LOL ladypat!

and tip (I usually do another 10%)

For instacart users, as someone who has a friend who's been forced into working as a shopper for them, the thing on the instacart page (optional service charge or something like that) is not a tip. Nothing you pay through them goes to the shopper. They just get the standard delivery fee/mileage. It's pretty despicable, since they go to so much trouble to give a wrong impression. You're just volunteering to pay a higher service fee to instacart. The only way to actually tip is to give cash to whoever delivers the food.

ETA I'd be interested to hear from anyone who's tried the Publix service, because the regular instacart page for them used to a complete mess. As my friend said, "When you get an order for chips, beer, doughnuts, and organic raspberries, it's time to check the offerings page." And yeah, Publix would only offer organic raspberries instead of regular ones, and other odd things like that.

First- A POSITIVE rant! I absolutely ADORE my "new" 2015 Impala!!!! She's Beautiful! Bigger than I thought inside. Love the rear camera, big 20" rims, & safety alerts. Black-Leather interior (((swoooon))) ;-)

YES..... Faron can be seduced by sexy sheet-metal! What of it?!??! ;-) My DW is DAMN glad I can't afford a 'Vette or Prancing-Horse!

This 3.6L 305hp V6 really goes!! My '08 Top-line LTZ seemed like a slug in comparison! The '08's engine was a tick bigger, @ 3.9L, but this new 3.6L engine has almost FIFTY more hp! It's kinda funny.....the last "SS" V8 Impala was only made for 3 years, '07-'09. That was rated at 303hp!!

*** Another positive! My surgeries (hernia, leg-veins, knee-twice, foot, & shoulder) have all been excellent!! I am closer to being a Cylon now!! (OLD Battlestar Galactica ref. there...:-))

Faron

I've never used the grocery shopping service at any store, although I might be interested in the future if it gets to where I would be unable to shop.

As far as tipping, ALWAYS give the tip in cash. If it is at a restaurant and you are using a credit card, just put zero in the tip line and rewrite the total. Then give the tip in cash. If it is a pizza delivery, I pay cash for the pizza in correct change and then tip in cash. That way you know that your tip is really a tip.

Ladypat, best rant posted! Lol!

Rave - I went to a presentation this week of teenage boys talking about a boys-only health class they’d had in grade 9 (deconstructing stereotypes about masculinity, talking about body image, drugs, drinking etc) and the boys were AWESOME. They were so open and honest in a room full of middle aged lady education professionals. I just wanted to hug them all (note they would have hated that).

This training is through the Provost's office. We got the opening week activities that said Provost's retreat "by invitation only" but then we just got the invitation on Friday, so you never really know who's invited to this. If I wasn't on the the promotion and tenure committee I would not need to go. The "formal attire" requested was from my main professional conference. So, yeah, in general, academic-related who always think we have nothing else to do.

We do online shopping with local Harris Teeter, who uses their own employees vs. Instacart. We always tip additional money in addition to the fee. I've had some employees tell me they can't take it, but 90% of the time they do. The HT software is pretty good, too. We pick it up vs. home delivery, but I recommended home delivery to my colleague whose daughter is home with young kids.

Rave: Our own Robo, Mr. Robo, and Emmett Robo, and their Ctrl C and CtrlV tee shirts :)

Emmett Robo - hahaha!!! Love it! (Rave!)

Czar, I am so sorry about your “crazy lady” encounter. I had one a few weeks ago while trail running and was so upset I actually gave up running for a week or two but am ok again now. Sending you a big hug.

Rave ( a little late, but worth it!) I have been thinking of getting a new vehicle as getting into my truck was getting too hard. I'd chosen something at a lot but they wouldn't come down in price to where I wanted to pay so I thought I'd go check it out last week-end of month. I checked Kelly Blue Book one more time and on the website was another one like that one I'd been looking at, at another dealership, so since it was on my way, I stopped in.

In less than 2 hours from stopping in I was driving home in my new (to me) Jeep Grand Cherokee. TWO HOURS to test drive, do the deal and financing and get the keys handed to me. A new world record I think!

Thank you so much for the info on tipping with Instacart. I will now use cash. I did use HT for quite a while but they don't deliver to my address and driving and getting the groceries into my home is sometimes a challenge. Actually living by myself these days is a challenge.

And I find their platform quite easy to navigate. All on my smart phone and the shoppers have been wonderful. I am very grateful that I have this option.

I can relate, Louise. Although I'm generally pretty healthy, I've already had a couple of situations in my life, even before I was 40, where I was not allowed to drive for over a month. It would have been so much easier if I could have had food delivered instead of having to bother friends and family.

