Light-fingered car cleaners in Stroud Green Road?

krappyrubsnif

Warning - if you are having your car cleaned at the car valeting and cleaning place near the World's End don't leave *anything* - and I mean *anything* -in the car. I've just discovered a Satnav cable, screen attachment and a set of in-car mobile phone connections missing from my glove compartment. It's my belief they were taken by someone at the cleaners a week or so ago. Naturally I never leave the Satnav itself in the vehicle and I removed anything else of value, but I can't believe a thief would stoop so low. I now have a Satnav I can't use and I reckon I'm £50 down, while some evil bastard is a happy man (or woman) at my expense. Stupid me. I'll be boycotting that place in future (and checking my spare wheel and jack). Any other reports of petty thieving bastards locally? Rant over.

miss annie

<p>Tut tut Krappy. You are a bad person for saying such things about people who have committed a crime. Do you read the Daily Mail?. </p><p>They are poor, disenfranchised people who deserve only your sympathy even though they have done something illegal. Poor lambs, they just need counselling and education and then they won't ever think a bad thought ever again. </p><p><br></p>

kreuzkav

@ Miss Annie.  I don't see one person condoning theft on here.  Illegal activity is wrong and punishable by law.  <div><br></div><div>As regards sympathy.  I feel sorry for the poor sods who have to clean out rich people's cars on minimum wage.  What a shitty job. Many of them probably have a good education.</div><div><br></div><div>Edit:  And sympathy is due to KRS too.  Theft is wrong, especially what he had taken.  As he said, it's downright  bad and the person is a lowlife, whatever station he/she has in life.</div>

krappyrubsnif

Kreuzkav, you are so predictable. Just because it is a shitty job doesn't justify stealing. We have all done shitty jobs some time or other. I was a night postman, a milkman, a tractor driver and a grass cutter at a factory and they were all shitty jobs, but I never stole from the customers or the public (or the firm). But I see that sobering up and on reflection you have moderated your views about the rights of the downtrodden masses (educated or not). Progress.

kreuzkav

Predictable but stating the truth.  When that place opened up near the station I saw it as some type of throwback to servlie upstairs downstairs days.  I too have worked in shitty jobs as a night postman, a waiter, a barman, a kitchen porter, a cycle courier.  But that car wash place is outside Western European social democratic ways in my view.  Something you'd find in a banana republic. They're not kids working there. They're fully grown adults some of them in their 30s or 40s.<div><br></div><div>I never stole from employers or anyone else.  Once tipex from a stationers.</div><div><br></div><div>And yes it was late at nigh when I posted but I wasn't drunk.  </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

kreuzkav

<font face="Arial, Verdana" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;">This might be of interest:</span></font><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;"> </span></font><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;">http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/economy/2015/11/dirty-dealings-how-car-wash-became-hub-human-trafficking</span></font><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br></span><div style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br></span></div><div style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br></span><div style="font-size: 10pt;"><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;"><br></span></font></div><div style="font-size: 10pt;"><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;"><br></span></font></div></div></div></div>

kreuzkav

And KRS, Perhaps you could report this to the police if you haven't already.  The more people who do so, the more chance there could be a raid on them.  As an investigative journalist I'm sure you could talk them into a sting.  Not sure about their priorities. 

verga

So from some of these comments I infer that this car wash is full of thieving illegal human trafficked immigrants stealing sat nav chargers and phone wires from cars and that the police should be called and they should be shut down. <div><br></div><div>What a hilarious comment about cleaning 'rich peoples' cars - as if that car wash is full of sports cars and porsche cayenne type - at least the humour hasn't entirely dissipated on this site.  Ditto the upstairs downstairs servlie comment - as if having your car washed at a car wash is the ultimate bourgeoisie luxury - again, hilarious</div><div><br></div><div>The chances are they probably just heaped up the chargers and chucked them away by mistake and that they are honest, normal people trying to earn a living</div><div><br></div><div>(krappy - try eBay or amazon for replacement chargers and phone bits.  PS how much grass was there to cut at the factory?) sounds terrible<br><div><br></div><div><br><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div>

