So trivial, yet it really ticks you off.

[Burma Schave]

You can't win. If you quote the price it's worth, the customer will grumble that you're a shyster. If you offer it at a low price, then the same customer will crow that you're a chump.

 

[tonyb]

Okay, so they're in no way prepared to buy the thing at a price you'd even begin to consider.

I've had the misfortune of receiving such an absurdly low offer (on an asset that was indeed for sale) that I couldn't help but be insulted by it. Compounding the insult were the rationales for it.

Yes, you're right, dh66, it's downright disrespectful.

What the hell do such people expect? Something like, "Sure, we're all stupid in this family. It's a wonder we survive at all, we're so ignorant of the ways of the world, so we don't even know you are attempting to play us for fools"?

 

[Stearmen]

And along those same lines I'm sick to death of people coming up to me and pointing to my car, bicycle, or something else I happen to have in view and ask "whoa, what's that worth?"

It's how I'm getting home today, that's what it's worth. Must everything have a dollar sign attached to it?

Even worse Lizzie, is coming out of the store and seeing some guy sitting on one of my motorcycles! I didn't give them permission. It is especially irksome, when they sit on my Sportster Cafe, it has a very sensitive kickstand, which retracts very easily, so potentially, the guy goes to lean it over to put it back on it's stand and bang, my bike is on the ground! Knock on wood, this hasn't happened yet.

 

[Stearmen]

Okay, so they're in no way prepared to buy the thing at a price you'd even begin to consider.

I've had the misfortune of receiving such an absurdly low offer (on an asset that was indeed for sale) that I couldn't help but be insulted by it. Compounding the insult were the rationales for it.

Yes, you're right, dh66, it's downright disrespectful.

What the hell do such people expect? Something like, "Sure, we're all stupid in this family. It's a wonder we survive at all, we're so ignorant of the ways of the world, so we don't even know you are attempting to play us for fools"?

I have stupid flippers always wanting to buy my Victorian house for penny's on the dollar. I did get the last laugh recently. I ran into one of them at an open house, I asked how much that house was, then I said what mine would be worth with a little work, he agreed. Then I told him how much I would have sold my house to him a few months ago, you should have seen his face, especially, when I said, I will just finish it and sell it my self!

 

[tonyb]

Even worse Lizzie, is coming out of the store and seeing some guy sitting on one of my motorcycles! I didn't give them permission. It is especially irksome, when they sit on my Sportster Cafe, it has a very sensitive kickstand, which retracts very easily, so potentially, the guy goes to lean it over to put it back on it's stand and bang, my bike is on the ground! Knock on wood, this hasn't happened yet.

Man, that's beyond the pale. I've admired many a motor vehicle in many a parking lot, but I never touch. Planting one's rump upon a stranger's motorcycle is asking for a confrontation. Those miscreants were fortunate it was your bike they played with, rather than some less restrained guy's.

 

[Zombie_61]

Man, that's beyond the pale. I've admired many a motor vehicle in many a parking lot, but I never touch. Planting one's rump upon a stranger's motorcycle is asking for a confrontation...

Spot on. I've seen any number of classic cars and bikes over the years, and when I've "gone in for a closer look" I've gotten into the habit of placing my hands behind my back and keeping a distance of at least three feet between me and the object of my admiration. Regardless of whether the vehicle in question is an old beater, in pristine condition, or somewhere in between, I want the owner to be able to tell at a glance that I'm merely admiring their "baby" and nothing more. It's a matter of showing respect for someone else's property, and I've met some very nice people by doing so.

 

[swanson_eyes]

^ That's what I do. I don't like to touch other people's stuff nor even touch people I don't know (don't get me started on that!) It's presumptuous.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Among native Mainers, physical contact is taboo unless you're family or you know the person very well. Casual hugging is not done -- and casual kissing is about on the level of stripping off all your clothes and running naked thru the streets at high noon. It Just Isn't Done. You can always recognize the people from away, because they're all over everybody else.

 

[dh66]

What the hell do such people expect? Something like, "Sure, we're all stupid in this family. It's a wonder we survive at all, we're so ignorant of the ways of the world, so we don't even know you are attempting to play us for fools"?

You're spot on. I tell them they've been watching too much TV.

Even worse Lizzie, is coming out of the store and seeing some guy sitting on one of my motorcycles!

And even worse still is when bike, car, whatever is GONE!! That'll really tick you off. To say the least. And of course, to add insult to injury, if it's something old (and I'm assuming it is, otherwise we wouldn't be discussing it here) insurance is only going to pay pennies on the dollar you have invested.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I don't worry the least bit about somebody stealing my car -- 90 percent of people today can't drive a standard transmission, and probably 99 percent of people today have no idea how start a car using a choke control and a starter pedal on the floor.

 

[dh66]

I don't worry the least bit about somebody stealing my car -- 90 percent of people today can't drive a standard transmission, and probably 99 percent of people today have no idea how start a car using a choke control and a starter pedal on the floor.

