Random Rants ΠΑ: That's a paddlin'

[aimeeandbeatles]

When my great grandmother was 93 years old (and still very spry!), she was crossing at a crosswalk and was hit by an off duty police officer who was speeding and ran the red light. And the city of Hamilton tried to drag out her lawsuit hoping she'd pass before it could be settled. That accident took years off her life

Great now I'm more afraid of crosswalks.

 

[Broken_Erika]

Well, I don't "just ride right through," like I said, I slow down enough to stop if the way isn't clear.

I usually pop to the side a bit, and cross the street. That way i'm not running a red, i'm just jaywalking. On a bike.

 

[Lexicus]

Great now I'm more afraid of crosswalks.

Incidentally, this is why I just don't take the "it's not safe to cross against a light" stuff seriously. Cars are not safe, period, you are not really safe unless there is a row of those anti-truck-bomb metal pole things between you and the traffic.

 

[choxorn]

Just like lions and jackals will tend to go for the very young, the very old, or the wounded zebra, a mugger will be looking for the weakest/ most distracted-looking potential victim(s) in the 'herd', the one(s) who's likely to offer the least resistance.

Which effectively means that a lot of crime prevention tips basically amount to "make sure he mugs the other guy instead of you"

I spent decades in computer operations and really didn't like being contacted 24/7. Now I hire people to take those calls, and a turned off phone guarantees that they do take the calls.

Have you considered that someone who's younger and less experienced might not being able to get other people to take calls for them and are instead the ones taking calls for others, and might get chewed out by their superiors of they're not always available to take phone calls?

 

[MaryKB]

I don't normally answer calls I'm not expecting, I much prefer if you text me before you call me (and preferably tell me what you want to talk about!)

I do not understand why people seem to enjoy punishing themselves by making me inflict my voice upon their unfortunate ears.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Rant: I'm trying to write but the sun is glaring on my monitor.

 

[Snerk]

Rant: I'm trying to write but the sun is glaring on my monitor.

Come to the arctic. We are in the process of disposing of the sun entirely. (at least for a few months)

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Come to the arctic. We are in the process of disposing of the sun entirely. (at least for a few months)

Is that why you eat so many cookies? So that you can hibernate through the dark months?

 

[Snerk]

Is that why you eat so many cookies? So that you can hibernate through the dark months?

That's right. My heart rate and metabolism drops dramatically and a solid cookie will keep me going for a long time.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Which effectively means that a lot of crime prevention tips basically amount to "make sure he mugs the other guy instead of you."

I dunno how this was meant, but it is a fundamental truth. It amazes me how often when people find out that I was a bank robber they ask "what would you do about security guards?" and seem totally shocked by the obvious answer "I'd rob a different bank." In a city with a "low" crime rate about one person in seventy will be hit by violent crime in any given year, while in a city with "high" crime it is more like one in fifty. So look at the next fifty people who pass by. Do at least a few of them look like a more inviting target than you do? If the answer is no, do something about it.

 

[rah]

Have you considered that someone who's younger and less experienced might not being able to get other people to take calls for them and are instead the ones taking calls for others, and might get chewed out by their superiors of they're not always available to take phone calls?

I'm retiring in a few months so I'm losing interest
My staff doesn't get chewed out. That's what I'm here for and most of senior management is still scared of me.

 

[MaryKB]

Tim, so naughty! Would you have robbed me if you came into my bank?

I fundamentally disagree with your approach, I feel crime prevention should be focused around criminals and addressing root causes.

 

[Synobun]

That's what I'm here for and most of senior management is still scared of me.

Is it because you put their cellphones in the Briefcase of Doom?

 

[rah]

Ah No. Senior managers like to bully people. I am not one to be bullied.

 

[Lexicus]

Come to the arctic. We are in the process of disposing of the sun entirely. (at least for a few months)

Do you celebrate a raucous holiday at the solstice to thank the sun in its mercy for returning to the north of the world?

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Tim, so naughty! Would you have robbed me if you came into my bank?

Probably. Flirting with the teller was part of my process.

I fundamentally disagree with your approach, I feel crime prevention should be focused around criminals and addressing root causes.

This is like the difference between macroeconomics and microeconomics. I agree with you completely regarding crime prevention...in a macro sense. That is exactly what governments and law enforcement agencies should be doing. However, that is operating at pretty close to its effective limits. Crime rates, at least in the US, are absurdly low already and that's why I included numbers for a "high" crime rate and a "low" crime rate. The move from "high" to "low" has negligible marginal effect, because both are down in the statistical noise range already.

So, that leaves the micro sense. I don't worry about my house being burglarized because I have two hundred pounds of dogs and half the houses on my block have none. Are there burglars who know how to handle dogs? Of course. But in the main a burglar will go right past my house without a second glance as long as he sees Feathers in the window with the first glance. I don't worry about getting mugged because I look low reward and high risk, and part of that high risk is that if I am in the open I am always on alert instead of on my phone. My personal behavior isn't going to affect crime rates (well, other than having chosen to retire from being a criminal) but it certainly can affect my own chances at whatever the local crime rate happens to be.

 

[Lexicus]

I use the "low reward" strategy myself, by dressing badly and having a cracked-up phone and a wallet that is literally falling apart. Who the hell is going to rob a dude with ill-fitting wrinkled clothes whose wallet is literally falling apart?

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Honestly, i think anyone who wanted to mug me would be afraid of my giant walking cane.

 

[MaryKB]

I understand what you're saying Tim, but I feel too often people ignore the macro part and focus entirely on the micro, and make their entire approach "If you're a victim, it's your fault." I find this gets especially egregious with crimes specifically affecting women.

I might also be taking for granted how I live in a virtually crime-free area and I don't worry often around here.

Personal new rant: OMG. I bought these new white tights, and I'm trying them on right now ... I love these tights, but my rant is so does Arya (one of my cats) She's attacking my feet, biting and digging in her claws, causing me to continually scream in agony.

 

[rah]

I use the "low reward" strategy myself, by dressing badly and having a cracked-up phone and a wallet that is literally falling apart. Who the hell is going to rob a dude with ill-fitting wrinkled clothes whose wallet is literally falling apart?

Looking like a old fart that hates technology and carrying a brief case is good cover to.