First service - a tale of modern Britain

[RedTechno]

The Techno had its first service today, only 7000 miles and only 11 months old but the 'spanner' was flashing insistently. I was prepared for the relentless 'upselling' and scaremongering (tyres, disks, cambelt check - hardly worn, hardly worn, it's a chain...) but what really threw me was the fact that the service receptionist needed a calculator to add 16,000 to the current mileage to get the mileage the next service is due.

[lfcrule1972]

Ha ha, mine it had its 37500 service last week, nothing additional needed although I did have the AC service done whilst it was in

Next up our new discs/pads from EBC

[RichardL]

The Techno had its first service today, only 7000 miles and only 11 months old but the 'spanner' was flashing insistently. I was prepared for the relentless 'upselling' and scaremongering (tyres, disks, cambelt check - hardly worn, hardly worn, it's a chain...) but what really threw me was the fact that the service receptionist needed a calculator to add 16,000 to the current mileage to get the mileage the next service is due.

I remember being in school and the maths teachers saying it's important to learn how to work things out mentally because you won't always have a calculator on you.

2015 I'm sitting here looking around me as I type this, phone, laptop, smartwatch, I could go on...

[RedTechno]

I remember being in school and the maths teachers saying it's important to learn how to work things out mentally because you won't always have a calculator on you.

2015 I'm sitting here looking around me as I type this, phone, laptop, smartwatch, I could go on...

Thankfully I have a strong affinity with arithmetic and numbers. If you have no feel for what the answer ought to be then how would you know you'd keyed the right numbers into your calculator? And 6950 + 16000 has to depend a calculator? Bet when he gets lost he blames the sat nav....

I use spredsheets and calculators for complex stuff but that affinity with numbers is my built-in sanity check of the results. I'd be ashamed if I couldn't do simple arithmetic in my head.

[RichardL]

Thankfully I have a strong affinity with arithmetic and numbers. If you have no feel for what the answer ought to be then how would you know you'd keyed the right numbers into your calculator? And 6950 + 16000 has to depend a calculator? Bet when he gets lost he blames the sat nav....

I use spredsheets and calculators for complex stuff but that affinity with numbers is my built-in sanity check of the results. I'd be ashamed if I couldn't do simple arithmetic in my head.

Haha I know exactly what you mean, I'm the same.

Imagine watching countdown and not being able to complete the numbers round? It would make me want to find a bridge and jump.

(Okay maybe a slight exaggeration there).

[lfcrule1972]

^ Me too

[cyclone]

Jump Jump Jump......

[StevenRB45]

Tbf if you aren't doing mental maths everyday and it never came naturally then it's easy to lose the speed. I was always a paper and pen guy..

Having said that if one more "manager" at work asks me how to work out 4% of a given amount of time I may go postal.

[Superfly Guy]

but what really threw me was the fact that the service receptionist needed a calculator to add 16,000 to the current mileage to get the mileage the next service is due.

She may have had a learning disability.

[duddon girl]

Doesn't say anything about modern Britain. I'm in my fifties and would have had no problem with that. My best friend who is also in her fifties and is one of the most intelligent people I have ever met would have had considerable difficulty with it even with a calculator. Some people are good with numbers, some aren't. Nothing to be ashamed of.

[Jo67]

People have different strengths and weaknesses but I do think that technology and low expectations are dumbing us down. It's a shame. Those of us that want to, should cling to the old ways for as long as possible.

[THP]

Calculators are everywhere now; you might as well use them.

[RedTechno]

Calculators are everywhere now; you might as well use them.

Where do you draw the line? Stop writing because keyboards are everywhere, stop talking because you can text? Stop thinking... Come to think of it we are almost there aren't we?

Utter dependence on machines?

Technology used well is a great thing, technology used for technology's sake has to be a bad thing.

[lfcrule1972]

This all sounds familiar....

[cyclone]

Where do you draw the line? Stop writing because keyboards are everywhere, stop talking because you can text? Stop thinking... Come to think of it we are almost there aren't we?

Utter dependence on machines?

Technology used well is a great thing, technology used for technology's sake has to be a bad thing.

When is the last time anyone wrote, other than your signature, in cursive. I can not remember it has been so long. Can't hold back the clock!