Vent: Rag and Bone Men.

Takeaway_Addict

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epHneMeLyis

Good song from a great album and great band!

trollopscarletwoman

Tropez wrote: »

I can appreciate in this difficult economic climate that seeing an opportunity and taking it is something to be proud of and impressed with. I just wish they wouldn't take that opportunity quite so early on a Sunday morning, every Sunday nor quite so... loudly.

It's a relatively new thing in these parts (although based on some Google searches not in the overall area) but the sound of some incoherent announcement made over what I presume is a megaphone, often accompanied by the sound of the music from Steptoe and Son is now par for the course around here and while I'll acknowledge that there probably are quite a few people not still happily snoozing away at 9am, I am and being awoken by this sound is literally headache inducing; not merely from the sudden awakening but from the several hours of complaining from my wife as well.

It's not even a single announcement. They must be announcing their presence in every street they visit. It is akin to trying to predict how far away lightning is striking based on the distance between the flash and the thunder. You are awoken firstly by the nonsensical verbal announcement but you know they're not quite here yet until you can hear the Steptoe and Son theme as well, at which point I think if you're outside you've probably suffered irreversible damage to your hearing.

I've seen Iron Maiden at Twickenham and I swear it wasn't as loud as when these people finally rock up in your street.

And while I will applaud their attempt at finding a viable source of income, I question this business practice? Annoying me in such a manner makes me much less inclined to provide them with unwanted goods for them to sell on. There should be a much better way to alert people that you will be in the area than repeatedly barking what amounts to incoherent gibberish through a megaphone accompanied by what I would assume is the copyrighted music from a BBC sitcom?

I think that being a bunch of decibell*nds will work against them in the long run. Some sort of positive PR campaign is required, perhaps a leaflet campaign and a written apology? That and a ban on the ownership of megaphones to anyone who calls their kid 'Aaaaarold.

Count yourself lucky.

Here in Wales they play 'They're be a welcome in the hillsides, they're be a welcome in the dales.....

The icecream van plays the same.

Emma_N

I live in a nice area (for Birmingham) and we get 3 or 4 Rag and Bone Men doing the rounds around on an average day.

They always seem to have pretty good quality bikes loaded up on the back of the van, hopefully they aren't targetting kids who are daft enough to leave their bikes unattended.

I heard and then spotted a white transit van doing the rounds this morning at 7am while I was out running. So much for a peaceful Sunday morning for people.

All I could hear was "Any old iron" followed by what sounds like a hunting horn playing again and again.

Gingernutty

Emma_N wrote: »

I live in a nice area (for Birmingham) and we get 3 or 4 Rag and Bone Men doing the rounds around on an average day.

They always seem to have pretty good quality bikes loaded up on the back of the van, hopefully they aren't targetting kids who are daft enough to leave their bikes unattended.

I heard and then spotted a white transit van doing the rounds this morning at 7am while I was out running. So much for a peaceful Sunday morning for people.

All I could hear was "Any old iron" followed by what sounds like a hunting horn playing again and again.

For some reason, a bugle or horn is 'traditional' round this neck of the woods. Sometimes the drivers mate plays it (sounding like a vuvuzela) or it's recorded and played out through a stereo speaker plugged through the dashboard.

purpleshoes_2

hollydays wrote: »

I think it's illegal to use loud hailers for plying for business. Contact your environmental health dept

Only after certain times at night, otherwise no ice cream van would ever chime

purpleshoes_2

Tropez wrote: »

I can appreciate in this difficult economic climate that seeing an opportunity and taking it is something to be proud of and impressed with. I just wish they wouldn't take that opportunity quite so early on a Sunday morning, every Sunday nor quite so... loudly.

It's a relatively new thing in these parts (although based on some Google searches not in the overall area) but the sound of some incoherent announcement made over what I presume is a megaphone, often accompanied by the sound of the music from Steptoe and Son is now par for the course around here and while I'll acknowledge that there probably are quite a few people not still happily snoozing away at 9am, I am and being awoken by this sound is literally headache inducing; not merely from the sudden awakening but from the several hours of complaining from my wife as well.

It's not even a single announcement. They must be announcing their presence in every street they visit. It is akin to trying to predict how far away lightning is striking based on the distance between the flash and the thunder. You are awoken firstly by the nonsensical verbal announcement but you know they're not quite here yet until you can hear the Steptoe and Son theme as well, at which point I think if you're outside you've probably suffered irreversible damage to your hearing.

I've seen Iron Maiden at Twickenham and I swear it wasn't as loud as when these people finally rock up in your street.

And while I will applaud their attempt at finding a viable source of income, I question this business practice? Annoying me in such a manner makes me much less inclined to provide them with unwanted goods for them to sell on. There should be a much better way to alert people that you will be in the area than repeatedly barking what amounts to incoherent gibberish through a megaphone accompanied by what I would assume is the copyrighted music from a BBC sitcom?

I think that being a bunch of decibell*nds will work against them in the long run. Some sort of positive PR campaign is required, perhaps a leaflet campaign and a written apology? That and a ban on the ownership of megaphones to anyone who calls their kid 'Aaaaarold.

9am in the morning might not be an issue when it comes to environmental health, its not exactly the crack of dawn (apologies to dawn, no offence meant).

Id just live and let live, as you say, someone is trying to earn a living in these tough economic times.

But that's me, what you do is entirely up to you.

PlymouthMaid

I didn't realise that rag and bone men had made a comeback - I remember being sent out with stuff in the 70s to the chap with the horse and cart. Not seen them around Plymouth yet.

hollydays

purpleshoes wrote: »

9am in the morning might not be an issue when it comes to environmental health, its not exactly the crack of dawn (apologies to dawn, no offence meant).

Id just live and let live, as you say, someone is trying to earn a living in these tough economic times.

But that's me, what you do is entirely up to you.

Tree huggers..:D

elsien

The four or five a day who used to cruise the streets all day appear to have decamped elsewhere, probably to one of you lucky lot.
I never thought I'd complain that when I dump stuff outside my house it now stays put.

hollydays

purpleshoes wrote: »

Only after certain times at night, otherwise no ice cream van would ever chime

Apparently not the case


http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2011/09/22/scrap-dealers-fury-at-noise-prosecution/

I could think of a better place for that bugle...