What cheeses me off

[prozac]

WCMO....

Rode the Gold Coast tram to Helensvale this afternoon. Was in the rear car with a rowdy bunch of youths, talking and doing stupid stuff, but nothing that broke the law or damaged the tram.

About three stops away from Helensvale, it became apparent to all that officials were doing ticket inspections and were slowly proceeding to the back of the tram, i.e. where me and the rowdy ones were. All of the sudden they quietened down and huddled near the end of the car (where I was standing). They were hatching a plan as it became clear they had boarded without a ticket.

The ticket inspectors caught up with two of the group that were seated near the second last door to the rear of the car, and of course they got busted but it's a long process as the officers must tell them that they committed an offence and then they need ID (which of course these kids don't have, literally or not). The officers are still writing up the two as we are about to pull into Helensvale. At this point, the rest of the group is plotting - what do we do, please tram arrive at station, should we just give them fake names and addresses, the ones nearest to the inspectors stall them and take the fall for the rest of the group.

We arrive at Helensvale, doors open and all the group is out of there lickety-split. Inspectors probably knew but can't be bothered to stop them.

All this over a fare of 50 cents. The logic boggles the mind...

I tell you, if we channeled the acumen of mischievous youths to catch criminals, we'd probably have a perfect solution.

It's never about the money.

In the 70's I used to travel trains free in Europe by showing my UK Student Union card. At that time few ticket collectors spoke English well enough and they always gave up.

 

[Pushka]

Apple software updates to phone.

I've been in airplane mode for the last two weeks and only use a mobile wifi plan device or use the hotel/ship internet. I was having issues with my camera so googled and it said an update might fix it so reluctantly last night I did this.

Then I received a text message (I haven't had one during this period) and an email welcoming me to the special connection for Ship and Plane mobile plan. What? Anyone who has used this knows the costs are awful. The update turned off my airplane mode without notice.

I hate IT that messes around with settings that have nothing to do with the update and it thinks it knows your needs. Bloody Apple.

 

[DejaBrew]

Update to my Hyundai saga...

Got a call this afternoon from the service department manager to confirm that the (previously non-existent ) accessory kit and the replacement badging have arrived. Car now booked in for Tuesday morning to have accessory kit installed and badging replaced.

Let's see what else they can screw up whilst they're at it...

Off to a good start. Dropped the car off and walked to the cafe over the road from the service centre. 10 minutes later my phone rings…

Them: “I don’t think you gave us the car key.”
Me: “Um… yeah I did because I definitely don’t have it.”
Them: “Ok, let me check…”

I watch the frantic search for the key from my elevated position over the road. Clearly no key found as staffer disappears. I walk down to the reception and am greeted a few mins later by the clearly relieved service agent who declares the crisis is resolved as the key is in the workshop because “…the boys took it off my desk but didn’t tell me.”