Minor things that bother you

[jakeroot]

Email clients, note-taking apps, editors, etc...

If you paste in a URL, it underlines it, which is fine: http://aaroads.com

But then it also underlines everything you type afterward, which is 100% never what you want, why the family circus would it do this

The trick (perhaps obviously) is to type out the whole sentence, and then go back and insert the link.

[J N Winkler]

Email clients, note-taking apps, editors, etc...

If you paste in a URL, it underlines it, which is fine: http://aaroads.com

But then it also underlines everything you type afterward, which is 100% never what you want, why the family circus would it do this

It's actually been quite a while since I last saw this particular antipattern.  The software I use is not especially up to date, but is still reasonably good at recognizing characters that are illegal in URLs (such as spaces and carriage returns) as marking URL boundaries.

[texaskdog]

Email clients, note-taking apps, editors, etc...

If you paste in a URL, it underlines it, which is fine: http://aaroads.com

But then it also underlines everything you type afterward, which is 100% never what you want, why the family circus would it do this

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysfunctional_Family_Circus

[kphoger]

Email clients, note-taking apps, editors, etc...

If you paste in a URL, it underlines it, which is fine: http://aaroads.com

But then it also underlines everything you type afterward, which is 100% never what you want, why the family circus would it do this

I've never experienced that.  Do you mean it does that on this forum?

Maybe it's just because I manually type the [.url] and [.u] tags ahead of pasting the URL.

[US71]

Email clients, note-taking apps, editors, etc...

If you paste in a URL, it underlines it, which is fine: http://aaroads.com

But then it also underlines everything you type afterward, which is 100% never what you want, why the family circus would it do this

Can you manually remove the excess underline?

[SSOWorld]

Email clients, note-taking apps, editors, etc...

If you paste in a URL, it underlines it, which is fine: http://aaroads.com

But then it also underlines everything you type afterward, which is 100% never what you want, why the family circus would it do this

Can you manually remove the excess underline?

Use an eraser

[Ned Weasel]

People treating Breezewood as if it's a major atrocity, when in reality, it's an odd quirk in the system and far from the worst of Interstate traffic problems. It's a fun thought experiment to conceptualize ways to "fix" it, but in reality, it epitomizes "first world problems."

Me fussing over minor inconsistencies in the way roads are signed. Again, "first world problems." Doesn't mean I don't want to improve the sign design, though.

Rhetoric about how "cars destroy cities." Yes, there are many places where we can do a far better job with pedestrian access and bicycle infrastructure, but come on. This rhetoric just gets annoying and turns me off from your message. If you're serious, put the pencil to the paper and propose some better designs.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

In that vein, grid purists. There is no way to lay a perfect grid. I despise those who, upon extending I-45 to Kansas City, send it up I-35 and reroute I-35 onto I-29. I just renumber I-29 to I-45, even if it is West of I-35.

[Ned Weasel]

In that vein, grid purists. There is no way to lay a perfect grid. I despise those who, upon extending I-45 to Kansas City, send it up I-35 and reroute I-35 onto I-29. I just renumber I-29 to I-45, even if it is West of I-35.

I don't even think an I-29 renumbering is likely at all.  Yeah, you'd have a continuous Interstate designation from the South Coast to Canada, but changing all those I-29 shields (and perhaps the mile marker and exit numbers in Missouri, depending on which way you route it) is an expense I doubt those states would want to take on.

People on this forum have already proposed a renumbering of I-29 to I-49, which is just as unlikely, even though you could possibly do it right now (without upgrading US 71 in south Kansas City) with a couple of creative renumberings.

[kphoger]

That my cell phone's calculator app apparently has some features that use an internet connection.  I never use those features, don't even know what they are, but that's not the point.  Whenever I finish filling up the tank at a gas station, I get out my fuel economy notebook to record the fill-up.  I get my cell phone out of my pocket, start figuring my mileage, and then–halfway through my calculation–the phone pops up a list of Wi-Fi networks to connect to.

I just need to do division!  I don't need to connect to Wi-Fi!  Shut up!  Aarghh!

[jakeroot]

That my cell phone's calculator app apparently has some features that use an internet connection.  I never use those features, don't even know what they are, but that's not the point.  Whenever I finish filling up the tank at a gas station, I get out my fuel economy notebook to record the fill-up.  I get my cell phone out of my pocket, start figuring my mileage, and then–halfway through my calculation–the phone pops up a list of Wi-Fi networks to connect to.

I just need to do division!  I don't need to connect to Wi-Fi!  Shut up!  Aarghh!

I feel like this has been the result of the changes in data plans over the years (unlimited common when smartphones were less common, then less common when smartphones became common, and now unlimited is common again). A lot of people don't have unlimited data and will use wifi whenever possible, so the pop up is helpful.

