Minor things that bother you

[Max Rockatansky]

A lot of stores are pulling self checkout over theft.  Since Walmart put SCO registers in their company wide shrink has jumped for. 0.80% to about 3%

Womp womp, multibillion dollar companies should cope with this.

Walmart definitely has the volume to sell through that shrink.  All the same, most retailers are retreating from SCO. 

[kkt]

On a separate note, another thing that annoys me is when books number each section individually. Like, the pages in section one will be numbered 1-1, 1-2, and so on, with section 2 being numbered 2-1, 2-2, and so on in the same way. Just start at 1, and go till you're done.

This is standard for government documents and drives me up the wall. Very hard to cite them properly as ranges, since you end up with "pp. 3-10–3-15", which just looks weird.

Sometimes words are your friend.  Pages 3-10 through 3-15.

[jeffandnicole]

A lot of stores are pulling self checkout over theft.  Since Walmart put SCO registers in their company wide shrink has jumped for. 0.80% to about 3%

Womp womp, multibillion dollar companies should cope with this.

They do. By raising prices & locking up merchandise.

[Max Rockatansky]

Interestingly I have found use for the local Walmart.  It turns out that they really are attentive to maintaining the air compressor at their gas station.  Pretty much every other Exact Air style machine in area has been vandalized and rendered inoperable.

[Rothman]

Interestingly I have found use for the local Walmart.  It turns out that they really are attentive to maintaining the air compressor at their gas station.  Pretty much every other Exact Air style machine in area has been vandalized and rendered inoperable.

I've been surprised by the number of gas stations that just don't have them.  Had a low tire and had to go to about four of them before I found one -- at Walmart -- while on a trip in Texas.  Perhaps their fragility is a reason.

[Max Rockatansky]

Interestingly I have found use for the local Walmart.  It turns out that they really are attentive to maintaining the air compressor at their gas station.  Pretty much every other Exact Air style machine in area has been vandalized and rendered inoperable.

I've been surprised by the number of gas stations that just don't have them.  Had a low tire and had to go to about four of them before I found one -- at Walmart -- while on a trip in Texas.  Perhaps their fragility is a reason.

I had to try three stations myself the other day when I had a flashing TPMS (needed to test if the sensors were dead).  I ended up finding a brand new compressor at an out of the way 76 near CA 99 in Goshen.  I'll probably will be adding that station to my mental list of good gas stations going forward. 

[SSOWorld]

Interestingly I have found use for the local Walmart.  It turns out that they really are attentive to maintaining the air compressor at their gas station.  Pretty much every other Exact Air style machine in area has been vandalized and rendered inoperable.

I've been surprised by the number of gas stations that just don't have them.  Had a low tire and had to go to about four of them before I found one -- at Walmart -- while on a trip in Texas.  Perhaps their fragility is a reason.

Which is why I invested in an air compressor that I use on the road - it powers off the car's power (alternator preferred), an does a damn good job of inflating the tires.  That plus outside Kwiky-Trippy (and some Casey's), those who supply them charge for the air.

I am boycotting Wally World because of their policy on Contactless payments.  They only accept one - their own.

[CtrlAltDel]

Which is why I invested in an air compressor that I use on the road - it powers off the car's power (alternator preferred), an does a damn good job of inflating the tires.  That plus outside Kwiky-Trippy (and some Casey's), those who supply them charge for the air.

I have one as well. It's a bit slow, but it's like the car is healing itself. Additionally, I can inflate the tires when they're cold, which, as you know, helps give the right pressure.

[1995hoo]

On a separate note, another thing that annoys me is when books number each section individually. Like, the pages in section one will be numbered 1-1, 1-2, and so on, with section 2 being numbered 2-1, 2-2, and so on in the same way. Just start at 1, and go till you're done.

This is standard for government documents and drives me up the wall. Very hard to cite them properly as ranges, since you end up with "pp. 3-10–3-15", which just looks weird.

That's why the Bluebook (legal citation guide) calls for using "to" in that situation for clarity. I give you credit for recognizing the use of an en dash for a page range, though.

