Britain - The Official Thread

[Famine]

The. Royal. Wedding.

It's more "a" royal wedding. And it's not particularly royal either - he's sixth in line to the throne.

"American actress marries ginger squaddie" would be more accurate, and reasonably reflects the average level of care among the general population.

 

[UKMikey]

We would've given more of a crap had they given us a day off like his big bro did. Maybe.

 

[Biggles]

It's more "a" royal wedding. And it's not particularly royal either - he's sixth in line to the throne.

"American actress marries ginger squaddie" would be more accurate, and reasonably reflects the average level of care among the general population.

You don't fool me Famine - I know you were glued to your TV.

I note that Harry, as he prematurely balds, starts to look more & more like his father & the rest of the Royals (but still a startling resemblance to James Hewitt).

 

[Famine]

You don't fool me Famine - I know you were glued to your TV.

As I don't have a TV Licence - and have ensured I abide by the terms of not having a TV Licence by preventing any live broadcast television from entering my house - nope. And as it happened, I was on the road anyway.

I wasn't even that bothered by the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and they might actually be on the throne at some point.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Did anyone see Harry say 'I'm ******** it', live in front of millions?!

 

[TenEightyOne]

As I don't have a TV Licence - and have ensured I abide by the terms of not having a TV Licence by preventing any live broadcast television from entering my house - nope. And as it happened, I was on the road anyway.

Unbelieveable, on a day of snortingly fervent national propaganda celebration you weren't taking advantage of the TV Licence exemption handed down to the serfs?

 

[Famine]

Unbelieveable, on a day of snortingly fervent national propaganda celebration you weren't taking advantage of the TV Licence exemption handed down to the serfs?

Didn't even know that there was one

But as there's no aerial, no cable and no satellite, I can't exactly tune in. There's iPlayer, I suppose, but there's no way I'm creating an account so that they can then turn round later and say I have so I must be watching and need a Licence.

 

[Robin]

I watched it, thought it was pretty interesting. Was worth it to see such an eclectic bunch of guests, hilarious overboard royalists going nuts and the cringe worthy at times TV coverage/presenters.

As I don't have a TV Licence - and have ensured I abide by the terms of not having a TV Licence by preventing any live broadcast television from entering my house - nope. And as it happened, I was on the road anyway.

The BBC waived the license fee for the wedding, although it was slightly ambiguous as to whether or not you had to be having some sort of party in progress.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43941624

The one time you could watch the BBC live and you missed it Famine

 

[Tired Tyres]

Didn't even know that there was one

But as there's no aerial, no cable and no satellite, I can't exactly tune in. There's iPlayer, I suppose, but there's no way I'm creating an account so that they can then turn round later and say I have so I must be watching and need a Licence.

Create an account? You just click on IPlayer on PS4 and all it asks is if you have a licence. Anyway they changed the rules a while ago. You used to be able to watch again, as in not live, and not need a licence. Now you do. Anyway it's the most important day of the year anyway. United's last chance for silverware.

 

[Famine]

Create an account?

Yep. If you try to watch - or listen to - anything on iPlayer on the website you have to create an account.

You just click on IPlayer on PS4 and all it asks is if you have a licence.

I deleted the iPlayer apps from my consoles long, long ago, and for similar reasons - any TV Licence inspector is welcome to come into my home and try to watch television on any device, if they think they can.

Although the last time I was anywhere near the app I recall it did ask for me to register or log in (I lived 5 days a week in a rented house that the landlord had paid for a licence). That was on PS3 though.

Anyway they changed the rules a while ago. You used to be able to watch again, as in not live, and not need a licence. Now you do.

Yeah, that was ages ago - probably getting on for two years I reckon. They considered the iPlayer catch-up as a "loophole" in the law, which they've since closed. Weird how it doesn't apply to any other catch-up or streaming service though - so you can watch BBC programs on, for example, Netflix. Although it takes a while for them to appear there!

 

[McLaren]

Wait, you actually have people come into your house just to make sure you have a License for any live television?

What in the Carmen San Diego as an American.

 

[Touring Mars]

he's sixth in line to the throne.

Given the number of people who turned up, I'm surprised that the queue for the toilet wasn't longer than that...

