How did you serve others today?

[ChemEngrMBA]

In 1983, the Department of Transportation required all auto and small truck manufacturers to install Center High Mounted Stop Lamps (CHMSLs) in order to reduce rear-end accidents.  Research showed that such center stop lamps reduced accidents by 4.3%, saving Americans hundreds of milions of dollars in car damages, much less time and trouble.

When I commuted 25 miles each way from LA to Orange County, I would write on my yellow legal pad "BRAKE LIGHT OUT", honk and show it to the driver.  For thirty years.  I got tired of writing it down and printed it out.  During that thirty years, I estimate I have notified 50,000 to 80,000 drivers of burned out brake lights by showing them this sign, which almost always gets a "thumbs up."


On July 12, I filed a formal whistleblower complaint with the Department of Transportation, providing considerable photographic evidence of virtually all car manufacturers violating Standard 108 by obscuring the mandated CHMSL with heavily tinted rear windows.  I have also contacted a major law firm to file class action litigation against every American car manufacturer for product defects endangering the public in every state, even those who do not have the heavy tinted windows, but may be following such a car and cannot see the obscured CHMSL.

Do what you can for as many as you can, every day.

[rustynail]

'How did you serve others today?'  With some fava beans and a nice chianti.

[libertybele]

I gave our lawn maintenance worker a raise.  We finally found someone who does a good job, polite, great communication and always does as I request without any hesitation.  He quit his job that he hated and started his own business. He has two kids to feed so it was a bit of a gamble.  He loves what he does especially landscape design.

[Smokin Joe]

Not much, really. I just kicked a wedge of pallet lumber that had been broken off out of the aisle (to the very edge) in a local home improvement store. It's a real pain to run your cart into one of those and skid to a stop...and I avoided running into three idiot drivers on the way there and back.

[Cyber Liberty]

 

[ChemEngrMBA]

I play tennis six times a week for an hour and on the seventh day, I play racquetball.
Afterwards, six to ten of us meet at the corner shopping center for coffee and snacks outdoors.
At that time, I enjoy meeting other groups if for no other reason than to give them this note or
compliment someone for something.
The community pool is nearby and swim/waterpolo teams are very common.   When I see such teams
I go to their table and say, "I want to give you some money.  The first one who can tell me the world record
for treading water in hours, plus or minus 10%, gets $5."  (85 hours)
One of these girls said "Hi" to me first and I said, "Do you know me?" She answered as I indicated in
the picture and I was shocked.   I turned back to ask, "Which one of you said that?"  Answer:  "We all did."
I put a five-dollar bill on the table, as any icon would.

"It ain't braggin' if you really done it." - Hall of Fame Baseball Pitcher, Dizzy Dean
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[Smokin Joe]

Passed gas loudly on the front lawn.

The human foghorn strikes again! Keep those vessels off the rocks!
 
(It works around here).
 

[ChemEngrMBA]

Walk up to a grocery clerk stocking shelves or produce or dairy.  Pat them on the shoulder and say, "Thank you for feeding me."

They get lots of complaints but too few compliments.  See how you feel afterward and how they react to your kindness.

I've done this hundreds of times in my three nearby grocery stores.  One fellow who looked very much like Shaquille O'Neill reacted to my question, "Have I ever thanked you for feeding me?" with , "Several times."

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[Gefn]

Back a few years ago when most people still paid cash at the grocery store if someone was short on change  rather than putting the item back, I would offer a couple of singles to the cashier to help pay for groceries.

Nowadays the best I can do is give up my space in line to an older couple, or a frazzled mom with children .

[Gefn]

What is fun if you can afford it, is when you're at a drive through, and you have a few extra dollars (think Starbucks or Dunkin') pay your coffee and ask the cashier how much the car behind you owes. If it's no more than 5 or so- I pay for them too.

Two years ago on Christmas a woman did this for me at a Dunkin', and I try to do this most of the time when I am in Dunkin' . I thought this lady who didn't know me was doing an random act of kindness and it made my day - I was so incredibly happy for this gesture

[ChemEngrMBA]

Some years ago, driving home from Pismo Beach, we stopped in a sandwich shop for snacks and there were four Marines in line in front of us.
I stepped up and put down $40 and said, "Their tab is on me."
One Marine said, "Sir we don't need welfare."

"This is not welfare, son.  This is gratitude and respect."  They liked that and no more arguing.

Last year, same thing at Stacks breakfast shop.  "We need more money from you," said the cashier.
"Here you go," said I.

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