Search found 514 matches

by skicat
9 Mar 2020, 1:24pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Strange way to pay
Replies: 47
Views: 2126

Re: Strange way to pay

I'm surprised no-one has brought up 'correcthorsebatterystaple' yet :? We've been using diceware at work for a couple of years now (and using actual dice) and our passwords have never been more secure.
by skicat
12 Nov 2019, 12:58pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Google maps and OSGB grid references
Replies: 18
Views: 5333

Re: Google maps and OSGB grid references

This (http://www.nearby.org.uk/) site lets you drop in a pair of OS grid refs, and converts them into just about everything else. It's an ugly site, but the info is all there
by skicat
16 Oct 2019, 5:35pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Chip and Pin question
Replies: 51
Views: 2349

Re: Chip and Pin question

So the answer to "who has the final say in whether or not the transaction goes ahead?" is actually, Your Card.

Everyone else in the chain, including your bank, can say yes, approve it. But there's an algorithm on the card that can still decline the transaction. It can also approve a transaction without contacting the bank, if the bank has allowed that sort of transaction - not many do these days.
by skicat
15 Oct 2019, 12:28pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Chip and Pin question
Replies: 51
Views: 2349

Re: Chip and Pin question

Mick F wrote:Your bank.

Nope. It isn't your bank.
by skicat
14 Oct 2019, 1:34pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Chip and Pin question
Replies: 51
Views: 2349

Re: Chip and Pin question

Ok, here's a follow on question for you all. Given all the "actors" in play during a chip & pin card transaction, which of the following has the FINAL say, all things considered, as to whether your transaction will be accepted or declined. And I do mean the final say - who decides last....?

Your card
The chip and pin card reader
The person at the till
The computer in the back office of the supermarket (or wherever)
A computer at the supermarket's data centre
The card processor gateway (e.g. Worldpay)
Your bank

(I do know the answer to this one, and I suspect a few contributors to this thread do too).
by skicat
14 Oct 2019, 1:23pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: the North Coast 500: A Great Wilderness?
Replies: 71
Views: 7577

Re: the North Coast 500: A Great Wilderness?

staffs cyclist wrote:Otherwise generally its was n’t too bad but we avoided the A9, dropping down mid country southwards from Durness to Altnahara and on past the Cask Inn towards Lairg. Absolutely wonderful moorland road, no car passed in either direction in the 20 miles between turning off the official route and reading Altnahara


I cycled that road 5 years ago as part of a JOGLE trip, and I would say it was one of the nicest roads I've ever cycled on. Ever. I did meet one oncoming car - an old Rolls Royce Phantom V with a roof-rack on it and a contraption fitted to the front bumper. Using these two non-standard additions, the driver was successfully transporting a number of full-length fishing rods :shock:
by skicat
18 Sep 2019, 1:31pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Lucky baby boomers
Replies: 94
Views: 2723

Re: Lucky baby boomers

According to Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation#List_of_generations

Lost generation 1883-1900
Greatest Generation 1901-1927
Silent Generation 1925-1942
Baby boomers 1946-1964 or (1943-1960 depending which Wikipedia page you read!). Also called Generation W
Generation W 1961-1981
Millennials early 1980s - early 2000s
Generation Z mid 1990s - early 2000s

Obviously some gaps and some overlaps.
by skicat
24 Nov 2016, 7:08pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Shetland in 2 days
Replies: 16
Views: 2907

Re: Shetland in 2 days

matt2matt2002 wrote:The ferry from Lerwick to Kirkwall arrives around midnight.
So accommodation can be tricky.


Yes, I think the timetable says 11pm. I was planning to stay in a pub I think (preliminary research), so I would book this in advance and make sure they are prepared to makes arrangements in case the ferry gets delayed. I'm sure dozens of people must arrive to stay in Lerwick every day so I'm sure there are ways of doing it.
by skicat
22 Nov 2016, 8:11pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Shetland in 2 days
Replies: 16
Views: 2907

Re: Shetland in 2 days

phil parker wrote:I wasn't aware of the British Cycling Quest Challenge - I wish I'd known a couple of years ago as I could have ticked off the outer Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland and large parts of Scotland (as well as the IOW and many other areas of UK)!!


