Rip Off Britain

[400ixl]

We are going to Disneyland Paris in a couple off days and I think it might reset my perspective as to what counts as being ripped off!

I hope my spelling is up to standard for this thread!

Are you taking a Motorhome and staying over?

If so, I'd appreciate any advice upon your return as we will be doing it in May.

 

[jean and robert]

Hi,
Yes Eddievanblitz is right it is all relative. On our last trip to France we stayed on a site at Vandieres (dept.51); for 7 Euros/night the site provides services including hook-up, showers, toilets,table-tennis and BBQ terrace. All this in a lovely setting within easy walking distance of a charming village. What's more as we are members of the France Passion scheme the rate for us was 0 Euros/night. In comparison the charge of £13/night that Eddie charges for his site, which appears to have similar facilities, does seem a rip off!
Jean and Robert.

 

[Wildman]

Well Doug I apologise if you were upset by my remark about a spell checker, it wasn't intended as poking fun just an observation. Many people have problems with spelling and I don't criticise them for it but a spell checker is not difficult to find or use and I personally find it easier to read words that are spelled correctly. I have the Google toolbar on my web browser and that includes a spell checker which checks everything I write as I go, if I make a spelling mistake it highlights it with a red underline so its easy to see if I've made a mistake.

As for laughing at your disability I most certainly wouldn't dream of it, I've been there myself and at one point I was in a wheelchair 50% of the time so I do know what it feels like.

Once again I apologise if I offended you, I certainly didn't mean to.

D.

P.S. you still didn't answer my question

or even spelt, hee hee Spell checkers would not pick that up.

 

[Tony Lee]

Well Doug I apologise if you were upset by my remark about a spell checker, it wasn't intended as poking fun just an observation. Many people have problems with spelling and I don't criticise them for it but a spell checker is not difficult to find or use and I personally find it easier to read words that are spelled correctly. I have the Google toolbar on my web browser and that includes a spell checker which checks everything I write as I go, if I make a spelling mistake it highlights it with a red underline so its easy to see if I've made a mistake.

As for laughing at your disability I most certainly wouldn't dream of it, I've been there myself and at one point I was in a wheelchair 50% of the time so I do know what it feels like.

Once again I apologise if I offended you, I certainly didn't mean to.

D.

P.S. you still didn't answer my question

Actually D, the English language is so redundant that it is quite easy to understand even very poorly-spelt material. What IS difficult to understand is poorly-punctuated ramblings where commas are used in place of full-stops or worse, when commas or stops are missing altogether. As you said, spell-checkers are readily available and quite easy to use, but perhaps a punctuation checker might also come in handy.

 

[Road Runner]

or even spelt, hee hee Spell checkers would not pick that up.

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[Wildman]

Rip off Britain is not a new thing, To me vet bills that exceed the commercial value of an animal are a rip off, supplying drugs at a massive markup are a rip off, Farriers increasing their charges every visit to cover the mortgage cost of their new farm is a rip off, people who expect to live in luxury in massive property without working for it but expecting others to pay are a rip off. Governments giving billions of pounds away in foreign aid, then tax us to the hilt to pay for it is a rip off. we live in a rip off society it will never change so what is the point of complaining about it.

 

[eddie]

Hi,
Yes Eddievanblitz is right it is all relative. On our last trip to France we stayed on a site at Vandieres (dept.51); for 7 Euros/night the site provides services including hook-up, showers, toilets,table-tennis and BBQ terrace. All this in a lovely setting within easy walking distance of a charming village. What's more as we are members of the France Passion scheme the rate for us was 0 Euros/night. In comparison the charge of £13/night that Eddie charges for his site, which appears to have similar facilities, does seem a rip off!
Jean and Robert.

I wrote

For every example of being ripped off, I could find a similar example elsewhere. This campsite cost this……….Ah but I paid £30 for one in the middle of such an such! Sorry it is meaningless. I paid £20 and found a better cleaner nicer one next door for £10 I agree, rip off, but there again I would look a both before booking

I also see that you paid nothing to use the Passion scheme. The ethos behind the scheme is that you visit the vineyards stay as a "guest, not a customer" and buy things?

I can stay with my friends in France for nothing, and not be expected to buy anything at all, ever!

So I think that the pasion sites are ripp off :Angry::Angry::Angry::Angry::Angry: and will never use them


Frustrating isn't it

 

[ccl]

....... it will never change so what is the point of complaining about it.

Judging by the length of this thread now, I think all would agree that complaining is FUN and a very British thing to do. Even if its pointless

(Having got over my worries about my spelling on this thread, I am now worried about my punctuation!!!!)

 

[Road Runner]

(Having got over my worries about my spelling on this thread, I am now worried about my punctuation!!!!)

 

[errpaul]

Wow...this has all got very heated over the last few days!!
I agree that complaining is fun..it's what we Brits do best isn't it....complain about everything to eachother but not actually do anything about it.
We recieve poor service, but say nothing at the time, and complain to friends later.

