Things I find a tad exasperating v.3

[ReaperKK]

How on earth can you love car shopping?

I'm a huge car guy and have been since I was little, I could put this forum to sleep rambling about cars. Growing up I would go to dealers as often as I could just to check out what's new. That sort of stuck with me as I got older that passion has stuck with me and I just like driving all sorts of stuff. I'm on my 3rd car in the last 4 years.

[Chino]

I can't fathom that process either, simply because it is an expensive way to do it. If it fits in your budget, no problem, but it just wouldn't be my ideal way of doing it. I'm not a car guy either. I see a car as a tool to get me around. I want it to meet my needs and be reasonably reliable. That's about it. I typically buy vehicles that are 3-ish years old and drive them for 10 years.

We're the same way. We've never had a car payment as long as we've been married.

I've got two payments left on my CX-9 and it's mine. In my 18 years of driving, I've never not had a car payment. I'm freaking stoked to start getting $400 a month back.  Watch me get t-boned the day after I pay it off 

Friendly tip: Put the $400 a month into a savings account to build up a down payment for the next vehicle.

For sure. I'll be holding onto a good chunk of it for that purpose. I have a down payment nest egg that's pretty well established already. I was thinking of splitting the difference and putting $200 into the next vehicle fund and the the other $200 toward my HELOC payments.

[KevShmev]

My new one: larger cars/vehicles.

I swear, every time I park in a strip mall in my little Civic, someone with an SUV parks next to me, which means when I go to back out, anyone driving by may not see me till the very last second because of how much the SUV hides me as I am backing out.  It feels like it is only a matter of time before someone crashes into me because they didn't see me thanks to some jackass with a giant truck parking next to me and hiding me.  Argh.

[King Postwhore]

My new one: larger cars/vehicles.

I swear, every time I park in a strip mall in my little Civic, someone with an SUV parks next to me, which means when I go to back out, anyone driving by may not see me till the very last second because of how much the SUV hides me as I am backing out.  It feels like it is only a matter of time before someone crashes into me because they didn't see me thanks to some jackass with a giant truck parking next to me and hiding me.  Argh.

Also how they park in lots.  Always on the lines or you come out and some large truck parks so close you can barely get into your vehicle.  I have a 6 cylinder truck and I always open my door to make sure I'm in the lines before I turn it off.

[hunnus2000]

My new one: larger cars/vehicles.

I swear, every time I park in a strip mall in my little Civic, someone with an SUV parks next to me, which means when I go to back out, anyone driving by may not see me till the very last second because of how much the SUV hides me as I am backing out.  It feels like it is only a matter of time before someone crashes into me because they didn't see me thanks to some jackass with a giant truck parking next to me and hiding me.  Argh.

Also how they park in lots.  Always on the lines or you come out and some large truck parks so close you can barely get into your vehicle.  I have a 6 cylinder truck and I always open my door to make sure I'm in the lines before I turn it off.

I'll add one, when your at a stop sign and a big truck comes in the lane next to you blocking your view of traffic. 

[Chino]

My new one: larger cars/vehicles.

I swear, every time I park in a strip mall in my little Civic, someone with an SUV parks next to me, which means when I go to back out, anyone driving by may not see me till the very last second because of how much the SUV hides me as I am backing out.  It feels like it is only a matter of time before someone crashes into me because they didn't see me thanks to some jackass with a giant truck parking next to me and hiding me.  Argh.

I get more peeved at the people that drive so fast in parking lots they can't brake in time to avoid hitting someone trying to back out of a space.

[KevShmev]

My new one: larger cars/vehicles.

I swear, every time I park in a strip mall in my little Civic, someone with an SUV parks next to me, which means when I go to back out, anyone driving by may not see me till the very last second because of how much the SUV hides me as I am backing out.  It feels like it is only a matter of time before someone crashes into me because they didn't see me thanks to some jackass with a giant truck parking next to me and hiding me.  Argh.

Also how they park in lots.  Always on the lines or you come out and some large truck parks so close you can barely get into your vehicle.  I have a 6 cylinder truck and I always open my door to make sure I'm in the lines before I turn it off.

That sounds great in theory, but then you get some idiot who parks to close to you, making it a tight squeeze to get in your own car.

