What Irked You Today?

[High octane]

Huh, you mean those TFN jars? Yes, "tips for nothing." Would you go to McDonalds or Burger King and tip the person behind the counter? How 'bout the guy that helps you in the hardware store? When you order a pizza by phone and go and pick it up, are you going to tip the person who takes your money and hands you the pizza? Are you nutz? They're supposed to take your order, take your ca$h, and give you what you ordered. NO tipping necessary. A waiter or waitress however brings you water, takes and delivers your drink order, takes and delivers your food order, and answers to your needs for you to enjoy that meal. They're hoping to get tipped for good to great service.

[Joe Handley]

I'm begining to think that the use of these tip jars is so these employees don't have to get paid as much by their employers.

[blunc]

I think it only fair to warn the members here not to drive anywhere near where Harry drives, he seems to be a magnet for idiots and you might get caught in one of his "almost accidents".

[blunc]

Man Harry, it seems like you get out of the wrong side of the bed every other day

are you sure Harry uses a bed?

[Thatswhatshesaid]

For good service...I tip at my local take out Chinese place, if the service was good..just like tipping at Starbucks, the cleaners, the parking attendant, the pizza delivery guy, my hair trimmer, my dog groomer, my yard guy...

You shouldn't get a tip for doing your JOB.

[slusher]

In my neighborhood we have a "special needs" kid that rides the school bus every day. And I've been caught by that school bus more times than I can remember.

What happens is that the bus driver pulls up in front of the house and turns on the red flashers and the Stop sign... then sits and waits... and waits......... and waits................. for the mom to bring out the kid. They are always late. And to make matters worse, the mom walks the kid into the bus, says her elaborate goodbyes, and then only after a few minutes of doing God-knows-what in that bus, she finally comes out so the bus can leave.

And all this time... from the bus sitting there waiting, to the mom and kid finally making their appearance, to the long, drawn-out onboard goodbye... the driver has the dang flashers and Stop sign going the whole time.

Why can't she just sit there at the curb and wait for the kid without turning on the flashers and sign? Why can't she just turn them on when the kid finally appears in the driveway, and not the whole time she's waiting?

I have been stuck sitting behind this bus, waiting, more times than I can remember. In fact, several times the driver has apparently seen me sitting there and she turned off the flashing lights so that I could pass. So again I have to ask, why turn them on before the kid ever comes out of the house???

Harry, here in Tennessee the bus driver slows down if the child is not at the road waiting but no lights unless they are running to the bus. IF you not at the road or running to the road the bus never stops.

[Joe Handley]

I think it only fair to warn the members here not to drive anywhere near where Harry drives, he seems to be a magnet for idiots and you might get caught in one of his "almost accidents".

I don't live too far from Harry, believe me, there are plenty of idiots to go around for ALL of us on here............

[Tom Geiger]

I'm begining to think that the use of these tip jars is so these employees don't have to get paid as much by their employers.

Yea, that could come into play. Minimum wage is $7-8 an hour depending on the state, but $2 for those who are tip dependent. I always thought it was just the waitress, but they've added the extra staff like food runners, table cleaners, bartenders etc onto that tip bill. So when you give a tip to that nice waitress, she puts it in the tip pool and it gets divided up. She may get 20% of it!

In the case of the Chinese take out place... two adult Chinese guys who are cooking and at the counter. They are probably owners. And Harry and I are probably getting the cat menu for not tipping!

My wife says at a beauty salon you tip a hair dresser, but not the owner...

Edited August 19, 2014 by Tom Geiger

[Harry P.]

For good service...I tip at my local take out Chinese place,

What "service?" I went there and picked up my own order! If anyone deserves a tip, it would be me!

[Harry P.]

Hey Harry, is that child Autistic by chance? I've seen and heard of autistic kids that can be difficult to work with.

Yes, I think so. But that doesn't explain the bus driver keeping her lights and Stop sign on and stopping traffic the whole time she's sitting there waiting.

[Joe Handley]

Yes, I think so. But that doesn't explain the bus driver keeping her lights and Stop sign on and stopping traffic the whole time she's sitting there waiting.

Could be a preventative measure, we both know what kinds of idiots drive around here, that could help reduce the chances of her bus being hit by one who already has a hard time seeing a gigantic yellow truck sitting at the side of the road. Edited August 19, 2014 by Joe Handley

[Harry P.]

Could be a preventative measure, we both know what kinds of idiots drive around here, that could help reduce the chances of her bus being hit by one who already has a hard time seeing a gigantic yellow truck sitting at the side of the road.

This isn't a main street with traffic whizzing by, it's a suburban residential side street in a small subdivision with almost no vehicle traffic in the morning when the bus typically sits there..

[uncle potts]

The guy that stopped in front of my house, in the middle of the street, to scream at his wife, at 12:15 am. What a JERK!

