If you have to ask....

[DrFaroohk]

...then you obviously weren't being clear enough.


...is the way the phrase should be. For any type of "if you have to ask..." phrase.

"if yo have to ask if this is allowed, it probably isn't." No. You didn't explain your rules clearly enough. If you had, I wouldn't be asking.

If you read my other posts about the singers breaking the rules at the contest, that's a prime example. I could have asked "Hey, is it ok to go over 4 minutes?" And then some dickbag would talk to me like i"m 10 years old and say "Well did you read the rules? Uh huh, and did the rules say sweetie? Well I GUESS THAT'S YOUR ANSWER THEN!"

This is why people like me have such a hard time dealing with structure and order. I follow a general guidelines for rules, and I'm told to follow them to the letter. I follow them to the letter, and I'm told to drop my attitude. I ask for help, I get bitched at for even asking. No matter what I do, I'm instantly wrong.

[XCashier]

This is why people like me have such a hard time dealing with structure and order. I follow a general guidelines for rules, and I'm told to follow them to the letter. I follow them to the letter, and I'm told to drop my attitude. I ask for help, I get bitched at for even asking. No matter what I do, I'm instantly wrong.

I like having structure and order, but like you, I can do without the mind games, snide remarks and snotty attitudes. It needs to be made much clearer which rules need to be strictly adhered to and which ones have wiggle room (and how much).