[Bruce]

On a separate note, another thing that annoys me is when books number each section individually. Like, the pages in section one will be numbered 1-1, 1-2, and so on, with section 2 being numbered 2-1, 2-2, and so on in the same way. Just start at 1, and go till you're done.

This is standard for government documents and drives me up the wall. Very hard to cite them properly as ranges, since you end up with "pp. 3-10–3-15", which just looks weird.

That's why the Bluebook (legal citation guide) calls for using "to" in that situation for clarity. I give you credit for recognizing the use of an en dash for a page range, though.

Just using the Wikipedia standard, which has all sorts of quirks not followed by more standard guides.

[wxfree]

Stop lines that are half a mile back from the intersection

I've hated this for years, but I thought about it again today while watching traffic backed up at a stop sign.  If every driver did the right thing, they would stop once before the line, and then roll forward to a place where they can see whether it's safe to go.  This would take significantly longer, backing up traffic even more, than just stopping at a safe and reasonable place.

Most people ignore the lines, so the engineers seem to think that the appropriate corrective action is to put them further back.  It seems like the more unreasonable it is, the more likely it is to be ignored.

You're supposed to stop before entering a crosswalk.  That makes sense.  Putting a stop line before the crosswalk makes no sense.  If someone is in the crosswalk or near, you'll stop early so as not to encroach on their space.  You don't need a line to tell you to do that.  If an empty crosswalk doesn't make you stop, a line before it won't do that, either.

I am a chronic rule follower.  I stop before the line even when it's absurd.  I don't know how many times I've stopped just before the stop line while a vehicle in front of me rolls completely past the line to a point at which they can see cross traffic.  I've already stopped at the required location and waited for the road ahead of me to clear.  After that point I go if it's safe.  If that stop line hadn't been there, that maneuver wouldn't be legal because I would have run the stop sign.  Another stop before the intersection isn't required, and there's no secondary "stop here, too" line.

It seems to me that, unless there's a particular hazard, the safest place to stop is at some point where you can see.  Otherwise, the whole point of the stop sign is overcome.  The stop is to prevent drivers from making a quick and unconsidered decision and rush into traffic while you still have some momentum.  If you stop first and have time to observe traffic and don't try to conserve momentum, then the maneuver is safer.  If the stop line is so far back that you can't see the road, then when you get to the intersection you're again incentivized to perform a roll-through, trying to conserve momentum by getting into traffic quickly instead of making a second stop.  It's no safer, but it's legal because you already make the required stop, but that stop was pointless because it was at an arbitrary location where you couldn't actually see whether it was safe to go.

[LilianaUwU]

A lot of stores are pulling self checkout over theft.  Since Walmart put SCO registers in their company wide shrink has jumped for. 0.80% to about 3%

Womp womp, multibillion dollar companies should cope with this.

They do. By raising prices & locking up merchandise.

My point is, they deserve having their shit stolen.

[vdeane]

OnTrac.  I had never even heard of them until today.  Turns out some stuff I ordered last week all got shipped via them.  The first two items were on track (pun not intended) to arrive today.  This evening I get texts saying that delivery failed.  Status online says "business closed - please send hours".  I didn't give them a business address.  I don't know why they think my apartment is a business address.  I look this up online, and it appears that they're a POS company who never manages to deliver anything properly.  To make matters worse, more and more retailers seem to be using them with increasing frequency, so the only way to avoid them is to not shop online at all.

The other packages are all linked to OnTrac as well, so I guess I'm SOL with the whole order.  And I have a last-minute trip out of town on the day these items were all scheduled to be delivered, so that's an additional complication.  If only everything had been given to USPS for delivery, it would all be fine, and anything still not delivered before I leave for this last-minute trip could have been caught by a mail hold.  As it is, I have delivery problems with likely more to come, and I'll just have to hope that anything left when I'm away won't get stolen (if it ever shows up at all).

[1995hoo]

Dispute the charge with your credit card issuer if you have no luck with the selling merchant.

[jeffandnicole]

Interestingly I have found use for the local Walmart.  It turns out that they really are attentive to maintaining the air compressor at their gas station.  Pretty much every other Exact Air style machine in area has been vandalized and rendered inoperable.

