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Zenon_Czosnek

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  • My guess will be it's here: [https://goo.gl/maps/F36Bzi5DozQ2](https://goo.gl/maps/F36Bzi5DozQ2) :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 18th Jan 2019 7:43pm)
  • yah, I also noticed it only few days ago... Its on the right side from the gate, plaquw is quite small.... by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 28th Jan 2019 12:27am)
  • from the front, right from double doors. It was a tram depot? I would think that the hill here is too steep for trams... by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 28th Jan 2019 8:31pm)
  • It's from the side of the main street, right from double doors. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 28th Jan 2019 8:30pm)
  • It's much better than everyone says - I used to walk or cycle through it everyday to work and back. Although some street when there is plenty of Roma people that can be a nuissance - my friends had an issue with the guys standing outside of their window for half day and half night, smoking, and behaving loudly, leaving plenty of litter around... I would not have a problem living next to the park, although I am happy to leave on the other side of the park, even if the rent is slightly higher :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 4th Feb 2019 11:37pm)
  • There was some taster classes in Languages4Water in Wellington Church at Glasgow Uni. Classes were nice, but it was only 10 of them, so we barely managed to go through pronounciation... Still, worth attending (i think it was just 40 pounds total, and it all goes to charity) to see, if that's really something for you ;-) >!I wanted to continue, but with Brexit coming, I've decided to learn some slightly less useless language, so I am now starting Finnish :D !< by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 18th Feb 2019 9:36pm)
  • But that's what you SHOULD do. The sliproads are there for you to gain speed and merge smoothly further down the road. This is people, who merge to early while being nearly stationary (some even do it BEFORE solid line ends) cause the congestion, as they force everyone to stop to let them in. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 23rd Feb 2019 9:28pm)
  • hardly a fault of planners, do you expect them to build that road so you go west in the morning and east in the evening instead? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 23rd Feb 2019 9:27pm)
  • So they made it at least half right then! :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 23rd Feb 2019 11:38pm)
  • Still it does not stopped some moron to throw paint at it - it's still visible on the front wall... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 13th Mar 2019 6:48pm)
  • You might also try the Islay Inn on Mondays :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 2nd Apr 2019 8:15pm)
  • Have you considered selling your car there and buying one here? We DO have cars in Europe already, you know :-) That would save you a lot of trouble with shipping it and sorting import paperwork, changing American Headlights into British, installing EU style foglights and so on. and you would have a car more suitable to British roads (i.e. RHD). If your car is a big American car you might also want to consider that parking is not that easy here - I live near Shawlands, I drive a small Japanese city car and I struggle to find a parking space big enough for me sometimes... Unless it's a collectible or has sentimental value, I would not bother with bringing your own. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 9th Apr 2019 8:11pm)
  • There is a stand on the airport that sells train and bus tickets, but as someone said already, it's much quicker just to take that airport bus. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 16th Apr 2019 8:46pm)
  • Try in Polish shops. Since it's traditional to paint eggs for Easter in Poland, they stock white eggs around this time in vast quantities... But since this is Easter Saturday already, it might be a bit late... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 20th Apr 2019 4:29pm)
  • I used to work as a police interpreter. I was sitting in the police station waiting for my client to come, when a ned entered. He went to the desk and announced: "Here I am". Of course, I am not a native speaker, so please try to imagine everything following being spoken with a heavy Glasgow accent and dialect, so I was barely able to understand what it is all about. The cop behind the desk was unsure what it is about, and the ned had a hard time to explain. It turned out, that he had some petty fine to pay, for drinking on the street or littering or something, and he was not willing to pay it, so drawing from some previous experience - not sure if his own, or one of his friends, he was expecting to be put to jail for a few days for not paying it. The cop told him, that he still has a week or so to pay his fine, so they cannot do anything yet and they will deal with the matter when the time comes to it. But the ned demanded to be put in jail, as he was afraid that if it comes to it later, he might be put away on his granny's birthday. When cop still refused to arrest him, he demanded compensation. He pulled out the Daily Star or some tabloid like it and told the cop, that he even invested in reading materials so he won't be bored in jail. Obviously, since he won't be jailed, this investment was going to waste, and he demanded to be reimbursed. The cop just had enough so he excused himself and disappeared, so the ned came to sit next to me, seeking understanding about how terrible Strathclyde police is, that they want to harm his granny by putting her favourite boy away for her birthday :) For my sympathy, I was rewarded with the paper when he left, except for the page that had titty girl on it! :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 25th Apr 2019 12:34am)
  • Government do checks it. I used to have a job riding buses and counting people using concession card, and I had to ask every tenth of them for destination and reason of travel. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 28th Apr 2019 11:14pm)
  • Is that the little guy? [https://imgur.com/s7r3MMp](https://imgur.com/s7r3MMp) ​ I met him sunday night during my walk, he was so friendly that we played a while and then I even took a pic of him :-) Never knew he was missing :) It was at the river walk behind the Milbrae Crescent houses: [https://goo.gl/maps/KSZRWuA7wZReZPHh7](https://goo.gl/maps/KSZRWuA7wZReZPHh7) Perhaps it's worth to take a walk and ask people around there? ​ I hope he'll find way home soon! :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 10th May 2019 9:49pm)
  • This is what I also experienced. The new cafe opened in my building, and suddenly ours grey bin was replaced with their "commercial" grey bin... Also, our blue bins are not being emptied for weeks, someone moved out and dumped all his old furniture and other crap next to bins, I reported it for bulk uplift, nothing had happened for weeks... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 19th May 2019 11:59pm)
  • No, I arrived seconds after it happened, as people started to run towards her. I stopped and called the ambulance, they wanted me to check her pulse and so on, but they were some people who seemed to know what they are doing performing cpr and everything... I stayed on the phone until ambulance arrived then left, as since I haven't seen the accident itself there was no point for me to stick around... I have to say I impressed with the reaction of passers-by, who rushed to help, there was none of that crowds gathering to watch the gore scene, unless someone was a witness or was actually helping, peiple were leaving the scene.... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 22nd May 2019 11:34am)
  • I am ok, I used to travel all over Europe as a courier driver for years, I saw my share of the accidents, so I'll be ok. But that was one of the worse ones... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 22nd May 2019 11:35am)
  • Oh no :( by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 22nd May 2019 2:22pm)
  • Well it's official now : https://twitter.com/HeartScotNews/status/1131200889409155072?s=19 :( by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 22nd May 2019 5:32pm)
  • Well, no. It's actually much dirtier city than others. I am originally from Poland, used to live in Czech republic, my family lives in Italy - cities in all those countries are much, much cleaner than Glasgow. Whenever some friends come to visit me they are appaled at the amount of rubbish around, and I live in Southside, which is pretty clean compared to some places... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 22nd May 2019 7:59pm)
  • My guess is that you refer to me as that cunt. How to not love Glasgow :P Yes, I am OK, thank you. I was a bit shaken, as I am both a cyclist AND a lorry driver, so it touched me deeply. I also called the ambulance, and they wanted me to check the pulse and everything, so I went to check on the girl (but some people were already helping, and they knew what they were doing, so didn't want to get in the way). But I was close enough to see everything, and, sparing the details, my first thougt was "my god, that looks really bad" and I just hoped, that the modern medicine can do wonders... Nice that somebody cares about me, but I think we should first and foremost have some thoughts about the poor cyclists family, and then about the lorry driver - even if it was his fault (I haven't seen the accident itself, I arrived just a moment later) he must really feel shit now, he surely didn't wanted to kill anyone... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 22nd May 2019 8:06pm)
  • My friend once had to swerve abruptly after the cyclist jumped onto the road right in front of him. He lost control of his vehicle, left the road and hit a tree. A low branch of that tree smashed into his cab, luckily he ducked in time so he ended up only with some minor injuries. But the cab of his 12 tonne lorry was to be written off, he needed to replace it with other one. He still struck a cyclist as well, but he got off lightly with just a broken arm. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 22nd May 2019 8:10pm)
  • I am a lorry driver, but I am also a cyclist. I don't cycle as much as I used to (for some time I even had no car and just cycled everywhere), but I still cycle to work from time to time. I have to say that most of my friends also complain about drivers, but I've noticed a pattern: those, who have most misfortune with "inconsiderate drivers" are those, who ride bikes as if they owed the road, with no regard to other users whatsoever. When I drive around cyclists, I always treat them as if they were a car - specifically, nearside wheels of the car. I overtake them giving them that much distance, can drive behind the cyclists at their pace until it's safe to overtake and so on. On the other hand, when I cycle, I also consider myself to be a car - in that way, that I try to ride in such a way, that other drivers see my intention - I signal them clearly, I give way when changing the lanes and so on. And, surprisingly, I probably despite being an avid urban cyclist for nearly a quarter of the century, I can probably count all really dangerous situations with cars on my fingers. I've noticed that most of your post is about cyclist' rights. Which is OK, but why nobody never mentions cyclist's duties as well? My pet hate, when I drive around cyclists, especially in the UK (I am originally from Poland, and it is not that common there) is when they ride on the left lane, and I am driving on the right lane. Then suddenly there are cars parked ahead, and they just change the lane in front of me without even as much as looking back. This is my pet hate - cycle has to give way when changing lanes as much as any other road users! I will gladly let them in front of me in some cases, but in others there is enough time for me to overtake them safely before they take the lane I am on. But that's not that bad, at least I can see them. The biggest problem is when they undertake lorries. I never do that. Never-ever. Even if the lorry does not seem to be changing left. Why? 1. Lorry is long. You might start undertaking it, and go like 10 metres ahead of the left bumper, and then lorry signals left. Even if you can see it's indicator located on the side of driver's car, there might be not enough time for you to drop back, and you get under the trailer wheels. 2. Lorries have huge blind spots. Those are enough to hide a big saloon, not to mention a cyclist. To give you some idea: Imagine you are a lorry driver. This is what you see from behind the wheel. Can you spot the car in your mirrors? And now, the same situation as seen from outside: Scary, isn't it? (Pics are from a blog post I made a few years ago, you might want to read it: [https://orynski.eu/this-article-may-save-your-life/](https://orynski.eu/this-article-may-save-your-life/) ) 3. No matter how much mirrors, sensors and door windows you put onto the lorry, the driver still have only one pair of eyes. If I am turning left in my car or bike, I basically turn left and watch where I am going. If I do it in my lorry, I need to watch where I am going, but I also need to: i) watch ahead to my right, to see how much space I can take to swing my cab, as I need to take wider turn ii) watch down the road I am turining into, to see if there is no oncoming car, in case I need to get onto his half of the road slightly iii) watch left and right to see if no pedestrians are crossing the road iv) watch my left mirror, to see, if I am not cutting the kerb with my rear axle v) watch my right mirror to see, if my rear overhang (which can swing a lot, especially when rear axle is risen) is not going to obstruct traffic on the lane to the right from me or hit a vehicle going side to side with me. I need to alternate my glances between those five points, then keep checking i, iv and v constantly. If then a cyclist will pedal from my left, and manages to get into my blind spot while I've been looking to the other mirror, he is basically as good as dead already. You should NEVER, EVER do that. (DISCLAIMER: I don't know what happened in that accident this morning, and I am not trying to suggest that this was the case, as I do not posses any knowledge about it. This is simply a general advice on cycling safety from the HGV driver's and cyclists point of view). by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 22nd May 2019 8:28pm)
  • I guess it all comes to where you came from. If you cycled in Copenhagen, then Glasgow cycling must look like second level of hell for you. If you would start your cycling in Poland in 1990, when road traffic was something between Mad Max and carmageddon, then you would find cycling in Glasgow pretty relaxing. I also have to say, that I am amazed how much the city is doing for the cycling infrastructure in recent years. My cycling commute takes me approx 40 minutes and as soon, as they will finish those cycle lanes on Victoria road, I'll be able to cycle virtually the whole distance separated from traffic. Saying that, your movies show a bit what I was talking about: cyclist filming "near dooring in Glasgow" imho filters with too much speed. I would never cycle with such speed so close to stationary vehicles. Luckily his speed was enough to stop in time. The situation "near miss, barrhead road" is a classic example of riding in the car's blind spot. When the driver of the car turned right even if he looked in the mirror, he could not see a cyclist, so he could assume, that the cyclist turned left or something. I think the cyclist should drop back a metre or two to not only allow himself to be seen, but also to not be riding side to side with car through a busy junction. There is no excuse for the cop van to pass so close And as for the fourth movie - I know the cyclist has right to ride in the middle of the road, but do he really need to do it all the time? I am trying to pull in to allow cars to pass whenever possible... And, last but not least: being right is one thing, being safe is the other. If I ride closer to the kerb, then cars have more space to pass me, and therefore pass me further. More space I live for them, more space they have to perform the maneuvre safely... After all, we are all together on the road and I believe we should all - from cyclists and pedestrians to HGV's and buses - do everything to share it as easily for everyone as possible. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 22nd May 2019 10:14pm)
  • And as for the cycling advert - it is advert, it's a piece of art, not a documentary. But yes, I can think about roads in Glasgow with similar traffic - for example streets around Newlands park - I was teaching my girlfriend to drive there, and I felt sorry for people who live there for making a noise by driving around them five times in the row :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 22nd May 2019 10:20pm)
  • Seems we all pretty much agree here. The road is for all to share - and for all to respect others. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 22nd May 2019 10:33pm)
  • It's like with the cars on the motorway: if you overtake a bunch of lorries and someone wants to change lane in front of you, you might choose to let him in, but you don't have to, as he is the one changing lanes, so he has to give way to you. You have right of way that you can give up in order to let him go first as a courtesy, when it's convenient and safe to do so. In my case, I would judge who, in my opinion, would have to give up more. If I could easily let the cyclist get in front of me and then soon get back to my normal pace, I'll let him in. If he could easily let me go first, instead of keeping me sitting behind him for the long distance, then I would not allow him to get in front of me (although I would be prepared that he, being a cyclist, would try to force his way anyway). EDIT: Saying that I would not speed up to block him. I would simply not slow down, but continue as I was going. Please note: I don't say that I have right to decide if I let him in or not, because I drive a car and he is on the bike. It's up to me to decide, beacuse I have right of way, and It's up to me to decide if I want to give it up or not. >!And, apart from everything, most of cyclists in Glasgow would not signal their wish to change lanes anyway :P !< by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 22nd May 2019 10:31pm)
  • I am ok, but thanks! by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 22nd May 2019 11:22pm)
  • I saw also one that was completely red. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 14th Jun 2019 9:10pm)
  • You might want to ask in Sikorski Polish club, I know they used to run Polish courses. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 19th Jun 2019 8:46am)
  • Just out of curiosity - how many people were arrested about this giant Indy march? :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 7th Jul 2019 4:20am)
  • Bothy on West end is pretty nice by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 10th Jul 2019 1:12pm)
  • Evict. She is taking a piss. Years ago I feel into financial difficulties, contacted my landlord even before my rent was due to warn him about the situation. He told me under those circumstances I simply can skip a month, but as soon as I was back on track I paid him back at 50 per week, even though he said there is no need. I was just feeling bad living at someone else's expense.... by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 19th Jul 2019 2:57am)
  • I contacted them first time 34 days ago... How they define "quickly"? by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 25th Jul 2019 3:34pm)
  • Lol by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 25th Jul 2019 4:42pm)
  • But it also gets you outside city zone. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 11th Aug 2019 12:50pm)
  • Hi, thanks, everyone! by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 22nd Aug 2019 10:29am)
  • There is plenty of them roaming around Shawlands, Battlefield, Langside at night... by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 30th Aug 2019 10:31pm)
  • I am no Scottish so please explain to me what it was about? Some cultural exchange with Belfast, we have them putting traffic cones on statues, they gave us riots? Or it is normal for Glasgow people to fight over political matters of Ireland? I am asking to get serious answer as i honestly don't understand it. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 31st Aug 2019 6:34pm)
  • Cycle if the weather is right. Most of the way it's slightly downhill as you go towards the river :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 5th Sep 2019 11:40pm)
  • I live in Battlefield and can confirm that bin emptying is not going great for me. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 9th Sep 2019 3:13pm)
  • It took me 7 weeks of pestering them to have my blue bins emptied, and over 10 weeks to have my grey bin emptied (mostly emptied, as by this time there is like 10 cm of brown liquid capable to sustain life at the bottom of it). By this time the blue bins are overflowing again. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 9th Sep 2019 3:12pm)
  • tried that a couple of times. Nothing helps. so i just gave up. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 9th Sep 2019 3:18pm)
  • I have a problem with this app, that it is impossible for me to register - I go through registering process and then I land on the beginning again. I cannot also report anonymously as it wants me to register. It is not a problem with my phone, as I just got a new one and the problem is still the same as it was on the old one. So it's online, phone and social media for me. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 9th Sep 2019 3:15pm)
  • Good. I wasted enough time as it is trying to make it run on two phones, and I don't want to waste any more. I'll stick to online reporting. It probably goes to the same place anyway. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 9th Sep 2019 5:37pm)
  • I saw a note on the door of Ivory Hotel, apparently there is some group meeting there... by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 12th Sep 2019 2:16pm)
  • You can ask in tool hire places if they have stairwalking trolley ( the I've with three small wheels rotating on a triangle). by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 13th Sep 2019 1:13am)
  • Islay Inn on Monday nights by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 15th Sep 2019 9:25pm)
  • They have almost completed cycle route from Queens park to the city, so cycling from there becomes a nice option (especially that it is mostly slightly downhill towards Clyde) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 15th Sep 2019 9:45pm)
  • It's getting much better. There are many separated cycle routes build - one of the connects Victoria Road with the city centre. I sometimes cycle from Battlefield to Scotstoun to my work, and most of the way I can comfortably ride separated from the traffic. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 16th Sep 2019 2:05pm)
  • It depends "how foreign" they are. EU citizens don't have to pay either. And English students do have to pay. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 18th Sep 2019 3:44pm)
  • Perhaps you lived in England or Wales before, as in that case you are treated as them and they had to pay. Or perhaps it was not yoru first degree? My European friends and I all studied for free except from one, who lived in Cardiff for some years before... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 18th Sep 2019 6:26pm)
  • That would be very strange. But, depends what do you mean "had to pay". By "free" I mean "the bottom line is that student pays nothing". The course fees are still to be paid, it's just for EU citizen they are covered by Scottish government agency SAAS. Perhaps you never applied for funding? by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 18th Sep 2019 8:30pm)
  • Of course, it is EXACTLY like SAAS paying for your fees, and you never have to pay them back. If she applied and was found to be non-eligible, then she would get NIL from SAAS. Read more here: [https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees/eufees/](https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees/eufees/) You most likely mixed it with student's loan company - you have to pay your loans back obviously, but if you are EU citizen you don't need a loan to pay your fees, as those are covered by SAAS. You only need to apply for loan if you need financial help to keep you going while you are at the uni. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 19th Sep 2019 2:27am)
  • Thanks, you just proved my point. You confused two things. This is a SAAS website all right, but if you have actually read it, you would notice that the information related to paying back student loans you got from SLC, not SAAS grants. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 19th Sep 2019 12:34pm)
  • Wow, you have beaten my record which was 7 weeks for blue bins and 11 weeks for grey one (since I first reported it). by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 19th Sep 2019 12:40pm)
  • "grant to start her admission form"? Honestly, I have no idea what you are talking about. You seem to be confusing everything. But if you say that >That money is definitely money that she needs to pay back as soon as she has a job that earns her more than 19k pa. then it is clear, that you are talking about student loans, not a SAAS grant to pay her fees. Because with SAAS there is no such option: either you are eligible, and SAAS pays your fees for you and you never hear from them again, or you are not, and you get nothing from SAAS. Period. How do I know that? I take my information not only directly from SAAS and UoG websites (one of which I linked for you above) but also from my own experience (I graduated from UoG a few years back, I had my fees paid by SAAS but I never took out student loan, as I was supporting myself from my savings and part-time work) and I NEVER had to pay anything back. Which is pretty standard, as this experience is shared by other EU citizens with whom I studied coming from countries like Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Finland and Bulgaria. The only person who actually had to pay was a Pole, who for many years lived in Cardiff before coming to Glasgow for her studies, and therefore was treated as a student from Wales, not a student from Poland. As for others, they only had to pay their student loans used for living costs if they had any. I am not sure whom you try to call an ashole, but I don't see any here: nor correcting someone who is wrong, nor being wrong does not makes ashole of anyone. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 19th Sep 2019 2:38pm)
  • I've recently spoken with my GP, who diagnosed me with depression. He has sent me to Glasgow Wellbeing first, but this was a waste of time, they only send you to some classes, where you watch badly designed powerpoint with group of other bored people (although the girls who run the presentations are OK). Then he advised me to go to lifelink, where I got a councillor appotiment pretty quickly (like: within less than a week since I contacted them for the first time). by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 23rd Sep 2019 3:49pm)
  • Or at Tesco. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 26th Sep 2019 10:38pm)
  • >You can’t really blame Brexit for being assaulted for being Eastern European. Well, my own experience (I live in Scotland since 2005, apart from one insignificant episode, all troubles began after Brexit referendum, and alas, I experienced quite a few), experience of my friends (some have been harassed so much, that they had to move out from their flat in Bridgeton, snarky comments became an everyday reality for many of them and all of us, if I got a quid everytime I hear "We decided in the referendum, why haven't you buggered off yet", I could probably get myself a crate of a nice wine by now) and widely reported surge in anti-immigrant hate crime (according to Home Office data, the number of reported hate crime doubled in recent years, which is at least partially blamed on Brexit and surrounding rhetoric) I certainly can blame Brexit for being assaulted. Especially that the attacker on many occasions expressed his views quite clearly (despite overuse of the expression "fucking cunts" or "wankers"). I am sorry if that spoils your rose-tinted view of your country. I am glad that at least you can point at some neo-nazis in Eastern Europe and say they are worse, I hope it makes you feel better. Still, the intention of this post was to get advice if there are any areas around the indicated parts of the city (and suburbs) I should avoid, not to create a ranking of most foreigner-unfriendly countries in Europe. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 13th Oct 2019 10:57pm)
