The totally off-topic thread

[Denali]

Because of my driving record, I got 50% discount on my license renewal! Nice.

The person that processed my licensed asked me what advise I would give someone in their teens for a career. What would your answer be?

 

[JohnK]

The person that processed my licensed asked me what advise I would give someone in their teens for a career. What would your answer be?

Pilot. Get paid to see the world....

 

[Cossie]

Because of my driving record, I got 50% discount on my license renewal! Nice.

The person that processed my licensed asked me what advise I would give someone in their teens for a career. What would your answer be?

A job that can't be outsourced, nor shipped overseas.........

 

[straitman]

Thanks. It wouldn't get me far though? Would it?

It might. Depends what you want to do going forward.

 

[straitman]

Thanks. It wouldn't get me far though? Would it?

It might. Depends what you want to do going forward

Pilot. Get paid to see the world....

Get paid to stare out the window.

 

[JohnK]

Get paid to stare out the window.

Yes. And the $400,000/year salary. And the free hotels. And the generous expenses. And the free flights.

Had I known all this when I was 16 I'd be retired now instead of working my @cough off in a job where the salaries have gone backwards in the past 20 years thanks to 457 visas.

 

[Duffa]

Pilot. Get paid to see the world....

You know, JohnK, I'm not so sure..... I have a friend, VS captain, travels the world BUT he is away from home for 5-6 days at a time.
I got to see my kids every night (before they grew up and went to Uni). Now, every evening while I'm out exercising at 5.30, I look up and can see the MEL-SYD contrails - they will touch down at 6ish, shut down by 6.30, struggle out to carpark 7.00, home by 8pm, oops it's dark, kids asleep, wife knackered.........

 

[straitman]

Yes. And the $400,000/year salary. And the free hotels. And the generous expenses. And the free flights.

You know, JohnK, I'm not so sure..... I have a friend, VS captain, travels the world BUT he is away from home for 5-6 days at a time.
I got to see my kids every night (before they grew up and went to Uni). Now, every evening while I'm out exercising at 5.30, I look up and can see the MEL-SYD contrails - they will touch down at 6ish, shut down by 6.30, struggle out to carpark 7.00, home by 8pm, oops it's dark, kids asleep, wife knackered.........

JohnK,
I agree with Duffa and I have many airline pilot friends.

Many are now with their third wives whilst paying out a fortune on maintenance to the first few. They live in a constant state of fatigue (ask jb747) and often wake up not knowing where they are. I have a friend who flew 747s for CX and he took early retirement about 50yo as the sleep patterns were killing him. A year later he was at our house and came out in the morning excited as he slept 6 hrs straight. He's not rich!

Domestic and International are very different but both involve a lot of time (nights) away from home.

That's one reason I picked the job I did. Didn't pay as well but I went home every night. (almost)

 

[Hvr]

Because of my driving record, I got 50% discount on my license renewal! Nice.

And that is a carrot rather than all the sticks drivers usually get. I too received this discount when in NSW and also got an extra point on my licence.

Whereas here in Victoria it's all stick with no recognition of your good record.

 

[Milboo]

Let me go down to P2 parking level in my building and check out the Maserati there to compare.

Our resident Aston driver relocated - you could hear that thing roar across the car park!

 

[Milboo]

They did that in our car park by putting up a sign on chains that said ‘low ceiling’. No one had any issues with the previous low ceiling but several cars were scraped by the new warning sign. Dumb. The new BC managers thought they were being clever. Sign was removed

I spent some time managing liability claims for a shopping centre group. The number of claims we had from people driving in and damaging things on top of their vehicle. Stand out was the guy claiming for his $10k road bike

Were very clear signs at the entrance re the height limit inside (allowing for pipe work etc).

In response to his claim I asked him if he could tell me the height of his car plus the bike on top. He indignantly told me of course he did not know and why would he and accused us of being negligent.

So I asked why he thought it was a good idea to drive into a height restricted car park with a stated height restriction if he didn't know the actual height of his car plus bike.

Huffed and puffed at me and never heard from him again...

 

[whatmeworry]

Pilot. Get paid to see the world....

Aviation will probably be automated in a decade or so. AJ's red ears are currently going red.

Anything that might not be automated. Even the military is becoming automated with aircraft that can pull more g's a human can handle and killbots that minimise the risk to your own troops.

Anyway once the AI singularity occurs it is all over for the human race anyway.

