Complaint Thursdays

[SwampD]

I'm not even going to complain about the dogs**t on my lawn. Whatever.

 

Verizon, but not the usual annoyances. They've decided that I need to answer a security question to log into my account instead of the computer-generated 10-character complex password that I use. The problem is I can't remember "Where my spouse and I met". Buffalo? Our town? Our Middle School name? The state? Homeroom? All valid answers, none correct. I don't even remember answering that question. I think I'm going to finally implement my plan of picking a nonsense word (or something important to us) and use that for every single answer to those questions. It's probably safer than "What city were you born in?" which half the people here could answer or "What High School Did you attend?" which anyone who is my friend on Facebook knows.

And do I really need a user name and password to order a f####n pizza?!

[nfreeman]

I'm on a 100-minute train ride along the Hudson River, which is a beautiful ride, and the dude next to me has been yapping away on his phone about some tortured family soap opera for the last 20 minutes -- and there is no end in sight. Everyone around me is looking back at him with an annoyed expression. Take it to the bathroom or between cars, buddy.

[SwampD]

I really can't stand when friendly and accommodating freelancers turn into entitled complainers the instant they get hired, and everything becomes a hassle to them. Look, it was the same job before you got hired as it is now that you are a staffer. Just shut up and do it.

 

 

Also, Mythbusters. It used to be good. Now it is unwatchable. It's now an hour long tease for a show that barely happens,… with yelling.

[IKnowPhysics]

Also, Mythbusters. It used to be good. Now it is unwatchable. It's now an hour long tease for a show that barely happens,… with yelling.

 

Agreed. I nonchalantly stopped watch a couple years ago. This confirms my confidence that I haven't missed much.

 

I am, however, a proponent of science outreach and I think they've got a good mission. I'm by no means annoyed that they're still on the air.

Edited July 17, 2014 by IKnowPhysics

[PASabreFan]

I'm on a 100-minute train ride along the Hudson River, which is a beautiful ride, and the dude next to me has been yapping away on his phone about some tortured family soap opera for the last 20 minutes -- and there is no end in sight. Everyone around me is looking back at him with an annoyed expression. Take it to the bathroom or between cars, buddy.

 

But why is this different than him talking to someone who's actually there? Is there no conversation allowed on the train? I've never understood why this bothers people.

[ubkev]

I'm on a 100-minute train ride along the Hudson River, which is a beautiful ride, and the dude next to me has been yapping away on his phone about some tortured family soap opera for the last 20 minutes -- and there is no end in sight. Everyone around me is looking back at him with an annoyed exp<b></b>ression. Take it to the bathroom or between cars, buddy.

 

I ###### hate that!!!! I don't understand how people are so comfortable with others hearing their personal conversation. I hate when people eavesdrop. I'm sorta like Paulie from Goodfellas. I don't want anyone hearing what I'm saying and I don't want anyone listening to what I'm being told.

[LabattBlue]

The snobs that run the British Open who insist that its championship be referred to on the coverage as "The Open". F*** that. Growing up it was always the British Open. How come I don't remember the 4 majors being referred to as the Masters, US Open, PGA Championship & "The Open".

 

Speaking of golf snobs, the tools that run the Masters and Augusta who nit pick to the point of dictating how many commercials per hour the networks can run during coverage of its precious tournament.

Edited July 18, 2014 by LabattBlue

[SwampD]

I am really not a fan of Summer.

 

I think that on a public roadway, it should be legal to run over anyone walking, riding a bike or driving, while either talking on a cell phone or texting,… and not because it might be an accident, but because they deserve it.

[Eleven]

I'm on a 100-minute train ride along the Hudson River, which is a beautiful ride, and the dude next to me has been yapping away on his phone about some tortured family soap opera for the last 20 minutes -- and there is no end in sight. Everyone around me is looking back at him with an annoyed expression. Take it to the bathroom or between cars, buddy.

 

Headphones.

