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Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

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Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#221

Post by tutufan »

jaxbot wrote: post #95
marklyon wrote: post #17

There is a similar situation in NYC [0]. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9jIsxQNz0M

It's more than just paying attention: if the conductor can line their finger up with the zebra board for their train, they've guaranteed that the train is completely within the station. Opening the doors where there is no platform is one of the few fireable offenses (others include using a phone on the job). The zebra boards have the train model written on them -- in this case, R160 [1]. While it would be easier for…

Having the driver stop at the end of the platform wouldn't really be a substitute. What counts is that the conductor in the middle of the train physically observes that the train's registration is correct before they open the doors. (Drivers never open the doors.)

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#222

Post by a3n »

jakub_g wrote: post #32

I noticed the problem on myself on several occasions and kind of invented the same solution. For example, sometimes I would take a medicament mechanically while doing something else and just a few minutes later, forget if I took it or not. Solution: say loud to myself "I'm taking a pill". Another: sometimes I'd lend some amount money to a colleague, and a few weeks later I'd have a hard time figuring whether they gav…

I wonder how I can use this to remember that yes, I actually have soaped and rinsed in the shower, and I don't have to do it all again just in case.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#223

Post by primitivesuave »

thecrazyone wrote: post #188
cperciva wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For example, sometimes I would take a medicament mechanically while doing something else and just a few minutes later, forget if I took it or not. Solution: say loud to myself "I'm taking a pill". My solution for this problem: I have a cron job which sends me an email every morning. If I see that email, I 1. Take a pill out of the bottle and put it on my laptop keyboard 2. Delete the email 3. Eat the pill. This seque…

This has a serious security flaw. Reproducing the security flaw: 1. Create a plausible enough distraction 2. Place pill on said keyboard 3. Pharmaceutical intervention Complete! Perhaps, this is a general flaw in the choosing of a visible, non-access restircted (presuming) place to keep the pill (also no verification if it's the correct pill). How would you solve this problem? 1. Trivially, restrict access to this pl…

QR code on a pill sounds interesting, then you can scan the pill with your smartphone to find out if you've taken it yet.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#224

Post by kbenson »

7952 wrote: post #213
ianamartin wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah, yes. The old upside-down-tomato-sauce-can-next-to-the-door-to-remember-my-umbrella trick. That's always been a classic. The first couple of times I tried it, it didn't work very well. I was trying to leave in the morning, and I tripped over the can, and I was all, "Who the fuck put a can of tomatoes in front of the door?" And I kicked it out of the way and left without my umbrella. Then I realized I wasn't going…

Why not just put the actual umbrella against the door.

Because it's wet and gets the floor wet, obviously.

But why not wait until before going to bed, and then put it by the door since it's probably dry by that point?

Because I forget to do that.

Why not do something so you can remember to put it out at night?

Well, I tried this trick I heard about a can of tomatoes...

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#225

Post by ddingus »

I do this sometimes when I'm really in the zone. Back in the 90s, I was in manufacturing, both making things and planning, programming.

When I had not used a given machine or process for a while, point and step check just came as part of entering and maintaining flow.

Exploiting this seems obvious in retrospect, like most good, basic helpers are.

Nice. Love the ethic. Take care of the people, run it on time. It's good to know somewhere the little stuff does matter.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#226

Post by Splines »

a3n wrote: post #222
jakub_g wrote: post #32

I noticed the problem on myself on several occasions and kind of invented the same solution. For example, sometimes I would take a medicament mechanically while doing something else and just a few minutes later, forget if I took it or not. Solution: say loud to myself "I'm taking a pill". Another: sometimes I'd lend some amount money to a colleague, and a few weeks later I'd have a hard time figuring whether they gav…

I wonder how I can use this to remember that yes, I actually have soaped and rinsed in the shower, and I don't have to do it all again just in case.

Put things on one side when you get in. When you soap and rinse, move them over.

Alternatively, when you soap and rinse, put them in the way of your exit. When you finish, open the shower curtain, move the stuff that is in the way into its proper place.

Form stateful habits.

Or rub your hair - if it feels greasy, you probably need to shampoo it again.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#227

Post by kbenson »

always_good wrote: post #216
bradknowles wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With respect, you figured out what he meant, and then you figured out that he's not a native English speaker. He probably doesn't need to have that fact pointed out to him. I'm sure there's a better way you could have given the hint to the correct word for the benefit of others who didn't figure out what he meant, and done so without being condescending to the post you were replying to. Yes?

Honestly, one thing I like about HN is that these sorts of corrections are made, and made respectfully. Their post was interesting because they're right: I'm a native English speaker and I paused on "medicament".

And yet it's a real word, just an uncommon one, so it's not really a correction, but a recommendation to speak differently presented as a correction. That can be fairly easy to take negatively.

Personally, if I felt compelled to point out that it was uncommon, I would have said "At first I though medicament was a misspelling or autocorrect mistake, but when I looked it up, I found out it's a real word in English, if extremely uncommon. Interesting." That's less assertive in that a mistake was made (because it might have been used for effect), and also true.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#228

Post by Splines »

dheera wrote: post #183
13of40 wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whenever I need to remember to do a one-off thing in the morning, I just leave my car keys next to (or under) something that will remind me. That way I literally can't leave without remembering to do it.

And then you forget where you put your car keys ...

I do this too. I always leave my keys and wallet in the same spot.

It majorly screws up my routine if I pick up my wallet to pay for something online and forget to put it back where it belongs, and I can't find it the next day. Or I leave it in the office and the next morning I have to remember I left it in the office, and it's not hiding somewhere at home.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#229

Post by derefr »

kbenson wrote: post #224
7952 wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not just put the actual umbrella against the door.

Because it's wet and gets the floor wet, obviously. But why not wait until before going to bed, and then put it by the door since it's probably dry by that point? Because I forget to do that. Why not do something so you can remember to put it out at night? Well, I tried this trick I heard about a can of tomatoes...

How about "doing something" like "Siri, remind me at 9PM to put out my umbrella"?

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#230

Post by yourmums »

prashnts wrote: post #117

Slightly off topic but this practice of talking-out-loud to get yourself doing stuff is also beneficial to people with executive dysfunction. If your executive function is impaired you generally don't have the "internal monologue" or the voice in your head. This makes seemingly simpler things like taking a shower, driving, or eating, very difficult! I'd often "forget" to eat, simply because I could not get myself to…

Ooga booga
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