How my beginner Python script for train times in Italy sent me on a wild goose chase

I was backpacking through Italy last summer and figured it would be cool to write a little Python script to pull train schedules from a website. I'm just starting out with coding, so I followed a tutorial online. Well, I messed up the code for parsing the times, and instead of showing departures, it showed arrivals from the day before. I ended up at the station an hour early for a train that never came, and had to ask for help in broken Italian. The funny part was, the station agent laughed when I showed him my code on my phone, and he pointed out my error. It was a bit embarrassing, but now I always double-check my loops and conditionals. For other beginners, I guess the lesson is to test your code with real data before you rely on it, especially when traveling!

2 comments

2 Comments

joelrivera8h ago

It's funny how tiny mistakes in code can mess up real world plans so badly. Reminds me of when my mom sets the microwave timer wrong and dinner is late, small input, big outcome. Makes you wonder how often we trust systems without really checking them. Ever had a similar mix-up with tech?

river9539h ago

Classic mix-up between arrivals and departures, the programmer's version of showing up to a party on the wrong day. At least you got a free Italian lesson from a patient train guy, lol. Your script basically did the opposite of what you wanted, which is a pretty solid summary of my early coding attempts too. That's a travel story you won't forget.