Overheard at Work

[I'm a red panda]

Every driver here is an above-average driver. 

I don't think I'm an above average driver. In fact, I'm rather tenative. I will say I am a SAFE driver. I will take the long way to avoid difficult left turns; I try to avoid driving at night, and I will never  get to the left lane in heavy traffic because I find it difficult to merge to the right to exit. I have also never successfully parallel parked in 17 years despite doing it perfectly on my driving test. But I've also never needed to.

However, despite being tenative, I have never been at-fault in an accident, nor have I ever been issued any sort of moving violation ticket.  I don't speed. I don't run stop signs or red lights. I don't hit pedestrians or bikers. I don't drive in the left lane without passing. I don't speed up to hurry through yellow lights. I certainly don't text while driving! If that makes me above-average, okay, I'll take the title.

[Chris22]

Every driver here is an above-average driver. 

I don't think I'm an above average driver. In fact, I'm rather tenative. I will say I am a SAFE driver. I will take the long way to avoid difficult left turns; I try to avoid driving at night, and I will never  get to the left lane in heavy traffic because I find it difficult to merge to the right to exit. I have also never successfully parallel parked in 17 years despite doing it perfectly on my driving test. But I've also never needed to.

However, despite being tenative, I have never been at-fault in an accident, nor have I ever been issued any sort of moving violation ticket.  I don't speed. I don't run stop signs or red lights. I don't hit pedestrians or bikers. I don't drive in the left lane without passing. I don't speed up to hurry through yellow lights. I certainly don't text while driving! If that makes me above-average, okay, I'll take the title.

Not that you necessarily are, but I find overly timid drivers at least as annoying, if not more so, than aggressive ones.  For instance, if you don't speed, around here you're a 55mph rock in a 75mph stream everyone has to get around, and that causes more issues than it solves. 

[I'm a red panda]

Not that you necessarily are, but I find overly timid drivers at least as annoying, if not more so, than aggressive ones.  For instance, if you don't speed, around here you're a 55mph rock in a 75mph stream everyone has to get around, and that causes more issues than it solves.

I wouldn't say overly timid (I've driven in Chicago, Houston, and NYC and survived), but I am tenative.

I stay in the right lane. We don't have 55 mph speed limits on highways here unless it is a construction zone. It's 70. I find that to be more than enough. It isn't necessary to go 80, if you want to, get in the left lane.  And you can be annoyed all you want, but I'm following the law.

I also don't think a single snowflake is cause to go 40. Although when the road is completely covered and not plowed, the speed limit signs no longer apply. Those are maximums for NORMAL driving conditions.

[RunHappy]

Every driver here is an above-average driver. 

I don't think I'm an above average driver. In fact, I'm rather tenative. I will say I am a SAFE driver. I will take the long way to avoid difficult left turns; I try to avoid driving at night, and I will never  get to the left lane in heavy traffic because I find it difficult to merge to the right to exit. I have also never successfully parallel parked in 17 years despite doing it perfectly on my driving test. But I've also never needed to.

However, despite being tenative, I have never been at-fault in an accident, nor have I ever been issued any sort of moving violation ticket.  I don't speed. I don't run stop signs or red lights. I don't hit pedestrians or bikers. I don't drive in the left lane without passing. I don't speed up to hurry through yellow lights. I certainly don't text while driving! If that makes me above-average, okay, I'll take the title.

Not that you necessarily are, but I find overly timid drivers at least as annoying, if not more so, than aggressive ones.  For instance, if you don't speed, around here you're a 55mph rock in a 75mph stream everyone has to get around, and that causes more issues than it solves.

So because all the other drivers are speeding, us "timid drivers" should too?

I know I go slow, I stick to the speed limit even when everyone is zooming around me.   But I'm not going to get a speeding ticket or burn through gas.

[Chris22]

Every driver here is an above-average driver. 

I don't think I'm an above average driver. In fact, I'm rather tenative. I will say I am a SAFE driver. I will take the long way to avoid difficult left turns; I try to avoid driving at night, and I will never  get to the left lane in heavy traffic because I find it difficult to merge to the right to exit. I have also never successfully parallel parked in 17 years despite doing it perfectly on my driving test. But I've also never needed to.

