Overheard at Work

[gimp]

Eric, as mentioned, it's not a Prius thing specifically. There are a lot of hybrids that turn the engine off when you stop, and even some non-hybrids. The idea of an electric motor that continues to push the oil makes sense. It's really a great feature if 1) it actually makes a real difference in mileage and 2) it doesn't fuck your engine.

[jordanread]

Eric, as mentioned, it's not a Prius thing specifically. There are a lot of hybrids that turn the engine off when you stop, and even some non-hybrids. The idea of an electric motor that continues to push the oil makes sense. It's really a great feature if 1) it actually makes a real difference in mileage and 2) it doesn't fuck your engine.

But if it fucks your engine, don't you get a bunch of small engines? That seems lucrative.

[Travis]

So, the car was in a campus building (non-residential) parking lot. Probably not a child paying with it.  Not a cop car. Newer model.

I suppose if you're having battery/starter issues, you might leave your car to idle. Or by stupid mistake. But I seem to see cars idling around campus and on my way home all the time here. Almost every day (usually I'm just passing, though, so I have no idea how long it's there). Everyone can't have extenuating circumstances, can they??

On my base here in Kuwait we have a pretty good sized fleet of civilian vehicles (mostly pickups and SUVs).  At the height of the summer I see vehicles everywhere idling in the parking lot because the driver doesn't want to lose the air conditioning whether they're at the store for 5 minutes or while they're eating lunch at the dining facility for 45 minutes.  The MPs will issue citations, but it happens so often they don't go after nearly enough of them.  For most of those drivers the US government is paying the bill and we get Kuwaiti prices.

[LennStar]

Wow, that's one expensive restaurant. I'm guilty of occasionally spending very unmustachian amounts of money for eating out, but it's all peanuts compared to this place.

Can these places be worth the expense? I haven't been to a Michelin rated restaurant yet, but don't relish spending $100 for a tasting menu that while delicious, leaves me wanting another meal as soon as I get home.

You won't go hungry at the French Laundry.  The plates are small, yes, but you get a LOT of them; the meal is spread out over about five hours or so.  Mr. Mandalay and I went in 2005.  He's not a foodie but he STILL talks about that meal.  The service was absolutely exquisite to boot.  It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and worth every penny (about $700, which went mostly for wine).  It's like Albert wrote, even if you're not into fancy food you owe it to yourself to have one high-end meal at a super-fancy restaurant once in your life.

If you fancy Michelin stars, get to Tokyo. City with the most of them.
Also city with the most unusual ones, like the 7-seat star-restaurant in a side entrance of an underground parking or the not much bigger noodle soup restaurant (you have to wait hours outside, though).
You really need a guide to find some of them :D

[FoundPeace]

German-made cars as well as many high-end cars actually turn off the engine when you stop. I imagine that this will be a feature that many other car manufacturers will adopt. Once the engine is hot this can actually increase gas mileage quite a bit in city driving.

What is amazing to me is when the car senses that I am about to move and starts the engine (it starts by the time my foot moves from the brake pedal to the accelerator).

[Rural]

German-made cars as well as many high-end cars actually turn off the engine when you stop. I imagine that this will be a feature that many other car manufacturers will adopt. Once the engine is hot this can actually increase gas mileage quite a bit in city driving.

What is amazing to me is when the car senses that I am about to move and starts the engine (it starts by the time my foot moves from the brake pedal to the accelerator).

That's all good until Hal decides he doesn't want to open the door anymore.


Or until he breaks.

[GuitarStv]

Burgers appeal to our basest cravings. Burgers and beer even more so. The only thing missing is fucking someone right on the dinner table.

I have been trying to figure out what to ask the wife for for Christmas for ages now.  Thank you!

[Rollin]

Cop cars idle... all the time. On one hand, it annoys me, but on the other, I understand the need. Though I do laugh when I see one idling empty outside a donut shop.

I'll be glad when they're using newer engines that can start on a dime and give you power pretty much immediately. (How those work without drastically reducing the engine life is another question, but a different topic. I don't know enough so I'm pretty curious.)

But when normal people idle... bleh. A lot of towns/cities these days are putting in no-idle ordinances.

Saw a cop in SB's at 5:45 A.M. working on a laptop, cop car sitting outside idling.  I left at 7:00 and it was still sitting there idling.  Not sure when he arrived or left, but 1 hour 15 minutes minimum!  Here I am riding my bike to work to save the world (and for other reasons :) and he's wasting all (and more) than I saved.