[KevShmev]

My new one: larger cars/vehicles.

I swear, every time I park in a strip mall in my little Civic, someone with an SUV parks next to me, which means when I go to back out, anyone driving by may not see me till the very last second because of how much the SUV hides me as I am backing out.  It feels like it is only a matter of time before someone crashes into me because they didn't see me thanks to some jackass with a giant truck parking next to me and hiding me.  Argh.

I get more peeved at the people that drive so fast in parking lots they can't brake in time to avoid hitting someone trying to back out of a space.

Honestly, that is probably the bigger issue.  People who fly through strip malls like their asses are on fire.

[Ben_Jamin]

My new one: larger cars/vehicles.

I swear, every time I park in a strip mall in my little Civic, someone with an SUV parks next to me, which means when I go to back out, anyone driving by may not see me till the very last second because of how much the SUV hides me as I am backing out.  It feels like it is only a matter of time before someone crashes into me because they didn't see me thanks to some jackass with a giant truck parking next to me and hiding me.  Argh.

I get more peeved at the people that drive so fast in parking lots they can't brake in time to avoid hitting someone trying to back out of a space.

This. It's not just my responsibility to slowly pull out to not get hit. It's their responsibility to drive slow and be aware, especially if there are people getting out of their vehicle.

But also, you probably have someone being irritated because your small car is parked by a huge vehicle and it looks like a spot is open. 

[Lonk]

My new one: larger cars/vehicles.

I swear, every time I park in a strip mall in my little Civic, someone with an SUV parks next to me, which means when I go to back out, anyone driving by may not see me till the very last second because of how much the SUV hides me as I am backing out.  It feels like it is only a matter of time before someone crashes into me because they didn't see me thanks to some jackass with a giant truck parking next to me and hiding me.  Argh.

Also how they park in lots.  Always on the lines or you come out and some large truck parks so close you can barely get into your vehicle.  I have a 6 cylinder truck and I always open my door to make sure I'm in the lines before I turn it off.

That sounds great in theory, but then you get some idiot who parks to close to you, making it a tight squeeze to get in your own car.

I usually try to park at corner spots for this reason. Also, I almost always back into the parking spot. I find it easier to drive out of a spot than back out of one.

[El Barto]

I can't fathom that process either, simply because it is an expensive way to do it. If it fits in your budget, no problem, but it just wouldn't be my ideal way of doing it. I'm not a car guy either. I see a car as a tool to get me around. I want it to meet my needs and be reasonably reliable. That's about it. I typically buy vehicles that are 3-ish years old and drive them for 10 years.

We're the same way. We've never had a car payment as long as we've been married.

I've got two payments left on my CX-9 and it's mine. In my 18 years of driving, I've never not had a car payment. I'm freaking stoked to start getting $400 a month back.  Watch me get t-boned the day after I pay it off 

Friendly tip: Put the $400 a month into a savings account to build up a down payment for the next vehicle.

Good idea, but I think I'd put $200/mo into the account and give myself a $200/mo raise. Gotta be able to enjoy being payment free while it lasts.

[Stadler]

My new one: larger cars/vehicles.

I swear, every time I park in a strip mall in my little Civic, someone with an SUV parks next to me, which means when I go to back out, anyone driving by may not see me till the very last second because of how much the SUV hides me as I am backing out.  It feels like it is only a matter of time before someone crashes into me because they didn't see me thanks to some jackass with a giant truck parking next to me and hiding me.  Argh.

Also how they park in lots.  Always on the lines or you come out and some large truck parks so close you can barely get into your vehicle.  I have a 6 cylinder truck and I always open my door to make sure I'm in the lines before I turn it off.

That sounds great in theory, but then you get some idiot who parks to close to you, making it a tight squeeze to get in your own car.

I usually try to park at corner spots for this reason. Also, I almost always back into the parking spot. I find it easier to drive out of a spot than back out of one.

I almost always back in myself. 

[orcus116]

My new one: larger cars/vehicles.

I swear, every time I park in a strip mall in my little Civic, someone with an SUV parks next to me, which means when I go to back out, anyone driving by may not see me till the very last second because of how much the SUV hides me as I am backing out.  It feels like it is only a matter of time before someone crashes into me because they didn't see me thanks to some jackass with a giant truck parking next to me and hiding me.  Argh.