Driving rants abound: Ran to get pizza. Could not back out of my spot because the lady behind me stopped HALF WAY out of hers. Just stopped! As I watched and waited, another customer was arrived and had to WAIT as this gal was blocking the entire driveway. Eventually she holds her phone up to her face and drives off. She must have been attempting to dial? At the first stop sign in the mall she just STOPPED, no cars coming, no stop and go. She SITS THERE. I had to tap my horn. She waved at me and went on. EVERYTHING in me wanted to flip her off and be the raving lady in the first post. Why should my family have to eat cold pizza because this gal wanted to chat more than drive?

RAVE: Getting ready for school. #1DD sent a ted talk about effect of color and circles on students. We have a new building. It's done over in gray and black with a hint of yellow here and there. I got an idea. Went up yesterday to see of the HUGE laminating job was done and it was!!! Sooo excited for my students to see themselves in last years' pics!!

My Friday rave (warning, way too long): I went home for lunch :). It's a rave because I have shared on this forum that I've been very unhappy at work for a variety for reasons, and unhappy with myself for a variety of reasons.

Going home each day to eat lunch for the past couple of weeks has pushed me past both a work and a personal obstacle and I"m SO MUCH HAPPIER!

Work: I'm not in my supervisor's circle of trust and two of those who are have been my constant companions. Both are given a heavy load of duties, and both are constantly complaining about how overworked they are while (subtly) humblebragging along the theme of 'so he just kept emailing me last night at all hours' and 'so he pulled me into this meeting because he says I'm the only one he trusts to get it done'. It had gotten to the point that not only was their negativity dispiriting but to sit and be reminded every single day how important and necessary they are was making me feel worse and worse about my own relative lower rank on the I"m A Key Player scale LOL.

Personal: one of the habits we three musketeers had fallen into was going over to our food court to eat lunch together every day. So I was getting bummed out every day while wasting money to eat junk food.....and I've been getting more and more unhappy with my body and my lack of healthy eating and exercise.

So, instead of doing that, now I get on my bike and ride home and eat lunch with my husband, who's done home lunches for years. Not only am I now eating better and spending less but I'm also in the company of somebody who is pleasant and who I adore (my husband) instead of co workers who alternate complaining with ginning me up about how much more important they are to the boss than me.

Rave, rave, rave on!

Running, I too have endured colleagues who humble-brag (it's more like a put-upon brag) about how overworked they are due to their "place of importance" within the organization, and I detest it. I have come to believe it stems from a deep-seated sense of inferiority and fear of inadequacy, and these days I refuse to engage it. It's like they expect cooing and coddling over their "oh woe is me" comments, and I am not going to play the game. It's so freakin juvenile. Good for you for enacting a much healthier approach. It can only serve you well.

I had a similar parking lot experience a couple weeks ago except this was someone who wanted to pull through to the spot next to the one I was already parked in while I was unloading into the back seat. They were very aggressive about it and confrontational when I didn't unload fast enough for them. There were at least half a dozen adjoining spots open and more than half the parking lot because it was early morning, but they wanted THAT one and they wanted it right then. It was moving day for my son and I only had a few drinks (two of us and two helpers) and one small bag of ice. One minute or one parking place different was apparently worth threatening to run me and the cart down and then getting in my face when they got out of the car (I was done and moving the cart then). I'm glad I don't live my life that angry.

IdaClaire, that's exactly what I finally realized! And yes it's an insidious pattern that can really mess with your head *if you let it*. Especially because it leads to a truly bizarre dialogue in which one is trying to "comfort" people who are really just letting you know how super critical and IMPORTANT they are, which is kinda nuts really.

I have been quite surprised at how much happier this very simple habit change has made me, thus a rave about where I enjoy my mid day meal.

My cousin is a teacher and she calls humble bragging “bragplaining”. She says parents are the worst offenders as in “ my Johnny is so tired due to his lead role in the play, being student council president, and translating the Iliad”

my rant? Packing for my move in 3 weeks. I am hearing the sound of pulling packing tape in my sleep.

My rave? Purging. Getting rid of so much stuff and knowing that I will love less clutter in my life.

If someone is trying to rush me, it just makes me move slower. :D When running errands, I often check my email or text messages when I first get into the car. If I need to reply to something before I get home, then there's that too. Just because I get in my car - and crank it up, it is summer in the south! - doesn't mean I'm leaving at that very moment. I tend to park "in Africa," as my children used to say, so not taking up prime locations.

