There's another thing that I just was reminded of again, recently. It's the youths who bag groceries, here, for tips. I got used to having to tip them but I can't get used to seeing young people, even teenagers, doing this job as if they're a hundred years old! More than half the time I end up jumping in and bagging half the groceries, myself, they are so slow. The bigger impact of this, aside from my personal annoyance, is that it slows the line down by perhaps 30-40 percent, and anyone who's had to stand six-seven minutes in what looked like a short line is going to notice why it's going so slowly! Where's their pride, their sense of being young and full of energy, and wanting to show off how clever they are? Why not do a fast and accurate job of something simple, and otherwise boring?
Not everyone in the world was raised by the same parents, under the same environmental conditions, at the same time in history and with the same gifts and hang ups that I have. That is why "they" sometimes don't act, think or have the same thoughts, desires or behaviors that I have--or think I have--or would like to have--or not have. And to divide the world into "me" and "they"--besides being slightly sociopathic--and especially in an environment where one is the foreigner and the minority, ah, "that way madness lies." W.Shakespeare Or at least serious unhappiness. If you can find joy, happiness and family values in the inmates of the Cancun jail, you can certainly find them in the WalMart baggers!
For years I have thought the way to become rich in Cancun would be to take over the operation of every cash register in the big stores. It is absolutely the slowest process I have ever seen. But the New T.J.'s middle name is Patience. Some things you just have to accept and deal with. But having someone cut in front of me in line is not one of them. And touching my butt (while in line) with anything is another one. I whirl around and give them the look of death and if it happens again I start backing up hard enough to push them backwards. It seems that the simplest of transactions, name any of them, always requires questions and discussion. Pay the damn bill and move on please. GRRR
Jim said: OK, I think I've got it, people are different. I have to confess to having a little more difficulty with this one, having been taught that to be able to tell the difference between me, and them, was a sign of mental health, not the other way round. I'll work on it, but I'm promising nothing. This one I've got! I don't know if "God" heard my complaint, or not, but I had a bagger at Walmart, tonight, about a seventeen year old girl, who did as good a job as I've seen. She was fast, and understood how to bag in a systematic way. She was standing, and smiling, bags packed, when the cashier finished counting back my change. Someone had been kind enough to teach her how to do it, and that there could be pleasure in doing the job well.
Sorry to bump an old thread but was is it with all cars having massive loud exhausts?. It could be a cab, it could be a brand new pick up or it could be some old rust bucket but they all have like 2 twin pipe exhausts that are so loud!. Its like going to Southend on Sea 10 years ago at least.
There is really no reason to fix anything that will still move. That goes for headlights, especially for brake lights, and for mufflers as you have heard/seen. I could blame mufflers on the topes. It's great to only half way pay attention and have a taxi in front of you whip over to the curb and no break lights come on. I have become a much better defensive driver, but at the sime time a more aggressive driver and filled with road rage. Watch out ! ! ! But that was the "Old T.J." The new and improved version is almost like on Prozac when behind the wheel.
Ohh and the fact I got bribed 200 peso last night on the 307 for doing nothing and i mean nothing wrong, they flagged us over at the check point and said "40 dollars" I have been bribed before while drivng and only carry 200 peso visable in my wallet. they accepted that and I was on my way. I just think its disgusting how people i work with and myself seem to be more scared of the police then criminals.
The check point? You mean the check point leaving Cancun..? Do us all a favor and report it! With all respect you're just feeding into the corruption when you pay, if you're doing nothing wrong they won't do anything more than threaten you and will give up when you refuse their demands, they are criminals and know that they can't push it too far or they risk being caught, don't let them intimidate you, you're not going to jail and they're certainly not going to shoot you, but unless you report it they'll continue robbing people!... you can file a report over the phone by calling 089 from any phone. You tell them you were robbed by the police at the checkpoint on such and such day and time. This is a huge problem here and it continues because people don't bother to report it and yes I agree its really sad when you fear the police more than the regular criminals, but it won't change unless everyone does their part to fight it.
Bribing ain't cool Thank you, Life, for saying all that. I swear people come here and start bribing the police just because it wasn't something they could do back home! Or, they hear stories, and immediately say, "Oh, I better be ready with some cash, in case they ask me for some." It's easy to "Just say, "No"", when asked. If you don't believe it, read Nevet's blog, where he speaks about what he did traveling here when the officers at the checkpoint at the border tried to shake him down.
I will report it, I had no idea it was so easy. Do the people speak English when you phone the 086 number?. It was a check point they set up on the other side of the road coming in to Cancun.