  • I saw that, alas it is slithly above my budget. I am looking for something up to 500... Thanks for the info! by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 14th Oct 2019 9:42pm)
  • Thanks. I am not to keen on Cambuslang myself either, even halfway looks nicer than that. But it is also in good location, so we might as well end up there... by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 14th Oct 2019 9:42pm)
  • I was always a great lover of Scotland, it's nature, it's openness and its cosmopolitan thining. I was amazed how polite the political discussion can be, compared to Polish political scene discussion towards ther Indy Referendum was something out of this world. Alas, in recent years I have to deal with more and more crap and I might be considering loving Scotland from afar. I seriously considered leaving, as I have enough of this shit. I got also pretty much disillusioned with the state of the NHS and British welfare systems after my injuries forced me to seek both medical and financial help. If not that I am totally skint and cannot afford to start anew in another country (and don't want to go to Poland, because of the shit that is going on there right now), I would probably be gone already. So plan for now is to stay put for now and see what happens with Brexit, to see if things are to settle down, to see how my job prospects will be, to see if that racist crap is going to die out... But at the same time get to work and build up my savings again, so if the need be I would be able to leave. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 14th Oct 2019 9:40pm)
  • I used tyre shop in Young's brothers garage on Calderwood road in Burnside, next to the pub (the place that looks like they are about to shoot the new Mad Max movie there, lol). They had no problem to fit the tyres I ordered online to be delivered to them, and they did it at reasonable price. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 15th Oct 2019 12:06pm)
  • When I was a police interpreter most of the jobs related to violence against Poles were in Rutherglen in Paisley. But, as you noted, there is plenty of Polish people there, it might be that rata of such crimes is less or more constant and it is related to number of Poles in the neighbourhood. It could be just a random thing, as I was not the only interpreter of course... Saying that, from the stories I am aware of, I would not like to live in Renfrew. Anyway, it's on the opposite side of Glasgow to what I need, but thanks for the info. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 16th Oct 2019 12:00pm)
  • Interesting facts: I signed up to two groups about flats to let in Glasgow so far, and somehow both disappeared for me, which would indicate that I was banned from them, after just a day or two of browsing the ads... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 16th Oct 2019 12:42pm)
  • Thanks! :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 17th Oct 2019 2:47pm)
  • I live near langside library. Side they made some paid parking places here I see plenty of parking attendants. But on my street there is often people blocking turning space or parking at the corner and they almost never do anything about that. I complained to then once, they said they cannot go 50 metres further.... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 19th Oct 2019 11:02pm)
  • There is a nice gypsy jazz group meeting on Tuesdays in Ivory Hotel at Southside. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 25th Oct 2019 12:23am)
  • Years ago, when after Glasgow Airport attack GoMA had permanent security guys stationed outside, I spoke with one of them. He told me they were advised to react if anyone tries to remove the cone, but to go and urgently check the opposite side of the building if there was no cone and someone was trying to put one up :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 28th Oct 2019 9:31pm)
  • I am just moving out of the one bed flat in a tenement building in Battlefield. The rent was really low at 450 (it was a bargain, but to be friank, it was not the most beautiful flat either, and we've rented it unfurnished). The flat just across the close, much nicer and furnished was 590. Council tax was something like 139 per month, but you only pay it for 10 months per year. The bills (gas and electricity) were about 70 per month on Shell energy (about 90 before on Scottish Power). There were two of us, my partner likes to have it cosy, and I like my bubble bath, so we weren't exactly saving gas... ;-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 10th Nov 2019 12:07am)
  • Thanks, but it was not really a question but rather a quote: https://youtu.be/VTYjp9S1Q_o :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 15th Nov 2019 3:32pm)
  • That was for the towing trucks crews for the roadworks by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 8th Dec 2019 10:23pm)
  • I know about one near crieff. Still far, but closer than Aberdeen. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 5th Jan 2020 2:28am)
  • You don't really need converting the line, you might simply use dual system trams that can ran in the city as trams, then plug into railway systems and cover longer distance mixed with trains. They have something like that in Hannover. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Jan 2020 12:00pm)
  • She just got a message on Instagram from someone, who found it and handed it to lost property in Glasgow. How to not love Glasgow! :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 21st Jan 2020 10:51pm)
  • >Yeah the 38 is a weird mystery. There are actual infinity numbers available but the number 38 is used for multiple routes? Why? And why does all the public transport stop so early? Or, even more stupidly, why the operator changes? How is that the same line is operated by one operator during the day, and by the other in the evenings? (I am thinking 89/90 when I lived at Battlefield)... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 12th Feb 2020 10:47pm)
  • **4. Why have I been chosen?** You meet the population/sample needs of this particular study. How do you know that I meet those needs? by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 28th Feb 2020 8:56pm)
  • Prince Edward Street - isn't it more like Govanhill? You need to be careful with this area, as there are several clusters of Eastern European roma people living there, my friends had to move out from Craigie Street a couple of years back due to constant noise (people hanging out in their close, behaving loudly, all day and late in the night, small thefts, littering, other small things). Apart from that the are is pretty safe - my other friends still live nearby and they don't complain. As for the actual Strathbungo (Regent Park Sq and such) there is a good sense of community, people organize some festivals (today there is a Strathbungo Window Wonderland after dark!) and everything. I used to live aross the park from Govanhill for many years, so I walked / cycled / rode trains and buses across Govanhill plenty of times, never had any problems with anything. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 29th Feb 2020 2:37pm)
  • I am not sure to be frank. Usually around Victoria road and down the pollockshaws road is referred as govanhill, the places West from the park as strathbungo. But perhaps someone knows better. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 29th Feb 2020 2:46pm)
  • I mostly do two things: writing and driving trucks. I used to be full-time freelance journalist, but the market is getting harder and harder, and with the demise of Polish press in the UK and with not being a native speaker in English my chances to make it back to full time are rather slim. My only regular gig right now is a column on Polish politics that I write for a Czech internet portal (and then put it on my blog in Polish and English). I always wanted to be a writer, and recently I got a few short stories commissioned, I hope that will help me to get my book published when (if) I finish it ;-) Since it's not hard to make a living that way, I drive trucks, usually for three days a week. I like driving, being out and about, listening to my podcasts or audiobooks. It's a nice job. The company I work for is not the best moneywise, but the atmosphere is pretty laid back, and I do go to some fantastic places (Argyl, Highlands and Islands) on occasions. I used to be a police interpreter as well some years ago, but the rates dropped to such low level that it was actually not worth the hassle anymore. I still do translate some things once in a blue moon though, I am pretty proud of the translation of a poem I did last year - from Scots to Polish. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 4th Mar 2020 8:26pm)
  • I lived in tennements for the most of my 15 years in Scotland. They have advantages of high ceiling, spacious rooms (if you get the right flat) and good soundproofing. In one of them I lived at the ground floor, I had a small garden in front of my flat (with nice bushes hiding me from direct view) and there was a nice small garden in the back, where there were some tables and chairs and it was used by the neighbours to meet up, or to have BBQ. Then I lived in that 1960's estate in Shawlands, just next to the park. There were constant problems with water leaking from the ceilings or with electricity. But the gardens in the estate were well maintained, and even when I moved out of there, I still used to go there to lay on the lawn and read the book (as I was living in walking distance). Now I live in the newly built flat, and it's OK, but the quality of the flat is so bad. Cardboard walls, cardboard doors, only electric heating, surroundings of the beauty of a supermarket car park (although I am lucky to have a tiny garden just outside my window). As for the houses, I am renting so I never considered houses, as the rent is significantly higher in the areas I was interested in. And as for those copy-and-paste suburbs, I would rather stick to tenements. Ok, you might not always be able to park your car just outside your window, but then you don't need to use your car that often - when I lived I had everything within five minutes walk: small and big shops, small and big parks, cafes, pubs, restaurants, pharmacies, bakery, surgery and a railway station taking me to the city centre in 6 minutes. The whole area was pretty leafy so it was nice to go for the walk as well. My car was used to go to work (when I was not cycling) or to do some big shopping (or to go camping for the weekend) so it was absolutely no problem, that sometimes I had to park it two streets away. I would never change it for a cardboard house in a copy-paste estate with no big trees and a garden of the size of a post stamp. If I could afford an old house with a big garden in good location, that would be my first choice. But I would pick nice tennement over a small modern house with microgarden in the suburbs anytime. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 4th Mar 2020 8:45pm)
  • It's actually a compilation of short stories related to tabletop game. In that game there are several planets, I was asked to describe four of them. You basically have a freedom , the only boundaries are that it has to match the illustration from the game. And they have to be kid friendly. It's nothing on the big scale, but I like it. All my life I was writing about current events, politics, transport industry or IT. It's nice to be free just to follow your ideas for a change. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 4th Mar 2020 10:20pm)
  • thanks! by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 5th Mar 2020 10:16pm)
  • I've been to a big Tesco yesterday. No soap, bog rolls, rice, pasta, frozen pizza, flour and so on. All other products available. I then went to a smaller Morrisons where most of them were still in, then finished my shopping in a local corner shop. Takeaway of this story is : go local, especially that when the quarantine arrives it will be local businesses that will gonna suffer the most, give them some support. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 15th Mar 2020 10:11am)
  • Well, in one of my jobs I work from home, in other, I drive trucks, so I have to go - all those bog rolls won't deliver themselves. But I am avoiding coming close to people, and for the most time, I just seat in my cab... My partner is also going to her work, she works in an office environment, but it's not too crowded, so she can keep a distance from others. I drive to my work, she walks. We are thinking if we should begin self-isolation soon - we have friends and family in Poland, Italy and Germany and have heard how the things are looking there, the matter is serious. Especially that Boris tactic seems to be "some of you might die, but this is a sacrifice I am willing to take". Well, we are not. We definitely don't go out, we just did our usual weekly shopping plus a few extra bits just in case, we will not touch public transport or bakery items that are not packed at the factory - fruits and vegs you can wash, but you cannot really do it with your rolls). I am having some flu-like symptoms for some time, I had proper flu about 10 days back and now I am feeling better, but still feel tired, have some cough and probably a slight fever - I am not able to know, because we weren't able to buy a thermometer. Probably some arseholes needed 20 of them. I have GP's appointment tomorrow afternoon for something else, but I want to call them and seek advice about my "flu-like" symptoms. Perhaps I can consult doctor on the phone... Then I'll decide about if I am going to work that week (I only work from Wednesday onwards). The thing is that we cannot really afford to stay off work unless we are paid for it, so it would be a big decision. She worked this weekend - partially so we get some extra money in case the things go downhill, partially because she had almost whole office to herself. I also got some extra shift last week... We are definitely ready for the fact, that we'll have to self-isolate, even if Boris and this Matt HandCock or whatever his name is will tell us that Britain won two wars, so we don't need to be careful about coronavirus, or something. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 15th Mar 2020 9:41pm)
  • ....aaaaaand i AM not going anywhere. 7 days of quarantine.... by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 16th Mar 2020 5:54pm)
  • ..or to Edinburgh. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 17th Mar 2020 2:51pm)
  • Now they might die due to this "less worse" thing. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 17th Mar 2020 3:03pm)
  • I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE! :D by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 27th Mar 2020 1:28am)
  • yeah, it's very bright now, as it is just about to overtake us, so it is the closest it can be, and yet still far enough to be in quite wide phase... by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 27th Apr 2020 1:43am)
  • I am not a native English speaking and for a long time I thought that "Royston" is just the weird British-English way of pronouncing things and that if someone says Royston they mean Robroyston... You know, like Worcestershire is pronounced "Wostershire" or Leicester Lester :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 9th May 2020 12:00am)
  • Think about southside -shawlands, langside, battlefield.... It's a nice area with its own"centre" with some nice pubs and restaurants by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 20th May 2020 4:46am)
  • This. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 20th May 2020 2:47pm)
  • There are some grazing as you go up A82, just after the roundabout with the Helensburgh road (I think they belong to that farm with the farm shop). by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 29th May 2020 12:39am)
  • Did it occured to you that rates are so low BECAUSE of the lockdown? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 31st May 2020 1:30pm)
  • It annoys me as hell. I visit some touristy destination for my work and people there are genuinely scared, not only about covid, but also about how their area will cope with such crowds when everything is shut and there is no tourist infrastructure. But at least it helps to filter your Facebook friends. Yesterday after asking since when Dunure is 5 miles from Hamilton they Preston who put her pics on FB first ridiculed me for being stupid enough to follow the rules then blocked me. Good riddance. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 31st May 2020 1:36pm)
  • " We have some of the worst air quality in the whole of Europe, worse even than London." Lol. Unless Europe does not stretch beyond London for you, this is very wrong information you have. I'd recommend you check Kraków for example. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 18th Jun 2020 5:44am)
  • Cambuslang cycles, but I had to wait for a week to drop my bike in and then he held it for several days just to do a basic service. He seems to be overwhelmed with work. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 26th Jun 2020 6:13am)
  • This is not true. Unless you mean British cities. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 26th Jun 2020 5:51pm)
  • This is actually part of the problem I guess. I guess you're from here, and therefore your expectations are skewed, as the parks full of litter are annoying but normal thing here... I shared that picture on my Facebook, and my friends (Italians, German, Croat, Poles and Czechs) are unbelievably shocked. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 26th Jun 2020 5:50pm)
  • And there is Britain, deservedly regarded as one of the dirtiest nations in Europe. Do you think it's a coincidence that such sustains are much more common in the UK than in Japan? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 28th Jun 2020 3:52am)
  • Apparently pretty bad if you need to compare pictures from some mass events with pictures from just a regular day in Glasgow.... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 28th Jun 2020 3:21pm)
  • You say that just an ordinary Thursday is not a regular day in Glasgow? :-) Your point is flawed. I am from Poland, I lived there for most of my younger years, when we had BBQ's in parks and everything and I never saw any park so dirty. I lived in Czech Republic, same story. My family lives in Italy, same story. I've been on couchsurfing and had numerous visitors from all over the world, most of them are shocked how dirty Glasgow is. I don't need to vilify Glasgow. It's bloody dirty, period. I wonder why you need so much to defend that lost cause? by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 29th Jun 2020 5:35am)
  • they are also prevented from gathering in public places as we are on it :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 29th Jun 2020 5:22pm)
  • Has Glasgow Police, that on the very same day closed Kelvingrove park due to large gatherings of people were also "talking out of their arse"? Anyway, I am bored. If you can't come to terms with the fact that Glasgow is a dirty city, it's your problem, not mine. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 29th Jun 2020 5:37pm)
  • So student flats are going to be built underground now? :-) Coat, hat, taxi! by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 4th Jul 2020 1:28am)
  • There are some grazing next to that distillery at the end of Great Western road in Clydebank by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 20th Jul 2020 6:21am)
  • Yup :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 28th Jul 2020 8:16pm)
  • Howdy neighbor! I made a ticket with SLC , reported it as environmental risk, let's see what happens :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 29th Jul 2020 12:04am)
  • Yeah, I got loads and I am pretty pissed about it :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 29th Jul 2020 12:03am)
  • Or you can fly to Barra and land on the beach. They used even to do day trips with enough time for the coffee and walk on the beach between flights. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 29th Jul 2020 8:46pm)
  • Bute is an island. You probably mixed it up with Dunoon, which is on peninsula. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 29th Jul 2020 8:45pm)
  • Don't worry, it's only because of the comet. Is always rainy and cloudy when there is some interesting astronomical event, and comet is supposed to be visible for a few months.... by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 30th Jul 2020 12:24pm)
  • Re: tap water. Tap water in Glasgow is brilliant. However, be careful. I recently moved to the flat when I have an electric water boiler thingy, and all of my taps are mixer taps. The water tastes awful, unless you let the cold water run for really, really long time. It does not do it well if it mixes with that stall water being constantly reheated. I am told it might also be unhealthly.... I guess that was the original reason for British having separate hot and cold taps... But if your cold water tap is unspoiled, then you're for a treat. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 2nd Aug 2020 1:39am)
  • Pretty much every road south or south east from Strathaven is pretty empty at night and most of them are pretty nice to drive... Muirkirk, Dalmellington, New Galloway, Crawick... The old road along M74 - past Larkhall and virtually all the way to Gretna is also nice. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 2nd Aug 2020 1:42am)
  • That's north of the river though. South gets water from some places near East Kilbride apparently./ by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 2nd Aug 2020 1:40am)
  • Must be a pal of that guy driving a transit of "British yellow jackets" who wrote on it: what do we stand for? - child abuse.... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 15th Aug 2020 9:58pm)
  • I had EE phone for a few days, had to cancel my contract because I had no coverage in my home in Shawlands, Glasgow out of all places... There is no rule.... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 29th Aug 2020 11:25am)
  • It's coverage was not covering Shawlands in Glasgow when I lived there. Fact. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 29th Aug 2020 6:32pm)
  • But if coverage spans across wider area but it's patchy in important places then the provider, who has less coverage on paper but covers better the important areas might be better choice. Where would you rather be unable to use your phone? Glasgow city centre or some hills in the back of beyond in Lochalsh? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 29th Aug 2020 8:25pm)
  • I am with Lowther Homes and they absolutely don't care about me having pets. They absolutely don't care about repairs that have to be done to my property either though, so I would not recommend them. But apparently bigger companies might be also more flexible. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 7th Sep 2020 3:10pm)
  • Luckily one of their subcontractors is a decent guy. Whenever I need some repair now, I contact him, and he somehow manages for them to approve my repair. It's only the parts of the common parts of the building (like door entry) that remains in need to be fixed. Meanwhile, they tried to raise my rent, but I appealed to the rent ombudsman (or whatever it's called) and they were told to leave me alone. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 7th Sep 2020 4:05pm)
  • I am afraid there won't be much buses going if it's snowing. It's Britain, not *insert any other European country where snow is not anomaly*, a few snowflakes paralyse public transport completely :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 8th Sep 2020 11:06am)
  • 9. Find someone who goes to Europe and agrees to change it for you into 1Euro coins. Then use 1 euro coins as your trolley token in the supermarket. I always seem to be spending my pound coins and then struggle to release the trolley, so I carry 1 euro with me for that very purpose :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 8th Sep 2020 4:52pm)
  • It's terrible. Stabbings are a daily occurrence. At night, hordes of zombie neds are roaming the area. Local streets are used as racing circuits by boy racers. The fumes from the motorway cause cancer in two years. And, worse of them all, the Tennents Brewery is nearby. Avoid at all cost. (source: I lived there for few months back in 2005 :P) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 8th Sep 2020 6:24pm)
  • This\^ I used to cycle from Battlefield to Balmoral Street (quite further down) and it was taking me about 40 minutes - and I am not a good cyclist or especially sporty person. You don't feel it while driving a car, but most of the road from the SouthSide to the River is downhill... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 13th Sep 2020 7:54pm)
  • I used that place next to the swimming pool in Gorbals, was some group classes, they were showing us PowerPoint slides, completely useless. Then I used life link, got one to one therapy pretty swiftly, found it very helpful. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 23rd Sep 2020 5:58pm)
  • Police, please come to Reddit! Some people plan to visit others in their homes! :D by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 26th Sep 2020 8:50pm)
  • It works only for the very few who started the pyramid. If you joined later you have no chance to match their income. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 28th Sep 2020 10:21am)
  • Canal path is brilliant. You can go traffic free to Kelpies in Falkirk or even to Edinburgh. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 29th Sep 2020 1:39pm)
  • There is that old Polish cartoon: [https://www.wykop.pl/cdn/c3201142/comment\_nW4Y9BsjmmPiU9D8kltZnTP7DeM6xFSG,w400.jpg](https://www.wykop.pl/cdn/c3201142/comment_nW4Y9BsjmmPiU9D8kltZnTP7DeM6xFSG,w400.jpg) "Which team you support" "Er... Blue one" "Guys, this guy is for you!" by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 29th Sep 2020 6:35pm)
  • Judging from the time I am waiting to have repairs done at my house nobody really works there :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 1st Oct 2020 3:39pm)
  • There used to be a wee ferry to museum of transport, is that of news now? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 3rd Oct 2020 4:23am)
  • This is not true. Unless it's going to change after actual Brexit happens, you can drive on your EU license until you're 70 (45 for buses and lorries) or for five years after you moved into the UK, whichever period is LONGER. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 14th Oct 2020 5:28pm)
  • No, it's rubbish. You might be required to register your foreign license with DVLA if you intend to drive trucks or buses. You have 12 months to do that. You don't have to exchange it. Source: I drive trucks in the UK for nearly 15 years with my Polish license. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 14th Oct 2020 5:30pm)
  • Gosh. I wish I was able to tackle what life throws at me with such great dose of optimism. Perhaps I should try living while drunk? :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 17th Oct 2020 12:32am)
  • Sports Direct has them. And so most of Bulders markets. I got one from Aldi, I like it, as it has zipper on the front, good for cycling and staying visible. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 17th Oct 2020 12:35am)
  • Why should we tip only people who provided service (for which they are paid already) to us? Would it not be nicer if we tipped people who did not had to be nice for us because it's their job? Let's start tip grannies who smile at you in the bus stop! Or drivers who stopped to give way to us! Surely that would also be a nice thing to do? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 17th Oct 2020 7:43am)
  • Seriously though, why we tip only some people? Do you tip you receptionist at your surgery? Your dentist? Your bin men? Cashier at Aldi? Bus driver? Why it is a custom to pay some people extra on the top of what they are already paid for their work? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 17th Oct 2020 7:55am)
