Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
Dec 21st 2004, 4:26 pm
#211
Senor Member ( no typo)
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: Nerja Espana/Elgin USA
Posts: 229
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
Originally Posted by Patent Attorney
Come on ... got to have a few.
I have loads, biggest one is the lack of roundabouts. The number of times I have come off at a wrong exit and driven miles before I could get back on course. How I miss them, roundabouts I mean! God how I miss them!
It's no funny matter either. On one occasion the map told me to get off at exit "#7" (I think it was #7, but my mind has removed most of my memory because of the trauma of it all!) ... but there was exit 7A, 7B, 7C ... you get the picture. I took the wrong exit and boy did I get payback. I was driving a truck full of furniture from Chicago to my "new" apartment near DC. I ended up on what I can only describe as an unwanted journey into rural USA ... exit road turned into a narrow country lane and I started to panic. The truck was very big and the roof was getting an undeserved thrashing from low cut trees and tree branches ... but there was a ditch running parallel to the narrow road and I couldn't risk a 3 point turn ... finally I drove onto someone's long drive and finally managed a 3 point turn (more like a 10 point the truck was so big and awkward). Boy was that a terrible panic/mess.
Roundabouts ... Give me roundabouts or give me death! Mutated from Patrick Henry's "Give me liberty or give me death!"
I have loads, biggest one is the lack of roundabouts. The number of times I have come off at a wrong exit and driven miles before I could get back on course. How I miss them, roundabouts I mean! God how I miss them!
It's no funny matter either. On one occasion the map told me to get off at exit "#7" (I think it was #7, but my mind has removed most of my memory because of the trauma of it all!) ... but there was exit 7A, 7B, 7C ... you get the picture. I took the wrong exit and boy did I get payback. I was driving a truck full of furniture from Chicago to my "new" apartment near DC. I ended up on what I can only describe as an unwanted journey into rural USA ... exit road turned into a narrow country lane and I started to panic. The truck was very big and the roof was getting an undeserved thrashing from low cut trees and tree branches ... but there was a ditch running parallel to the narrow road and I couldn't risk a 3 point turn ... finally I drove onto someone's long drive and finally managed a 3 point turn (more like a 10 point the truck was so big and awkward). Boy was that a terrible panic/mess.
Roundabouts ... Give me roundabouts or give me death! Mutated from Patrick Henry's "Give me liberty or give me death!"
As you appraoch the roundabout...close both eyes cross yourself...and go for it ! Ok ?
Dec 22nd 2004, 4:57 pm
#212
Wurzel turned redneck
Joined: Feb 2003
Location: Columbia, SC (was Bristol, Wessex)
Posts: 363
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
Originally Posted by NC Penguin
Holiday gear/stuff for you to wear/own/display.
i.e. how Americans like to buy things to wear or use for specific holiday.
e.g. Easter themed china, clothing, decorations, yard stuff.
NC Penguin
i.e. how Americans like to buy things to wear or use for specific holiday.
e.g. Easter themed china, clothing, decorations, yard stuff.
NC Penguin
Dec 22nd 2004, 5:45 pm
#213
Not living a 9 to 5 life
Joined: Jun 2002
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 11,061
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
Originally Posted by nxylas
Yeah, my missus does this. When she worked at Walgreens she used to always wear themed headgear, like bunny ears at Easter, reindeer antlers at Christmas, a fake head wound on Martin Luther King Day (OK, I made that last one up) etc.
Dec 22nd 2004, 6:22 pm
#214
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
Originally Posted by NC Penguin
I... I could hardly hand it back to her, could I?
Dec 22nd 2004, 10:42 pm
#215
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 172
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
My pet peeves:
1)4 way junctions, if ever there was an ill conceived idea these are a shining example. I do like the turn on red but I f**kin' hate that when the light turns green people are allowed to cross as well (on your right). I also hate the junctions without lights, those stop signs are a pain in the arse especially here in SF, there's one every 15 metres!
2)The word is Herbs not 'erbs!
3)Bread, it's all shite.
4)Chocolate, ditto.
5)It's Happy Christmas, not Happy Holidays...why is everyone so scared to say Christmas?
6)Health insurance, now this really pisses me off. If I take a PPO I pay more a month but I then owe 20% of the final bills (which never stop coming), but if I take an HMO I pay much less and have a much smaller co-pay....what's not right here?
7)Two weeks holiday a year, disgusting.
8)The supermarkets...mmm crappy 1980's Presto springs to mind.
1)4 way junctions, if ever there was an ill conceived idea these are a shining example. I do like the turn on red but I f**kin' hate that when the light turns green people are allowed to cross as well (on your right). I also hate the junctions without lights, those stop signs are a pain in the arse especially here in SF, there's one every 15 metres!
2)The word is Herbs not 'erbs!
3)Bread, it's all shite.
4)Chocolate, ditto.
5)It's Happy Christmas, not Happy Holidays...why is everyone so scared to say Christmas?
6)Health insurance, now this really pisses me off. If I take a PPO I pay more a month but I then owe 20% of the final bills (which never stop coming), but if I take an HMO I pay much less and have a much smaller co-pay....what's not right here?
7)Two weeks holiday a year, disgusting.
8)The supermarkets...mmm crappy 1980's Presto springs to mind.
Dec 22nd 2004, 11:02 pm
#216
Powder Maggot
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Nuevo Mexico
Posts: 4,452
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
Having an angry day there, immunise?
Actually, my least favorite junctions are the ones with the flashing reds. You never know what the other street has - flashing red, flashing orange, or green.
The three-second-warning in interstate signage is always a right hoot too. But I do appreciate that they number exits after mileposts - makes a big difference out here in the west. And fortunately it has been a long time since I've lived anywhere enamored of left-hand exits.