However, despite being tenative, I have never been at-fault in an accident, nor have I ever been issued any sort of moving violation ticket.  I don't speed. I don't run stop signs or red lights. I don't hit pedestrians or bikers. I don't drive in the left lane without passing. I don't speed up to hurry through yellow lights. I certainly don't text while driving! If that makes me above-average, okay, I'll take the title.

Not that you necessarily are, but I find overly timid drivers at least as annoying, if not more so, than aggressive ones.  For instance, if you don't speed, around here you're a 55mph rock in a 75mph stream everyone has to get around, and that causes more issues than it solves.

So because all the other drivers are speeding, us "timid drivers" should too?

I know I go slow, I stick to the speed limit even when everyone is zooming around me.   But I'm not going to get a speeding ticket or burn through gas.

Yes.  It's safer for everyone.

[RWD]

Every driver here is an above-average driver. 

I don't think I'm an above average driver. In fact, I'm rather tenative. I will say I am a SAFE driver. I will take the long way to avoid difficult left turns; I try to avoid driving at night, and I will never  get to the left lane in heavy traffic because I find it difficult to merge to the right to exit. I have also never successfully parallel parked in 17 years despite doing it perfectly on my driving test. But I've also never needed to.

However, despite being tenative, I have never been at-fault in an accident, nor have I ever been issued any sort of moving violation ticket.  I don't speed. I don't run stop signs or red lights. I don't hit pedestrians or bikers. I don't drive in the left lane without passing. I don't speed up to hurry through yellow lights. I certainly don't text while driving! If that makes me above-average, okay, I'll take the title.

Not that you necessarily are, but I find overly timid drivers at least as annoying, if not more so, than aggressive ones.  For instance, if you don't speed, around here you're a 55mph rock in a 75mph stream everyone has to get around, and that causes more issues than it solves.

So because all the other drivers are speeding, us "timid drivers" should too?

I know I go slow, I stick to the speed limit even when everyone is zooming around me.   But I'm not going to get a speeding ticket or burn through gas.

Yes.  It's safer for everyone.

I agree, but the real problem here is usually speed limits that are not set to the 85% percentile.

[mtn]

I can't find the study right now, but I'm pretty sure it was from Michigan government or one of their university's. Apparently speed limits have nearly 0 impact on the speed people drive. They raised the speed limit on one stretch of road and lowered it on another. Speeds on both didn't really change.

[KittyCat]

I can't find the study right now, but I'm pretty sure it was from Michigan government or one of their university's. Apparently speed limits have nearly 0 impact on the speed people drive. They raised the speed limit on one stretch of road and lowered it on another. Speeds on both didn't really change.

I can sort of attest to that for my own driving. I drive sort of slowly on some stretches of road. Rather, I accelerate slowly depending on the conditions/road, but I'll go as fast as I comfortably can on a given road despite the speed limit (I rarely go more than 7mph above the limit though). I drive in a way that maintains a decent fuel economy; my gas Civic is averaging 41.7mpg for this current tank of gas, and 38-39mpg throughout its life.

[ducky19]

Holy shit folks, are we still on this!?! This used to be my favorite thread on this site. I stayed away for a couple of days to see if things would hopefully get back on topic - apparently not. Thanks for ruining a perfectly good thread.

[swick]

MOD NOTE: Please try and keep to the Original topic of "Overheard at Work" If you feel the need to delve deeply into another topic, create a separate thread. Thanks.

[Lyngi]

My coworker's house has been in foreclosure for many, many years--no mortgage payment, no rent payment.   In the last few weeks CW has spoken of buying a truck (well used), but it has broken down and needs to be fixed.  They needed it to pull their camper.  They bought a 4-wheeler (used).  CW's spouse wrecked said 4 wheeler and messed up his shoulder badly.    Today, I heard that the 4 wheeler had bald tires--cause of the wreck.  Spouse is going to be out of work for a while,  he had been working a lot of overtime so they would be able to afford the rent on their new place. 

