Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Annoying Little Episodes

My quest for a new quilt cover set from Aldi cost me a little more than expected, thanks to a chipped windscreen on the way to their store. Yep, it only took 6 weeks of country living to have a stone flick up and almost greet my nose in person. Thank goodness windscreens are made from tough stuff. If it had shattered, I would have panicked because my mobile service is non existent once I am out of my home town. I spend many hours driving these country roads with no phone reception.(I hope the kangaroos, foxes, wombats, porcupines and all the other roadkill I've seen realise that, and choose not to collide with my car).

Fortunately, before I had time to say "Oh, Oh, Oh", I rounded the corner & there was a windscreen repair place right there. 50 metres from where it happened. And yes, it was an O'Brien's. Half an hour, a crappy coffee (Hungry Jacks), a choc-muffin-&-juiced up little girl, and $150 later, I was on the road again. Home. Not tempting fate thanks very much.

So I tried again a couple of days later & of course the quilt cover set I wanted was gone. They had plenty of purple cushions left to match it, but not the quilt cover. Oh well!

My week also saw me take on my mobile phone service provider. They have very limited service in this area and like I said, it works in my home town, but as soon as I leave here, I get nothing. Nada. Zilch. And I only renewed my 24 month plan in April. Before we knew we were moving. They've told me they don't have to release me from my contract because it was my choice to move & their contract doesn't obligate them to provide service in my new area. They told my friend (who lives 2 towns away & has no reception) a couple of months ago that the big upgrade is coming in August & she'll have no problems. They told me that they can see until the end of the year & this area is not in any upgrades before then. They can't tell me about next year. So they've offered a reduction in my monthly payment. And they told me they knew it was of no help to me whatsoever. 

So, if I want a mobile phone service that actually works, I need to start one up with Telstra or Optus as well as keep paying my Vodafone one. I find it amusing that the Big W store up here sells Vodafone deals for phone & internet when they are in a town that has no reception. Misleading or what.

So I've taken it to the Ombudsman & they think I have grounds for complaint, even though the contract in April was signed in good faith. Now I wait for Vodafone's response. 

Oh yeah, and the dude on the phone laughed when I told him I need a phone that works because I could hit a kangaroo when I'm driving. Yeah mate, it may not happen in whatever country you are in, but it happens here. And it's a long way to walk for help.

What annoyed you lately?

Karen xx


1 comment:

Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit said...

What has annoyed me? CRAZY DOMAINS!! Check out my post of today. I have had a very very fascinating day (and I say fascinating when I actually mean frustrating and other F words).
Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit

http://www.deepfriedfruit.com.au/2012/08/day-1051-challenges.html