Minor things that bother you

[Scott5114]

Used Frank Sinatra Drive and Dean Martin Drive quite bit this week.  I wrote my previous post after sitting on southbound Decatur Boulevard at the light for eastbound CC 215 for at least two minutes. 

Haha, not surprised. Decatur is shit. Jones and Rainbow both flow a lot better (although I think the section of Jones south of Russell is under construction at the moment so Rainbow would probably be the better bet).

In addition to the obvious mile grid, Las Vegas also has a half-mile grid of minor collectors tucked in between them. They have less traffic, but they're not really much faster since the major arterials get priority at intersections. But they are handy for bypassing obstructions on the main grid (so you could get around stuck spots on Decatur by using Lindell or Arville, for instance).

[Rothman]

How many people are getting shuttled?  Let one of them drive.

[vdeane]

In some bulletin boards similar in operation to this one, clicking on the topic title takes you to the first unread message.  On this one, it takes you to the beginning of the topic.  I'm always clicking on the topic title instead of the "new" button out of habit.  But how often would people really want to start reading the topic again at page 1, rather than where they left off?

I don't recall using any like that, but I haven't used a non-SMF board in years.  That seems like it would be annoying, on the off chance I did want to go back to the start of a thread.

Wouldn't it be more convenient to take you to the first unread message, then, since going to the start of the thread would be an off-chance, rather than the norm?

I already have the ability to do that by clicking the "new" button, though.  So having the thread title do the same would take away an option in favor of an option I already have.  I prefer to have how I navigate the web be a choice, not dictated to me by how my previous browsing is.  It's one of the reasons why I browse so much in incognito - to reduce the amount of "customization" that's done by websites to my browsing experience.

There's also the case where I might start reading a thread after it originally began, but want to start from the beginning (like the I-344/I-335/I-240 signing thread that I didn't read before today).  Since I mark all messages as read upon the conclusion of every forum check, that would be a PITA if it worked that way.

[Max Rockatansky]

How many people are getting shuttled?

Four of my wife's family a couple times.  There was a couple last minute decisions to go off Strip for dinner a detour to Fremont Street for a free concert.  I guess it worked out, I just assume ride-share prices were horrible with the F1 race afoot. 

[Max Rockatansky]

Used Frank Sinatra Drive and Dean Martin Drive quite bit this week.  I wrote my previous post after sitting on southbound Decatur Boulevard at the light for eastbound CC 215 for at least two minutes. 

Haha, not surprised. Decatur is shit. Jones and Rainbow both flow a lot better (although I think the section of Jones south of Russell is under construction at the moment so Rainbow would probably be the better bet).

In addition to the obvious mile grid, Las Vegas also has a half-mile grid of minor collectors tucked in between them. They have less traffic, but they're not really much faster since the major arterials get priority at intersections. But they are handy for bypassing obstructions on the main grid (so you could get around stuck spots on Decatur by using Lindell or Arville, for instance).

The turnaround began after dinner.  The idea was to go up to Fremont Street last night for the free concert.

[Rothman]

Free concert or was it included with F1 admission?

[mgk920]

Tire rebates.  Instead of sending you a check, then send one of those prepaid gift cards that are tricky to get every dollar out of.  Also, the rebate requires that the name/address match the receipt exactly; my name is misspelled and the receipt has my old apartment instead of my current one.  That certainly complicates things, assuming I can still get one with these issues.

I simply hate rebates

Mike

Then you'll love Menards.

There are two of their stores here in the Appleton, WI area, and both of them are seriously inconveniently located for me.

Mike

[Rothman]

Menards was a staple when I lived in WI.  Hm.  Still have Christmas ornaments that I bought from there many moons ago.

[Max Rockatansky]

Free concert or was it included with F1 admission?

Free in general.  Didn't see much crossover with the F1 fans, the concert appeared to be mostly locals.

[SSOWorld]

There are two of their stores here in the Appleton, WI area, and both of them are seriously inconveniently located for me.

Mike

Gee what does that remind me of???

uh?

Wally World?

[SEWIGuy]

Tire rebates.  Instead of sending you a check, then send one of those prepaid gift cards that are tricky to get every dollar out of.  Also, the rebate requires that the name/address match the receipt exactly; my name is misspelled and the receipt has my old apartment instead of my current one.  That certainly complicates things, assuming I can still get one with these issues.

I simply hate rebates

Mike

Then you'll love Menards.

Menards rebate model is so bizarre to me. You have to mail in a little form along with your receipt, then you get a postcard with your rebate amount. It seems to me that it would simply be cheaper to issue gift cards immediately - or link your Menards card so that every time you use it, in-store credit is applied.

I guess their thought process is having such an anachronistic rebate system means a lot of people don't bother, and that covers the cost of the manual nature of the rebate system. They get the marketing benefits of the 11% rebate without a lot of people actually using it.

[CtrlAltDel]

They get the marketing benefits of the 11% rebate without a lot of people actually using it.

I think you might be on to something.

[Scott5114]

Free concert or was it included with F1 admission?

Free in general.  Didn't see much crossover with the F1 fans, the concert appeared to be mostly locals.

It was Fremont Street's attempt to counterprogram F1. Fremont, being in the City of LV, got left out of all the sweetheart deals Clark County made last year, so this was them getting revenge. Given that this year's F1 went over like a wet fart, it sounds like Fremont won this year.

Good on you for getting off the Strip—while there's a lot of stuff on the Strip that's good, Las Vegas has a tremendous number of excellent local restaurants that are worth exploring.

[Max Rockatansky]

Free concert or was it included with F1 admission?

Free in general.  Didn't see much crossover with the F1 fans, the concert appeared to be mostly locals.