I definitely agree with this. On a similar note completely or nearly completely tinted windows drive me up the wall. There are many times when even if the cars next to me aren't much larger than mine I cannot see if there's anyone coming due to the tinted windows when I'm looking back. They're supposedly illegal or highly restricted here in NY but I haven't seen any enforcement.

[Harmony]

It's pushing 90 degrees in Hartford CT today (insane for not even being halfway through April), and I see so many women with skirts above their knees on. Golf shorts are a no-no for us dudes though because they "do not uphold our professional image".   Funny thing, I could probably throw a skirt on and nobody would dare say anything about it out of fear of some kind of micro-aggression lawsuit. Maybe a kilt would be a solid compromise.

Do it!  I worked with a guy who wore a kilt almost every day.  He was from Scotland, but still.   

[Cool Chris]

It's pushing 90 degrees in Hartford CT today (insane for not even being halfway through April), and I see so many women with skirts above their knees on. Golf shorts are a no-no for us dudes though because they "do not uphold our professional image".

I remember this from my last office job.

[cramx3]

It's pushing 90 degrees in Hartford CT today (insane for not even being halfway through April), and I see so many women with skirts above their knees on. Golf shorts are a no-no for us dudes though because they "do not uphold our professional image".

I remember this from my last office job.

It sucks that shorts aren't acceptable for office jobs because I would wear those over jeans/slacks in the warmer weather.  I don't have a dress code at my company, but I also don't work in our corporate office.  The building I do report to, also, does not have a dress code (as far as I know...) and it's very casual. While I could wear shorts, I'd be the only one so I don't.  I wore shorts when I was in Singapore though, screw dealing with that heat all day in pants (and I was the only one wearing them at that building).

[hefdaddy42]

My job made dress shorts acceptable for the office.  Which makes me happy.

[lordxizor]

I am starting up a new service offering for my company with my team of 11. I designed a bunch of forms and documents for the new processes. I made everything electronic so that we can just file it in a network folder and e-sign everything. We're getting started on some of our first customers and I find the two people doing all the set-up with stacks of paper on their desks having printed everything out. The whole freaking point of everything I worked on was to eliminate all the paper! I'll chalk it up to being a new process for now, but this better not continue.

[Harmony]

As a relatively old person, I admit that the notion of e-signing legal documents are something I don't like.  I'm all about limiting paper use but it just doesn't feel right to me.  I guess I'm old school.

I also don't like using my finger to sign credit card receipts.  I mean, if I ever had to go to court and the judge asked if that was my signature, I'd have a very hard time saying yes because it sure doesn't ever look like my legal signature. 

[lordxizor]

As a relatively old person, I admit that the notion of e-signing legal documents are something I don't like.  I'm all about limiting paper use but it just doesn't feel right to me.  I guess I'm old school.

I also don't like using my finger to sign credit card receipts.  I mean, if I ever had to go to court and the judge asked if that was my signature, I'd have a very hard time saying yes because it sure doesn't ever look like my legal signature. 

I get that e-signing is hard to get used to. I'm coming around on it obviously. We have a sister division in Ireland who does the same work as us and they have an entire room dedicated to all their paper files. As soon as I saw that I knew I wanted to be all electronic. It's just so wasteful.

[cramx3]

As a relatively old person, I admit that the notion of e-signing legal documents are something I don't like.  I'm all about limiting paper use but it just doesn't feel right to me.  I guess I'm old school.

I also don't like using my finger to sign credit card receipts.  I mean, if I ever had to go to court and the judge asked if that was my signature, I'd have a very hard time saying yes because it sure doesn't ever look like my legal signature. 

I get that e-signing is hard to get used to. I'm coming around on it obviously. We have a sister division in Ireland who does the same work as us and they have an entire room dedicated to all their paper files. As soon as I saw that I knew I wanted to be all electronic. It's just so wasteful.

It's not just wasteful, it's requires upkeep to make it searchable at all.  I can understand the feeling of distrust with e-signing, but it's just so much better not just for the environment, but for keeping records too.

[hefdaddy42]

We have gone to offering Docusign as an alternative for most of our documents, but we still have a lot of, well, "older" customers, some of which don't use internet or email at all.  Indeed, we still received some documents by fax.