[skunkfunk]

So, the car was in a campus building (non-residential) parking lot. Probably not a child paying with it.  Not a cop car. Newer model.

I suppose if you're having battery/starter issues, you might leave your car to idle. Or by stupid mistake. But I seem to see cars idling around campus and on my way home all the time here. Almost every day (usually I'm just passing, though, so I have no idea how long it's there). Everyone can't have extenuating circumstances, can they??

Every time I've done that, it is because I was working on the car and needed to warm it up to check it. A couple of times now I have walked off and left it, forgot about it, and it turned out I fixed the wrong part (water pump or whatever) and come back to antifreeze gushing everywhere.

[frugalnacho]

Last night I was walking from my office to the campus gym for yoga and saw an idling car. 1 hour later, it was still there. No one inside. I hope it wasn't actually on the whole time, but I suspect it was. :(

Someone's child might have gotten a hold of the keyfob with the remote starter button. It happens.

That's why remote starts will shut off after 10 or 15 minutes of running.  10-15 minutes is more than enough time to warm the engine and interior no matter how cold it is outside.

Cop cars idle... all the time. On one hand, it annoys me, but on the other, I understand the need. Though I do laugh when I see one idling empty outside a donut shop.

I'll be glad when they're using newer engines that can start on a dime and give you power pretty much immediately. (How those work without drastically reducing the engine life is another question, but a different topic. I don't know enough so I'm pretty curious.)

But when normal people idle... bleh. A lot of towns/cities these days are putting in no-idle ordinances.

Why do cops need to idle?

[Travis]

Why do cops need to idle?

As I understand it, a lot of emergency services vehicles will keep their engines running so that there isn't a delay if they need to take off somewhere on a moment's notice.  With all the radios and computers they have on board nowadays it might also be to keep the battery from draining.

[Timmmy]

Why do cops need to idle?

As I understand it, a lot of emergency services vehicles will keep their engines running so that there isn't a delay if they need to take off somewhere on a moment's notice.  With all the radios and computers they have on board nowadays it might also be to keep the battery from draining.

-There is often computer equipment that doesn't start up as fast as the engine.  So in order to have it be on and ready they leave the car idle.
-The cars radio systems are frequently repeaters for the radios that they wear on their belt. 
-Camera systems that are required to be on while on duty continue to run even if car is turned off.  Would drain battery in short order.
-Preparedness comes in to play.  It's not so much speed of departure, it's more like don't want to run out to the car to find that your car won't start and you can't respond to an emergency. 
-If they are a k-9 unit they may be keeping the car comfortable for the dog.
-It's essentially their office.  It's a bit complainy-pants but I could see not wanting to go sit down in your office after every call and have it be 140 degrees for 5 minutes. 
-Frequent stops and starts of the engine can accelerate wear and tear if the engine isn't designed for it.

[Cheddar Stacker]

Eric, as mentioned, it's not a Prius thing specifically. There are a lot of hybrids that turn the engine off when you stop, and even some non-hybrids. The idea of an electric motor that continues to push the oil makes sense. It's really a great feature if 1) it actually makes a real difference in mileage and 2) it doesn't fuck your engine.

But if it fucks your engine, don't you get a bunch of small engines? That seems lucrative.

Engine farming, just like livestock. I like it jordanread.

[eyePod]

Cop cars idle... all the time. On one hand, it annoys me, but on the other, I understand the need. Though I do laugh when I see one idling empty outside a donut shop.

I'll be glad when they're using newer engines that can start on a dime and give you power pretty much immediately. (How those work without drastically reducing the engine life is another question, but a different topic. I don't know enough so I'm pretty curious.)

But when normal people idle... bleh. A lot of towns/cities these days are putting in no-idle ordinances.

A lot of times cops get free coffee from donut shops. Owners like the presence at the shops. The cops work 12 hour shifts and sit in a car most of the time. But it is a little ironic and just because they're a cop doesn't mean they're also a bad person person (or vice versa).

[frugalnacho]

Why do cops need to idle?

As I understand it, a lot of emergency services vehicles will keep their engines running so that there isn't a delay if they need to take off somewhere on a moment's notice.  With all the radios and computers they have on board nowadays it might also be to keep the battery from draining.