 

I am really not a fan of Summer.

 

I think that on a public roadway, it should be legal to run over anyone walking, riding a bike or driving, while either talking on a cell phone or texting,… and not because it might be an accident, but because they deserve it.

 

I can agree w/ driving and biking, but walking? It's not ok to walk and talk on the phone?

[LastPommerFan]

I can agree w/ driving and biking, but walking? It's not ok to walk and talk on the phone?

 

Not on the road.

[Eleven]

Not on the road.

 

Granted, I usually stick to sidewalks. I forget that sidewalks aren't everywhere.

[LGR4GM]

So applying for a stipend for a conference and I have been assuming that it is due Friday, July 25th at 5pm... Realized yesterday afternoon it is due July 24th at 5pm... So today. <_<

[SwampD]

Headphones.

 

 

 

I can agree w/ driving and biking, but walking? It's not ok to walk and talk on the phone?

Not when the sign says don't walk but you don't notice it because you are discussing what you had for dinner last night with someone who is barely listening anyway, or riding across the street with a cellphone pressed to your ear with your shoulder without looking and making me slam on the brakes. Both of these happened to me yesterday. I know they are called smart phones, but they are making people dumber by the second.

[spndnchz]

Not when the sign says don't walk but you don't notice it because you are discussing what you had for dinner last night with someone who is barely listening anyway, or riding across the street with a cellphone pressed to your ear with your shoulder without looking and making me slam on the brakes. Both of these happened to me yesterday. I know they are called smart phones, but they are making people dumber by the second.

 

I had one of these a few weeks ago. Person riding their bike, talking on their cellphone, a bit too far away from the curb. I had plenty of room to go around them but while I did I hit the horn. Scared the piss out of them. in my rearview mirror I see them lose control of the bike, hit the curb and flip. Hehehe.

[Eleven]

Not when the sign says don't walk but you don't notice it because you are discussing what you had for dinner last night with someone who is barely listening anyway, or riding across the street with a cellphone pressed to your ear with your shoulder without looking and making me slam on the brakes. Both of these happened to me yesterday. I know they are called smart phones, but they are making people dumber by the second.

 

I also wait for the light before crossing.

 

And I do not use my phone while cycling. That's just stupid.

[SwampD]

I had one of these a few weeks ago. Person riding their bike, talking on their cellphone, a bit too far away from the curb. I had plenty of room to go around them but while I did I hit the horn. Scared the piss out of them. in my rearview mirror I see them lose control of the bike, hit the curb and flip. Hehehe.

awesome. truly.

 

I also wait for the light before crossing.

 

And I do not use my phone while cycling. That's just stupid.

You're safe then. I wouldn't hit you.

[nfreeman]

Got new tires yesterday. It turns out I needed new tie rods on my front wheels (or so the tire place said, anyway). So the tires, plus the tie rods and the alignment came out to a cool $1100.

 

Wasn't it only 15 years ago or so that you could get new tires for $200?

 

But the kicker is: today, my better half somehow got too close to a truck with a car trailer (i.e. one of those trailer beds that transports a few cars), bumped into it and...slashed open one of my new tires! So I'll need a replacement tire and perhaps an alignment -- there's another $260 or so, plus $100 for the trailer's tail light that she busted -- and we've owned the new tires for less than 24 hours.

 

The marriage tax: the only one we can't blame the politicians for. It's worth it, but it's bloody expensive.

[Sabre Dance]

My complaint is that now at age 57, three drinks (two while dining) give me a hangover. Dang. :cry:

[MattPie]

Got new tires yesterday. It turns out I needed new tie rods on my front wheels (or so the tire place said, anyway). So the tires, plus the tie rods and the alignment came out to a cool $1100.

 

Wasn't it only 15 years ago or so that you could get new tires for $200?

 

If you drive a Ford Festiva, you still can!

http://www.tirerack....E&filterType=oe

 

Tires have gone up in price like everything else. :(

 

 

Oh, complaint: poison ivy. On the face.