While we are talking about parking, why is it some people want to back into spaces? As in not pull forward into a parking place, but back into it. I've noticed this is mostly a man thing.

While we are talking about parking, why is it some people want to back into spaces? As in not pull forward into a parking place, but back into it. I've noticed this is mostly a man thing.

On another site I visit, ^^^this topic became a very heated debate. Who knew people had such strong feelings about parking? The backer-uppers claimed it was safer to pull out of a space versus back out. The non-backer-uppers questioned the extra time all the backing up maneuvering requires. Maybe some of females were offended by the many who thought it was mostly a guy thing (which is what I also thought and didn’t think it meant I think women are less than but that’s how it was being interpreted. You go, girl, back-in to your heart’s content.).

I wonder if all the new cars with back up cameras and warning sounds will cut down on the backer-uppers? Or do old habits die hard? Is it safer? Pulling through to face out can be dangerous, for smaller cars, since there are often two SUVs on either side and you wouldn’t see someone approaching from the front. But what are the actual statistics on all these methods?

The backing in makes it easier to pull out and see the cross traffic, especially if your car doesn't have a back-up camera. I don't know about where you live, but here in Texas, it can be hard to see anything backing out of spaces between pickup trucks and huge SUVs. Leaving events or garages with heavy traffic can be easier to pull out of when you aren't crooning -- and you can make eye contact. Cross traffic drivers are also more likely to stop for the front end of a car and headlights than the back end and small back up lights. The visibility can work both ways. That said -- I do not generally back in.

Recently I rode with someone who checked her backup camera as she pulled out of the parking space, not once turning her head to either side to visually inspect the area around her car. I was shocked, and told her that she shouldn't depend on that camera alone! This started me wondering how many people do that -- just put it in reverse, look down at the camera on the dash, and GO. A backup camera is not a replacement for actually turning one's head from side to side and using one's own eyes, but I'd be willing to bet there are a vast number of folks who think it is. Keep that in mind as you're navigating parking lot hell.

I do not have a backup camera in my car but was driving a rental car that had it and still turned my head to check. My passenger (who has a camera in her car) said you don’t need to do that, you have a back up camera. Yeah, no, I still need to check behind me. So there probably are a vast number of folks who just trust the camera and throw it in reverse.

OTHO my husband’s camera is so sensitive I think it warns him of a car that hasn’t even pulled into the lot yet.

From now on, I’m parking in Siberia and not Africa, as far from everyone else as I can. To protect my little, cheap, camera-less car and myself,

Actually, I’m surprised we don’t see more accidents in parking lots. I am frequently shocked by how fast people drive through the grocery store lot. Do you see there are people walking and crossing the lot? People are pulling out of spots, kids are let loose, people are pushing carts or carrying bags. Slow down!

IdaClaie, my guess would be a pretty good number. And that a pretty good number forget to check either or don't look until they are already backing out and in traffic.

I back into a space for events like high school games and concerts Because I know people just spill out into the parking lot and don’t pay attention to cars backing up. Much easier to navigate crowds facing forward.

I don’t have a camera on my car, but if I did, I would hope I could rely on it 100%. I think it’s got to be as good if not better than my vision. Perhaps we just think it’s not because we learned the old-fashioned way?

I was recently in a public parking garage and was appalled at how many people were whipping through there - flying around blind corners where people were trying to park and walk - as though they were on a city street. Idiots! I park in a private garage at work, where a 10 mph speed limit is strictly enforced, so I've grown very unforgiving at the ridiculously unsafe manner in which many people maneuver in other garages.

I don’t have a camera on my car, but if I did, I would hope I could rely on it 100%. I think it’s got to be as good if not better than my vision

Absolutely NOT. A camera is a visual aid, but is not a substitution for taking the personal responsibility of seeing the actual space around your vehicle with your own two eyes. (And if your vision isn't that great, please don't drive!)

"When running errands, I often check my email or text messages when I first get into the car. If I need to reply to something before I get home, then there's that too. Just because I get in my car - and crank it up, it is summer in the south! - doesn't mean I'm leaving at that very moment. I tend to park "in Africa," as my children used to say, so not taking up prime locations."

Hmmm, this would actually be one of my rants--I really get annoyed with people who get into a car to leave then just sit there endlessly. I suppose if you are parked far enough out that there are lots of empty spaces available it's NBD but if and when there aren't any open spaces, it's incredibly annoying to have someone sitting in their parked car with the AC running while they check email/text messages or make a phone call. Sorry, but that's an honest perspective.

