So trivial, yet it really ticks you off.

[Hercule]

People who register decrepit, rust-holed, fuel-leaking unsafe 1980s pickup trucks as "Antique Autos" so as to avoid the state inspection requirement, and then drive them as everyday vehicles. You're not fooling anybody, and you're ruining it for those of us who have and drive actual, well-maintained "antique autos." And eventually somebody's going to get badly hurt by your "antique."

You should see what passes for street legal here in Ohio. No wonder duct tape has their headquarters here.

 

[Stearmen]

People who register decrepit, rust-holed, fuel-leaking unsafe 1980s pickup trucks as "Antique Autos" so as to avoid the state inspection requirement, and then drive them as everyday vehicles. You're not fooling anybody, and you're ruining it for those of us who have and drive actual, well-maintained "antique autos." And eventually somebody's going to get badly hurt by your "antique."

As glad as I am, not having to pay for a safety inspection sticker every year, there are a lot of 80s mini vans that put out a smoke screen that would do a WWII PT Boat proud! I also worry about the high mileage third owner SUVs that you know the owners can not afford to fix the brakes.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Inspections are a necessity of life here, given the amount of road salt that gets used -- and the phrase you see most often in newspaper car ads, or on Craigslist, is "GOOD STICKER, WILL RUN."

They're finally cracking down on the abuse of "Antique Auto" plates by requiring that anyone who registers a car in that category has to own at least one other car with a standard registration. There's also a call to extend inspections to antique cars, following the death of a guy in a parade a couple years back -- an antique fire engine ran him over after the brakes let go on a hill, and it turned out they hadn't been serviced in years. But the trouble with that is, most modern garages would have no idea how to inspect an antique car older than the 70s or 80s.

 

[Big Man]

... most modern garages would have no idea how to inspect an antique car older than the 70s or 80s.

"Hey Joe, where do I plug my computer analyzer into this '55 Olds?" :eusa_doh:

 

[dh66]

Down here, old car owners can get a 'vintage vehicle' tag for a one time cost of $10. The catch is, it must be in original condition, including motor and transmission of the type that would have been available (so all those cars that have been "restored" with a small block Chevy motor are out) and it can only be driven in parades, club outings, and special events. No daily drivers. This went into effect in '96, previous to that a lifetime antique tag was available to any car 25 years or older.

 

[Stearmen]

Down here, old car owners can get a 'vintage vehicle' tag for a one time cost of $10. The catch is, it must be in original condition, including motor and transmission of the type that would have been available (so all those cars that have been "restored" with a small block Chevy motor are out) and it can only be driven in parades, club outings, and special events. No daily drivers. This went into effect in '96, previous to that a lifetime antique tag was available to any car 25 years or older.

We have a similar rule on the events only, but that is really abused. On the other hand, the vehicle must be made in 1975 or older.

 

[Stearmen]

"Hey Joe, where do I plug my computer analyzer into this '55 Olds?" :eusa_doh:

More like, "sorry Miss Lizzie, you're going to have to take the Plodge to some one that has one of these to analyze it!" [video=youtube;vVgc8ksstyg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVgc8ksstyg[/video]

 

[p51]

People who will drive or walk around a long line of people, then cut in at the head end. Must be nice to not be burdened by the thoughts of what others must think of you.
I was in a long line for something yesterday and two people who claimed not to speak English (though they sure seemed to be reacting to the comments some were making about them) walked past dozens of people waiting in line and stood right at the front. Problem was, they were standing directly in front of me. I told them to get to the back of the line, pointed back there and all they did was look at me oddly. I don't care where you're from, a line is a line. A really huge guy behind me said, "Do you mind if I just pick them up and place them to the side?" I snickered and said, "Nope, not at all." They got out of their position immediately. Several people who'd heard all that were then yelling at them, "Yeah, we guessed you spoke enough English all along!"
The "No speekee Engrish" but wasn't my issue, it's the idea that the line is for everyone else... but you.

 

[Hercule]

People who will drive or walk around a long line of people, then cut in at the head end. .

Don't see so much of that with people, but drivers all the time - Cars dutifully lining up ahead of a merge only to have someone zing on up ahead in the empty lane and try to nose in at the head of the line.

 

[2jakes]

I read on another forum that in one country, it is typical for higher income customers to proceed to the front of the line
over lower income customers. And with the approval of the stores.

Never having experience this, I had some questions & wanted to find out more.
For example, how does one determine the income of an individual ?
What if everyone is of the same income level waiting in line ?
Why do they assume that what is common in their country is universal ?

But the climate there can be challenging at best so I didn’t ask !

 

[LizzieMaine]

In the US, of course, higher-income customers only *think* they should always be at the front of the line.

 

[2jakes]

In the US, of course, higher-income customers only *think* they should always be at the front of the line.

That made me chuckle & it’s so true !

Thanks...I needed that.

 

[Fading Fast]

I read on another forum that in one country, it is typical for higher income customers to proceed to the front of the line
over lower income customers. And with the approval of the stores.

