h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

UK Rubber = US Eraser (= Durex Aus!!!)
US Rubber = UK Durex (= Sellotape Aus!!)

UK Ground floor = US 1st floor

Yes, St. Brolean, I think that did answer my question.

I'm not quite sure what a UK pick-up truck is; I'd assume it to be the same as a US one. You may mean a break-down truck.

In France, haven't they brought in a rule to make cars stop at zebras? Unfortunately, despite a fairly severe penalty attatched, no-one thinks the drivers are going to take a blind bit of notice.

i was basing my comments on gosho's long list on the previous page, so i'm a bit confused on the trucks as well. hopefully when he comes 'round again he'll read the backlog....

on second thought, maybe we should just mention it to him when we see him again

for a few moments there i thougt there was an abundance of striped, horse-like animals running amok thru the uk, but now i realize:

uk zebra crossing = us crosswalk

now i get it

Sorry, I wasn't paying enough attention.

We have various types of pedestrian crossing here:

Zebra: very thick white lines, parallel to the kerb (I think this is what you call a shoulder) going across the road with belisha beacons on the pavement. Belisha beacons are black and white striped poles with flashing amber balls on top. Cars must stop if a pedestrian is on the crossing.

Pelican: two lines of little studs in the road controlled by traffic lights and pedestrian lights. There is a little box on some of the traffic light poles with instructions and a little button. When the button is pressed, the word "WAIT" pops up on this box (except on approx 40% of them where either the button is broken or the bulb has gone). After a while, the traffic lights change from green to amber and then to red. Cars must stop at the red light and should not go through the amber if they can stop easily. Then the pedestrian lights change from the red man to the green man (often accompanied by a beeping noise for those who cannot see very well or aren't paying attention) at which point pedestrians cross (unless they've already gone, in which case car drivers sit there looking annoyed). Then the cars get a flashing amber light and pedestrians the flashing green man; here cars may go if the crossing is clear and pedestrians should not start to cross. Finally back to green light/red man.

Puffin: Similar ot above, but misses out the flashing lights, instead using the normal traffic light sequence and using movement sensors to see if the crossing is clear.

Blimey, that's a long post.

BTW, if you're in New York ... and in a crosswalk ... with the right-of-way ... don't expect anyone to stop for you ... just a safety tip.

In NYC, at least you're lucky that there isn't the right on red rule. In the rest of New York, you're allowed to make a right turn on a red light after checking to make sure the coast is clear. This, of course, never seems to include pedestrians, so it's very difficult to cross the street in New York.

Goodness me what a right little hornet's nest I've stirred up. I must admit that I'm a little unsure myself on the pick up truck thing, and having actually read the backlog (somebody catch Shea as she faints ), US wrecker probably comes over better as UK tow truck, although I'm sure that I used to call them pick up trucks when I was a kid because they come along and pick up your car when you've broken down (UK broken down = US stalled). A flatbed can be... oh btw - UK artic(ulated lorry) = US semi trailer... an artic which has a trailer with no sides, but I know that I've also called pick up trucks flatbeds, even though they have sides, and here in Texas everyone drives (pick up) trucks if they're not driving an SUV. I need to go through the backlog again (Shea..... ), but I have to go and find the cat right now. Later.

::stands with jaw agape::

ummm, okay......
why are all of your pedestrian crossings named after animals?

and i was curious about the truck thing not only because i drive one, but because 'pick up truck' was one of the new smiley options, and i voted for it because i drive one.

Well, yee-haw Mama!

I was wondering that about the crosswalks also ...

They're named after animals because the black and white stripes came first and got called zebra crossings. There are also Pelican (PEdestrian LIght-CONtrolled), Puffin (Pedestrian User-Friendly INterface), Toucan (because two can cross - for pedestrians and cyclists) and Pegasus (for pedestrians and horses).

Ain't that just the cutest yiddle thing?

Hey! Looks what's on the front page today:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A568587

As far as I can tell, the jaywalking thing is not quite as strict in Austin as it might be in, say, NYC, because the intersections are much further apart. I mean, if you live half a mile from from the nearest intersection but have to get to a bus stop which is right across the street, it's pretty unreasonable to be expected to walk a half mile on each side of the road to do it, which is what I would have to have done at the last place I lived.
I believe you can also get a jaywalking ticket at a crosswalk if you cross the street whilst the "Don't Walk" sign is lit. I did that a few mornings ago at a one way street. I don't know why, but the Walk sign doesn't light up immediately, even though the light is red and the traffic can't go anywhere, so I walk across it anyway. Halfway across, I noticed a motorcycle cop at the stop line in one of the lanes, but he must have either been in a good mood, or didn't realise that the Walk sign hadn't come up because I didn't get a ticket.
One more thing - my family in Liverpool and all the people I used to w**k with in Lancashire call a lorry a wagon, so there are obviously more words than one for just about everything, even in British English

A wagon is the phrase used by people who drive and work with lorries. The rest of us call lorries lorries.

Maybe the usage of that word has died out Deskers, because it's about 25 years since I was around my family regularly, and 20 since I lived in Lancashire. None of my family were lorry drivers or mechanics, although quite a few of them w**ked at the Mersey Docks. To my knowledge, neither was Mike Harding, but there's a bit in one of his songs where he tells a little joke about two blokes in prison...
"What are you in for?"
"Robbin' a wagon. What about you?"
"Waggin' me robin"

Seconded, GD!

UH, don't say that in front of Happy, for goodness sake...

I happily accept that wagon is used up North to describe lorries. I'd never heard the expression when I lived in Somerset and Hertfordshire but I did start to hear it when I moved to Yorkshire.

:: bookmarking ... the list is compiled to here! ::

say what? europeans: can't live with them?

well, you can't, and you can put me in a dresss and calll me barbara if it isnt so

Eh?