What's your hurry?

[Talk Host]

Okay, here goes, and I have my flame suit on. :loco:

So often I hear people say, and I read here, things like, "what's your hurry, we're all retired." I've seen people dead stop in traffic and wave others across saying, "I'm in no hurry, I'm retired." There was recently a comment about grocery store checkout lines and "what's your big hurry."

Well, normal pace is not necessarily "hurry." The whole world operates at a certain pace and any interruption to normal pace can bolix up everything. From time to time, I encounter golfers playing slowly, saying "What's your big hurry," while they back up the entire golf course. People doddle after dinner sitting for long periods because they are "retired.....what's the rush." Never mind that there are people waiting outside for a table.

Is it okay for the ambulance to slow down because this is a retirement community?

I don't feel that just because a person is retired, they should automatically "slow down to a snails pace." That is an invitation to lethargy and an abdication of responsibilities for order in society. I'm afraid an airplane will not wait for us if we drive slowly to the airport because we are "retired."

Now, I know that some are going to say, "Well Talk Host, do you want us to run around at break neck speed?" Read carefully, I am not saying that, I am saying that I believe retirement is not a license to slow down the whole world. Until the day we die, we all have a responsibility to help keep things running smoothly and on time. There are three speeds, slow, normal and fast.

[Russ_Boston]

This is a weird day - I think I actually agree with you TH!

[Bogie Shooter]

Drove on Buena Vista, north of 466 this PM. When was the speed limit changed to 50 MPH??

[Boomer]

Well, TH, I don't have any comment on the rest of the stuff you said, but that thing about tying up restaurant tables hit my hot button. That one has nothing to do with being retired and feeling no need to hurry. That one has everything to do with a sense of entitlement and quite simply being downright rude.

People waiting in those lines are not considered in the least by those squatters. But also, they never even remotely consider the server who is trying to make a living while a bunch of clueless, rude, self-important weenies sit around at the table long after they are finished and keep that table from turning.

And thinking about such a situation makes me wonder, but not for long, if the sense of entitlement that reigns supreme in such a scene just might correlate with the propensity to be a lousy tipper. Anybody who does that to a server in a busy restaurant should be willing to at least finally stand up -- in more ways than one -- and leave a serious amount of tip on the table for that server. And I do mean a serious amount.

How would those table squatters like it if the servers came to their place of work and camped out in their offices or whatever and tied up their computers or whatever.

Well, I know, TH, that one does not have anything to do with being retired and not being in a hurry. That one has to do with an across-the-board display of an absolute lack of anything even close to just plain havin' a little class.

Geez. I feel so much better now, TH. Hey. Thanks for asking.

Big Picture Boomer

[l2ridehd]

TH I agree. I want to get in as much as possible between now and when I cross over and that means not wasting time anywhere. Now I don't mean run through life as fast as possible, but also don't waste time unnecessarily.

[graciegirl]

Excellent thing to think about TH. I think that each of us was born with a certain rate of speed built in and it seems to be the rate we feel comfortable doing things.

But your other points are well taken too. It is often the difference between being responsible or irresponsible. Boomer, your point is well made too, about taking so much time at restaurants that we take away from a servers income.

AND of course there is that old "parent tape". How many times have we been told, "Get a wiggle on, we're going to be late". It too may be related to the size of city we lived in and the kinds of people who raised us, taught us and lived with us.

Excellent thing to think about.

[NebraskaRon]

Retired and slow are two different things.

Retired means I get to choose what I am going to do and when. It does not mean that what I am doing is not important nor that my time is any less valuable than when I worked.

In fact, in some ways I seem busier now than when I worked -- despite a rather responsblle job. As I told a friend recently that asked how I liked being retired, "I am not sure how I ever found time to work!"

Sooooo, being retired is a poor excuse for being slow or inconsiderate. :crap2:

[billethkid]

slowing down because one is retired or old(er).

It has all to do with the totally unacceptable speeding, running red lights, rolling through stop signs or not stopping at all, racing around the round-a-bouts and the some times pushy shovey folks that just can't get to the front of the line fast enough.

The majority here in TV live life at a reasonable pace no matter the age. Then there are those few, but way too many, that think the rules and courtesy are not a part of life....anywhere.

btk

[Rag Bagger]

Mind if I take time to think about this?

