It just gets worse and worse with these people...

[taxguykarl]

I can't speak for all carriers, but at <red checkmark> there is a feature we can add to your account that will block your phone from roaming on international towers. Many folks who live and/or work near the Canadian and Mexican borders take advantage of it.

Not only that, but there are cheap 'travel passes' which add a foreign country to the coverage area (and verifying which US territories are in the coverage area). Not a big outlay IIRC. As for the cruise ship, why would you need roaming there in the first place? At most, I needed the camera app... and a navigation app when ashore.

[Enjis]

Not only that, but there are cheap 'travel passes' which add a foreign country to the coverage area (and verifying which US territories are in the coverage area). Not a big outlay IIRC. As for the cruise ship, why would you need roaming there in the first place? At most, I needed the camera app... and a navigation app when ashore.

I got the T-Mobile North America plan, which lets me use my phone anywhere in...North America! No roaming charges...no data stoppage (it will slow down its speed after a certain limit tho. No big deal, to me.). I travel in Canada a lot, so this plan was the reason I switched phone companies.

[mathnerd]

I got the T-Mobile North America plan, which lets me use my phone anywhere in...North America! No roaming charges...no data stoppage (it will slow down its speed after a certain limit tho. No big deal, to me.). I travel in Canada a lot, so this plan was the reason I switched phone companies.

I have an international plan, but as far as I know, it only lets me call international numbers, not bounce off non-U.S. towers.

CCII, I'll look into blocking capabilities. We go to that park a lot, as well as some other areas nearby that regularly bounce off Mexican towers. Living in a border town can be fun!

[Pagan]

An Idiot (Not) abroad

One of my reps got a call from a customer who was freaking out because she'd been in New Mexico for a few days and was worried she'd have to pay international charges.

The New Mexico one made me laugh. Isn't there a member here who's location also says "New Mexico, we're a state!" or something like that?

That would be me. It's the reason why there's no shortage of material for "On of our 50 is Missing" in NM Magazine. Why there's FB page called "New Mexico is not Part of Mexico You Dumbass". Why we all have at least one story. And why we can all spot the gringo turista that is sure they're in a foreign country.

[notalwaysright]

That would be me. It's the reason why there's no shortage of material for "On of our 50 is Missing" in NM Magazine. Why there's FB page called "New Mexico is not Part of Mexico You Dumbass". Why we all have at least one story. And why we can all spot the gringo turista that is sure they're in a foreign country.

I know I shouldn't be, but I'm totally blown away by how many stories there are about people who don't know that New Mexico is a state.

Of course, I was also surprised when I was on the East Coast, how many people didn't know where Washington State is. I just figured, we're a large-ish state, somewhat well known for stuff like Starbucks and Boeing and Amazon... But I was wrong. I was introduced to the phrase "flyover state" and told that it was anything "in the middle." I said, "but Washington isn't in the middle... It's the northwest corner of the continental US." They said "really?"

[mathnerd]

I know I shouldn't be, but I'm totally blown away by how many stories there are about people who don't know that New Mexico is a state.

Of course, I was also surprised when I was on the East Coast, how many people didn't know where Washington State is. I just figured, we're a large-ish state, somewhat well known for stuff like Starbucks and Boeing and Amazon... But I was wrong. I was introduced to the phrase "flyover state" and told that it was anything "in the middle." I said, "but Washington isn't in the middle... It's the northwest corner of the continental US." They said "really?"

I recall being confused between Washington D.C. and Washington State, when I was about 7. I seriously fear for the future when I hear things like this.

[wolfie]

Of course, I was also surprised when I was on the East Coast, how many people didn't know where Washington State is.

But Bangor and Portland (yes, I know it's in Oregon, but people with that level of geographical knowledge wouldn't be able to find the west coast anyway) are in Maine! You live in Washington? How often do you visit the Smithsonian?

[gerund]

I know I shouldn't be, but I'm totally blown away by how many stories there are about people who don't know that New Mexico is a state.

I thought this was funny.

[NecessaryCatharsis]

I recall being confused between Washington D.C. and Washington State, when I was about 7. I seriously fear for the future when I hear things like this.

I still get them confused, much closer to 37 than to 7. One's near BC and Oregon, and the other is near Maryland, but I keep forgetting which is which. Does not being american count as a reasonable excuse?


Probably not. But I was well aware that New Mexico is a state, if that helps any.

[Cia]

I know I shouldn't be, but I'm totally blown away by how many stories there are about people who don't know that New Mexico is a state.

Of course, I was also surprised when I was on the East Coast, how many people didn't know where Washington State is. I just figured, we're a large-ish state, somewhat well known for stuff like Starbucks and Boeing and Amazon... But I was wrong. I was introduced to the phrase "flyover state" and told that it was anything "in the middle." I said, "but Washington isn't in the middle... It's the northwest corner of the continental US." They said "really?"

South Dakota is fly-over country, Washington State on the other hand is not.

No one is going to miss us when the caldera in Yellowstone blows. Hell, they probably won't even notice we're gone until they start wondering why Ellsworth AFB doesn't pick up its phone.

[Soulstealer]

When I was 15 I was flying on my own between my home country and the usa for a move. I had a stop over in what I thought was New York and panicked when the announcement said we we're landing in New Jersey thinking I somehow got on the wrong plane. That's the day I learnt about a place called Newark.

[TheSHAD0W]

Regarding "an idiot abroad" - there's an option on my Red Checkmark phone that disables international roaming, and it was set by default, so if he had a similar option he's doubly damned.

I'm sure glad I have that option, too; I live in a border city and have occasionally found my phone telling me I'd have to enable roaming in Me-HEE-ko to get data access.

[Kit-Ginevra]

http://www.sporcle.com/games/g/states
100% suckers...I go alphabetically.Easy! :P

[wolfie]

No one is going to miss us when the caldera in Yellowstone blows. Hell, they probably won't even notice we're gone until they start wondering why Ellsworth AFB doesn't pick up its phone.

That could easily turn VERY bad - if someone assumed that Ellsworth AFB going offline immediately after seismographs show substantial activity nearby is caused by humans and not nature.

[Sulhythal]

If I remember right if Yellowstone goes it's just VERY BAD anyway. That's the kind of thing that Extinction Level Events are made of.