What cheeses me off

[kookaburra75]

WCMO is that every car I've rented in Ireland they seem to have disabled Android Auto / Apple Play. The car definitely supports it for the cars I've had so maybe their way of forcing the GPS add on payment? Every other country I've rented cars in (I'd say 20+ now), no issues... multiple Car rental companies too, so can't even pin it on just one.

Years ago I learnt to pack a suction cup windscreen mount and a sunshield clip on Bluetooth speaker when I travel, for hire cars. I can set them up in less than a minute and not have to worry about the vaguries of different cars.

 

[Lynda2475]

Easy solution. Take out a subscription to support AFF. No ads on any device. Dental ads gone.

I had a paid subscription for years, but cancelled with good reason.

Given there is at least 6-7 adds on every page loaded they must be raking in much more than the annual fee. But admins should still be careful as to what adverts they agree to serve - offensive images damage the reputation of the site.

There should be a way to report / block ads with offensive content.

 

[JessicaTam]

I had a paid subscription for years, but cancelled with good reason.

Given there is at least 6-7 adds on every page loaded they must be raking in much more than the annual fee. But admins should still be careful as to what adverts they agree to serve - offensive images damage the reputation of the site.

There should be a way to report / block ads with offensive content.

[mod hat]
I have flagged your post with @support.

You are also welcome to contact the mod team directly for circumstances such as this.
[/mod hat]

 

[mel-world]

Just back from 6 weeks in UK and Europe - some photos and comments will follow if ever I get organised but, in the meantime a couple of things that RCMO:

1. How is it that every hotel, even from the same chain, has a different mechanism to operate the bath/shower? I must have had to figure out a dozen or more variations. Some had a tap for every option - none of them marked. Some combine everything into one complex mechnism - pull for shower, push for HH spray, turn inner knob for temperature and outer ring for pressure etc. Glad I'm patient. And while on the subject, how about taps you can only operate by stepping under the cold water to operate.

2. How is it that within minutes of finishing an interaction with Hotel, tour company, airline, restaurant, cruise line etc. who receive a survey by phone or email? And some of them are persistent if you do not immediately respond. And some go to a 10-minute multi question survey that asks for written responses. I know everyone wants to publish your glowing social, media report about their service or establishment but so many are just for amalgamation into some management report that nobody will every read. (I know, don't give your real email to anyone but, so often, you need to give a valid contact to complete a booking.)

3. We had Eurail passes so undertook a number of long and short journeys during our time away. We did a few seat reservations, when necessary, but RCO when you get in a carriage to find a couple of travellers have managed to spread out over multiple seats. More prevalent in Europe than the UK but the worst example were a couple of Germanic speakers who had occupied 6 seats for two of them. On one train, the guard had to plead with travellers to take bags off seats to allow others to sit as the train was packed but still some would not oblige.

 

[Flashback]

Just back from 6 weeks in UK and Europe - some photos and comments will follow if ever I get organised but, in the meantime a couple of things that RCMO:

1. How is it that every hotel, even from the same chain, has a different mechanism to operate the bath/shower? I must have had to figure out a dozen or more variations. Some had a tap for every option - none of them marked. Some combine everything into one complex mechnism - pull for shower, push for HH spray, turn inner knob for temperature and outer ring for pressure etc. Glad I'm patient. And while on the subject, how about taps you can only operate by stepping under the cold water to operate.

2. How is it that within minutes of finishing an interaction with Hotel, tour company, airline, restaurant, cruise line etc. who receive a survey by phone or email? And some of them are persistent if you do not immediately respond. And some go to a 10-minute multi question survey that asks for written responses. I know everyone wants to publish your glowing social, media report about their service or establishment but so many are just for amalgamation into some management report that nobody will every read. (I know, don't give your real email to anyone but, so often, you need to give a valid contact to complete a booking.)

3. We had Eurail passes so undertook a number of long and short journeys during our time away. We did a few seat reservations, when necessary, but RCO when you get in a carriage to find a couple of travellers have managed to spread out over multiple seats. More prevalent in Europe than the UK but the worst example were a couple of Germanic speakers who had occupied 6 seats for two of them. On one train, the guard had to plead with travellers to take bags off seats to allow others to sit as the train was packed but still some would not oblige.

Oh don't worry, that happens plenty in the UK too re: point 3!

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Just back from 6 weeks in UK and Europe - some photos and comments will follow if ever I get organised but, in the meantime a couple of things that RCMO:

1. How is it that every hotel, even from the same chain, has a different mechanism to operate the bath/shower? I must have had to figure out a dozen or more variations. Some had a tap for every option - none of them marked. Some combine everything into one complex mechnism - pull for shower, push for HH spray, turn inner knob for temperature and outer ring for pressure etc. Glad I'm patient. And while on the subject, how about taps you can only operate by stepping under the cold water to operate.

2. How is it that within minutes of finishing an interaction with Hotel, tour company, airline, restaurant, cruise line etc. who receive a survey by phone or email? And some of them are persistent if you do not immediately respond. And some go to a 10-minute multi question survey that asks for written responses. I know everyone wants to publish your glowing social, media report about their service or establishment but so many are just for amalgamation into some management report that nobody will every read. (I know, don't give your real email to anyone but, so often, you need to give a valid contact to complete a booking.)

3. We had Eurail passes so undertook a number of long and short journeys during our time away. We did a few seat reservations, when necessary, but RCO when you get in a carriage to find a couple of travellers have managed to spread out over multiple seats. More prevalent in Europe than the UK but the worst example were a couple of Germanic speakers who had occupied 6 seats for two of them. On one train, the guard had to plead with travellers to take bags off seats to allow others to sit as the train was packed but still some would not oblige.

