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Comedic "things you would ban": minor things that irritate you

Sun Chariot

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I found the green time "countdown" feature a helpful additional display. Do any places outwith Central London have this feature?
In the UK, I've not seen them outside London.

I have seen in several US cities. NYC, Oklahoma, Denver, Fort Worth, Miami and Seattle spring to mind.

I've heard audible variants ("pips" which increase frequency as time runs down) in some Balkan cities, during the 1990s.
 
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D6130

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I agree with the comments about the poor design of the "above the button" green/red men. On a recent visit to London, however, I found the green time "countdown" feature a helpful additional display. Do any places outwith Central London have this feature?
They are very common in a number of Italian cities....and I've also seen them in Dublin.
 

Ediswan

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I agree with the comments about the poor design of the "above the button" green/red men. On a recent visit to London, however, I found the green time "countdown" feature a helpful additional display. Do any places outwith Central London have this feature?
I have seen them in Enfield. That is London, but not central.
 

AM9

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In the UK, I've not seen them outside London.

I have seen in several US cities. NYC, Oklahoma, Denver, Fort Worth, Miami and Seattle spring to mind.

I've heard audible variants ("pips" which increase frequency as time runs down) in some Balkan cities, during the 1990s.
The crossings in Hong Kong had well designed audible cues as to their state. When set for traffic to pass the had a tick about every second. When the pedestrian crossing period was set there was a continuous fast clicking sound. Most effective though was the period from the end of pedestrian crossing to the release of traffic which was the interrupted continuous clicks. This has a sort of 'chivvy up' impact on pedestrians so stragglers or late crossers moved faster. I see that the original system has recently been updated from the original electromechanical sounds to an electronically generated tone.
 

Pit_buzzer

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Doncaster has the countdown crossings, Trafford way, the busy road outside the station has them at a number of places along it's length. They're a really useful addition.
 

Mcr Warrior

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I agree with the comments about the poor design of the "above the button" green/red men. On a recent visit to London, however, I found the green time "countdown" feature a helpful additional display. Do any places outwith Central London have this feature?
Yes, Central Manchester, on a number of crossings quite near Manchester Oxford Road station. They are a bit like "shot clocks" used to speed up the resumption of play in a Rugby League game.
 

Bald Rick

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The crossings in Hong Kong had well designed audible cues as to their state. When set for traffic to pass the had a tick about every second. When the pedestrian crossing period was set there was a continuous fast clicking sound. Most effective though was the period from the end of pedestrian crossing to the release of traffic which was the interrupted continuous clicks. This has a sort of 'chivvy up' impact on pedestrians so stragglers or late crossers moved faster. I see that the original system has recently been updated from the original electromechanical sounds to an electronically generated tone.

Similar in Singapore, Australia, NZ.


Fairly sure I have seen countdown displays on some pedestrian crossings in europe which count down on red to the time the green person is going to show.
 

Peter C

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Exactly! They’re an especially bad design at busy crossings as people at the front of the queue block the view of the lights for those waiting behind.
Having looked it up, apparently above-the-button red/green men are better for people with visual impairments so that's a good thing. The thing that just irritates me a bit is being used to looking forward and not seeing the men there! It really is the small things isn't it... :lol:

I agree with the comments about the poor design of the "above the button" green/red men. On a recent visit to London, however, I found the green time "countdown" feature a helpful additional display. Do any places outwith Central London have this feature?
Several of the pedestrian crossings on the main roads in Plymouth (at least, in the city centre) have countdowns and like yourself, I find them particularly useful. The countdowns are fairly easy to see even when you're not at the crossing, so you can judge whether it's worth jogging a bit to the crossing and making it across. Better than running for the crossing and the lights change as you get there...!

-Peter
 

GordonT

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I would ban some of the "extras" to be found in the Pilau rice which accompanies certain brands of ready meal curries. I've no real issue with leaves as they are easily detected and discarded. However the seeds tend to blend in with the rice and are less easy to spot and discard before crunch time. The other thing to look out for to discard is a weird black object shaped a bit like a screw.
 

D6130

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I would ban some of the "extras" to be found in the Pilau rice which accompanies certain brands of ready meal curries. I've no real issue with leaves as they are easily detected and discarded. However the seeds tend to blend in with the rice and are less easy to spot and discard before crunch time. The other thing to look out for to discard is a weird black object shaped a bit like a screw.
The weird black objects shaped a bit like a screw are cloves, which add a certain flavour to the rice. They are edible....but can be discarded if you prefer. Their juice is a natural antiseptic and you can chew them the numb the pain of toothache....should you just happen to have some in your pocket! ;)
 

Railwaycat

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In the UK, I've not seen them outside London.

I have seen in several US cities. NYC, Oklahoma, Denver, Fort Worth, Miami and Seattle spring to mind.

I've heard audible variants ("pips" which increase frequency as time runs down) in some Balkan cities, during the 1990s.
I've not seen them in the uk, but in Ireland last week several sets of roadworks had countdowns instead of a yellow light, seemed a very good feature.
 