I don't understand why there would be a delay.  They are inside another building for christ's sake.  How long does it take to actually start the engine and drive? Like a second? I can understand if it was sub-freezing out, and the engine had not been run at all that day, you wouldn't want to run out to that and start it and slam it in gear.  But once it is warmed up enough to function I don't really understand it.

I've had this discussion on other forums and many people insisted that all police cars and ambulances were required to stay running for the reasons you and timmy suggested.  But then other people that are ambulance drivers (no cops though) chimed in and said that was nonsense, there is no advantage to keeping the engine idling constantly, and that they are actually required NOT to run the engine because it is wasteful and serves no purpose.  If you perform regular maintenance on the vehicle there is no reason it should randomly not start when it is supposed to. 

Is there any truth that starting and stopping an engine causes premature wear?  I was under the impression that engines are designed to be started and stopped tens of thousands of times.  I mean I don't take the same precautions as police because I never have to get somewhere that it's potentially a life and death situation, but i've also only had a vehicle not start on me a few times in my life, and every single time it was either due to poor maintenance, or just a really old and worn vehicle, and constant idling would have not helped in either situation, only delayed the inevitable until the next time I had to start it.

[eyePod]

Cop cars idle... all the time. On one hand, it annoys me, but on the other, I understand the need. Though I do laugh when I see one idling empty outside a donut shop.

I'll be glad when they're using newer engines that can start on a dime and give you power pretty much immediately. (How those work without drastically reducing the engine life is another question, but a different topic. I don't know enough so I'm pretty curious.)

But when normal people idle... bleh. A lot of towns/cities these days are putting in no-idle ordinances.

I don't really understand the need. For the most part, I haven't found cops to be all that timely, or useful by the time they actually do show up. That however, is neither here nor there.

My little brother is a commercial truck driver, and for a while was over the road. One of the things that I thought was really cool was the way the engines were setup. There is like a 'sleep' mode for sleeping in the cab. It keeps the engine off, but when the temp drops, it starts it up in some weird mode just to make sure the driver doesn't freeze. Just a really neat piece of technology that I didn't even know existed.

Also, don't the newer Priuses (Prius', Pri-i, Priusi?) or some other hybrid have that 'feature' where they turn off at stoplights?

YES! It's really eery. The first few times I drove my FIL's car I thought it died. You get used to it after a while though. It also uses a generator to help you slow down if you shift to the "B" mode. Helps recharge the battery and use less gas!

[eyePod]

German-made cars as well as many high-end cars actually turn off the engine when you stop. I imagine that this will be a feature that many other car manufacturers will adopt. Once the engine is hot this can actually increase gas mileage quite a bit in city driving.

What is amazing to me is when the car senses that I am about to move and starts the engine (it starts by the time my foot moves from the brake pedal to the accelerator).

Uhoh, my grandma would be screwed. Still drives with both feet.

[Le Barbu]

...just because they're a cop doesn't mean they're also a bad person person (or vice versa).

being a cop doesn't mean you are a bad person XD

realy ? so, does it mean I don't have to run away or hide from cops (as an honnest person)?

XD

[ketchup]

YES! It's really eery. The first few times I drove my FIL's car I thought it died. You get used to it after a while though. It also uses a generator to help you slow down if you shift to the "B" mode. Helps recharge the battery and use less gas!

It's incredibly unsettling how quiet a Prius is at a stop sign.  It freaks me out too.

On the flipside, recently I was driving with someone that learned how to drive on a Prius. I was teaching him how to drive a real car (manual transmission) and because he was so used to the car being silent at a stop, he wasn't always aware when he killed the engine, so he'd sometimes shift into first and try to go without the engine running.  Very bizarre.

[eyePod]

...just because they're a cop doesn't mean they're also a bad person person (or vice versa).

being a cop doesn't mean you are a bad person XD

realy ? so, does it mean I don't have to run away or hide from cops (as an honnest person)?

XD

Even though I think you're being facetious... Good people in a bad system still equals bad at the end. But you probably shouldn't ever run away from the cops, but you should NEVER EVER EVER speak to them without a lawyer. Really, it will never help you. They are always building a case against you even if they don't know it.

[skunkfunk]

YES! It's really eery. The first few times I drove my FIL's car I thought it died. You get used to it after a while though. It also uses a generator to help you slow down if you shift to the "B" mode. Helps recharge the battery and use less gas!

It's incredibly unsettling how quiet a Prius is at a stop sign.  It freaks me out too.

