This post is not what you think it's going to be. It's actually NOT going to be about how much I hate roundabouts. Instead, it's going to be about how awesome they are.
I had the opportunity to spend a couple months in England, which was a fantastic experience. I look forward to when I get to go back (If I ever get to go). There are two major differences about driving in England. One is obvious. Everyone in America makes fun of Britain driving on the left side of the road. I'll admit, it took some getting used to, but after a day or two, it seemed just as natural to me. Of course, my frequent readers will know I love driving, so switching habits didn't seem like that big a deal to me.
The other big difference between driving in America and driving in England is the roundabouts. Rotary, Traffic Circle, whatever you want to call them (though if you call them anything but a roundabout, you're a fool), they are EVERYWHERE in England. Even some of the smallest intersections have roundabouts. Places that here in the US would be a T intersection have mini roundabouts in England. It's glorious!
In England, they even have double and triple roundabouts. These are quite complex and can be very confusing, especially to an American just learning to drive in the UK. However, I have to admit that there were some very high traffic areas that, had they had lights or stop signs, would have been monstrously bad in terms of traffic. With the intricate double roundabouts, though, traffic flowed smoothly and there were remarkably few accidents. It's so smooth and easy. You just wait for an open spot, and then GO GO GO!
These roundabouts are the greatest traffic flow tool to ever hit the US. It's really too bad there are not that many here in the US. It's even worse when they are poorly designed. In England, I never saw one that was poorly designed. I saw plenty that were confusing, but there were always signs and roadway markers to signal proper usage. There is a roundabout in a small town in Idaho that is so poorly designed, there are constantly accidents taking place there. In a couple spots, there are 2 lanes for cars to drive in, but in some places it suddenly switches to only a single lane. No warning, no signs, no instructions on how to avoid being blindsided by the guy driving next to you, just "OK, here's a circle, go around it." Yeah, that doesnt work. The problem here is not the theory of the roundabout, however, but rather its poor execution. Oh, and the fact that 90% of the drivers going around it are students that are reckless, or the fact that it's snowing and too many people don't know how to drive in snow. Sorry, I digress
Besides, how much fun is it to just go in circles around the roundabout? My kids love it when I take a couple laps around an empty (emphasis on empty) roundabout.
Here in America, we have these atrocious traffic contraptions known as 4 way stops. These terrible places are where 2 roads cross, generally at 90 degree angles. Each road has a stop sign going in each direction. This leads to mass backups, traffic jams, and major frustration. There is one 4 way stop in Virginia, near where my parents live, that is constantly backed up. During rush hour, it can take up to an hour to get through this one 4 way stop. How is that efficient? I have come to the conclusion that the person who invented the 4 way stop was both an imbecile and an evil dictator, bent on creating misery among the human race.
Can you guess what they are putting in to replace that intersection? That's right. A roundabout.
Showing posts with label Design Flaw. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Design Flaw. Show all posts
Friday, November 14, 2014
Sunday, June 15, 2014
No pockets
Here's a post that stems from a friend's complaint. I didn't even think about it, but now that it's been brought up, I've been stewing over this, and I've discovered that it's quite annoying.
Let me start off with this: Pajama pants and gym shorts are the most comfortable things in the world. Obviously, you don't wear them at the same time, because that would look weird and would probably negate the whole comfort thing. I love wearing pajama pants because they are so loose and unrestricting. Fleece or flannel are great in the wintertime, and of course something lightweight during the summer. SOOOOOOO nice!
Gym shorts are just as good as pajama pants, if not better! They are loose, lightweight, and slightly more acceptable to wear to the store if I get a craving in the middle of the night for something that I don't have in my pantry (which happens far more often than I'd really care to admit). I mean, sometimes you just need some sour cream and onion chips at 3:30 AM, am I right?
But there is one major design flaw with gym shorts and pajama pants. I've discovered that this flaw has infected approximately 50% of both styles of legwear, if not more. It's devastating and oh so inconvenient. Enough so that I actually will no longer purchase pajama pants or gym shorts if they have this particular ailment.
No pockets.
Seriously? You sell pants with no pockets? Who's "genius" idea was this? I mean, at least put one in! I don't need a utility belt or anything, but a pouch in which to put various pieces of my daily necessities in would be something you'd think would be obvious to have. I have lots of things that I carry in my pockets, and of the regularly used essentials, each has their own pocket. My phone goes in one pocket, my keys and pocket knife in another, and my wallet in a third. I can condense if need be, but that's my usual pocket lineup. If the pants I'm wearing have no pockets, then where do I put all my stuff?
This issue is annoying enough around the house. I like having my phone on me constantly. Yeah, I know, I"m one of "those" people, but get over it, that's how I live. If I'm wearing pants with no pockets, where do I put my phone? When I'm not using it, I have to place it between my body and the waistband of these apparently almost-useless pajama pants. Then, the material of the screen shield warms up and sticks ever-so-slightly to my skin, which is both uncomfortable and makes it difficult to retrieve the phone without feeling like I'm going to take off either a layer of skin or the screen shield. (Given the choice between the two, I'd rather lose the skin. Good screen shield are expensive!)
