One of the annoying things in moving between states is that you are usually under the gun to get your drivers license transferred and new license plate(s). This is usually a hassle in starting a new job because you don't have accrued leave/personal days and they aren't open in evenings or holidays. In my current state, the MVA holds an abbreviated Saturday schedule for drivers services only. So I figured to knock the license transfer first. The self-storage place I'm using recommended going to a branch north of me; I looked it up on Google Maps, which warned me that this (prominent local route just off the interstate) was a toll road. It surprised me--but what the heck? What was it: $2-3? I had also reviewed the hours for Saturday service. (One of the nice things in doing a Google search is that it often indicates whether a facility is open or closed, but I did a search after hours.)
So I brought along a copy of Google Maps directions plus my Garmin (plus I also had my Android Smartphone with me). It was probably overkill because the location should have been a minor offset to a major intersection, but I was unfamiliar with the area and have run into misleading/wrong directions on multiple occasions (I've missed job interviews, etc.) I reach the bridge--and find an $8 toll to cross the bridge. Holy cow! I decide to go ahead; there is an MVA sign near the relevant intersection, but looking along the street in question for signs, somehow I managed to drive past it; I retrace my steps and finally see the center maybe a couple of hundred yards off the street. The only problem? The entire parking lot is vacant except for another recently arrived car. Something was wrong--I would expect it to be a fairly busy day with people like me. Sure enough, there are a couple of signs in windows saying the MVA was closed. Somehow I didn't know about it. (I would later discover a posted schedule that shows maybe one Saturday every 2-3 months or so is off, like this time, in addition to holidays.) I find my way back to the Interstate--I sure the hell didn't want to get hit with an $8 toll going back (each way was about 20-25 miles).
Some guy at work overheard my tale and suggested another MVA maybe 20 miles southwest via the interstate and route exit. This one was much easier to find; the MVA was essentially on the right corner of the town's first intersection. My new job allows a variation of a flex schedule. (In consulting, it's become an emerging standard for road warriors to work a compressed 4-day work schedule with Friday being a travel day. Instead of 4 10's, we work 8 9's and one 8.) I remembered Maryland has an emissions check every couple of years or so. I ask about it when getting my tags, and the clerk said they would let me know. Sure enough, I got an email this past week. Now granted I had 2-3 months to get it done. The facility claimed to do them, so I went back for a third time. But what I didn't know was it was a single kiosk--which did not accept car models prior to 2003 (including my car). And I'm there without my Garmin. I have to wait in line to figure out where to go.
People are usually bad with directions. In this case, an emissions center was only a few miles away. I was told to go north on the same route, bear right to another route at an upcoming split and follow MVA signs. That actually worked fine, but I had gone through so many turns, some on 1-way streets, I had no clue how to find my way back to the interstate after I pass the emissions test. I turn on Google Maps on my Android. What I didn't realize that the screensaver would essentially shut down the app's operation. Somehow I find myself back on the original route, but I turned north instead of south which I eventually realize as the road becomes more rural. I do wish, though, that these applications would alert you when you take a wrong turn. Often they're simply recalculating how to get you back. In one case yesterday I jumped the gun on an upcoming right turn and found myself back on the Baltimore loop, going back onto the original exit. (A lot of times you can't see the name of the upcoming street.)
Going back to the Android Smartphone, there are a number of Apps which will suspend the screensaver; I downloaded one and will test it on a future trip. But there are other things so annoying about printed Google Maps. For instance, the other week I decided to visit the nearest Sam's Club, roughly 23 miles south near the Baltimore loop. The printed map identified the cross-street and the name of the mall. The only trouble is there were no signs referencing the mall or the cross-street. I did see a WalMart sign off a shopping center to the right but decided that wasn't it because I've never seen a WalMart and Sam's Club in the same shopping center. WRONG! Eventually I decide I've passed the mall, driving inside the loop and turn on the Garmin (after pulling off the road). Garmin doesn't really telegraph its intent; what it was really trying to do is go in the opposing direction but it's implementing it to having me enter a shopping center across the street and navigate my way within the mall into the equivalent of a U-turn; I simply turned left onto the route.
Moving on to the CABLE GUY. On 2 of my last 3 moves, the cable services at my request sent a kit. I'm not a mechanic (my Dad was), but it's not really rocket science connecting a coaxial cable to the cable outlet, connecting my devices and setting up my wireless. Of course, my first priority is setting up the Internet. No problems, although I'm confused why the kit comes without a coaxial splitter which I've seen in almost any bundled (cable/Internet) package to apartments. With hesitation, I try to connect the cable coaxial to a nearly jack. Nothing happens. The wall socket is loose enough I can see nothing attached to the jack behind the wall. I pull the cable for the Internet out and attach the one for cable. Success! I then check Walmart.com and discover they carry splitters and coaxial cable locally. A quick trip to WalMart and 15-30 minutes later, I now have concurrently functional cable and Internet.
Only one problem. My cable service is supposed to be bundled with HBO but any and all HBO channels appear to be frozen. I do a Google search and find no usable explanation. I've lived for years without HBO, but if I'm paying for it, I should get it. I eventually have an Internet chat with a cable agent, who has never heard of the problem but is sure it requires an in-home visit from a technician She starts talking wiring--and I repeat--to no avail--that I'm not having issues with the regular channels; the cost of a technician is around $70. She assures me if the issue is on the cable providers part the charge will be reversed. I get an overnight email from the cable operator with an assessed charge to be applied on my next bill. This time I don't bother with webchat and call the cable operator. I make it very clear that I'm not willing to spend $70 just to get the service I was promised with from the get-go; I can live without HBO; just refund the HBO portion of my cable subscription from my ongoing package. I'm assured this was not my bill, just a prospective bill and she'll audit any service charges on my account to ensure I won't be unfairly charged.
The cable guy calls me Friday, wanting to make sure I'm home. He apparently hasn't been briefed on the purpose and asks for a summary. When I started to describe all the channels are frozen with only perhaps an initial 2 seconds of video. He immediately says, "It's the cable box." I don't recall if he himself had run into the issue or a prior customer. I ask if he's carrying a replacement. He says yes. I see him pull up the the building, but it's maybe 15-20 minutes before he knocks on my door. I'm puzzled; if he knows the box needs to be replaced, what has he been doing? Basically he's got a standard operating procedure to go through, including checking my line from the service box. (I think that had to happen before he was authorized to try swapping the box.) He claims that there is some interference on the line, related to certain filtering. (It's not at all clear why this interference would affect all and just HBO channels. But basically he tries splicing me to a neighbor's line which has no interference issue, and I still have frozen HBO--which I expected.)
So finally he calls it in; it turns out that it's not just customers who run into voice mail hell. He finally connects to his familiar point of contact. He seem oblivious to the fact I can hear his part of the conversation, and he talks about how he's at a customer who had a self-install kit. He then starts saying something like, "I wish they wouldn't do that (i.e., they should have professionals doing installations)..." He finally gets the okay to swap the box--and long story short, HBO works on the replacement box. I'll have a follow-up visit by other contractors to get my dedicated line replaced ("in case your neighbor changes cable providers") I felt like saying, "You know, if the cable provider had done a QC check on the box before shipping it to me, you wouldn't be here right now." The only real advantage to having professionals do it (at an inconvenient time interfering with my work schedule) is they might be carrying a spare in their truck, and the self-service equipment doesn't come with a spare.
