What cheeses me off

[JohnM]

I'm too much of a control freak for cruise control.

I'd rather have it than not on a country drive where I might cover very high hundreds of clicks in a day. Far less tiring.

I omitted to mention that the speed sign recognition is not only when using cruise control.

It also displays the current speed limit on the dash (including school zones when active) and chimes when the speed is exceeded by a nominated amount. I set mine to do so at 5kph over, which allows for the universal over-indication in car speedos of about 3-3.5kph.

It's very useful for avoiding Rooy's 'muscle memory' effect or just a lapse in concentration.

My vehicle is not a super upmarket model, but it is very new. The radar proximity sensing has been around for yonks; it's the camera sign recognition that is newer. I think it's excellent.

 

[drron]

It sounds like some of you need a vehicle with adaptive cruise control. In addition to the usual radar-based functionality controlling following distance, the camera recognises speed limit signs and changes the speed autonomously. I also suspect, from a couple of seemingly 'spooky' incidents, that it can use the GPS location to know the speed limit (eg. when turning off a side road onto a main road but before encountering a speed sign for the camera to recognise.)

Especially good for country driving. Don't have to touch the brakes or accelerator going into/out of a slower zone.

Unfortunately ours sees a 40 Kph school speed sign and thinks it operates 24/7.

 

[JohnM]

Unfortunately ours sees a 40 Kph school speed sign and thinks it operates 24/7.

Perhaps a software update may fix that?

 

[tgh]

camera sign recognition that is newer. I think it's excellent.

Agree , seriously useful stuff...installed but sadly disabled on current wheels…
I could pony up the 100k changeover for lane keeping and st sign recog..( which is about all extra I would get for 5 years model evolution….)

 

[Cossie]

What cheeses me off? Sydney road tolls, greedy b………….,

and Saint Kilda football club, once again they start the year with what should have a top four finish after 5 games…..

Then, as usual, they fall in a heap when it really matters. sigh…….

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Airlines that apologise for a delay ‘due to the late inbound aircraft’.

As if the aircraft itself can be responsible for the delay!!!

If it’s due to crew shortages, mechanical issues, ATC or weather… just tell us!

 

[Pushka]

Airlines that apologise for a delay ‘due to the late inbound aircraft’.

As if the aircraft itself can be responsible for the delay!!!

If it’s due to crew shortages, mechanical issues, ATC or weather… just tell us!

And Thankyou for your patience! Well, I'm not.

 

[JohnK]

I've been patiently waiting for my RedEnergy quarterly bill to arrive and looks to be 1 week later than normal at this time of the year.

My last 2 bills have been $270 and $290 and I get the feeling the new bill is $500+ as I can see an amount on the account due 02/08/2023 but cannot view the bill.

I know our usage has not increased. If it has only marginal increase. I know rates went up early July but please don't tell me they apply the new rates to the whole 3 month period even though the new rates have only been effective for 2 weeks.

 

[MG1]

1. How is it that every hotel, even from the same chain, has a different mechanism to operate the bath/shower? I must have had to figure out a dozen or more variations. Some had a tap for every option - none of them marked. Some combine everything into one complex mechnism - pull for shower, push for HH spray, turn inner knob for temperature and outer ring for pressure etc. Glad I'm patient. And while on the subject, how about taps you can only operate by stepping under the cold water to operate.

I remember that; very frustrating.

 

[Flashback]

I've been patiently waiting for my RedEnergy quarterly bill to arrive and looks to be 1 week later than normal at this time of the year.

My last 2 bills have been $270 and $290 and I get the feeling the new bill is $500+ as I can see an amount on the account due 02/08/2023 but cannot view the bill.

I know our usage has not increased. If it has only marginal increase. I know rates went up early July but please don't tell me they apply the new rates to the whole 3 month period even though the new rates have only been effective for 2 weeks.

Is that it?! Our bill is roughly the same per quarter, well, more actually but in £ rather than AUD.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I've been patiently waiting for my RedEnergy quarterly bill to arrive and looks to be 1 week later than normal at this time of the year.

My last 2 bills have been $270 and $290 and I get the feeling the new bill is $500+ as I can see an amount on the account due 02/08/2023 but cannot view the bill.

I know our usage has not increased. If it has only marginal increase. I know rates went up early July but please don't tell me they apply the new rates to the whole 3 month period even though the new rates have only been effective for 2 weeks.

I agree… it should only apply to the period from the rate increase. Anything earlier should be at the old rate.

 

[Flashback]

In the UK, whenever there is a price change either on the standing charge or the unit rate they recommend taking a meter reading on the day or the day before. That way you won't end up with an estimated rating and helps with things like that.