  • Well, and look who is exaggerating now. I said nothing about black mirror dystopia. I said that while it is indeed nice to give people money for no reason, I asked why we feel that giving some (but not others) money for no reason really is something we should do. You proudly say "your parents raised you to do that" as if it is really something good that should not be discussed. But it can be discussed, and so I ask you: why is that a thing in our culture? In some other cultures you would offend people by doing the very same thing, because they are paid for the work they do and they are no beggars. I see argument that those jobs are poorly paid and you might want to top their poor salaries up, but the social pressure is so great that you can see people tipping people despite that the job of tipped is paid better than a job of a tipping one... Can one of the reasons be that by tipping people you feel better for a few seconds? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 17th Oct 2020 1:43pm)
  • So apart from you trying to abuse me because I have different opinion to yours: why people who's job is to deliver services to your doors are to be tipped, while only some people who provide services to you in other places are to be tipped? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 18th Oct 2020 2:35pm)
  • Well, if we speak in general terms, I think above all, that service workers - just like any other workers - deserve to be paid a decent wage. I think there is no doubt we agree on that. Second thing: of course, I see nothing wrong to throw an extra quid or so, if you wish so and can afford to, but I do have a problem with the tipping culture that tells you it somehow your duty to pay people extra for the work they do and that if you don't do it, you're a dick. Btw. I never said I don't tip, I do sometimes when I received extraordinary service, and I am also tipped sometimes but I don't believe this should be a rule. And as it is now, it is a kind of social rule, at least in this country, and there is some kind of society's pressure that sits in people's minds, especially in the older generation. I do know that because in my work I sometimes deliver stuff to people's houses and people try to tip me generously. Which is a problem for me, because when I see the conditions they live in and what they order, it is clear to me that they are often people in a much worse financial situation than I am (I am not really rich, but I am lucky to be not struggling with my finances either), and yet after already having paid for my services they still try to slip me a tenner or something because "this is the right thing to do". This leads to an uncomfortable situation as if I refuse to accept it, it gets awkward and often they somehow feel sorry or offended, because they think that by refusing to accept their tip I am placing myself somehow above them or I think they can't afford it, which makes them feel humiliated. So after trying to fight it for some time, I gave up and I just take tips, but I put them aside, and once a year I do a lump donation to a charity. So the bottom line is: you should not feel pressured to tip, it should not be considered as a "thing you should do", but as a "thing that you can do if you can afford to do so, but it is in no way mandatory". by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 18th Oct 2020 3:48pm)
  • Well, only one of them drives. If he can't drive (and bin lorry drivers need really top class skills, they constantly have to reverse or go into small streets full of parked cars) and gets stuck somewhere, he might then run out of driving hours and be unable to complete his route. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 26th Oct 2020 12:07pm)
  • I had similar problem, although with south Lanarkshire. They missed some collection, so bags of rubbish piled up in front of the bins,so they stopped collecting at all, because, as I was told, "there was no access to the bins". Situation środku worsened, as you could guess... The council guy told me that we, tenants, should clean it or ask our landlords to do so. I asked him what we are supposed to do with all this rubbish as our bins are full. He send someone who cleaned it up (roughly) but told me this is a one off exception band he won't do it again. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 26th Oct 2020 12:11pm)
  • Apparently it is. Still looking for better source, but found this so far: [https://www.scottishactivistlegalproject.co.uk/covid-resources/](https://www.scottishactivistlegalproject.co.uk/covid-resources/) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 26th Oct 2020 11:09pm)
  • I always wondered: is open sometimes so the boats can go up the river? There is a boat yard up there across the water from dalmarnock.... by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 2nd Nov 2020 8:36pm)
  • Yeah, landlord and factor is the same people in my case. and I guess it's most annoying to me because it's next to my flat (there is another one across, but it has been lying empty for months). by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 3rd Nov 2020 3:41pm)
  • Or you can take train to Ardlui if you want to go further up the loch. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 3rd Nov 2020 3:41pm)
  • But a someone who works in transport and sometimes picks up rags from here and there, rags is also a good business and many charity shops make money on that as well. So when I donate clothing to charity, I separate it in two bags, and I make clear: this one is rags, this one can be sold. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 22nd Nov 2020 3:25pm)
  • Also: Glasgow don't need to have actual steam trains going along the streets, like in Brno, but it would be definitely a cool thing: [https://youtu.be/8JNvJUAHUZ8](https://youtu.be/8JNvJUAHUZ8) :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 23rd Nov 2020 10:47pm)
  • I wanted to write this. But do it well, not like in Edinburgh ;-) And also: can we have buses with more than one pair of doors on them, with ticket machines located inside and a random ticket checks, as they have in civilised countries? The buses are so slow, because every bus stop takes ages. And because of that it's nearly impossible to stick to timetable, as you never know how many people will need to get in and out at every stop. In Europe, the bus has three, four, or even five pairs of doors on bendy ones and exchange of passengers takes 10-30 seconds... I briefly lived in Brno, and this is the best public transport system I've ever seen. I had my car with me and I was using it perhaps once in two weeks to go out of the town. A solid grid of trams, suplemented with trolleybuses and the abundance of bus lines filling the gaps. Frequent, regular services, on time. Vehicles maybe not the newest, but always clean and in good condition... Here, I found a good youtube clip on that (it has English subtitles if you turn them on): [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W31zpTTKwIA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W31zpTTKwIA) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 23rd Nov 2020 10:46pm)
  • Yeah, this. There is no information about a basic ticket prices even on the bus stops. It's not even easy to find it online. And of course you had to have exact amount, as worst bus won't give change. And then there is short hop for up to five bus stops and long hop. But you don't know how much stops is from X to Y, even if you were on that route a few times, as buses only stop on demand... Even drivers don't know sometimes, as I have been charged various amounts for the same trip before... And the timetables give you only rough route of the bus. Here is a timetable from my hometown in Poland: [https://www.wykop.pl/wpis/25400369/wroclaw-mpk-mirki-gdzie-znajde-rozklady-jazdy-do-d/](https://www.wykop.pl/wpis/25400369/wroclaw-mpk-mirki-gdzie-znajde-rozklady-jazdy-do-d/) The list on the left is all stops on the route (past and future) and the tiny numbers next to it is how many minutes from here it takes to get to that bus stop... And, of course. The tarrifs and network map are clearly displayed at every bus or tram stop (and inside the vehicles) and every single vehicle until recently had a ticked machine inside, and now they changed to this new system, when you don't even get a ticket - you just have a virtual ticked bought from ticked machine using contactless card... by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 23rd Nov 2020 11:45pm)
  • Yeah, I guess it's what point of reference you have. Americans I know are also amazed with NHS while most Europeans I know consider it to be pretty terrible... by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 24th Nov 2020 1:38pm)
  • Arnold Schwarzeneger is a pretty good ex-Terminator :-) ^(I know my way out...) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 24th Nov 2020 10:56pm)
  • >My point is dealing with them at all is worthless. They're going to fuck him about literally for years. Hear, hear. I was tied to them as they were failing to remove my prepayment meter and no other suppier wanted to take me on prepayment meter. This is literally THE WORST customer service ever. I had to go all the way to ombudsman for them to release me and pay me back all they overcharged me (as while they were refusing/failing to change my meter, they kept sending me letters e-mails saying how much I could save if I switched to another tarriff, not available on prepayment meters). And even after I won the case with ombudsman, they sent me some money, then told me they are to send me more, then they told me the money they have sent is all they owe me, then when I enquired I got two contradictory answers and then they ghosted me... I can't be arsed anymore, I got back most what I belie they owed me. I am still to receive my apology letter, but I am not holding my breath... And this is not the first horror story with them. I used to live in a small studio when everything was electric - water, heating, cooking - and I was paying like 50-60 per month. Then my friend moved into there, and she got bills like 375 or even 725 pounds per month. It turned out they were trying to charge her for electricity for the common parts of the building INCLUDING THE LIFT... I know two Polish girls who were overcharged because they mixed up meter numbers so they charged them for their neighbours and vice versa. Their neighbour was some jobless ned with a wife and five children living in a 4 bedroom flat, my friends had just a one bedroom flat. When the neighbour found out that he has to pay SP the difference, he somehow thought it's their fault, as they have been returned "HIS" money so he became aggressive and they had to move out. Ah, SP. The worst company I had to deal with. And I am from Eastern Europe and remember communism. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 24th Nov 2020 11:04pm)
  • I second that. Look at the smaller or virtual providers. I am with Shell Energy now and not only I pay less, but I got a clear bills that I understand. And their customer services (that I haven't had too much need to use) are staffed by actual human beings. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 24th Nov 2020 11:07pm)
  • I guess with situation like that, based of Scottish Power record, it is a safe assumption that its' them who are wrong. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 24th Nov 2020 11:05pm)
  • It's not a real Glasgow's pizza, because it's not deep fried :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 1st Dec 2020 10:39pm)
  • Do you think that company just likes to waste money on economically unviable tyres to their car? by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 4th Dec 2020 11:09am)
  • Or you can just use all season tires. They won't be as good as summer tires in hot weather, but you don't have hot weather here. They won't be as good on the snow as winter tires, but still well better than summer tires, and you don't have that much snow here anyway. And they are very good on train, which you have plenty of here. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 4th Dec 2020 11:07am)
  • I got all season tires for my car. They cost me about a 5 pounds per wheel more than summer tyres of comparable brand. I think paying 20 extra every couple of years is well beyond economically viable if I don't lose a day at work for example because I can't gry5 to there. And since you don't have really hot summers you dont need truly summer tires. I just can't understand why everyone in scotland does not uses all season tires which are good for rain, perfect for the temperature range you got here and still manage to keep you going in the snow if that happens. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 4th Dec 2020 11:05am)
  • Well, there seems also to be a culture of throwing your litter everywhere, but it does not mean that is a good or wise thing to do. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 4th Dec 2020 11:09am)
  • My Scottish tire guy says that he stopped recommending people all season tires because they either laugh at him or think he tries to rip them off.... So some people do know about them and still decide to drive on summer ones.... by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 4th Dec 2020 11:30am)
  • A friend of mine lives in the high rise flats in there, despite being Eastern European she never had any issues and is quite happy with the place, apart from it's aesthetics... by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 11th Dec 2020 12:26am)
  • I recently moved to Cambuslang and I am slowly exploring. The Cambuslang park is pretty nice as well, and the Dechmont hill gives some nice views. Reedlees park is also interesting. Then there is plenty of nice walks along the river, ruins of Blantyre Priory are pretty cool place (across the water from Bothwell castle). by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 11th Dec 2020 4:30pm)
  • In the summer I was cycling to work along the clyde. It's a longer way than on the road, but it's a nice trip. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 12th Dec 2020 1:00am)
  • Health and safety, obviously. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 7th Jan 2021 4:56am)
  • I drive a lot next to it, sometimes cycle... There is plenty of rubbish there usually, and for some reason, there were always cars parked around the pond, inside the park, even before the construction started next to it... It's like my least favourite park in Glasgow :( And the riverside path has been closed like for years now :( by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 9th Jan 2021 7:53pm)
  • No, I am pissed at South Lanarkshire Council for the same thing. When they fail to empty my bins, they got overflowing very soon. The whole bin yard is then filled with bags. And then they stop emptying bins altogether as they say "they have no access to bins due to excessive amount of refuse". They said I should contact my landlord and ask him to have this rubbish removed. Where is he supposed to remove it? And why it is his job, if the whole problem (i am going through it for the second time in just 8 months) was caused by the SLC not emptying bins in the first place? Last time I sorted the problem by reporting an environmental hazard, so the council had someone here and cleared (roughly) the bin area. I guess soon I will have to do it again. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 12th Jan 2021 12:51pm)
  • Well, good for you. I live here for just over a year and the problem seems to be constant. Despite the fact, that several bin lorries often gather just outside my place for their lunch breaks! by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 12th Jan 2021 6:55pm)
  • He's propably going to end up with mould all up his walls anyway. I lived in 6 flats or so during my time in Glasgow and it was always an issue, even if you heat your flat properly (and spend a fortune doing so). by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 17th Jan 2021 1:38pm)
  • Look on the bright side: as you have no bins, there is no way for SLC to fail to empty them, as they do with mine for weeks now :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 18th Jan 2021 2:31pm)
  • There are few nice places along the canals... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 20th Jan 2021 5:40pm)
  • And yet again, Best Kebab has been overlooked by the judges :( by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 25th Jan 2021 9:26pm)
  • Have you considered boiling your potato before attempting to make pictures with it? Perhaps that would help the quality? :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 27th Jan 2021 7:50am)
  • It's amazing how little has changed. Some places I would be ready to believe that they were shot last year. It mad me realized what a huge change my part of Europe experienced. If I compared a clip from the 90's from my home town in Poland with one of today, you would have problems to realize those are shot in the same city... by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 4th Feb 2021 11:49pm)
  • Cycling in Glasgow is not bad. I find drivers perhaps not the most polite ones, but for the most parts aware of other road users. The infrastructure improved vastly during the pandemic with the new makeshift cycle lanes being made permanent (although still of the temporary quality, to be frank). The major issue I get with cycling is the weather. I used to live in the country with proper snowy winters and had never problems to cycle even in deep snow, or when it's -20 outside. But the freezing sleet smashing in your face at 60mph had beaten me and I now only commute by cycle when the weather is nice... by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 23rd Feb 2021 2:47pm)
  • Judging from the fact that it's about, well, weight - pretty much everything. I saw fishing weights made from peebles... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 28th Feb 2021 1:35am)
  • Any pre-paid electric meter might cause you an issue. First, even at modern key meter, you end up paying less, as you can't use any promotional tarriffs and stuff. Second, even if you are allowed to change it into a normal meter, it might cause you problems. In my current flat there was a prepayment meter when I moved in, I began process to have it replace straight away, ended up with 5 month battle with Scottish Power to have it done, wasted literally dozen of hours to have it sorted, only after going all the way up to the energy ombudsman (but they had to pay me back everything that I overpaid and then some more on the top, still it was a hell, not worth going through). The thing with prepayment meter is also that even if you want to change a supplier, other suppliers won't want to touch you with a bargepole, and even if they agree to take you in, they will have to keep you on prepayment meter for at least 6 months or so... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 17th Mar 2021 12:51am)
  • I don't think it's anything new. My friend lived there some years ago, and she was tormented by them, as soon as they noticed she's Polish. She had been constantly harassed, they were throwing food and eggs at her windows (she lived at the grand floor) or at her... They vandalized her doors, trying to set fire to it .. Police was of no use, so she was forced to move out after just a month or two IIRC. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 17th Mar 2021 7:54pm)
  • When my partner liven in Mansfield and money were tight, I literally drove to bring her up to Scotland several times. 4 hours each way. If I took someone to drive that road for me and paid him 10 pounds per hour, then it would cost me the same as a one-way train ticket for her. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 17th Mar 2021 8:37pm)
  • Very similar in my place. 2 bed flat (small bedroom used as storage, so barely heated), some work from home, all electric, 80 last month. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 20th Mar 2021 7:48pm)
  • It drives me mad as well. I do have a car and use it for my work (but not for breaking Covid rules by travelling for fun) and my partner was supposed to have her driving test A YEAR AGO (second attempt after barely failing the first one). It is now impossible due to Covid crap. Usually when we go to work and she's not working from home I give her a lift on the way to my work, often picking her also on the way back if the times match. But last year I badly injured my knee and was out of commission for more than three months. She is a perfectly capable driver and gained further experience driving me to my oshysiotherapy appointments and basically driving us everywhere, but she was unable to go to work on her own, as no full license. While I was able to crawl to the car and sit in it while she drove shopping, then wait in the supermarket car park and be chauffered get back, I was obviously not able to wait outside her work for a full day. So as a result she had to walk to work 30 minutes each way in the worst weather of Scottish winter - as we try to avoid public transport for obvious reasons. So over last year she has became pretty capable driver, yet she can only use it to chauffer me around but can't use it to gain some freedom herself. It sucks. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 21st Mar 2021 2:41am)
  • I had a job trucking to Highlands during the hardest lockdown last spring. I saw police stopping people few times or chasing roadside campers from loch Lomond. I also saw it turning away all campervans and cars with bikes on the roof etc. at balloch roundabout. But there is no way they would be able to controll all vehicles. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 21st Mar 2021 2:50am)
  • Some Polish shops stock noodles made in Poland. Those under Polish brands (like Winiary and so on) are usually shitty, but those made in Poland under the licence from Vietnam (like Vifon etc.) tends to be pretty good. I love Vifon spicy prawn ones. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 21st Mar 2021 4:30pm)
  • How do you know it was about football and not about nationality? I was unable to find any source confirming that... by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 23rd Mar 2021 11:18am)
  • Ah, sorry I don't touch sun, for obvious reasons. I am looking for a reliable source. Thanks for the info anyway by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 23rd Mar 2021 11:42am)
  • Well before pandemic I had the same problem. The system is supposed to work that you place your bulk items for uplift in dedicated place (for tennement its often in the back) and report it to be uplifted and it is uplifted on next day, which works on most occassion. But sometimes it don't. So you have to report it. Then report again. Then call them. Then write to them on Twitter, so there is finally some reaction and they send someone, who pick only smaller items, leaving the big ones behind (It was weeks, so other neighbours added their bulk items to the pile already). Finally you need to go to environmental services and report an environmental issue for them to pick it up. Saying that, I now live in SLC area, and Glasgow was much better than they are when it comes to rubbish removal. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 29th Mar 2021 1:37pm)
  • Cummings automotive in Shawlands are pretty good. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 5th Apr 2021 12:10am)
  • I think as long as you there just to visit the restaurant or the pub (which are located in the basement), this is not enforced until you start behave badly, then you will be removed using that as a legal ground to kick you out. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 10th Apr 2021 2:05pm)
  • Newton. I had my share of bad letting agents, but those really cheeky bunch. We rented a flat from them. The water heater was not plugged for the night rate. It was not plugged at all, because there was no night rate meter. So the only way to get hot water it was to use booster tank. Press the button, wait an hour, you can take a quick shower. Press the button again, wait an hour, you can do the dishes. Then press the button, so the other person can take shower as well... And so on. All heating at day rate cost. I've been fighting with them for months to have that fixed, but they said that "previous tennant never complained" (it was a single lady living there before, perhaps it was enough for her). Anyway, they finally fixed it (by coming unnanounced, using their own key and bursting into my bedroom where I was sleeping after working night shift, naked). I asked them for compensation for all the extra power I used and the inconvnienience. They raised my rent, saying that "now the standard of the flat is higher, so I have to pay more". I asked if they are joking. They laughed at me, saying "as if you would move out after just 6 months". I moved as I wanted to have nothing to do with those idiots any more. Not that they cared: they hired the flat to next person at 40 pounds more than I would pay them AFTER the raise... by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 15th Apr 2021 11:17pm)
  • They were riding slowly and even briefly stopped next to me to look into the ~~canal.~~ rubbish ditch. And sorry that I translated it. Here you have it in the original version: \- "Te domki wyglądają zupełnie jak jakaś holenderska wioska, patrz, nawet jest kanał. A nie, czekaj, Holendrzy by tu mieli wodę, ci mają śmieci, to jest jednak Szkocja". by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 27th Apr 2021 4:38pm)
  • I saw two pissing on the wall on the platform of the Partick station today... :( With people standings 5 m from them and my train passing by... No shame :( by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 15th May 2021 6:57pm)
  • I am Polish. There used to be Scottish themed pub in my town. When cheap flights came, they had to hang a sign saying "no kilts, no Scottish football colours". Still, the pub went under very quickly as it was no longer possible to go there and have a nice time, so the locals stopped frequenting it as there were constantly some drunken brawls there... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 16th May 2021 11:27am)
  • I went there. They quoted me for 400 pounds, but looked closer and said "let's see if that can come off with some polish". They spent 5 minutes polishing the side of my car and it looks much, much better. You have to know it's there to notice it now. They did not wanted to charge me, but said if I want to come back they can do a "proper" Polish for 150 pounds so there will be no marks at all. But I am happy for it right now, will look into that later on when I have some money to spare. Thanks for that recommendation! by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 1st Jun 2021 4:54pm)
  • I called to him as well today, but he was closed. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 1st Jun 2021 4:55pm)
  • Is that the small shed next to the railway bridge? I used them before as well and they were great, so that was my first thought, but they seem to be closed - drove past them yesterday and it does not look as if they are open... by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 1st Jun 2021 4:55pm)
  • Kind of - the guys in the other shop recommended above spent five minutes on polishing it so it looks much better. You can still see it, but unless you know it's there or look really closely you wont' notice it straight away. They also said it's safe to keep it like that, as the scratch did not got all the way to bare metal. They were great and charged me nothing for that favour. I might do it properly later, but, to be frank, scratches on my car's bodywork are not my financial priority at the moment, so since it won't rust, I might leave it for later. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 1st Jun 2021 5:12pm)
  • There are some nice spots on Bute, obvious ones like ettrick bay or less known ones that you will have to find yourself. Access from Glasgow is great, there is combined train/ferry ticket. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 2nd Jun 2021 11:17pm)
  • Ah, the only place when if you pay 40p, you can pee or take a shit onto historic artefact... More museums should be like that! :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 8th Jun 2021 5:43pm)
  • Is it fixed yet? Or on its way to some shipyard? by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 8th Jun 2021 5:40pm)
  • The heliport has moved from Exhibition Centre to Govan a couple of years back. So there will be not only emergency helicopters, but also police, some passenger ones and also babcock's own flights. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 9th Jun 2021 1:17am)
  • Well, if you can't find any near you (which we don't know where it is) then perhaps it would be helpful to know for you that I once saw that there is one in Nagykanizca in Hungary... by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 10th Jun 2021 11:13am)
