Let's just argue!

[HotelMinion]

I have nothing better to do!
Let's just argue for argument's sake!

I hate those people. Extremely rude, and fussy and they come every year by the heaps. They're the ones that ask for your opinion on everything, and then argue aganist everything you suggest. I had this one fussy old bat ask me:
"In your opinion, which is better: taking the subway to DC or driving there."

I say, "taking the subway. That's what I would do." I mean, "Take the subway, I would do that."

"But then I have to pay the subway and what if the subway trains are late, and I'm late for my tour? And then I'll have to take your shuttle, and what if your shuttle bus is late? and then--"

I say, "Well, then, drive there." I mean, "Go away, you asked for my opinion, I gave it, what the hell man."

"but, but , then I have to pay for DC parking, and that's alot of money, and what if I get lost or I can't find a parking space and miss my tour? I would be very upset."

ARGH.

Almost as annoying as nervous people who ask "Is walking around at night safe? Is your area safe?" I get that question all the TIME. I had even one nervous guest leave because she spotted a car without tires in the parking lot next to us. It was a mechanic! If you're so nervous, stay home! Hide under your bed! Don't travel! JEEEEEZzzzzzzzz

Oh yeah, and she's gonna go complain to the manager about my unhelpfulness to the manager.

[raudf]

Sounds to me like she wasn't asking for an opinion. She was asking if she could blame YOU for whatever choice she made, if she failed to make the tour on time because of it.

This is a game my late bitc... err, mother-in-law would pull. She'd make you "convince" her that the choice she'd already made was your "opinion" on the matter and then blame you if her premade choice failed. Seriously, she'd make you argue your "opinion" until you picked the one she had already decided on, using a similar pattern. She found out that I didn't play that game and would in fact walk off if she started trying. Or I'd look her in the eye and tell her she'd already made up her mind and that I didn't give a south end of a north bound rat about it.

[Blue Ginger]

I didn't give a south end of a north bound rat about it.

Love this. Can I steal it to use?

[sirwired]

Sounds to me like she wasn't asking for an opinion. She was asking if she could blame YOU for whatever choice she made, if she failed to make the tour on time because of it.

^^ This. *** Whaaaaaaaahhhhh!!! I missed my tour because the subway ran late... what are yoooouuuuuu going to do about it? *** If your hotel has a "please steal from us guarantee" she'd totally use it.

On another note; NOT taking the subway into DC is crazy-pants. Public parking in the touristy parts of downtown is very difficult to find, and unless you have been shined upon by divine providence, (and you've scored one of the few spaces along the Mall), is going to be more expensive than taking Metro.

I grew up a 20 minute drive outside of downtown DC and I have yet, to this day, EVER driven there.

[Ophbalance]

I took the tram/subway thing out of JFK to hit Crystal City once. Absolutely awesome deal. But, since that was a one shot deal, any other time I head into DC it's by car. We mostly only hit up the museums and it's not so bad. That's about the only thing that interests me in DC at this point.

[Jay 2K Winger]

I grew up a 20 minute drive outside of downtown DC and I have yet, to this day, EVER driven there.

I live in Fairfax County, practically next door to D.C. in the grand scheme of things. I've never driven into the city with any intention of parking there. (Those times when I've missed a turn and ended up in the city and having to turn around to get to where I needed to go, they don't count.) I'll always take the Metro if given the option.

As for the possibility of being late, that's why you always leave early to go anywhere in the DC Metropolitan Area. Traffic and delays are a part of life around here. If you're worried about being so early that you have nothing to do while waiting for your tour, take a book along.

[roxtar]

I only drive into the district under certain circumstances... like if I'm going to a show in northeast at some dive bar.
for general touristy/nightlife stuff: orange line from vienna to wherever.
for work stuff: VRE from broad run airport to either crystal city or l'enfant and then metro from there.

[earl colby pottinger]

Parking

^^ This. *** Whaaaaaaaahhhhh!!! I missed my tour because the subway ran late... what are yoooouuuuuu going to do about it? *** If your hotel has a "please steal from us guarantee" she'd totally use it.

On another note; NOT taking the subway into DC is crazy-pants. Public parking in the touristy parts of downtown is very difficult to find, and unless you have been shined upon by divine providence, (and you've scored one of the few spaces along the Mall), is going to be more expensive than taking Metro.