 

[Hvr]

I've been offered an ongoing position, which is pretty great. Only hoop to jump through is that my position has to be advertised and I have to go through the interview process. Guess I'm spending the weekend updating my resume.

The job is mine, however, legally, the position must be advertised. It's stupid, as it wastes everyone's time, especially those who see it and take the time to apply.

As someone currently going though the application process I hate these jobs. There are code words to look for but they're not always inserted in the advertisement. Things like, 'selection may be based on application only' or very specific criteria that can only the acting incumbent can possibly respond to.

The contact officer should also be honest and drop not so subtle hints but some of them are too clueless to treat applicants/interested parties with respect.

However, I interviewed this morning and it was very professional with no surprises and I am happy with my performance. The process is drawn out and I may not hear until late this year. Still at least they were totally honest so que sera.

 

[Denali]

I spent some time managing liability claims for a shopping centre group. The number of claims we had from people driving in and damaging things on top of their vehicle. Stand out was the guy claiming for his $10k road bike

Were very clear signs at the entrance re the height limit inside (allowing for pipe work etc).

In response to his claim I asked him if he could tell me the height of his car plus the bike on top. He indignantly told me of course he did not know and why would he and accused us of being negligent.

So I asked why he thought it was a good idea to drive into a height restricted car park with a stated height restriction if he didn't know the actual height of his car plus bike.

Huffed and puffed at me and never heard from him again...

From Australia Dash Cam earlier this week

 

[Denali]

Good times back in the old days,

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...r/news-story/256c6367f2f62d511bba409070930b71

 

[Pushka]

I spent some time managing liability claims for a shopping centre group. The number of claims we had from people driving in and damaging things on top of their vehicle. Stand out was the guy claiming for his $10k road bike

Were very clear signs at the entrance re the height limit inside (allowing for pipe work etc).

In response to his claim I asked him if he could tell me the height of his car plus the bike on top. He indignantly told me of course he did not know and why would he and accused us of being negligent.

So I asked why he thought it was a good idea to drive into a height restricted car park with a stated height restriction if he didn't know the actual height of his car plus bike.

Huffed and puffed at me and never heard from him again...

Agree with that but in the case quoted the car park had not experienced any claims in the previous 15 years of its existence. It wasn’t until they put the sign up that damage occurred.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

You know, JohnK, I'm not so sure..... I have a friend, VS captain, travels the world BUT he is away from home for 5-6 days at a time.
I got to see my kids every night (before they grew up and went to Uni). Now, every evening while I'm out exercising at 5.30, I look up and can see the MEL-SYD contrails - they will touch down at 6ish, shut down by 6.30, struggle out to carpark 7.00, home by 8pm, oops it's dark, kids asleep, wife knackered.........

I guess it's a balancing act? Many parents sacrifice to be able to provide for their families and children. FIFO workers, crews on ships (away for months at a time), maids in Hong Kong and the ME (go home once a year). And most of those workers (FIFO perhaps the exception) work for a fraction of the wages pilots make in a day... and don't enjoy conditions nearly as good. Nor can those sorts of wages provide for top notch health care, private schools, or anything else the family could possibly need. And they certainly have to work more than 90 hours a month.

Perhaps 5 days away from the family is a small price to pay for all of that?

 

[Denali]

I use to work with a woman that was married to a long haul pilot. Was. But that could happen in any marriage.

Some people are ok with their spouse being away for days, weeks. I have a friend and her husband is a lineman in Wyoming or somewhere near there, he's gone for a month or two at a time. It works for them, he use to be military and deployed for a year plus. Communication has to be strong in those situations.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

..................................... Communication has to be strong in those situations.

That is so true. Ron has been doing locums for 10 years now - all over Australia, anywhere from two weeks to 12 weeks, and he phones me twice a day !!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

As someone currently going though the application process I hate these jobs. There are code words to look for but they're not always inserted in the advertisement. Things like, 'selection may be based on application only' or very specific criteria that can only the acting incumbent can possibly respond to.

The contact officer should also be honest and drop not so subtle hints but some of them are too clueless to treat applicants/interested parties with respect.

However, I interviewed this morning and it was very professional with no surprises and I am happy with my performance. The process is drawn out and I may not hear until late this year. Still at least they were totally honest so que sera.

Sometimes a call to the recruiting contact to ask 'is there an incumbent in the role?' is the biggest clue and can save a lot of time.