  • It varies. I was assaulted, hit in the head with a big plank of wood, ended up in hospital after blacking out and nearly going off the road on the next day. Was examined briefly by a junior doctor, told I will be OK in few days, given some painkillers and sent home. They told me it's "mild concussion" and I will not last longer than two weeks. My condition was only worsening, so my GP told me to go to A&E again and ask them to take a proper look, with an MRI or something. It was almost two weeks later. Again, brief examination, I was sent home. I had every single symptom from the book, I was in terrible pain for weeks with nausea (Imagine the worst hangover of your life lasting for two months non stop), then I had balance issues, I could not read, or even watch the movies, I was forgetting words, mixing my languages and mumbling incoherently like a UK prime minister or something... My GP referred me to a neurology specialist, I was told the wait is 12 weeks for urgent patients like me. My GP told me I should not wait as my condition is serious and that if I want to get the proper treatment I should go privately, which would cost a fortune in Scotland, so he literally advised me to fly to Poland (which is my home country) to get it cheaper there. I got a full set of examination, had a full MRI and some other examinations, saw a neurology consultant (who was interviewing and examining me for nearly 50 minutes) and a psychiatrist (due to my terrible insomnia). Got some meds and a treatment plan. The doctors in Poland were outraged to find that nobody even bothered to take MRI of my head after the accident, which is apparently a standard practice in Poland. From there on it was my (brilliant) Scottish GP who was doing all the treatments and my Polish specialists doctors acted, in an unofficial capacity, as his consultants. Basically, in most cases, I spoke with them on Skype or something and then he was rubberstamping it and writing me prescriptions as set by them etc. It took ages and I had two fail starts, but after total 11 months off work, I was finally able to gradually get back to work. Only to take a day off, as 50 weeks since the incidents I was finally given a consultation with a neurologist (the guy in Poland told me that if I went there on Polish equivalent of NHS, not paying privately as I did, the wait would be six weeks). She was generally very annoyed with my presence, like I did some faux pas by bothering her if I am back at work. I told her that my Polish doctors told me to take another MRI in six months, as they found something that concerned them, and since they had no previous MRI from just after the accident to compare it, they wanted for me to have one later so it can be looked into. She told me "this is not how it works in Britain". I said "so I was told, that's why I had to fly to Poland to get proper treatment". She sighed and said "Ok, I give you YOUR MRI", clicked something in her computer and then just left, leaving me alone in the room. I had some questions, I expected to be examined properly - nothing. She just left. I sat there for a while, confused, then went out to look for her, I found her chatting with a nurse, tried to ask question but she just waved her hand at me saying "you will get a letter, no go home". From what I speak with my European friends (and that involves Italians, Germans, Croatians, Poles and Czechs), more someone had to use the Scottish NHS, less impressed they are. I can say a bad word about anyone, apart from that neurology doctor (but she was an EU citizen herself, I guess, judging from her name), people are indeed friendly and proffessional. But it is like they can't really do nothing except giving you paracetamol and sending you home. The system is badly flawed. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 13th Jun 2021 1:49am)
  • I am glad it worked fine for you, I wish you speedy recovery! by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 13th Jun 2021 1:51am)
  • Almost right, except what you say is a complete bullshit. First, I was dismissed in A&E twice by junior doctors, despite that my two experienced GPs were concerned. I was literally sent back to A&E again because they believed I should get some imaging and GPs are unable to arrange that themselves. Then the one I stuck with for the rest of my ordeal, the more experienced one, told me to see real doctors and advised me - as an expert on how NHS works, after all he was part of it - that I won't get proper treatment on NHS anytime soon and to seek help elsewhere. So basically it's not me who dismissed experienced British doctor, it was an experienced British doctor who dismissed junior British doctors and told me I should look specialist help, which I won't get from NHS on time. So I did, and got help. My treatment was supervised by my British GP who was quite impressed with the level of insight and skillfull choice of meds they proposed for me... It took me 11 months to get back on track (despite that, as you call it , well educated British doctors told me I will be ok in few days, two weeks max) and then when I was almost healthy again I finally got my urgent appointment with an NHS specialist. Because for NHS, apparently, urgent means 50 weeks. No wonder that by this time I wasn't really in that much need of urgent help anymore, don't you think? My Polish doctors (or should I say, doctors in Poland, as only one of them was Polish) assessed my condition right, told me what to expect (and were bang on, as some synptompts weren't present yet when I saw them) and told me I will need at least a year to get back, which proved true (I got back to work in 11 months, but it took a few months more for everything to get back on track). Furthermore, now o get an expert opinions for my court case from a well respected Scottish experts (at least one of them is one of the top in his fields) and they also agreed with me that I haven't been given sufficient help on NHS and that I was right to seek help elsewhere. The bottom right is: the A&E staff dismissed a patient with serious issue after just a brief and basic examination, despite that he was back to them on advise of his GP when his synptompts got worse instead of disappearing as they predicted. Yet, they thought it's not necessary to look closer if he might be the case when taking paracetamol and lying down for a few days might not be sufficient. But you know better. Because if facts show that NHS, despite deeply held belief of British people, might not always be up to its (held mostly by Britons, because Europeans who actually have experience with health services in other countries often don't agree) opinion that it is The Best Health Service In The World, then the facts have to be dismissed, and person who brought them up ridiculed, so your British pride remains unharmed, right? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 13th Jun 2021 3:13am)
  • I am not saying Polish healthcare service is better as a general. It has its moments where it is much better, of course (my father for example receives top class treatment for his health problems and my Scottish friends with similar issues struggled to get the NHS interested until he ended up requiring emergency treatment - which was top class). I also have comparison as 20 years ago, when Polish health service was much, much worse than is today I was involved in a car accident and had injury to my head which was nowhere as serious as the one this time, and yet the treatment I received in a hospital that looked like Chernobyl film set was much, much better than my more recent experience with NHS. As a general rule yes, NHS is much better than Polish health service... But if we remember how much each other costs, one can risk a claim, that the Polish one offers much better value for money. What I am saying is that NHS is not perfect. There are many fields or situations where it leaves a lot to be desired. I am getting instantly attacked for stating that fact. British belief that NHS is the best system ever, the object of envy of the whole world is almost like a religion here. One is not allowed to discuss it, especially if one is from another country (incidentally it's usually those from another country who have some data to compare). by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 13th Jun 2021 12:39pm)
  • What about patients who were told by their doctors (Two British GPs, including one very experienced one and a Polish neurology specialists) to demand MRI scan as all those doctors believe they were dismissed from the A&E to easily? Are such patients acceptable for you? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 13th Jun 2021 12:48pm)
  • Recently I found out that both Polish and Croatian community in the UK nicknames British doctors "Dr paracetamol" without knowing about the other one doing so. I think it says something about how hard it is to get a serious interest in your health issues from an NHS doctor here. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 13th Jun 2021 12:45pm)
  • Yes. I would just want to add that I am not trying to slag NHS as a whole - I just shared my experience to show that it is not always perfect. I honestly believe that with all its shortcomings it is still a great system. It is just that it is not always brilliant and perfect and the instances when it fails are too numerous to be ignored. I have to say also that 99% of people who work for NHS were always friendly and polite to me or my clients (I used to work as an interpreter for few years and saw it from that end as well) and even of they were unable to offer more help due to limitations of the system they were almost always trying to do their best or even go beyond that (like my GP when he tried really hard to get me MRI here and then advised me to go abroad). by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 13th Jun 2021 1:33pm)
  • I once a companied a client to the doctor as an interpreter. He was a Polish HGV driver in his sixties who recently experienced some chest pains and become concerned. He wanted to find if it would be safe for him to continue driving trucks. He got a loads of his medical history from Poland with him. The Scottish doctor spoke with him for few minutes then started browsing those documents (some were in English and even the polish ones usually have the most important bits in Latin). Then he said "ok so take paracetamol and we'll see how it goes, come back to me in a few weeks". The polish guy stood up from his chair and took the paperwork from his desks, dug through it and pulled one documents showing it back to him and said "I am not allowed to take paracetamol, it has some dangerous interaction with that other medicine I take!". "I see" said the doctor and got up to take some book from his shelf. He browsed if for the while, saying "hm" and "I see" to himself then came back to his desk and told: "ok, so you know what we'll do? You won't take paracetamol and we'll see how it goes, come back in few weeks". Before we left surgery the client asked me if I can help him book a ticket as he is flying to Poland to see his doctors... Newer saw him before so don't know any more... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 13th Jun 2021 2:18pm)
  • True that. However as an interpreter I am not allowed to give advice to my clients. Especially medical one. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 13th Jun 2021 11:37pm)
  • Thanks! The tip about the energy meter was a great one, I would never thought of that. It's done! by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 29th Jun 2021 3:32pm)
  • Of your guesses it happens to be not GHA. :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 29th Jun 2021 7:24pm)
  • They are pretty private bunch, dumping kittens on them is enough of invading their personal space I think.... by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 29th Jun 2021 7:23pm)
  • I will, although somebody already guessed pretty close here. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 29th Jun 2021 7:27pm)
  • No. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 29th Jun 2021 7:25pm)
  • Is that the one from chewing the fat or burnistoun or something? :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 29th Jun 2021 11:59pm)
  • Yup. They even sent a tradesman to take the ceiling down at night but he said there is no need as it is safe and just went home. Honestly after 11 hours journey and few hours dealing with this shit, at 4am I was not really up for arguing with him. The ceiling was finally taken down by the sprinkler guys (a different company and very professional, helpful and friendly guys) on the next day. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 29th Jun 2021 11:59pm)
  • That's ok. Since ability to read long texts is usually correlated with intelligence then writing long posts might give me less answers, but they will be of better quality! Thanks for trying, tho. Really appreciate that! by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 30th Jun 2021 11:13am)
  • On a slightly related note, there is a boatyard in Dalmarnock... Can you swim a boat up the Glasgow green Weir? How do you do that? At high tide? Or is there some kind of a lock or crane there? by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 2nd Jul 2021 1:50pm)
  • Bothies are still closed. But when they open, you should be able to reach the Rackwick bothy by public transport. Train to Thurso, walk to the ferry, ferry to Stromness, ferry to Hoy and then few miles through the hills and there you are :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 14th Jul 2021 12:41am)
  • Now I crave for a good knisha. Is there a (real) place in Glasgow where you can have one? :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 14th Jul 2021 11:57pm)
  • Actually if they were emptying bins regularly, that would help a lot with seagull problem... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 18th Jul 2021 11:16pm)
  • My girlfriend was lucky about a month or so ago, she logged in and there was a free slot next day. Now she is also booked for practical test. For October :/ by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 20th Jul 2021 12:29am)
  • I haven't been on the bus since the pandemic started and I don't intend to be for some time ahead. Trains - only off peak and if they are not crowded. As I had injured my knee, I've been going everywhere by car for months now. Not proud of it, but safety first. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 20th Jul 2021 8:38pm)
  • A couple of years back I had balance issues due to a head injury. Still, I was trying to go for some walks (after rotting for 6 months on the sofa you'll do everything to get yourself out of home) or to the shop nearby, which means that I looked like I am drunk or something, having to hold to the walls and swerving uncontrollably on occasions. The amount of people who were asking if I need help and if I am OK was about the same, as the amount of people cheering me up for "having a good party last night" or "having a great time so early in the morining". It was always making me laugh. I like Glasgow too :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 26th Jul 2021 2:00am)
  • I don't know how it was called, but it was as a result to a bad blow to my head (i've been assaulted) and in my case it lasted for a couple of months, although for the most time it was not that bad. It was like when you are on the ferry during rough crossing :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 26th Jul 2021 4:48pm)
  • Then they are bad scientist. Scientists job is not to believe, is to look for evidence. And evidence of evolution is overwhelming. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 28th Jul 2021 5:13pm)
  • > Man religion is one of the few places people can find a sense of community within their local areas that have been ravaged by austerity and Thatcherism. True that ,but there is other side to this coin: religion preys on people who have little in life, promising then false hope. Think how much for we could achieve if instead of spending money time and effort on religion we would spent it on actually bettering those peoples lives... But if course it sounds nice in theory, it's much harder to implement in real life... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 28th Jul 2021 5:12pm)
  • That will be the dome at the road depot probably, it's to protect the mound of grit basically. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 2nd Aug 2021 11:05am)
  • I wonder how easy it is to clear it after that... As it might be false economy if the reason for that is indeed to save money on mainetnance. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 2nd Aug 2021 12:31pm)
  • As for shopping all the supermarkets offer home delivery service. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 3rd Aug 2021 11:04am)
  • When I lived in Glasgow, my food bin was not being emptied for weeks on regular basis. On two occassions I had to call environmental services and report a dangerous environmental hazard to have it done. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 4th Aug 2021 1:37am)
  • As in opposition to be given just a piece of paper? :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 16th Aug 2021 1:26am)
  • In Aberdeen I saw once the one that entered the shop and nicked a pack of crisp. The shopkeeper just watched it without trying to chase it. He says that it likes only certain taste of crisps and can recognize them from the packet and that if those aren't there, it will get angry and destroy several other packets with its beak... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 28th Aug 2021 7:41am)
  • Or buckfast at the riverbank in Govan, to give the newcomers true Glasgow experience. :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Sep 2021 2:48pm)
  • I met some campers last Friday at Driminin and they caught quite few of them there. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Sep 2021 2:50pm)
  • Drimnin, sorry. Other side of the water from Tobermory. If they are there, then I would guess they are here as well. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Sep 2021 8:49pm)
  • Oh, that's good to complete the set. I had a music of flutes and drums delivered to my bed this morning when some bunch of weirdo proto-nazis marched under my window :-) I doubt this one was for the good cause though. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 18th Sep 2021 1:57pm)
  • Never heard about orange Walsall in my country before movement here. This might suprise you but most people on the world don't care about some obscure British historical event from centuries ago. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 18th Sep 2021 2:07pm)
  • What about speaking Polish? I was abused for standing by (as I was unable to cross the street due to your proto-nazi parade taking place) and talking Polish to my friends. And none of us are even Catholic... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 18th Sep 2021 2:06pm)
  • same here... Then when I realized, I got pretty annoyed. This is saturday, I like to lie in :( :( by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 18th Sep 2021 2:41pm)
  • I live in Glasgow 16 years and this never stopped amusing me. I can't imagine how sorry someone's life has to be to spent all this time and money on this ridiculous uniforms, instruments and whatnot and to practice in this marching band just to walk across the town from time to time in order to annoy people you don't like... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 18th Sep 2021 3:41pm)
  • Interesting fact: Canada is still not the most of the world. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 18th Sep 2021 5:57pm)
  • I am pretty fat and being a member of some chauvinist backward organisation in order to make a fool of myself on the street is the last thing I would do! by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 18th Sep 2021 10:34pm)
  • Do you have a lot of marches organized by proto fascist organisations of religious zealots that oppose your country's independence and do it only to annoy Irish and Catholics and every decent human being around? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 19th Sep 2021 3:10am)
  • I am not a fan of military parades and stuff to be honest, I am generally against the militarisation of culture, but I would not object to things you describe. But Glasgow's orange walks are the emanation of something deep and dark and as such they should have no place in XXI century Scotland. Also: I want to sleep on Saturdays morning, not being woken up by bunch of idiots banging drums under my window! :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 19th Sep 2021 3:24am)
  • Still, the fact that there are orange lodges in some ex British colonies (although there is waaay too many countries that for that description) does not make it s worldwide phenomenon. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 19th Sep 2021 12:37pm)
  • I haven't seen marches celebrating other battles that England won in its colonies or occupied territories, why is that then? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 19th Sep 2021 12:36pm)
  • Moving the goalpost, are we? :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 20th Sep 2021 10:31am)
  • Don't fall for the name. They call them First buses, but it's a distraction. The truth is they are worst buses. :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 21st Sep 2021 1:09pm)
  • Tssss... That knowledge is only for advanced Glaswegians. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 21st Sep 2021 1:32pm)
  • Moving a goalpost are we by throwing in an unrelated fact? No matter if sectarian behaviour are limited to Scotland and NI only or not, your claim they OO is a worldwide phenomenon is false. Vast majority of it happens in those two countries and some minor activities can be seen in a few of the former British colonies that share some cultural background with Britain after being occupied by it. Orange Order does not exist in any of the other cultures. If it does, it solely due to cultural influence of Britain. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 21st Sep 2021 5:04pm)
  • Yes, we already analysed that. Also: OO most prominent in NI in Scotland, and this is the only place where it has not been culturally imported, so it's not disconnected from local culture. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 22nd Sep 2021 11:31am)
  • I used to do some house deliveries in the area as an agency driver and the regular driver showed me where there are two BDSM studios and a crossdressing club, so I guess there might be something about that. All three places within just a few hundred metres from Charing X. EDIT: That was at least 7 years ago, tho, so I doubt I would remember which houses were that (if someone ELSE wants to ask - that was a quick direct message, lol :D ) by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 23rd Sep 2021 9:17pm)
  • Only in Scotland and nothern Ireland. In other words: only in the countries where orange marches pose a significant problem. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 26th Sep 2021 11:51am)
  • Surely I don't understand it the way some Britons do. Which is actually a good thing. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 26th Sep 2021 7:37pm)
  • And who sees Catholic schools as a problem in Scotland? I give you three options to choose from: - the SNP and independence movement - the Orange Order and associated thugs - Muslim community in Scotland by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 26th Sep 2021 11:57pm)
  • Apparently better than you, but we slowly getting there. So what organization those protestant biggots who have problems with Catholic institutions and behave aggressively towards it are associated in? by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 28th Sep 2021 12:23pm)
  • Well, you got it completely wrong, but I am not surprised at all. I am just saying that orange walks are way for the protestant bigots to stick the finger up and provoke catholics, which you try to deny. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 28th Sep 2021 10:14pm)
  • In other news: water is wet. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 5th Oct 2021 12:32am)
  • amazing - by British standards. I never used better public transport than the one in Brno, Czech Republic. But the one in my hometown of Wrocław is pretty neat as well - and miles and miles ahead of Lothian buses. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 5th Oct 2021 12:37am)
  • Judging from the map of road closure it's being stuck in traffic on the way to and from work for me. They have closed my cycle route too. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 8th Oct 2021 7:28am)
  • They once visited my flat when I wasn't in. But I had a guest from couchsurfing, who opened the doors, but he could not speak a signle word in English. They somehow assumed (wrongly) he's Romanian, so after that for a couple of years I was getting hand written letters and the Watchtower (or perhaps the other one, I have no idea as I don't speak any Romanian) in Romanian ;-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 12th Oct 2021 1:39am)
  • My ex was in similar position to you: all of her family were Jehova's Witnesses, but she quit the cult. I never saw anyone treated so badly by her own family as she was treated by them after that - while, for obvious reasons, she was really longing to have some relations with her family, who were taking care of her ill mother. It was completely disgusting. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 12th Oct 2021 1:41am)
  • Judgin from how often my bins are not emptied, my bin men are on strike for at least 2 years now. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 15th Oct 2021 11:16am)
  • Once they sent two letters to me. One addressed at flat 3/1, other one addressed at flat 2/1. I never got the other one until they started to chase me for not paying my tax, when someone new moved in and knew me and passed those letters to me. I tried to sort it out, but they said it's not my account, as my account is the one in 3/1 and I can't do nothing. Still the letters were coming, for a while I wanted just to ignore it,as I paid all my taxes for 3/1 where I live, but I had those bailiffs at my doors, apparently for them the fact that 2/1 is not the same as 3/1 does not matter, as every other data given to them was right. It took ages to alert it out and finally GCC sorted it by merging my two accounts... So my debt for 2/1 was now added to my 3/1 account. And that where craziness occured. I was getting dozens of letters. One week I received three in the row saying I owe them 40, 140 and 1700 pounds respectively... Utter chaos. It lasted over 18 months to sort it out, even the bailiffs saw its wrong andwere doing everything to help me out by postponing the court orders and giving me some phone numbers to call that ordinary human being would not be able to obtain. All useless, until I rantwd on Reddit about it and someone who works in IT at GCC contacted me with the name and email and told me to write to this one particular person who was able to sort it out. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 21st Oct 2021 2:29pm)
  • Make sure they won't try to charge you for BOTH flats! by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 21st Oct 2021 4:50pm)
  • And yet I recently flew to Wroclaw airport, even more provincial one, and there was a decent restaurant, abundant free pick up and drop off space, bus to the city centre for which you pay a standard bus fare in the city and so on, and security and passport control was swift (well at least for EU citizens, poor Britons had to wait in a separate Brexit queue now to get their passports stamped or something). So it is possible for a regional airport to not be a terrible experience and rip off at every stage. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 23rd Oct 2021 8:49am)
  • What do you mean by that? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 24th Oct 2021 10:35pm)
  • That's not bad, but it's a shame, all my friends, especially with kids, like it by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 25th Oct 2021 6:58am)
  • >They have spent what little money they had on **painting lines on the road and placing some random-shaped bits of plastic here and there and pretending they are** building bike lanes, junctions & making the roads as unpleasant for driving on as possible. There, fixed that for you ;-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 27th Oct 2021 11:49pm)
  • PEOPLE MAKE GLASGOW by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 7th Nov 2021 12:16pm)
  • Hey! Stop giving up my secret spots! :-) (Luckily there is another option nearby if BP is busy) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 13th Nov 2021 11:29am)
  • But it is not reasonable, and it does not mean people would take forever if it wasn't there. In my hometown in Poland for example all the infrastructure is identical, bareer and shit, it's just first 10 minutes are free. O think it's illegal under EU law to charge for drop offs. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 13th Nov 2021 11:28am)