kreuzkav

Come on Verga, it's called debate.  I'm not the one accusing them of being thieving but those hand wash places seem a bit odd to me.   You're coming up with some weird connections.   . I think the workers are trying to make a living but my first impression of the place was very dim.  Like a Victorian workhouse for cars.   If I had a car, I'd wash it myself.  I have walked by it and noticed 4 wheel drives and sports cars and the owners strutting round the place on their phones like they were god's gift.  But I imagine Krappy driving a more sedate second hand ford fiesta.  In fact I thought of him as very hands on.  A man who would wash his own car.  But sometimes people don't have the necessary equipment to do so.    <div><br></div><div>I also take a dim view of doormen at posh hotels.  Not the men or women themselves but the whole servile thing.   I work in central London and pass them sometimes and I cringe  at how servile they are to guests.  But they probably make a good living from the job.   Most people don't need someone to open a door for them.  </div><div><br></div><div>Looking forward to more debate on here.  It's been lacking of late.  And I'm not abusing anyone.  </div>

verga

Like rich people are the only people who have mobile phones and everyone is out washing their car on a Sunday morning making small talk about golf and football? it's not the 80s you know!

kreuzkav

I was thinking earlier of the 80s and people waxing their cars.  Times have changed.  Making sandwiches, washing your car,  landlines attached to walls.  Jumpers for goalposts. I've never had a car but have washed my parents one.  Still think of those hand car wash places as a bit like workhouses.  But it's hardly a war crime getting your car washed at one.  The only crime is probably having your sat nav attachments taken or misplaced.   

TheMimsy

<div><br></div><div><a href="/profile/180/krappyrubsnif" class="Username" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(42, 100, 150) !important; background-position: 0px 0px;">krappyrubsnif</a>:  have you tried speaking to the owner and raising the issue?</div>

miss annie

<p>I know two doormen well. David, the old fella on the side door at Fortnum & Mason, and Harry at the Ritz both earn good salary and hundreds a week in tips! As well as the gifts that Harry gets from regular guests. </p><p> Almost applied for the F&M door greeter job myself a couple of years ago. </p>

miss annie

<p>@krappyrubsnif I hate to say I told you so but...</p>

krappyrubsnif

What did you tell me Miss annie?   Like all men (according to Mrs K anyway), I never listen.

miss annie

That you'd get told off for suggesting that the people at the car wash might not have been angels. There was a discussion about stabbings recently which went the same way. You can't suggest that people are anything other than blameless angels, if someone does something illegal it's a mistake or someone else's fault.

kreuzkav

@ Miss Annie. No one is suggesting they are angels.  A boycott was called for based on property going missing.  I'd feel the same if I took my car (if I had one) there to get it washed and something was taken.  The issue of the ethics of these car wash places was then brought up.  A valid one.  Others on here have given back some good points.  

krappyrubsnif

No - in this case it's called 'blame the victim'.<div><br></div><div>KK has somewhat hilariously transformed me into an iPhone-toting banker in a 4-wheel drive who regularly hands his bags to doormen at posh hotels.....well, something like that.........I can see I'm going to have to trade in the Ford Fiesta.</div><div><br></div><div>More later.   I am too posh for this board and have to watch War and Peace.<br><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>

kreuzkav

I think Mr KRS, you have done so.  I imagine you as a rugged Ford Fiesta man who fixes and cleans his own car, beats people at chess and whips up a good meal.  <div><br></div><div>I've never read War and Peace.  Is it now on TV?</div>