I have recently spent a couple of months in the USA and it seems they complain about everything!:shout: Sometimes I thought it was a bit over the top, but at least they say it at the time I guess.

These are just my personal views, which are of course very generalised.

Yes I think we are taxed too much...but then other countries are taxed more. There is so much to say on this subject but won't go on too much

Basically I try to look at things on the sliding scale mentioned before.
If you think you're being ripped off, then don't pay it (don't risk prison by not paying your council tax though I do obviously mean this using some common sense!).

In my opinion what is a rip off to one person is a perfectly reasonable price to the next.
If you were buying a TV for example and saw it in one shop for £1000, and you buy it being happy with that price, then you would not say you'd been ripped off...but if you saw it on the internet for £750 you'd think you'd been ripped off.

We should all take more responsibility. I always shop around, always try and get a better deal (which does cause my wife some embarrassment!), and don't buy something if I think the price is unreasonable.

Now I've said my piece....wasn't that FUN:thumb:

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[sweetie]

Well I,m going to eddievanbitz in may to have a KHV Trackvision dome fitted which is 15% cheaper fitted than anyone else plus 1 night free on campsite so certainly does not rip off.:thumb::thumb:

Steve

 

[dave newell]

Don't worry Dave he is playing the sympathy vote. You never mentioned his disablility...He did. It's a ploy to garner support.

You responded quite reasonably as he suggested that all business's are rip of merchants. He said a couple of weeks ago that all camp sites were ripping people off as well.

Eddie

Its OK Eddie, I'm still waiting for an apology over the insult he threw at us about all businesses being dishonest ripoff merchants, not holding my breath though.

And as for all those who think "spelled" is not a proper word this from the Chambers English dictionary might alter your perceptions:

"spell1
verb (spelt or spelled, spelling)
1 to write or name (the constituent letters of a word or words) in their correct order."

Oh happy days.

D.

 

[sinbad1]

insult he threw at us about all businesses being dishonest ripoff merchants


ummmm can't find these words posted by Doug

but if the cap fits

 

[Wildman]

And as for all those who think "spelled" is not a proper word this from the Chambers English dictionary might alter your perceptions:

"spell1
verb (spelt or spelled, spelling)
1 to write or name (the constituent letters of a word or words) in their correct order."

Oh happy days.

D.

I stand corrected, the common usage however is SPELT in that particular context and spelled when something is spelled out, language changes all the time. I be living proof of that fact.
Yes I be rather than I am is correct usage in the West country. Originally from the Germanic Ich Bin, so there, we all learn someting new every day.

 

[lady jann]

I stand corrected, the common usage however is SPELT in that particular context and spelled when something is spelled out, language changes all the time. I be living proof of that fact.
Yes I be rather than I am is correct usage in the West country. Originally from the Germanic Ich Bin, so there, we all learn someting new every day.

would that be devonshire then ?? hee hee !




morning roger :thumb:

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[dave newell]

That's a good trick, toss out an insult, wait till someone bites then edit the post with the insult in to remove it and the person who bit looks a div! Oh well, if that's the way the game is played on here I'm out!

Bye, D.

 

[Stephen & Jeannie]

That's a good trick, toss out an insult, wait till someone bites then edit the post with the insult in to remove it and the person who bit looks a div! Oh well, if that's the way the game is played on here I'm out!

Bye, D.

I hope that "I'm out" only refers to this particular post and not the whole site !!! Your input to MH Fun is a valuable commodity and would sorely be missed... Don't let the rant of a minority sour the barrel of apples in which there is usually a bad one !!! Calm down, it's only a forum !

 

[Bulletguy]

Wow.......gettin hot in here!!

Bottom line is nobody likes feeling they have been 'ripped off'.

The internet has made life a lot easier now for people searching for the best price, which as i've found, can sometimes be thousands of miles away despite the damn thing originally being practically on your own front doorstep. Local town councils and traders in the UK have been extremely slow to recognise the power of the internet. The only downside being that there are people who either cannot use it or don't have the facility.

At least when paying for a commodity or facility where the price is on display, you can choose to 'walk away' and take your business elsewhere.

But being ripped off by a Garage is an experience i won't ever forget. I'd had a few jobs done by this guy before i tumbled what he was up to.....and it's not very nice. And you never forget. Needless to say i never go there now but it left me feeling bitter, angry and foolish.

 

[bigfoot]

So all businessmen are rip off merchants eh and the same logic applies that all Catholics are in the IRA.
I recommended a friend of mine to Dave Newell to do some work on his Hymer. Dave pointed out some faults to him that needed repair by a garage and introduced him to a workshop on the same estate. They repaired it to my friend's sastifaction,who was also very impressed by Dave's consideration and honesty. My friend will be using Dave Newell in future.
BTW my chum is a retired Police offiscer from the area,so he must know all the rogues!!

 

[olley]

Hi tooth chipped last night, got an emergency with a dentist this morning, 10 mins to fit a temporary filling £45.