--

In all fairness, it was an impressive sight and I'm glad everything went well for them on their big day. Arguably the highlight of the day was watching the awkward reactions to the black American preacher's sermon that mentioned everythjng from slavery to the advent of the combustion engine - though one observer noted that at 14 minutes in length it must have been one of the shortest sermons he's ever given.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Wait, you actually have people come into your house just to make sure you have a License for any live television?

What in the Carmen San Diego as an American.

The one time they paid me a visit the guy refused to enter my house at all, even when I offered him to I said I'd just moved in but would sort it out, and he left. It was all very civil.

 

[HenrySwanson]

Will someone tell this bloody church in Kensington to stop ringing its bells

 

[Johnnypenso]

I was playing golf with a buddy of mine yesterday who emigrated to Canada from Britain when he was 2 and he asked me if I was watching the wedding and I said, "When is it?".

This morning I turned on 4 different local American networks I get over the air, saw 4 different sets of the usual talking heads, watched them gush for about 10 seconds, and, seeing no actual coverage of the wedding or anyone associated with it, turned it off. If a 2 or 3 minute summary pops up on my YT feed I'll take a look to see what all of the fuss was about.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Will someone tell this bloody church in Kensington to stop ringing its bells

Beverley Minster has been at it nearly all ****ing day. The 15-year-old did his usual trick of sticking his head out of the back door and shouting "He's NOT COMING BACK!", much to the (non) amusement of the Royalists next door who were settling down outside for sandwiches and proseckurrr.

 

[Famine]

Wait, you actually have people come into your house just to make sure you have a License for any live television?

This is a sort of yes, but/no, although thing.

So in theory the rule is that you need to have a TV Licence to operate equipment to receive broadcast television, so it's opt in. In practice, almost everyone does it, so it becomes almost opt-out. TV Licensing certainly seems to think so, and will send you threatening letters every few minutes if you dare to say you don't need a Licence.

Basically the opt-outs become a database of suspects.

They have a small number of detector vans (like... six) which go around houses that don't have a Licence to detect if they're operating equipment unlawfully. There are also inspectors who may call to check. However they have no power of entry and you can tell them to do one.

That will generally end up with a prosecution - they showed up at your house for a reason so you're guilty until proven innocent, and it's very difficult to prove to magistrates that you aren't operating equipment unlawfully. It's much easier to prove it to the inspectors, which is why I've taken the steps I have taken to ensure that it's not immediately possible to watch or record broadcast television, or access iPlayer, inside my house with any of my equipment - and any inspector can attempt to do so in their rather uncomfortable visit to my house.

 

[Biggles]

I'd forgotten about the weird TV licensing thing - there's something so 1950's about it. Canada, as usual, straddles the two worlds by having a "public broadcaster", but airing commercials anyway.

I didn't watch any of the wedding coverage myself, but turned on CNN a couple of times the previous day & they were gaga with anticipation. I think the whole racial/American angle was irresistible to them - sort of like the US was taking another step towards culturally assimilating the UK.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Wedding was worth it just to see some crap marching from the Royal Navy and RAF. Hilarious.

 

[polysmut]

Wedding was worth it just to see some crap marching from the Royal Navy and RAF. Hilarious.

If they're on boats and planes all the time they probably have different skills.

 

[ExigeEvan]

If they're on boats and planes all the time they probably have different skills.

If only that were true! Both services have far more time to spend on parade squeares than any of the army lads, but they choose not to.

 

[Liquid]

Pacers.

Funnily enough, this very morning I read that Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has called for an official investigation into Northern, saying that their performances aren't good enough. Reading through the feedback on Twitter, it's pretty damning. Not just the ancient rolling stock but the attitudes and equipment of staff; customers being made to purchase a second ticket on the train at full price because the conductor doesn't have a barcode reader to scan a mobile ticket.

For what it's worth, Northern still have 102 Pacers in their fleet as well as 190 Sprinters, which aren't exactly great either.

