Funny Things that 'Foreigners' Do -

[hellosailor]

Tj, something like ten years ago Mercury did a lot of radio ads for their new "Mystique". And chose an actor who kept calling it the "Mercury Mistake".

Then there's a thick-tongued fellow who does tv ads for AllState (insurance) who delivers a tag line that might be "you're in good hands" or "you're in good stan" because his accent, plus the tag line's abstract logic, are just unintelligible. (They've changed that recently.)

Where's Tom Brokaw when you need him? Folks think enunciation must be a painful medical procedure. I still shudder to recall Jimmy Carter talking about being a "knee-ook-le-ah" engineer in the Navy. Personally, I wouldn't let someone play with a reactor unless they could call it by the correct name, but fortunately he got promoted to management. Hmmm....

[David_Old_Jersey]

Talking about cross cultural adverts.......

A year or 2 back a US airline (United?) was showing a series of TV adverts in the UK featuring a loud, oversized and demanding new yorker, with the selling point that they were used to meeting the expectations of very demanding passengers.

I am sure I was not the only person who decided NOT to travel on an aircraft with a high risk of sitting next to folk like that

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Talking about cross cultural adverts.......

A year or 2 back a US airline (United?) was showing a series of TV adverts in the UK featuring a loud, oversized and demanding new yorker, with the selling point that they were used to meeting the expectations of very demanding passengers.

I am sure I was not the only person who decided NOT to travel on an aircraft with a high risk of sitting next to folk like that

In addition to which; United Airlines Breaks Guitars

➥ United Breaks Guitars | Dave Carroll Music.com

➥

YouTube - United Breaks Guitars

[drew.ward]

Gord you beat me to it!

[Cowboy Sailer]

We still laugh about a road sign in South Africa -- "Traffic Calming". Sure enough there was a sleeping policeman (speed bump) a few meters away. I also rmember a warning sign in Cape Town -- "Pedestrian Crossing 66 Metres". Why exactly 66 meters? Was there not a suitable place for the sign 50 meters from the pedestrian crossing?

[anjou]

We have a motoring/car programme called Top Gear, who showed a road sign which said........" Sign temporarily removed"

I wonder where my taxes go?

[hellosailor]

Gord?
"Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users. "
Has the movie "Close Encounters" come to mind?

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Gord?
"Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users. "
Has the movie "Close Encounters" come to mind?

Not lately. Should it? Why? In what regard?

[Rhosyn Mor]

I just had to explain to someone what " a Pukka piece of kit" and " wide boy"meant.
Next I will have to explain how I picked up a dog and bone to give someone a bell means,

I do not know what the world is coming to

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Rhosyn Mor

I just had to explain to someone what " a Pukka piece of kit" and " wide boy"meant.
Next I will have to explain how I picked up a dog and bone to give someone a bell means,

I do not know what the world is coming to

Radio rental, innit. Well, even if it has gone all Pete tong at least you can forget all the ravi Shankers and have a few Mick Jaggers down the rubadub and afterwards a decent ruby then a Joe Baxi home. Sound like a manfred mann?

[anjou]

Originally Posted by conachair

Radio rental, innit. Well, even if it has gone all Pete tong at least you can forget all the ravi Shankers and have a few Mick Jaggers down the rubadub and afterwards a decent ruby then a Joe Baxi home. Sound like a manfred mann?

There speaks a Geezer who knows what hes talking about. Cushty.

[drew.ward]

When I lived in Tennessee where trucking is a large industry there was a sort of motorway etiquette for big trucks. If one wanted to change into your lane you were expected to turn your lights off and then back on to let him know at which point he had cleared your vehicle. Trucks would do the same if you were signaling that you plan to enter their lane in front of them.

Afterward the driver who received the go ahead signal would generally do something to symbolize a thank you. The large trucks often had a set pattern they would do that sometimes became a very ornate show of the truck's various lighting.

[drew.ward]

Since we're back on traffic issues, here's something I just remembered:

In the US when you have a traffic circle (roundabout) the traffic already in the circle always has the right of way with those wishing to enter the circle having to yield to anyone already in it.

In many parts of Germany the traffic entering the circle has the right of way and those already in the circle must stop for them to let them in.

I realize everywhere is different, but in all my years driving in Germany I never could see the logic in that setup.

[anjou]

Originally Posted by drew.ward

Since we're back on traffic issues, here's something I just remembered:

In the US when you have a traffic circle (roundabout) the traffic already in the circle always has the right of way with those wishing to enter the circle having to yield to anyone already in it.

In many parts of Germany the traffic entering the circle has the right of way and those already in the circle must stop for them to let them in.

I realize everywhere is different, but in all my years driving in Germany I never could see the logic in that setup.

I guess it might work until the circle is full of going nowhere traffic then it all stops.
Occasionally ive seen overly courtious people stop on the roundabout to let others on and its damn near caused an accident.

The rule is, give way to your right

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by drew.ward

Since we're back on traffic issues, here's something I just remembered:

In the US when you have a traffic circle (roundabout) the traffic already in the circle always has the right of way with those wishing to enter the circle having to yield to anyone already in it.

In many parts of Germany the traffic entering the circle has the right of way and those already in the circle must stop for them to let them in.

I realize everywhere is different, but in all my years driving in Germany I never could see the logic in that setup.

You think that's bad - here in Ottawa there's a single roundabout where both conventions exist. It depends upon the direction you're travelling. North or South enter and exit have right-of-way. Going East or West in or out of the circle, you must yield.

I don't know if it's like this in the US, but up here the traffic planners have started using roundabouts for traffic-calming - whereas in England and other places that have used them forever, they are designed to maintain an efficient flow of traffic and reduce the need for starting and stopping. As a result there is no set convention for right-of-way in a roundabout in Canada, and intersections are becoming more dangerous. imho.