The Tow Files: The Winter of YOUR Discontent!

[Geek King]

Dang, wish I'd thought of that.

(as a joke, not a way into college)

Don't feel bad Arga, even the Late Night guys don't write most of their own material.

[Jester]

I will never, never, never get the logic behind the "No Tow PlZ Guize!" notes.

I could actually see various valid "don't tow" notes. None that Arga has ever reported, of course, but I could see situations that would be valid for such things. But they'd be extreme, to be sure.

[fireheart]

Although I've never read Alice in Wonderland, I have seen the tv show Better off Ted, and there is an episode called Jabberwocky. The main character "steals" some money (I believe he was going to give it back) and has to cover it up on the fly, so he claims it's for the Jabberwocky project. Nobody wants to admit that they don't know what it is, so he ends up doing a presentation about absolutely nothing. An example:

Business is changing; Changing at the speed of information. Whoever adapts first wins - in order to compete we Innovate; in order to Innovate we redefine; and how do we redefine? With a New Definition!

This was the reference I was going for. ^^

[wolfie]

That earned your car a free trip to the auto-pokey.

Misleading advertising! While the trip TO the auto-pokey was free, you guys charged a hefty fee to get it OUT.

[Teskeria]

The most I could understand the Do Not Tow thing is if somehow one didn't have a cell phone and they went to get gas/arrange a service to show up to help. But it's hard to figure who doesn't have even a basic cell phone anymore. Even my grandparents and their siblings do!

me. (sorry for short answer)

[Argabarga]

I don't have one either.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Business is changing; Changing at the speed of information. Whoever adapts first wins - in order to compete we Innovate; in order to Innovate we redefine; and how do we redefine? With a New Definition!

And that, sadly, is usually the total syntax of our weekly sales meetings at work.

Or, as Shakespeare would have put it: Much Ado About Nothing.

[greek_jester]

I could actually see various valid "don't tow" notes. None that Arga has ever reported, of course, but I could see situations that would be valid for such things. But they'd be extreme, to be sure.

Arga, I've often wondered, what's the legality behind running out of petrol and having to coast into the nearest safe space i.e. illegally parking in a lot? If you leave a note with the date and time of leaving for petrol, and something along the lines of "I'll be gone as soon as I can get back from {petrol station at address}, estimated eta with full petrol can {time}, please give me enough time to get back before towing me", are you able to give them a break, or do you have to tow them regardless?

[Dave1982]

I believe Arga addressed this once in another thread. IIRC, the mistake people make is leaving, whereas if they'd stayed with the vehicle awaiting a tow truck or other assistance that they'd called themselves, then they probably would not be trespass-towed. That makes perfect sense to me. After all, if you're actually there to explain "yeah I know I'm not supposed to park here but the timing belt just broke and I'm waiting for AAA" you're a lot more likely to garner sympathy than if you just left a note that they have no way to determine the legitimacy of.

[Chromatix]

The petrol-can story is reasonably easy to verify. On the one hand, simply coming back a bit later, especially around the time written on the note, would show up most cases, one way or another. On the other hand, spotting someone walking determinedly towards the nearest petrol station with can in hand tends to help, too.

[XCashier]

And that, sadly, is usually the total syntax of our weekly sales meetings at work.

Or, as Shakespeare would have put it: Much Ado About Nothing.

Or as Weird Al put it: Mission Statement

[downforit2008]

Obviously, public education is a FAILURE on many people's part.

My boss tells me he has a fun time laughing his ass off at the job applications from people who are supposedly in college as they claim and still can't spell worth a damn beyond a first-grade level. Yeah...what are they TEACHING in college if it isn't how to make you write or spell better?

[fireheart]

Obviously, public education is a FAILURE on many people's part.

My boss tells me he has a fun time laughing his ass off at the job applications from people who are supposedly in college as they claim and still can't spell worth a damn beyond a first-grade level. Yeah...what are they TEACHING in college if it isn't how to make you write or spell better?

Actually from experience, it would likely be private education rather than public. Private schools tend to be notoriously focused on "looking good" and priding themselves on producing the best-looking students, but it takes a lot of hand-holding.

[paxillated]

I went to a private school, and left after 8th grade well able to spell and use correct grammar. Of course:

a) It was 50 years ago.

b) The school is still full of politicians' kids, as it was when I attended (on a scholarship).

I don't know whether (b) is an argument for or against Fireheart's opinion!

[fireheart]

I don't know whether (b) is an argument for or against Fireheart's opinion!

I might address this. I have no problem with private schools when parents are genuinely practicing whatever religion the school preaches (a majority of private schools over here are religious, the ones that aren't either have an alternative educational method or are for a specific purpose ie pre-uni*), what I do have an issue with are the number of parents who send their kid there believing that they'll receive a better education than their publicly educated counterparts. And that's ALL I'm going to say.

*A pre-uni school is one where students in years 10-12 opt to complete their high school certificate through said school, but the school runs similar to a university. That is, you are not required to be on campus when you don't have any classes, teachers have an open-door policy or "open tutoring" times, there are no uniforms or bell times and depending on the school, you might have access to university facilities.