On the flipside, recently I was driving with someone that learned how to drive on a Prius. I was teaching him how to drive a real car (manual transmission) and because he was so used to the car being silent at a stop, he wasn't always aware when he killed the engine, so he'd sometimes shift into first and try to go without the engine running.  Very bizarre.

Hilarious! The problems of the next generation foretold.

[gimp]

...just because they're a cop doesn't mean they're also a bad person person (or vice versa).

Y'all on this forum need to learn how to quote. I didn't say that, someone else did. I have no idea why quoting is so damn hard for some of you. Your response goes OUTSIDE the quote. Old people can't internet? I dunno. Get off my lawn^H^H^H^Hinternet!

[frugalnacho]

...just because they're a cop doesn't mean they're also a bad person person (or vice versa).

Y'all on this forum need to learn how to quote. I didn't say that, someone else did. I have no idea why quoting is so damn hard for some of you. Your response goes OUTSIDE the quote. Old people can't internet? I dunno. Get off my lawn^H^H^H^Hinternet!


Dude chill out.   A quote-ception can get confusing.  Also: ain't nobody got time for that.

[skunkfunk]

...just because they're a cop doesn't mean they're also a bad person person (or vice versa).

Y'all on this forum need to learn how to quote. I didn't say that, someone else did. I have no idea why quoting is so damn hard for some of you. Your response goes OUTSIDE the quote. Old people can't internet? I dunno. Get off my lawn^H^H^H^Hinternet!

umm

Dude chill out.   A quote-ception can get confusing.  Also: ain't nobody got time for that.

This took like 2 seconds including fixing all upstream mistakes, how is that confusing? Easier than anything else we're expected to do around here, that's for sure.

[frugalnacho]

That's a joke, ah say, that's a joke, son.

That's a joke, ah say, that's a joke, son.

EDIT: fixed so you can understand this joke too.

[skunkfunk]

That's a joke, ah say, that's a joke, son.

That's a joke, ah say, that's a joke, son.

EDIT: fixed so you can understand this joke too.

whoosh

dammit

[arebelspy]

That's a joke, ah say, that's a joke, son.

I thought it was funny.

[gimp]

At work, everyone is having a lovely discussion about a ferrari christmas tree ornament; quote:

Based upon my experience with Ferrari parts:

From Ferrari:            OEM: $150
Designed for Ferrari:      Non-OEM with prancing horse logo: $50
Generic equivalent:      Non-OEM with Ford Mustang horse logo instead: $5

Funny people! They're good at poking fun of their own hobbies.

[stevedoug]

Also, don't the newer Priuses (Prius', Pri-i, Priusi?) or some other hybrid have that 'feature' where they turn off at stoplights?

The Prius, like most (all?) hybrids, only uses the gas engine at higher speeds.  At lower speeds, it's an electric motor.  So when the car is not moving, the motor isn't running.  It's not a feature so much as how an electric motor works.

I'm going to take the opportunity to nerd out about Hybrid systems a bit as a clarification.
Some (like the Nissan Crossover systems, Murano, Pathfinder, etc) will still use the gas motor 100%. The electric motor is effectively a large starter that can also support acceleration and regenerative  braking.

The modern Prius is one of the more advanced systems and will allow full EV upwards of 30mph (many don't past 5 or 10mph) under the right circumstances. And will sometimes (again correct circumstances) shut down the gas engine when it isn't needed (long stop lights, long downhills, etc). There is an insane amount of programming that goes into these hybrids. It depends on outside temp, climate control settings, battery temp, battery charge status, and even driver habits.

Some gas-only engines (Ford Fusion, Dodge Ram V6) also have a a gas engine shut off feature for stop lights, Often called an idle stop start/ISS. These systems will shut the engine off under very specific circumstances to save gas in city driving.  A key criteria for engine shut off in all hybrid/ISS systems is AC on/off, as most of these vehicles have belt driven compressors that need the engine to be running to provide cooling. Again the Prius being a more advanced hybrid actually has an electric AC compressor that can keep cooling even if gas engine is off.

Obligatory MMM comment: bikes are better

[Jack]

Eric, as mentioned, it's not a Prius thing specifically. There are a lot of hybrids that turn the engine off when you stop, and even some non-hybrids. The idea of an electric motor that continues to push the oil makes sense. It's really a great feature if 1) it actually makes a real difference in mileage and 2) it doesn't fuck your engine.