Post in thread 'Member Chit Chat'
https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/threads/member-chit-chat.89120/post-2559594

 

[JohnK]

Received SMS from WUNews today that Commbank will no longer support Poli from 15 July. I think WUNews is Western Union which I do use and I use Poli to pay. Looks like spam but if not Spam then this is extremely disappointing.

I know CBA was never in favour of Poli but I use that payment method for my betting accounts + Wise transfers. I don't want to set up PayId or use my debit card.

 

[Flashback]

WCMO is networking events after workshops that only offer booze. How hard is it to put on a soft drink or two (other than water...)?

 

[dajop]

#WCMO, airlines that have economy award inventory available on every day of the week for a route (perhaps you think because they are flying an A380 rather than a 787 on the route) , and then you go back a few hours later (once you've worked out plans) and that inventory has completely disappeared. Maybe it shouldn't have been released at all. Maybe it was released early but was retracted because the said carrier likes to make a big deal of holding back award seats and releasing them all at once so they can do a big PR campaign around it. Or maybe everyone just snapped them all up.

 

[serfty]

and then you go back a few hours later (once you've worked out plans)

If Qantas then Book First, use same day cancel on MMB if you need to.

Easily done online these days using a desktop with a few clicks - if within the time limit a slightly different cancellation portal opens.

 

[dajop]

If Qantas then Book First, use same day cancel on MMB if you need to.

Easily done online these days with a few clicks - if within the time limit a slightly different cancellation portal opens.

Yes it was Qantas, oh well not so concerned. I have day flights on hold with SQ into both BNE and MEL and have until Friday to ticket.

 

[Flashback]

WCMO is cars vering into the bicycle lane constantly. In the UK they also have a little section ahead of the white line at traffic lights (can't remember if Perth had similar) which is meant for cyclists only. Of the 10 I stopped at today while out and about, only 2 of them didn't have a car in it.

 

[cove]

Getting flashed by a speed trap when I am running to get to the office can be quite annoying especially when that road used to be a 70 km/h and has dropped to 60 km/h. Yes a fine is coming.

 

[Pushka]

Roadwork slow downs when a) there's no roadwork happening as crews have packed up and b) the road condition is such that in other situations the speed limit would be normal, say 60, but it's still at 40 because, well, it Is.

The other day we were stopped, both directions, for about 10 minutes while they were resurfacing. As we were at the back we couldn't see the amount of work but presumed it was the actual road. As we finally passed, it was a tiny shoulder piece, off the road. There were four lollipop people earning mega dollars. 'Keeping us safe '. The other side of the road was completely unaffected but they were stopped too.

 

[cove]

Try driving south to Margaret River from Perth and you need HUD which is Heads Up Display to keep on top of the many speed limit changes.
Then when you see your local council at work ours tends to turn up with about $2 million dollars of equipment plus up to a dozen on the payroll with one person doing the task.

 

[dajop]

Yes agree, I think the “boy who cried wolf” 40kph roadwork speed limits when no workers present actually undermines safety.

 

[blackcat20]

Roadwork slow downs when a) there's no roadwork happening as crews have packed up and b) the road condition is such that in other situations the speed limit would be normal, say 60, but it's still at 40 because, well, it Is.

The other day we were stopped, both directions, for about 10 minutes while they were resurfacing. As we were at the back we couldn't see the amount of work but presumed it was the actual road. As we finally passed, it was a tiny shoulder piece, off the road. There were four lollipop people earning mega dollars. 'Keeping us safe '. The other side of the road was completely unaffected but they were stopped too.

We have a 60kmph roadwork section near us that goes for several kilometres. The roadworks concluded at the start of the year! No one is going 60 anymore, and we've made several complaints to Vicroads, DOT and the local MP. Yet the signs are still there.

 

[RooFlyer]

Getting flashed by a speed trap when I am running to get to the office can be quite annoying especially when that road used to be a 70 km/h and has dropped to 60 km/h. Yes a fine is coming.

Wolloper on motorcycle got me recently for being between 10 and 20 over the limit (expensive!). Stretch of highway has been 100 forever, but got dropped to 80 at some stage. Yes, I see the signs, but 'muscle memory' kept me tootling along at close to 100.

Walloper asked "why didn't you slow down when you saw me turn and come up behind you" My defence of innocence - that I didn't think I was doing anything wrong - didn't wash, unfortunately.

 

[JohnM]

It sounds like some of you need a vehicle with adaptive cruise control. In addition to the usual radar-based functionality controlling following distance, the camera recognises speed limit signs and changes the speed autonomously. I also suspect, from a couple of seemingly 'spooky' incidents, that it can use the GPS location to know the speed limit (eg. when turning off a side road onto a main road but before encountering a speed sign for the camera to recognise.)

Especially good for country driving. Don't have to touch the brakes or accelerator going into/out of a slower zone.

 

[Pushka]

It sounds like some of you need a vehicle with adaptive cruise control. In addition to the usual radar-based functionality controlling following distance, the camera recognises speed limit signs and changes the speed autonomously. I also suspect, from a couple of seemingly 'spooky' incidents, that it can use the GPS location to know the speed limit (eg. when turning off a side road onto a main road but before encountering a speed sign for the camera to recognise.)

Especially good for country driving. Don't have to touch the brakes or accelerator going into/out of a slower zone.

I'm too much of a control freak for cruise control.