Acey

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I've not seen them in the uk, but in Ireland last week several sets of roadworks had countdowns instead of a yellow light, seemed a very good feature.
Saw a set in Otford ( Kent ) several years ago ,have'nt seen any since.
 

Thirteen

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It's such a minor irritation but forum/social media posts which have bad spelling, grammar, bad formatting or punctuation makes me wince.

Also, using hashtags in a forum post is a big no no in my books.
 

Gloster

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It's such a minor irritation but forum/social media posts which have bad spelling, grammar, bad formatting or punctuation makes me wince.

Also, using hashtags in a forum post is a big no no in my books.

Much as I believe in encouraging good English, I think we should accept that some people are unable to write it. If we insist that every post is immaculately formulated then a lot of people are going to be put off posting.

As far as hashtags are concerned, I don’t like them either, but I find them an acceptable shorthand to indicate that the writer is referring to an earlier post in the thread. However, I generally avoid them otherwise.
 

dangie

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It's such a minor irritation but forum/social media posts which have bad spelling, grammar, bad formatting or punctuation makes me wince.
For me not so much bad spelling or grammar etc, but I wish many would actually read through what they have written, or more to the point what the software has written, before they post it.
 

Calthrop

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#firstworldproblems
:lol:
I enjoy the thought that "First World Problems", may be an expression beloved and much used, by the poor in the Third World: humans are such, that small irritations inflicted -- most likely unintentionally -- by one(s) upon others, can greatly annoy; however utterly wretched one's overall lot might be.
 

DelW

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For me not so much bad spelling or grammar etc, but I wish many would actually read through what they have written, or more to the point what the software has written, before they post it.
Indeed, especially where the mistake reverses the writer's intention (e.g. couldn't instead of could, etc.).

It would also help if posters would skim-read earlier posts, to avoid making the same point as others have already made, sometimes multiple times. Even in long threads, the "search: this thread" can check for this without having to read the whole thing.
 

GusB

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To be fare in the furst imige that you posted the notice could of been much wurse it could of said:

"Vehicle's, boat's, trailer's and there accessory's and content's"...

I think "cuased" was probably just a genuine typo, although "owners" doesn't have an apostrophe.

:)
 

Sun Chariot

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To be fare in the furst imige that you posted the notice could of been much wurse it could of said:

"Vehicle's, boat's, trailer's and there accessory's and content's"...

I think "cuased" was probably just a genuine typo, although "owners" doesn't have an apostrophe.

:)
Brilliant! 8-):D

Northney Marina's big entrance sign was there, with typo, for several years. I have seen it amended last year: with a rather conspicuous sticker on top and the word spelled correctly!
 

Calthrop

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There was at the moment of posting: one of those "by happenstance" amusing sequences of thread headings on the General Discussion summary page (my computer skills not up to directly copying the thing -- apologies).


Comedic "things you would ban": minor things that irritate you

Toxic bosses

Small brown house moths
 

DJ_K666

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I'd get rid of ATOS Anne

She sounds like she's in a mood but trying to cover it up but not having much success and still comes across as a bit irritable.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

The inappropriate use of apostrophes. Is something else I'd ban.
 

Thirteen

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Buskers who use backing tracks rather and pretend to play their instrument. If you want my money, they need to play the instrument!
 

Sun Chariot

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Buskers who use backing tracks rather and pretend to play their instrument. If you want my money, they need to play the instrument!
That also applies to some of the bands which play at a pub near our home. One time, the guitar "player" had a big shock when, suddenly, the backing track stopped - and the air was fillled with hopeless out of tune awfulness!
 

BingMan

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I'd get rid of ATOS Anne

She sounds like she's in a mood but trying to cover it up but not having much success and still comes across as a bit irritable.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

The inappropriate use of apostrophes. Is something else I'd ban.
I would ban apostrophe's entirely
 

Gloster

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Something that seems to be becoming more common and is not just youngsters as I have seen plenty of oldies do it. When there is more than one bus route passing a stop they stand near the kerb as the bus approaches so that it slows, pulls in, stops and opens its doors. Then they wander aimlessly away because they don’t want this one. Mind you, there are some who will vigorously wave the bus past without checking whether any of the other people waiting want it. If I am alone I always wave past a bus I don’t want.
 

pokemonsuper9

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Something that seems to be becoming more common and is not just youngsters as I have seen plenty of oldies do it. When there is more than one bus route passing a stop they stand near the kerb as the bus approaches so that it slows, pulls in, stops and opens its doors. Then they wander aimlessly away because they don’t want this one. Mind you, there are some who will vigorously wave the bus past without checking whether any of the other people waiting want it. If I am alone I always wave past a bus I don’t want.
I thought it worked "If you want the bus put arm out", otherwise it sails past.
Certainly works like that in my experience, I've never had a bus I didn't want stop for me (although I ensure I stand away from the curbside).
 

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