It was Fremont Street's attempt to counterprogram F1. Fremont, being in the City of LV, got left out of all the sweetheart deals Clark County made last year, so this was them getting revenge. Given that this year's F1 went over like a wet fart, it sounds like Fremont won this year.

Good on you for getting off the Strip—while there's a lot of stuff on the Strip that's good, Las Vegas has a tremendous number of excellent local restaurants that are worth exploring.

I'm glad that I got to see the F1 cars on the Las Vegas course.  This was the first time I've attended an F1 event since Detroit in the 1980s.  I have a feeling that the Grand Prix in Las Vegas isn't going to make it long term.  The FIA clearly doesn't understand how to cater to a Las Vegas crowd and everything they were trying felt the usual fussy fair they are famous for.  It doesn't help that most of the drivers spent the entire week in interviews complaining about how the city smelled like marijuana. 

The F1 event should have been a party atmosphere, it didn't even feel close to that.  Fremont Street definitely put on the better crowd event, and it felt inviting. 

[SSOWorld]

How much did the F1 event set you back? (Assuming you did pay the hefty admission price)

[Max Rockatansky]

Not much, I was willing to pay for the race ticket but my bother in law wasn't (understandable considering he would have had buy four).  Basically we just saw the first two days of the event and bailed out on Saturday.  The Excalibur was about the price it usually is.

I spent most of Saturday out in Death Valley National Park and a super windy Panamint Valley with Jessica.  The weather was looking bad in Tehachapi about ten days ago and I used rewards points on a hotel in Ridgecrest.

[Scott5114]

I have a feeling that the Grand Prix in Las Vegas isn't going to make it long term.  The FIA clearly doesn't understand how to cater to a Las Vegas crowd and everything they were trying felt the usual fussy fair they are famous for.

F1 also doesn't seem to understand how to put on an event without pissing off the locals here. Last year Clark County had to set aside an entire county commission meeting just to handle all of the members of the general public who wanted to make a complaint about how the event negatively affected them.

Last year's event seemed to benefit a select few Strip properties while hurting far more businesses, both on-Strip and off-Strip. This year, it's hard to see where anyone benefited other than possibly F1 itself. So I would share your pessimism about it being a long-term event.

[SSOWorld]

Bad enough that they felt the need to do the event late at night! How did you sleep?

[Max Rockatansky]

Not so great the first night.  But that had more to do with having a bunch of drinks Thursday night.  The F1 cars are surprisingly quiet compared to stuff like stock cars or anything in the NHRA.

[Rothman]

Not much, I was willing to pay for the race ticket but my bother in law wasn't (understandable considering he would have had buy four).  Basically we just saw the first two days of the event and bailed out on Saturday.  The Excalibur was about the price it usually is.

I spent most of Saturday out in Death Valley National Park and a super windy Panamint Valley with Jessica.  The weather was looking bad in Tehachapi about ten days ago and I used rewards points on a hotel in Ridgecrest.

Wait, so you saw Practice and Qualifications, but not the race?  And that was a big savings? 

I don't remember the price difference for the USGP when I went there in October.  I just remember it being expensive all around and sucking it up to go to everything.

[Max Rockatansky]

Yes, hotel prices and tickets to the non-race days were both considerably less expensive.  Even with NASCAR Cup races you could usually go on the cheap for practice and qualifying days.  Excalibur is my wife's preferred Strip hotel and seemed to be mostly outside the sphere of influence for the race crowd.  There was six of us in total, my father in law bailed at the last minute.

One thing also worth considering, not having to deal with I-15 on the weekend.  We left Thursday morning which is a far more tolerable day heading north from Barstow to Clark County. 

[Rothman]

Heh.  For all the griping that fans made about getting to and from the USGP (and have been making ever since it started up), I found solving that traffic puzzle ridiculously easy: Don't stay in Austin.  Stay to the east of the track, drive in and park in one of the eastern lots and do the long walk to the main gate.

That said, the lack of an entry gate to the east at COTA is just corporate greed at its most ridiculous (tied with the girl I saw pass out waiting for the Eminem concert venue to open up...literally became a "Is there a doctor in the house?" situation rather than official on-hand medics showing up).

[Max Rockatansky]

A mile walk wasn't going to put me off staying at a cheaper hotel option.  The way I see it I was just offsetting the 5.5 hours I sat in the car during the morning.

[formulanone]

Wrong thread, but relevant to the current tone is Oscar Piastri's helmet (his driver number is 81):

I have a feeling that the Grand Prix in Las Vegas isn't going to make it long term.  The FIA clearly doesn't understand how to cater to a Las Vegas crowd and everything they were trying felt the usual fussy fair they are famous for.

F1 also doesn't seem to understand how to put on an event without pissing off the locals here. Last year Clark County had to set aside an entire county commission meeting just to handle all of the members of the general public who wanted to make a complaint about how the event negatively affected them.

Last year's event seemed to benefit a select few Strip properties while hurting far more businesses, both on-Strip and off-Strip. This year, it's hard to see where anyone benefited other than possibly F1 itself. So I would share your pessimism about it being a long-term event.

There's a lot of evidence that street circuits have much more of a negative impact to businesses immediately adjacent to the track. Diverting traffic around facilities always pisses people off, there's nothing you can do about that except demand a purpose-built track away from...wait, you have one of those but no-has-glamour and flashy-flashy stuff.

[Rothman]

Given the 100s of millions in revenue that the USGP generates, I did find COTA wanting in the amenities department.  Wasn't terrible, but seemed more state fair-ish than something that people paid through the nose for -- and were paying again to the vendors.