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Oops! The Silly Mistakes Thread

Had recourse to vsit a cash machine this morning. Couldn't understand why it kept rejecting my bank card. 'What on earth is the problem?', one pondered. Was about to try one more time.... and realised I was holding my bus pass...

I once tried to pay a bill with my organ donor card. Cost me an arm and a leg.
 
McDonald's has apologised for a Halloween marketing campaign which promoted a dessert in Portugal with the words: "Sundae Bloody Sundae".

The term Bloody Sunday is used to refer to one of the worst days of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, when 13 people were shot dead by the Army.

The adverts sparked outrage when photos were shared on social media.

McDonald's said the marketing campaign was not intended to be an "insensitive reference to any historical event".

"We sincerely apologise for any offence or distress this may have caused," a spokeswoman for McDonald's Portugal said.

She explained the "Bloody" sundae adverts were designed as a Halloween celebration but the promotion has since been cancelled.


https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-50251779
 
Had recourse to vsit a cash machine this morning. Couldn't understand why it kept rejecting my bank card. 'What on earth is the problem?', one pondered. Was about to try one more time.... and realised I was holding my bus pass...
I recently registered for a conference and knew my employer would pay for it, so I wanted to use the company "Travel" card, which is just for such circumstances. My card kept getting rejected. It took me a while to realize I was using the "Transit" card that gives me an income tax break on mass transit passes, but can't be used for anything else.

I once tried to pay a bill with my organ donor card. Cost me an arm and a leg.
Which reminds me of a horrible mistake I almost made once. One of my students was on a study abroad trip to Switzerland, and unfortunately lost two limbs in a terrible train accident. When the study abroad coordinator told me about it, she said the Swiss authorities were making sure her medical expenses and some other necessities were taken care of. Having been to Switzerland, I knew it was an expensive place - so I said "That's good, because everything there costs...." I cut myself off before saying "...an arm and a leg."
 
A few years ago a bloke asked my boss if we had a certain fruit or veg. The bloke had a voice box that needed him to press it so that he could speak.

My boss took him to the product and without thinking said "If you want anything else just give me a shout."
 
From Douglas Adams and John Lloyd's The Meaning of Liff:

Wigan (n.): If, when talking to someone you know only has one leg, you're trying to treat them perfectly casually and normally, but find to your horror that your conversation is liberally studded with references to (a) Long John Silver, (b) Hopalong Cassidy, (c) the Hokey Cokey, (d) 'putting your foot in it', (e) 'the last leg of the UEFA competition', you are said to have committed a wigan.
 
"I'll give you a hand with that!"
Oh good grief, just reminded myself of this... some years back, was installing a new IT/office system for a client. Their office was three flights of stairs up. Had to order a taxi for delivery of a massive photocopier. Said to elderly driver, if you can give me a hand with this, will see you alright for a nice tip.

Eventually reached the third floor and quite discernable he was struggling for breath.

'You alright there'?

'Aye', he replied.

'It's jist wi me only havin' the one lung these days'...
 
Oh good grief, just reminded myself of this... some years back, was installing a new IT/office system for a client. Their office was three flights of stairs up. Had to order a taxi for delivery of a massive photocopier. Said to elderly driver, if you can give me a hand with this, will see you alright for a nice tip.

Eventually reached the third floor and quite discernable he was struggling for breath.

'You alright there'?

'Aye', he replied.

'It's jist wi me only havin' the one lung these days'...
Poor guy!
 
Forgotten PIN Number

Ever happened to anyone else...?

Some years back, Christmas Eve, one of the last customers in ASDA.

Shopping trolley overflowing and a huge queue behind, at the checkout.

'That will be £135 please'.

Duly presents bank card, about to enter PIN...

...and mind just goes a complete blank..

Wasn't a memorable PIN, just the one sent by bank. Knew it consisted of 135... In what order though...

Meantime, irate queue is rapidly building up behind.

No option other than to abandon entire shopping, which meant the cashier had to cancel all items and before doing so, required to call for a supervisor...

....which, on busiest night of the shopping calendar, took forever and a day...

Fair to say, wisnae too popular all round.
 
Forgotten PIN Number

Ever happened to anyone else...?

Some years back, Christmas Eve, one of the last customers in ASDA.

Shopping trolley overflowing and a huge queue behind, at the checkout.

'That will be £135 please'.

Duly presents bank card, about to enter PIN...

...and mind just goes a complete blank..

Wasn't a memorable PIN, just the one sent by bank. Knew it consisted of 135... In what order though...

Meantime, irate queue is rapidly building up behind.

No option other than to abandon entire shopping, which meant the cashier had to cancel all items and before doing so, required to call for a supervisor...

....which, on busiest night of the shopping calendar, took forever and a day...

Fair to say, wisnae too popular all round.
It's happened to my Mum.
I told her to commit it to memory every time she goes out to do shopping.
 
