What's Going on with Everyone's Lives

[hammerofglass]

My town (well the town on my address) technically has a bus. I've never used it, it doesn't come within five miles of where I actually live.

[Madner Kami]

My town (well the town on my address) technically has a bus. I've never used it, it doesn't come within five miles of where I actually live.

That ain't a bus or public transportation, that is a bad joke

For me I drive 150 miles round trip each day. I might be able to save money if the train was closer to me but I would also lose time as typically using a train would be slower than driving. I mean it takes me about 75-80 minutes one way to drive from home to work or work to home. Taking a train could easily make it a 2 hours or more.

150 miles a day? How're you tolerating this? I mean, I love driving (and I often take more than an hour to come home after work, despite my work being literally a 5 minute walk away), but that's a bit too much even for my tastes, especially considering that the road-network in your area quite likely doesn't allow for regular detours without too much delay. It'd drive me nuts having to invest that much time into experiencing the same long travel every day

[Riedquat]

I weep for the time, when you could literally set the clock after the arrival of the Deutsche Bahn. I still remember it. Today you're lucky if the train comes at all...

Hey, could be worse. You could be the country that invented the train, invented the railway, can lay claim to geniuses like Isambard Kingdom Brunel who helped power the industrial revolution and the Empire thanks largely to the power of our cutting-edge trains... and then that's kind of where it ended. He was an amazing man, but even he could not count on the destructive power of post-WW2 recession and Margaret Thatcher slicing it to bits.

I know I was just bragging about our public transport - but I was referring more to buses and the Underground. Our railways are friggin' terrible.

Actually I think our railways are OK - when they work. It's only the last three or four years they've been terrible. People grumble about them because they don't belt around at quite so silly speeds as the railways in some other countries, but that's a gimmick, certainly in a place the size of the UK. Sure, from my perspective the trend was downhill before then but then again I think that of pretty much everything these days, especially when any "upgrades" or "modernisation" gets involved - it's either silly gimmicks or inventing new ways of being cheap and nasty (whilst costing a fortune).

We do hate spending money on the essentials though. Basic maintenance, stuff like that. If it doesn't bring in new immediate shiny results it's seen as a waste to be removed, which is nonsense, but why so much overall is a mess. It's the problem of, say, a new hospital winning votes. Unfortunately money for beds, doctors, and nurses to put in it is just a tedious strain on the public purse to be cut to the bone for the sake of "efficiency" (another word I've come to despise).

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

Yeah, these days "efficiency" is a red flag right up there with "consumer choice".

[McAvoy]

My town (well the town on my address) technically has a bus. I've never used it, it doesn't come within five miles of where I actually live.

That ain't a bus or public transportation, that is a bad joke

For me I drive 150 miles round trip each day. I might be able to save money if the train was closer to me but I would also lose time as typically using a train would be slower than driving. I mean it takes me about 75-80 minutes one way to drive from home to work or work to home. Taking a train could easily make it a 2 hours or more.

150 miles a day? How're you tolerating this? I mean, I love driving (and I often take more than an hour to come home after work, despite my work being literally a 5 minute walk away), but that's a bit too much even for my tastes, especially considering that the road-network in your area quite likely doesn't allow for regular detours without too much delay. It'd drive me nuts having to invest that much time into experiencing the same long travel every day

You get used to it. Part of my job is actually driving to far away areas. Like eight hours or more in one direction.

But as far as how I tolerate my daily driving. I listen to but not watch TV shows. Specifically ones I have seen multiple times. Sitcoms work the best, as they average 20-22 minutes. Like Friends, Siendfeld, That 70's Show etc. I have also done Star Trek Enterprise and Babylon 5 as well as Supernatural. Battlestar Galactica as well.

It started out as listening to a alternative version of Game of Thrones audio books. The official guy that did the sucks. His voice work aired from a Boston accent to a New York accent to a fake British, Irish or Scottish accent. The one I listened to, a woman did a better job. Anyway that led me to listening to the entirety of Game of Thrones the show itself.

Right now I am ending on Dragon Ball OG after listening to DBZ and then Super. My plan will be The Tudors.

I don't do shows that I haven't seen or barely seen. Like I won't do new seasons.

I also fill it out with YouTube. I pay the premium amount for no commercials either. Last time I checked it was $7 a month which I consider it super bargain.

[hammerofglass]

Ironically I just had my car break down on the highway an hour from home and had to get a tow, won't learn anything until tomorrow. Could be minor, could be looking for a new vehicle tomorrow.

[McAvoy]

Ironically I just had my car break down on the highway an hour from home and had to get a tow, won't learn anything until tomorrow. Could be minor, could be looking for a new vehicle tomorrow.

What happened? Sounds, smells?

[hammerofglass]

Ironically I just had my car break down on the highway an hour from home and had to get a tow, won't learn anything until tomorrow. Could be minor, could be looking for a new vehicle tomorrow.

What happened? Sounds, smells?

Started rattling and the engine's RPM dial started swinging like a metronome so pulled over ASAP. No noticable smell, no fluids leaking. Passed inspection a month ago.

[McAvoy]

Ironically I just had my car break down on the highway an hour from home and had to get a tow, won't learn anything until tomorrow. Could be minor, could be looking for a new vehicle tomorrow.

What happened? Sounds, smells?

Started rattling and the engine's RPM dial started swinging like a metronome so pulled over ASAP. No noticable smell, no fluids leaking. Passed inspection a month ago.

That's called surging.

Could be anything as simple as a vacuum leak which is a literal $5 fix if you find it, or various sensors. Honestly shouldn't be too expensive.

But knock on wood.

[Riedquat]

Yeah, these days "efficiency" is a red flag right up there with "consumer choice".

Oh yes, that's definitely another!