Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Radio Presets

I don't think that this is one of my weirder idiosyncrasies, but a five minute spat in the car with my girlfriend has opened my eyes to the fact that it may be a tad strange. The conversation went something like this:
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Me: (Tinkering with radio presets)
Girlfriend: "What are you doing?!"
Me: "Just rearranging things. Don't worry."
Girlfriend: "No! Stop, stop, stop!"
Me: "Calm down, it's no big deal."
Girlfriend: "Yes it is! Now I don't know which station is which!"
Me: "Yes you do. Now they go from smallest numbered station to largest numbered station. Now it's easier to tell."
Girlfriend: "Not when I am driving and am used to pushing a certain number for a certain station."
Me: "Fine then. If it's that big a deal I'll just put them back."
Girlfriend: "No, don't. This way is much better and you are so smart and handsome. I love you so much. I am sorry I ever doubted you."
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:-)
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Anyway, to me it is common sense that the radio presets need (yes, need) to be in numerical order from smallest numbered station to largest numbered station. But, as I recently learned, not everyone thinks this way. What usually happens is that a person hears a station they like, they push one of the radio presets, and set it for easy return. Then when they are on a different station, whether it be higher or lower than the previous one, they set that station on the next present, and so on and so forth. After all of one's favorite stations are set, you are left with a jumbled mess of disorganized crap, that passengers cannot decipher, even if they tried.

What is the benefit of/reasoning behind having the presets in a random order? Nothing. It happens over time, unbeknownst to the radio preset setter until it is too late. Then, all the preset numbers become comfortable, and never change.

Everyone knows their top six radio stations, and can easily recall them from memory if all their presets were to be erased. That being said, next time you are at a red light, make your life easier and put your presets in numerical order. After a couple of days with the logic system of radio presets, the new presets will be just as easy to recall as the previous ones. Your passengers will appreciate it and thank you for it. (Or not even notice).

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