But if it fucks your engine, don't you get a bunch of small engines? That seems lucrative.

Engine farming, just like livestock. I like it jordanread.

"Mechanical husbandry!"

Anyway, all hybrids shut off the engine when stopped -- that's at least half the point of being a hybrid. The only reason why it ever woudn't happen is if the battery were depleted and the vehicle were trying to recharge it. (Or, as stevedoug mentioned, if it has belt-driven AC.)

On the flipside, recently I was driving with someone that learned how to drive on a Prius. I was teaching him how to drive a real car (manual transmission) and because he was so used to the car being silent at a stop, he wasn't always aware when he killed the engine, so he'd sometimes shift into first and try to go without the engine running.  Very bizarre.

Hilarious! The problems of the next generation foretold.

I'm "looking forward" to the generation after that, who will grow up with self-driving cars and won't have a clue what to do when the computer breaks or they need to take it off-road.

[Ashyukun]

Cop cars idle... all the time. On one hand, it annoys me, but on the other, I understand the need. Though I do laugh when I see one idling empty outside a donut shop.

I'll be glad when they're using newer engines that can start on a dime and give you power pretty much immediately. (How those work without drastically reducing the engine life is another question, but a different topic. I don't know enough so I'm pretty curious.)

But when normal people idle... bleh. A lot of towns/cities these days are putting in no-idle ordinances.

I don't really understand the need. For the most part, I haven't found cops to be all that timely, or useful by the time they actually do show up. That however, is neither here nor there.

My little brother is a commercial truck driver, and for a while was over the road. One of the things that I thought was really cool was the way the engines were setup. There is like a 'sleep' mode for sleeping in the cab. It keeps the engine off, but when the temp drops, it starts it up in some weird mode just to make sure the driver doesn't freeze. Just a really neat piece of technology that I didn't even know existed.

Also, don't the newer Priuses (Prius', Pri-i, Priusi?) or some other hybrid have that 'feature' where they turn off at stoplights?

YES! It's really eery. The first few times I drove my FIL's car I thought it died. You get used to it after a while though. It also uses a generator to help you slow down if you shift to the "B" mode. Helps recharge the battery and use less gas!

Actually, you don't need to shift it into 'B' mode- actually I believe that doing so STOPS the car from regenerative braking when coasting- it's intended for use on really long downhills where if the regen was running it would potentially overcharge* the traction (hybrid) battery pack and will just spin the gas engine without giving it any fuel. In 'D', the car will use the electric motors for ALL braking over about 10mph and will use the energy to charge up the traction battery. It's GREAT on the friction (traditional) brakes because they hardly ever get used- they only engage under 10mph or if you 'panic brake' and stomp on the brakes.

(*OK, so the software won't really LET you 'overcharge' the battery, but if it's at full SOC- about 80% full- the car has to do some bizarre stuff to keep from charging it more)

[going2ER]

Wow, that's one expensive restaurant. I'm guilty of occasionally spending very unmustachian amounts of money for eating out, but it's all peanuts compared to this place.

Can these places be worth the expense? I haven't been to a Michelin rated restaurant yet, but don't relish spending $100 for a tasting menu that while delicious, leaves me wanting another meal as soon as I get home.

There's a fancy place near me that is really bad about portions. We went there once and got a burger at the nextdoor bar afterwards. The burger, in all honesty, was as delicious. Maybe I'm not civilized.

The best food I ever had was in Montreal. Thing about French food is that it takes 2-3 hours for a meal and costs a lot per person. I believe that with wine the final price was about $200 ($150 US at the time). Melt-in-your-mouth amazingness. It was 3 people for that price. At the end, I was just full. Still, I prefer having comfort food. It was worth the experience and was by far the best "fancy" meal I ever had.

Here's the link to the restaurant's offering closest to what I had then (in French 'cause Montreal): http://www.restaurantbonaparte.com/nos-menus/menus-soir/menus-soir-2/menu-degustation/

Just for future reference, if you are in Montreal again. Chinatown has some great restaurants, one being the Noodle Factory, where we had lunch for less than $20 for the 2 of us. They also have some wonderful bakeries that are cheap, we would often pick up snacks or lunch from one called Harmonie. And also the grocery shops in that area would have cheap fruit and veggies to snack on.

[Tallgirl1204]

...just because they're a cop doesn't mean they're also a bad person person (or vice versa).

being a cop doesn't mean you are a bad person XD

realy ? so, does it mean I don't have to run away or hide from cops (as an honnest person)?