How railway travel works in Great Britain:

 

[Touring Mars]

Scotrail's favourite trick is to cancel late-running trains, forcing you to wait for the next train and making you even later. At the moment they are also struggling with overcrowding on the Glasgow-Edinburgh route because their new rolling stock hasn't arrived yet (appropriately enough!), and hence they often put on 3 carriage (?!) trains at the weekend, meaning that trains are often packed before they've even set off - good luck to anyone wanting on at the next stations. Meanwhile, they run 8 carriage (?!) trains off-peak on a Monday morning (after 9.15) when there is absolutely no need for that many seats...

 

[ExigeEvan]

In South Wales were supposed to have an express that goes from London to atleast Cardiff, usually Swansea and a few times a day Camarthen.

But they refuse to electrify the line past Cardiff because the route won't save any time. As if that's the point. So instead we have Hybrid trains that are a poor mix of both and more expensive.

Oh and theyret delaying electrifying the valley lines, including mine, because they can continue running ancient trains.

And so we remain at the bottom of the electrification of rail table.

 

[Liquid]

And so we remain at the bottom of the electrification of rail table.

Joint bottom with North Wales. We would kill for electrified trains in Gogtown. Overhead leccy trains from London terminate at Chester when they could go all the way through to Holyhead instead of the leccy train being replaced by an inferior Super Voyager or, on Sundays, having the Pendolino go to Chester then hauled by a diesel locomotive the extra hour and a half to Holyhead.

Direct trains from Wrexham to Liverpool would bring enormous benefits to commuters and employers alike. There is a direct railway line, has been for over 100 years, but you have to take a diesel train from Wrexham to Bidston at the southern end of the Wirral and change there for a third rail train to get to Liverpool.

And that's two of just three railway lines of any kind that are even in North Wales.

 

[Lizard]

Funnily enough, this very morning I read that Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has called for an official investigation into Northern, saying that their performances aren't good enough. Reading through the feedback on Twitter, it's pretty damning. Not just the ancient rolling stock but the attitudes and equipment of staff; customers being made to purchase a second ticket on the train at full price because the conductor doesn't have a barcode reader to scan a mobile ticket.

For what it's worth, Northern still have 102 Pacers in their fleet as well as 190 Sprinters, which aren't exactly great either.

How railway travel works in Great Britain:

Sprinters aren't too bad. At least I can ride a sprinter and be comfortable unlike a pacer

I miss living in Surrey train wise, the trains are decent down there.

Also what is wrong with the Voygers? They are decent trains.


I do agree that we are behind most of the first world though on rail issues.

 

[PeterJB]

In South Wales were supposed to have an express that goes from London to atleast Cardiff, usually Swansea and a few times a day Camarthen.

But they refuse to electrify the line past Cardiff because the route won't save any time. As if that's the point. So instead we have Hybrid trains that are a poor mix of both and more expensive.

Oh and theyret delaying electrifying the valley lines, including mine, because they can continue running ancient trains.

And so we remain at the bottom of the electrification of rail table.

It's been three years now and the gantries still haven't reached my hometown of Corsham. They were originally considering hybrid trains because apparently electrifying all 1.75 miles of Box Tunnel was too much to ask so al trains instead need to have a diesel engine to cover a tiny fraction of the line (which you can basically coast down when heading west). They've put down gantries that almost extend to Chippenham but still no cables.

 

[TenEightyOne]

GTR have got around this by simply going back to the drawing board and rescheduling every single service to make more trains available with far greater efficiency for passengers. A win for everybody!

Until they mostly got cancelled a few hours in...

 

[Liquid]

GTR have got around this by simply going back to the drawing board and rescheduling every single service to make more trains available with far greater efficiency for passengers. A win for everybody!

Until they mostly got cancelled a few hours in...

And in the video in that article most of the people asked about station skipping when a train is full simply shrugged, "I don't go there so it's not my problem."

What an outstanding attitude towards railway travel by everyone involved.

 

[Robin]

Sprinters aren't too bad. At least I can ride a sprinter and be comfortable unlike a pacer

I miss living in Surrey train wise, the trains are decent down there.

Also what is wrong with the Voygers? They are decent trains.

I do agree that we are behind most of the first world though on rail issues.

Nation wide the country really could do with new rolling stock. Too much unreliable and tired looking 80's and early 90's stuff knocking about.

The new Bombardier Aventra series is set to be the train to replace a few of these suburban/intercity units but they won't be delivered till around 2020+.