[rshoffer]

Here's your hat....

[Talk Host]

Here's your hat....

:shrug:

[Pturner]

I'm guessing, "thinking cap". :read:

[Boomer]

TH, he is probably alluding to the idiom, "Here's your hat. What's your hurry?"

Boomer

PS: Do I get a prize?

[Pturner]

TH, he is probably alluding to the idiom, "Here's your hat. What's your hurry?"

Boomer

PS: Do I get a prize?

Boomer,
Speaking of idioms, I would say, "your guess is as good as mine"-- except that yours is better. "Hat's off." :)

[quill]

As much as I wnted to let this go I just could not. Boomer your quote

"People waiting in those lines are not considered in the least by those squatters. But also, they never even remotely consider the server who is trying to make a living while a bunch of clueless, rude, self-important weenies sit around at the table long after they are finished and keep that table from turning."

After having lived in Europe for over 15 years of my life I find the American attitude to eating out extremely strange. In Europe if you have a table it is yours for the evening, there is no expectation from the restaurant or server that you will be leaving any time soon. And in fact one of the biggest complaints I used to hear from Americans was that they could not get served and service was slow. After living this for a while I cherished getting together and going out to dinner and talking and having a nice multi course meal. Instead of having my food thrown at me and having the check put on the table before I was done with my food. And we did tip on top of the fact that the tip is built into the bill over there. We have found the easy way to avoid waiting is to eat when the crowd is not. Been in restaurants in Sumpter when 7PM rolled around and we were the only ones there. Big difference and it is difficult to understand unless you have actually lived it, is that Europeans like to live life on another plane of existence. They seem to enjoy life more than we do. We run around with our hair on fire. I do not consider myself self important, clueless or rude. When I eat out with friends, I do it to enjoy their company and the meal. And again I tip well.

[Donna2]

I'm with Boomer on this one. I bet the squatters are lousy tippers too. Rude is rude is rude.

[Boomer]

As much as I wnted to let this go I just could not. Boomer your quote

"People waiting in those lines are not considered in the least by those squatters. But also, they never even remotely consider the server who is trying to make a living while a bunch of clueless, rude, self-important weenies sit around at the table long after they are finished and keep that table from turning."

After having lived in Europe for over 15 years of my life I find the American attitude to eating out extremely strange. In Europe if you have a table it is yours for the evening, there is no expectation from the restaurant or server that you will be leaving any time soon. And in fact one of the biggest complaints I used to hear from Americans was that they could not get served and service was slow. After living this for a while I cherished getting together and going out to dinner and talking and having a nice multi course meal. Instead of having my food thrown at me and having the check put on the table before I was done with my food. And we did tip on top of the fact that the tip is built into the bill over there. We have found the easy way to avoid waiting is to eat when the crowd is not. Been in restaurants in Sumpter when 7PM rolled around and we were the only ones there. Big difference and it is difficult to understand unless you have actually lived it, is that Europeans like to live life on another plane of existence. They seem to enjoy life more than we do. We run around with our hair on fire. I do not consider myself self important, clueless or rude. When I eat out with friends, I do it to enjoy their company and the meal. And again I tip well.

Hi quill,

I love to have dinner like that. I am sure you are not clueless or rude. You are talking about a completely different attitude all around. And I bet you know when and where to find that kind of dining. And I guess in TV during the busy season, when becomes the operative word in that one.(But the fact remains that the stuff I got into my little snit over happens all the time.)

You are so right about the European way of dining. Many years ago, I was crossing from England to NY on the QEII and in the cabin was a little booklet that gave Europeans a heads-up about our habits here. I remember reading it aloud and rolling on the floor laughing. I may still have that booklet stashed away somewhere. But I vaguely remember a line that said something about how we dash around from appointment to appointment, snatching hamburgers from stalls to wolf down on the run -- or some such wording. I loved it. And I knew it was true sometimes. But not of everybody and not all the time. It was a stereotyping, but still fun to read. .

I really do understand what you are saying here. And I agree that dining like that is lovely. That is not the kind of situation that I meant when I got started on the squatters. I like to look at things from different perspectives. Thank you for sharing your thoughts here.