I've been surprised by the number of gas stations that just don't have them.  Had a low tire and had to go to about four of them before I found one -- at Walmart -- while on a trip in Texas.  Perhaps their fragility is a reason.

I had to try three stations myself the other day when I had a flashing TPMS (needed to test if the sensors were dead).  I ended up finding a brand new compressor at an out of the way 76 near CA 99 in Goshen.  I'll probably will be adding that station to my mental list of good gas stations going forward. 

Nearly all Lowes have free air.  The machine is found near the lumber entrance area.  There's no gauge so you'll need your own or estimate it until you can find a gauge.  But, it's free, convenient, and machine almost always works.

[hbelkins]

Interestingly I have found use for the local Walmart.  It turns out that they really are attentive to maintaining the air compressor at their gas station.  Pretty much every other Exact Air style machine in area has been vandalized and rendered inoperable.

I've been surprised by the number of gas stations that just don't have them.  Had a low tire and had to go to about four of them before I found one -- at Walmart -- while on a trip in Texas.  Perhaps their fragility is a reason.

Which is why I invested in an air compressor that I use on the road - it powers off the car's power (alternator preferred), an does a damn good job of inflating the tires.  That plus outside Kwiky-Trippy (and some Casey's), those who supply them charge for the air.

I am boycotting Wally World because of their policy on Contactless payments.  They only accept one - their own.

What's the difference between tapping the card and inserting the card? You still have to contact the PIN pad to enter your PIN.

[JayhawkCO]

Interestingly I have found use for the local Walmart.  It turns out that they really are attentive to maintaining the air compressor at their gas station.  Pretty much every other Exact Air style machine in area has been vandalized and rendered inoperable.

I've been surprised by the number of gas stations that just don't have them.  Had a low tire and had to go to about four of them before I found one -- at Walmart -- while on a trip in Texas.  Perhaps their fragility is a reason.

Which is why I invested in an air compressor that I use on the road - it powers off the car's power (alternator preferred), an does a damn good job of inflating the tires.  That plus outside Kwiky-Trippy (and some Casey's), those who supply them charge for the air.

I am boycotting Wally World because of their policy on Contactless payments.  They only accept one - their own.

What's the difference between tapping the card and inserting the card? You still have to contact the PIN pad to enter your PIN.

I don't use a PIN for credit cards.

[Rothman]

Which is why I invested in an air compressor that I use on the road - it powers off the car's power (alternator preferred), an does a damn good job of inflating the tires.  That plus outside Kwiky-Trippy (and some Casey's), those who supply them charge for the air.

I have one as well. It's a bit slow, but it's like the car is healing itself. Additionally, I can inflate the tires when they're cold, which, as you know, helps give the right pressure.

I've got one.  Just have never put it in my luggage on a trip that included flying.  Maybe I should.  The headaches with dealing with Avis are becoming insurmountable.

[Big John]

^^No longer trying harder?

[Bruce]

You're supposed to stop before entering a crosswalk.  That makes sense.  Putting a stop line before the crosswalk makes no sense.  If someone is in the crosswalk or near, you'll stop early so as not to encroach on their space.  You don't need a line to tell you to do that.  If an empty crosswalk doesn't make you stop, a line before it won't do that, either.

People often encroach anyways on crosswalks. So much so that I'd love to see some crossing arms to at least make drivers realize that they're not the priority for once.

The setback stop bars may also be for turning traffic, as often buses and trucks need a wider turning radius. I've been on many buses that have had to stop and wait for a vehicle to back up to the stop bar to complete a turn onto a tight road.

[1995hoo]

^^^^^

I so often encounter blocked crosswalks that I always wonder whether to walk in front of or behind the obstruction.

[LilianaUwU]

^^^^^

I so often encounter blocked crosswalks that I always wonder whether to walk in front of or behind the obstruction.

Walk above. Assert dominance.

[SSOWorld]

Interestingly I have found use for the local Walmart.  It turns out that they really are attentive to maintaining the air compressor at their gas station.  Pretty much every other Exact Air style machine in area has been vandalized and rendered inoperable.