Then again, I can't recall seeing that pop-up on Android unless my wifi was only just activated and a previously-connected network wasn't found. Is your arrival at that gas station prompting your phone to enable its wifi? My Samsung phone has a feature that enables and disables my wifi depending on whether I'm at home or not, or if I'm within the vicinity of whatever place(s) I set.

[sparker]

There's a driver habit that, at least in my local area, has become increasingly annoying.  When I'm located in a left turn lane (or even the leftmost lane, period) at an intersection, drivers coming from my right side intending to themselves turn left into the opposite direction of the street I'm on more often than not try to "cut the corner" with as wide a turning arc as possible, almost hitting the front left corner of my vehicle.  Not only have they had to correct their trajectory to avoid me, but they invariably throw dirty looks my way as if I were trespassing on their chosen path!  This has happened at various intersections, but more with T-intersections where I'm in the left lane of the terminating street.   The type of vehicle that does this varies, of course, but larger private-use trucks (F150's, Rams) as well as "muscle" cars (lots of Mopar offerings!) seem not only to form a likely bloc but will "throw the most shade" my way re the aforementioned dirty looks.  Now -- I've recently tried to stop well back from the line on nonsignalized intersections -- but the trigger loops for signalized intersections tend to be close to the line, so there's not a lot that can be done with those.  I'm left wondering if actually turning a vehicle on a limited radius is becoming a forgotten or even passe' skill -- or is it just plan laziness and/or expected privilege at play here?     

[webny99]

^ Interesting, I've actually had the opposite issue, with people pulling up too far to stop, such that when there's a perpendicular double left turn lane, if you're in the left of the two, you have to strike a really careful balance between hitting their left corner and sideswiping the guy turning next to you. Here is one location where I've had this happen at least a few times in the past few months.

[jmacswimmer]

Noticed this exact phenomenon while sitting in this left-turn lane yesterday evening.  Definitely seems to be a much bigger issue when there is a double-left involved, as webny99 describes.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

There's a driver habit that, at least in my local area, has become increasingly annoying.  When I'm located in a left turn lane (or even the leftmost lane, period) at an intersection, drivers coming from my right side intending to themselves turn left into the opposite direction of the street I'm on more often than not try to "cut the corner" with as wide a turning arc as possible, almost hitting the front left corner of my vehicle.  Not only have they had to correct their trajectory to avoid me, but they invariably throw dirty looks my way as if I were trespassing on their chosen path!  This has happened at various intersections, but more with T-intersections where I'm in the left lane of the terminating street.   The type of vehicle that does this varies, of course, but larger private-use trucks (F150's, Rams) as well as "muscle" cars (lots of Mopar offerings!) seem not only to form a likely bloc but will "throw the most shade" my way re the aforementioned dirty looks.  Now -- I've recently tried to stop well back from the line on nonsignalized intersections -- but the trigger loops for signalized intersections tend to be close to the line, so there's not a lot that can be done with those.  I'm left wondering if actually turning a vehicle on a limited radius is becoming a forgotten or even passe' skill -- or is it just plan laziness and/or expected privilege at play here?     

Not that what you're detailing is new, but COVID-related traffic decreases have definitely made the drivers you're describing feel more enabled to act like gigantic douchebags letting all their reckless driving fantasies out and act like you're the one with the problem.

[Verlanka]

That my cell phone's calculator app apparently has some features that use an internet connection.  I never use those features, don't even know what they are, but that's not the point.  Whenever I finish filling up the tank at a gas station, I get out my fuel economy notebook to record the fill-up.  I get my cell phone out of my pocket, start figuring my mileage, and then–halfway through my calculation–the phone pops up a list of Wi-Fi networks to connect to.

I just need to do division!  I don't need to connect to Wi-Fi!  Shut up!  Aarghh!

I feel like this has been the result of the changes in data plans over the years (unlimited common when smartphones were less common, then less common when smartphones became common, and now unlimited is common again). A lot of people don't have unlimited data and will use wifi whenever possible, so the pop up is helpful.

They don't have unlimited because they either use Wi-Fi a lot or they don't leave the house that often.