[skunkfunk]

Holy shit folks, are we still on this!?! This used to be my favorite thread on this site. I stayed away for a couple of days to see if things would hopefully get back on topic - apparently not. Thanks for ruining a perfectly good thread.

Calm down, this isn't half as bad as that damned black (or was it orange?) box.

[bb11]

At a new job and I just had my first contribution to the 401k plan. I wanted to add the account to Mint to track it so I needed to know which brokerage the account was held at. No one knew! I asked 6 co-workers including my boss, and got various responses from "I only check it once a year" to "No idea". One coworker didn't even know what I was talking about. Finally I just went through all the documentation myself to figure it out. Unbelievable.

[lsaurus]

I do group fitness classes during lunch at my on-site work gym.  I was jumping around before class started.

CW: Aw, the energy of youth
Me: I get a little antsy trapped in my cubicle all day; I need to get my wiggles out.
CW: Better get used to it. You have 40 more years in the cubicle

Luckily class started before I could respond with WTF! I am 33 years old, there is no way I’m going to be trapped in cubicle jail until I am 73.

[northernlights]

I was telling a notoriously spendypants coworker about a gorgeous lake house that's for sale and how I wished I'd didn't feel the need to be responsible with money so I could buy it. She said I should cut my retirement contributions to afford it.

[mtn]

I was telling a notoriously spendypants coworker about a gorgeous lake house that's for sale and how I wished I'd didn't feel the need to be responsible with money so I could buy it. She said I should cut my retirement contributions to afford it.

Well, depending on how you look at it it could be retirement savings....

Probably not a good way to look at it. But enablers, they enable!

[MgoSam]

I was telling a notoriously spendypants coworker about a gorgeous lake house that's for sale and how I wished I'd didn't feel the need to be responsible with money so I could buy it. She said I should cut my retirement contributions to afford it.

I will say that living near a lake (not lakeside but has a good view of it) is pretty sweet and though I don't know how much I would be willing to pay for proximity to a lake, it is something I plan to look for if I ever need to buy another house or move.

[druth]

I do group fitness classes during lunch at my on-site work gym.  I was jumping around before class started.

CW: Aw, the energy of youth
Me: I get a little antsy trapped in my cubicle all day; I need to get my wiggles out.
CW: Better get used to it. You have 40 more years in the cubicle

Luckily class started before I could respond with WTF! I am 33 years old, there is no way I’m going to be trapped in cubicle jail until I am 73.

You could take it as a compliment that they clearly must think you are in your early 20s?

[Sofa King]

MOD NOTE: Please try and keep to the Original topic of "Overheard at Work" If you feel the need to delve deeply into another topic, create a separate thread. Thanks.

Thank you for this. So many great threads are hijacked by other topics that have nothing to do with what the thread is about. 

[purplearcanist]

More like overheard while running, but still:

A former coach works with someone who has a disability.  When this former coach couldn't handle this other person's money to help him out, it meant trouble because this guy spends everything that he makes immediately on shoes.  Even though my former coach tries to educate him on saving some money for food, some money for a tatoo that he complains that he can't get, he just doesn't have financial literacy.  At least this guy has no concept of going into debt to fund this habit...  At least he is having fun with each pair of shoes that he purchases...

[northernlights]

I was telling a notoriously spendypants coworker about a gorgeous lake house that's for sale and how I wished I'd didn't feel the need to be responsible with money so I could buy it. She said I should cut my retirement contributions to afford it.

I will say that living near a lake (not lakeside but has a good view of it) is pretty sweet and though I don't know how much I would be willing to pay for proximity to a lake, it is something I plan to look for if I ever need to buy another house or move.

It is definitely a longterm goal of ours, but not at the expense of retirement savings. My husband and I both work in walking distance to Lake Michigan so we get to see plenty of it during the workday.

This coworker is saving $65/paycheck to retirement. I'm saving $465. I look forward to walking out of here 10 years earlier than her.

[KittyCat]

It is definitely a longterm goal of ours, but not at the expense of retirement savings. My husband and I both work in walking distance to Lake Michigan so we get to see plenty of it during the workday.

