The totally off-topic thread

[Princess Fiona]

I think most iPhone users don't know how to actually turn their phone off.

They think pressing the power button so the screen goes black (and the clicking sound) is "turning off" the device.

This is what I do all the time, I know it hasn't been turned off but I make sure it's in flight mode before I do it.
Not strictly speaking kosher but I think nearly every iPhone on an aircraft is "turned off" the same way.

 

[JohnK]

The drivers at my local gym in Melbourne are pretty bad; I've been rear ended and reversed into. Apparently a bright red car is hard to see :shock:

Nah. I had a red car for 20+ years.

That is just poor driving and I also think most people do not care what sort of damage they cause to others. Selfishness?

 

[blackcat20]

Nah. I had a red car for 20+ years.

That is just poor driving and I also think most people do not care what sort of damage they cause to others. Selfishness?

The cabbie who ran into the back of me declared that he didn't see me. But followed up with "I was busy talking to my passenger".

The guy who reversed into me (despite me leaning on my horn) said "oh, I thought it was the car next to me honking".

I do wonder where these people get their licenses....

 

[cove]

Out of a Weeties packet is what most of us are thinking.

 

[QF WP]

I thought every other person got them from the Cornflakes packet, blackcat20??

 

[blackcat20]

I thought every other person got them from the Cornflakes packet, blackcat20??

Thats what Ive heard!

 

[anat0l]

This is what I do all the time, I know it hasn't been turned off but I make sure it's in flight mode before I do it.
Not strictly speaking kosher but I think nearly every iPhone on an aircraft is "turned off" the same way.

Which reinforces the fact that many iPhone users simply don't know how to turn off their phone. At least you do know but just don't do it.

We won't have another debate about electronic devices and aircraft. There's already too many threads and bloodshed on that.

At our university, for exams run by the central exam department, the rules clearly stipulate that all phones must be switched off completely and not just silenced. I remember sitting in one exam hall and during perusal, a few people with iPhones (no Samsungs or many other smartphones at the time) started to light up. They didn't make a noise, but obviously the users just blacked the screen thinking that's switched off.

Probably close to a dozen students were removed from the exam in that session. I don't know if they were all charged with misconduct, but our institution is very much a "guilty until proven innocent" doctrine.

 

[anat0l]

I thought every other person got them from the Cornflakes packet, blackcat20??

Wish mine was like that. I took two attempts (and made 6 non-critical errors on my passing attempt) and a downgrade to class CA before I got my licence. Needless to say, not proud of myself at all.

Who does blind spot checks? My instructors and examiners have always said you must quickly turn your head to check the blind spot before changing lanes. My father, admittedly an extremely competent driver even at his age, has said that except for reversing, one should never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever turn their head around away from the view in front of the vehicle.

 

[medhead]

The attitude I got last year when hit in the rear right side by a car exiting a roundabout contrary to the lane markings was "accidents happen". I got the same attitude from the girl who rear ended me. I think it is absolutely disgraceful. If you follow the road rules and road markings accidents DO NOT happen. They are caused by incompetent or inattentive driving.

I always check my blind spots. It is actually very good practice to do so. I do this since I almost took out a motorcycle cop at the age of 19 on the south east freeway in Brisbane when changing lanes and not checking the blind spot. After being damn close to killing someone I definitely decided to take much more care.

 

[Pukka]

I watched Australia's Next Top Model the other night. No spare tyres there but the girls found out on an obstacle course that skinny doesn't always mean fit.

More entertaining than watching the obstacle course on the biggest loser though

Depends on your definition but most of them looked very fit to me

 

[blackcat20]

Who does blind spot checks? My instructors and examiners have always said you must quickly turn your head to check the blind spot before changing lanes. My father, admittedly an extremely competent driver even at his age, has said that except for reversing, one should never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever turn their head around away from the view in front of the vehicle.

