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RE: Anything and Everything v2
(26 Sep 2017, 7:42 pm)omnicity4659 wrote That online or at the office? Smile

I'd imagine the office will be fine, especially if same day. If I know I'm going to go to the cinema later on, and park in the yellow mall, I usually buy my tickets on the way in, do what I need to do, then go for my movie.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
(26 Sep 2017, 8:29 pm)mb134 wrote I'd imagine the office will be fine, especially if same day. If I know I'm going to go to the cinema later on, and park in the yellow mall, I usually buy my tickets on the way in, do what I need to do, then go for my movie.

Brilliant, thanks  Smile
Anything and Everything v2
Now know how some of you's must feel when I've been posting in that annoying thread every 5 minutes, as I accepted a friend request from one of these people on Facebook... They got the boot. This has really opened my eyes though as to how annoying I must be at times, think I need to stop myself from getting to a really bad stage with it (although I have gone too far at times in the past).

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RE: Anything and Everything v2
(26 Sep 2017, 10:23 pm)Jimmi wrote Now know how some of you's must feel when I've been posting in that annoying thread every 5 minutes, as I accepted a friend request from one of these people on Facebook... They got the boot. This has really opened my eyes though as to how annoying I must be at times, think I need to stop myself from getting to a really bad stage with it (although I have gone too far at times in the past).

Sent from my F5321 using Tapatalk

Sometimes a safe place to get something out of your system helps you regroup and regain a sense of perspective.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
Cycling down the hope road today in Sunderland from south to north... Took a bend and my back wheel went... On oil... Ended up on other side of the road and I was so lucky there was no oncoming traffic otherwise I may not be writing this now.

I'm okay. Two bruises, major gravel rash and ruined a pair of £75 cycling shorts. Oh and my pride.

I bought the hope road to a standstill to!
RE: Anything and Everything v2
(16 Oct 2017, 10:29 pm)Andreos1 wrote *live footage from Michael's house as 'chaos' is caused by Hurricane Ophelia*

Saw at least 2 lids fliped open, earlier!

In all seriousness, I'm on the quiet side of the house and it's now LOUD!! My only hope is that the wind knackers the roof of the house we're buying once and for all and they're now bound to do some actual household maintenance.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
(16 Oct 2017, 10:48 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Saw at least 2 lids fliped open, earlier!

In all seriousness, I'm on the quiet side of the house and it's now LOUD!! My only hope is that the wind knackers the roof of the house we're buying once and for all and they're now bound to do some actual household maintenance.

I opened my window last night as i warm, worst choice ever, had to get up after 5 minutes due to it banging....

Still really windy this morning, walking up Grindon Lane was horrible, nearly got blew on the road.
Ooo Friend, Bus Friend.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
Looks like there's a bin on fire in Park Lane near the coach stands.

Not sure how long it was burning for

Edit: the Nexus bloke has now put it out.

Fire response has arrived now.

Edit: Gone now.


I never have a smootgh bus ride to and from work....
Ooo Friend, Bus Friend.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
Massive fire at Deptford 

UPDATE 19:20 - 48 firefighters & 12 engines in attendance.

Edit: Can't turn picture sorry.

Edit: Right next to the Go North East depot
.jpg 20180514_191600.jpg
Ooo Friend, Bus Friend.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
Shame about the house, was a bit of a landmark when arriving into Hartlepool, also around the corner from a lass I used to see.

Anyway I don't know why, but I've been finding that I'm not enjoying the hobby as much as I used to, especially in the North East over the past year or so. I know there is a number of reasons which I'm not going to state. Just it's getting me a bit down, I went out bus riding on Thursday, and by mid afternoon I just wanted to go home (in the end I sat on the Metro the rest of the day), but I'm getting easily annoyed with various things etc even though I shouldn't. I just cannot pinpoint why or don't know what to do to get me out of this rut.
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Who needs heroes anyway? Villians have more fun.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
(08 Jun 2018, 11:58 pm)Rapidsnap wrote Anyway I don't know why, but I've been finding that I'm not enjoying the hobby as much as I used to, especially in the North East over the past year or so. I know there is a number of reasons which I'm not going to state. Just it's getting me a bit down, I went out bus riding on Thursday, and by mid afternoon I just wanted to go home (in the end I sat on the Metro the rest of the day), but I'm getting easily annoyed with various things etc even though I shouldn't. I just cannot pinpoint why or don't know what to do to get me out of this rut.

A few enthusiasts seem to be losing interest in the bus scene around here, I feel there is little variety in buses and operators around and most modern buses sound quite similar and dull.

I have become a bit less interested than I was about a few years back when I first properly got into the hobby but part of my issue is that I have done just about every North East route that is worth doing. Quite like to invade Yorkshire on a Saturday as it is different enough to the North East and there is still a few bits of interest to me, always happy when I get one of Arriva Yorkshire's few remaining Optare Spectra's.

Decided to stop the daily uploads on my YouTube channel, the reasoning being the fact I simply can't be bothered with uploading them anymore as I find it quite time consuming and mentally draining, also I do actually have other things to do with my life.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
(09 Jun 2018, 8:20 am)Charles41 wrote I also do not enjoy this hobby half as much as I used to. For me it's the lack of organisation amongst enthusiasts that annoys me.

