You know what really grinds my gears?

[theticklemister]

.................The only paper left around the place was the 'News Letter' with a sports pic on the back of sport stars from various backgrounds.................. and there is a fella called 'Danny Coulter' from Down GAA.

Its been a tough morning boys!!!!!!

[Croí na hÉireann]

When the wife follows you on twitter.

[gerrykeegan]

When the wife follows you on twitter.

Suggests a complete lack of trust!

[Croí na hÉireann]

When the wife follows you on twitter.

Suggests a complete lack of trust!

More to do with having a snear and winding me up. It's working.

[AZOffaly]

I must check that out

[Croí na hÉireann]

I must check that out

She's not snearing online yet. Christ it could get worse.

[BarryBreensBandage]

Ten Pin Bowling  - any sport i have tried, I have either fared ok, or (in the case of golf) can say to myself, "ok, you are crap, just enjoy the day".
But this fecker - I have never come away from a ten pin bowling game with feelings other than total disillusionment.
Last week my six year old daughter got a higher score than me.
I f***** hate ten pin bowling.

[ludermor]

People using this fukcing symbol '#' on everything they write!

[Gazzler]

People using this fukcing symbol '#' on everything they write!

#iagree

[ziggysego]

Charity collectors at the traffic lights of busy junctions. Is this just an Omagh phenomenon or is it more widespread? Virtually every Saturday now sees some one of them out in force. I don't know wherever the actual practice is legal or not, but it's an accident waiting to happen.

They're a nightmare in Aughnacloy on Ulster Championship days, when you're trying to get to Clones.

[Hardy]

Charity collectors at the traffic lights of busy junctions. Is this just an Omagh phenomenon or is it more widespread? Virtually every Saturday now sees some one of them out in force. I don't know wherever the actual practice is legal or not, but it's an accident waiting to happen.

They're a nightmare in Aughnacloy on Ulster Championship days, when you're trying to get to Clones.

Jaywalking is a crime in most countries. Here, it's seen as a manifestation of public spirit.

[theticklemister]

Charity collectors at the traffic lights of busy junctions. Is this just an Omagh phenomenon or is it more widespread? Virtually every Saturday now sees some one of them out in force. I don't know wherever the actual practice is legal or not, but it's an accident waiting to happen.

They're a nightmare in Aughnacloy on Ulster Championship days, when you're trying to get to Clones.

Ah lads 'twas a bit harsh FFS. They are only trying to get a bit of money for their charity any which they can. Any money brought in can help change a life.

[BarryBreensBandage]

Charity collectors at the traffic lights of busy junctions. Is this just an Omagh phenomenon or is it more widespread? Virtually every Saturday now sees some one of them out in force. I don't know wherever the actual practice is legal or not, but it's an accident waiting to happen.

They're a nightmare in Aughnacloy on Ulster Championship days, when you're trying to get to Clones.

Ah lads 'twas a bit harsh FFS. They are only trying to get a bit of money for their charity any which they can. Any money brought in can help change a life.

If charities are resorting to getting collectors to obstruct traffic, then it is a disaster waiting to happen. On Saturday afternoon (the charity in question will remain nameless) one collector was standing at the set of traffic lights on the southern GNR side of the Great Northern Road/Tamlaght Road/Railway Terrace junction which is chaotic and slow moving at busy periods and this time wasn't much different. Anyone who goes through the junction regularly knows that collisions can happen easier than usual due to its layout and the way the lanes are handled. If this collector or any other were to act in a fashion which contributed to an accident, they and/or their charity would be hit with a heavy bill. Not to mention that unless the driver has spare change to hand it takes time to find anything to throw into the buckets. If this causes delays just as a light turns green (and the green light doesn't last long) then there's problems. And that not to mention the possible legalities of collectors standing at the traffic lights in the first place.

Also, Irish people are in general one of the most generous givers to charity in the world through helping, volunteering or donating already (one report last year put them second behind the USA) and there's only so much blood you can get out of a stone. I refuse to donate to any charity that uses chuggers for fundraising; I don't want to be harrassed in the middle of a street nor will I give my bank details to some stranger in it. I give and contribute to charity when I can but I can't support every concern going, the same way as many GAA clubs doing development draws try to get in and go around before others in their county do, as they know if they leave it too late many potential ticket buyers simply haven't money to spend each time a club calls at their door. There is also the case of a number of charities whose running costs take up the majority of donations received leaving little left to actually help provide aid. Annoy people too much and you risk a backlash as people get fed up. Unfortunately, there are too many directors of charities who don't see aggressive methods of fundraising to be much of a problem.

Heard an interesting view on the radio today - apparently Irish companies, north and south give, on average, 0.1% of their profit to charity compared to an average of 1.2% in Britain. This guys view was that if this was increased that we would see less begging calls, therefore less staff required and increased money actually spent on the cause.
Could be BS but I thought it was an interesting angle.

[theticklemister]

Sure there was increase in begging-related arrests  in Dublin City last year. These people would not a need to beg if they did not have too.

The thread states-

'You know what really grinds my gears'

-  Fionntamnach- you came on with a hatred of people collecting on the road rather than the legality of their position.

Give to the needy.

[Eamonnca1]

I don't give to anybody in the street.  It's like feeding pigeons.  Only encourages the blackguards.  There's a handful of worthy causes I give to in my own time, and they're only ones that I know do a good job of it rather than becoming a fundraising operation almost for its own sake.  There's some cancer research outfits that seem to do nothing but raise more funds.  When I see how elaborate their fundraising efforts are I start to wonder how the hell there could be anything left to spend on actually researching the condition.  Some of them in the states, particularly concerning breast cancer and other female-specific cancers, seem to have become a fundraising industrial complex in their own right.

It seems like every time I go to pay for my groceries at Safeway I'm asked by the PIN pad if I want to make a donation to another cancer charity.  Every time I pay for pet supplies I'm asked by the machine if I want to help a homeless pet.  Pressing 'no' has become instinctive. 

And don't get me started on the homeless at the end of freeway exits.  That's flat out illegal in California, you can call the Highway Patrol and have them removed.  They can be a bit intimidating.  If you're driving with the top down they seem to take it as an open invitation to come over and start getting in your face.

Worst of all is the beggars in San Francisco. Aggressive motherfuckers. There's one petrol station in particular where they seem to hide in the bushes or somewhere and wait until you've started pumping before they appear out of the woodwork and grab the squeegee to start washing your windscreen.  I tell them to get their hands off my f***ing car and get out of my sight.  I would even say they really grind my gears. 

"Give the the needy" my hole.  When the same boy standing on the same corner has been asking you for change for five years and he doesn't seem to have all his worldly possessions with him you start to get a bit cynical after a while.  I've heard stories about them boys taking off after a day's begging and going home to an upscale apartment.