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The stupid are everywhere
Aug. 23rd, 2006 02:09 pmYou know, I joined the Clickteam forums a while ago in the hope that it would be populated by at least mildly clever people. I don't know if it's just me running out of tolerance over time, but the stupid seem to be everywhere.
I wasn't very impressed with whoever was on the other end of the phone when I phoned up to ask about renting a van from U-Haul, either - we need one for moving furniture around when we get to Boston, but I only have a British driver's licence. I'd like to present a short LJ production of the conversation in one act:
Me: Hello. I wanted to ask if I can rent equipment from you if I have a British driver's licence?
U-Haul Man: Mumblemumble hold on?
*Four minutes pass.*
U-Haul Man: Mumbletymumbletymumble.
Me: What did you say?
U-Haul Man: Can I help you?
Me: ...Pardon?
U-Haul Man: Can I help you?
Me: The question about my British licence?
U-Haul Man: What?
Me: [Giving up slightly] I didn't hear what you said. Could you please repeat it?
U-Haul Man: Can I help you?
Me: No... before that.
U-Haul Man: Is it an international licence?
Me: No, it's a British licence.
U-Haul Man: No, we don't do that.
Me: Right.Sod off and die Thanks anyway.
U-Haul Man: Mumble mumble click.
Despite not being licensed to drive in this country, I have been learning to drive automatic cars for the first time. I used to mercilessly mock those who couldn't cope with manual transmission (particularly if they used the term "stick shift"), but after trying the alternative I'm beginning to realize just how superior the whole system is.
When learning to drive a manual car, you have to concentrate on your clutch control, avoiding stalling, remember which gear you're in and where you want to be next, and balance to avoid rolling where you don't want to go. Automatic cars have two states - stationary and moving. That's all you really need to know. It's like what would happen if Apple made a car.
This means that I've been able to practice driving the family's van, which is what I'd regard as an immensely heavy vehicle (but is probably considered a lightweight runaround in most of this country) with the difficulties associated with driving on the wrong side of the road easily compensated for. Even though the driver's seat is surrounded by buttons and switches that make it look like the cockpit of an X-Wing, all that the driver needs to do is select "Drive" on the lever next to the wheel, disengage the handbrake that is actually a footbrake, and move off while avoiding all the other suicidal drivers who don't know how to use roundabouts. You don't even have to worry about rolling back on hills because the car automatically keeps you steady. It's amazing.
The speed limit laws are still the most confusing thing, though. While in Britain you drive at the speed limit, in California I can only express the expected speed as MIN(65, MAX(Posted speed limit, Speed of surrounding traffic)) - in that it changes depending on how many people are breaking the limit anyway. Enough of this, I'm going to help pack.
I wasn't very impressed with whoever was on the other end of the phone when I phoned up to ask about renting a van from U-Haul, either - we need one for moving furniture around when we get to Boston, but I only have a British driver's licence. I'd like to present a short LJ production of the conversation in one act:
Me: Hello. I wanted to ask if I can rent equipment from you if I have a British driver's licence?
U-Haul Man: Mumblemumble hold on?
*Four minutes pass.*
U-Haul Man: Mumbletymumbletymumble.
Me: What did you say?
U-Haul Man: Can I help you?
Me: ...Pardon?
U-Haul Man: Can I help you?
Me: The question about my British licence?
U-Haul Man: What?
Me: [Giving up slightly] I didn't hear what you said. Could you please repeat it?
U-Haul Man: Can I help you?
Me: No... before that.
U-Haul Man: Is it an international licence?
Me: No, it's a British licence.
U-Haul Man: No, we don't do that.
Me: Right.
U-Haul Man: Mumble mumble click.
Despite not being licensed to drive in this country, I have been learning to drive automatic cars for the first time. I used to mercilessly mock those who couldn't cope with manual transmission (particularly if they used the term "stick shift"), but after trying the alternative I'm beginning to realize just how superior the whole system is.
When learning to drive a manual car, you have to concentrate on your clutch control, avoiding stalling, remember which gear you're in and where you want to be next, and balance to avoid rolling where you don't want to go. Automatic cars have two states - stationary and moving. That's all you really need to know. It's like what would happen if Apple made a car.
This means that I've been able to practice driving the family's van, which is what I'd regard as an immensely heavy vehicle (but is probably considered a lightweight runaround in most of this country) with the difficulties associated with driving on the wrong side of the road easily compensated for. Even though the driver's seat is surrounded by buttons and switches that make it look like the cockpit of an X-Wing, all that the driver needs to do is select "Drive" on the lever next to the wheel, disengage the handbrake that is actually a footbrake, and move off while avoiding all the other suicidal drivers who don't know how to use roundabouts. You don't even have to worry about rolling back on hills because the car automatically keeps you steady. It's amazing.
The speed limit laws are still the most confusing thing, though. While in Britain you drive at the speed limit, in California I can only express the expected speed as MIN(65, MAX(Posted speed limit, Speed of surrounding traffic)) - in that it changes depending on how many people are breaking the limit anyway. Enough of this, I'm going to help pack.