And I knew when I was reading your post that you are a good tipper. I could just tell, even before I read the last sentence. So....Happy Dining!

Boomer

[Barefoot]

My complaint on rushing is when there is no need for it, or nothing that could reasonably be done about it.

:agree: Sometimes chilling out is the best alternative.

[otherbruddaDarrell]

Ok...........rude is rude and fast is fast........which part of the country are most of these types coming from I wonder...............

[islandgal]

quill - this article (published in 1998) confirms your post. I miss the leisurely dining out I remember in my
youth - still didn't compare to European, but it was much more enjoyable without the rush there is today.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_49_32/ai_53382145/?tag=content;col1

[Talk Host]

I've spent lots of time in East and West Europe. Dining out in Europe is a pleasure. Many many times in Russia, our restaurant dinners started at 7 p.m. and ended at 11 p.m. (best as I can remember, that is)

I have never seen anyone jam their brakes on in a traffic circle and wave a pedestrian across while saying, "go ahead, I'm in no hurry, I'm European." :girlneener:

[l2ridehd]

In Europe, the wait staff is paid a salary and do not require tips to make a living. So they don't care about table turn rate. When you go out you do get the table for the evening. Tipping in Europe, especially by the locals, is smaller then the US, usually 5% to 10% or less. Here when you tie up a table so you can dine in leisure, you are impacting the staffs income. So if you do chose to take 3 to 4 hours to dine, please make sure you tip an extra amount to compensate the lost income. Probably 30% or more.

[GatbTester]

Who among us has not seen impatient drivers on Buena Vista and Morse Blvds? More than we care to remember I am sure. The sheer safety issues are staggering. Is it a question of the need for speed or excitement? What possible excitement can one achieve by passing one of us at 50MPH in a posted 35MPH zone, and then have to brake down quickly for a round a bout? I think it reflects upon the individuals who do not give a tinkers damn of anyone else around them, they are the same selfish older people they were twenty five years ago or more.

In my humble opinion, as stated before, it has a lot to do with CLASS and how one interacts here in TV and from what I have seen there are a large number of classless individuals living here.:grumpy::grumpy:

[spk7951]

In my humble opinion, as stated before, it has a lot to do with CLASS and how one interacts here in TV and from what I have seen there are a large number of classless individuals living here.:grumpy::grumpy:

I would respectfully disagree with you on this point. While I do agree that the issue has a lot to do with class and consideration for others, I think you are making an assumption that every poor driver lives in TV. That is not necessarily true. Probably a fair number of them do live here but there are a lot of visitors along with workers of various TV establishments driving in TV. My point is that I have seen drivers of all ages being inconsiderate while driving in TV and I doubt all of them live here.

[Sally Jo]

Boomer, I agree 100%. Quill I've lived in Europe, also. It is completely different. As stated before you are expected to spend the evening. I know we seemed strange to people, because we ate and left.
One thing that really bugs me is going to a show at the Savannah Center. I think it is rude that people can't wait until the show is over to leave. People start filing out the second the last song is started. In my opinion this is disrespectful to the entertainers.

[quill]

Boomer Thanks for your words. As you are one of the senior members, I was not trying to start anything. The rest for this post is just to say I have tried to take a different view since coming down here. I ran the fast pace a lot of my life not because of wanting rather because that was the pace of my job and environment. Down here it changed and my blood pressure has dropped. I refuse to let anyone dictate to me the pace of my life and I can do nothing to change someone that does not know how to slow down or better yet act with civility. I will not wait in line for a restaurant no matter how good it is. There are so many around here I feel no need to wait. I have taken to just pulling over if someone is tail gating me, etc etc. I am working on my other half that likes to drive the speed limit and then some. With all the Sheriffs around and the number of tickets that they seem to be giving around the Villages it is just not worth it. Goes back to the Serenity prayer about giving me the ability to accept the things I can not change. And there are lots of things I can not change and not worth worrying about. And finally I must compliment this forum. We got our lot January 09 and moved in last fall. This place has been a wealth of info and very helpful in our transition to Florida.