This coworker is saving $65/paycheck to retirement. I'm saving $465. I look forward to walking out of here 10 years earlier than her.

On the plus side, at least she is putting a positive sum towards her retirement, which is a lot more than can be said about some of the people mentioned in the stories here unfortunately.

[Seppia]

With $65 per paycheck they have a long way to go though, that's not even $1600 per year.

I regularly hear horrific stories, a good friend of mine has a colleague that is contributing zero to his 401k, leaving a fat 7% match from the company on the table, because "I can't afford it".
Drives a gigantic German suv bought new two years ago.

[Silverado]

MOD NOTE: Please try and keep to the Original topic of "Overheard at Work" If you feel the need to delve deeply into another topic, create a separate thread. Thanks.

Thank you for this. So many great threads are hijacked by other topics that have nothing to do with what the thread is about.

Like your reply, and my reply. This is like a reply-to-all reply.

[RyanAtTanagra]

Threads get boring, stagnate, and die pretty quick if you force them to stay on topic.  Try doing that in real life.  'Sorry we were talking about X, please stay on topic.  If you would like to start a new conversation go over there.'

That said this 214 page thread has benefited from being reigned in from time to time when the derail starts going nowhere.

[shelivesthedream]

I overheard someone buying a Playstation (or similar, I can't tell). They didn't get another controller because it was £14.99 and that was too much money. Then they decided to pay by monthly payment. I didn't catch the whole of it, but the options were either £X a month for three years or £2.29 a month for X years. With interest, they could be paying for this games console for a DECADE!

[MgoSam]

I was telling a notoriously spendypants coworker about a gorgeous lake house that's for sale and how I wished I'd didn't feel the need to be responsible with money so I could buy it. She said I should cut my retirement contributions to afford it.

I will say that living near a lake (not lakeside but has a good view of it) is pretty sweet and though I don't know how much I would be willing to pay for proximity to a lake, it is something I plan to look for if I ever need to buy another house or move.

When we lived near a lake, it regularly came for a visit in our basement. It was quite unpleasant.

Yikes, that would be terrible. Unless of course you lived at this place http://www.fallingwater.org/

I'm a decently far enough away to avoid any lake water.

[zephyr911]

With $65 per paycheck they have a long way to go though, that's not even $1600 per year.

I regularly hear horrific stories, a good friend of mine has a colleague that is contributing zero to his 401k, leaving a fat 7% match from the company on the table, because "I can't afford it".
Drives a gigantic German suv bought new two years ago.

One more component to add to The True Cost of Commuting, amirite? :D

When we lived near a lake, it regularly came for a visit in our basement. It was quite unpleasant.

You can't really blame the lake for the builder's poor site planning.

I overheard someone buying a Playstation (or similar, I can't tell). They didn't get another controller because it was £14.99 and that was too much money. Then they decided to pay by monthly payment. I didn't catch the whole of it, but the options were either £X a month for three years or £2.29 a month for X years. With interest, they could be paying for this games console for a DECADE!

What the everloving fuck??

[Seppia]

With $65 per paycheck they have a long way to go though, that's not even $1600 per year.

I regularly hear horrific stories, a good friend of mine has a colleague that is contributing zero to his 401k, leaving a fat 7% match from the company on the table, because "I can't afford it".
Drives a gigantic German suv bought new two years ago.

One more component to add to The True Cost of Commuting, amirite? :D

It's incredible, really.
The fact that someone with a $100k salary cannot figure out a way to do without a little above $200 net per paycheck to get $583 in a 401k in exchange blows my mind.

I say this all the time, the main issue with people today is that nobody seems to be able to do math.

[ender]

I say this all the time, the main issue with people today is that nobody seems to be able to do math.

This reminds me of a short video I can't find now. The basic premise is a fairly parody based video talking about how to save and buy things, and constantly "but what if you don't have the money?" then "don't buy it!"

[ender]

I say this all the time, the main issue with people today is that nobody seems to be able to do math.

This reminds me of a short video I can't find now. The basic premise is a fairly parody based video talking about how to save and buy things, and constantly "but what if you don't have the money?" then "don't buy it!"

