Life / Is it McPoland? [63]

"...Julia Havy, obesity activist and master (sic) motivator." "I used to eat McDonalds all the time when I was overweight." Is there something wrong with my screen or is this woman fat?

Language / Best website to learn Polish from [14]

Hurra! Po Polsku 1 is a pretty good book, but you need a teacher to be able to use it. I don't know of any good self-study materials.

UK, Ireland / Polish woman living in England is moving back to Poland. How much money do I need? [87]

Not as sick as me!
Good luck aniaa. I hope your luck (and your health) improves.

Love / 'Seks po polsku' - the sex lives of Poles: [45]

Do Polish men have more sex than their wives?

Travel / OLT Jetair (flight to Wroclaw) [38]


More sarcasm? Must be the thrill of impunity that being a moderator gives you. Just pointing out your rudeness. It may have been good advice, but when you advise someone you get a better response when polite.

Travel / OLT Jetair (flight to Wroclaw) [38]


I think that comment should go to the bin for being p1ssy and sarcastic.

UK, Ireland / Polish woman living in England is moving back to Poland. How much money do I need? [87]


Agreed. 3000 net, and no foreign holidays, just the basics.


I spend that on petrol.

Food / Babcia Lipińska's naleśniki [7]


Different animal, although those are also yummy. Google Images for naleśniki z mięsem , or something like that.

Life / Free Poland Health Care - Paying minimal to no Zus [105]

Yeah, like the truck driver thread should have been, on the first page. We wish.

Life / Free Poland Health Care - Paying minimal to no Zus [105]


That sounds like the OP's question has been answered.

Food / Babcia Lipińska's naleśniki [7]

All true, but my ma-in-law's naleśniki with minced beef knock any crepe or blini I've ever had into a Polish cocked hat.

Travel / Ryanair travel by air - subtle scams to be wary of [98]


We all love low-cost airlines when everything goes well, but when there's a problem passengers are made to feel like cattle. Or worse.
The first and last time I flew with whizzair was from LHR-WAW. The flight was delayed for a couple of hours. OK, stuff happens, but there were no staff around and no information. Finally we were put on a plane with no livery, and with staff whose uniform bore no insignia. It must have been some kind of standby plane and crew for hire when airlines needed them. OK again; we were just glad to board. The cabin crew came round offering drinks. I asked for a coffee and water. No hot drinks on this flight. OK, just water. Sorry, no water. What? I asked the flight attendant if it was legal to transport pigs without water. ffs

Life / Free Poland Health Care - Paying minimal to no Zus [105]


It's expensive until you break a bone or get some nasty disease. Then you'll be glad of it.
I had a CAT brain scan six years ago. How much would that have cost in, e.g. the U.S., or privately here in Poland?

News / Could be in prison for 10 years for trying to bribe the Polish traffic police [39]


Is that a wise place to keep cash Harry? It could well be construed as an attempt to bribe a cop when you hand over your docs.

News / Could be in prison for 10 years for trying to bribe the Polish traffic police [39]


Ah, now I understand. Sorry kondzior, I had no idea.

News / Could be in prison for 10 years for trying to bribe the Polish traffic police [39]


I don't want to curtail your freedom. I just don't want you driving head-on into me when I'm out driving. As you know, other road users make mistakes, and if you are driving at a reasonable speed, you can avoid an accident, but if you are driving very fast, your ability to do so is compromised.

Hey, we are none of us above opening the throttle on a nice bit of road. I've collected enough points and fines myself over the years. Just take it easy in built up areas. After all, how often do you see trafic cops between towns?

News / Could be in prison for 10 years for trying to bribe the Polish traffic police [39]

In the last decade levels of low level corruption have fallen dramatically in Poland. Some people even complain that you could get things done more easily in the past, when officials were more open to bribes, but the change is another step forward in Poland's maturing process as an open society. Bribery and corruption kill civil society, and can literally kill people. I don't want to pre-judge the building collapses in Alexandria, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if planning laws were circumvented. I have lived in countries where it seemed everyone was open to bribery and these places were unhappy and falling to pieces in every sense.

If someone tries to bribe a cop and gets severely punished, I say good.

Life / Are Polish natives intolerant of foreigners who do not properly speak the language? [30]


After several days of madness on the crying truck driver thread, this is the final straw. I'm taking a break for a while. Yes, I know, "Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out". I hope the insanity and denial simmer down a bit when the strange weather is over. As for my faith in Polish legal experts...dead.

UK, Ireland / Crying Polish truck driver on British roads is Internet hit [269]

In February I got nabbed in a typical traffic cop trap. I had just passed the green town sign on a wide and empty stretch of road without houses and footpaths and was decellerating. Out jumped the cop with her lollypop and in I pulled. I supplied my documents, waited for my 200PLN fine and six points, thanked the very pleasant lady officer (it's a British thing) and went on my way. And I'm not a professional driver. No tears, no knife. We all know that the only reason some are defending this utter arse is that he is Polish. That's the plain, simple, pathetically predictable truth. Grow the f up.

Food / Is Polish food still more natural than in the West? [142]


An acquaintance told me that chanterelles/kurki were enormous after Chernobyl.
"You didn't eat them, did you?" I asked.
"No, we sold them to the Germans."

I remember a Cumbrian friend telling me about the affected sheep in his area, and about people trading in them behind pubs as it was illegal to sell them.

Classifieds / D&D Group for Expats in Warsaw needs one more player... [69]

Shouldn't that be who?

UK, Ireland / Crying Polish truck driver on British roads is Internet hit [269]

Last message from near Białystok, birthplace of Ludwig Zamenhof. English has achieved what Zamenhof hoped Esperanto would.
Over and out. Good night.

Life / A rant on customer service in Poland [42]

Do they really give a damn though? Their slightly better paid supervisors tell them, "Collect coins, collect coins. I don't know why, just get them. Don't worry about the lengthening queue, those bastards are just customers anyway." We could go on and on, couldn't we? Service; customer. Do these words collocate? Still, try Russia.

Life / A rant on customer service in Poland [42]


Perhaps the discovery of the Higgs Boson will explain this.

UK, Ireland / Crying Polish truck driver on British roads is Internet hit [269]


A cop in the U.S. might assume otherwise and shoot the guy first, clear up the red tape later.

UK, Ireland / Crying Polish truck driver on British roads is Internet hit [269]


Yes.


Maybe because he is a) overworked b) stupid


Truckers driving in the UK have it really easy. Why are you siding with this fool and attempting to blame UK? Just because he happens to be Polish? If so, have you met Monia? You'd get along well.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]


1450 net for me as a uni teacher. I consider it pro bono. Thank fcuk I have other sources of income.

UK, Ireland / Crying Polish truck driver on British roads is Internet hit [269]


Too much caffeine, perhaps! Where I live (Poland) people are usually in control of their emotions. We don't like cops much either but when we get busted for a road offence we take it on the chin.

UK, Ireland / Crying Polish truck driver on British roads is Internet hit [269]


Imagine a British truck driver responding to being stopped by Polish cops and behaving like that. Would you, honestly, say the same?

UK, Ireland / Crying Polish truck driver on British roads is Internet hit [269]

I saw something on British TV a few years ago about HGV drivers from all over Europe driving in Britain. One image stands out in my memory. A Polish driver said (incognito) that he had to drive crazy hours because his boss could easily find a replacement if he didn't. He said, "One day I will fall asleep at the wheel. It's not if; it's when." I haven't seen all of the film under discussion, but perhaps this guy was one of those drivers who are under enormous pressure to deliver. That might explain his histrionics.