XD

Even though I think you're being facetious... Good people in a bad system still equals bad at the end. But you probably shouldn't ever run away from the cops, but you should NEVER EVER EVER speak to them without a lawyer. Really, it will never help you. They are always building a case against you even if they don't know it.

Um, if they're always building a case against you, then you would never report a crime committed against yourself, never call them from the scene of an accident/injury etc.  This is unfortunately the situation that illegals and some minorities find themselves in-- but should be the exception, not the rule. 

We called the cops a few months ago when the neighbor's yappy little nasty dog charged out of her yard and bit my husband on the leg as he walked by the house in the street (zero provocation).  My husband didn't want anyone arrested, but he was too upset to talk to her and needed an intermediary to sort out the situation.  The cop came, talked to us, walked down the street, talked to the lady, and reported back to us that the dog had its shots and would never be off leash again (which were the two things my husband really wanted).  The cop gave us his card and told us that if we ever saw the dog off leash to call him.  And that dog has been on a leash ever since.  End of story. 

And I should point out that my husband looks a lot like a dirtbag hippie (his grooming and fashion preference), but was treated with respect throughout the encounter.   

Cops do a lot of this.  I work with them in my job from time to time, and they are mainly interested in everybody getting along without hurting themselves, each other, or property. 

Some of them are total creepy crawly gunhead nasties (and I did meet one, once-- who was let go before he had time to do damage), but based on my long acquaintance with dozens of others through my work, that is an unfortunate exception.  I realize, again, that there are certain communities, areas and segments of our culture where things have gotten altogether sideways, but I still believe that as individuals, cops most want to do the right thing. 

Looking back at what I've written, I have contributed to generalizations as well as providing only anecdotal evidence, but I just think there's a more nuanced relationship than "never talk to a cop without a lawyer." 



 

[AH013]

Friend: Every year I ask for a magazine subscription for Christmas. Last year, no-one bought it for me! I was livid! I missed a month. Like, if you're not going to buy it for me JUST TELL ME, then I know to pick up a copy that month!

Me: Oh, what magazine?

Friend: Stuff.

Me: Stuff...?

Friend: Stuff. That's the name of the magazine.

-------

I SWEAR TO GOD, there is a magazine called, and dedicated to, the accumulation of stuff. http://www.stuff-magazine.co.uk/ I've seen it all.

Presumably he's made because he missed out on being told what 'must have' item he had to waste his hard earned money on that month? (The rest of our conversation was about how much this couple hated their jobs, how hard their lives were, how annoying their ironing lady was, how they disliked their childminder, how they just can't live on their paltry (massive) salaries etc). They mentioned how relaxed and easy our lives seemed. Yep.

In my head, I'm imagining a play on words joke that he asked all of his friends to get him "a subscription to Stuff" and was angry that all he got from his friends were wine of the month club, fruit of the month club, cheese of the month club, etc.

[going2ER]

We are paid bi-weekly, so this Thursday and 2 weeks from now, which is Dec 25. Generally Dec 24 afternoon, Dec 25 and Dec 26 are considered "holidays" and banks are closed.

CW: so when do you think they will pay us our Dec 25 pay?
me: Likely the 23, maybe the 24 since they can get it in on time (pays are direct deposited), but last year it was the day before xmas eve
CW: Really? They'd make us wait that close to Christmas
me: well, easier to not spend it
CW: But I need it to pay for Christmas, how can I shop if I don't get it until the 23 or 24?

and this is because her credit cards are already maxed out, so no way to use them for Christmas.

[CheapskateWife]

71 year old in the office next to mine..."You just can't live in this country without debt, its unAmerican".  He drives a $40K truck with 4K miles on it and indicated that he trades his in every 2 years.  This is a retired 1SG with disability, working a federal job, and still, he believes debt is inevitable.

I will be retiring before he does and I'm 39.

[AlanStache]

Every rental car I have had in Europe over the last two years (or longer) stopped the engine at stop lights, all were manuals.  I think it was if you came to a stop then shifted into neutral then took your foot off the clutch it stopped, started back up when the clutch was pressed (all this is with the brake pressed).  Even after two weeks I was not accustomed to this.  Never once did it not start up before I had it in gear and wanted to accelerate.  I think the AC stayed running with the motor off - but not sure - maybe just the fan was on.

