Whilst dodging that puddle that’s guarding the driver side you grab the door handle and the f*** door is still locked!!!

Fumbling around for the remote again, the puddle that definitely wasn’t there when you parked the car, invades your sneakers. Jeans are now a mess. The socks are now soaked as the toes attempt an escape through the sneaker air vent.

So with a wet backpack busting your back, the remote gets pressed again and again.

The driver door stays locked.

Bugger! Now in desperation, I took the key – struggled – and finally found the slot that I’d never used since purchasing the Toyota Yaris five years ago.

With the rain still belting down, I started looking for an off street park near my unit.

Parked again, the Yaris remote ignored my wishes again.

Bugger!!!

The sudden loss of remote functionality seemed linked to the battery. Doing some research I found that the car-remotes should last about 5 to 10 years between battery changes.

Since I only use the car maybe once a week, I figured I should be closer to the 10 year interval.

1. Replace the remote battery is easy then supposedly all is sweet.
2. Replace the remote battery and then the remote must be reprogrammed?

So Friday morning I visited the Southside Toyota Service Department in Woolloongabba, Queensland.

They didn’t have a remote battery but could order it for $30AUD. When I mentioned to the salesmen that I really needed my remote, he suggested that I visit Jaycar Electronics Woolloongabba .

I asked for remote battery and got the expected Lithium CR2016 for only $2.95AUD.

From the following pictures should help the first time remote control virgin.

Yaris Remote Control opened up

Now applying a 5mm blade screw driver again…

The coin sized CR2016 battery

With battery replaced, remote light appears but still nothing happens.

The doors stay locked. F***, looks like I’m gonna have to follow the reprogramming steps that were posted by “CTScott” in the forum article http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20865 .

Slightly peeved, I hoped into the car using the actual key. Later I got to the organic markets and pressed the remote lock out of habit and the car locked!!!

Awesome!!!

Then later in the afternoon, I sent remote unlock – great. Got back to the off street park and sent a remote lock.

The Yaris ignored me. Do I have to reprogram or chuck and get a new remote?

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Pacific Dawn top deck with pool, sunbeds and bar

The ship did rock a little, but no more than a Translink bus cornering while chasing the schedule or finishing the last late night service. Finally, trips are always better on the CityCat when it is turned into an overgrown jet-ski.

The rolling movement of the Pacific Dawn would be less if its breath were larger. The Royal Caribbean International Oasis of the Seas – the world’s biggest cruise liner ever built – is 47 meters whereas the P&O ship only has a width of 38 meters. The extra width probably removes the need for the horizontal stabilizers (and increased fuel consumption).

After three days at sea, without land in sight, New Zealand’s South Island Fiordland appeared in the mist.

Gently the ship Pacific Dawn slipped through the cliffs

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The passengers around Brisbane should be grateful that TransLink is working hard to deal with the population explosion in the Great South East Queensland. Just look at the infrastructure being built between St. George Square and Roma Station (Inner Northern Bus way) or the Green Bridge (Eleanor Schonell Bridge) at the university, all to improve the services.

Translink has also invested millions of dollars buying more CityCats, introducing the BUZ and nightlink bus services. Very seldom do you need to wait more than 30 minutes for a service!

Then there are the extra high speed trains servicing the Gold Coast.

Translink is also keenly aware of public safety and expectations. All these extra services require skilled operators. You don’t just become a bus, ferry or train operator – it takes training.

But most of all, people should realize that they too share responsibility.

Probably the easiest and most considerate action is to have the correct fare on hand before you board the bus or ferry. Is that too much to ask?

If I was a bus driver and had to deal with a couple passengers trying to pay $2.30 for single zone ticket with a $20 or $50, I would get understandably upset! I take the bus everyday and this happens often. So if the driver appears grumpy – he has reason to be!

Kate (Robina, MX 20/08/2007) – When the services are late, people complain – that is why Translink tries real hard to ensure that all services arrive as scheduled. So the 10 seconds that you lost on the escalator could’ve been avoided if you used the stairs.

Just think if you did that everyday instead of complaining how firm you thighs and butt would be! See it as your contribution to the Queensland Government’s “Be Active” program to combat obesity.

Tracey (Enoggera, MX 21/08/2007) – the trains are dirty because you and your fellow passengers allow some to make a mess of the carriage. Maybe it is because they can’t read the “Don’t eat / drink” signs and end up touching everything with their greasy fingers. So Pat (Forrest Lake, MX 23/08/2007), it you saw the kids eating and drinking on the bus why didn’t you say something?

Al (Hendra, MX 22/08/2007) – Yes, Brisbane is growing very fast and the council addressing it by improving the infrastructure. You don’t build a bridge in a day mate! But if you still want to call my “country town” a dump – maybe you should leave?

To all those MX “Vent your spleen” contributors, take a trip to South Africa and only then will you have a reason to complain.

South Africa has no cheap, safe and regular public transport system! Even if the country did, I can assure you it would definitely not be nearly as clean as the TransLink services.

If you’re able to return with your wallet, life and health still intact, you will definitely be grateful that your home is in this first world country – the very beautiful, safe and secure,very well organized, Australia!

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Virgin Blue was mentioned for their good service – something that I do agree with.
Regional Express (Rex), supposedly Australia’s largest regional airline, was named the top domestic carrier – but I’ve never heard of them!

Most of my international flights have been with Quantas and I’d say they’re one of the best. The best flight and service that I’ve experienced has been with a Cathy Pacific flight from Brisbane to Singapore and then onto Johannesburg, South Africa. The service and entertainment was good – I’m damm sure there was more legroom than the normal international flights! Their entertainment center had a serious number of channels – covering news, sport and the latest movies.

By far the worst international flight was a daytime flight to London on South African Airways (SAA). Wherever possible I boycott SAA. But wait there’s more

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On a flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg onto Singapore, I hit a delay. The domestic Comair flight (local South African operator for British Airways (BA)) got delayed by 3 hours! Now nothing is perfect, even less so if you’re in Africa, but I don’t think it is unreasonable for the pilot / staff to say “Yeah, mate we’ve got a problem – better grab another flight so you don’t miss your international flight“.

We sat in the plane after closing the doors for just over 30 minutes. Finally, the pilot said he was waiting for a piece of instrumentation. A half an hour later, we left the aircraft. Mmm – I’d just lost one hour of the 3 hours check in time. Fifteen minutes later we boarded the same aircraft again and just as we started moving an engine valve failed. Don’t the South Africans check their aircraft??

Needless to say, I missed my connection to Singapore.

Squealing, Comair gave me something that looked like a credit note of sorts that they claimed would be a Quantas flight to Sydney and Virgin onto Brisbane. The note worked upto Sydney but then Virgin Airlines had never seen or known of any booking to Brisbane made by Comair on my behalf for the delayed flight. So I had to buy another ticket!!!

Back in Australia, I complained to Comair and initially they said the following after a couple days – “In common with other airlines we are unable to accept liability for the consequences of a flights delay, cancellation or diversion…”

What rubbish! Needless to say it took a couple weeks of pain and frustration to recoup some of the money lost on the purchase of another plane ticket.

Comair can definitely learn a thing or two from Quantas. Before the plane even arrived at Johannesburg, the ground staff had informed the passengers that the trip back to Sydney would be delayed – an inconvenience but at least it was communicated timeously.

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