Traffic Light Car Windscreen Washers

This post is a rant about traffic light car windscreen washers. Most of them are fine and I don't care that they are there trying to earn money. It's probably illegal and they're probably avoiding paying taxes on that money, but if people are willing to pay them, good luck to them.

Here is what I don't like. I don't like it when some of them keep on cleaning right up to when the light changes. If you work there all day, you must get a sense of how long the lights stay red for. Or even if you see a certain direction of cars turning or something, you know the lights will change soon and should stop. Some keep going, meaning the car they are washing cannot move. This means that every car behind them also can't move. This is extremely annoying as the windscreen washers are usually at a busy intersection where the chance to turn only lasts for a short time. You then have to wait ages for the next set of green lights.

The other thing I don't like is when they wash your windscreen anyway, even when you clearly shake your head. I'm one of those people who think that if I wanted to wash my windscreen, I would do it properly at home myself.

This is what happened to me on Hoddle street on the weekend. I stop at the lights, about the third car back. A guy with his shirt off and all these tatts starts walking around washing windscreens. The car in front of me says yes and he washes her windscreen. She hands him some money. He walks to my car. I shake my head. I have my windows slightly down so can hear him.

Windscreen Washer: C'mon, I need some money to buy Christmas presents. I need to get a Nintendo Wii.
Thanh: No thanks, I don't need my windscreen washed.
*Windscreen Washer man starts to wash my windscreen anyway. He then walks over to my window.*
WW: I really need to buy a Nintendo Wii this Christmas.
*I search through my wallet and only have 50 cents. I give it to him.* WW: Aw what, 50 cents only.
*He then walks to the next car.*

What the heck. Aw 50 cents only. I'm the one being ripped off here and pressured to pay for a service I didn't even want. This is totally ridiculous. If they are going to force people to pay for a service they don't want, then I hope the police catch them and fine them big time.

Parrots In The Backyard

Wow, I've neglected this blog a bit lately. Just been so busy doing so many things, both work wise and for fun. It's such a dichotomy that I only have time to write this blog when I'm not doing anything, but when I've doing something interesting that's worthy of blogging, I don't have time to blog about it.

Anyway, this is just a quick post of a couple of photos of the beautiful parrots that was in my backyard the other day.

Tell Your Own Story

In a follow up to my post about human beings being social animals and needing to feel connected, I came across this response by Derek Powazek to a reader question.

The question is

"I was wondering if you have ever regretted your transparency on the web. Has it worked as a negative or positive influence?"

Derek's response is insightful and sums up how we all see the world through our own eyes. Sharing our own stories helps to connect us with others who may be able to sympathise or empathise. The internet has given us a much wider audience, and although the connections may be virtual, the feelings aren't, they're real. There will always still be stories that you only feel secure in sharing with people close to you but otherwise, the web is full of similar people who can connect with you over a similar experience.