"Please stand still and hold the handrail whilst travelling"

motorollin

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Dear Sainsbury's travelator automated warning system,

No, I will not stand still and hold the handrail whilst travelling. I'm 28 years old and can decide for myself whether I need to stand still and hold the handrail. I strongly resent the implication that I need to be told by a machine how to maintain a standing position while travelling on a slow-moving walkway.

Furthermore, I am able to judge for myself when I need to be prepared to push my trolley off the walkway.

Kindly refrain from future condescension.
 
I also hate the constant stream of commands from the self-service tills.

"Please put the item in the bagging area..."

ORLY? I was going to dash it on the floor below.

"Unexpected item in bagging area. Please remove the item to continue..."

GaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
It's not that prescriptive - it only tells you to "place the item in the bagging area". AFAIK, you're free to place it within the receptacle class of your choice.
 
I meant to write "bagging area". And when you do, it then tells you there's an unexpected item there...
 
Kindly refrain from future condescension.

The condescension isn't the worst part. I was at an airport recently, waiting in the terminal with the end of one of those people conveyors nearby. The constant "watch your step" looping away in a supposedly relaxing yet reassuring female robotisized voice was, after the first hundred time, quite maddening.
 
I also hate the constant stream of commands from the self-service tills.

I remember back in the day when my first child was very little and she would watch Teletubbies. Those tubes would come out of the ground from time to time and tell the tubbies what to do next like "time for tubby bye-byes".

I remember saying to people at the time that it looked like there was an effort on to train the next generation to take orders from loud speakers. I also seem to recall that people thought I was trying to be funny when I said that.
 
The condescension isn't the worst part. I was at an airport recently, waiting in the terminal with the end of one of those people conveyors nearby. The constant "watch your step" looping away in a supposedly relaxing yet reassuring female robotisized voice was, after the first hundred time, quite maddening.

I can imagine that such features are envisaged as usability aids for people that may be blind or partially sighted. Of course, if that's true, they could probably have picked a better way of drawing attention than "watch" your step :D
 
Speaking of usability aids for the blind, some time ago, they changed the various signs in my flats (apartment block for those of you on the other side of the pond) with ones that contain the same information in Braille.

What I'm not entirely sure about is how a blind visitor is supposed to know they are there in the first place.
 
I suppose all of these warnings and announcements are so they can say "we told you so" if someone trips over and tries to sue. Either that or the majority of people really are so thick that they need to be told to stand still and hold a hand rail, and to place the item in the bagging area.

"Please take your items... Please leave the shop using your legs... Please go home... Did you remember to breathe?"
 
I suppose all of these warnings and announcements are so they can say "we told you so" if someone trips over and tries to sue. Either that or the majority of people really are so thick that they need to be told to stand still and hold a hand rail, and to place the item in the bagging area.

"Please take your items... Please leave the shop using your legs... Please go home... Did you remember to breathe?"

http://bash.org/?4753
<xterm> The problem with America is stupidity. I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?
 
I also refer you to:
http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=31645 (Milk contains milk/Beware of Steps)

LOL! I have seen many of those too. On a carton of eggs "Allery advice: contains egg", on the back of some smoked mackerel fillets "Allergy advice: contains fish.."

Add to that the banal or often surreal "serving suggestion" tag on every product image. One of the best being a loaf of bread with some slices falling out of the end.

How is that a serving suggestion? "Tip onto table and play hungry hippo with slices"
 
Sainsbury's also had their "free from foods" sign in their allergy-suitable produce aisle for a good while. Always tickled me, that did. Probably the most honest advertising ever lol
 
Serving suggestions rule... Without them I would be incapable of eating independently.
 
Serving suggestions rule... Without them I would be incapable of eating independently.

I wonder though, if they are contributing to the suffering of people who need to be told that eggs contain egg. Some of them may literally be starving as they lick the enticing picture on the packaging in vain...
 
Well maybe they'll select themselves out of the gene pool...
 
Egads I hate the self service lines. There always seems to be a group of unwritten rules. First you must always bag items, even if you push 'I brought my own bag'. Then when the system can't figure out you bagged an item so why not take it out and put it in? Nope that doesn't work either. Instead it complains you took something out of the bag. Yeah that thing you just told me wasn't in the bag. Then there's limits over $50, and the person comes over and enters a security code, but doesn't check a damn thing. The point of that is who knows? Then at the end you run the cash card and it asks the person to review the card. I quite these and now go to a person.

And it's telling that people are doing this. In the NW US some grocery stores have pulled self service lanes out of the stores. YEAH! The first stores that do that here get all my business.

Now I like technology. However, badly implemented technology such of these does a diservice to not only technlogy but to the most important part of this... the customer who has the money.
 
It's not that prescriptive - it only tells you to "place the item in the bagging area". AFAIK, you're free to place it within the receptacle class of your choice.

Where I am the grocery store says that initially, but if you don't move fast enough or it senses the weight wrong it will say please place the item in the bag.
 
Where I am the grocery store says that initially, but if you don't move fast enough or it senses the weight wrong it will say please place the item in the bag.
See attached :)
 

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