I know how you feel. I found out about it 2/3 of the way through a JoGLE tour, after having sailed right past about 7 of the clues.
by skicat
22 Nov 2016, 8:09pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Shetland in 2 days
Replies: 16
Views: 2907

Re: Shetland in 2 days

matt2matt2002 wrote:More details on the Quest, please.


Details of the British Cycle Quest are here: http://www.cyclinguk.org/british-cycle-quest. Essentially it's like a treasure hunt with 402 points to visit throughout the British Isles. They're broken down into 6 per county, and there are also 6 on each of Shetland, the Orkney, the Hebrides, the Isle of Man and the Isle of Wight. There's no time limit. For me, I envisage somewhere between 6 and 10 years depending on work commitments. Oh yes, you're supposed to arrive at each point by bicycle or other man-powered device.

matt2matt2002 wrote:Is that the kind of route you'll be following?

I've only done superficial planning so far, but it's looking like arriving in Lerwick early morning from Aberdeen (7.30?), then via Brettabister to Garths Voe. Back down the west coast via Haggersta and back to Lerwick (65 miles). I'd like to do that on the first day and stay in Lerwick. Day 2, down to St Ninian's Isle, on to Sumburgh then back to Lerwick (mostly retracing steps, total 53 miles). This is the day I'm more concerned about as I was hoping to catch the 5pm ferry from Lerwick for Orkney.

Splitting this into 3 days would obviously reduce the time pressure and allow me a bit of time for sight-seeing detours.
by skicat
20 Nov 2016, 7:36pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Shetland in 2 days
Replies: 16
Views: 2907

Re: Shetland in 2 days

andrew_s wrote:I must say, travelling out to the Shetlands, and then only sending two days togging up and down the main road, seems like a bit of a waste to me.


That has occurred to me, however I am fairly "time-starved" and I was planning to get the Orkneys on the same trip. By the time I've added the days to get there and back I am running out of leave. I could try and spread it out a little but it's always going to be a compromise. If I'm sufficiently impressed by the place I may revisit when I'm retired and don't have a full-on job that seems to take up at least 10 hours of every day and a good bit of my weekends too :(
by skicat
20 Nov 2016, 3:55pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Shetland in 2 days
Replies: 16
Views: 2907

Re: Shetland in 2 days

Perhaps I should allow more time. I hate that "range anxiety" feeling when I have to be somewhere (e.g. a B&B) and it seems almost impossible to make progress. At least going from A to B and back in the same day will probably mean a tail wind 50% of the time. Statistically speaking. Nothing is guaranteed of course.
by skicat
20 Nov 2016, 10:59am
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Caledonian Sleeper
Replies: 48
Views: 44826

Re: Caledonian Sleeper

robgul wrote:The early booking deals usually have the option of a bed at not a lot more . . . and certainly worth it if you're intending to cycle for any length of time on the day you arrive.


Oh yes, I wouldn't contemplate the seat option. I got a bed when I went to Aberdeen a couple of years ago, but that was an early bird deal. It's those deals that I haven't been able to find on the website lately. Perhaps there will be more of them now we're out of season.
by skicat
19 Nov 2016, 6:37pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Shetland in 2 days
Replies: 16
Views: 2907

Shetland in 2 days

I'm doing the British Cycle Quest (BCQ) challenge and trying to plan how to cover Shetland. Is it feasible to start from Lerwick and get to Garths Voe and back in a day? And likewise, is it realistic to do do Lerwick to Sumburgh and get back to Sumburgh by 5pm ? I appreciate this very much depends on my riding style - I tend to average about 10mph with a loaded tourer. I've done 60 and 70+ mile days before when I did my JoGLE, but I don't really know what to expect from Shetland in terms of terrain and weather. I'm thinking of going next May. Any insights would be useful.
by skicat
19 Nov 2016, 4:46pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Caledonian Sleeper
Replies: 48
Views: 44826

Re: Caledonian Sleeper

SimonCelsa wrote:Without any real advance booking or internet delving I managed to obtain tickets for myself and bike from Weymouth to Waterloo for £14 followed by a seat on the Euston to Inverness Sleeper for £55.


Which website did you use (I'm assuming website - perhaps it wasn't online) ? I haven't seen any discounted prices on the CE since it was taken over. Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong place :(