Remember one time at a light with the windows down I could hear the six cars around me starting back up at the same instant when the light changed, sort of cool.

[Sibley]

Heard on the metra train, said by likely tourist with her local friend:

I can find Michigan ave and the train station. shopping and the way home. I'm set!

The woman is wearing very nice clothing, expensive coat, looks like a hair dresser wash-and-set hai

At least she's taking the train.

[solon]

...just because they're a cop doesn't mean they're also a bad person person (or vice versa).

Y'all on this forum need to learn how to quote. I didn't say that, someone else did. I have no idea why quoting is so damn hard for some of you. Your response goes OUTSIDE the quote. Old people can't internet? I dunno. Get off my lawn^H^H^H^Hinternet!

And you know what else I hate? When people quote something into a new post, and don't add anything new. The entire post is just a quote. I can't even find a misplaced quote. I've seen this several times and I can't figure out why the quote.

[Cheddar Stacker]

And you know what else I hate? When people quote something into a new post, and don't add anything new. The entire post is just a quote. I can't even find a misplaced quote. I've seen this several times and I can't figure out why the quote.

This

?

[notquitefrugal]

I think the train is safer than a cab or driving in Chicago! :P

[philby85]

And you know what else I hate? When people quote something into a new post, and don't add anything new. The entire post is just a quote. I can't even find a misplaced quote. I've seen this several times and I can't figure out why the quote.

Happy to see it bugs someone else too. I thought maybe it was equivalent to saying "+1" in agreement, but I dunno if that is the case or they are just drunk and forget to type something.

[marty998]

And you know what else I hate? When people quote something into a new post, and don't add anything new. The entire post is just a quote. I can't even find a misplaced quote. I've seen this several times and I can't figure out why the quote.

Happy to see it bugs someone else too. I thought maybe it was equivalent to saying "+1" in agreement, but I dunno if that is the case or they are just drunk and forget to type something.

I see it happen too, but this is because sometimes I turn images off in my browser to avoid excessive MB downloading. If someone has quoted and then posted a picture/meme/cat in response then I won't see it, and I'll only see the quote.

Makes it hard to follow sometimes.

[eyePod]

Um, if they're always building a case against you, then you would never report a crime committed against yourself, never call them from the scene of an accident/injury etc.  This is unfortunately the situation that illegals and some minorities find themselves in-- but should be the exception, not the rule. 

We called the cops a few months ago when the neighbor's yappy little nasty dog charged out of her yard and bit my husband on the leg as he walked by the house in the street (zero provocation).  My husband didn't want anyone arrested, but he was too upset to talk to her and needed an intermediary to sort out the situation.  The cop came, talked to us, walked down the street, talked to the lady, and reported back to us that the dog had its shots and would never be off leash again (which were the two things my husband really wanted).  The cop gave us his card and told us that if we ever saw the dog off leash to call him.  And that dog has been on a leash ever since.  End of story. 

And I should point out that my husband looks a lot like a dirtbag hippie (his grooming and fashion preference), but was treated with respect throughout the encounter.   

Cops do a lot of this.  I work with them in my job from time to time, and they are mainly interested in everybody getting along without hurting themselves, each other, or property. 

Some of them are total creepy crawly gunhead nasties (and I did meet one, once-- who was let go before he had time to do damage), but based on my long acquaintance with dozens of others through my work, that is an unfortunate exception.  I realize, again, that there are certain communities, areas and segments of our culture where things have gotten altogether sideways, but I still believe that as individuals, cops most want to do the right thing. 

Looking back at what I've written, I have contributed to generalizations as well as providing only anecdotal evidence, but I just think there's a more nuanced relationship than "never talk to a cop without a lawyer." 

You're right that it's definitely not black and white. Maybe I should have said "Never talk to a cop who comes looking for you without a lawyer." I just know that false confessions happen wayyyyyy too often and from a risk perspective, the hassle outweighs the benefits for me.

And most likely, if you're dealing with cop friends, they're the type of people that you hang out with anyway, so any anecdotal evidence will align with your friend types.

[kimmarg]

Why do cops need to idle?

As I understand it, a lot of emergency services vehicles will keep their engines running so that there isn't a delay if they need to take off somewhere on a moment's notice.  With all the radios and computers they have on board nowadays it might also be to keep the battery from draining.

I don't understand why there would be a delay.  They are inside another building for christ's sake.  How long does it take to actually start the engine and drive? Like a second? I can understand if it was sub-freezing out, and the engine had not been run at all that day, you wouldn't want to run out to that and start it and slam it in gear.  But once it is warmed up enough to function I don't really understand it.

