Robot telephone voices

I'm trying to talk with a computer voice about my flight information. I'm saying "Baltimore" and the dumb robot says "I think you said 'start over'."

So I'm yelling at this stupid machine!

Sometimes I just express my frustration, pleading to speak with a human being.

Don't get me started. Have you ever tried calling the phone company?

I need to cahnge the topic 'cause I feel my heart pounding already...good luck!

Boy, I can relate to this one, too! I especially like the Drs. office when they're supposed to be open and all I get is a recorded message---this going on after the office has been opened for over an hour. No one picks up the phone, so you have to keep calling back....

Weird, plan weird!

On this subject of robot phone voices. May the creater of this process go straight to hell and burn for eternity, preferably in agony. This has been one of the worst customer service nightmares in history. Now I even get sales calls from robots aying "please hold for an important message." OR they give the message. Whats next, robot doctors, dentists, lawyers. phone and utility personnel or have we reached that point yet? Theres a movie coming on either TV or Film called I, ROBOT. I'm not kidding this is true, it might be a good one to see. I think the star is named Will Smith.....

My mother has the perfect solution to dealing w/ robot voices....she has absolutely refused to replace her rotary phone w/ a touch tone. She almost always gets a human....not that most customer service reps....especially at the phone company....really qualify as human!

"I, Robot" is based on a book by Isaac Asimov, which is part of the extensive and visionary Foundation series. "Robots and Empire" is a later book in this series and one of my two lifetime favorite books. I'd recommend the entire series -- it's fantastic from beginning to end!! -- although at maybe 3000 total pages, I realize many of you don't have the time even if you were interested.

I have no idea how closely the movie follows the book.

Meredith,

That sounds so interesting! I love anything that has to do with the future or time-travel. Thank you for the info!

Asimov doesn't just tell a story; he creates an entire universe with history, politic and social systems, economics etc. It's incredibly well thought out. "I, Robot" is one of several vignette stories leading up to the Foundation series and as such doesn't have the immense historical scope, although all of the earlier stories eventually weave into the larger fabric.

This is such a great topic...I feel an article coming on! Thanks girls...

I can see it now...push 7 if you are bleeding really bad...push 8 if you are really, really, bleeding bad...push 9 if you are really, really, really, and ain't kidding bout it, cross your heart, hope to die, bleeding bad....