I can't remember if you get estimated usage bills in Oz or not.

 

[JohnK]

Is that it?! Our bill is roughly the same per quarter, well, more actually but in £ rather than AUD.

I don't know. As I said we use pretty much the same. Fridge. Washing machine. Microwave. Stove. Charge phones/tablet/computer. Don't watch TV much.

I just wonder if the amount on my account is wrong.

 

[Pushka]

I don't know. As I said we use pretty much the same. Fridge. Washing machine. Microwave. Stove. Charge phones/tablet/computer. Don't watch TV much.

I just wonder if the amount on my account is wrong.

Likely correct and likely correctly accounted for. It's what is killing families and businesses right now. Last night in the restaurant they'd turned off heating. We sat in our coats.

 

[CMA222]

In the UK, whenever there is a price change either on the standing charge or the unit rate they recommend taking a meter reading on the day or the day before. That way you won't end up with an estimated rating and helps with things like that.

I can't remember if you get estimated usage bills in Oz or not.

@JohnK I received a notification from Red Energy mid-June of the increase in rates effective from 1 July. It obviously only applied to usage after that date. My electricity is a smart meter so readings are sent automatically and on the afternoon of 30 June the gas meter reader was in my front yard taking the reading.

 

[JohnK]

Not the end of the world but bought daughter an el cheapo remote control dog.

Went to put the batteries in remote control and was able to unscrew and screw back easily.



Went to unscrew the battery case of the dog and encountered this screw and almost impossible to unscrew and then screw back in as the screwdriver keeps turning and turning.



The screw looks like it has been unscrewed/screwed back on many times. This is brand new. How is that even possible? Please don't tell me they use second hand screws? Easy fix as I'll take and use one of the other screws.

 

[JohnK]

Likely correct and likely correctly accounted for. It's what is killing families and businesses right now. Last night in the restaurant they'd turned off heating. We sat in our coats.

Not sure it's correct. Something is wrong.

How when nothing has changed? They've been using estimated usage up to now and now actually read the meter? They did this in the beginning and told them to stop and use actual reading.

- Jan 22 avg 10.39 ($364)
- April 22 avg 9.32kWh ($248 wife/daughter went to Thailand March)
- July 22 avg 4.2kWh ($157 spent 30 days in Thailand and time in Sydney)
- Oct 22 avg 9.86kWh ($285)
- Jan 23 avg 7.74kWh ($267 wife/daughter back)
- Apr 23 avg 8.64kWh ($291)
- Jul 23 avg 17.96kWh ($517)

We've been here 4y5m and all this time with Red Energy and our highest usage was 10.39kWh and all of a sudden we're using 17.96kWh with no additional appliances. Have they been estimating usage so instead of having a uniform usage across the board it looks bad now. Evil.

And with all these obscene profits they can't be bothered providing customer service. Waiting and waiting on the phone.

 

[Pushka]

Not sure it's correct. Something is wrong.

How when nothing has changed? They've been using estimated usage up to now and now actually read the meter? They did this in the beginning and told them to stop and use actual reading.

- Jan 22 avg 10.39 ($364)
- April 22 avg 9.32kWh ($248 wife/daughter went to Thailand March)
- July 22 avg 4.2kWh ($157 spent 30 days in Thailand and time in Sydney)
- Oct 22 avg 9.86kWh ($285)
- Jan 23 avg 7.74kWh ($267 wife/daughter back)
- Apr 23 avg 8.64kWh ($291)
- Jul 23 avg 17.96kWh ($517)

We've been here 4y5m and all this time with Red Energy and our highest usage was 10.39kWh and all of a sudden we're using 17.96kWh with no additional appliances. Have they been estimating usage so instead of having a uniform usage across the board it looks bad now. Evil.

And with all these obscene profits they can't be bothered providing customer service. Waiting and waiting on the phone.

The thing that is wrong is the increase in price of electricity. However when you get the account you can check the accuracy. If the connection rate per day has increased significantly then for that measurement usage is irrelevant.

 

[Lynda2475]

If home more than last winter you may be using more power for heating - heaters and air conditioners on heat mode use a lot of electricity as do dryers (which may be used more in winter).

You can take a photo of your meter at the start and end of each billing period to ensure they have not read incorrectly.

Also check you are on the best plan, when shopping around Red Energy was cheapest by far for me.

 

[Hvr]

In Victoria for electricity usage I check here everyday:

Site Login

It shows daily use and at what time I use the power. It also provides data on solar feed in etc.
Can also download longer periods of use if required.