Rip off? as a sharp bit of tooth was cutting my tongue to pieces I would have paid double

Olley

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[scotjimland]

When a Rip Off is NOT a Rip Off

Example:

You lose your keys and you call out an emergency locksmith at 1am ..you are told the call out charge is £60 and the rate is £80 per hour after midnight, or part thereof ..

The locksmith duly arrives, spends 1hr and 10min to gain entry to your home and presents you with a bill of .. £220

You protest, saying it's a rip off .. but you were told the rate before engaging his services.. so it may be expensive or even extortionate but it's not a rip off ..

However, if the locksmith was 'hanging the job out' to get an extra £80 .. that is a rip off ..


This is not a fictitious example, I was employed by such a company and was instructed to 'hang' every job out to get the maximum charge .. when I didn't, as it was against my nature to rip people off, I was told to either do it, ... or ship out .. I shipped out.. my conscience wouldn't allow me to blatantly rob people.

One employee spent a whole day at an old persons home re igniting a gas boiler which took him about 10 mins. he boasted about hanging it out for almost 8 hours , then escorted the old gent to the bank to withdraw the cash .. total.. £480 ..

That is a rip off .. and it's those kind of traders and tradesmen who give the majority who are honest a bad name..

 

[ccl]

When a Rip Off is NOT a Rip Off
.. when I didn't, as it was against my nature to rip people off, I was told to either do it, ... or ship out .. I shipped out.. my conscience wouldn't allow me to blatantly rob people.

One employee spent a whole day at an old persons home re igniting a gas boiler which took him about 10 mins. he boasted about hanging it out for almost 8 hours , then escorted the old gent to the bank to withdraw the cash .. total.. £480 ..

That is a rip off .. and it's those kind of traders and tradesmen who give the majority who are honest a bad name..

Glad to hear that you, and lots like you, are fair and honest. :thumb:Its just a shame we can all quote examples of 'rip off britain' when people like you have the guts to stand by your principles.
Perhaps its back to regaining a perspective and realising that the majority of people/campsites/dealers are like you i.e. fair and honest and it is just a minority which give all the others a bad name.
This thread started about campsites and has been all over since much to my amusement and interest I've learnt to check my spellign and punctuation, most carefully!
It also makes clear that rip offs are all about what you expect as the original post on this thread seemed fine to me. The site only charged if you used the pool rather than adding it into the price. That sounds fair to me providing it was clear in their pricing.

 

[jean and robert]

I wrote



I also see that you paid nothing to use the Passion scheme. The ethos behind the scheme is that you visit the vineyards stay as a "guest, not a customer" and buy things?

I can stay with my friends in France for nothing, and not be expected to buy anything at all, ever!

So I think that the pasion sites are ripp off :Angry::Angry::Angry::Angry::Angry: and will never use them


Frustrating isn't it

Hi Eddie,
Bit of cofusion here re France Passion scheme; there is no obligation to purchase anything, indeed many do not but we tend to where we can. Chatting with many owners most are very happy for you just to stay as they see it as providing an opportunity to explore the"real" France and see what a great country it is.
As you probably picked up from location the example given is a Champagne producer, who given cost does not expect you to purchase. We did however, after enjoying a pleasant tasting experience with owner in his cellar. Our bottle cost 15€. So in effect our stay cost nothing as we came away with a bottle of quality Champagne for our money. So maybe we are wrong and perhaps you send your customers away with equipment worth the site fee, so no rip off!
All the best
Jean and Robert

 

[eddie]

Jean and Robert

Why would you expect equipment to be given to you when you stay on a campsite? Very strange concept

I do always wonder when people expect absurd and unrealistic things, what they do (did) for a living? and on which planet

I was trying to explain that a comparison only works when you compare like for like. Comparing the price of two campsites is hard enough as cleanliness, facilities and quality affects the price greatly. trying to find like for like comparisons from one country to another is pointless.

Take Taunton as an example, we have three main places to stop. The motorway services at £17.50 for an overnight stop, Cornish Farm Touring Park:welcome: £13 a night and another which charges about £10 a night.

The facilities at the £10 night site are dirty, cold and really old fashioned,:thumbdown: there are no hard standings and it is fairly unkempt, overgrown and dirty. To some they don't even see this degradation, happy that they are only paying a tenner and perhaps think that I would be ripping them off at £13.00 Me? I think that the cheaper site is ripping people off :Angry: charging them a tenner to stay in such squalor, but the owners and the people that stay there all seem happy so I live and let live.

To those that think that £13.00 a night is too expensive we point them either to the motorway services (17.50) The horrid site (circa a tenner) or the local coach park (about twelve pounds for 24 hours last time we looked)

Eddie, Owner of the twice listed Top One Hundred Campsites in Britain, AA FOUR Pennant site graded at 83% who thinks that £13 a night is good value and is happy for dissenters to stay away leaving more space for everyone else