[Stadler]

I am starting up a new service offering for my company with my team of 11. I designed a bunch of forms and documents for the new processes. I made everything electronic so that we can just file it in a network folder and e-sign everything. We're getting started on some of our first customers and I find the two people doing all the set-up with stacks of paper on their desks having printed everything out. The whole freaking point of everything I worked on was to eliminate all the paper! I'll chalk it up to being a new process for now, but this better not continue.

I have grudgingly come around to Docusign and what not, but I do contract reviews and trainings, and in both instances, I print out my documents as well.  It's easier on the eyes to read a contract on real paper, as well as easier to make notes and edits, and with paper slides, I can better manage my time.   

[hunnus2000]

E-Sig has been around for nearly 10 years that I know of. We bought land remotely in 2014 and didn't physically sign a piece of paper and I find it no different than if you click the checkbox on the EULA when you install a piece of software.

[Harmony]

I know this is going to make me sound like an old lady but oh well.

I'm on vacation in Oahu.  Yesterday my brother-in-law drove us all around the island.  Beautiful day.  Saw so many great places that people just hanging out on Waikiki Beach would never believe.  Lanikai Beach hello!! 

Anyway, at one point we took a wrong turn and wound up on a small road with jungle-like growth on both sides.  It was nice in the shade, but there wasn't much to look at....no views and no houses around that I could see.  Down the road we see 2 girls in the middle of the road.  As we approach in the car, they jump up from laying down and move over to the side to let us pass.  They are wearing flower crowns and these sort of maxi-dress things.  As we get up to where they are gathered on the side, I notice they are looking at selfies they'd obviously been taking on their phones together.

Now I don't begrudge anyone a good time and taking selfies is hardly something new to see people doing while on vacation.  But I'm like....you are in one of the arguably most beautiful places in the entire world and here you are on a desolate road in the middle of nowhere laying in the muddy road posing for selfies?  Okay....

[pg1067]

This bugs me more than it should...

I'm a member of a couple of parent groups for my kid's college.  Generally, it's a good source of information, and there's a person from the school who posts regularly and answers questions and is super helpful.  But occasionally (more frequently than should be the case) we get posts like this:

"Are parents able to see our students grades? Schedules? What about meal plan balances?"

FFS!  These are adult students.  Their educational records are THEIR business, not their parents' business.  If you want to know your kid's grades and schedule, ask your kid!

And there are tons of posts like, "my kid has tells me the bathroom in the dorm is disgusting; whom can I contact to discuss?"  YOU DON'T!  Stop trying to micro-manage your kid's life!  Like I said, it bugs me more than it should.

[Lonk]

This bugs me more than it should...

I'm a member of a couple of parent groups for my kid's college.  Generally, it's a good source of information, and there's a person from the school who posts regularly and answers questions and is super helpful.  But occasionally (more frequently than should be the case) we get posts like this:

"Are parents able to see our students grades? Schedules? What about meal plan balances?"

FFS!  These are adult students.  Their educational records are THEIR business, not their parents' business.  If you want to know your kid's grades and schedule, ask your kid!

And there are tons of posts like, "my kid has tells me the bathroom in the dorm is disgusting; whom can I contact to discuss?"  YOU DON'T!  Stop trying to micro-manage your kid's life!  Like I said, it bugs me more than it should.

Yeah, helicopter parents are a big issue in higher ed, specially when they don't understand that after their kids turn 18, it doesn't matter if they're paying for their tuition, the students have the right to privacy, even from their parents.

[Adami]

This bugs me more than it should...

I'm a member of a couple of parent groups for my kid's college.  Generally, it's a good source of information, and there's a person from the school who posts regularly and answers questions and is super helpful.  But occasionally (more frequently than should be the case) we get posts like this:

"Are parents able to see our students grades? Schedules? What about meal plan balances?"

FFS!  These are adult students.  Their educational records are THEIR business, not their parents' business.  If you want to know your kid's grades and schedule, ask your kid!

And there are tons of posts like, "my kid has tells me the bathroom in the dorm is disgusting; whom can I contact to discuss?"  YOU DON'T!  Stop trying to micro-manage your kid's life!  Like I said, it bugs me more than it should.