I had a '49 Ford coupe taken right out of my back yard. During broad daylight. The motor was out of it. The lady next door said two guys pulled in and put it on a roll-back wrecker. She didn't call the police or anything because she figured I was just having it taken somewhere to be worked on.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Be kind of hard to do that here -- there's no room in my driveway!

 

[tonyb]

Among native Mainers, physical contact is taboo unless you're family or you know the person very well. Casual hugging is not done -- and casual kissing is about on the level of stripping off all your clothes and running naked thru the streets at high noon. It Just Isn't Done. You can always recognize the people from away, because they're all over everybody else.

My lovely missus, who has lived all her life (excepting the past two years) in Seattle and environs, is a hugger. She was raised by quasi-hippie/New Age-y types (I'm quite considerably her senior) who surrounded themselves with same, and who were all huggers themselves. In that part of the world, which is thick with such types, you frequently see people exchange hugs on greeting and departing. Me, I've gotten used to it, although it still feels a bit foreign to me.

I informed her, on our initial visit to Wisconsin, where I hail from originally, that people there might recoil at such a greeting. Don't take it as a snub, I told her. These people are genuinely warm and generous and sincere, and they'll like you right from the start, but they're of stoic German (predominantly) origin and they just aren't the touchy-feely type.

When in Waunakee ...

 

[tonyb]

I had a '49 Ford coupe taken right out of my back yard. During broad daylight. The motor was out of it. The lady next door said two guys pulled in and put it on a roll-back wrecker. She didn't call the police or anything because she figured I was just having it taken somewhere to be worked on.

I came upon a couple of guys attempting to steal a portable gas-powered air compressor from behind a fence at my old place in Seattle. Broad daylight. I had the compressor for working on my '47 Dodge school bus parked alongside the house, behind a gate. There were two of them and one of me so I had no reasonable choice but to let then escape, but not with my compressor. From that point forth I locked it to the fence posts with a chain.

 

[Burma Schave]

I came upon a couple of guys attempting to steal a portable gas-powered air compressor from behind a fence at my old place in Seattle. Broad daylight. I had the compressor for working on my '47 Dodge school bus parked alongside the house, behind a gate. There were two of them and one of me so I had no reasonable choice but to let then escape, but not with my compressor. From that point forth I locked it to the fence posts with a chain.

You need to change neighborhoods.

 

[Stearmen]

My lovely missus, who has lived all her life (excepting the past two years) in Seattle and environs, is a hugger. She was raised by quasi-hippie/New Age-y types (I'm quite considerably her senior) who surrounded themselves with same, and who were all huggers themselves. In that part of the world, which is thick with such types, you frequently see people exchange hugs on greeting and departing. Me, I've gotten used to it, although it still feels a bit foreign to me.

I informed her, on our initial visit to Wisconsin, where I hail from originally, that people there might recoil at such a greeting. Don't take it as a snub, I told her. These people are genuinely warm and generous and sincere, and they'll like you right from the start, but they're of stoic German (predominantly) origin and they just aren't the touchy-feely type.

When in Waunakee ...

It's not just Hippies, the new thing in the biker world is to hug, and these guys are from the extreme opposite end of the political spectrum from Hippies! I have been riding since the 60s, never hugged any guys, and I don't like it! Complete stranger grabbing me, no thanks.

 

[2jakes]

With the exception of my grandma, there was not much hugging,kissing or embracing in my family, aunts or uncles.

I wasn’t aware of this until I grew up & left home & noticed how other people lived.

When introduced to a lady, I wait to see if she extends her hand for a handshake, otherwise I simply nod .

I’ve been told that at times I gesture a lot with my hands when I’m in a conversation.

I noticed that some women tend to touch on the arm or shoulder when speaking to me.

I recall one time at a restaurant where the waitress would come over & ask how everything was with our food.
Each time she ask, she would place her hands on my shoulders. She only asked me & never even bothered to ask
my friend.
After the third time, my friend said, “if she comes over one more time & does that....she is wearing this plate on her face !”

I told her, she was probably working to get a big tip !

 

[Zombie_61]

My wife is a hugger. So are all of her female friends.

It doesn't bother me.

 

[EliasRDA]

Oh yes. They're right up there with the butts who swagger up to the ticket window and flip a hundred dollar bill thru the hole and ask for two tickets and say "sorry I haven't got anything smaller." And I say "sorry, I don't have change for a hundred, there's an ATM right next door there. " Even if I actually *do* have change for a hundred, because, well, he's a butt.

Lot of places here have started refusing 100's & 50's as legal tender, heck I've even seen one store not a mom & pop post they are refusing 20's. I'm sorry, I don't like using plastic, I want bills of all denominations including 1's to be used in the usa for a long long time. Plus since my only plastic is a debt card, in these days skimming & hacking issues, I am very advise to using my plastic as I do not have the coverage a credit card does.

I try to keep small bills, or I ask if they can change a 50 but I don't try paying for a $1 item using a 50, that's just foolish.

 

[sheeplady]

Even bank tellers prefer to give out twenties. When I ask for anything else (after they ask, "how would you like that?) they often give a weird look if I ask for fives and tens... I've also noticed some younger tellers count better by 20 then 5 or 10, because they're so used to counting out twenties.