Help ....I'm being held hostage!
Discussion
My in-laws have just moved house (built 1 year ago) and so we went to see them and as we walked along their drive to the car we smelt gas, not really bad but you could smell it.
So, I popped back today to check as we thought it was from around the area of their gas meter. One connection was not done up properly so I tightened that and checked for leaks, no smells at all in the box but there was at ground level about 6 or 7 feet away.
I discovered this must be coming from under the gravel and hard core between the gas cock in the road and the meter.
I got back to work and called Transco and asked who responsibility it was and the young chap said the gas supplier as it was pre-metered gas escape.
He then told me to turn the supply off at the meter straight away
"That won't make any difference becasue the leak is before the meter" I said.
"You still have to turn it off" he said
"Why's that" I said
"I don't know" he said, "becasue I have to say that" he added
"OK" I said
"What's the address" he said
"I'm not sure because they have only just moved there and I'm really only asking you who's responsible for that section of pipe" I said
"I'll need the postcode" he said
"Sorry, as I said - I don't know the address, I know whaere it is" and I quoted within a mile where it was "but that doesn't really help you does it" I said
"No" he said and continued, "you'll have to give me the actual address and the postcode"
"I'm very sorry but as I have already explained, I don't know because they have just moved in, I can take you there but I don't know the specific address and postcode" I said
"I can't let you go until you have given me the address and postcode" he said and then continued "Is it in Cornwall, Devon, Scotland, Wales"
"Don't be so facetious, I've just told you the county and nearest town and the village it's in but I'm afraid that no matter how many times you ask me I will never know the exact address and postal code" I replied.
I continued "Why don't you take my number and call me back in 10 minutes which will give me time to get their address"
"I'm afraid I'm not supposed to do that, you have a leak and it's dangerous and I have to get the details"
"But I have told you numerous times ....I DON'T KNOW THE BLOODY ADDRESS, my number is 07971 xxx xxx, talk to you shortly"
Surreal to say the least
So, I popped back today to check as we thought it was from around the area of their gas meter. One connection was not done up properly so I tightened that and checked for leaks, no smells at all in the box but there was at ground level about 6 or 7 feet away.
I discovered this must be coming from under the gravel and hard core between the gas cock in the road and the meter.
I got back to work and called Transco and asked who responsibility it was and the young chap said the gas supplier as it was pre-metered gas escape.
He then told me to turn the supply off at the meter straight away
"That won't make any difference becasue the leak is before the meter" I said.
"You still have to turn it off" he said
"Why's that" I said
"I don't know" he said, "becasue I have to say that" he added
"OK" I said
"What's the address" he said
"I'm not sure because they have only just moved there and I'm really only asking you who's responsible for that section of pipe" I said
"I'll need the postcode" he said
"Sorry, as I said - I don't know the address, I know whaere it is" and I quoted within a mile where it was "but that doesn't really help you does it" I said
"No" he said and continued, "you'll have to give me the actual address and the postcode"
"I'm very sorry but as I have already explained, I don't know because they have just moved in, I can take you there but I don't know the specific address and postcode" I said
"I can't let you go until you have given me the address and postcode" he said and then continued "Is it in Cornwall, Devon, Scotland, Wales"
"Don't be so facetious, I've just told you the county and nearest town and the village it's in but I'm afraid that no matter how many times you ask me I will never know the exact address and postal code" I replied.
I continued "Why don't you take my number and call me back in 10 minutes which will give me time to get their address"
"I'm afraid I'm not supposed to do that, you have a leak and it's dangerous and I have to get the details"
"But I have told you numerous times ....I DON'T KNOW THE BLOODY ADDRESS, my number is 07971 xxx xxx, talk to you shortly"
Surreal to say the least
simpo two said:
How could you be standing outside their house and not know the address? If you didn't know the address, how did you find the place?
Sat Nav?
I had the same thing the other night calling out a doctor for an elderly neighbour. As didn't know her postcode or date of birth their world fell apart.
Bit like the one on Wogan the other morning.
Phone rings.
Householder: Hello
Caller: Is that Mr X
H: Yes
C: I'll have to ask you your date of birth and mother's maiden name to check your identity.
H: Pardon?
C: I'll have to ask you your date of birth and mother's maiden name to check your identity.
H: But YOU are calling ME! Who are you?
C: I can't tell you sir until you answer the security questions, company policy.
H: Bit of bad luck you're having then.
Click..... dialling tone....
Phone rings.
Householder: Hello
Caller: Is that Mr X
H: Yes
C: I'll have to ask you your date of birth and mother's maiden name to check your identity.
H: Pardon?
C: I'll have to ask you your date of birth and mother's maiden name to check your identity.
H: But YOU are calling ME! Who are you?
C: I can't tell you sir until you answer the security questions, company policy.
H: Bit of bad luck you're having then.
Click..... dialling tone....
simpo two said:
How could you be standing outside their house and not know the address? If you didn't know the address, how did you find the place?
Sounds OK to me. I tend to remember where people live by such means as "second exit off the roundabout, third left and it's the one on the corner". Learning the postal address comes later, if at all.
Similar thing happened to a mate who called for ambulance and Police in Edinburgh.
A girl had been run over in a busy crowd but he didn't know the exact address, gave v.accurate description of where he was but the girl on the line wasn't happy, 2 policemen arrived as he was on the phone which he explained yet she theatened him with action if he didn't stay on the line! I think his battery ran out.
A girl had been run over in a busy crowd but he didn't know the exact address, gave v.accurate description of where he was but the girl on the line wasn't happy, 2 policemen arrived as he was on the phone which he explained yet she theatened him with action if he didn't stay on the line! I think his battery ran out.
Happened to me once, driving along the M1 (I think).
Saw some large lump of something on the motorway, and thought "Hmmm, shoudldn't be there, let's call 999".
So I did. (Note to anyone reading - I wasn't using the 'phone and driving, honest. Or maybe it was before the law changed, therefore it was perfectly safe.)
999 bint answered, put me through to Police bint, I explained the problem and she asked "What postcode area are you in?"
"I don't know, I'm driving along the motorway, I don't know the postcode area. It's between jcn X and Y of the M1".
"Sorry sir, I can't help you if you don't know what postcode area you are in".
Really, you couldn't make it up, it was so utterly ridiculous.
Oli.
Saw some large lump of something on the motorway, and thought "Hmmm, shoudldn't be there, let's call 999".
So I did. (Note to anyone reading - I wasn't using the 'phone and driving, honest. Or maybe it was before the law changed, therefore it was perfectly safe.)
999 bint answered, put me through to Police bint, I explained the problem and she asked "What postcode area are you in?"
"I don't know, I'm driving along the motorway, I don't know the postcode area. It's between jcn X and Y of the M1".
"Sorry sir, I can't help you if you don't know what postcode area you are in".
Really, you couldn't make it up, it was so utterly ridiculous.
Oli.
simpo two said:
How could you be standing outside their house and not know the address? If you didn't know the address, how did you find the place?
I was back in the office calling transco and I know where the house is as there are only about 4 houses in the lane anyway but I don't know the name of the road since they only moved in a few days ago.
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