  • And even then it was illegal. Can't find the source now, but there was some plan to sue Edinburgh Airport over that, but the Brexit happened so it's no longer relevant. And yes, if down south (I guess you mean England by that) they charge up to 8 pounds, it's only beacause you guys accept such rip off. Let me remind you that Edinburgh Airport has started with 1 pound charge as well. It's not 4 pounds, and nothing happened that would justify quadrupling the price. It's just since people were going along with it, they started to bump it up. So basically if people still think it's OK to charge someone for dropping off at the airport - which is a captive market, as it just happens that ALL THE ROADS around the airport have no stopping measures - then the companies will abuse that and squeeze public as much as possible. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 13th Nov 2021 12:26pm)
  • I've read it years and years ago, so I might not remember details. Googled for a while and can't find nothing about it. Perhaps it was only when the car parks were using EU infrastructural funds to be built/improved or something. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 13th Nov 2021 12:29pm)
  • As an HGV driver I would be careful with those claims about 3-5 times the money... Twice what bus drivers make per hour is perhaps doable in Glasgow, if you are C+E with ADR for example, willing to work silly hours. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 17th Nov 2021 8:56pm)
  • >A smell a hipster trying to get a bargain. > >A won't take the places away from the people that need them cunts like thst do. Get outside sometime pal Lol, this guy really doesn't get how charity shops work, does he? :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 17th Nov 2021 9:08pm)
  • You think Glasgow is bad? Try Skye... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 17th Nov 2021 9:25pm)
  • I've been flooded recently and my landlord, who is usually terrible, had out me up in some hotel in city centre for one night then moved to a one closer to me. We spent over 2 weeks in it while they did ceilings and floors in bedroom, bathroom and the hall. They paid for all of that although we lost some money too - we had to eat out or take aways all the time as there was no cooking facilities in the hotel room, obviously... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 17th Nov 2021 11:49pm)
  • To be fair there was no queue to skip or anything. I think the golf just made a mistake and the Honda just mindlessly followed it. It is not really well marked at the junction. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 6th Dec 2021 6:01pm)
  • But to be fair, they are pretty useless. If you drive from there, in the dark, wed and when the road is dirty - so you can't see the road markings, there is not much indication about the fact that you enter the cycle lane: https://goo.gl/maps/u97CqD9gjYfUMp7k9 by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 6th Dec 2021 6:41pm)
  • In civilised world, the cycle lane would be well separated from the car traffic and there would be no option to drive onto it by mistake - I almost did it myself in that place once, it's very unclear, as only the marking on the tarmac tell you that it's a cycle lane, and they are not so different from the bus lane. The black plastic thingies are virtually invisible in the rainy evening. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 6th Dec 2021 7:00pm)
  • That was my impression to. They were politely waiting to get back on the right lane (i actually let the Honda in in front of me). I posted it not to shame the drivers, but to show how badly designed that cycle lane is. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 6th Dec 2021 7:59pm)
  • Well, then if it was a genuine mistake - as I guessed, and mentioned it a few times in this thread - then you have nothing to be ashamed of. Also: if you don't want other people to make pictures of a publicly available things in the public space then perhaps keep your car in the garage? by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 6th Dec 2021 7:55pm)
  • On the other note, I doubt blurring the number plate would make this show of bad tuning taste unrecognizable :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 6th Dec 2021 8:01pm)
  • Yeah, sadly my bike's windscreen wiper got into the frame :( by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 6th Dec 2021 8:01pm)
  • Thanks to cycle lanes, there is less traffic on the road. Jay Foreman did a nice video about it: https://youtu.be/\_DNNIB\_PdaA by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 6th Dec 2021 10:06pm)
  • "It was added as something of an ad-hoc emergency cycling lane during the early months of the pandemic." And thanks to it (and other cycle lanes) more people started cycling. If you build it, they will come. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Dec 2021 12:24am)
  • Funny, as I see cars not willing.to wait for the red light to turn green quite often. I think I recorded a couple of them on my dash cam this year only in Glasgow. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Dec 2021 12:28am)
  • [citation needed] But also there is a difference. If the cyclist jumps red light he puts only himself at risk. Car can kill someone. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Dec 2021 9:38am)
  • But plenty of pedestrians, then low bridge and then need to do all those funny turns around the casino. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Dec 2021 9:44am)
  • And your speed at approach is usually lower, so you have more time to judge the situation. (I do it sometimes myself as a cyclist when the road I am cutting trough has no traffic at all, but never as a carist ;-) ) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Dec 2021 12:57pm)
  • If you cut through red light, the driver from the road across usually has no time to react at all. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Dec 2021 12:56pm)
  • But solid white line like that often means the bus lane which is open to other traffic outside rush hours. Also, they entered it before the solid line where the only indication is words "cycles only" written on the tarmac (half of it in the pond". It IS a faulty design, regardless of those drivers mistakes. Designers should ensure such mistakes are not possible. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Dec 2021 3:34pm)
  • And your are banned for personal attack. I try to keep my Reddit experience polite and pleasant. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Dec 2021 3:35pm)
  • Yes. Other people's being in the wrong don't give you right to damage their property (unfortunately, I do understand why you are asking :P ) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Dec 2021 4:56pm)
  • But the thing is that the broken lines at the beginning are often covered by a pond of water, as the drain there is often blocked, see picture: [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FGBIHQwWUAEr\_-u?format=jpg&name=large](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FGBIHQwWUAEr_-u?format=jpg&name=large) And this can be avoided by marking entrance to the bike path properly, like in civilised word: [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FGBPxyAXMBE\_oAw?format=jpg&name=large](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FGBPxyAXMBE_oAw?format=jpg&name=large) It is not about fining drivers who are in the wrong here. It is about ensuring that they cannot be wrong and enter the cycle lane, so the cyclists can be safe in their space. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Dec 2021 4:55pm)
  • But especially for cyclists, as Glasgow is pretty drive'able as it is (we have two bloody motorways cutting right through the city centre after all!) while cyclist infrastructure, with some rare exceptions, is either non-existent, or a joke. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Dec 2021 6:55pm)
  • >In terms of provision and coverage, between the bus routes, subway and suburban train network, Glasgow's extremely well catered for by European standards. I hope you mean Europe as the moon of Jupiter. Because if you mean Europe, as the continent across the water from Dover then NOPE. Buses in Glasgow are the worst I used, ever, and I've been to some shady places, the subway network has not improved over the last 125 years or so and trains are mediocre to decent IF THEY RUN, and gosh they do have excuses galore to suspend the service, and on the top of that everything is overpriced. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 8th Dec 2021 2:31am)
  • If you can't brake fast enough in time when the car is parked on the cycle lane you were cycling, then you should gone to Specsavers (other optician's brands are available) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 8th Dec 2021 2:36am)
  • Yup, that's exactly the link I provided ;-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 8th Dec 2021 2:35am)
  • Ah, ok then. Thanks for fixing. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 8th Dec 2021 9:37am)
  • So if I understand you well, you're saying that the network map of Glasgow public transport looks nice on the map, basically? Ok, I can give you that. It's not so bad on paper. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 8th Dec 2021 7:11pm)
  • Migh not be that good idea in the times when home office is becoming a norm.... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 12th Dec 2021 1:41pm)
  • My favourite is Da Vinci in shawlands (but not the one near cathcart). by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 15th Dec 2021 2:47pm)
  • I tried food from there four times it was always disappointing :-( by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 15th Dec 2021 2:47pm)
  • Its true, I only tried kebab there once, and then had some other stuff. But DaVinci never failed me. The guy there is Iranian, I guess he knows his kebabs :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 15th Dec 2021 4:00pm)
  • What's "power to liquid"? by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 15th Dec 2021 4:05pm)
  • I grew in a city with vast tram and bus network and I don't get it about trans distributing traffic more than buses. Buses there often share lanes with trams and have prioritised signals at junctions and in such situation they have the same impact on traffic. On the other hand, trams need less space on corners: while buses need to make a wide swing with their front so the rear wheels (or trailer wheels - we have plenty of bendy buses) won't mount the kerb, and on the top of that drivers have to be aware of their overhang, every single axle of the tram follows the same trace, obviously, so they can be run easily around tight bends without obstructing oncoming (or side street) traffic. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 15th Dec 2021 4:09pm)
  • I am not sure. I've been thinking about that option that was proposed some time ago with the batteries when you simply replace kind of electrolyte (I am not sure how it's called in English, basically the idea was that when battery is flat, you sick the liquid out of it and replace it with a charged one) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 15th Dec 2021 4:15pm)
  • Ok. I am with you on that. I just want to point out that for the reasons I mentioned you need less space for trams than you need for buses if you want them to run traffic free on bus lanes, especially on curves. And you can have grass on the tram tracks :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 15th Dec 2021 6:28pm)
  • I am always stopping at the red light and I agree we should be responsible behind the wheel. However, I am against making it compulsory. The government will use the guise of traffic safety as an exploit to implement control measures and surveillance... Gosh, this logical fallacy is really annoying. Yes, of course the government will use ANY excuse to make controlling people easier for them. But is this the reason why we should oppose introduction of ANY rule, even that the most sensible? Could anyone think seriously that if we were, say, to drive on the red light in Moscow in 1980's this would be the best way to topple communism? Many vaccines are already mandatory, at least in some countries. And those countries aren't exactly turning into North Korea... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 19th Dec 2021 1:33am)
  • I tried to get three when I lived right in the centre of Shawlands, and I had NO SIGNAL AT ALL in my flat. Never had any problems with other networks... Luckily, they agreed to cancel the deal and refunded me in full (and I havent' started transfering my number to them yet). by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 23rd Dec 2021 3:22pm)
  • Sign with driver hire as a driver mate. You'll be basically riding around in the truck, helping driver to deliver appliances and furniture or handballing drinks into the pub. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 26th Dec 2021 5:57pm)
  • Just google driver hire Glasgow and call them by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 26th Dec 2021 6:25pm)
  • Last year I did mine between Christmas and New year's in Cummings in southside. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 28th Dec 2021 12:40pm)
  • I learned already that free cash withdrawals don't really give you free cash, but recently I realised that baby change areas are everywhere. So I guess I can risk having a baby now, if I don't like it, I'll just change it for another. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 4th Jan 2022 9:16pm)
  • It's a nice footage. Also shows what terrible scars on the city all those bloody motorways are ... by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 7th Jan 2022 1:17am)
  • I had severe depression, insomnia and axiety, but it was a result to my recent head injury. My GP was great, he prescribed me some meds but also advised me where to go for help (you can refer yourself, he does not need to do so). The first place did not worked well for me so he looked up some other option and advised me to sign for therapy elsewhere (he can do it as well, but he said it works exactly well and if you do it yourself, you can give them better info). I got one-to-one therapy (although only some small number of meetings is included in the beginning, and as I was much better after the end of that series I didn't need to ask for more). As per pharmaceuticals, the first one he prescribed to me was working fine, but it causd me to sweat terribly, and the sleeping pills werent the best. I happen to have a friend in Poland who is a psychiatrist, so he told me what I should take. I took this to my GP, he checked it up in some books, as he was not familiar with those ones as he is not psychiatry, but after double checking that those are indeed good for me prescribed me those. And then when my psychiatrist friend was amending my doses, he was just rubber stamping it, but after briefly double checking this. My example might not be a good one, as it was really injury related and as I got better, it all dissapeared - I consider myself fully cured now (I have some moment when I am down or something keeps me up at night, but who does not have those?), but as far as my GP goes, this is all I would expect from a doctor who is not a specialist in the field. If you have a docttor you trust, go speak with him. He might be able to help you. And take care for yourself and ask anything if I can be of any other help. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 7th Jan 2022 1:30am)
  • I don't think there are any cheap parking places nearby. It's the city centre after all. But plenty of spaces in multistorey car parks. On rare occassions where I need to go to the town with my car, I use St Enoch's. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 11th Jan 2022 3:37pm)
  • I don't think the punishment for CARRYING the knife would solve violence. I was assaulted with a wooden plank. Was smashed into the side of my head. Lost a year of my life basically, almost 50 weeks on sick leave and more than 2 years to get back to normal. My attacker got 100 hours community service. The fact that someone can get actual jail time for merely carrying the knife with him when someone who could have killed me basically walks free from court despite previous convictions says something is definitely wrong with the system... And I don't think it's too low punishments for carrying a knife. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 15th Jan 2022 4:38am)
  • well, around the city, like pretty much everywhere else in Europe? by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 18th Jan 2022 10:42pm)
  • why is it relevant where he is from? Do you ned to be from Glasgow to be allowed to criticize things here? Surely it would make more sense if people who lived elswhere were listened, as unlike people who lived in Glasgow all their lives they have at least something to compare the state of the things here to? by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 18th Jan 2022 10:41pm)
  • I am not native to Glasgow so please explain it to me: Taig is an offensive word for a Catholic from what I gater. So why characters on the stickers have LGBT and something like Trans colours, but that can also be a hijab? I don't expect much intelligence from designers of such a sticker, but is there some more to it, or they are just morons? (actually "or" might not be a good word in here, but you know what I mean) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 19th Jan 2022 10:20pm)
  • So being gay is used here as a slurr? Something like with they football club in England that call their opponents Jews? by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 20th Jan 2022 12:20am)
  • You don't need a referral to Wellbeing services, you can refer yourself. Although personally I found [https://www.lifelink.org.uk/](https://www.lifelink.org.uk/) to be more helpful, they offered me one-to-one therapy, while Wellbeing services were doing just some group slideshows lectures, not so helfpul. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 20th Jan 2022 1:23am)
  • No, he can drive until he's 70 (45 for trucks and buses) or 5 years after he moved to the UK, whichever period is longer. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 22nd Jan 2022 4:19pm)
  • How short was your break? Because technically speaking you are supposed to get your license in the country you live at least 6 months a year. Never heard it being enforced. But I would not advertise it if I was you. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 22nd Jan 2022 4:19pm)
  • And yet I am getting downvotes for quoting the law. Reddit is funny :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 22nd Jan 2022 5:58pm)
  • When you do your license in any of the EU countries you have to declare that you are living in that country for at least 185 days a year. It's the law, made so the people are doing their licences in the country they actually live, not just go for 2 weeks to some other country where they can do it cheaper or easier and then they come back home and suddenly have to get extra training to be familiar with local specifics of driving (which is what you do and which is at least responsible) or just drive as new drivers in unfamiliar environment. If you got your license in the country where you don't really live for at least 6 months a year then you basically lied on your application where you had to declare you did and can be, theoretically, held responsible for it, although I never heard this being in anyway enforced. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 22nd Jan 2022 5:57pm)
  • To get a driving test in the EU country you have to live in the country for at least 5 months a year. It is an EU wide rule. The fact that you can use your EU license in the UK is completely different matter to it. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 22nd Jan 2022 7:20pm)
  • yes, but judging from the state of that city, the density of them in Glasgow is higher than average. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 24th Jan 2022 8:42pm)
  • Where in the city centre you are? There is movie being shot and the movie crew moves their equipment between location at night, which requires a lot of maneuvring, so if it's a regular beeping or white noise buzz it might be the trucks reversing alarms. (Source: I do some work for them, I switch the beeper off when I can but not all trucks have their switched off) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 2nd Feb 2022 4:58am)
  • During the strictest COVID lockdown I was a key worker so I was cycling back home around 4 am usually and on two occasions Ive seen some deer.... ...at the bloody Glasgow green! I wonder how they get there, if they are there post COVID as well and where they were/are hiding during the day? by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 2nd Feb 2022 8:59pm)
  • Yup, that'll be this. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 3rd Feb 2022 10:18pm)
  • I wonder how much of this is genuine interest? Would guess that if it's happen regularly then probably it is? But years ago when they were introducing new iPads, my friend got a job to sit in a queue there. The queue started with mostly agency guys and girls and then when the genuine apple fans gathered, they were told to just leave the queue unsuspiciously one by one... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 9th Feb 2022 3:05pm)
  • Yes, please send me some petrol. Or actually no, wait, please send me a train!!! by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 11th Feb 2022 3:44pm)
  • Seriously tho, what protest, can you share some details, first time I hear about it! by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 11th Feb 2022 3:45pm)
  • On the side note: why there are still bareers separating the traffic on the Kingston Bridge northbound, so if you enter from the ski jump you can't just go north, but you have to leave the motorway again and go through Charing Cross (or you can't go from M8 into Clydeside Expressway)? This is especially annoying as the Clyde Tunnel approach is not suitable for anything over 7.5t so trucks willking to come from Southside to South Street for example have either to go through Govan or from Hillington, or go via Scotland Street... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 12th Feb 2022 6:27pm)
  • Dont forget to mix the councils and turn at the interview in South Lanarkshire instead and then after 8 months correct your mistake but in such a way that they will have to employ you twice. That how it was with my council tax: they sent council tax letters in my name to my neighbour, then to me, and then when they finally merged those two accounts they told me that I owe them double money for that period. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 20th Feb 2022 12:19pm)
  • I haven't heard anything but I saw a bright flash about that time in Cambuslang by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 21st Feb 2022 1:44pm)
  • I once wrote here on Reddit about faulty translation on one of the signs on Hebrides and how Britons don't care about translating properly. Someone ripped my post into an article and provided the correct translation. Except that the "correct" one they provided was also wrong. I laughed so hard :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 28th Feb 2022 6:21pm)
  • Let the cat in and THEN close a window. You'll have a cat :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 28th Mar 2022 9:24pm)
  • I used to get a job sitting on the bus and counting passengers. I rode the 23 bus (but it was Arriva, not First) from city centre to Erskine all day long for about a week. I think about 70% of people need to repeat to the driver where they are going, as they are not able to understand each other... ;-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 1st Apr 2022 5:41pm)
  • I rarely use buses, but last couple of times i had to use them looked like that: \- go to the bus stop 5 minutes before scheduled departure. \- sit there for 20 minutes, in one case watching half-empty bus that failed to stop despite me waving at him \- start browsing the taxi app to see no cabs are available \- go home and grab my car / go to nearby nextbike station and cycle to the nearest train station. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 1st Apr 2022 5:56pm)
  • Actually, google maps also works well for public transport in Glasgow. Just remember to switch from car mode to public transport mode and off you go. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 1st Apr 2022 7:25pm)
  • Yeah... On the other hand why different operators are allowed to have the same numbers even for completely different routes is beyond me. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 2nd Apr 2022 4:13am)
  • I think I have to say yes, but it's complicated: 1. On one summer Saturday afternoon I was moving to a new flat. There was “no parking” lines in front of my new building, but loading was allowed, so I left my car there and started to run up and down the stairs with boxes of my belongings. After last heavy box landed on the floor of my new flat, I really needed a drink, so I started to rummage the boxes looking for a glass or a cup. One thing led to another and when at 2 am I finished unpacking, I went to bed for a well deserved sleep. 2. My building had two entry doors, so it was only Tuesday morning when I used the same doors again and bumped on my car parked right in front of them. “Damn, I forgot to move my car after I emptied it of my boxes, let’s hope I did not get a ticket” – I thought. There was nothig on my windscreen, no letter came to me over next couple of weeks, so I just sighed in relief and forgot about all this. 3. Few months later a strange letter came. Glasgow City Coucil informed me that I haven’t paid some fine and that if I don’t pay it now, I will have to pay 50% extra. I had no idea what it is about, so truthfully I answered by asking what is it all about as I can’t recall any unpaid tickets. 4. In the next letter they have informed me, that the ticket is for parking my car on double yellow line. I answered, again truthfully, that I don’t park on double yellow lines, as as a former trucker I am aware how annoying it is for drivers of bigger vehicles, not to mention that I would like a fire engine to get to my place in case there is a fire. They answered that they have a proof. I then politely asked them to show me that proof. 6. In the next letter there was a picture of my car clearly parked on double yellow lines. I instantly recalled the situation described in points 1. and 2. I’ve seen no reason to play fool if I was clearly in the wrong, so since there was a copy of the ticket attached to the picture, I’ve decided to pay the fine instantly. It was written on the ticket that if I pay within 28 days from receiving the ticket (not: from the day of it’s issue), then I only need to pay 30 pounds. I wrote a letter apologizing for my behaviour, explaining that it was a genuine oversight, but since I was in the wrong, I am to pay a ticket, so I attached a cheque for 30 pounds. 7. The cheque was cashed, yet some weeks later I’ve received yet another letter demanding to pay 60 pounds. It claimed that since I failed to pay and it is now more than three months, I have now to pay 50% extra. I answered that I paid within 28 days from the moment I saw the ticket for the first time, I got a 50% discount and that they’ve already cashed a cheque so it is surely some mistake. 8. They answered again that they count this 30 pounds towards the total of 90, so I still have 60 pounds to pay. I answered again, that I paid within 28 days from the date the ticket was first delivered to me, so we should be square. 9. I was lectured that if the ticket is put behind the winscreen wiper, it is considered to be delivered properly. I expressed my doubts, pointing out that if it was delivered properly, I would be aware of it’s existence. I pointed out that a ticket that is placed behind a windscreen of the parked car can be removed by anyone so this is hardly safe and reliable method of delivering important documents. 10. The answer explained matter to me in details: the ticket, that was placed behind a windscreen wiper of the car registered to me can be considered as a ticked delivered to me, as removing such ticket is an offence, so I can’t expect them to act on the basis of assumption that such ticket would be removed. In my answer I politely thanked for this knowledge, admitting that it is new to me. I also informed them that I’ve put a cheque for 60 pounds into envelope and I placed it behind a windscreen wiper of the bin lorry. 11. This time it took them longer to respond. Response can be summed up very shortly “WTF? What bin lorry?” I was happy to explain. I quoted their previous letter and pointed out that since this bin lorry was registered to Glasgow city council and putting important documents behind a windscreen wiper of a vehicle belonging to the recipent is considered to be a proper way of delivering them, I consider the cheque to be delivered properly and hope that this will help to bring matter to its end. 12. Next answer arrived much quicker. It is probably due to this rush that was slightly below the standards expected from the official letter send to a taxpayer by a city council. To sum it up, the letter stated that one should not place important document behind the windscreen wiper of a vehicle, as it can be easily stolen. There were also some doubt risen about my sanity. I was happy to ensure them, that I feel perfectly well both on the grounds of my body and my psyche. I reminded them that stealing is a crime, and therefore we should not act on the basis of assumption that someone would steal their cheque from under the windscreen wiper of the bin lorry. 13. I guess they were no longer amused. The next letter contained PLENTY OF GIANT, RED LETTERS and informed me, that the matter will be now dealt with by Sheriff Officers and Messengers in Arms. But if I don’t like it, I can always appeal to a Parking Tribunal in Edinburgh. Of course I did not liked it, so I appealed to a Parking Tribunal in Edinburgh. 14. The Parking Tribunal in Edinburgh was innitialy unable to understand the issue: I paid my ticket, I agree that my car was parked on double yellow lines and I still want to appeal? I then explained to them that I am not willing to contradict the ticket itself, but I am not happy with the fact that I am charged extra money even despite the fact, that I paid a fine within 28 days from receiving a ticket. They finally agreed to consider the case and set a date during one of their sittings in Glasgow, thus sparing me the trouble of travelling to Edinburgh. 15. About a week before set date, I’ve received a letter from Glasgow City Council. It said that my ticket was cancelled. Now, that’s a different story. I rushed to write a letter in which i pointed out that if the ticket had to be cancelled, then I assumed it was issued wrongly and therefore I paid money I should not paid. I demanded my 30 pounds to be returned to me. 16. I never got any more letters regarding this matter. But on one sunny summer Sunday I logged into my internet banking to discover a payment of 30 pounds from Glasgow City Council. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 4th Apr 2022 12:34am)
