NationStates Jolt Archive

First, I duly incline my head to Smunkee, whose recent thread (http://www.forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=547219) needs to be credited with half-inspiring the creation of this one.

Now, as is my habit on Friday afternoons at 17:17, I'll need to rant a bit about the common stupidity and impoliteness of the general populace.

Let's talk personal space invasion, as exemplified perfectly with the commonplace inability to correctly use revolving doors (RVDs) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolving_doors), which are usually found in e.g. supermarkets here in Germany.

For those who are not all too familiar with the system: One of those sections in an RVD can comfortably hold only a limited amount of (Animated) Moving Objects or AMO; the latter acronym shall from now on also stand for one AMO unit.
One (1) AMO will now be defined as one (1) regularly overweight adult person; a small person shall get an AMO of 0.5, and a shopping cart with the person pushing it attached shall get the combined standard value of 2 AMO unless the person is terribly oversized, in which case it shall be upped to 3 AMO.

The regular German RVD is usually build to accommodate 3 AMO per section. That means, for example, that you can fit in two well-fed parents and their brat, or a mother pushing her shopping cart and her kid, or a group of three people.
It also means that you CANNOT fit in two shopping carts, much less two shopping carts and a bunch of kids, and even much less two shopping carts, the shopping cart pusher's spouses and their kids into a single section.
This, however, does not stop people from trying, much to the displeasure of the innocent bystander who rides in the next section and is affected by their stupidity because they keep bumping into their section's glass thingies, which, for safety reasons, makes the whole RVD stop - which, for logical and physical reasons (cue word: inertia), starts yet another wave of bumping into the glass doors anew.

I mean, seriously: If you cannot enter your RVD section with your cart in the regular way, but have to put it in a sideways position and sorta side-step dance with it once in the section, this is a dead hint that you ought to stay away and enter the next section.


I'm in favor of mandatory adult education where we cover such things as "personal hygiene" (maybe we need a completion certificate from that course in order to buy tickets for public transport?), "appropriate noise levels in public areas", "This is mine and this is yours, and that means not mine", "Being a parent and still not unnecessarily contribute to other people's annoyedness" and and "General interhuman politeness". And I don't mind my taxes going into that being state-funded, if necessary.

tl;dr.

They need to hurry up and invent those motion detecting self-opening doors in Germany. Revolving doors are for airports, although even those are vanishing here in the US nowadays.

revolving doors (RVDs) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolving_doors), which are usually found in e.g. supermarkets here in Germany.
I have never, ever seen a supermarket with revolving doors. How stupid would that be?

You're cleary hallucinating. Or you just live in an exceptionally shitty part of the country. Your pick.

tl;dr.That, too.

Learn2automatic doors.

I have to admit that in my country people don't appear to use common sense any more. We have idiots run out across the road without looking every day, those who go down the track at 60 mph and then complain the road was at fault when something breaks off or they go into a ditch, and worst of all the cyclists.....

I think it isn't a matter of respecting personal space but rather using your initiative, spacial awareness and common sense to actually carry out asks. If people could do that, I would be hapy. Yet the government in this country seems to be cocking up everything at the moment, so I won't expect miracles in the near-mid future. [/RANT]

I am opposed to revolving doors. Yes, I understand they have verious functional purposes, but they enhance stupidity and that overrides all other considerations.

Such large revolving doors are relatively unusual in the US. Most buildings use sliding doors, which are much, much better. Most US revolving doors are meant to accommodate only one person per section. At most, a person might reasonably bring a small child into their section with them, but they are well-advised to carry the child rather than let it shuffle along on its feet, because they really just can't keep up. The doors, which are often mechanical, not automated, tend to reach a kind of "cruising speed" that small kids can't handle, leading to bumping and loss of momentum.

But leaving parental stupidity aside, there's the plain vanilla dumbassery of adults, who can see perfectly well that the sections of the revolving door are small and that the damned thing is moving nicely, and they won't have to wait more than a fraction of a second to jump into a section of their own, but who still jump into your section behind you, forcing you to go through the door with some unwelcome stranger pretty much plastered to your ass. Such idiots almost always carry bags with them too, making the experience even more unpleasant. One time, one of these butt-riders jumped in behind me carrying multiple shopping bags and a big fat ass of her own, thus overloading the door section and bringing it to a dead halt, forcing me, in front, to have to push hard to get it moving again. I do believe I said something to her like, "Geez, bitch, get the hell off me. Are you fucking stupid?"

So, what you're saying is that stupidity isn't a purely North American phenomenon, it's a human trait....

So, what you're saying is that stupidity isn't a purely North American phenomenon, it's a human trait....

Does that make me superhuman?

They need to hurry up and invent those motion detecting self-opening doors in Germany. Revolving doors are for airports, although even those are vanishing here in the US nowadays.