Never having experience this, I had some questions & wanted to find out more.
For example, how does one determine the income of an individual ?
What if everyone is of the same income level waiting in line ?
Why do they assume that what is common in their country is universal ?

But the climate there can be challenging at best so I didn’t ask !

Literally, basing it on someone's income sounds (away from any morality) a difficult to execute on strategy, but basing it on how much one is willing to pay is a long-term practice in many countries. Hence, there have been in many places and for hundreds of years, first class travel (usually shorter lines that board first) and faster and better access to shows, etc - as examples. But to truly base it on income sounds weird and hard to accomplish (if one wanted to).

As to Lizzie's "in the US..." comment, it is very funny to see that play out in NYC as there are so many high-income people that it can get very ugly quickly (and they all just come off as jerks). That said, IMHO, based on many jobs I've had, many (I'd have to think harder to put a percentage guess on it) high-income people are humble, nice, wiling to wait their turn, etc. but it is the loud, obnoxious minority of them whose bad behavior we remember.

 

[2jakes]

From past experience in my younger days, those in very high-income status did not “wait-in-line” at all with regards to store shopping.
That was one of my tasks which I did for a year.

When they actually went shopping, it was to an exclusive "appointment-only” place not available to the public.
All the clothes were tailored & not off the racks.

If I was to buy butter at regular price, sometimes I would be chastised
for not going to the store that had it on sale.
( a friend joked, ”how do you think they made all that $$$$ ! ) :eusa_doh:

Some were nice others not.

The pay was great & they provided free, my own bungalow with all the conveniences,
but I just didn’t have the mentality or patience to “serve” 24/7

 

[tonyb]

...

The pay was great & they provided free, my own bungalow with all the conveniences,
but I just didn’t have the mentality or patience to “serve” 24/7

Money is indeed a lovely thing, but it isn't everything. There comes a point when a person has to question who owns him.

 

[2jakes]

Money is indeed a lovely thing, but it isn't everything. There comes a point when a person has to question who owns him.

That realization came early on in my life when invited to $$$ places because I played good tennis.
It was nice but eventually declined because I knew better.

 

[tonyb]

In my early teen years I briefly caddied at a country club. I was a lousy caddy, mostly on account of never having gotten any training. For the most part, the club members whose clubs I carried treated me well, and, sensing that I was ill-prepared, graciously passed along pointers.

But the offspring of some of the members -- kids my age, more or less -- were given to reminding us caddies of our status, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. If I were a better golfer I might have earned a smidgen of their respect. But I wasn't, and I didn't.

EDIT: It occurs to me that perhaps the reason the club members were kinder to us lowly caddies than some of the club members' kids were was that the members were mostly "self-made" men, to the extent that anyone is truly self-made. (They were male, for one thing, and the vast majority of them were Caucasian, et cetera, so they had at least some level of what we call "privilege" these days, and I suspect most of them would recognize that, in retrospect.) This was not an "old money" country club, but a then fairly recent club catering to the more recently "arrived."
But the snooty little buzzards ought be cut a little slack as well. They were kids, after all. I don't believe that any of us can be rightfully proud of everything we said and did in our adolescent years. Or even yesterday, for that matter.

 

[Stearmen]

I read on another forum that in one country, it is typical for higher income customers to proceed to the front of the line
over lower income customers. And with the approval of the stores.

Never having experience this, I had some questions & wanted to find out more.
For example, how does one determine the income of an individual ?
What if everyone is of the same income level waiting in line ?
Why do they assume that what is common in their country is universal ?

But the climate there can be challenging at best so I didn’t ask !

I remember when there was a one to two year waiting period for new Harley's. Malcolm Forbes and Liz Taylor went to the factory, picked out a bunch of bikes and left with them. Felt sorry for all the poor slobs who were expecting their bikes that week!

 

[2jakes]

Trivial...but I remember when written instructions came with most products.

I recall working for a local TV news station & the system went to computer chips on the video cameras.

We had a geek expert come in for a 1 day session to help adjust with the new format.

The video-recording of news events was fine.
It was the transferring of the files from the chip to a computer machine &
editing the narration, sound bites, b-roll & have it ready for the 5 pm plus
go to the studio to set up the anchors & studio cameras.
Proceed to the engineering area where I would set up the stories in sequence
or “roll” the tapes when the news director gave me the cues.

But being on a computer, there was no such thing as rolling the tapes anymore,
if the computer crashed, I had no back-up,
that was “sheer” nightmare...
Do I miss it ? Not really !

Except for those occasions when I was sent out of the country to cover events
that were happening. It was just me & my gear & a reporter who knew better &
didn’t give me a hard time unless, I didn’t make her look good on camera ! LOL

 

[tonyb]

It has taken analog-era me years to develop a sense of how this digital stuff works. I'm accustomed to one button doing one thing, and not half a dozen others, depending on what "mode" the gizmo happens to be in.