  • "Surely can't be any worse than Abellio....!" Ekhm, ekhm, Calmac, akhm... by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 5th Apr 2022 6:31am)
  • Trevi in Langside. Really good Italian food, much better (and cheaper) than in Battlefield Rest around the corner. My partner used to live in Italy for many years and she says this is the best Italian place in Glasgow we've been so far. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 7th Apr 2022 11:45pm)
  • Actually if you want to go to Edinburgh, you need to turn right at Falkirk wheel towards Union canal. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 10th Apr 2022 2:53am)
  • I know there are some abandoned railaway tunnels in Glasgow. I explored some of them years ago, but those were on the north side of the river. But roughly here the old Princes Dock railway was, anyone knows if that was in the tunnel as well? by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 12th Apr 2022 8:27pm)
  • Ok, that was just a long shot thought. I was sure some people will know much better than that :-) Thanks for clarification. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 12th Apr 2022 9:45pm)
  • Yup. My old neighbours were JW. They were throwing their pamphlets and hand written notes regularly, I was binning it straight away. Then one day they knocked at my doors, I wasnt there but I had a couchsurfing guest who opened the doors. He didn't speak English so they went but apparently thought I must be ignoring them because I don't speak English and somehow assumed I am Romanian so they became sending me all that crap including hand written notes in Romanian. Or Moldavian, perhaps, I don't speak the lingo, know enough french to know that it was similar to french but not french. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 15th Apr 2022 2:06am)
  • Yes, they have those vehicles in their fleet. But they are not the same company as Glasgow Taxis. You now have black cabs associated with Glasgow Taxis, with GlasGo cabs (formerly Hampden) and some independent ones. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 17th Apr 2022 2:22am)
  • What I usually do is walk around local shops and ask nicely. :-) If you need more, try some local wholesalers or manufacturing companies, they usually have loads. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 17th Apr 2022 5:03pm)
  • I haven't used Prestwick for many years, but when I still did, I used to park at the cargo terminal and walk - it was for free. Some of the parking bays are reserved for businesses located there, but some are (or at least were) free for all back there. It was perfectly safe, there is a CCTV system, and since at this time half of the units were either unocuppied or occupied by very quiet businesses nobody really minded it as long as you picked up non-reserved space and did not block the lorry parking bays ( I asked in two businesses). Aditional benefit: they had really good lasagne in the cafe there. But that was years and years ago, i don't know if that still the case there. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 25th Apr 2022 10:06pm)
  • I can see why local residents might have a problem with this, but on the other hand, the airport parking prices are really a rip-off, and all the free parking spaces that would not bother anyone are being removed. Even that layby not far from the airport, in which I parked a few times more than a dozen ago had been removed to force people to use paid parking... What a harm to anyone (apart from airport parking owners) would be if that layby next to the wasteland on Monkton Road for example was available for free parking? by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 25th Apr 2022 10:15pm)
  • I would never dump my car for two weeks on residential street on front of someone's home (also because I did it once visiting a friend living near another airport and his neighbours vandalized my car, but that's a different question) but liquidating existing free parking in places where vehicles would not bother anyone just to force people to pay those rip off prices is just another level of outrageous. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 26th Apr 2022 2:22am)
  • Crookston Castle, Mugdock Castle, Bothwell Castle are all on the outskirts of Glasgow. Stirling Castle, obviously, is also easily accessible. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 26th Apr 2022 10:11pm)
  • Rothesay can be a nice day trip as well. You get there by train to wemyss bay and then the ferry, and the castle is just next to it. Bute has pretty nice bus system, so you can then get a bus to Mount Stuart House, or to the beach (ettrick bay is great) or, if you fancy some walk, as I am not sure you can get there by bus, Saint Blane's chapel, a nice ruins of a chapel and a monastery. There is also Newark Castle in Port Glasgow, the surrundings are crap, but the castle itself might be nice (never been inside). Or there is a dumbarton castle as well on the opposite side of Clyde, nicely tucked under the big rock... by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 26th Apr 2022 11:48pm)
  • Catkhkin Brase are fab, but if you are in the area, try Dechmont Hill over Cambuslang as well - gives pretty nice view. Easiest access is from Flemington Road, walk through farm buildings. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 29th Apr 2022 12:56am)
  • I heard that Americans have really shitty beer, but apparently it's much worse than I thought. They think Tennents is a good beer there! :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 30th Apr 2022 9:22pm)
  • Burnistoun, maybe? [https://youtu.be/TqAu-DDlINs](https://youtu.be/TqAu-DDlINs) It's on Netflix I think. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 2nd May 2022 3:53pm)
  • I think you mean on the right. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 4th May 2022 1:25pm)
  • >Glenfinnan You don't go via Glenfinnan if you go to Oban. But yes, actually there are some nice views on both sides, I forgot about some of them so it might be actually better to sit on the left indeed and you're right. On the right is still nice, tho ;-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 4th May 2022 6:08pm)
  • Yes. They are in tragic condition, and very mouldy. A friend's friend lived there and it was a disaster. Avoid if you can, they are cheap for a reason. Also, they are next to industrial area, there is trucks going over potholes all the time and there is plenty of rubbish. And on the cycle path over the old railway behind them local Ned's and junkies gather regularly and bother people. Source: used to work nearby for many years and cycled to work. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 6th May 2022 4:14pm)
  • I never listen to the weather forecasts. I've read somewhere one day that they are completely unpredictable in Scotland due to low cloud cover, heavy winds and stuff, and while in most of continental Europe the forecasts are "reliable enough" (there was some actual professional term used there for up to 80 hours ahead, in Scotland you can rely on them for max 11 hours ahead. I usually just check the weather just before living house and if it's raining where I planned to go, I just change my plans and go elsewhere :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 8th May 2022 11:18pm)
  • I used to live above an upholster's business. After it moved out (or went bust, I dunno), a cafe moved in there. It was bad. They mounted a huge extraction pipe going all the way up the building, which was quite noisy - and I lived at 3rd floor. They placed several bins on the pavement, blocking the way, then moved them further up next to our doors, so they can place some outdoor sitting - meaning that you had smelly bins next to your close entrance. Meanwhile the employees were smoking at the back doors to our close, and the smoke was raising up the close, so when it hasn't been stinking of burned coffee seeds, it was stinking of cigarette smoke. Finally, they decided its a good idea to roast coffee there on a semi-industrial scale, which was really bad. I lived three floors up and it sometimes reached even my flat, the guys who lived right above the cafe were being driven crazy. There was also a problem with people picking up takeaways and delivery vans constantly parked on the corner, making leaving my small side street dangerous, as they were obstructing the view onto the busy road. It was annoying enough living three floors up, I would not want to live directly above them - and it was a posh hipster cafe, not some smelly greasy spoon place stinking of old cooking oil... I really liked the flat and the rent was a bargain, but I would think twice if I was to move there again. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 10th May 2022 1:34am)
  • Yup. :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 10th May 2022 2:10pm)
  • My girlfriend just flew for a long weekend and back from Edinburgh, no problems whatsoever. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 10th May 2022 11:41pm)
  • My friend used to live just around the corner. She had to move out after just two months, she was constantly harassed by some local wee neds - but she was a lone girl and Polish, perhaps that's why they picked up on her. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 14th May 2022 2:02am)
  • That guy on the wheelchair who regularly does (or used to, I no longer live there) litter picking in Shawlands. He's one of my Glasgow heroes. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 19th May 2022 6:43am)
  • My partner failed her first one just before COVID. She had next one 20 months later. She failed it too. Now she manages to book one every 3 or 4 months, so we are on fifth or sixth attempt now. She drives me everywhere on L plates, it's just she gets so stressed that if she fails she will have to wait another 4 motnhs that she fails them of pure stress. The system is a joke. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 26th May 2022 5:36am)
  • How dirty it is. I live in Scotland for 16 years and I thought I will get used to it, but it just annoys me more and more. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 28th May 2022 9:34pm)
  • I don't think I agree with you. Although Glasgow is exceptionally dirty, this is an UK wide problem. I am a driver, I've been everywhere from the top of Edinburgh castle to Barra and from (literally) lands end to John o groats and rubbish can be seen everywhere. Just stop in any random lay-by on the British road network... And it's not only that. Look how yards of many businesses look, with piles of broken pallets and pieces of shrink-wrap tied into tree branches around. Look how the farms look like, with heaps of scrap machinery lying in the same places for decades, and forklift bags of sand overgrown with nettle. Walk back lanes even in poshest places to see the state of bins and old sofas dumped in random places. Gosh, even iconic children cartoon "Shaun the sheep" acclaimed for perfect depiction of the British countryside has plot of every second movie based on sheep finding something interesting in that giant heap of scrap in their farm... It is everywhere and it is to such extend that people from Britain no longer even notice it. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 29th May 2022 3:09pm)
  • Dont do crash courses. They are counter productive. You will fail your driving test if you crash. On the more serious note the waiting time for driving tests are crazy, my gf waits MONTHS for each test, and she had a few so far, so I guess it might be worth to take it slow... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 29th May 2022 4:34pm)
  • Location. The fact, that I can jump in my car, drive for an hour in ANY direction and be somewhere beautiful. I like also some of the nice parks. Some architecture. The fact, that it's a pretty laid back city, not trying to be something it's not. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 29th May 2022 6:52pm)
  • One of the houses in the smaller, quieter streets around Newlands Park or Maxwell Park... Or Carmunnock, if that's still technically Glasgow. Or one of those big villas around the small loch in Milgavie. Or if we can include outskirts of Glasgow, I would like to buy and do up that lonely hill just under the summit of Dechmont hill outside Cambuslang... by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 30th May 2022 11:04pm)
  • I was recently recommended the Control Panel in Rutherglen for my upgrades, as I though I will better leave it to proffessional as I am dangerous with anything technical and usually every attempt to DIY ends in some kind of disaster or tragedy :P So I went to the guy, told him what I need, he told me I don't need to pay him to do it as it's pretty easy, he walked me step by step how to do it, advised of what parts I need to buy and where and didn't event charged me for a consultation. So if you look for a place where you can't be sure the guy won't try to rip you off takin advantage of you being technically illiterate, then I can't recommend him enough. And friends who had some actual work done by him praise him very highly too. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 20th Jun 2022 3:01am)
  • My friend lives just around the corner from that place in whiteinch. It's OK, you can easily walk to west end, have quick buses to the city centre or trains from partick also in walking distance. I also used to work there for many years. Cons are that some neds are gathering on that old railway line that was turned into the cycle path, I used to cycle to work and I was bothered by them a few times, once I had to run away as they were aggressive (luckily I was on my bicycle). There is often a lot of broken glass there as well. Also, take note, there is that big scrap yard trader nearby, and they are handling scrap with diggers and big cranes all day long, it can be noisy sometimes. I don't know that much about the other location. My friends lived not far from there and they had problems with some junkie neighbours, but otherwise they liked it. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 20th Jun 2022 9:45pm)
  • Ha! I asked that question before it was cool: https://orynski.eu/parasites-of-the-market/ by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 21st Jun 2022 7:18am)
  • It's not more efficient. The start stop traffic is mostly generated by people cutting in from filter lane (inl drive hgv,.i sit higher, insee it all). Ofnnotnfor the dickheads trying to skip queue so they can be a bit quicker, everyone would be a little bit quicker by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 23rd Jun 2022 2:04am)
  • Place to merge is like a mile down the road. There are no problems there. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 23rd Jun 2022 7:11am)
  • Cows parsnip is Giant Hogweed. I'd be careful not to touch it, but it is not that big deal. The really poisonous one is Sosnowski's hogweed and from what I can see when watching them - and they are bloody everywehre in Scotland - most of them are Giant Hogweeds, which are relatively harmless - you can still get burned if you touch it, but with Sosnowski you can get burns even if you stand couple of metres away from it. We had one popped out in our garden when we were kids, and my cousin was burned by simply walking past i when we got back from holidays to find it growing in our lawn. You could still see discoloration on her hand if you know where to look and it was well over 20 years ago... People were actually known to die if they touched it: https://wiadomosci.wp.pl/zmarla-kobieta-poparzona-barszczem-sosnowskiego-6027752620209281a I am originaly from Poland and we have much bigger problem with Sosnowski's version than here, but I hear it does like things warmer so it is very unlikely to thrive in Scotland. But with the global warming it is changing, from what I read. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 23rd Jun 2022 9:24pm)
  • Actually it's Triffids. Run for your life! ;-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 23rd Jun 2022 10:11pm)
  • Haha, I meant it too but just went with the flow :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 24th Jun 2022 10:28am)
  • For comparision, my parents live in a house that was built in 1933. My dad had to replace some of the roof tiles after some huge storm damaged the roof in the early 1970's. Recently they wanted to put solar panels up and had an engineer inspecting the roof and he said there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 24th Jun 2022 12:26pm)
  • Yes, after 100 of years the roof might need a bit of attention... by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 24th Jun 2022 11:50pm)
  • Yes my paper cup that I made of origami is also perfect, while my 30 years old ceramic mug has chips and little cracks on the surface. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 25th Jun 2022 12:02am)
  • On the other hand, instead of spending 10 hours on trains after long transcontinental flight, you can just get on the ferry and relax, have a nice sleep and whatever, and then you need only a short train hop from Newcastle. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 27th Jun 2022 12:41am)
  • Fly to Amsterdam with your cat in the cabin and then try to catch either a ferry to Newcastle or one of those Polish or Eastern European minibuses that are regularly carry people between Poland etc. and Western Europe. You can travel with pets on some of them. Many offer journeys PL-NL and PL-UK, my guess would be that they drop passengers going to NL en route to UK, so they might be actually happy to get someone to fill that space for the rest of the jouney. It's a door-to-door transport, which on one hand is and advantage, on other it's that they operate only on very rough schedule, I never travelled on those myself, but some of my friends did and it works that you are given a day and rough idea when they will be turning up to pick you up (like: morning, afternoon, evening) and then the driver calls you when he is couple of hours away. My random google found those two companies that carry pets together with their owners between Poland and England, you might try to give them a call and see if there is an option at least to get somewhere to Northern England from Holland: [https://primabus.pl/przewoz-zwierzat/](https://primabus.pl/przewoz-zwierzat/) [https://przewozydoanglii.pl/przewoz-zwierzat-do-anglii-2/](https://przewozydoanglii.pl/przewoz-zwierzat-do-anglii-2/) (Please note, I know nothing about neither of those companies I just googled it, so I can't recommend it on personal level, I am sure other brands are available, it's just an example). Those minivans transporting people cater mostly for Polish people, so their websites will be in Polish, but if you need more, you can google "przewóz osób do szkocji" "przewóz zwierząt z opiekunami" and you should find something. Then if you call them, they should speak English. If you can travel separately from your cat, there are also professional companies carrying pets door to door from Poland which tend to be much cheaper than their western counterparts and equally proffessional, another example here: [https://pet-tour.eu/en/home-page/](https://pet-tour.eu/en/home-page/) And you can also try to find something on blablacar or other carpooling websites - my friend regularly travels using blablacar with her dog. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 27th Jun 2022 1:11am)
  • stuff like cars, for example. London Road, or Great Western road are terrible for that. There is even a guy who regularly parks his 8 wheel tipper lorry on the cycle lane somewhere here: [https://goo.gl/maps/cSRuc1ssG56wWtLR7](https://goo.gl/maps/cSRuc1ssG56wWtLR7) (even on google you can see cars parked on it!). by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 29th Jun 2022 1:29am)
  • Yeah, those new cycle lanes are a joke. I used to cycle on London road quite a lot - it ends at every junction, so basically you have to merge with cars in the place where cyclists are most at risk... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 29th Jun 2022 1:31am)
  • I used to work nearby, and was passing this truck parked there several times per month. How is he not being ticketed to death by parking wardens by now? by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 29th Jun 2022 6:45pm)
  • So between them two they actually can do at least one job? Still better than this two then: https://youtu.be/JG3oHjSAhhI by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 1st Jul 2022 7:27pm)
  • I meant around as if: They start on one side, then go around some side streets and coming back under my windows on the other side of the flat. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 2nd Jul 2022 9:13am)
  • I think I know what makes them thick, will that help? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 2nd Jul 2022 9:49am)
  • Yes, you are technically correct. There is no law that prevents you from being a dick. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 2nd Jul 2022 9:47am)
  • Sectarian, bigoted, racist, neo nazi, and other parades of such types annoy me in general, but I am yet to see other than orange parade waking everyone up on Saturday morning on the outskirts of the city. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 2nd Jul 2022 9:54am)
  • I don't know. But I have trucks doing some deliveries near my bedroom window early in the morning and they don't wake me up... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 2nd Jul 2022 9:52am)
  • I know, and I liked it, but I wanted to add this information that in my case it is literally around. They first march under my bedroom, then go around to the other side and march under my living room :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 2nd Jul 2022 9:51am)
  • This is actually such a good explanation. Not only for them. Sprinkle it with some nukes and make the paramilitary bands an actual army and you'll get what is happening in Russia as well... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 2nd Jul 2022 10:07am)
  • Fun fact: reading someone's Reddit posts is not mandatory. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 2nd Jul 2022 2:31pm)
  • They keep marching regularly around here and I haven't seen much watchers. Just then and their families. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 2nd Jul 2022 2:30pm)
  • Of course. But I am not complaining about you complaining, am I? :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 2nd Jul 2022 10:19pm)
  • I would watch THAT by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 2nd Jul 2022 10:18pm)
  • Yes, republican marches especially are a problem, they all start at 5am... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 2nd Jul 2022 10:20pm)
  • it is completely irrelevant how much signage they had if the RK was in Zimbabwe at the moment. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 7th Jul 2022 4:40pm)
  • I used to live on holmhead place where my kitchen window looked back across the garden onto factory wall. It was always peaceful and quiet, I lived there few years and perhaps twice over this time they had some steam walve testing and a steam was coming out with a hiss for a few minutes. I used even to say it's much better than if our garden looked into someone's else's windows as we had a lot of privacy there. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 7th Jul 2022 10:52pm)
  • On the way to Aberlpur there is a village that still (already?) has Christmas decorations illuminated on the lamppost, Santa in the sledge and what not.... by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 11th Jul 2022 12:45am)
  • I used to live next to it, and I've been there a couple of time. Good, but I was not impressed. Then they opened Trevi around the corner and we found food there to be much better and much cheaper as well. I am not an expert on italian food, but my partner has family in Italy and lived there for several years, and after finding Trevi we don't look back. We live now somehwere completely different and yet sometimes pop in to Trevi. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 11th Jul 2022 1:22pm)
  • perhaps because it's much more expensive, especially if you just travel one route? by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 14th Jul 2022 2:06am)
  • I loved in southside pre-Covid and there used to be a great band playing gypsy jazz meeting on Tuesdays, I think, in Ivory hotel by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 16th Jul 2022 3:30am)
  • Gosh, you must really hate Puerto Ricans for some reason. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 17th Jul 2022 12:19am)
  • I saw a few very unwell birds on a beach in Banffshire on previous weekend. They were trying to get away from people but they were really struggling. We wanted to report it to RSPCA or whatever when we got back where we had mobile phone coverage, but could not reach them, so we did some research and apparently it might be the bird flu again :( by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 18th Jul 2022 12:37am)
  • I think you're right. I don't even go to cinema anymore, I like to be able to watch my movies in peace. I avoid crowded campsites too... by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 19th Jul 2022 5:18pm)
  • This hasn't happen in Glasgow physically, but I used to be a delivery driver, sometimes working in two man's team out from Glasgow. We were to Bute and my mate was making sure to call every customer in advance to let them know where we are, but he had a strange habit of never introducing himself. We were in Bute in Port Bannatyne and he told me to stop at this little car park outside a toilet so he can call. We got out of the van to check something on the back, but it started to rain, so he hid in the entrance to the toilet building and fiddled with his phone. He called that (as it turned out later, a posh elderly man) and started shouted at him "Hi there, Mr X? I am calling to let you know I AM IN THE TOILET!" Apparently there was some confusion as he was repeating it several times, louder and louder. The fact that I wasn't able to see the customer's face at the other side of the phone is one of my biggest regrets. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 21st Jul 2022 12:31am)