I've had this discussion on other forums and many people insisted that all police cars and ambulances were required to stay running for the reasons you and timmy suggested.  But then other people that are ambulance drivers (no cops though) chimed in and said that was nonsense, there is no advantage to keeping the engine idling constantly, and that they are actually required NOT to run the engine because it is wasteful and serves no purpose.  If you perform regular maintenance on the vehicle there is no reason it should randomly not start when it is supposed to. 

Is there any truth that starting and stopping an engine causes premature wear?  I was under the impression that engines are designed to be started and stopped tens of thousands of times.  I mean I don't take the same precautions as police because I never have to get somewhere that it's potentially a life and death situation, but i've also only had a vehicle not start on me a few times in my life, and every single time it was either due to poor maintenance, or just a really old and worn vehicle, and constant idling would have not helped in either situation, only delayed the inevitable until the next time I had to start it.

The local ambulance crew gave us CPR training at work the other day, and the ambulance was idling the. Whole two hours. I asked about it and they said it was because of the medications and IV fluids they carried. At 5F it wouldn't take long sitting in a cold ambulance for them to at least become too cold to use if not freeze outright.

[HairyUpperLip]

And you know what else I hate? When people quote something into a new post, and don't add anything new. The entire post is just a quote. I can't even find a misplaced quote. I've seen this several times and I can't figure out why the quote.

Happy to see it bugs someone else too. I thought maybe it was equivalent to saying "+1" in agreement, but I dunno if that is the case or they are just drunk and forget to type something.

I usually just scroll past most quoted posts now because there seems to be such a level of dumbness when quoting on this site. But agreed, I've tried to read a couple and fail to find a post in the quote. lol

[dragoncar]

And you know what else I hate? When people quote something into a new post, and don't add anything new. The entire post is just a quote. I can't even find a misplaced quote. I've seen this several times and I can't figure out why the quote.

Happy to see it bugs someone else too. I thought maybe it was equivalent to saying "+1" in agreement, but I dunno if that is the case or they are just drunk and forget to type something.

Don't know about anyone else, but I've posted some of these while on mobile.  Something along the lines of hitting quote reply, typing a reply, get distracted, switch windows, come back and somehow my browser reloads the page (Ie the quote reply) without my actual text.  Then I hit submit. 

So browser quirks or maybe people are just accidentally hitting submit without meaning to reply

[eyePod]

And you know what else I hate? When people quote something into a new post, and don't add anything new. The entire post is just a quote. I can't even find a misplaced quote. I've seen this several times and I can't figure out why the quote.

Happy to see it bugs someone else too. I thought maybe it was equivalent to saying "+1" in agreement, but I dunno if that is the case or they are just drunk and forget to type something.

Don't know about anyone else, but I've posted some of these while on mobile.  Something along the lines of hitting quote reply, typing a reply, get distracted, switch windows, come back and somehow my browser reloads the page (Ie the quote reply) without my actual text.  Then I hit submit. 

So browser quirks or maybe people are just accidentally hitting submit without meaning to reply

Just gonna ignore you; it's more fun to rabble than to be reasonable.

[philby85]

You're right that it's definitely not black and white. Maybe I should have said "Never talk to a cop who comes looking for you without a lawyer." I just know that false confessions happen wayyyyyy too often and from a risk perspective, the hassle outweighs the benefits for me.

Indeed. For anyone who thinks talking to cops is a good idea (even if you have nothing to hide) this is worth a watch. An law school professor and former criminal defense attorney tells you why you should never agree to be interviewed by the police.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc

EDIT: I'll try to steer this back on topic. I work in Korea at a public school and it is insane how many teachers have designer handbags that cost thousands each. I've found that in Korea there is a strong culture of outwardly showing your "status" in society. Everyone (not everyone, but a lot of people) continually try to one up each other. The second hand market is almost non-existent in Korea.

[Davids]

EDIT: I'll try to steer this back on topic. I work in Korea at a public school and it is insane how many teachers have designer handbags that cost thousands each. I've found that in Korea there is a strong culture of outwardly showing your "status" in society. Everyone (not everyone, but a lot of people) continually try to one up each other. The second hand market is almost non-existent in Korea.

I assume you are referring to South Korea because my understanding is this culture does not exist in the North...