krappyrubsnif

Yes, KK, your New Statesman link is indeed interesting.<div><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 14px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/economy/2015/11/dirty-dealings-how-car-wash-became-hub-human-trafficking" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(42, 100, 150) !important; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial;"><br>http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/economy/2015/11/dirty-dealings-how-car-wash-became-hub-human-trafficking</a></span></span><br></div><div><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 14px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 14px;">I can well believe that illegal and trafficked immigrants are working in slavery at some of these car washes.  I have no idea what to do.  Am I supposed to drop in and ask the management if they're operating a slave carwash and how they treat their workers?   I would certainly have more sympathy over pilfered trinkets if the workers are being trafficked, yes.   Anyway I think my warning still stands - empty your glove compartment (and maybe, hang around to watch the job being done while giving instructions to your stockbroker, the nanny and the servants on your iPhone).</span></div><div><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 14px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 14px;">By the way, whoever nicked the cables/connections took the ones that work and left behind the two that are broken, which I rather think negates Verga's heart-warming suggestion that '</span><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">they probably just heaped up the chargers and chucked them away by mistake.'  Nice idea. Hmmm.</span></div>

kreuzkav

Again, I wasn't trying to blame you, but the car wash always seems a bit odd to me. .<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Perhaps I was insensitive.    Not having to need the service probably gives me a more critical view of it.  Maybe not.  And I've been a victim of theft.  In the bad old days I was mugged in Hackney.  I was still a teen.  The flat I shared with a girlfriend was burgled 15 years ago.  150 of 200 cds were taken, as well as my passport and other things.  And I love my music. I've also been pick pocketed.  I did state theft is horrible and I know how it feels.    I did try to divide your theft, with the wider car wash scene issue. </span>

Papa

I'm intrigued by the 'wider car wash scene issue'...<div><br></div><div>I would suggest that while its unlikely the people working there are getting paid bumper wages, actually the car washes themselves are probably a pretty lucrative business. </div><div><br></div><div>A lot of cars go through those places, they probably turnover a fair bit more than many local businesses. Hopefully, that means some money flows down to the people working there.</div><div><br></div><div>I use the one on Upper Tollington Park just by the Nandos crossroads. They do a great job. £5 outside, or £10 in and out. The reason why I pay them to wash my car is because they do an infinitely better job than I can in a much shorter space of time for just £5.</div><div><br></div><div>Rather than me spending almost an hour trying to get my car that clean - which is below the cost of my time - my £5 goes to a business that can do it in 15 minutes and the money wanders off into the local economy. </div><div><br></div><div>The Deli at 80 also benefits from me buying a coffee (and maybe a sausage roll) and a cookie for my kids while we wait. The kids are delighted because dad took them out for a treat and my wife is probably most pleased as she gets a brief bout of peace and quiet.</div><div><br></div><div>I should also add that a badge bit of trim fell off the side of my car a while back and I thought someone had nicked it when it was parked. A few weeks later, I went back to the Upper Tollington car wash, where the woman working there dashed off inside and then came running out and said 'is this yours?' </div><div><br></div><div>It was the badge that had fallen off when I had last had the car washed and she had held onto it for me, she said she was really sorry but they obviously had no way of getting hold of me and so had just held onto it on the basis I would come in again.</div>

Sutent

When I had a car I used to use car wash by Nandos. Car washing is too time consuming especially if you have to lug around a bucket of water from a first floor flat. They used to do inside and outside for £10 and do a very good job. I used to leave loose change around in the car all the time and they used to kindly pick up all the money and put it in a neat pile for me. Its a tough job especially when washing cars in the freezing cold with cold water cant be fun. <div><br></div><div><br></div>

krappyrubsnif

Good to know. I'll use them next time. £10 sounds a ridiculously small amount though. Next time could be a long way off. We only get the stretch limo washed and valeted about once every two years, after a particularly muddy season, or when we can't stand the stench, crisp wrappers and dog urine (just joking) any longer. (Think that guarantees nobody will be asking me for a lift for a while.) As others have said, car cleaning is a time consuming, unpleasant and especially pointless activity. And there are no teenagers left to do it for me.