Almost always. Though I have my mirrors set up in such a way that I don't need to on my left side so much. But even a head and mirror check didnt stop me reversing into a beige coloured car who had stopped with just the back part of their car behind the right side rear. No damage fortunately (just a crack in the bumper paint of my car...my newly repaired bumper )

 

[Pukka]

The attitude I got last year when hit in the rear right side by a car exiting a roundabout contrary to the lane markings was "accidents happen". I got the same attitude from the girl who rear ended me. I think it is absolutely disgraceful. If you follow the road rules and road markings accidents DO NOT happen. They are caused by incompetent or inattentive driving.

I always check my blind spots. It is actually very good practice to do so. I do this since I almost took out a motorcycle cop at the age of 19 on the south east freeway in Brisbane when changing lanes and not checking the blind spot. After being damn close to killing someone I definitely decided to take much more care.

I passed a girl p player yesterday playing on her phone while driving.

Came up to some roadworks and looked in the rear view mirror to see her hurtling towards me at about 90kmph not slowing so I dived onto the inside lane and watched her fly onto the grassy central reservation with mud and grass flying eventually stopping about 200 m into it

Fortunately there was a central reservation or she and others would be dead. Hopefully it's a wake up call for her but I doubt it

 

[drron]

Funniest accident in retrospect happened when I was a starving resident and I was doing GP locums.Got called to a Nursing home in Marrickville about midnight.Parked behind a milko's truck.Came out to find my car about 400 metres up the road with the front a little worse for wear.The milko was still delivering his milk so I asked him what happened to which his reply-well if you are silly enough to park behind a truck you deserve what happens.
I just said the first thing that came into my head which was-my brother in law knows the sargeant here-which could well have been true.I went back into the Nursing home and rang the police.went back to my car and about 2 minutes later a police car pulls up and out hops the sargeant-purely luck,the constable was driving him home and had not heard of my plight.But boy I wish I had a video to film the complete about face by the milko.

 

[medhead]

Hopefully it's a wake up call for her but I doubt it

Yeah, that's the thing about our rear end hit. I was stopped for about 3 seconds before the collision. It was 2 lanes of stop start traffic. I have absolutely no idea how she didn't see the stopped car. The thing is after we drove off I had to stop 200m down the road to tie down the boot. I'm sure she drove past looking down at her lap!

 

[QF WP]

Now a friend said when he does a job, he does it properly.



Yep, I agree - no doubt that's broken

 

[Shelf]

Who does blind spot checks? My instructors and examiners have always said you must quickly turn your head to check the blind spot before changing lanes. My father, admittedly an extremely competent driver even at his age, has said that except for reversing, one should never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever turn their head around away from the view in front of the vehicle.

If your side mirrors are setup correctly you shouldn't have to turn much at all, certainly not past the side pillar.

 

[docjames]

For 99%+ of the time - it's not an accident, it's a crash.

 

[SeatBackForward]

If your side mirrors are setup correctly you shouldn't have to turn much at all, certainly not past the side pillar.

I'm constantly amazed at the number of drivers who don't check their mirrors regularly, even while stopped. Like when you're in a queue of cars and you move forward a little bit to let someone squeeze past, but they can't, because a clown in front has left enough room for a jumbo and isn't checking their mirrors to move forward slightly too.

 

[QF WP]

Wow, this guy has got guts to say it "I'm a racist" - and yes, I agree with him to some degree.

However, I think he'll be forever looking over his shoulder - for either Tony Blair or some extremist

 

[anat0l]

I passed a girl p player yesterday playing on her phone while driving.

Came up to some roadworks and looked in the rear view mirror to see her hurtling towards me at about 90kmph not slowing so I dived onto the inside lane and watched her fly onto the grassy central reservation with mud and grass flying eventually stopping about 200 m into it

Fortunately there was a central reservation or she and others would be dead. Hopefully it's a wake up call for her but I doubt it

Was this in Adelaide too? Or Perth? (There are some real ferals in Perth, and a lot of lousy truck drivers)

"She and the others"... so there were others in the vehicle (assumed no minors), and none of them managed to tell her, "Watch out!" or "Pay attention to the <expletive> road!"

I'm not saying there is a certain satisfaction if her transgression resulted in her death, but one less idiot on the road means one less dangerous obstacle (an unpredictable one at that) we all have to face.