Interesting little facts...

[Taipan]

I remember reading about that. I live fairly close to Alicante, there's loads of holiday resorts along the coast and plenty of hire cars on the roads. It's easy to spot a hire car, they usually have a sticker in the back window from the relevant hire company, they never get targeted by criminals though.

All the tourist hire cars here have sticker on back. Then we know to expect the unexpected from confused tourists

Same in Guernsey. And there are a lot of confused and lost tourists in Guernsey, they (allegedly) removed the signs to confuse the Germans in 1940. They don't seem to have put them back yet.

How do you put signs back on unknown roads!

[Noggin]

I remember reading about that. I live fairly close to Alicante, there's loads of holiday resorts along the coast and plenty of hire cars on the roads. It's easy to spot a hire car, they usually have a sticker in the back window from the relevant hire company, they never get targeted by criminals though.

All the tourist hire cars here have sticker on back. Then we know to expect the unexpected from confused tourists

Same in Guernsey. And there are a lot of confused and lost tourists in Guernsey, they (allegedly) removed the signs to confuse the Germans in 1940. They don't seem to have put them back yet.

TBF, even without signs on Guernsey it's hard to be lost for long!!

We used to tell people to drive till they found the sea road, turn left or right and keep following the road until you get back to St Peter Port

[Cousin Jack]

TBF, even without signs on Guernsey it's hard to be lost for long!!

We used to tell people to drive till they found the sea road, turn left or right and keep following the road until you get back to St Peter Port

Worked for me.

Trying to do a shorcut across the middle was a nightmare!

[Noggin]

TBF, even without signs on Guernsey it's hard to be lost for long!!

We used to tell people to drive till they found the sea road, turn left or right and keep following the road until you get back to St Peter Port

Worked for me.

Trying to do a shorcut across the middle was a nightmare!

Wayyyyy too complicated to cut across the middle!! LOL. I used to drive the white buses there, 25 ish years ago

[ZRX61]

Freddie and the Dreamers may not have been the most inventive guitar groups of the 60s, or the hardest rockers, or the most groundbreaking, but they were almost certainly the ugliest...

[Horse]

In many parts of the UK, homes that face each other at the rear are required to be built 21 metres apart. This large distance means that instead of clustering buildings together around cool courtyards or shady streets, as is common in hotter climates, many homes in new neighbourhoods are directly exposed to the sun.

The 21-metre rule is, according to the Stirling prize-winning architect Annalie Riches, a bizarre hangover from 1902, originally intended to protect the modesty of Edwardian women. The urban designers Raymond Unwin and Barry Parker walked apart in a field until they could no longer see each other’s nipples through their shirts. The two men measured the distance between them to be 70ft (21 metres), and this became the distance that is still used today, 120 years later, to dictate how far apart many British homes should be built.

[Noggin]

In many parts of the UK, homes that face each other at the rear are required to be built 21 metres apart. This large distance means that instead of clustering buildings together around cool courtyards or shady streets, as is common in hotter climates, many homes in new neighbourhoods are directly exposed to the sun.

The 21-metre rule is, according to the Stirling prize-winning architect Annalie Riches, a bizarre hangover from 1902, originally intended to protect the modesty of Edwardian women. The urban designers Raymond Unwin and Barry Parker walked apart in a field until they could no longer see each other’s nipples through their shirts. The two men measured the distance between them to be 70ft (21 metres), and this became the distance that is still used today, 120 years later, to dictate how far apart many British homes should be built.

Thank you!! Much needed giggle here at Edwardian men walking backwards until they can't see each other's nipples

[Horse]

Can't help but wonder whether they conducted their essential research in hot or cold conditions ... ?

[Noggin]

Can't help but wonder whether they conducted their essential research in hot or cold conditions ... ?

I'm guesses neither was short sighted and actually they probably were using a kind of telescope - 21 metres seems like a long way to see nipples

[Horse]

Can't help but wonder whether they conducted their essential research in hot or cold conditions ... ?

I'm guesses neither was short sighted and actually they probably were using a kind of telescope - 21 metres seems like a long way to see nipples

They certainly wouldn't have had any trouble reading number plates for the (then not invented) driving test!

[Cousin Jack]

Can't help but wonder whether they conducted their essential research in hot or cold conditions ... ?

I'm guesses neither was short sighted and actually they probably were using a kind of telescope - 21 metres seems like a long way to see nipples

They certainly wouldn't have had any trouble reading number plates for the (then not invented) driving test!