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/dont-buy-stuff/n12020

YES!

[Suncoast]

I say this all the time, the main issue with people today is that nobody seems to be able to do math.

This reminds me of a short video I can't find now. The basic premise is a fairly parody based video talking about how to save and buy things, and constantly "but what if you don't have the money?" then "don't buy it!"

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/dont-buy-stuff/n12020

That is great.

[jinga nation]

With $65 per paycheck they have a long way to go though, that's not even $1600 per year.

I regularly hear horrific stories, a good friend of mine has a colleague that is contributing zero to his 401k, leaving a fat 7% match from the company on the table, because "I can't afford it".
Drives a gigantic German suv bought new two years ago.

One more component to add to The True Cost of Commuting, amirite? :D

It's incredible, really.
The fact that someone with a $100k salary cannot figure out a way to do without a little above $200 net per paycheck to get $583 in a 401k in exchange blows my mind.

I say this all the time, the main issue with people today is that nobody seems to be able to do math.

The materialism culture says that you should buy a depreciating asset for $500/month instead of putting that money in an index fund.
How dare you drive a 7+ years old vehicle and not have a monthly payment? 
We're doomed as a species. Even the Chinese and Indian savers are becoming spendypants.
leave the logic at the door. it isn't required for this planet anymore.

Maybe they are fake Zen Buddhists and living in the present moment.
But actions have consequences.

[lifeinhd]

Coworker just walked in and announced that she bought a new car. Her old Ford Expedition was starting to have problems (to the tune of $600) she obviously the best option was to buy a new Ford Explorer! She said "it's really nice switching to a smaller car," and she's excited about the excellent 18/25 MPG!

Wait, which one gets 18/25? I'm seeing 17/24 mpg for the FWD model, a little worse for the AWD model...

I guess my Subaru Legacy GT, a turbocharged AWD beast that goes 0-60 mph in under 6 seconds, gets excellent fuel economy too...

The 2016s with the Ecoboost get 19/28. I believe she got a 2015, but yeah, looking now I have no idea where she got those numbers.

[KittyCat]

I overheard someone buying a Playstation (or similar, I can't tell). They didn't get another controller because it was £14.99 and that was too much money. Then they decided to pay by monthly payment. I didn't catch the whole of it, but the options were either £X a month for three years or £2.29 a month for X years. With interest, they could be paying for this games console for a DECADE!

YIKES! Monthly payments on a gaming system!

[lifeinhd]

A car 'accident' isn't an accident.  That's quite a misnomer.  It's always brought about by a mistake made by one or both of the drivers involved.  They are all caused intentionally.

So the accident caused by my dad's brakes going out right as he was approaching a red light (due to a shop's poor work) was totally intentional on his part?

[HairyUpperLip]

A car 'accident' isn't an accident.  That's quite a misnomer.  It's always brought about by a mistake made by one or both of the drivers involved.  They are all caused intentionally.

So the accident caused by my dad's brakes going out right as he was approaching a red light (due to a shop's poor work) was totally intentional on his part?

I don't think it's your dad's fault. I think it's your fault. You should have changed the brakes for your dad. :p

jk man, but seriously please don't derail the thread again tho. :)

[dragoncar]

I was telling a notoriously spendypants coworker about a gorgeous lake house that's for sale and how I wished I'd didn't feel the need to be responsible with money so I could buy it. She said I should cut my retirement contributions to afford it.

I will say that living near a lake (not lakeside but has a good view of it) is pretty sweet and though I don't know how much I would be willing to pay for proximity to a lake, it is something I plan to look for if I ever need to buy another house or move.

When we lived near a lake, it regularly came for a visit in our basement. It was quite unpleasant.

Yikes, that would be terrible. Unless of course you lived at this place http://www.fallingwater.org/

I'm a decently far enough away to avoid any lake water.

Yeah houses don't have to have basements. 

[I'm a red panda]

Yeah houses don't have to have basements.

Though if you are in an area where basements are ubiquitous, you'll see very little sympathy when you die in a tornado because you skipped out.

[ender]

Yeah houses don't have to have basements.

