BTW, the road in the top map of my previous post shows "The Tail of the Dragon," one of the top ten driving roads in the USA. Here is how it looks from a MINI CooperS...
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAneGgtn24k
CD
CD
The General Chat Thread (2016-2022)
- Thread starter SatNavSaysStraightOn
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rascal
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Lullabelle
Midlands, England
Pouring down here today.
My virtual bro. Similar reactions, similar reactions. We changed our Volvo in late spring and it's taken months and several strands of hair to come to terms with all the gizmos, alert buttons and adjustments of our secondhand automobile. Conclusion: we have to release/switch off the old-fashioned, detached GPS and a few side collision alert buttons manually every time we start the ~10y old but little driven car. Argh.We're going on a driving vacation starting tomorrow, gone about 11 days to scout a potential retirement location about a day's drive away.
We chose to rent a car this time, as both our cars are getting a little age on them, and it's nice to put miles on someone else's car for a change. It's always fun to get a different/new car for a few days, but more recently, with all the extra electronic options added to cars, it's getting frustrating trying to figure out how to simply drive the thing.
Keyless entry and start...ok, that's not so new, but it's something I'm not used to, since neither of my cars have that, and I always spend 20 seconds after I first get in the car looking for the ignition slot, and 20 seconds after I park it, looking for the key to turn and pull out of the ignition slot.
Then it's figuring out how to unlock and open fuel cap cover. Sometimes it just opens, sometimes it locks, sometimes there's a release on the floor...or the dash...or the console...or sometimes it's like this one, you just push straight down on it and it softly opens. Glad I asked the rep at the agency, because I would have never figured that out.
Then there's making sure the A/C controls look reasonable, and onto the nav/entertainment system. When I started the car, it was playing...something, and I had to start randomly pressing button and turning knobs before I found the set that controlled the system, as nothing has, you know, words on it to explain what it is, just hieroglyphics that mean next to nothing to me. On top of that, the nav screen is made to look like it has touchscreen controls on it...but it ain't touchscreen, I can attest to that.
On the way home, I wanted to make sure I could get the speed control to work, because I always use that, and we have a full day of interstate/motorway driving tomorrow. Thankfully, cruise control systems are all the same, right? Turn the system on, get to the speed you want, press the set button, press cancel or tap the brake to cancel it, right?
Wrong.
This one has a multi-function switch that can be pushed, or toggled up and down, and it's set inside another switch that can be pressed. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out how in the world to set it. It would come on, then no matter how I toggled, pressed, or twisted the knobbies, the little jerk refused to cooperate, and just made a bleating sheep-like sound to register its mocking disapproval.
Quick check of the glove box revealed, wonder of wonders, the owner's manual, which I think in the hundreds of cars I've rented over the years, might be just the second time I've seen one in a rental. No problem, I'll check that when I get home.
Just started to relax and...oh, let me scooch around this squirrel that's in my lane, no worries, no other cars within miles, nice backroad, and...WHAM-BAM-SHIMMY-LIMMY-DING-DONG!!!...the steering wheel began to violently shake, and the dashboard lit up like a fireworks display. WHAT! THE! F...?!?!
After I finished emptying my bowels and bladder and recovering from my heart attack, I guessed that maybe the car has some of that new CAB (Crash Avoidance Bullsh..) that I've seen in car ads. Turns out I was right. No worries, good ol' owner's manual will sort that out.
Got home, went into the glove box to get the owner's manual, and I found I needed two hands to lug it out and into the house. 636 pages, and no, that's all in English, not padded by including copies in various other languages. Oh well, I'm sure I'll figure it out.
Cruise control...cruise control...here we go, "How To Set The ASCAAS" - one question...what's ASCAAS? Keep reading, Tasty...
"To activate the ASCAAS <I guess that's their proprietary name for 'cruise control'>, ensure the vehicle is moving in a forward-like direction, at least 20mph, and press once the ASCAAS MCS (see page 2-17 for MCS information). Note the ASCAAS activation icon now displays on the MFDU in the lower-right corner and may optionally display on HUDADU, if so equipped (see pages 2-19 through 2-22 for MFDU information, and pages 2-27 through 2-30, 4-117, and 8-44 for HUDADU information)."
Eventually, I figured out the cruise control by going for another drive and angrily smashing all the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel at once, which managed to set the speed, so it's some combination of toggling and pressing that did the trick, because now that seems to work every time.
I did discover that the earthquake-like shaking was indeed due to my temporary crossing of the center lane to save that poor squirrel, and I also discovered how to shut that crap off - so no blind spot warning, driver nodding off warning, lane encroachment warning, braking assist, parking assist, night blindness assist, rear traffic warning, oncoming traffic warning for me. I'm going to have to take my chances by actually, you know, driving the car. Imagine that.
Next up, I have to work out how to lower the brightness of dashboard lights. There must be a cluster of unlabeled buttons I can smash that does that.
Despite the lack of a (constant) view towards Calderwood Lake, "The Tail of the Dragon" route looks quite similar to our route to the countryside (summer place). I enjoy the scenery every time we drive there.
The hotel backs right up against a residential area, good for taking a walk.
Looks good to me - are you going to be cooking?
Heck no, I'm on vacation! I was mad because I had to wash a glass yesterday!
Heck no, I'm on vacation! I was mad because I had to wash a glass yesterday!
I really like cooking on vacation. Its a long tome since I had any sort of holiday though and I can't see how I can realistically do so anymore. I'm still to nervous about Covid anyway so its a bit immaterial.
You would be nervous here, that's for sure. I know I am.