I've been surprised by the number of gas stations that just don't have them.  Had a low tire and had to go to about four of them before I found one -- at Walmart -- while on a trip in Texas.  Perhaps their fragility is a reason.

Which is why I invested in an air compressor that I use on the road - it powers off the car's power (alternator preferred), an does a damn good job of inflating the tires.  That plus outside Kwiky-Trippy (and some Casey's), those who supply them charge for the air.

I am boycotting Wally World because of their policy on Contactless payments.  They only accept one - their own.

What's the difference between tapping the card and inserting the card? You still have to contact the PIN pad to enter your PIN.

I don't use a PIN with tapping. As a matter of fact, I don't use a pin with a debit card unless I want change. The tap to pay is disabled on the readers and you have to store your card info in Walmart's database and scan a QR Code with your smartphone and pay through their app.

[LilianaUwU]

Interestingly I have found use for the local Walmart.  It turns out that they really are attentive to maintaining the air compressor at their gas station.  Pretty much every other Exact Air style machine in area has been vandalized and rendered inoperable.

I've been surprised by the number of gas stations that just don't have them.  Had a low tire and had to go to about four of them before I found one -- at Walmart -- while on a trip in Texas.  Perhaps their fragility is a reason.

Which is why I invested in an air compressor that I use on the road - it powers off the car's power (alternator preferred), an does a damn good job of inflating the tires.  That plus outside Kwiky-Trippy (and some Casey's), those who supply them charge for the air.

I am boycotting Wally World because of their policy on Contactless payments.  They only accept one - their own.

What's the difference between tapping the card and inserting the card? You still have to contact the PIN pad to enter your PIN.

I don't use a PIN with tapping. As a matter of fact, I don't use a pin with a debit card unless I want change. The tap to pay is disabled on the readers and you have to store your card info in Walmart's database and scan a QR Code with your smartphone and pay through their app.

Meanwhile, in Canada, literally everything is integrated with Interac.

[vdeane]

Dispute the charge with your credit card issuer if you have no luck with the selling merchant.

Considering that this is AliExpress we're talking about, that's probably what will end up happening.  Chatting with OnTrac last night yielded nothing (they didn't even try to deliver today), and chatting with AliExpress to try to get them to put a note on my account to never ship OnTrac again was also worthless.  Not really sure what I can do at present.  It doesn't look like I have much recourse until 30 days have passed, technically we're still before the estimated delivery date, and the other packages are all in between countries at the moment.  I'm not even sure that telling OnTrac to not try delivering anything on the days that I'll be away will help - given their incompetence, they'd probably take it to mean deliver only on those days.  And none of this does nothing to alleviate my astronomically high stress levels over this.  I'm already impatient enough when it comes to online shipping, so having anything go wrong just makes it get that much worse.

Seriously, someone needs to liquidate OnTrac into oblivion.

Interestingly I have found use for the local Walmart.  It turns out that they really are attentive to maintaining the air compressor at their gas station.  Pretty much every other Exact Air style machine in area has been vandalized and rendered inoperable.

I've been surprised by the number of gas stations that just don't have them.  Had a low tire and had to go to about four of them before I found one -- at Walmart -- while on a trip in Texas.  Perhaps their fragility is a reason.

Which is why I invested in an air compressor that I use on the road - it powers off the car's power (alternator preferred), an does a damn good job of inflating the tires.  That plus outside Kwiky-Trippy (and some Casey's), those who supply them charge for the air.

I am boycotting Wally World because of their policy on Contactless payments.  They only accept one - their own.

What's the difference between tapping the card and inserting the card? You still have to contact the PIN pad to enter your PIN.

Tapping seems to process much faster for some reason, though it might just be that I'm putting my card away while it's authorizing rather than waiting until after.  I've never been asked for a PIN while tapping, while my one card that is chip and PIN capable does get asked once in a blue moon when inserting (I don't even know if it would be prompted in Canada with any frequency, since tap to pay is so ubiquitous there and the one time I tried testing an insert, it defaulted to chip and sign, on paper, no less, so I didn't want to risk that hassle again).