Checkout horrors seem to be getting worse. Just occasionally, the belt is moving, the cashier smiling and I get a free run . . .

Beware of the place-holder in the queue. She has one item on the belt but daughter is about to arrive with a trolley piled high . . .

"Excuse me. Can I just get through there . . . ?"

"Excuse me but No!"

Beware the clothing items, children's clothing especially. Cashier will helpfully point out that strap is missing or it comes with a top or no, that one is not part of the 3-for-£5 deal . . . Cue runner or manager. Label-switchers in these parts love children's clothing and are prepared to argue their case!

Beware all Reduced Stickers. Actually, this is where I become the nuisance-shopper, as attempts to override the original bar-code result in creases, illegible stickers or even the dreaded, "this product isn't on the system. I can't sell it to you."

As nuisance-shoppers go, I am courteous enough to offer to leave some problem items, even that bottle of gin for 10p. "I'm afraid this label seems to have come from celery . . . " :p
 
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Self-explanatory really -

Musician appeals for help after leaving 18th-century violin on train



There's a Guardian article about some other bloke who sat on a Stradivarius. I bet this chap's read that at some point and thought 'Silly sausage!'

He got it back!

A 310-year-old violin worth £250,000 that was left on a train in south London has been returned to its owner.

The instrument was handed over to professional musician Stephen Morris in a supermarket car park in Beckenham after secret negotiations.

Plain-clothes police officers attended in case the handover went wrong, as the man who had the violin said he had made a mistake and apologised.

Mr Morris said having the violin back had not yet "sunk in".

"I feel a bit battered and bruised," he said. "I haven't had a great deal of sleep since it went missing," adding that he would have a beer to celebrate.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-50275613
 
He got it back!

A 310-year-old violin worth £250,000 that was left on a train in south London has been returned to its owner.

The instrument was handed over to professional musician Stephen Morris in a supermarket car park in Beckenham after secret negotiations.

Plain-clothes police officers attended in case the handover went wrong, as the man who had the violin said he had made a mistake and apologised.

Mr Morris said having the violin back had not yet "sunk in".

"I feel a bit battered and bruised," he said. "I haven't had a great deal of sleep since it went missing," adding that he would have a beer to celebrate.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-50275613

That's great news! I hope the thief sees the error of his ways.
 
Forgotten PIN Number

Ever happened to anyone else...?

Some years back, Christmas Eve, one of the last customers in ASDA.

Shopping trolley overflowing and a huge queue behind, at the checkout.

'That will be £135 please'.

Duly presents bank card, about to enter PIN...

...and mind just goes a complete blank..

Wasn't a memorable PIN, just the one sent by bank. Knew it consisted of 135... In what order though...

Meantime, irate queue is rapidly building up behind.

No option other than to abandon entire shopping, which meant the cashier had to cancel all items and before doing so, required to call for a supervisor...

....which, on busiest night of the shopping calendar, took forever and a day...

Fair to say, wisnae too popular all round.

I don't know my PIN. I just remember the shape it makes on the gadget.
 
How can anyone forget their personal identification number number?

Numbers are not my friends. I can't remember them. I'm good at patterns though.
Escette saw me punching in my last PIN and said 'Oooh look, it makes a number 7!'
So after that I only had to know the first key to hit. Works for me!
 
Numbers are not my friends. I can't remember them. I'm good at patterns though.
Escette saw me punching in my last PIN and said 'Oooh look, it makes a number 7!'
So after that I only had to know the first key to hit. Works for me!

I can well believe it - I'm always doing mental arithmetic to try and keep up with numbers and it doesn't always succeed.

But I was making a jokette in that post - everyone forgets that PIN stands for "Personal Identification Number" so to say PIN Number means you're saying "number" twice. Hilarious, I know, right?
 
I can well believe it - I'm always doing mental arithmetic to try and keep up with numbers and it doesn't always succeed.

But I was making a jokette in that post - everyone forgets that PIN stands for "Personal Identification Number" so to say PIN Number means you're saying "number" twice. Hilarious, I know, right?

Heh, I am WELL aware of that which is why I never say 'PIN number'!
Hadn't noticed the number number formation though.
 
I've had the same PIN since 1992, if ever forget it I'll take that as the first sign of dementia.

I've also had the same mobile number since 1998, the only difference is a 7 was added when the dialling codes were rejigged at some point. It was originally a Mercury account, which became 1-to-1, then T-Mobile, now it's EE. They basically give me a free phone every year now when I threaten to leave, I think their entire business model is based on me.
 
Oh, he wasn't a thief, he had "made a mistake". We've all done it, accidentally come home with a musical instrument that isn't ours, I'm sure.
One good reason to take up playing the piano. You don't leave a piano on the subway, or pick one up by accident.
The only person who could casually pick up a piano would be the guy with one lung.
 
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