As for backing in to a space, my husband does this and it's sort of a mystery to me why--he will even do it when it makes logistics harder such as backing in and then having to load purchases into the trunk of the car! I've asked him and it's as much a habit as anything else. For me, backing in and out of a space is really uncomfortable because it necessitates a whole lot of swiveling my neck/head back and forth which bothers my neck and makes me feel somewhat disoriented.

And yes to people flying through garages and parking lots-so dangerous. I especially hate the parking garage gunners because they so often take blind turns with their car too far over into the oncoming lanes, and you can't dodge when you are coming down a row with parked cars adjacent to the lane you are in.

I stand corrected. As I said my car doesn’t have a camera and I have never driven one with that aid. But now I realize it is just that – an aid. Good to know. (And thankfully my eyesight is just about 20/20, thanks to Lasix 21 year’s ago.)

those cameras and sensors are good enough for self driving cars, which are already on many roads being successfully tested.

Self-driving cars also come equipped with automatic braking technology.

The back-up camera has a fairly narrow field of vision - meaning, unless the oncoming car is almost directly behind you, the camera doesn't catch it. At least in my car anyway. So if you aren't using your own eyes to look both ways, chances are good you're going to pull out in front of oncoming traffic.

I like my back-up camera but would never, ever depend on it. It's great if you're trying to hook up a trailer though!

Also, I always back into parking spaces if I can do so without impeding traffic. I would much rather pull out into traffic than try to back out into it. But yes, I'm a smidge slower backing into a spot so I only back-in if there aren't other cars waiting for me to get out of the way.

I think I'm the last person on planet earth driving a car and not a huge, honkin SUV or truck. :) What I can tell you is that trying to get out of any parking space with huge SUVs on both sides is like trying to get out of Death Valley. It's literally a blind "pray and go" moment. I deliberately park way out in the parking lot, away from traffic, for just this reason but somehow I still end up having to take my life in my hands just to exit a parking space.

I was just driving behind a work van (cable company type van) and it had a yellow bumper sticker that had: CAUTION this vehicle backs up to park. I thought would I have noticed, or given any thought to, that yesterday, before reading this discussion on parking?

runninginplace, I wouldn't waste time in the car if there were no other parking places available or, for example, if I parked close due to a downpour and someone was waiting on my spot. I used to take care of our grandson on a daily basis. Getting him inside the car, buckled safely in his seat, cup/snack/whatever, then getting myself in car takes time. Sometimes I had our granddaughter with us, so it took twice as long. I don't like making people wait if there's not another parking place, but I'll be darn if I will be rushed into making a mistake, especially if they have other options.

Seems like most of the vehicles I see being backed into parking places are pick up trucks, so seeing over an SUV isn't an issue.

We lived in Tokyo for several years and their preferred method of parking is backed in. No idea why. I went with the flow, but it drove DH crazy that they did it that way! I don't care how people want to park, doesn't really affect me ... just don't ding my doors when you get out.

If I need to sit in my parked car for a while, I make sure to turn my lights to OFF as most newer cars tend to be set to AUTO ... and make sure you don't have your foot on the brake!

Allison, if I can't pull through, I always back into a space. I have no difficulty doing it and will wait if someone is coming just to be sure I don't hold them up for even the minute or two it takes. By backing in, I do not have to worry about backing out when moving vehicles are around. I have a small Audi wagon, so those large cars are a huge issue.

I was always taught that backing into a space is safer because you have a clear field of view getting into the space (you’re backing into a known empty area) and also because you’re in the flow of traffic when backing up (as opposed to backing into the flow of traffic). Many pedestrians are killed by cars backing out into parking lots.

I was quite surprised when travelling to the US to see spaces that forbade backing in. I’m assuming because of bad drivers? Backing in to a space was on my driver’s test back in the day and is emphasized here as a skill along with parallel parking.

I feel much better about backing up with a camera. I still do shoulder checks to make sure there’s no one approaching from the sides, but knowing I can see exactly where the rear of my car is going (and make sure there are no kids there!) is worth its weight in gold to me. Also makes backing into a space a million times easier.

Our new car has a very wide field of vision and beeps if it senses any movement to the sides or rear when backing. Love these features!!

Backing into a space can be a problem because the back of vehicles is usually longer from back wheels to back bumper then front wheels to front bumper. People who park by waiting to feel their wheel hit the concrete parking stop thingy can encroach on the space behind them.

And tags are on the back of vehicles. Makes it harder for police to easily see a tag when necessary.

