Cycling UK Forum

Mick F wrote:Why do they keep hassling you ....... particularly?

I have no idea, but it doesn't concern me at all,
In fact we laugh about it, but I think some of the content could be worrying to some people, particularly the letters that say "What to expect in court" and "We have opened an investigation". More vulnerable people may be frightened by these.

I just wonder how long they will keep sending them.

If it doesn't bother you, let them keep sending them.

It would get me very annoyed if it were me, and I feel that I would be wanting to take THEM to court over the matter for harassment. There are laws about harassment and it would be they who had egg on their face in the end.

It isnt just him, I get them and so do many others.

It is just a phishing technique, they can send out the letters for a very small cost and if it works on a few people they dont give a hoot about all the non-customers that they annoy.
I have similar letters from a debt company (for somebody I have never heard of or ever lived at this house).

To answer the original question, I have had a visit from an inspector and he didnt even knock on the door or look around outside, he just stuck a card through the door saying that he had visited.
Dont be too hard on these poor sods who are working for Capita, they probably got sent there by the DWP on threat of losing their Unemployment Benefit and they are working on a commission for every person they get to pay the fee. Obviously took one look at my house and decided it wasnt worth the effort.

Many people claim that a mention of fetching a camera to film them when they visit makes them move on rather quickly.

I receive the letters as a matter of routine and have had two "inspectors" visit.

The last occasion (2011-2012?), I was half way through stripping various components off the bike. Opening the door in dirty "rags" and oil covered latex gloves, said "inspector" looked a bit concerned at my appearance. Being fairly hacked off, I insisted he look around, though the more insistent I became, the more nervous he became (I suppose I was probably holding a chain whip and/or 12" spanner).

In the end he made a rapid retreat

I'm just totting up the number of forum members posting on this thread. It has already exceeded the number of people I have ever known not to have had a TV. It's very heart warming. It may however futher fuel the ire of those who believe that this forum has more than its fair share of, well, "old fogies"?

What I really want to say though is that the TV licence (and yes, I'm afraid I do still spell it with a "c", call me old-fashioned if you like) should vary in proportion to the size of the screen i.e. (not e.g.) its (without an apostrophe) square metreage. It's (with an apostrophe) not for any reason other than that I find large TV screens (plural, no apostrophe) vulgar in the extreme.

I'm biting my tongue...

I'm having a good chuckle (full stop and period)

Our Daughter1 is staying with us at the moment together with our grandson. He's a Rising Five.

Back at home, the telly is often on from getting up in the morning until going to bed at night. Grandson is very much telly addicted, mainly CBBC CeeBeeBees ...... or however you spell it.

He's been here since early last week, and at no time has he asked about a TV.

Why?
Because he has freedom to run and play here. We have a big garden and woodland, and he can occupy himself from dawn until dusk.

Can see that with our daughter (3). We live in a terraced house with the only outside space being a tiny yard at the back, consequently she spends a lot of time watching TV in the living room.

However she often visits her grandparents house, they have a massive conservatory (about 4 times the size of our back yard alone) and a football pitch* sized back garden, she rarely watches the TV there as she's outside all the time

*No idea if it's really a football pitch size, but it is massive.

Yes.
That's it Mark.

Grandson lives in Manchester with a postage stamp garden.

Here we have nearly three acres in total. Big rear garden and loads of space at the front and sides. He's not found his way into the woodland yet, but give him time!

Mark1978 wrote:Can see that with our daughter (3). We live in a terraced house with the only outside space being a tiny yard at the back, consequently she spends a lot of time watching TV in the living room.

There used to be a time when they would play in the street but bowing to the great god Motor Vehicles and the "paedophile behind every lamp post" media have seen to that. But there are lots of things you can do inside that don't involve parking them in front of the TV.

Whilst it's nice to have a lot of space, it's certainly not a pre-requisite for not having a TV.
Reading, games, having friends around, chatting, homework, other hobbies, going down the shops, helping clean the bikes - are all activities that can take place - and there are many many more.

Putting my head firmly above the parapet, TV's often seem to be used by lazy parents to keep the kids quiet <ducks>.

TonyR wrote:There used to be a time when they would play in the street but bowing to the great god Motor Vehicles and the "paedophile behind every lamp post" media have seen to that.

She's a bit young to be playing in the back lane just yet, although traffic on the back lane is infrequent it's still a worry.

But there are lots of things you can do inside that don't involve parking them in front of the TV.

And she has them tbh the majority of the time she isn't watching it and we've been trying to turn it off a bit more as she can't properly concentrate on other tasks when it's on.

Mark1978 wrote:And she has them tbh the majority of the time she isn't watching it and we've been trying to turn it off a bit more as she can't properly concentrate on other tasks when it's on.

You make it sound as if TV is her default option and that she controls when its on and off, not you. Its not a case of trying to turn it off. Just turn it off. Sure you'll get a reaction initially especially if she's been used to having the control, but you just need to be firm and unwavering and she'll soon adapt. But it does mean you'll have to spend more time with her playing and educating.

What really disappoints me though is the brain rotting rubbish that fills children's TV. It could be an opportunity to educate and inform but instead they fill it with vacuous mind numbing cartoons that make no mental demands on the viewers.