At home, even though we we have a low vaccination rate, we do have signs up everywhere about wearing masks and social distancing.
Here...one sign at the hotel, stating it's optional for workers and guests, but no one is wearing them, and no one is following the elevator rules (one family or two people max) - I've been taking the stairs.
Virtually no one is masking. At home, I'd guess when I go grocery shopping, it's at about 50%, and all the workers are wearing them. Here, no signs about any recommendations and I'd say masking is at 10% or lower, and no workers wearing them.
No workers wearing masks at the restaurant this morning, and we had one of those extra-chummy waitresses who leaned down, put her forearms on the small table between us, so she was maybe five inches from our faces, then heavily breathed out, "Whatcha havin' hon?" - whatever you've already got, apparently...
I hate cooking on vacation, because I get very little relief from it at home, and I want a break. This is a huuuuuge farming area, naturally, so fresh food and veg and dairy and meat abound, much of it sold right at the farms producing it.
Here...one sign at the hotel, stating it's optional for workers and guests, but no one is wearing them, and no one is following the elevator rules (one family or two people max) - I've been taking the stairs.
Virtually no one is masking. At home, I'd guess when I go grocery shopping, it's at about 50%, and all the workers are wearing them. Here, no signs about any recommendations and I'd say masking is at 10% or lower, and no workers wearing them.
No workers wearing masks at the restaurant this morning, and we had one of those extra-chummy waitresses who leaned down, put her forearms on the small table between us, so she was maybe five inches from our faces, then heavily breathed out, "Whatcha havin' hon?" - whatever you've already got, apparently...
I'd be terrified! My kids take lateral flow tests before they meet with me in any indoor space.
rascal
Forum GOD!
24 deg c yesterday, kids played on our waterslide and back yard cricket, it was a great day.
Russ
rascal
Forum GOD!
You would be nervous here, that's for sure. I know I am.
At home, even though we we have a low vaccination rate, we do have signs up everywhere about wearing masks and social distancing.
Here...one sign at the hotel, stating it's optional for workers and guests, but no one is wearing them, and no one is following the elevator rules (one family or two people max) - I've been taking the stairs.
Virtually no one is masking. At home, I'd guess when I go grocery shopping, it's at about 50%, and all the workers are wearing them. Here, no signs about any recommendations and I'd say masking is at 10% or lower, and no workers wearing them.
No workers wearing masks at the restaurant this morning, and we had one of those extra-chummy waitresses who leaned down, put her forearms on the small table between us, so she was maybe five inches from our faces, then heavily breathed out, "Whatcha havin' hon?" - whatever you've already got, apparently...
I hate cooking on vacation, because I get very little relief from it at home, and I want a break. This is a huuuuuge farming area, naturally, so fresh food and veg and dairy and meat abound, much of it sold right at the farms producing it.
When we go on holiday with kids and grandkids I’m still the breakfast cook and evening cook. Doesn’t bother me as I love cooking for the wee ones. There is an unwritten rule, fend for yourself at lunchtime.
Russ
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You remind me of a time 10 years ago when we met my parents in Norway. Right up in the top, in the far north where there are few and far of anything between large open, treeless tundra... they had picked up the rental car in Alta the biggest place around and there was little much of it as a town.I've been fighting thatcar all day today. Headlights are weird, wipers are completely abnormal (and it rained all day), and it took me about four hours to figure out the climate system, and the nav system is beyond complicated.
I'm sure it'd be fine if I actually owned the thing, sat down with the manual, and spent an afternoon going through all the settings and getting everything just so to my liking, but as a rental, something you're supposed to just hop in and take off down the road, it's a
Here's the hotel, though, a Hilton Home2Suites, a somewhat newer one of their brands:
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It's very spartan, almost European-like, and the kitchenette is well-kitted, including one of those induction burners you see in so many YT videos now. It even has a proper dishwasher, and the fridge is nearly full-sized.
My step father was having issues with the hire car. Couldn't get his head around the keyless contact... walk away with the keys in your pocket and it will lock after a set period of time.
Walk up to the car to test if it is locked and guess what? It opens each and every time. My parents' conclusion was that it wasn't working, specifically that it never locked itself... Now exactly what they had to be stolen beyond passports is questionable. And what there was around to steal what they had, once away from the community is even more of a question... they are the type of people who ask for a map when there is only the 1 road to follow and when you get to the end of it there is a signpost, left or right. That's you're only choice. North or south and quite frankly when you're at the most northerly part of mainland Europe, there's not much north left above 71° on the map....
So it took my husband to physically remove the keys from the hands of my step father, and walk away from the car... wait for it to lock itself and then get him to try opening the car. Locked.... But the very concept that he didn't need the keys to lock or unlock the doors he couldn't handle. Ironically pushing a button to start the engine, he was completely fine with but not being able to push a button to lock the car he couldn't get his head around. Lol.
Separately...
Contactless keys are great to a point and that point is reached when the car is unlocked, away from home and the key is lost... the situation is worse when the other set of keys area at home, you've no mobile phone with you and to make matters worse, you've only the one car... The situation was we were stranded at the tip after hubby lost the car key throwing the rubbish into the landfill area. The key was never seen again... no phone meant we couldn't ring for a taxi to collect hubby to go and get the spare car key and so on.... lesson learnt. You always remove the key from your pocket at the tip, and put out safely in the car before emptying everything out. That way you may still have a key when you try to drive away after emptying the bins.
rascal
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Wife’s back to work, school hols over. Things back to normal. Daughter took a heap of my plants, lettuces etc. nice day here.
Russ
Russ
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