I have a rave to add. I am repainting my house for sale. I bought paint for my bathroom, looking for a pale minty green. I painted about a 3' x 3' area with sample paint, it looked good. Well, when I got the whole (large) bathroom painted, that minty green turned into more of a pistachio ice cream. 8(

I had used less than half the can, and need a second coat, so I took it back to Lowes, hoping that they could adjust the remaining paint into something usable. Instead, she told me about their "love your color" guarantee. She took back my partial can and gave me another, full can in the new color. Wow!

WRT to back-up cameras.... I think the technology is improving all the time. My new car has a 360 degree 'birds eye' view that shows all sides around the car - I can see more in it than I ever could turning my head around. It also has sensors that beep (loudly) if someone approaches, either on foot or in another vehicle, while you're reversing or pulling into traffic.

It also has the feature where you can take your hands of the wheel and it will park itself - I never use it, I actually think it's a bit ridiculous, but I figure if the car can use its sensors & cameras to park itself without hitting anyone or anything - I can trust it to help me back out safely.

Neither of our cars is new enough to have a backup camera, but the Honda Clarity I test drove had multiple views including a wide angle. I do like to back in when we go to certain concerts or plays because it is impossible to back out after the show/play lets out.

Robo is right. My job is within an agency that manages a very large fleet of vehicles - specifically, I deal with accidents and risk management. IMO there is no question that reversing into parking spaces is safer.

Reverse Parking Could Save a Life

Parking in reverse is a simple way to reduce the risk of accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that “267 people are killed and 15,000 injured each year by drivers who back into them, usually in driveways or parking lots.” Unfortunately, most often it is children and elderly people who are killed in backover crashes.

NHTSA has ruled that all new vehicles under 10,000 pounds (including passenger vehicles, buses and trucks) must be equipped with rear visibility technology by May 2018.

By reverse parking, you avoid backing out blindly into oncoming traffic or into the path of pedestrians.

Misconceptions about Reverse Parking

Myth #1: Reverse parking disrupts traffic.
While reverse parking may disrupt traffic flow, it is arguable that backing out of a parking space also disrupts traffic and might be more dangerous.

Myth #2: Reverse parking is less safe.
Parking lots are full of pedestrians, and therefore the probability of injury is high. Reverse parking is about making the environment safer when the driver leaves the parking space. When reverse parking, a driver is going into a known space with no vehicle and pedestrian traffic. When leaving the parking space, the driver is able to see the surroundings more clearly.

On the other hand, backing out of a parking space means going out into unknown and changing traffic. A driver’s view is further hindered by the cars parked next to it. The other cars are directly in the driver’s blind spots.

https://www.geotab.com/blog/reverse-parking/

This is why I actively look for pull-through opportunities. And I'm willing to walk a bit farther to park facing out.

Maybe I can teach this old dog a new trick and start backing in for safety. Wish me luck. I’ll still park in the outer lanes.

(Speaking of that, the rare time I go to the grocery store with my husband, he always picks what I consider the busiest lanes. Then gets annoyed when he has to wait for other cars to pull out, people walking by, people loading their groceries, etc. Inevitably, when we try to get in or out of the car the person parked next to us is also getting in or out of their car at the same moment.. That’s why I avoid the lanes closest to the entrance. And I try to avoid stopping at the grocery store with my husband.)

Yesterday in a parking lot, there was an extended cab pick-up truck that had kind-of-sort-of pulled through a spot. He, and he was in the truck so I know it was a he, was now taking up roughly 1/2 of each spot. It left enough space in front and behind the truck that someone approaching from the side might think the spot was open.

I think I’m hyper focused on parking lot behavior now.

If I am shopping for anything much, I can't back in or pull through. I can't open the hatch at the rear, because the vehicle behind me pulls in so close you can't open it. I have an Odyssey now, but it was the same with my Jeep Cherokee before.

It's only Thursday but here is my rant: I live in a semi-rural place and have used Amazon frequently for convenience. UPS has left many packages on my porch, some of high value. I have only had 2 packages not received that showed as delivered and both of those were USPS deliveries that I suspect went to the wrong address. So yesterday, UPS left a note saying they tried to deliver a package and I would need to pick it up in town at a "UPS access point". This is a box of dog treats! A signature is needed for a $15 item? So now I have to trek into town. If I was going into town, I would have just bought the dog treats and not ordered from Amazon. It completely defeats the purpose. UPS used to at least try to deliver the next day. I would have signed the sticky note so they would leave on the porch. I may just not pick up and let it go back to Amazon.

Can you contact UPS and request re-delivery? maybe on their website?

Mimou, I had that happen with a $10 item. UPS wouldn't leave it despite instructions to do so, I refused to drive the 10 mile round trip in traffic to get it.