Tell me about it. I work at a university counseling center and we recently had to deal with one of those parents. Luckily we can always use our confidentiality to get out of almost any of those convos.

[TAC]

This bugs me more than it should...

I'm a member of a couple of parent groups for my kid's college.  Generally, it's a good source of information, and there's a person from the school who posts regularly and answers questions and is super helpful.  But occasionally (more frequently than should be the case) we get posts like this:

"Are parents able to see our students grades? Schedules? What about meal plan balances?"

FFS!  These are adult students.  Their educational records are THEIR business, not their parents' business.  If you want to know your kid's grades and schedule, ask your kid!

And there are tons of posts like, "my kid has tells me the bathroom in the dorm is disgusting; whom can I contact to discuss?"  YOU DON'T!  Stop trying to micro-manage your kid's life!  Like I said, it bugs me more than it should.

Well, I understand your point, but as a parents, we are spending a TON of money on tuition/R&B.

Yeah, helicopter parents are a big issue in higher ed, specially when they don't understand that after their kids turn 18, it doesn't matter if they're paying for their tuition, the students have the right to privacy, even from their parents.

The money is too large. If the kid expects that much privacy, then they can pay their own tuition.

[Stadler]

As someone who paid (half) for my kid's college education, and who... well, let's be polite and say there might or might not be a "helicopter parent" involved in my situation, the money is large, and there's a degree to which it's less about privacy than priorities - in other words, the lines aren't always crystal clear - but I know for me, I've consciously made a decision to encourage her to fight her own battles.  If she doesn't mind a filthy bathroom, that's on her.

Thankfully, a) I didn't have to worry about my kid's grades, b) her school gave me access to her grades as a matter of course, and c) I knew how to work a browser and set up a login and password (some of these parents aren't helicopters; they're clearly too stupid to fly) so that part wasn't an issue.

[pg1067]

Tim, I get your point.  I do expect my kid to keep me generally in the loop about things like grades.

What bugs me is people who think the school should be giving them access.  And the stuff about "how can I rectify the disgusting bathroom situation for my kid" is an entirely different thing.  While my kid has certainly mentioned the bathroom situation in her dorm, she would never expect me to get involved (in part that's because of how shitty she and her brother are at keeping their shared bathroom at home clean).

[TAC]

Tim, I get your point.  I do expect my kid to keep me generally in the loop about things like grades.

What bugs me is people who think the school should be giving them access.  And the stuff about "how can I rectify the disgusting bathroom situation for my kid" is an entirely different thing.  While my kid has certainly mentioned the bathroom situation in her dorm, she would never expect me to get involved (in part that's because of how shitty she and her brother are at keeping their shared bathroom at home clean).

I get it. People think that because they pay for something, they're due answers, responses, information, etc..

[Lonk]

For the record I didn't use the term "helicopter parents" as an insult, but more as a description of the type of parent involvement PG was describing. Apologies if that didn't come across.

Now, I don't have kids, so I can't speak from a parent's perspective. But from an administrative point of view, the school doesn't differentiate that the money is too large or no money at all. Their responsibility is to the student. Should you  (the parent) have a general sense of what's going on, of course, but anything specific to the student it's up to said student if they want to share the information with the parents. Once the student turns 18 (which is the majority of college students), the parents lose the right to certain information. Not saying it is right or wrong, just the way it is.

[El Barto]

Outside perspective: I kind of gather that going off to college is sort of a stepping stone between living at home with the rents and "good luck, GTFO!" I can understand parents wanting to stay in the loop to a certain extent, as opposed to just casting them off to the fates. Part of meeting half way is extending some privacy, and that's something that the school should allow to be customized. When I go to the doctor I have to tell them who can and who cannot have access to my health information. Seems like something like that should apply here, and be left up to the student. "Can your parents access your grades?" Simple enough. From that point, Tim can lower the boom on his kid and say "I get to stay informed or you can pay your own way," and some other parent can extend that added privacy to their kid. 

[King Postwhore]

Yeah, but what kid wouldn't block their parents from learning their grades.  I think most parents who pay expect to know at least the grades.  The extra curricular activities are what the parents don't want to know until the grades are poor.  You give some rope but they can hang themselves.