My Dad had a full driving licence in the 1930s. He bought it at the Post Office, same process as buying a Dog Licence.

[Horse]

On 30 June 1937, the UK introduced the world’s first emergency number - 999. The digit ‘9’ was chosen because it was easy to find on a rotary phone in the dark or even through smoke.

The number came after the tragic 1935 Wimpole Street fire, where five women lost their lives because calls to emergency services had to go through a manual exchange, causing fatal delays.

European 112 - 1976
US 911 - 1968

[gremlin]

On 30 June 1937, the UK introduced the world’s first emergency number - 999. The digit ‘9’ was chosen because it was easy to find on a rotary phone in the dark or even through smoke.

The number came after the tragic 1935 Wimpole Street fire, where five women lost their lives because calls to emergency services had to go through a manual exchange, causing fatal delays.

European 112 - 1976
US 911 - 1968

All the above work in the UK should you need them.

(Feel free to try it, but I won't be held responsible for the plod coming to have words with you if you do)

[Horse]

On 30 June 1937, the UK introduced the world’s first emergency number - 999. The digit ‘9’ was chosen because it was easy to find on a rotary phone in the dark or even through smoke.

The number came after the tragic 1935 Wimpole Street fire, where five women lost their lives because calls to emergency services had to go through a manual exchange, causing fatal delays.

European 112 - 1976
US 911 - 1968

All the above work in the UK should you need them.

(Feel free to try it, but I won't be held responsible for the plod coming to have words with you if you do)

IIRC 911 is only from mobiles. Feel free to try

[Bwana]

Back when a total ban on pistols was being talked about people actually did research. I was one.

Many years ago one us state IIRC Florida intended to legalise concealed carry. Anti gun people protested and predicted a bloodbath.

What actually happened was that street crime and violent burglary dropped substantially. Victims could fight back!

Late to the party, as usual. However...



Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota have some of the least restrictive gun laws in the nation. Meanwhile Connecticut and Illinois have some of the most restrictive gun laws.

Between 1991 and 2022, Florida, Connecticut, and Illinois led the country by slashing their violent crime rates by over 70%. This starkly contrasted with states like Montana, South Dakota, and North Dakota, where violent crime rates increased significantly over the same time frame.

Florida legalized concealed carry in 1987. In 1996 it ranked among the highest in the nation for violent crime.


Correlation does not equate to causation. There may be many factors affecting crime rates, like the ban on leaded fuels (decreases in crime 20 years after the ban) and the crack cocaine use (increases during peak popularity).

[ZRX61]

Between 1991 and 2022, Florida, Connecticut, and Illinois led the country by slashing their violent crime rates by over 70%. This starkly contrasted with states like Montana, South Dakota, and North Dakota, where violent crime rates increased significantly over the same time frame.

Florida legalized concealed carry in 1987. In 1996 it ranked among the highest in the nation for violent crime.


Correlation does not equate to causation. There may be many factors affecting crime rates, like the ban on leaded fuels (decreases in crime 20 years after the ban) and the crack cocaine use (increases during peak popularity).

What year did Florida stop using decals to identify rental cars that made them easy targets for the 13% of the population that commits 50% of the crime?

[Horse]

License Plates: In 1991, Florida stopped printing the word "lease" and began using "Y" or "Z" identifiers . Following a string of crimes against tourists, the state banned these identifying license tags altogether in May 1993 .

Company Decals: Major rental companies like Alamo, Budget, and Hertz voluntarily stripped company logos, decals, and bumper stickers from their Florida cars in 1991

[Taipan]

Don't eat liquorice before going to bed, as it makes you dream about all sorts!

[Druid]

Don't eat liquorice before going to bed, as it makes you dream about all sorts!

I was going to suggest that this post belongs in the Jokes thread...

on second thoughts, maybe not.

[Bwana]

Between 1991 and 2022, Florida, Connecticut, and Illinois led the country by slashing their violent crime rates by over 70%. This starkly contrasted with states like Montana, South Dakota, and North Dakota, where violent crime rates increased significantly over the same time frame.

Florida legalized concealed carry in 1987. In 1996 it ranked among the highest in the nation for violent crime.


Correlation does not equate to causation. There may be many factors affecting crime rates, like the ban on leaded fuels (decreases in crime 20 years after the ban) and the crack cocaine use (increases during peak popularity).

What year did Florida stop using decals to identify rental cars that made them easy targets for the 13% of the population that commits 50% of the crime?

1993. Your point?