We have those, too. IIUC, revolving doors are favored by those who like to keep the outside (read:cold) air from coming in, seeing how they never allow direct contact between inside and outside air.

I have never, ever seen a supermarket with revolving doors. How stupid would that be?

You're cleary hallucinating. Or you just live in an exceptionally shitty part of the country. Your pick.

EXTRA, Bielefeld. And many other places. You're weird.

The doors, which are often mechanical, not automated, tend to reach a kind of "cruising speed" that small kids can't handle, leading to bumping and loss of momentum.
I only ever see the automated ones here, which doesn't make the experience one iota better.

they won't have to wait more than a fraction of a second to jump into a section of their own, but still jump into your section behind you, forcing you to go through the door with some unwelcome stranger pretty much plastered to your ass. Oh, yes. Exactly. This is, by the by, where the body odor / personal hygiene class comes into play again, too.

Does that make me superhuman?

No... *uses a pin to deflate your ego*

So, what you're saying is that stupidity isn't a purely North American phenomenon, it's a human trait....

Yeah, that's been the integrative-educative angle to my post I've tied so hard to play on..

Yeah, that's been the integrative-educative angle to my post I've tied so hard to play on..

Try hitting it over the head with a frying pan. *nods* If nothing else, at least it will make a big mess for someone else to clean up.

I'm in favor of mandatory adult education where we cover such things as "personal hygiene" (maybe we need a completion certificate from that course in order to buy tickets for public transport?), "appropriate noise levels in public areas", "This is mine and this is yours, and that means not mine", "Being a parent and still not unnecessarily contribute to other people's annoyedness" and and "General interhuman politeness". And I don't mind my taxes going into that being state-funded, if necessary.
There aren't many government programs I support, but this is one of them.

Bielefeld.
QED

No... *uses a pin to deflate your ego*
:(
QED

ITT: German in-jokes.

I'm in favor of mandatory adult education where we cover such things as "personal hygiene" (maybe we need a completion certificate from that course in order to buy tickets for public transport?), "appropriate noise levels in public areas", "This is mine and this is yours, and that means not mine", "Being a parent and still not unnecessarily contribute to other people's annoyedness" and and "General interhuman politeness". And I don't mind my taxes going into that being state-funded, if necessary.
Please include "It's Called a SideWalk, Not A SideStandNextToYourChumsYammeringWhileYouBlockAllThroughTraffic" and "On-Ramps And You: How To Merge Like A Non-Fuckwit."

we don't have RVD's in Hawaii... :(

Please include "It's Called a SideWalk, Not A SideStandNextToYourChumsYammeringWhileYouBlockAllThroughTraffic" and "On-Ramps And You: How To Merge Like A Non-Fuckwit."

I know many people who would get this book from me as a gift.

wtfl;cbftr

And the best part about those RVDs is that most are equipped with an emergency system that stops the revolution if you give the built-in separators a nudge or a soft kick.

This usually happens when people get too pushy or the Arschlochkind thinks it's funny.

Another thing that drives people absolutely crazy is when you hit the disabled-person-button and the RVD slows down to a crawl. (Now I see its use - but whenever I feel like it, I push said button and use the real doors installed left and right of the RVD. Muahahaha.)


As for personal space - I thought you were going to talk about people getting in your face and thus intruding in your "personal air space" or "comfort zone".

When you're so close I can't focus on your face properly, don't be amazed when appropriate countermeasures are engaged.

First, I duly incline my head to Smunkee, whose recent thread (http://www.forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=547219) needs to be credited with half-inspiring the creation of this one.

Now, as is my habit on Friday afternoons at 17:17, I'll need to rant a bit about the common stupidity and impoliteness of the general populace.

Let's talk personal space invasion, as exemplified perfectly with the commonplace inability to correctly use revolving doors (RVDs) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolving_doors), which are usually found in e.g. supermarkets here in Germany.

For those who are not all too familiar with the system: One of those sections in an RVD can comfortably hold only a limited amount of (Animated) Moving Objects or AMO; the latter acronym shall from now on also stand for one AMO unit.
One (1) AMO will now be defined as one (1) regularly overweight adult person; a small person shall get an AMO of 0.5, and a shopping cart with the person pushing it attached shall get the combined standard value of 2 AMO unless the person is terribly oversized, in which case it shall be upped to 3 AMO.

The regular German RVD is usually build to accommodate 3 AMO per section. That means, for example, that you can fit in two well-fed parents and their brat, or a mother pushing her shopping cart and her kid, or a group of three people.
It also means that you CANNOT fit in two shopping carts, much less two shopping carts and a bunch of kids, and even much less two shopping carts, the shopping cart pusher's spouses and their kids into a single section.
This, however, does not stop people from trying, much to the displeasure of the innocent bystander who rides in the next section and is affected by their stupidity because they keep bumping into their section's glass thingies, which, for safety reasons, makes the whole RVD stop - which, for logical and physical reasons (cue word: inertia), starts yet another wave of bumping into the glass doors anew.

