English vs English

[AgamemnonV2]

The issue may be old news but I just have to throw this in: roundabouts are DEFINITELY not better in regards to the flow of traffic when holding the exception over proper city planning. South Florida is an excellent example of this. The cities were planned with massive expansion in mind and created the road system based off of the grid plan (as opposed to the "I drew the road system with a crayon" plan). Because of this massive project in which nearly every street follows this pattern (with two-way traffic), traffic flow is reduced because drivers are conscious enough to know that if they are stuck going west-bound, they can always turn north or south and return west to still arrive at their destination (with a little more travel in mind).

 

Roundabouts are commonly found in cities where city planning predates the horse and buggy, so it's understandable why it's a mess. And truthfully, in those cases, roundabouts are the ONLY thing that would work because usually the distance from the previous intersection is only a stone throw away. Even now in the city I'm living in roundabouts are God awful tools, smaller than the Mini Cooper, and there's not a day that goes by where I don't see a tour bus get stuck at one attempting to go around it. And then there's the ever-so-common "circle-lock" feature that usually happens when people are impatient and don't yield, breaking out into the circle, when the person they cut off is attempting to still stay on, but the person behind them is trying to pass them to another direction, thus virtually stopping the flow of traffic until someone takes one for the team and goes down a street they weren't planning on going down anyway.

 

Here's a good example of why roundabouts don't work in the United States. Follow the road called Hollywood Blvd to the West and you'll find a large roundabout. This planning was done for a couple of reasons--for one, the city wanted to be "unique" and add some unique value to the city, and the other was they bought the whole, "roundabouts help with traffic" myth. I've driven on this road plenty of times to tell you otherwise. The speed limit on this road is 45MPH. Everyone takes this roundabout at about 25MPH. The traffic is always light at all times of the day. It's pointless on that fact because people actually AVOID the street, going further down South on the highway to just go West on Pembroke Rd or further North to Sheridan St. Hell, that's what I would do, just because everyone knows what a large inconvenience the circle is that just by using it you lose about thirty or forty seconds of final destination travel time. Maybe it's not that significant but take a look East from the highway and count the number of circles. If someone from Sheridan St left at the same time as someone from Hollywood Blvd off of I-95, then the guy on Sheridan St would arrive at Hollywood Beach four minutes sooner than the guy on Hollywood Blvd.

 

Roundabouts are rightfully looked down upon in the States for good reason. Busy streets are largely given priority in traffic light management so you won't hit a red light that often, thus ensuring that one continuous direction with mostly greens along the way means you reduce your speed far less often.

[deanb]

The link you gave is just a search,. It's annoying how it works but on Google maps if you want to link to a specific place you need to hit the link button in the corner.

[Thursday Next]

That's not really what most people in the UK would consider a roundabout. That's more of a gyratory system. "Roundabouts" would normally replace a traffic light junction and occupy the footprint of a small house, rather than being a couple of blocks wide.

 

Something like this:

 

 

For the ultimate in roundabout technology I present to you the "Magic" roundabout in Hemel Hempstead http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Hemel_Hempstead).

[Yantelope]

Really the best way is just to build these things all over the freaking place, at least, that's what they do here in Dallas.

 

[deanb]

Somewhere a tectonic plate just orgasmed at that image.

[TheRevanchist]

Somewhere a tectonic plate just orgasmed at that image.

Found it!

[Hot Heart]

For the ultimate in roundabout technology I present to you the "Magic" roundabout

 

[WTF]

Bah. Roads. Try living in cities that were badly planned despite them having ample opportunity to plan them right. Most roads are fine when compared to that. Or places where corruption prevents road improvements from taking place faster.

 

As for roundabouts yeah TN is on the dot about how it is here.

 

Speaking of roads we call them flyovers here while you call them overpasses, though bigger overpasses are called flyovers if i recall my terminology correctly. Grade separations like what you've shown in that image are always tricky and better implemented in cities in deserts, with a lot of arid waste spaces or modern cities that have made for such planning.

[Yantelope]

Somewhere a tectonic plate just orgasmed at that image.

