A Tale of PIN OVERLOAD

Dublin Bus have a brilliant new service for all us hard working bus hopping people, RTPI  (Real Time Passenger Information). The iphone and web app are only available at the moment, but for all you 'droid users out there, the Android app will be out in late November.

Anyways, every bus stop now has it's own unique four digit number and by entering this number you will get real time info on when the next bus is due at your stop! I've tried it and it works really well (the buses are fitted with some gizmo that registers when they are passing a stop). There were a few glitches in the first couple of days, but I have to say I am quite impressed by it.

The only trouble is though...now I am suffering from PIN OVERLOAD - let me tell you how I know this to be true.

The other day I was checking my Dublin City Library account - I entered my PIN, or rather I entered A PIN, obviously not the right one, tried again, and again and then gave up. Turns out I was using a combination of the digits in my year of birth!

So then I thought I should check when my books were due back on my work account and once again I tried various combinations of four particular numbers to no avail and gave up. Turns out these four digits in the right order sets the alarm in work!

The next day I was at the ATM trying to retrieve some of my hard earned money when it struck - PIN OVERLOAD. I was standing there desperately trying to remember which four digit number to use, and the queue behind was starting to build up, and oh the pressure of queues!!! You just become so aware of the people behind you - the throat clearing (just to let you know that they are there) - the foot shuffling (to indicated the level on impatience) - and then, the turning round and loudly complaining to the stranger behind (the last resort of queuer!).

Anyway,  as  you know if you enter your number incorrectly three times your card will be swallowed up, and then you have to go through all sorts of hoo-haa to get it back, so I was under extreme pressure, kinda like when you use the self-service machine in the supermarket and it tells you to take your change and thanks you for shopping there, when you are still busily trying to stuff everything in your bag. It's a machine for *****sake why do we feel the need to hurry up when it talks to us! It's like 'I took your money now get out!'
 
So, I'm not sure how long I was standing there going through the different combinations in my head (at least I thought it was in my head) when a youngish guy behind me in the queue leaned over my shoulder and asked was I alright, and could I speak English as he didn't understand what I was saying. It was then that I realised I had been muttering the numbers out loud, he then said 'you know you seem to be talking in code, is there any way I can help you?' I was horrified to realise that not only had I been muttering all my PINs out loud but that I had also been trying to retrieve my cash with the my bus stop number! That's when I abandoned all hope of getting any money out and decided that I really didn't need to eat, and headed off home to lie down!

So friends and colleagues, if you come across me helplessly wandering around the library muttering random bursts of four digit numbers, or if you find me at the ATM mumbling in code and quoting the bus timetables, treat me kindly, take me gently by the hand and find a nice comfy chair for me, perhaps even, make me a nice hot cup of tea (milk and two sugars please), and stay with me until this moment of PIN OVERLOAD passes.