Charles

This hits the nail on the head for me. The enthusiast scene in the North East is absolutely dire, and the sooner people cotton on to that that, the better. 

We are so far behind other regions in terms of organisation. 500 Groups running day being the exception. Every rally I've been to further afield has ran like clockwork, it has been really well intended and supported and there is an all round better atmosphere.

The atmosphere point is really important. If you go somewhere and encounter arseholes, you'e less likely to want to go again. Until we stop mssaaging the ego of people like that, it'll never improve.

Rallies are the hub of our hobby. If we have a cracking event which we all enjoy, it'll help to enthuse us until the next one.
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RE: Anything and Everything v2
(09 Jun 2018, 3:23 pm)Michael wrote I kinda lost some interest a while back tbh...

Don't want to start a meaningful debate or anything, Michael, but are you willing to elaborate upon why you've lost interest?
RE: Anything and Everything v2
(09 Jun 2018, 3:29 pm)MurdnunoC wrote Don't want to start a meaningful debate or anything, Michael, but are you willing to elaborate upon why you've lost interest?

Not sure, might be because i don't have time to enjoy it anymore, i'm working 40 hours a week, Its also coming up to the end of the school year, which is adding on hours at work, always busy on a weekend.
Ooo Friend, Bus Friend.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
I personally used to get quite excited by the major network restructures that both Arriva and GNE used to partake in, because you knew there were gonna be new routes, new buses, new brands etc and a bit of variety. Now it feels like we're just plodding along with a few minor timing alterations, some second-hand buses for contracts at GNE and Arriva giving up members of their fleet to Yorkshire Tiger etc and not really replacing them with anything. There's definitely not the same excitement associated as there was a few years back, but I suppose less change is probably more beneficial to the average passenger.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
(09 Jun 2018, 3:17 pm)Adrian wrote This hits the nail on the head for me. The enthusiast scene in the North East is absolutely dire, and the sooner people cotton on to that that, the better. 

Would this be a bad time to point out that there is an enthusiast pretending to be me on Facebook, so if you get a friend request or Messenger request from a 'Matthew Jimmison' on Facebook, it ain't me as I don't send out requests.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
(09 Jun 2018, 3:41 pm)Jimmi wrote Would this be a bad time to point out that there is an enthusiast pretending to be me on Facebook, so if you get a friend request or Messenger request from a 'Matthew Jimmison' on Facebook, it ain't me as I don't send out requests.

Someone did try and friend me claiming to be you, however, I was unsure of their authenticity. In an attempt to ascertain whether it was you, I cunningly asked this person their opinions on bicycles and mobility scooters. When this person replied that they weren't bothered by them, I knew they weren't the real deal.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
(09 Jun 2018, 3:53 pm)MurdnunoC wrote Someone did try and friend me claiming to be you, however, I was unsure of their authenticity. In an attempt to ascertain whether it was you, I cunningly asked this person their opinions on bicycles and mobility scooters. When this person replied that they weren't bothered by them, I knew they weren't the real deal.

Lmao
Ooo Friend, Bus Friend.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
(09 Jun 2018, 3:53 pm)MurdnunoC wrote Someone did try and friend me claiming to be you, however, I was unsure of their authenticity. In an attempt to ascertain whether it was you, I cunningly asked this person their opinions on bicycles and mobility scooters. When this person replied that they weren't bothered by them, I knew they weren't the real deal.

Funny Rolleyes 

Mind, I did actually get some dodgy looks from a farmer on a bike in Binchester this afternoon as I refused to move aside on a footpath that was only wide enough for one person.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
(09 Jun 2018, 4:19 pm)Jimmi wrote Funny Rolleyes 

Mind, I did actually get some dodgy looks from a farmer on a bike in Binchester this afternoon as I refused to move aside on a footpath that was only wide enough for one person.

I believe you are the real Jimmi.
RE: Anything and Everything v2
If anyone has wondered where I am, yes, I'm still alive.

I also have to admit to losing a degree of interest in this hobby in the last few months. With sixth form comes a rather substantial workload, and, as such, when the weekend hits, I often just can't bring myself to go and spend a day chasing buses. My ability to get out as much as I once could, even with an increased workload, has also been impaired by a medical diagnosis several months ago.

Above all, though, I find that the toxicity of the enthusiast community has had a significant impact on my devotion to this hobby. I think there is too much of the fundamentally ill-educated and misinformed who take an inch and go for a mile, power-hungry busy-bodies, lack of personal hygiene and overall self-awareness, the inability of most to take a half-decent photograph, blatant attention seeking in order to bring about as a futile sense of belonging, and general backbiting and character assassinations, almost entirely on social media, for me to be able to genuinely wish to associate myself with at least half of the enthusiast community in the north east. I also blame social media a lot for the way this has happened. If you look at some of the stuff that happens in the enthusiast community, and then look at the medium through which it comes to fruition, you'll find almost all of it tends to be communicated through social media. Does anyone genuinely think that, with an absence of social media, there wouldn't be anywhere near half as many issues in the community than currently exist? I, for one, certainly do.

It really pains me to say it, but at this point, I honestly do believe that the enthusiast community is a sinking ship, and one that is going down as a result of the detonation of explosives from deep within its innards. My interest in buses remains, but my desire to disassociate myself with a number of people in the enthusiast community, entirely down to what a god-awful environment it is most of the time, has never been stronger.