My fellow Americans: Pay Attention! (caution, short rant)

14 years ago

The past few weeks have been difficult and I just have to say...Pay Attention, People!!!

A few weeks ago a young man (20s) walked right into my house while on his cell phone because he confused my house with the one next door where he was supposed to be working. I came into the hall from the computer room and yelled "what are you doing in my house?" at him. He never got off the cell phone but high tailed it out of my house.

Last Thursday I was rear-ended by another young man (20s) because he saw the light turn green and that meant go to him! Not taking into account the two cars ahead of me, all of us in the left turn lane waiting to move out in an orderly file - nope, green light means go! -- slam into my car's rear end, $1200 worth of damage to my car and also damage to his car, all because he was not paying attention to the traffic.

Just now at the post office: "I'd like 10 first-class stamps and I want to mail this package including insurance for $100." After weighing the package, the clerk turns to me and says "Priority, Fragile, etc. etc., any insurance on this?" I just looked at her -- she wasn't paying attention the first time I said, "insure for $100."

My CF Friends: please pay attention, 'cause there are a lot of bozos out there that are not.

end of rant - we now return you to the regular broadcast of our forum

Teresa

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Comments (9)

mustangs81
14 years ago
I hear you because I am paying attention. How frightening your recent experiences must have been!

As I have already shared with some of you via phone, we were heading towards Mt Rushmore when our rental car (with only 6000 miles) broke down on I-90. The very condensed version--after 3 hours on the side of the road and many conversations with the car rental agency, who was 8 hours away, we were towed to the dealership. I called the rental agency and asked the person I had been dealing with--what do you want me to do with the keys? She said very sarcastically "why don't you just walk into the showroom and had them to someone?". I yelled at her "for the 3rd time, the dealership is closed and there is no one to give the keys to!" She yelled back that she wasn't going to help me if I didn't calm down. I told her that I was the one who was on the side of the road for 3 dangerous and hot hours plus one hour in a tow truck. I told her never mind, I will make the decision on what to do with the keys since she was more interested in scolding me than dealing with the security of the car.

I threw the keys in the adjoining corn field.

Thank you for letting me vent.
diinohio
14 years ago
Sorry for the car troubles ladies, but OMG mustangs thats funny!

Di
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teresa_nc7
Original Author
14 years ago
That will get their attention, Cathy!!
dedtired
14 years ago
Theresa, sorry about your car. I'm glad you weren't hurt. I am always amazed at what I see people doing while driving. And, I'd have freaked out if a strange man had walked into the house.

Cathy, that is too funny! Once I had a flat tire on a rental car. I was by myself in Colorado and it was snowing. A towtruck driver came out and put the little spare on and then I went and exchanged the car for another. When I turned in the second car the rental agent scolded me because I had left the paperwork in the first car. She was really rude! Finally I yelled back her "well we wouldn't have this problem if your damn company hadn;t given me a car with a bad tire!" Then I jut walked away.

Next time I'll throw the paperwork in a cornfield. I love it!
sally2_gw
14 years ago
I think you make a very good point, Teresa. People are just not paying attention any more. I admit, I'm guilty of that all too frequently. I'm glad you pointed this problem out. I think people are less patient, and more selfish, too Maybe the issues go hand in hand. I've heard people honking their horns at the car in front of the as soon as the light turns green, because they weren't moving fast enough. But these days if you go when the light turns green, you risk getting run over because the other drivers either aren't paying attention to the light, or, more likely, don't want to be bothered with stopping. You just can't win. That's a shame about your car, Teresa. Cathy, what a frustrating day of your vacation, but your solution was very funny.

Sally
claire_de_luna
14 years ago
Teresa, I think about this whenever I get in my little car. There are too many people texting and driving or talking on their phones and driving, drinking and driving. It's ludicrous to think people can actually multitask and do anything well. Our society needs lessons in how to BE PRESENT. Because of this, I drive very defensively. My mantra is: Everybody's an A***ole. I agree with you completely.

Cathy, I love your story...it brought a grin to my face. I hope you follow it up with a complaint letter with the name of person you had your ordeal with.
lindac
14 years ago
And....remember all the above lessons when dealing with a "medical problem". I have experienced a twit of a "nurse aid" administering the wrong meds, a nurse, RN type misreading the dr's instructions and administering a medication that if she had engaged her brain she would have known it was way off the wall and sent her back to re-read the scrip.
Yep...pay attention...there are all sorts of idiots out there zoning out,w e need to pay attention just to keep from being run over!
Linda C
brenda55
14 years ago
We have been dealing with car salesmen for DD the last 2 days...do I need to say more? The best one, however, was the salesman that called and told me that he and the sales manager came up with a really good deal: 60 payments at $360. I sat there and multiplied that out and said I am not paying that much for that car,including his TTL and interest... period. He said I could not possibly figure out how much I would pay altogether for the car, TTL and interest over 60 months because I did not have a "scientific calculator". I calmly told him, yeah, I can.
marlingardener
14 years ago
Our house was for sale. I was taking a shower and there was a banging on the bathroom door. My, I was surprised!
I dressed rapidly and zipped to the front door to get out of the house fast. On the way I found that a realtor was showing our house to a lady and her two little girls. I asked what "by appointment only" meant to the realtor and to get out of my house! She was, and get this, at the wrong house, didn't know what the house she was supposed to show looked like nor the address, was under the impression that the house was listed and owned by another realtor although she had walked by my realtor's sign in the front yard, and couldn't leave right away because one of the little girls was using the bathroom!
This woman really needed PAY ATTENTION lessons!

My fellow Americans: Pay Attention! (caution, short rant)

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mustangs81

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My fellow Americans: Pay Attention! (caution, short rant)

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