[Joe Handley]

This isn't a main street with traffic whizzing by, it's a suburban residential side street in a small subdivision with almost no vehicle traffic in the morning when the bus typically sits there..

Still, many, many years ago a friend of my parents backed out of her drive way, into a school bus (that her kids likely rode no less), the just drove off not realizing it. Come to think of it, remember that picture on that other magazine's forum where an H2 got buried under the back of a school bus? I think that was a speeder who wasn't paying attention to the road ahead.

[Danno]

Still, many, many years ago a friend of my parents backed out of her drive way, into a school bus (that her kids likely rode no less), the just drove off not realizing it. Come to think of it, remember that picture on that other magazine's forum where an H2 got buried under the back of a school bus? I think that was a speeder who wasn't paying attention to the road ahead.

There's another magazine?

[southpier]

I understand pedestrians have the right of way when using a crosswalk and by law drivers are required to stop. does that excuse the BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH fools from walking right out into oncoming traffic?

right?

dead-right!

dam

[gbdolfans]

There's another magazine?

NO!!!

[Harry P.]

Still, many, many years ago a friend of my parents backed out of her drive way, into a school bus... the just drove off not realizing it.

I don't believe that a person can literally back into a school bus and not realize it. That's impossible.

[slusher]

I understand pedestrians have the right of way when using a crosswalk and by law drivers are required to stop. does that excuse the BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH fools from walking right out into oncoming traffic?

right?

dead-right!

dam

pedestrians always have the right of way.

[High octane]

Yesterday while I was driving toward a local "cruise night," the car ahead of me braked and slowed down at an intersection and nobody was in front of him. The light was GREEN! Are these people total morons or what???

[Harry P.]

pedestrians always have the right of way.

Not true. At least not in Illinois.

Excerpted from Illinois Legal Aid:

Pedestrians in a crosswalk have the right of way, so drivers must yield. Pedestrians not yet in a crosswalk must yield to drivers until it’s safe to enter the crosswalk.

Pedestrians do not have an unlimited right to barge into a crosswalk whenever and however they like.

Chapter 11 of the Illinois Vehicle Code is our official “Rules of the Road.” Article X of that chapter covers “Pedestrians’ Rights and Duties.”

At crosswalks with stoplights, cars and pedestrians must each obey their signal. If there’s no specific pedestrian signal, pedestrians can only enter a crosswalk when they have the green light.

At crosswalks with stop signs, cars must stop and yield to pedestrians as they would to other cars (i.e., to cars/pedestrians in the intersection).

Crosswalks with no stop light or sign are mostly going to be marked crosswalks in the middle of the block (“elsewhere”). There, the law gets specific. Cars must yield to pedestrians actually in that kind of crosswalk. And then, only to pedestrians on “the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling,” or “approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger.”

Then, the pedestrian has the right of way, and cars must stop—not just slow down. When a car stops to yield that right of way, it’s illegal for other cars to pass. So, in those middle-of-the block marked crosswalks, cars must stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk, on or close to the car’s half of the street. They don't have to stop for pedestrians approaching or waiting at the curb.

Pedestrians don’t have a right of way to enter the crosswalk whenever they want. That’s specified in the law, which says that pedestrians shall not “suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a moving vehicle.”

So a pedestrian can't just walk into the street any time they want to and expect the cars to stop.

[Harry P.]

From the website of a law firm that specializes in pedestrian accident claims:

Pedestrians have the right of way in crosswalks. Most intersections have a pedestrian crosswalk whether or not lines are painted on the street. Most crosswalks are located at corners, but they can also be located in the middle of the block. If you are a pedestrian and crossing the street not in the crosswalk, you could be considered the at fault party if an accident occurs.

[sjordan2]

Pedestrian right-of-way can vary by state or community. In California, pedestrians have the right-of-way in most cases (in fact, I've encountered some who just walk out when they see you coming, without waiting, and dare you not to stop for them).

http://apps.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/right_of_way.htm

"Remember, if a pedestrian makes eye contact with you, he or she is ready to cross the street. Yield to the pedestrian." etc.

[Danno]

pedestrians always have the right of way.

Not true.

The Illinois statutes that Harry quoted are consistent with most states, and as the law firm website quite accurately says, pedestrians who cross streets outside crosswalks (commonly referred to as "Jaywalking") or cross against traffic controls may be deemed at fault, depending upon the specific circumstances. Being a pedestrian does not grant carte blanche legal authority to do whatever one wants.

The real key is crosswalk. Inside a crosswalk, the pedestrian has the presumptive majority of right of way, but outside a crosswalk, the pedestrian has no more right of way than cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, horseback riders, skateboarders, or any other 'traffic unit.'

[wayne swayze]

And now, for something completely different. Missed finding a kleenex in a pocket while doing laundry. Opened the dryer door....what a mess! Man, I hate it when that happens! Now I have to vacuum everywhere!