[sparker]

There's a driver habit that, at least in my local area, has become increasingly annoying.  When I'm located in a left turn lane (or even the leftmost lane, period) at an intersection, drivers coming from my right side intending to themselves turn left into the opposite direction of the street I'm on more often than not try to "cut the corner" with as wide a turning arc as possible, almost hitting the front left corner of my vehicle.  Not only have they had to correct their trajectory to avoid me, but they invariably throw dirty looks my way as if I were trespassing on their chosen path!  This has happened at various intersections, but more with T-intersections where I'm in the left lane of the terminating street.   The type of vehicle that does this varies, of course, but larger private-use trucks (F150's, Rams) as well as "muscle" cars (lots of Mopar offerings!) seem not only to form a likely bloc but will "throw the most shade" my way re the aforementioned dirty looks.  Now -- I've recently tried to stop well back from the line on nonsignalized intersections -- but the trigger loops for signalized intersections tend to be close to the line, so there's not a lot that can be done with those.  I'm left wondering if actually turning a vehicle on a limited radius is becoming a forgotten or even passe' skill -- or is it just plan laziness and/or expected privilege at play here?     

Not that what you're detailing is new, but COVID-related traffic decreases have definitely made the drivers you're describing feel more enabled to act like gigantic douchebags letting all their reckless driving fantasies out and act like you're the one with the problem.

I started noticing this issue well over the 7+ years I've been living in the San Jose area -- but the observation above may indeed be valid; the instances of this occurring seem to have increased in the last six months, almost coincident with the state sequestration order.  Maybe it's just juvenile exuberance manifesting itself among drivers normally "cooped up" at home or in an isolated office setting, but the overall impatience level of drivers, at least anecdotally, seems to have increased over that period.  Given the overall situation today, it's just one more (albeit relatively minor) thing to add to the list of daily-life obstacles or even conditions. 

[kphoger]

That my cell phone's calculator app apparently has some features that use an internet connection.  I never use those features, don't even know what they are, but that's not the point.  Whenever I finish filling up the tank at a gas station, I get out my fuel economy notebook to record the fill-up.  I get my cell phone out of my pocket, start figuring my mileage, and then–halfway through my calculation–the phone pops up a list of Wi-Fi networks to connect to.

I just need to do division!  I don't need to connect to Wi-Fi!  Shut up!  Aarghh!

I feel like this has been the result of the changes in data plans over the years (unlimited common when smartphones were less common, then less common when smartphones became common, and now unlimited is common again). A lot of people don't have unlimited data and will use wifi whenever possible, so the pop up is helpful.

Then again, I can't recall seeing that pop-up on Android unless my wifi was only just activated and a previously-connected network wasn't found. Is your arrival at that gas station prompting your phone to enable its wifi? My Samsung phone has a feature that enables and disables my wifi depending on whether I'm at home or not, or if I'm within the vicinity of whatever place(s) I set.

I have my phone set to not use mobile data whenever a Wi-Fi network is available.  So it prompts me to either use an available network, and using mobile data requires me to override that.  Which is great, and I appreciate the functionality of it.  But it's a dang calculator!

There's a driver habit that, at least in my local area, has become increasingly annoying.  When I'm located in a left turn lane (or even the leftmost lane, period) at an intersection, drivers coming from my right side intending to themselves turn left into the opposite direction of the street I'm on more often than not try to "cut the corner" with as wide a turning arc as possible, almost hitting the front left corner of my vehicle.  Not only have they had to correct their trajectory to avoid me, but they invariably throw dirty looks my way as if I were trespassing on their chosen path!  This has happened at various intersections, but more with T-intersections where I'm in the left lane of the terminating street.   The type of vehicle that does this varies, of course, but larger private-use trucks (F150's, Rams) as well as "muscle" cars (lots of Mopar offerings!) seem not only to form a likely bloc but will "throw the most shade" my way re the aforementioned dirty looks.  Now -- I've recently tried to stop well back from the line on nonsignalized intersections -- but the trigger loops for signalized intersections tend to be close to the line, so there's not a lot that can be done with those.  I'm left wondering if actually turning a vehicle on a limited radius is becoming a forgotten or even passe' skill -- or is it just plan laziness and/or expected privilege at play here?     

I've never noticed that.  Around here at least, most drivers turn into the far lane, so their vehicle never even comes close to mine.  In fact, I try stop well in advance of the stop line specifically to make them turn closer to me–i.e., to encourage them to turn into the near (legal) lane.

[jakeroot]

I have my phone set to not use mobile data whenever a Wi-Fi network is available.  So it prompts me to either use an available network, and using mobile data requires me to override that.  Which is great, and I appreciate the functionality of it.  But it's a dang calculator!

It's just funny to me that an app is prompting that window to open up. I'm on Android 10 (Samsung One UI Version 2.5) and that pop-up only opens in the scenario previously mentioned. An app cannot open that window on my phone. You are using Android, yes?

