Every so often I'm forced to read the manual.
I usually try to do without because I have a problem with them.
Why do the writers of technical manuals of any sort assume everyone is on the same page they are?
Case in point. Tonight, spouse, son, and I took a wee road trip to remove my Jeep's hard top and store it in MIL's garage for the rest of the summer season. We figured the total trip would take roughly two hours.
Wrong. It took little or no time to remove the hard top and get it situated in the garage. And, since I'd owned a rag top before, it really didn't take all that long to put the rag top on...and the salesman I'd purchased Skye from had refreshed my memory on the particulars of putting the rag top on.
But, this has a Sunrider top and there are pieces that fit over the doors to connect the rag top to the doors. Those were the pieces we had to wait for, as the previous owners had neglected to bring them when they traded.
We didn't think it would take rocket science to figure it out. After all, we had the manual, right?
Fat lot of good THAT did.
You see, the manual writers assume everyone has seen these particular things before. And, even the salesman told us that these pieces go on last.
Not so. It wasn't working right. We cracked open the manual looking for information about these very important pieces and found nothing on how or when to install them. More importantly was the when.
They don't go on last, they go on first. We ended up taking the rag top partially off twice to accomplish the task. And, this rag top has only been used a time or two and was still very new and stiff. It was a struggle.
But, it's done. The rag top is on and I intend to make a detour past the car dealership tomorrow to make sure I know how to use this top. It's a bit different than my old Wrangler.
But, I sure will grumble about that manual and its lack of consideration for the folks who read it who don't work for Jeep.
4 comments:
I can see you struggling and getting things in an orderly fashion. *Giggling*
You're one smart cookie, I have to have direction's usually. Way to go! And, I bet that rag top is lookin" fine!
You finally got it all straight though and thats what counts ;)
Hey, Kate, when'd yew larn tew reed? Er, wuz their sum pitchers fer yew tew luk ayat to?
I agree with you about the manuals, though. These things have to have been written by specialist geeks - and drunken ones, at that - FOR specialist geeks. They really should hire writers for those things, ya know?
I can see it now: "Jeep. The Manual." Written in the style of James Joyce. Gotta' love it.
The Auld Scot
Most manuals I swear are written by someone in Taiwan or China by people who *think* they've mastered the English lanuage. AND they've never even laid eyes on said product the manual is for.
Glad to hear you got your baby's lid figured out. *wink*
Post a Comment