  • I am not sure if that's exactly the same, but you can buy a sour milk from Polish shop (it's called Zsiadłe Mleko) and I know my friends were using it to make more by just adding it to their milk... Perhaps it would work with kefir as well? by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 26th Jul 2022 10:03pm)
  • stops its tires to make everything else in the luggage compartment dirty and grease from the chain damaging other people's property. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 26th Jul 2022 10:29pm)
  • You mean the Russian occupied Ukraine? Because Ukraine is actually quite nice to live if not for the salaries there... by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 28th Jul 2022 9:41pm)
  • Maybe they are trying to mimic the Belfast system? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 30th Jul 2022 2:18pm)
  • My car was keyed twice. Can't be sure, but I can think of the reasons. First time was more than a decade ago I parked it on New Gorbals, perfectly legally, on publicly available places, with plenty of free places around and I left a Polish paper behind the windscreen. I was gone for maybe 15 minutes and it was badly keyed when I came back. Second time was last year. We wanted to wild camp on the beaches near Otter estage near Portavadie and we were looking to place to park our car so it does not obstruct a traffic or anything (we are very considerate that way). There was a house at one of the gates to the estate and we asked the guy if we can park outside, and he said we can, but better still, we can take our car down the shore and park it there and if anyone bothers us and is not happy with us driving on the private road, we are just to tell them he gave us his permission. Well, turns out some was not happy but did not wanted to bother to speak to us... We saw only one person, a lady who went past us and never answered to our hello, and then went on the phone and was moaning to someone about something we could not hear, but of course, we never caught her doing it. Anyway, the police will take your report, take picture, take down your statement and perhaps ask around if someone has seen anything, but they have no resources to do much more... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 31st Jul 2022 6:09pm)
  • Before it was the destruction of Glasgow's industry by Thatcher reforms. And now it will be Brexit. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 1st Aug 2022 5:00pm)
  • Thanks. I asked there as well! by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 2nd Aug 2022 2:21pm)
  • There is about 50 tapes and I am in Cambuslang, but can deliver whitin reasonable distance ;-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 2nd Aug 2022 2:49pm)
  • Well, /u/bestieverhad seems to be interested, I had also someone else reaching to me. And I am told that there is a charity recording a talking paper for the blind and that they still use casette tapes, so if the two guys here won't take them, I might donate them there. [https://renfrewshiresound.com/site/](https://renfrewshiresound.com/site/) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 2nd Aug 2022 3:07pm)
  • Ok, this is actually a good idea, as I guess that's an important service and a noble cause what they do. If they don't want them, I will get back to you, and then if not, I will reach back to that other guy. Seems those old tapes are much more popular than I expected :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 2nd Aug 2022 3:25pm)
  • Formally speaking those are tapes full of pirated music, so I doubt they would accept it. I recorded them when and where it was legal to make copies for your own use, but I doubt they would be able to sell it. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 2nd Aug 2022 3:35pm)
  • I will if I won't offload them to that charity or people who contacted me first. Thanks! by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 2nd Aug 2022 5:15pm)
  • I can't sell them for the music that's on them. They are home tapped. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 2nd Aug 2022 5:52pm)
  • Well, at least I made some money from it (was driving lorries, moving trailers from one set to another). by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 2nd Aug 2022 11:07pm)
  • will they refund money to Glasgow then? by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 2nd Aug 2022 11:12pm)
  • No, but they idea was promotion of the city. As if "we pay you to film here, the film becomes great hit, everyone knows it was shot in Glasgow and we are flooded by tourists because of that". If the film is never released, then the promotion never happens, so their side of the deal is not upheld. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 2nd Aug 2022 11:28pm)
  • >Where did you get that idea? Well, for once that my friend happens to live in Miernicza street in Wrocław, Poland. That's where several hollywood blockbusters, including Spielberg's Bridge of Spies featuring Tom Hanks, were shot, along with some other wartime movies. And she gets tourists on her street on regular basis. I agree there is probably not enough toruists coming there to bring enough tourist to the city, but politcians are stupid and they honestly believe that. There was also that idiotic idea to blow up a historic bridge in Poland for the new Mission Impossible movie, and that was portrayed by the politicians as a way to boost tourism in the area too. You can read about it here: https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/so-long-tom-historic-bridge-saved-from-tom-cruise-bomb-14980 And this is really stupid. Because I would not mind see the city they shot Gotham, but expecting anyone to go and see the place where THE BRIDGE NO LONGER EXISTS, because it was blown up for the movie is utterly stupid. So yes, I personally don't think that would boost tourist that much (although the idea is not completely ridiculous, see my first example). But some politicians seem to believe that so I would not be surprised if that was the thinking behind Glasgow's decission to allow shooting movies here too. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 3rd Aug 2022 12:32am)
  • Try to find if this car belongs to some of your neighbours. Sometimes there might be situations in life that cause that you can't drive but your car is not abandoned.. I had been in such situation a few years back - I had been assaulted and had a serious head injury, I was unable to drive for months and my partner does not drive. My car was sitting outside my house on the street for almost 7 months, I only moved it by 50 cm or so up and down the road every several weeks when I felt good enough to do so, to avoid the tires getting square. After some months the pressure in the tire was low, the car was covered by dust from the nearby construction site, there was a grass growing underneath it, spiders building a whole internet on both mirrors and moss growing on some window seals. It probably looked like an abandoned one, but it had a valid MOT, insurance and road tax all this time. It had also developed a small path of mould in the rear passenger footwell, luckily we spotted it in time and my girlfriend gave it a bit clean on one of the sunny days. When i got better, I gave it a wash, serviced it (had to replace brake disc, as they got completely rotten when the car was stationary) and I am driving it till this day without any issues. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 3rd Aug 2022 1:22pm)
  • You can't imagine how close to home you're here. I've been harassed and finally badly assaulted by a co-worker at work. About a dozen of people were aware of that and a few of them witnessed the attack itself, but only one of them agreed to come forward as my witness. Every single other person refused as "they don't deal with the police" or "they don't want any trouble". by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 3rd Aug 2022 1:25pm)
  • Yeah. There is a Polish proverb that translates roughly to "you learn who your real friends are if you are in the moment of need" by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 3rd Aug 2022 2:02pm)
  • We are moving out from Glasgow after many, many years. Recently we went to the restaurant in the city centre to celebrate my partner's new job in Finland, then decided to go around the walk. I don't think we were really in the city centre for years, as we usually go out to Shawlands, and it is a disaster. Representative streets like Sauchiehall had been refubrished recently, but there is hardly anytihng left there but take aways and american candy shops... We were astonished by the number of boarded up abandoned properties. I know this is said to be a trend nowadays, everyone blames covid and raise in on-line buying, but I am regularly visiting Poland - I am from the town of the similar size to Glasgow, and, for the reasons mentioned above - been to Finland recently - to Helsinki and Turku, and compared to those, Glasgow looks like a zombie town while the cities in the EU are bursting with life... by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 8th Aug 2022 4:48pm)
  • Well, I for that matter live in Cambuslang and commute by train to the city centre here is very good. Before that used to live southside, next to Cathcart Circle and it was mostly reliable and pleasant as well, although not the cheapest. There are other nice places you could investigate yourself. I would suggest just looking on google maps - and if you click on the tiny symbol on a train station, you will have connections from that station, so you can learn where trains go from there and how often. Google maps is a great tool for establishing such things in Scotland. So what I do when I move house, I look at the nearby bus and train stops and check connections. I am not an American though, so I am not sure if it will work for you. I never had a reason to check if the trains carry Americans. I would guess though that your nationality is not relevant for them, but since you had a need to stress the continent you are coming from in the title of your post I guess it might be of some relevance? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 14th Aug 2022 1:33am)
  • well, actually google maps are the thing, but google maps in Scotland are great for public transport. It does not work like that in many other countries. I don't use traveline at all, I just use google maps for planning my journeys and it works great. So you can use it to see if area you might be interested in settling in have a good public transport. I do that. In other words: you can say, I am a local, I know the area and I use this resource (google map) for my daily life ;-) (also, I understand your stress, I am just in process of moving out of scotland to completely new country as well) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 14th Aug 2022 2:49am)
  • My hometown in Poland has one of the biggest number of big shopping centres per capita in Europe, some of them build in the city centre despite urbanist' protests. There are also huge retail parks outside of it. Yet the city centre is bursting with life. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 14th Aug 2022 3:01am)
  • I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE! :-) (but seriously, I hope you're perfectly fine putting such things online) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 16th Aug 2022 7:20pm)
  • I wrote it as a joke - but also to raise awareness about how easy is to unwillingly disclose one's address and other personal information online. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 17th Aug 2022 11:29pm)
  • One day r/glasgow will get together and make something up just to see how Glasgow live makes idiots of themselves by turning it into one of their articles :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 18th Aug 2022 11:12am)
  • Nice try, GlasgowLive junior content provider! by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 18th Aug 2022 12:01pm)
  • And yet people have flower pots there on regular basis, just standing without any security... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 27th Aug 2022 12:27pm)
  • Sometimes, but not always. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 27th Aug 2022 2:25pm)
  • Next bike is operator of the city bikes which are considered part of the public transport so the city can not only work with nextbike to create the best network but also chip some money in to encourage use In my hometown in Poland first 20 minutes are free. The city pays for it, but as everyone and their uncle use them for short hops it makes trams and buses less crowded by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 1st Sep 2022 1:25am)
  • That does not mean that they "don't have anything to do with the council". by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 1st Sep 2022 8:07am)
  • Well, here is where you are wrong. If you want to set up a shop, you don't expect the city to tell you what kind of shop they need and then pay you to set you up. Which is the case with city bike scheme in Glasgow: The cycle scheme is Glasgow's project. Glasgow subsidized it and nextbike is just a service provider, acting on behalf of the city: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/councillorsandcommittees/viewDoc.asp?c=P62AFQDNDN0GZ30GT1 This is a typical way of public-private partnership for such schenes. The cities can opt for subsidizing running the service so people can use it for free as in my example. Glasgow chosen just to pay for the set up costs and then let nextbike charge their customers market prices - that's why nextbike in Glasgow is so exoensive. https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52647/nextbike-wins-glasgow-bike-hire-contract/ by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 1st Sep 2022 9:09am)
  • Or just s bunch of dancing kitties and a boombox by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 14th Sep 2022 9:14pm)
  • It can be because of traffic. Going through the town can be quicker than going M8. Google will not show it to you because there are bus/taxi/lorry gates in the city centre so it would not route you through this. But I used to drive trucks in Glasgow and it was often quicker to go through the town than be stuck on the motorway. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 16th Sep 2022 3:13pm)
  • This is so full of corpo babble and so little of actual meaningful content... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 17th Sep 2022 12:02am)
  • How long is long in this case? People have various situations. My car used to have moss grown on it once too: I had been assaulted and had head injury, I was not allowed to drive for seven months so my car was just sitting there, gathering dust and having moss growing on it and grass under it. I was moving it a ouple of feets up and down from time to time to prevent damage to tires though... by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 29th Sep 2022 7:45am)
  • And the tests are a joke. My gf failed several times. Once for "not being confident enough". The other time for "pulling out too early". I watched dashcam footage, in both situation she pulled out onto the roundabout while the car on it was on the other side of it. She was also warned for "cutting" the one lane roundabout as her trajectory was "not round enough" so next time on the same roundabout she went around in perfect circle and they told her she was "too much to the left for someone turning right". The same examiner failed her as well for "not watching the traffic" as she pulled out after the car from her right slowed down and signalled turning into the side road she was pulling out from, so there was no conflict... I was so outraged when I saw the footage of those tests that we tried to appeal but it is impossible to appeal examiners decision, you can only appeal on formalities. So they can basically pull shit out of their arses and there is no mechanism to bring them to scrutiny. So much money wastes on that shit, and now we moved countries so we have start from scratch again... But at least she know how to drive. She was driving me everywhere on L plates since COVID,.as this is when they suspended all tests and she had to wait for over 20 months for next test available. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 2nd Oct 2022 5:41pm)
  • Pretty sure they are not. Not only I watched the dashcsm recordings but also the same examiner failed her for exactly what she was told to do during debrief at the previous tests. She drivese everywhere on L plates for two years. She did probably about 8000 miles so far, from Newcastle and Glasgow city centre to single track roads on Isle of Hoy. I habent had to intervene in her driving for years. I am pretty sure she knows how to drive by now. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 2nd Oct 2022 10:39pm)
  • Your faith in the infallibility of the super human beings the test examiners are is really cute. But you know what? On her last test she failed on two things: - not observing the road. The examiner said she hasn't noticed car coming from the right and pulled in front of her. The truth is: she did noticed it, it was signalling it turns left and she only pulled out when it slowed down and started turning - so when it was safe to do. - not taking the correct path on the roundabout. On a small roundabout she went the round way, because the last examiner failed her for going to close to the central island saying she is cutting the bend. It was irrelevant in any case as the roundabout was only one line wide. What examiner has NOT noticed is that on one traffic lights the right turn lane was backed to allow big vehicle to turn. She missed the stop line and stopped instead along with the car on the left side. So should she fail this particular test? Yes, for crossing the stop line on red light. Was she failed on that? No. She was failed on two instances when she 1. Did nothing wrong. 2. Drove exactly as the previous examiner told her in her debriefing after her previous test. So she did one serious mistake. The examiner did three. The thing is the examiner has power over her and there is no way to put the examiner to scrutiny. Don't worry, we left Britain and she'll easily pass her test in this country, I am sure of that. But your problem with flawed system of British driving tests remains. It's not about my girlfriend. It's about this issue. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 8th Oct 2022 10:08am)
  • I know some people from Italy that had been coming to the UK for Christmas markets for few years. Now they are going to Poland. It's not worth the hassle for them after Brexit. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 24th Oct 2022 1:27pm)
  • I was given a pair in Victoria hospital when I damaged my knee .. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 31st Oct 2022 6:03pm)
  • It has? So why it is so rarely put into use? :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 9th Nov 2022 8:57am)
  • Castlemilk is one of the biggest housing estates in Europe? By what measure? If you ever been anywhere to Eastern Europe or the outskirts of French cities, you'll find this statement pretty ridiculous... Just check out Fordon in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Over 70000 people lives there. It has subdivisions bigger than castlemilk. (It has also high speed tram routes going to the city centre from several locations across the scheme). But yes, public transport in Castlemilk is a joke. in my hometown we have a housing estate that is just a bit bigger than that, and there are several bus lines and two high speed tram lines going into the scheme... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 9th Nov 2022 8:56am)
  • Oh, it's so good that we don't have seagulls and wind here in Helsinki then. :P by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 18th Nov 2022 10:04pm)
  • It depends. If it's instantly heated - like with the gas boiler or flow heater - then yes, you could drink it. But if it's stored warm in a tank then it's a big no no - and thus is why there should be separate taps in theory - so your cold, drinking one is not contaminated. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 19th Nov 2022 7:35pm)
  • Yup, I was also surprised to find that idea actually made sense. However in my last flat in Glasgow I had a tanker for hot water and mixer taps everywhere. And it was the only flag I ever lived that SHOULD have them... :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 20th Nov 2022 12:06am)
  • Try to find groups like HGV drivers Scotland or something. Plenty of their members will be going down south regularly, maybe someone can offer you a lift? by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 28th Nov 2022 3:11pm)
  • Or "on Christmas Eve as it was the tradition before capitalism realised they can sell us more crap if they put us in Christmas mood earlier"? by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 29th Nov 2022 9:58am)
  • Yes. it is a period of anticipation. When you wait for christmas. There are various advents traditions, callendars, chandeliers with candles in the window etc. Unlike actual Christmas, when you celebrste Christmas with Christmas traditions. Like setting up the Christmas tree for example. That's why it's called a Christmas tree and not an advent tree. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 29th Nov 2022 11:12am)
  • Not exactly that but sinilar. About a decade ago I moved forward on snowy day to avoid being rear ended. I got a picture from traffic camera showing my car crossing the line and all three stop lights on. (I had to move maybe 10 metres). The other car stopped where I was before so was out of the frame. They sent me a ticket, I appealed and went to court. Defended myself, just told them what happened, then a police officer made a fool of himself saying I am not telling a truth. I said I only moved slowly forward after being stationary. He said I was speeding and failed to stop in time. I asked him what is a time difference between pictures as if it was a second or something it would be clear I was travelling very slowly and braking. He said I was soeeding as the camera takes pictures in some silly fraction of the second apart (don't remember details, he overshoot several orders of magnitude). I did a quick calculation and asked him if he tries to say that I was travelling with about half the speed of light. He got red, started mumbling incoherently and then just said he has nothing to add. The judge had troubles to hide his laughter. Judge ask me how I noticed that the car in the back is going to rear end me. I told him I was rear ended in the past, badly, and since then I always keep my car in first and look in my mirror. The judge said they have no reason to believe I am lying even though the other car is not visible on the picture. The judge said I broke the law, but I have a reasonable excuse to do it as I did it to avoid a dangerous accident, so while I am guilty, I am free to go and won't get any tickets or points. It was interesting experience. I was later told by someone that all the pictures from red light cameras are automatically ignored if the ambulance or other emergency vehicle is next vehicle to cross the line. I don't know if that's true. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 6th Dec 2022 11:31pm)
  • At least until recently you could park for free next to the DHL depot. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 20th Dec 2022 9:37am)
  • There is a beach in twechar? Like, on the canal? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 25th Dec 2022 2:28am)
  • My favourite is OK4POO by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 2nd Jan 2023 12:56pm)
  • I used to live in Battlefield and sometimes my bins weren't emptied for weeks. Then when the bin men finally came, they refused to take them as the stuff was lying on the ground around them (because there is no way I keep my food waste in my flat for three weeks). Problem is not only limited to Glasgow, I moved to Cambuslang later and we had exactly the same problem. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 10th Jan 2023 10:08pm)
  • Nice, but not enough rubbish... :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 11th Jan 2023 9:42pm)
  • I had to clear house when I was moving out and I had no problems getting my foreign plated van into rutherglen. They only once asked for the confirmation of address. by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 12th Jan 2023 6:45pm)
  • This is nothing new. Years ago I worked as an interpreter. Went to a doctor with my client. He was a truck driver with some cardiac problems and as he wasn't feeling well he wanted to ask if it is safe for him to driver 32 tonne truck. The doctor looked through his documentation and said "ok, you know what we'll do? Take paracetamol and come back in three weeks we'll see how you feel". The guy said " I can't take paracetamol because I am taking that other medicine and those two are in conflict". "I see" said the doctor, checked something in the computer and then said "ok, so you know what we shall do? DON'T take any paracetamol and come back in three weeks we'll see how you feel". Before we left surgery the client asked me if i could help him book a plane ticket so he can go back to his country to see "a real doctor". I am not Scottish but I lived in Glasgow for 17 years. Everyone I know who is not sxottish - Poles, Czechs, Germans, Pakistanis, Italians, Fins, some of them actual doctors as well - are amazed at the deep held belief of the British doctors that paracetamol is a panaceum for everyghing. It's an amazing cultural phenomenon. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 13th Jan 2023 7:55pm)
  • The "needing to know routes" can be sorted out easily. I live in Helsinki now and every bus has some kind of sat nav like device whoch also keeps them right on time. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 21st Jan 2023 12:56am)
  • There used to be a book called Blood is by The Driver. You might want to read it :-) I think the waybackmachine will also be able to show you some of this guys blog entries. He was forced by First Bus to take it down but it's still visible through WBM by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 21st Jan 2023 11:05pm)
  • >I wonder who could have done such a thing? I wonder if that could have anything to do with the recent rise of anti-trans and anti-LGBT narration. You know, crossdressing boys, that's surely had to be outrageous LGBT propaganda aimed to brainwash children, right? by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Feb 2023 1:10am)
  • it should be named "Glasgow people made". by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Feb 2023 1:16am)
  • Yeah, you are probably right, it's much more likely. But still, the thought crossed my mind, as when I still lived in Glasgow I heard one right wing nutcase complaining about that sculpture for this very reason... by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Feb 2023 8:13pm)
  • Those are cool, but I like this ones that take you from the top from the outside. You ride in the narrow, dark tunnel only to be opened to this nice view at the end. I was always taking my visitors there ;\_) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Feb 2023 8:25pm)
  • But where is the fun in that? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 12th Feb 2023 1:05am)
  • I haven't been raised in Glasgow, but I lived most of my adult life there. After just a short time in Helsinki when I came back I was instantly put away by how dirty, littered and neglected it is. You don't really notice it until you start living somewhere else... by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 16th Feb 2023 1:09am)
  • Btw: I guess people who live there now might not be too happy... The bedroom was pretty dark as it was without the giant tree completely covering the window :D by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 17th Feb 2023 1:47am)
  • No. Which is actually a shame as I think of it now. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 17th Feb 2023 12:11pm)
  • I've been renting. We were paying 400 per month for a nice one bedroom with decent size living room and huge kitchen. Similar flats in the area are 800 now. To compare: back then I worked as a driver for a company and I was making about 145% of minimum wage as class 2 driver. In 2021 I worked for the same company as class 1 driver with ADR and I was making about 120% of minimum wage, roughly 3.5 pounds more per hours than in 2007... by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 17th Feb 2023 12:15pm)
