as well :0)

You might not have known this, but a lot of non-living objects are actually either male or female. Here are some examples:

FREEZER BAGS: They are male, because they hold everything in, but you can see right through them.
PHOTOCOPIERS: These are female, because once turned off, it takes a while to warm them up again. They are an effective reproductive device if the right buttons are pushed, but can also wreak havoc if you push the wrong buttons.
TYRES: Tyres are male, because they go bald easily and are often over inflated.
HOT AIR BALLOONS: Also a male object, because to get them to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under their arse.
SPONGES: These are female, because they are soft, squeezable and retain water.
WEB PAGES: Female, because they're constantly being looked at and frequently getting hit on.
TRAINS: Definitely male, because they always use the same old lines for picking up people.
EGG TIMERS: Egg timers are female because, over time, all the weight shifts to the bottom.
HAMMERS: Male, because in the last 5000 years, they've hardly changed at all, and are occasionally handy to have around.
THE REMOTE CONTROL: Female. Ha! You probably thought it would be male, but consider this: It easily gives a man pleasure, he'd be lost without it, and while he doesn't always know which buttons to push, he just keeps trying!

I've still got my sense of humour folks!