I grew up a 20 minute drive outside of downtown DC and I have yet, to this day, EVER driven there.

Is parking also like the time I when went to Stanford? There, most shows are over three hours long but the max parking time available on the meters was three hours only. So you either miss part of the show or you got a parking ticket!

Are the parking meters there also short on the time they make available in the tourist sections?

[MoonCat]

If you're worried about being so early that you have nothing to do while waiting for your tour, take a book along.

"Well, what book should I take? Can you recommend a book? Only not a bestseller because they're just trendy crap. And nothing too heavy or too light. And no romances, I hate those. No westerns, because yuck. No sci-fi, I don't understand that. Nothing foreign, that's just un-American. Well? What book should I take!!"

[HotelMinion]

^^ This. *** Whaaaaaaaahhhhh!!! I missed my tour because the subway ran late... what are yoooouuuuuu going to do about it? *** If your hotel has a "please steal from us guarantee" she'd totally use it.

On another note; NOT taking the subway into DC is crazy-pants. Public parking in the touristy parts of downtown is very difficult to find, and unless you have been shined upon by divine providence, (and you've scored one of the few spaces along the Mall), is going to be more expensive than taking Metro.

I grew up a 20 minute drive outside of downtown DC and I have yet, to this day, EVER driven there.

I totally agree. I have driven to DC once and it was a night mare. Which is why I told this lady that. And yes we have a steal guarantee but she was a Demon Member on a Reward Stay, so she couldn't steal from us. Hah!
Just another crazy request came in: This other lady wanted to borrow a vacuum from our Housekeeping Dpt. at THREE A.M! Cuz her son spilled something. I said no but what I really wanted to say was, ARE YOU SERIOUS YOU'LL WAKE ALL MY CUSTOMERS!!111

[wolfie]

"Well, what book should I take? (SC rant snipped) Well? What book should I take!!"

I'm sure a lot of people would appreciate it if you followed the advice in this self-help guide.

ETA: This is a fantasy response (as saying it IRL would result in unemployment) to the SC, not something I'm suggesting to MoonCat.

[wordgirl]

Since she is going to complain anyway, why not suggest she fly in ... on her broom?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Being in retail, I get this fairly frequently. My favorite was when it happened over storage totes.

"Wow, you have storage totes for three bucks?"

"Yup, they're right here."

*customer notices sturdier Sterilit storage totes nearby which also come in a variety of "designer" colors whereas the three-buck ones only come in black

"Ooh, look at these other ones! They're pink!"

"...so get those ones."

"But these are only three bucks..."

"...so get those ones."

"But the pink ones are more heavy-duty. Maybe I like these teal ones better."

"...so get those ones."

"On second thought, the black ones are only three bucks and it's not like the stuff that will be going in them is all that heavy...."

"...so get those ones."

"If you were buying storage totes, which ones would you pick?"

[gerund]

My friend is on the phone to me. He's a manager of an engineering supplies shop and has 5 staff working for him. He's complaining about them to me.

Friend: (Ranting) You know what I really hate? I hate it when they contradict me! In fact I hate it when anyone contradicts me!

Me: No you don't.

Friend: ...

[paxillated]

OT
I was born and raised in DC - really in DC, not in the 'burbs - and if you think traffic is bad now... My mother lived a couple of blocks off of Connecticut Ave, not too far north of Dupont Circle. My ex and I lived near Quantico, VA. There was no fast way to get to her place.

That was when they were building the Metro under Conn. Ave (yeah, I'm dating myself), so all traffic was detoured to the side streets. One day, we drove up to see her, and traffic moved much slower than we expected; we were still on the streets when rush hour arrived. Once near the circle, it was stop-and-go traffic. We crept along for 1/2 hour, ten or so blocks, when sirens sounded from behind. I'm always happy to pull over for an ambulance, or police on their way to a call, but...

All us poor working folks squished ourselves out of the way - for a big ol' limousine, with a police motorcycle escort. Who was in it? Pat Nixon, President Nixon's wife.

Everybody saluted her. With one finger.

Back on topic. I haven't been to the old home town for at least 20 years, but even back then, riding the Metro made much more sense than driving. No parking hassles, thus more energy for my annual pilgrimage to the Air and Space Museum. It really wears you out, driving round and round looking for a space.