  • Fun story: when we lived there, we could not get the signal on the ground floor, we could also not get access to the roof, so we negotiated with the neighbour upstairs and he agreed for us to put our satellite dish outside his window. When he moved out a new person got that flat and one day I lost the signal. I found that he ordered sky TV and the sky TV guy just cut the cable off my dish, replaced receiver thingy on it and installed his sky using my dish. I was of course pissed, and so was he, as he paid for the dish and got basically a stolen one, but Sky didn't want to speak with any of us. With me because I am not a customer, and with him because his sky TV worked fine so they said he has no grounds to complain. That was just before I moved out so I never followed it through, but me and amm my friends boycotted the Sky ever since. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 17th Feb 2023 8:17pm)
  • You must be a truly happily ignorant man if you think planting a shrub in ones garden is the worst thing someone can be doing to humanity. :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 17th Feb 2023 8:30pm)
  • Funny you would say that. I live in Finland now, and happen to work in food distribution logistics company. We had some snow and all trucks are going in and out as normal, no shortages of any kind recorded. Ah wait, you said hipster shops will have stuff grown locally? As if, locally grown fresh paprika and tomatoes in February in Scotland? by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 21st Feb 2023 2:49am)
  • They don't. Source: I live in Finland. I just spoke about it with my friends in Italy and Poland. Nobody noticed shortages of any kind. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 21st Feb 2023 2:50am)
  • Actually to be fair, we don't get our fruit and veggies from Spain in Finland, so I googled what Irish press have to say. They write about tomato shortages... ...in the UK. :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 21st Feb 2023 2:55am)
  • I can play guitar, but never tried to play drum'n'bass on it :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 23rd Feb 2023 11:48pm)
  • I would go there... ...if they had some actual beer there, and not just Tennents :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Mar 2023 9:18pm)
  • Gosh, I left Glasgow half a year ago and what I hear: - the queen died - the Tory prime minister are even worst than the previous one. - sturgeon stepped down - the NHS is in tatters - there are so big potholes in Glasgow that a friend of mine had damaged a.bloody HGV wheel in one of them - you have no tomatoes And now I am learning there is nae rolls in Glasgow. What's next, Irn Bru shortage? I can't leave you guys alone even for bloody six months... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 18th Mar 2023 4:36am)
  • And tweeter thread even better: [https://twitter.com/jmaris\_/status/1570889945551863808](https://twitter.com/jmaris_/status/1570889945551863808) Edit: corrected the link :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 26th Mar 2023 12:10pm)
  • Oh, seems you are new to the area indeed. Welcome to Glasgow ;-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 27th Mar 2023 12:22am)
  • No, they will just enforce it harder. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 28th Mar 2023 8:43pm)
  • With black jack! And hookers! by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 28th Mar 2023 8:42pm)
  • I ranted on Twitter about Edinburgh drop off charges. They gave me some generic answer about having to charge to be able to provide best experience. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 28th Mar 2023 8:40pm)
  • If it's not the Highland Coo's you are after, then there are some on Dechmont Hill near Cambuslang usually. And the view from there is amazing. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 1st Apr 2023 9:45pm)
  • Our lunar activities, in 2006. My work mate played drums in this short lived band :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 2nd Apr 2023 2:56am)
  • Fake news. My friend lives in Italy and trains are going as normal there. :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 3rd Apr 2023 12:06am)
  • Provided they actually turn up at the bus stop at the scheduled time (or even significantly later) by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 11th Apr 2023 5:32pm)
  • just remember to buy your rolls first, as while there is always a sausage, on some day there is nae rolls. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 14th Apr 2023 12:06am)
  • How long the cars are there? Couple of years ago I had a severe head injury. I was unable to drive. My car was parked on the street for about 7 months. It was full of dust and pollen and moss started to grow on it, one tire lost a bit of air, but it was taxed,.MOTd and insured. When I felt better I was running the engine from time to time and moving it 1 m up and down to prevent damage to the tires but it really looked abandoned. I know someone wanted to report it but neighbour who knew my situation explained it to them... by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 17th Apr 2023 11:47pm)
  • I had a big bins on the corner of the street when I lived in Cambuslang. This is how it worked in practice: My bins life cycle: - bins empty - someone places something next to it (a small box for example). - bin men use this as excuse to NOT empty the bin (they say they have no access, and when challenged about it become aggressive and abuse you). - bins get full. - people start putting their rubbish next to them (as there is no other option, obviously) - piles of bin bags amass around the bin - bin men do not empty ANY bins, saying they have no access - everyone see it as a dump and starts placing their bulk items and other shit there - rats and seagull fiesta, rotting food spread across the pavement and halfway around the street, terrible smell in the summer (bins happens to be under my window) - everyone tries to have it cleared, council and the landlord both say it's not their job - somebody finally uses his or her private contacts in the council, council sends someone to roughly clear it (they take big items, rotting food on the ground stays as it were). - back to square one. Who wants to bet that it will be the same in Glasgow? by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 19th Apr 2023 9:44am)
  • My bins were literally on the street corner with no parking lines on both sides, adjacent to the big parking space for trucks where bin lorry crews were taking their lunch brakes so... by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 19th Apr 2023 12:18pm)
  • The problem might be in the fact, that cycle lanes in Glasgow are chaotic and need a lot more to be built to create a comprehensive network. If you are afraid to cycle with cars, the fact, that there is a nice cycle lane 30% on your way to work won't be enough to encourage you to switch from driving to cycling. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 26th Apr 2023 12:06am)
  • If you need some case study showing how "give them infrastructure and they'll come" works, I present to you: my girlfriend. For many years we lived in Glasgow. I cycled regularly - I grew up in 1990's Poland which was a cyclist hell so I am not so fuzzed about cycling in traffic. She is. So on the very rare occasion she joined me for a cycling trip, we usually ended up either cycling around Pollock Park, when we lived in the South, or along the Clyde Walkway, when we lived in the east. We moved to Helsinki now, and cycling infrastructure is just fantastic. The cycle paths are like cycling motorways, with no collisions with other traffic, with bridges, tunnels and everything. Very often they aren't even ALONG the main routes, so you can cycle behind some people's backyards or through the forest, barely hearing the traffic noise from the nearby motorway you cycle along. Even the city centre has many two-ways cycle paths, often completely separated both from cars and from pedestrians. In less busy areas, shared pedestrian-cycle paths are wide enough to ensure comfortable ride. So this weekend we took our bikes to visit our friends on the opposite side of the town. This was her first time cycling here (I cycled a couple of times already). To put it into Glasgow context: imagine we lived somewhere around Bearsden, decided to cycle to Cambuslang via Govanhill and then come back via Springburn - this is about the same distance. So for example, as we get out of our bicycle storage in our building (every building has one around here) we cross small residential street (that basically gives access to three car parks for a dozen cars each) and then we go over a wee bridge over the orbital, then through the forest park, then there is one cycle crossing on a busy junction (with traffic lights) then a bit along the main way, then onto the cycleway along the train tracks, then throush some woods again, then there is one small crossing across a very quiet road, then over a bridge over the train tracks, then along the train tracks again, then we arrive at a very busy shopping centres, so there are two crossing on the cycle-safe roundabouts with some limited traffics (and nearly all car drivers stop for you), then again, through a tunnel, through another tunnel, over the bridge, than a long stretch of cycle path along the main road and then we are in the city centre. The route I just described for you is just under 8 km, and there were four points of crossing with cars (there aren't even any driveways or anything): one with traffic lights, one with very minor quiat road, and two on a dutch style designed safety roundabout. The rest of the journey was very similar - either express cycleways, shared cycle-pedestrian paths far away from the traffic, separated cycle lanes along the roads, wide pavements with mixed cycle-pedestrian use allowed and some very quiet residential streets with 20 km/h speed limit. Before we came back home, my girlfriend was already discussing with her friends how to join the cycle encouragement scheme at her work and get an e-bike for commuting. All that after JUST ONE SUNDAY on the bike in a city with great cycling infrastructure. I rest my case. Anyway, I am glad to see that Glasgow is changing, as it can be a great cycling city too. Although the weather is the worst for cycling of any cities I ever lived. I used to cycle all year round in a proper european four seasons climate with 40C summers and snowy winters, but Glasgow has beaten me. Cycling at -20? Been there, done that. Cycling in the snow? It can be even fun. Cycling in Glasgow with 60mph wind throwing freezing rain mixed with hail into your face? NOPE, I get my car going. But still, most of the summer Glasgow can be great for cycling. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 26th Apr 2023 12:52am)
  • Yes, I swam plenty of times. There is nothing better than finding some remote beach on one of the islands and go for the plunge :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 29th Apr 2023 1:49pm)
  • "planning" That made me chuckle. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 17th May 2023 11:36am)
  • Me: Is Edinburgh a nice place? GlasgowGPT: Edinburgh? Are ye havin' a laugh? That place is just a poor imitation of Glesga, full of posh twats and tourists. If ye're after overpriced coffee shops, hipster bars and designer shops, then Edinburgh is the place for ye. But if ye want a proper taste of Scotland, then Glesga is where it's at. We've got the best banter, the best pubs, and the best people. Edinburgh is just a wee hill with a castle on top and a bunch of overrated festivals. Stick with Glesga, mate - ye'll nae regret it. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 28th May 2023 5:02pm)
  • On a bike? But... Me: Is Glasgow a good place for cycling? GlasgowGPT: Are ye kidding me mate? Glesga is one of the worst places in the universe for cycling. The roads are full of potholes, the drivers are always in a rush and barely give ye any space, the cycle lanes are few and far between, and it rains non-stop. You've got to be off yer nut to even consider cycling around here. And don't even get me started on the hills - there's nae way ye can cycle up those without being a superhuman. If ye want to get around the city, stick to walking or taking the bus. Trust me, it's safer and less painful. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 28th May 2023 6:08pm)
  • Saturday night, a crowded 66 bus towards soutside. A drunken elderly gentlemen in mismatched dirty clothes (tracksuit,.Christmas jumper in the summer and a and leather jacket) gets onto the bus bus and tries to chat with everyone. Other passengers are a bit annoyed with him, so when around At Enoch Centre he pulls out a clarinet from a plastic bag he was carrying (along with a bottle of buckfast) everyone expected the worst. He assembled the instrument, gave it two test blows and then started with that amazing glissaando and then proceeded to play flawlesly Gershwin's "rhapsody in blue". He played for a few stops, then looked through the window, shouted "that's me, hold on driver, i am getting aff here" and dashed out into the dark somewhere at Eglinton toll. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 27th Jun 2023 12:11am)
  • somewhere in Ibrox, I guess? :) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 3rd Jul 2023 12:20pm)
  • I used to drive trucks for coop when they first became green. I got a bit lost and instead of the motorway I ended up going through Larkhall. There was a bunch of youths that bombarded my truck with snow and pieces of ice, so much that they caused some damage to the side of the truck. The company said I should not go through there with a green truck, and that they keep a couple of white ones in old livery especially to deliver to there. I've also noticed that the coop shop there was not converted to the new green livery and as I just checked on the google street view, it is still white, even though it uses the new font. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 1st Aug 2023 12:32am)
  • I don't know your circumstances and surely don't want to sound like one of those "fuck cars, get a bike" people, but I'd consider that question first: will you really need to drive a car into the city centre? I lived in Glasgow for well over 15 years and I don't know if I was in the strict city centee with a car for more than 50 times. And mind you, I was living in Glasgow when driving in city centre was much easier, before most of today's bus gates and road closures were introduced. Enough to say that I think second last time I was with my car in the city centre, I parked at the George Square. And I moved out from Scotland only last autumn. Surely, I had a car and I used it for commuting and other purposes, but it just made no sense to go into the city with the car, as the parking is a bitch and if you're going there in the day you can easily take a train (or drive to one of the suburban train stations, park there and take a train, depending where you leave) and it will be cheaper than paying for parking in the city - and if you are going at night to party, you should not be driving anyway... If that would be your circumstances too then it could be worth just buying some cheap old non-LEZ compliant banger and just don't drive it into the city (the zone is pretty small anyway, you can easily walk across it in less than 20 minutes) - and you can benefit from the price drop of the non-LEZ compliant cars. by Zenon_Czosnek (Fri 4th Aug 2023 11:08pm)
  • This is Glasgow pretending they actually are building some infrastructure for cyclist. They paint a gutter lane and put those silly things near the junction, there, throw in some plastic bollards that will be gone in a week, job done! by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 12th Aug 2023 12:38am)
  • yes, they are SOME nice bike routes being built in Glasgow in recent years. But much more crappy ones. Like the one they placed along the London road, where they fixed some plastic bollards that were gone in the week, ignored cars parking on it, and worst of it all, the cycle lane disappear at junctions, where cyclists are the most vulnerable. I left Glasgow last october, but by this point the cycling experience was worst than I remember from 1990's Poland and I don't think it got much better since last year I have moved to Helsinki now and cycling here is a paradise compared not only to Glasgow but also to today's Poland (which went a long way over last 30 years). by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 12th Aug 2023 2:23pm)
  • yes, they are fine. As an additional elements of well designed cycling infrastructure. Placing them where there is literally nothin else but some painted lines is like starting to build your house from placing the roof slates on it. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 12th Aug 2023 2:20pm)
  • Well, I am glad to hear it if it's being changed for a "proper" one. But the fact that serious thinking about biking infrastructure only really begun during covid (before that I can only think of two proper lanes - the one being constructed around Victoria Road and down to the city, and the one around Lincoln Avenue tthat basically led from nowhere to nowhere) shows how neglected the cycling was in Glasgow before... by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 12th Aug 2023 10:53pm)
  • Trevi in Langside was really great when I lived there. My partner used to live in Italy (she has family there) and she says it's much better food there than in Battlefield Rest, which is virtually 200 m away. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 16th Oct 2023 6:30pm)
  • 20 mins? You surely meant 2 minutes? by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 19th Oct 2023 1:13pm)
  • I once had that terrible agency I was renting from. Their right to make viewing during my notice period was written in our tennancy agreement (I don't know if it was legal or not). I said OK. We had that big corkboard right in front of your face as you entered the flat. I printed some month old e-mails regarding the ongoing boiler problem and wrote on it with bold marker pen "HONEY, CALL THE AGENCY AGAIN, IT HAS BEEN THREE MONTHS SINCE THEY PROMISED TO FIX OUR BOILER AND THEY ARE STILL MAKING EXCUSES" and stuck it to the board. I loved the face of the agent when she allowed the potential tenants first and entered the flat only after them. All the subsequent viewings were cancelled ;-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 21st Oct 2023 12:45pm)
  • ...dirty and littered. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 23rd Oct 2023 1:11pm)
  • because Hamas is a bunch of radical, murderous savages. We have very low expectations of them. Israel, on the other hand, claims to be the only democracy in the Middle East and a beacon of human rights in the area. It is logical that we would expect humanitarian behaviour from them. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 4th Nov 2023 9:28pm)
  • No, they should use their high-tech military and well trained special forces to do a surgical attacks on Hamas bases that they know so detailed locations of. But that would mean that some Jewish soldiers could be killed. So they instead bomb the whole area flat. Because they don't give a f\*ck about Palestinian lives. Imagine Hamas had a base in the tunnel under a Jewish settlement. Do you think they would bomb it to oblivion? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 4th Nov 2023 9:26pm)
  • Next time try to write your answer without attempts to offend the adversary, as not only you risk not getting an answer but you also come out as utter bawbag. Now, I let it slip this time so: \- yes, the soldiers dying is the occupational risk. The very definition of being a soldier is to risk one's life to protect civilians. \- yes, the problem that yours (and also mine, but mostly American) army does not give a fuck who they are bombing is one of the major reasons why the Middle East is in such a mess right now. \- nobody sane would want to risk and bomb their own people. Civilised people would also not want to bomb other civilians. Barbarians - like Hamas or IDF do. \- so far it's the Israel - who has the bigger gun - that is doing most of "shooting at the people they want to be erradicated from the earth". \- yes, if Israel wanted, they could wipe Palestine off the face of the planet in the afternoon. But they know that would make everyone else angry, so they are doing it by small steps. The most recent example of genocide in Palestine, and the reaction of many countries - suggest that this time they might have cut too thick slice of the salami, to use the popular alegory. ​ \- no, Hamas would not show such restraint. Fortunately for everyone, Hamas has no means to cause damage of a such scale. Israel, however, does. And, unlike Hamas, Israel claims to be a democratic, law observing, humanitarian country. Unfortunately for everyone - but mostly for its Palestinian victims - the action of Israel prove that they are not that different from hamas as they would like us to believe. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 4th Nov 2023 10:48pm)
  • what if those tunnels were built under Jewish hospital or settlement? Would killing all those civilians also be justified to crush Hamas and its supporters? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 4th Nov 2023 10:53pm)
  • figures. You don't like facts. You are more of "shouting abuse at people who I disagree with" kind of a man ;-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Sat 4th Nov 2023 10:52pm)
  • Of course, and there are documents proving that it was their plan. There are notable politicians advocating for this plan for years. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 5th Nov 2023 12:04am)
  • yes, if you are OK with Israel commiting genocide on Palestinian civilians because "cease fire benefits them less than Hamas" then you must have much thicker skin. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 5th Nov 2023 12:03am)
  • Wel, unfortunately some people do live in Israel. And they have to worry about such things if they happen to be Palestinian. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 5th Nov 2023 7:12pm)
  • That's what you are wrong. No state has right to attack civilians because they believe terrorists hide between them. (Many do, of course, Israel mostly, US comes to mind too, but they have no right to do so). by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 5th Nov 2023 7:12pm)
  • what if HAMAS built their tunnels under Jewish infrastructure. Would IDF still think it's OK to sacrifice civilian lives to destroy them? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 5th Nov 2023 7:11pm)
  • And yet you still evade answering the question. What's the harm, answer it: would it be OK to bomb civilians to get to Hamas if it were Jewish civilians? by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 5th Nov 2023 7:41pm)
  • says international law. And, unfortunately, nobody, as UN is useless nowadays. by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 5th Nov 2023 11:06pm)
  • the "irony" is that regardless of Hamas crimes, Israeli actions ARE war crimes. There is nothing vague about attacking hospitals and murdering civilian populations. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 6th Nov 2023 3:06am)
  • Of course you have chosen not to answer this simple question. Paint me surprised. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 6th Nov 2023 3:28pm)
  • Oh, but they did. They also attacked an ambulance convoy evacuating hospital patients as per their demands. Israel's goal is to make Gaza unliveable so people escape to Egypt. This was clear not only from the speeches of numerous Israeli politicians but also from the leaked documents. Hamas is a terrorist organisation, of course. So if Israel does better job in killing innocent civilians than them, what that makes them? by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 6th Nov 2023 3:26pm)
  • >Well yes, because it’s so ridiculous 🤔 if they somehow built under Jewish infrastructure not many would support killing civilians, I wouldn’t. So you are saying you would not support killing civilians if they were Jewish civilians. That's ok, I am with you on that. But now we are witnessing IDF killing Palestinian civilians, and that somehow seems to be not bothering you that much. Is that because they are, I dunno, brown? >Killing Civilians is the big problem here. Hamas seem to love doing it. The idf are historically no better. However the big difference is there is only one side actively murdering infants in one on one situations. Well, yes IDF (although it is known to be faulty of killing several Palestinian children too) usually don't kill in one-on-one situations. They kill by bulk, by flattening the whole neighbourhoods with the airstrikes. >Got any more fun hypotheticals? I see nothing fun with people being murdered, but you do you. > > >What would you do if Israelis dig under Palestinian infrastructure - would you support civilians being killed by hamas in that scenario? …because they seem to enjoy using human shields. No, I don't support killing civilians by anyone. And I don't believe killing civilians under pretext they are used by human shields by terrorist is in any way justified. What if a terrorist took your mom/partner/child hostage? Would you just be happy to see them blown up along with the terrorirsts because it's so important to get rid of terrorism? Or would you seek some solution where their live can be saved? I think we can safely bet on the latter. And thats the problem: nobody would want to sacrifice the lives of the people THEY care about just to get rid of some terrorists. But killing Palestinians is somehow alright. by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 6th Nov 2023 8:09pm)
  • I clearly said I don't support killing innocent civilians, so how could I be supporting Hamas? But yes, those conversations are always the same. If you point out that IDF murders innocent civilians as well, all you get is accusations of being Hamas supporter... by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 7th Nov 2023 4:08am)
  • Imagine, looking for a pretext to rant about gaelic signs, coming up with "I know, I will tell I was lost in the subway and needed to use a map" and still thinking you are wiser than anyone who replied to your tweet :-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 8th Nov 2023 4:57pm)
  • Roma people - or gypsies, as some of them also call themselves - have nothing to do with being Romanian, although many of them have eastern european citizenship - Romanian, Hungarian, Slovakian, Polish - citizenship. This is totally different nation and culture. by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 8th Nov 2023 9:35pm)
  • Nearest the Battlefield I can think of is Dirleton Drive and Lethington avenue. I lived there for years, and yes, only residents can park there. Even google streetview does not enter. There are some security guys patroling the estate, but apart from one situation when a fSpanish-registered car started to park there when there was no space on Tantallon Road for them, I haven't really ever seen it being enforced. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 14th Nov 2023 12:31am)
  • Fun fact: notices asking people not to leave rubbish are usually found in places where people tend to leave rubbish ;-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Wed 15th Nov 2023 9:25pm)
  • There is that guy at London Road who had police stealing princess Diana's jewelry from him or something, never was quite able to find what the story really is about :-) :-) ;-) by Zenon_Czosnek (Mon 20th Nov 2023 8:26pm)
  • Go somewhere next to big Post Office / Parcelforce / Other courier company depot. Look for white sprinter vans with drivers sleeping in them. When they get up, ask them if they can take you to London (as many of them run between London and Glasgow). ​ I am not joking. I did it once, although I knew the company. They gave me free lift to Dover. But I know someone who did it several times already. by Zenon_Czosnek (Tue 21st Nov 2023 12:56pm)
  • [https://i.imgur.com/smPRpF0.png](https://i.imgur.com/smPRpF0.png) There are two lanes down cathcart road so I guess both are good. However there are usually cars parked outside Tesco, so I would stay on the right lane if going straight up Catchart Road and left if I was turning into Battlefield Rd by Zenon_Czosnek (Sun 26th Nov 2023 1:56pm)
  • This shows how stupid Tory migration policy is: they have someone, who lived there already and loved it. That person went abroad and get educated at the expense of the other country - so they could basically get an educated person for free. How thick you have to be to think this is a good policy? (also, another proof that Scotland needs to get independent and make its own migration rules). by Zenon_Czosnek (Thu 7th Dec 2023 12:50pm)