Edited July 24, 2014 by MattPie

[darksabre]

If you drive a Ford Festiva, you still can!

http://www.tirerack....E&filterType=oe

 

Tires have gone up in price like everything else. :(

 

They're also the best quality and grip that they've ever been. So I guess it makes sense.

[PASabreFan]

Cars. Urg. My car (2007 Elantra, yay me) just went past 90,000 miles. I know it's due for a timing belt (and probably was at 60,000 miles if I considered my driving to be under severe conditions, which I don't, even though Hyundai probably would — driving on salt covered roads, etc.) but I am putting it off. Don't want to spend the $500, which seems like highway robbery. I guess I'm pre-emptively complaining about the fact that the belt will break one of these days and cause untold engine damage; I"m also complaining about the fact that I'll probably replace a belt one of these days before that calamity happens that probably has tens of thousands of miles left on it. Is inspecting the belt a reliable way of determining how much life it has left?

[MattPie]

Cars. Urg. My car (2007 Elantra, yay me) just went past 90,000 miles. I know it's due for a timing belt (and probably was at 60,000 miles if I considered my driving to be under severe conditions, which I don't, even though Hyundai probably would — driving on salt covered roads, etc.) but I am putting it off. Don't want to spend the $500, which seems like highway robbery. I guess I'm pre-emptively complaining about the fact that the belt will break one of these days and cause untold engine damage; I"m also complaining about the fact that I'll probably replace a belt one of these days before that calamity happens that probably has tens of thousands of miles left on it. Is inspecting the belt a reliable way of determining how much life it has left?

 

I helped my dad do a timing belt on a car a long time ago with a similar layout, it's a fairly big job. It's not one of the belts on the front of the engine, it's under a few covers and probably behind some other stuff under a modern hood. I'm kinda jealous of it being $500, I have one coming up in a few k on my Subaru and it's usually around $1000 because there's even more stuff than usual to remove to get at it. As for testing, I'm not sure there's really a way to test it but even if there was, by time you're in there you might as well replace it since the belt itself is fairly cheap. What'll happen if the belt breaks is (for many modern engines) the pistons will hit the valves and bend or break them. If you're really lucky it won't cause any damage to the heads or engine block. Even so, the repair bill from a shop will probably approach the value of the car. Sucks all around. Essentially you should either accept that the car may turn to non-running junker one day (or maybe never), or pay the shop and know that it'll probably keep running for years. It's a crappy decision either way.

 

Complaint 2 for the day: I have to decide if I want to replace the timing belt in my Subaru, and if I do should I try it myself or pay a shop.

[LastPommerFan]

I have a 2006 Matrix with 135,000 miles. I've never touched the timing belt, I do need a new serpentine belt, but that's nothing.

 

How do I know if my timing belt needs to be replaced?

[Weave]

I have a 2006 Matrix with 135,000 miles. I've never touched the timing belt, I do need a new serpentine belt, but that's nothing.

 

How do I know if my timing belt needs to be replaced?

 

When it fails, you missed it by *this* much.

 

*owns a 2003 Matirx with 145k miles on it and the original timing belt*

[PASabreFan]

I have a 2006 Matrix with 135,000 miles. I've never touched the timing belt, I do need a new serpentine belt, but that's nothing.

 

How do I know if my timing belt needs to be replaced?

 

There may be some warning signs — squealing, etc. — but I think they just go.

 

You guys are not helping! Now I really want to gamble. I think the Hyundais are reliable cars, and I have a hard time believing the timing belt is likely to break so close to the mileage it's supposed to be replaced at. I bet Hyundai knows that the likely danger zone is well into the future. Underpromise, overdeliver, something like that.

 

You bastages. Your cars have timing chains, not belts. The chains never get replaced. (But please confirm this; I pretty much looked at the first site that came up in my search.)