 

Seizmic zone 0 here. Also some more info on the craziness of this interchange. "The interchange comprises 37 bridges distributed across 5 levels (thus the name "High Five"), with the highest ramps 120 feet (37 m) above ground.[3] The High Five consists of nearly 60 lane-miles of new roadway and stretches 2.4 miles (3.9 km) north/south and 3.4 miles (5.5 km) east/west.[1]"

[Battra92]

Really the best way is just to build these things all over the freaking place, at least, that's what they do here in Dallas.

 

 

Jeez and I thought Albany ways bad.

 

FUN FACT: Many Hollywood films such as SALT are starting to be filmed in Albany because they can tell people it's NYC when it's not.

[deanb]

your "15 minutes" is your "15 minutes of fame" as coined by Warhol. Pretty good prediction.

 

And a "look in" is to be part of something (an event normally). "Me n Ted went to watch Harry potter, but Tod didn't get a look in"

 

Oh to be "on your tod" is to be alone. "I went for a walk on my tod". Probably a reason why Tod is a little used name these days.

 

tad is small/little/bit. "This orange squash is a tad strong"

[deanb]

Quick question, since it seems to be an English vs English thing:

 

 

How do Americans make tea? like the methodology of it.

 

As you may know it's quite the English thing to do, but it's not hit off as much in America. And I've read (I'll link once someone explains how Americans do it) that part of that is cos you guys make tea "wrong" and therefore it's not quite the same stuff us English love.

 

Oh this is Black tea btw. Early Grey, English Breakfast, Assam, Ceylon etc.

[Hot Heart]

I know it involves a ding-a-ling in some way.

 

[WTF]

Technically everyone I know makes tea 'wrong' and that includes several people in the UK as well. All you teabag using people. For shame!

 

Making tea, at least in my family is treated like an art. Maybe it's cause a part of my family comes from plantation owners...

 

If I weren't concerned about my identity I'd gladly invite you over for a cuppa.

[Mr W Phallus]

Technically everyone I know makes tea 'wrong' and that includes several people in the UK as well. All you teabag using people. For shame!

 

Making tea, at least in my family is treated like an art. Maybe it's cause a part of my family comes from plantation owners...

 

If I weren't concerned about my identity I'd gladly invite you over for a cuppa.

Do you pour hot tea over the teapot and everything? If not there are people in China calling you a philistine.

 

I was horrified to find out my friend makes tea in the order Teabag > Milk > Hot Water. I've always made it Teabag > Hot Water > Teabag Out > Milk, there's something weird about the milk and teabag touching. :3

[deanb]

See I do Milk with coffee before pouring, but that's cos coffee can be burnt easier. But yeah it's a bit pointless boiling a kettle then pouring it over a cold teabag. might as well just run hot water out of the tap.

 

Also I asked for yanks, not brits to respond

[TheRevanchist]

Quick question, since it seems to be an English vs English thing:

 

 

How do Americans make tea? like the methodology of it.

 

As you may know it's quite the English thing to do, but it's not hit off as much in America. And I've read (I'll link once someone explains how Americans do it) that part of that is cos you guys make tea "wrong" and therefore it's not quite the same stuff us English love.

 

Oh this is Black tea btw. Early Grey, English Breakfast, Assam, Ceylon etc.

Well...

 

There is instant tea. Just add water and some sugar. Lipton makes it. It's quick and lazy, but will do in a pinch. Can be hot water or cold, as there are no tea leaves involved, just a powder. It's not super common to most people.

 

There is sun tea. Put tea bags into water jug and let sit for a while. Quite tasty. Lipton bags are best.

 

I prefer this.

 

Boil water. Put tea bag in cup. Add a spoon or two of sugar. I like my tea strong, how I like my men. No tea bag removal until I'm done.

 

Earl Grey is also charming.

[WTF]

Well the thing with tea is it's soil dependant so the best way to make tea is of course dependant on where it was grown. Generally I prefer tea granules (basically dried tea leaves sort of granulated) which is then heated in a vessel/pot along with water. Once it boils enough to start rising nicely I leave it to cool and then comes the rest. Sugar for those who like it with sugar, milk for those who like it with milk and both for those who prefer both.

 

The basic preparation of tea should always be that way since there are more people who prefer black tea to tea with milk. Not to mention builder's tea.