[jakeroot]

There's a driver habit that, at least in my local area, has become increasingly annoying.  When I'm located in a left turn lane (or even the leftmost lane, period) at an intersection, drivers coming from my right side intending to themselves turn left into the opposite direction of the street I'm on more often than not try to "cut the corner" with as wide a turning arc as possible, almost hitting the front left corner of my vehicle.  Not only have they had to correct their trajectory to avoid me, but they invariably throw dirty looks my way as if I were trespassing on their chosen path!  This has happened at various intersections, but more with T-intersections where I'm in the left lane of the terminating street.   The type of vehicle that does this varies, of course, but larger private-use trucks (F150's, Rams) as well as "muscle" cars (lots of Mopar offerings!) seem not only to form a likely bloc but will "throw the most shade" my way re the aforementioned dirty looks.  Now -- I've recently tried to stop well back from the line on nonsignalized intersections -- but the trigger loops for signalized intersections tend to be close to the line, so there's not a lot that can be done with those.  I'm left wondering if actually turning a vehicle on a limited radius is becoming a forgotten or even passe' skill -- or is it just plan laziness and/or expected privilege at play here? 

I've noticed this to be especially common in areas where drivers are not keen on waiting in the junction to turn left. They will wait behind the stop line for a gap, and then lurch forward and turn in this very wide arc the moment they see a gap. Little do they realize that if they pulled forward, the turn across traffic would be shorter, and they'd be much less likely to end up in the far lane or (the main issue) cut the corner and nearly hit someone.

However, I do think that individual agencies are slightly responsible for this behavior. In places like British Columbia, it's very standard to bring the left turn lane's stop line back from the intersection. This does two things: (1) it encourages drivers to pull forward when waiting to turn (single lane protected lefts are fairly uncommon), reducing the turning arc, and (2) reduces the chance of corner cutting. This is particularly important in British Columbia because protected left turns (less common except for most double left turns) usually have the signals mounted in the median (great example here). If drivers religiously cut corners, the chance of the signals being knocked down would be much higher.

If you look at places like California (which you should be familiar with lol), the stop lines for left turns are...well, they don't seem to exist. Apparently it's the first line of a crosswalk? That seems odd to me, and reminds me a bit of Oregon. But anyways, the left turn "stop lines" are at the same horizontal position as the through or right turn lanes. That, to me, is asking for drivers to cut the corner and nearly hit anyone that might be in their way. If we more often set stop lines back, we might be able to reduce how often this happens.

[kphoger]

You are using Android, yes?

yep

[I-55]

Not being able to use Microsoft Office hotkeys in Google docs

[kphoger]

Google docs

nuff said

[wanderer2575]

There's a driver habit that, at least in my local area, has become increasingly annoying.  When I'm located in a left turn lane (or even the leftmost lane, period) at an intersection, drivers coming from my right side intending to themselves turn left into the opposite direction of the street I'm on more often than not try to "cut the corner" with as wide a turning arc as possible, almost hitting the front left corner of my vehicle.  Not only have they had to correct their trajectory to avoid me, but they invariably throw dirty looks my way as if I were trespassing on their chosen path!  This has happened at various intersections, but more with T-intersections where I'm in the left lane of the terminating street.   The type of vehicle that does this varies, of course, but larger private-use trucks (F150's, Rams) as well as "muscle" cars (lots of Mopar offerings!) seem not only to form a likely bloc but will "throw the most shade" my way re the aforementioned dirty looks.  Now -- I've recently tried to stop well back from the line on nonsignalized intersections -- but the trigger loops for signalized intersections tend to be close to the line, so there's not a lot that can be done with those.  I'm left wondering if actually turning a vehicle on a limited radius is becoming a forgotten or even passe' skill -- or is it just plan laziness and/or expected privilege at play here? 

I think it's laziness and a forgotten or even passe' skill.  <old man's voice> When I took driver ed as a kid </old man's voice> I was taught to tighten up and "square off" my turns and I still do it.  Maybe too many other drivers don't because they would have to put down their phones and lattes to actually take the steering wheel with both hands.

Related to this are people clueless of spatial relationships with their vehicles or simply the inability to handle them.  For a pathetic grin, watch drivers of full-size pickups and SUVs pulling into and backing out of parking spaces at the mall.  More often than not over one of the lines, and needing two or three attempts at minimum to back out.  Ultimate scenario:  How many times have you seen a vehicle being driven partially or fully on the inside right shoulder of a cloverleaf ramp because the driver can't stay in the traffic lane around the curve?

[kphoger]

Ultimate scenario:  How many times have you seen a vehicle being driven partially or fully on the inside right shoulder of a cloverleaf ramp because the driver can't stay in the traffic lane around the curve?

You think people do that accidentally?  I don't think so.  People cut the corner off curves on purpose, generally.  It allows them to accelerate sooner when they come out of the turn.