As annoying as this lack of pockets is at home, it's at least workable. I can set my phone down on a table and walk away without worrying someone is going to come pick it up and walk off with it (except for my kids, but they really just want to play games). The real problem comes from those late night store runs. I suddenly need my keys and my wallet in addition to my phone. If I'm having trouble keeping my phone in one spot without pockets, I can't even attempt adding other things into the mix. For starters, my wallet is too heavy to stay suspended within the waistband, being weighed down with all the money I carry (snicker), and my keys are all pokey and stabby, so there's no way I'm even trying that. I can't carry all of this in my hands, because I need my hands to carry the chips I'm picking up at the store (and maybe a Gatorade). And I can't justify getting a cart or a basket to carry my items because I'm only getting a single item (which inevitably turns into 5... or 20, but how am I supposed to know chocolate milk is on sale that day?) and who needs an entire cart for one item? That's just wasteful!
Now, the person who initially submitted this blarg topic mentioned the fact that many women's jeans don't have pockets. What "intelligent" person thought that jeans without pockets was a good idea? Now you're screwing with perfectly acceptable daily wear, making them far less useful to the person who wants to both leave the house AND look like they actually showered that day. I get it, many women carry purses with which they can hold all of their "out the door essentials." This does not, however, mean that they don't also want pockets! phones are more easily accessed if they are in a pocket. I've seen women's purses and the apparently magical quality they have to carry much more than should be physically possible, and I can't imagine that digging your phone out of your magic satchel is any easier than sliding it out of your pocket. Pockets are necessary. Now, some women's jeans have the front pockets, but not the back ones. I personally have no problems with these, as they have both form and function. I'm only speaking for myself however. I do notice that girls tend to put their phones in a back pocket as opposed to a front one. I don't get the reason behind this, but I'll accept that there is one. Therefore, the back pockets missing on girls jeans may actually be more annoying to some women than if the front ones were missing. I don't know. I've never worn women's jeans. I'll leave that up to someone else.
Let me start off with this: Pajama pants and gym shorts are the most comfortable things in the world. Obviously, you don't wear them at the same time, because that would look weird and would probably negate the whole comfort thing. I love wearing pajama pants because they are so loose and unrestricting. Fleece or flannel are great in the wintertime, and of course something lightweight during the summer. SOOOOOOO nice!
Gym shorts are just as good as pajama pants, if not better! They are loose, lightweight, and slightly more acceptable to wear to the store if I get a craving in the middle of the night for something that I don't have in my pantry (which happens far more often than I'd really care to admit). I mean, sometimes you just need some sour cream and onion chips at 3:30 AM, am I right?
But there is one major design flaw with gym shorts and pajama pants. I've discovered that this flaw has infected approximately 50% of both styles of legwear, if not more. It's devastating and oh so inconvenient. Enough so that I actually will no longer purchase pajama pants or gym shorts if they have this particular ailment.
No pockets.
Seriously? You sell pants with no pockets? Who's "genius" idea was this? I mean, at least put one in! I don't need a utility belt or anything, but a pouch in which to put various pieces of my daily necessities in would be something you'd think would be obvious to have. I have lots of things that I carry in my pockets, and of the regularly used essentials, each has their own pocket. My phone goes in one pocket, my keys and pocket knife in another, and my wallet in a third. I can condense if need be, but that's my usual pocket lineup. If the pants I'm wearing have no pockets, then where do I put all my stuff?
This issue is annoying enough around the house. I like having my phone on me constantly. Yeah, I know, I"m one of "those" people, but get over it, that's how I live. If I'm wearing pants with no pockets, where do I put my phone? When I'm not using it, I have to place it between my body and the waistband of these apparently almost-useless pajama pants. Then, the material of the screen shield warms up and sticks ever-so-slightly to my skin, which is both uncomfortable and makes it difficult to retrieve the phone without feeling like I'm going to take off either a layer of skin or the screen shield. (Given the choice between the two, I'd rather lose the skin. Good screen shield are expensive!)
As annoying as this lack of pockets is at home, it's at least workable. I can set my phone down on a table and walk away without worrying someone is going to come pick it up and walk off with it (except for my kids, but they really just want to play games). The real problem comes from those late night store runs. I suddenly need my keys and my wallet in addition to my phone. If I'm having trouble keeping my phone in one spot without pockets, I can't even attempt adding other things into the mix. For starters, my wallet is too heavy to stay suspended within the waistband, being weighed down with all the money I carry (snicker), and my keys are all pokey and stabby, so there's no way I'm even trying that. I can't carry all of this in my hands, because I need my hands to carry the chips I'm picking up at the store (and maybe a Gatorade). And I can't justify getting a cart or a basket to carry my items because I'm only getting a single item (which inevitably turns into 5... or 20, but how am I supposed to know chocolate milk is on sale that day?) and who needs an entire cart for one item? That's just wasteful!
Now, the person who initially submitted this blarg topic mentioned the fact that many women's jeans don't have pockets. What "intelligent" person thought that jeans without pockets was a good idea? Now you're screwing with perfectly acceptable daily wear, making them far less useful to the person who wants to both leave the house AND look like they actually showered that day. I get it, many women carry purses with which they can hold all of their "out the door essentials." This does not, however, mean that they don't also want pockets! phones are more easily accessed if they are in a pocket. I've seen women's purses and the apparently magical quality they have to carry much more than should be physically possible, and I can't imagine that digging your phone out of your magic satchel is any easier than sliding it out of your pocket. Pockets are necessary. Now, some women's jeans have the front pockets, but not the back ones. I personally have no problems with these, as they have both form and function. I'm only speaking for myself however. I do notice that girls tend to put their phones in a back pocket as opposed to a front one. I don't get the reason behind this, but I'll accept that there is one. Therefore, the back pockets missing on girls jeans may actually be more annoying to some women than if the front ones were missing. I don't know. I've never worn women's jeans. I'll leave that up to someone else.
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