I mean, seriously: If you cannot enter your RVD section with your cart in the regular way, but have to put it in a sideways position and sorta side-step dance with it once in the section, this is a dead hint that you ought to stay away and enter the next section.


I'm in favor of mandatory adult education where we cover such things as "personal hygiene" (maybe we need a completion certificate from that course in order to buy tickets for public transport?), "appropriate noise levels in public areas", "This is mine and this is yours, and that means not mine", "Being a parent and still not unnecessarily contribute to other people's annoyedness" and and "General interhuman politeness". And I don't mind my taxes going into that being state-funded, if necessary.

I don't know why I enjoy reading peoples' rants, but I do. Maybe it's some sadist tendency in me. :)

Although, I do agree with you. There aren't many revolving doors where I live (or, at least, places I frequent), but people in general have no idea how to use them sensibly. I dislike lifts for the same invasion of space, but there's not much that can be done with them, they're made to be filled to capacity.

And yes, education should continue into adulthood, people should always be learning something new be it about themselves, history, another interest of theirs, or acceptable social interactions.

Please include "It's Called a SideWalk, Not A SideStandNextToYourChumsYammeringWhileYouBlockAllThroughTraffic" and "On-Ramps And You: How To Merge Like A Non-Fuckwit."

And "It's Called a SideWalk, Not A SideRide Your Bicycle Over Pedestrians".

And "It's Called a SideWalk, Not A SideRide Your Bicycle Over Pedestrians".

Tbh, I find it more common when I'm cycling that pedestrians walk out in the road without looking. I suppose in places with less cycle lanes it may be more of a problem.

There aren't many government programs I support, but this is one of them.

Umm.. vote SoWiBi for President? I'll TG you the minute I have my nomination for any election whatsoever.

ITT: German in-jokes.

Yeah, we're special like that. Uh.. vote Germany for Preseident (again)?

Please include "It's Called a SideWalk, Not A SideStandNextToYourChumsYammeringWhileYouBlockAllThroughTraffic" and "On-Ramps And You: How To Merge Like A Non-Fuckwit."

Hmm, I was thinking about merging that with a "Just because the thing where the escalator ends is called a landing does not mean that you and your bunch of stupid chatty friends need to land on it for hours and hours" and "No, 'I don't use my turn signal because it's non of your business where I'm going' is neither a funny bumper sticker nor an acceptable driving policy".

wtfl;cbftr

You need to be fucked to read? I may consider including a literacy course in my adult education centers, then.

And the best part about those RVDs is that most are equipped with an emergency system that stops the revolution if you give the built-in separators a nudge or a soft kick.
I blush to admit that it gives me a certain kick when other people start using the idiosyncratic acronyms I created.
And yeah, what amazes me most about that technology is that it starts a vicious circle, because the often rather sudden stop usually makes someone else hit the separator in front of them (usually those poor people who walk with their nose firmly pressed to the separator in order to not have the irresponsible person who squeezed in behind them firmly pressed to their ass).

As for personal space - I thought you were going to talk about people getting in your face and thus intruding in your "personal air space" or "comfort zone".

I was thinking about that, too, but then I decided that'd get waaayyy to much. Another day, another thread. Maybe.

I blush to admit that it gives me a certain kick when other people start using the idiosyncratic acronyms I created.
I aim to please.
And yeah, what amazes me most about that technology is that it starts a vicious circle, because the often rather sudden stop usually makes someone else hit the separator in front of them (usually those poor people who walk with their nose firmly pressed to the separator in order to not have the irresponsible person who squeezed in behind them firmly pressed to their ass).
Admit it: You're talking about yourself?
I was thinking about that, too, but then I decided that'd get waaayyy to much. Another day, another thread. Maybe.
True. True.

So, what you're saying is that stupidity isn't a purely North American phenomenon, it's a human trait....

Exactly

Does that make me superhuman?

Must... Bite... Tongue...
;)

I'd care more if it wasn't retarded to have a revolving door in a supermarket.

And about the heating cooling comment - it's called a lobby. Two sets of doors no less than 8 feet apart that section off the entrance area. Like some sort of redneck airlock.

Please include "It's Called a SideWalk, Not A SideStandNextToYourChumsYammeringWhileYouBlockAllThroughTraffic" and "On-Ramps And You: How To Merge Like A Non-Fuckwit."
At least people there know pedestrians go on the sidewalk. The schmucks here go for walks/runs/jogs on the road. And I don't mean, in the boondocks, I mean in new neighborhoods right next to the sidewalk. One day I am going to lose it and run some fuckwit pedestrians over.