verga

maths on yellow car wash:<div><br></div><div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="337" style="border-collapse: collapse;width:253pt"> <colgroup><col width="221" style="mso-width-source:userset;mso-width-alt:8082;width:166pt"> <col width="116" style="mso-width-source:userset;mso-width-alt:4242;width:87pt"> </colgroup><tbody><tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" class="xl65" width="221" style="height:15.0pt;width:166pt">time per car mins</td> <td align="right" width="116" style="width:87pt">20</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">cars per hour</td> <td align="right">6</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">£ per car </td> <td align="right">10</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">income per hour</td> <td align="right">60</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">hours open</td> <td align="right">10</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">income per day</td> <td align="right">600</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" class="xl65" style="height:15.0pt">income per year</td> <td class="xl63" align="right">216,000</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt"></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" class="xl65" style="height:15.0pt">wages:</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">per hour</td> <td align="right">8</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">staff numbers</td> <td align="right">4</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">wage per day</td> <td align="right">320</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" class="xl65" style="height:15.0pt">wage per year</td> <td class="xl63" align="right">115,200</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt"></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">rent</td> <td class="xl63" align="right">15,000</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt"></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">sundry </td> <td></td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">water/elec/soap</td> <td class="xl63" align="right">10,800</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt"></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" class="xl65" style="height:15.0pt">profit before tax</td> <td class="xl63" align="right">75,000</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">operating margin</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">35%</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt"></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">tax</td> <td align="right">15000</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" class="xl65" style="height:15.0pt">profit after tax</td> <td class="xl63" align="right">60,000</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">margin post tax</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">28%</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt"></td> <td class="xl64"></td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">petty thieving income (no tax due)</td> <td class="xl66" align="right">8.50</td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt"></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr height="20" style="height:15.0pt"> <td height="20" style="height:15.0pt">total income</td> <td class="xl67" align="right">60,008.50</td> </tr></tbody></table></div>

krappyrubsnif

Ha!   I'm opening a car wash.   Who's in?     I think they can afford to buy me a new Satnav cable.

Ali

<p>The new statesman  article is just about the Car Wash Advisory Service  which is a trade  body complaining it can't charge a £100 a valet.</p><p><a href="http://www.carwashadvisoryservice.co.uk/index.php">http://www.carwashadvisoryservice.co.uk/index.php</a></p><p>It is bit like blac cab drivers complaining about Uber.</p><p> </p><p>What does a night postman do every night?  Two (Krappy & KK)  have owned  up to being one are there any more out there.  I have been  a day postman and got to ride one of the terrible post office bikes. </p><p> </p>

Sutent

I was wondering that too. What is a night postman?<div><br></div><div>@Verga - you must have a lot of time on your hands</div>

verga

no, it just took me a minute

verga

20 numbers, 3 seconds a number. 

krappyrubsnif

I was a night postal worker in Southampton Docks ages ago.  I worked nights doing postie stuff, sometimes sorting letters but mostly dragging sacks about.  What I recall most of all is humping sacks of parcels from railway trucks into massive PO vans, or vice-versa. Those sacks really sucked.<div><br></div><div>This was a useful experience in four ways. (1) I hated working nights, still do  (2) I knew I wasn't going to be a postman for ever (3) I acquired a crosswords habit (it was freezing, and boring, while we waited for the next truck to arrive I would go in a corner with a book of crosswords to keep my brain ticking over and I've done the Times or Guardian crossword ever since).</div><div><br></div><div>And (4) was most significant.  I used to walk home through Southampton at about 5am through empty streets, eerily quiet (there was no clubbing then) with no-one about, and every night I passed the imposing, dark Citizen Kane-like offices of the Southampton Evening Echo.  I thought: 'I wonder what goes on there.  People work there.   Maybe I could!'   Seemed kinda glamorous.    Six months later I got a job as a trainee reporter in a newspaper office (somewhere else) and never bothered with the postal service again.</div><div><br></div><div>Still can't do a balance sheet like Verga though.  Respect.</div>