Actually, my least favorite junctions are the ones with the flashing reds. You never know what the other street has - flashing red, flashing orange, or green.
The three-second-warning in interstate signage is always a right hoot too. But I do appreciate that they number exits after mileposts - makes a big difference out here in the west. And fortunately it has been a long time since I've lived anywhere enamored of left-hand exits.
Dec 23rd 2004, 11:04 am
#217
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Midlands - MA - CO-CA
Posts: 2,763
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
The "rebates" here when you buy an item in a store. It is never or rarely given to you over the counter and you have to collect so much paperwork and jump through so many hoops to get it and have to wait much longer than it says to get it if ever. Just give us the money up front, or have it off the price before it is sold.
Dec 23rd 2004, 1:17 pm
#218
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
Originally Posted by joto
The "rebates" here when you buy an item in a store. It is never or rarely given to you over the counter and you have to collect so much paperwork and jump through so many hoops to get it and have to wait much longer than it says to get it if ever. Just give us the money up front, or have it off the price before it is sold.
Dec 24th 2004, 4:11 pm
#219
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 172
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
Originally Posted by Bob
aye, that really gets my goat to, but they make so much money from the scam because people don't send in the right bits and bobs so they don't have to pay out, well annoying.
Dec 24th 2004, 4:20 pm
#220
Senor Member ( no typo)
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: Nerja Espana/Elgin USA
Posts: 229
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
Originally Posted by immunise
My pet peeves:
1)4 way junctions, if ever there was an ill conceived idea these are a shining example. I do like the turn on red but I f**kin' hate that when the light turns green people are allowed to cross as well (on your right). I also hate the junctions without lights, those stop signs are a pain in the arse especially here in SF, there's one every 15 metres!
2)The word is Herbs not 'erbs!
3)Bread, it's all shite.
4)Chocolate, ditto.
5)It's Happy Christmas, not Happy Holidays...why is everyone so scared to say Christmas?
6)Health insurance, now this really pisses me off. If I take a PPO I pay more a month but I then owe 20% of the final bills (which never stop coming), but if I take an HMO I pay much less and have a much smaller co-pay....what's not right here?
7)Two weeks holiday a year, disgusting.
8)The supermarkets...mmm crappy 1980's Presto springs to mind.
1)4 way junctions, if ever there was an ill conceived idea these are a shining example. I do like the turn on red but I f**kin' hate that when the light turns green people are allowed to cross as well (on your right). I also hate the junctions without lights, those stop signs are a pain in the arse especially here in SF, there's one every 15 metres!
2)The word is Herbs not 'erbs!
3)Bread, it's all shite.
4)Chocolate, ditto.
5)It's Happy Christmas, not Happy Holidays...why is everyone so scared to say Christmas?
6)Health insurance, now this really pisses me off. If I take a PPO I pay more a month but I then owe 20% of the final bills (which never stop coming), but if I take an HMO I pay much less and have a much smaller co-pay....what's not right here?
7)Two weeks holiday a year, disgusting.
8)The supermarkets...mmm crappy 1980's Presto springs to mind.
As for the bread thing, I gotta bread maker that way I get the bread I want and like and not the store bought kaka !
Dec 24th 2004, 8:58 pm
#221
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 190
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
Yeah, street lights in highways are pretty rare esp. smaller cities e.g durham
Dec 26th 2004, 12:43 am
#222
Howling at the Moon
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Incline Village, NV
Posts: 3,742
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
My pet peeves:
5)It's Happy Christmas, not Happy Holidays...why is everyone so scared to say Christmas?
6)Health insurance, now this really pisses me off. If I take a PPO I pay more a month but I then owe 20% of the final bills (which never stop coming), but if I take an HMO I pay much less and have a much smaller co-pay....what's not right here?
7)Two weeks holiday a year, disgusting.
I get 37 days a year vacation so not too bad for the US, it's MERRY CHRISTMAS (and a Happy New Year)...people say it here and 25% of the local population is Jewish....but I note, the FT had a header stating that it would not be issuing on December 25th and "Happy Holidays" so the UK is not immune.
You are restricted with a HMO as to your care providers, you must designate and cannot directly self refer but must use your designated gatekeeper. With a PPO you have much more flexibility imho.
5)It's Happy Christmas, not Happy Holidays...why is everyone so scared to say Christmas?
6)Health insurance, now this really pisses me off. If I take a PPO I pay more a month but I then owe 20% of the final bills (which never stop coming), but if I take an HMO I pay much less and have a much smaller co-pay....what's not right here?
7)Two weeks holiday a year, disgusting.
I get 37 days a year vacation so not too bad for the US, it's MERRY CHRISTMAS (and a Happy New Year)...people say it here and 25% of the local population is Jewish....but I note, the FT had a header stating that it would not be issuing on December 25th and "Happy Holidays" so the UK is not immune.
You are restricted with a HMO as to your care providers, you must designate and cannot directly self refer but must use your designated gatekeeper. With a PPO you have much more flexibility imho.
Dec 26th 2004, 1:43 am
#223
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 68,280
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
Nice to see you back Lairdside!
Dec 26th 2004, 1:45 am
#224
Howling at the Moon
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Incline Village, NV
Posts: 3,742
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
Originally Posted by Ray
Nice to see you back Lairdside!
Dec 26th 2004, 5:39 pm
#225
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: Pet Peeves peculiar to living in the USofA
Originally Posted by lairdside
Good to be here - came to wish everyone Merry Christmas but the place is deserted
Glad to see you drop in every now and again-- warm wishes your way
mo & DAH