 

My preference for tea is generally Darjeeling tea which actually tastes good and is probably best consumed in higher altitudes or lower pressure situations.

 

As for coffee, generally it depends on what you're making. If you are making latte you can forgo the process of water plus beans and do it water plus milk (there's a ratio that needs be in this case or you'll be left with a mess btw). However when it comes to instants and since most people prefer coffee with milk generally to give a richer taste what you need to do is heat milk and add about 2 tablespoons of coffee (at the least) to give it more flavour. Coffee-chicory mixes are best consumed this way if you like milk in your coffee.

 

And Phallus your friends are weird. I mean what the hell, teabag milk and then water? Bleh it's tea not coffee or anything. Man there's so many different kinds of tea in India and Sri Lanka. Generally I hate Turkish tea but their coffee is good.

 

edit: I meant to say pot and not teapot (corrected) wtf I must be tired. Also Dean you're in an English vs English thread and though you're not talking to us specifically you know that we'd respond to tea .

 

On the topic of tea - do you guys dunk your biccies or not? I'm not even going to start with the biscuit - cookie thing since I have that discussion with my friend almost everyday. That and 'titbit' vs 'tidbit'.

Edited July 20, 2011 by WTF

[TheFlyingGerbil]

I always thought titbit was correct but that some people (mostly in USA) use tidbit because they are embarrassed to say/write TIT ::snicker::

 

Dunking biscuits in tea is completely gross - it ruins the tea and the biscuit. If I have a biscuit with tea I have it after I've drunk the tea else the sweetness of the biscuit makes the tea taste more bitter.

[Hot Heart]

The basic preparation of tea should always be that way since there are more people who prefer black tea to tea with milk. Not to mention builder's tea.

 

Really? Are you talking about the UK? I've never known that to be the preference in my experience. I would prepare it that way anyway, just in case, but I am usually around carpet fitters so it will usually be your typical builder's 'milk, two sugars'.

[WTF]

The basic preparation of tea should always be that way since there are more people who prefer black tea to tea with milk. Not to mention builder's tea.

 

Really? Are you talking about the UK? I've never known that to be the preference in my experience. I would prepare it that way anyway, just in case, but I am usually around carpet fitters so it will usually be your typical builder's 'milk, two sugars'.

 

I guess it's cause I had to work with a lot of people a lot older than me when I started out that the whole black tea thing stuck. When I was a kid while my parents prepared tea that way no one really drank black tea as much and I thought it was just something my grandparents did. As I grew older, it seems to be ridiculously common. I think this generation is probably more lactose intolerant than previous ones. Not to mention as people get older they become lactose intolerant and thus prefer black tea once they realise it.

 

You're right in that it wasn't common when we were growing up but it seemed to just become fairly common in the last 10 years or so. Anyway due to these industry people some of whom shall not be named I learnt that you are 'supposed' to make tea black and honestly it's common today. But personally after the tea prep I too prefer milk and sugar (2-3 depends on the type of tea).

 

At least we've not gotten into tea ceremonies or learnt 'to drink cha from an empty cup'.

Which oddly reminds me, chai tea is an annoying double word. It literally is tea tea. Now if chai tea was a different name for masala chai or masala tea that would make sense I suppose but it's not.

[Strangelove]

Chaps and mates.....sounds kinda gay.

[WTF]

People who use chaps outside of a system of payment are rarer than you'd think. Mates though it's common enough.

 

But even I'll admit the other chaps is a bit too cheerful XD

[Thursday Next]

Yeah, it's "mate" where I'm from. One of my mates uses "guys" but he's posh by my standards... well not posh, just a touch snooty. On the other end of the scale, my cousin is from the lower end of the class scale he uses "geeze" an abbreviation of "geezer" ("g" pronounced as in "get").

 

Now for a bit of mythbusting: Do the US really not use the word hell much? In the UK "bloody 'ell", "what the hell" etc are all pretty common, "heck" just doesn't work for me.

[BrainHurtBoy...2]

Yeah, 'chai tea' is fucking annoying. Hindi being my first language, it's incredibly irritating to hear people walking around saying 'chai tea', when they mean something totally different. Chai is tea. It is the word for tea. Does Mexican water become 'agua water'? No. So stop it.