Shit that annoys you

[The AD]

I went out to start my car last week and the battery was dead. I find it annoying that a newer car can have a whole phalanx of warning lights and messages that pop up on the display, but somehow zero indication that your battery is failing until you get in one day and the car won't start.

[MontuckyFried]

I went out to start my car last week and the battery was dead. I find it annoying that a newer car can have a whole phalanx of warning lights and messages that pop up on the display, but somehow zero indication that your battery is failing until you get in one day and the car won't start.

YES! Seriously. How is that all cars these days have blind spot monitoring, rain sensing wipers, freaking LIDAR for automated driving, but a simple voltmeter like cars all used to have? Perhaps a little warning letting you know your battery's voltage is running a bit low? Naaaaah. And you KNOW that the vehicle's computer sure as hell knows since it monitors EVERYTHING, but I guess it's asking too much for it to tell us anything without hooking up an OBD scanner.

Bit of a tangent, but it actually blew my mind first time I went through my BlueDriver's live data features. The amount of things being monitored on your vehicle is pretty amazing. Would be nice if the massive displays all cars have these days would be kind enough to pass some of that info along to us, though.

[highangle]

YES! Seriously. How is that all cars these days have blind spot monitoring, rain sensing wipers, freaking LIDAR for automated driving, but a simple voltmeter like cars all used to have? Perhaps a little warning letting you know your battery's voltage is running a bit low? Naaaaah. And you KNOW that the vehicle's computer sure as hell knows since it monitors EVERYTHING, but I guess it's asking too much for it to tell us anything without hooking up an OBD scanner.

Bit of a tangent, but it actually blew my mind first time I went through my BlueDriver's live data features. The amount of things being monitored on your vehicle is pretty amazing. Would be nice if the massive displays all cars have these days would be kind enough to pass some of that info along to us, though.

Buy a scanner.

[MontuckyFried]

Buy a scanner.

Perhaps you missed the part in my quote about my BlueDriver. Kick ass little device btw.
https://www.bluedriver.com/products/...iver-scan-tool
Got a couple other more traditional scanners lying around too, but my BD's my best one at the moment.

[old goat]

So out at the airport they closed the "Cell Phone Lot" awhile back that was really convenient if you had to wait a bit for someone flying into town... you'd simply exit the hwy into this nice, large lot, park for a bit, then head in once your passenger arrived.

They "relocated" the lot to a new spot where you have to exit, drive under the hwy, then park in a lot that is shared with a gas station and a couple fast food joints.

So what does everyone do now? They fucking park on the shoulder of the 65mph highway to wait. Last time we came in there were probably *50* fucking cars on the shoulder. Every one within about 50 yards of a "no stopping or parking" sign.

And when they want to get on their way, guess what? There are a whole bunch of fucking people in the way so they can't get up to speed on the shoulder, so they just pull into traffic doing 10mph.

GODDAMMIT people are fucking morons.

Reno has a reasonably located cell phone lot--right off the freeway ramp indicated by a tiny, unlit sign past the lot. So unless you're on your game you get to drive around in circles for 15 minutes to get back to it--by which time your party is at the curb. Reno airport also has separate, divided lanes for dropping off and picking up, on the same level. The pickup lane is jammed with people waiting there instead of the cell phone lot, so I pick up in the drop off lane where there is no congestion.

Sacramento moved the uber pick up a stiff, uncovered hike from the terminal with no shelter at the pickup area either. And your uber can't pick you up because of all the parked ubers whose riders ordered their cars too soon. (Disclaimer: two year old information. For all I know SMF no longer exists.) SFO is no better.

[PB]

I went out to start my car last week and the battery was dead. I find it annoying that a newer car can have a whole phalanx of warning lights and messages that pop up on the display, but somehow zero indication that your battery is failing until you get in one day and the car won't start.

After having this happen to me one too many times, I started a 2 year replacement schedule for all our car batteries. Works great, except the inevitable argument that happens when the mechanic insists I don't need to replace the battery.

[The AD]

After having this happen to me one too many times, I started a 2 year replacement schedule for all our car batteries. Works great, except the inevitable argument that happens when the mechanic insists I don't need to replace the battery.

Probably not a bad idea--like changing all the batteries in your smoke alarm once a year. If a new car battery was $50 I'd probably do it, but unfortunately they're more like $200.

[old goat]

I went out to start my car last week and the battery was dead. I find it annoying that a newer car can have a whole phalanx of warning lights and messages that pop up on the display, but somehow zero indication that your battery is failing until you get in one day and the car won't start.

All the fancy electronics that suck electricity when the car is off are why your battery fails.

[m2711c]

If I was swapping up batteries prophylactically every two years I’d probably keep the old one in the trunk as a back up and continue the cycle

[Thaleia]

After having this happen to me one too many times, I started a 2 year replacement schedule for all our car batteries. Works great, except the inevitable argument that happens when the mechanic insists I don't need to replace the battery.

You replace car batteries every two years? Shit, don't let HA see that.