[jojo]

My mother is an example of someone who is retired but is not slow. She jumps out of the car before I even get it parked. She dashes through the supermarket at break neck speed - sometimes almost running her cart into other people. She is 97. (Don't tell I told)

[GatbTester]

I would respectfully disagree with you as well SPK, and agree that quite a bit of the speeding involves people who work in TV, or sub contract their work here. Who has not seen a work vehicle speeding at one time or another, and I can vouch for some even being pulled over to the curb by the police. For the most part, outside of the roads most villagers are courteous, concerned, and helpful. That being said it only takes a few bad apples to change an opinion. I believe over all being more than civil is the rule here, but there are always exceptions. Would you not agree?

[NJblue]

For the most part, I'm not all that concerned about people driving faster than the speed limit. If I'm driving the speed limit on a 4-lane road like Morse or BV and someone passes me, it doesn't concern me at all. I figure that that's why they have multiple lanes. I don't think it necessarily leads to unsafe conditions (unless the person is also driving recklessly).

As far as being "retired" and therefore no longer being in need to rush, I don't think one's work status has really much to do with it. Other than going to and from work which no longer needs to be done, not much is different from a driving perspective (or anyhing else) whether one is retired or not. If you are running late for a tee time, movie or dinner reservation, your work status is not going to change that.

[Talk Host]

Did somebody set me up for this??????????????

I was in Radio Shack this morning at 11 a.m. to purchase a pack of rechargeable batteries. There were two clerks and each was setting up cell phone service for separate customers.

At 11:18, I was still standing behind those customers. I said to the clerk, do you have any idea how much longer this is going to take? (That's 18 minutes standing behind two other customers) One of the ladies turned around to me and said, "What's your big rush, we're retired, we don't have any schedule."


ARRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!::eek:

[Donna2]

I agree with NJblue. Some how people's habits follow them after retirement. Many years ago I got tired of rushing to work. Then one day I had an epiphany: get up earlier and take my time going to work.
It changed my life dramatically. Not only was I more relaxed when I drove but I had more time to stop for coffee and still be on time for my work day.
I have carried that habit in my semi-retirement.

[Pturner]

By the time you got down to Atlanta, people were as slow as molasses.

:1rotfl:

OMG, I'm off the floor now. Cars traveling the speed limit in Atlanta are rarer than road rage. In non rush-hour traffic-- which is to say 10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.--the average speed on the interstates is probably 80 mph or higher. The rest of the day is often gridlock because of all the accidents caused by drivers speeding and constantly changing lanes.

If only!

I agree with your other comment: "The whole issue of who is being rude when it comes to pace depends somewhat on what you are used to. If you come from a slower paced environment, people who are fast seem terribly rude. If you come from a fast paced environment, the slow pokes really bug you. The slow pokes are then the rude ones."

[spk7951]

I would respectfully disagree with you as well SPK, and agree that quite a bit of the speeding involves people who work in TV, or sub contract their work here. Who has not seen a work vehicle speeding at one time or another, and I can vouch for some even being pulled over to the curb by the police. For the most part, outside of the roads most villagers are courteous, concerned, and helpful. That being said it only takes a few bad apples to change an opinion. I believe over all being more than civil is the rule here, but there are always exceptions. Would you not agree?

Yes I would agree with you on your point regarding being civil. But my point was that it is not just Villagers who are the problem and from my take on your 1st sentence it sounds like you agree with my point about those drivers.

[Pturner]

That characterization my father made to me is pretty funny now, because it largely doesn't apply today and hasn't for a couple of decades. He told me that in the 1960s, and his view of Atlanta probably dated to the early 1950s when we moved there from the Philadelphia area and lived there a little while. The characterization of Miami also doesn't apply these days, at least not for the same reason. Can one imagine a time when there was not a large population of Cubans and Haitians in Miami? That area has changed dramatically in demographics over the decades.

As to pace, my father really wasn't talking about driving in any case. I think he was talking more about life in general, and maybe more specifically in things related to his construction business.

I've driven the Atlanta interstates quite a few times and agree totally with what you said about the speeds, very high off peak and a crawl at rush.

:wave:Hi SC, just want you to know that I didn't object to your comment at all. As you stated, your dad's comment was some 40 years ago when Atlanta was more laid back. It just struck a funny bone. For some reason, I have an overactive funny bone.:jester:

I enjoy yours posts.