Though if you are in an area where basements are ubiquitous, you'll see very little sympathy when you die in a tornado because you skipped out.

Course, if you're dead, you won't care whether you get sympathy or not ;)

[I'm a red panda]

Course, if you're dead, you won't care whether you get sympathy or not ;)

Haven't been dead yet, so I have no idea how much I will or won't care. Different afterlife theories give me different views of what might happen.

[dragoncar]

Yeah houses don't have to have basements.

Though if you are in an area where basements are ubiquitous, you'll see very little sympathy when you die in a tornado because you skipped out.

Sounds like a storm shelter would be more appropriate

[Dollar Slice]

OK, not my work but someone else's work and retirement-related... and trying to help get the thread back on track ;-)

I was asking after someone I know who was very ill in the hospital recently... 71 years old. Told he's doing much better "he's back at work and everything, even though they said he could work at home if he needs to."

Me: "He's at work!? But I thought he finally retired!"

"Yeah, they asked him to come back at 75% of his original pay, so now he's working again..."

[druth]

"Yeah, they asked him to come back at 75% of his original pay, so now he's working again..."

I have heard of coming back for more pay... Why would you come back for less?  Hopefully he is only working one or two days a week???

[MgoSam]

"Yeah, they asked him to come back at 75% of his original pay, so now he's working again..."

I have heard of coming back for more pay... Why would you come back for less?  Hopefully he is only working one or two days a week???

Yeah, is he working the same or less or something? Or is there a chance that he is bored or misses working and thus might want to come back? I have heard of someone coming back for less wage because they don't really need the money and the office doesn't necessarily need them as much as they did before they retired.

[Dollar Slice]

Apparently the place where he worked said they really needed him, and that was all the money they could scrape up to pay him. I'm sure the reason he agreed to it is because he feels like no one can replace him and he's doing important work (at a non-profit org).

The part that really gets me is that he is in his 70s, "retired" and was just in the hospital for a week for something very serious, and he STILL can't manage to take some time off! And it's not like he has an easy office job, either. He travels to some of the worst places in the world just about every month, it seems like.

[CabinetGuy]

Was talking to a coworker of sorts the other day.  She is getting excited about visiting her sister in Seattle who is a travelling nurse.  She goes on to tell me that her sister has little to no living expenses, and that she actually gets paid a stipend above and beyond her salary for these expenses.

I was like holy shit!  This girls got it figured out!  She's probably saving  at least a couple grand a month.  Coworker goes on to tell me that their father is a financial advisor...so I'm like damn, she's set!  Then she drops this "yeah, my dad has her to put 500.00 a month away for savings, and if there's any money left at the end of the month, she can add to it...

At least she's saving...

[Avidconsumer]

I was front ended one time by someone at a traffic light who decided to reverse because they were in the wrong lane. Am I at fault? Possibly as they were in a hummer with about 2% vision of the car behind. That was a new danger to me, so I guess I'm learning. I honestly believe that the majority of drivers shouldn't be allowed to drive.

One of the things I do when driving is never change lane if another car two lanes over can enter at the same point.

[JLee]

I was front ended one time by someone at a traffic light who decided to reverse because they were in the wrong lane. Am I at fault? Possibly as they were in a hummer with about 2% vision of the car behind. That was a new danger to me, so I guess I'm learning. I honestly believe that the majority of drivers shouldn't be allowed to drive.

One of the things I do when driving is never change lane if another car two lanes over can enter at the same point.

Generally any driver backing up is going to be the one at fault.

[HairyUpperLip]

Was talking to a coworker of sorts the other day.  She is getting excited about visiting her sister in Seattle who is a travelling nurse.  She goes on to tell me that her sister has little to no living expenses, and that she actually gets paid a stipend above and beyond her salary for these expenses.

I was like holy shit!  This girls got it figured out!  She's probably saving  at least a couple grand a month.  Coworker goes on to tell me that their father is a financial advisor...so I'm like damn, she's set!  Then she drops this "yeah, my dad has her to put 500.00 a month away for savings, and if there's any money left at the end of the month, she can add to it...

At least she's saving...

wow, he must fucking suck at his job.