[paulster2626]

People who stomp around the house. Specifically my wife, who while not a heavy person at all, walks around downstairs like an elephant. It shakes my screen a little.

[mcphee]

Concrete folks who refuse to mix their own concrete then quote you a 5 yard minimum for the truck to deliver.

[The AD]

All the fancy electronics that suck electricity when the car is off are why your battery fails.

Actually it's all the fancy electronics that suck electricity while your car is on:

Battery malfunction is seldom caused by a factory defect; driving habits are the more common culprits. Heavy accessory power when driving short distance prevents a periodic fully saturated charge that is so important for the longevity of a lead acid battery.

Too many short trips and too many phones plugged into the USB chargers...

[old goat]

Dogs that stomp around the house, specifically my kid's Bernese. I'll be glad when the dog is gone. At least your wife doesn't shed. (?)

[skaredshtles]

<snip> so I pick up in the drop off lane where there is no congestion.

DIA has separate arrival and departure levels (and there is an east and west version of each). I *always* pick up incoming guests on the "quiet" departure side at a designated door number.

But we should probably keep that quiet.

[skaredshtles]

You replace car batteries every two years?

I'm quite surprised... I don't think I've *ever* had a battery crap out in less than 4 years. Although my rememberer is pretty bad.

[old goat]

DIA has separate arrival and departure levels (and there is an east and west version of each). I *always* pick up incoming guests on the "quiet" side at a designated door number.

But we should probably keep that quiet.

Sacramento Terminal B pickup is Southwest on one side and then you loop around and pickup other airlines on the other side of the terminal. We pickup our SW passengers on the other airline side--much less crowded.

Reminds me of Logan--they tell you which security area to use based on your flight. The security line for my flight was huge but I had precheck and the precheck line was way down the hall. Next to the precheck was a regular security line with almost no one in it. And then, once you're through security you go downstairs into a large room where all the various security lines wind up in the same place--every security line has access to every gate.

[jm2e]

Concrete folks who refuse to mix their own concrete then quote you a 5 yard minimum for the truck to deliver.

I’m confused. Are you just renting an empty truck? Who’s mixing the concrete?


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[PB]

You replace car batteries every two years? Shit, don't let HA see that.

Hey, if he promises to come jump me at 2 AM 200 miles from nowhere, I'll stretch it to every 3.
All my previous fails were right around 2.5 years

[Pinned]

Hey, if he promises to come jump me at 2 AM 200 miles from nowhere, I'll stretch it to every 3.
All my previous fails were right around 2.5 years

What kinda cars are these failing in? I can't think of any battery in any car I've had that's failed in under 5 years, plenty that went 10+.

Edit: actually a family member had a Subaru that went through 3 batteries in 3 years from new. No indication of them failing either. But something was definitely wrong with the car.

[John_B]

Hey, if he promises to come jump me at 2 AM 200 miles from nowhere, I'll stretch it to every 3.
All my previous fails were right around 2.5 years

Get a jumper pack. That's way cheaper than prophylactic battery swaps.

[MakersTeleMark]

DIA has separate arrival and departure levels (and there is an east and west version of each). I *always* pick up incoming guests on the "quiet" departure side at a designated door number.

But we should probably keep that quiet.

So out at the airport they closed the "Cell Phone Lot" awhile back that was really convenient if you had to wait a bit for someone flying into town... you'd simply exit the hwy into this nice, large lot, park for a bit, then head in once your passenger arrived.

They "relocated" the lot to a new spot where you have to exit, drive under the hwy, then park in a lot that is shared with a gas station and a couple fast food joints.

So what does everyone do now? They fucking park on the shoulder of the 65mph highway to wait. Last time we came in there were probably *50* fucking cars on the shoulder. Every one within about 50 yards of a "no stopping or parking" sign.

And when they want to get on their way, guess what? There are a whole bunch of fucking people in the way so they can't get up to speed on the shoulder, so they just pull into traffic doing 10mph.

GODDAMMIT people are fucking morons.

I remember free parking right across for pickups. Now I hover the rental exit and give explicit directions on the arrival side.

[The AD]

What kinda cars are these failing in? I can't think of any battery in any car I've had that's failed in under 5 years, plenty that went 10+.

My car is a Honda CR-V. It's exactly four years old and I was surprised it died so quickly. Sure enough, though, Teh Googles says expect the battery to last for four years...

I do think all the modern electronic gadgetry is to blame for the reduced life of car batteries. I doubt the batteries themselves have changed much in 50 years, probably more.

[skaredshtles]

I remember free parking right across for pickups. Now I hover the rental exit and give explicit directions on the arrival side.

I'm really hoping that they can "repurpose" all that fucking unused concrete where the old toll booths used to be and turn it into a new cell-phone lot.

I still can't figure out why the decom'd the original one.

[mcphee]

I’m confused. Are you just renting an empty truck? Who’s mixing the concrete?


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It's the contractors who won't mix their own on site for smaller jobs. They will only have it delivered at a 5 yard minimum per the concrete supplier's policy.