Myth Busters.....Chapter 1

[frizbeedog]

Does mashing the button at the crosswalk, repeatedly, cause the lights to change faster?

It's genetic I'm sure of it. When I see it I feel like shouting out the window of the truck, "Stop that!"

Every so often a real cool customer will walk up and press it just once....an act of faith. Encouraging.

:smile:

 

[quogueelectric]

Does mashing the button at the crosswalk, repeatedly, cause the lights to change faster?

It's genetic I'm sure of it. When I see it I feel like shouting out the window of the truck, "Stop that!"

Every so often a real cool customer will walk up and press it just once....an act of faith. Encouraging.

:smile:

How many times a winter do I see the thermostat on 90* after repeatedly explaining to everyone in the house that it doesnt heat any faster than if you put it on 70. Same gene. I do yell "Stop that " but in the living room.

 

[480sparky]

Click here for the straight dope on the subject. :smile:

How many times a winter do I see the thermostat on 90* after repeatedly explaining to everyone in the house that it doesnt heat any faster than if you put it on 70. Same gene. I do yell "Stop that " but in the living room.

And some cooks will turn their ovens on to 500? to preheat it to 400. Sorry, but it'll get to 400 just the same.

 

[quogueelectric]

Click here for the straight dope on the subject. :smile:



And some cooks will turn their ovens on to 500? to preheat it to 400. Sorry, but it'll get to 400 just the same.

The difference is I am sure my wife does it on purpose just to frost my whiskers.

 

[frizbeedog]

Click here for the straight dope on the subject. :smile:

I picture them testing the durability of the buttons by placing them in a cage with a monkey. Mash, mash, mash.....till the snack falls out of the chute. Then they hand it to the next monkey. They do this till the chome is worn off. If the button still works, off to production.

 

[480sparky]

Elevator buttons are another prime example.

How many times does the same button get pressed? Even after the first person presses it, and it lights up, everyone that want to get on will push it.

Do people really think that pushing it as if they had OCD will make a difference?


"I'm a very good driver.".. Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man.

 

[Strahan]

I picture them testing the durability of the buttons by placing them in a cage with a monkey. Mash, mash, mash.....till the snack falls out of the chute. Then they hand it to the next monkey. They do this till the chome is worn off. If the button still works, off to production.

Lots of monkeys where I work. The buttons get tested on a regular basis when something won't start eventhough the e-stop is clearly pushed and lit letting them it is pushed. There is no such thing as making anything idiot proof someone will always find a way.

 

[frizbeedog]

Elevator buttons are another prime example.

How many times does the same button get pressed? Even after the first person presses it, and it lights up, everyone that want to get on will push it.

Do people really think that pushing it as if they had OCD will make a difference?

It would be funny if the second time it was pressed, the light went out.

That would mess 'em up.

 

[paul]

It would be funny if the second time it was pressed, the light went out.

That would mess 'em up.

I like your thinking. :grin:

 

[paul]

I do know, from my college dormitory days, that once inside the elevator going to the lobby and pressing all the buttons on the inside really irritates those who enter the elevator. As a matter of fact, they yell obscenities at you.

 

[quogueelectric]

In some areas by me with a lot of kids they put radar guns tied int the stop lights in all directions. As soon as someone hits 33 mph it trips all phases to red and then starts back to normal after everyone gets to reflect a few minutes on how bad they want to get where they are going. It is pure genius as there is no way to defeat this safety feature.

 

[ultramegabob]

In some areas by me with a lot of kids they put radar guns tied int the stop lights in all directions. As soon as someone hits 33 mph it trips all phases to red and then starts back to normal after everyone gets to reflect a few minutes on how bad they want to get where they are going. It is pure genius as there is no way to defeat this safety feature.

where I live the idiot that is speeding would learn what is going on and decide it was safe to run the red light because everyone else is going to be stopped....

 

[quogueelectric]

where I live the idiot that is speeding would learn what is going on and decide it was safe to run the red light because everyone else is going to be stopped....

No there is a traffic light every few blocks and lots of traffic noone is going anywhere they ALL turn red ALL directions.

 

[LarryFine]

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_153.htmlAnd some cooks will turn their ovens on to 500? to preheat it to 400. Sorry, but it'll get to 400 just the same.

I don't disagree, but I'll usually heat the oven a bit beyond my desired temperature when pre-heating is required, so when I open the door to insert dinner, the temperature won't drop quite as far below the desired temperature.

Once the food is in and the door closed, I will drop the dial back to the desired temperature, unless I have to open it often, say to baste or rotate the food. It's akin to setting an often-opened refrigerator a bit colder than you want it.

 

[quogueelectric]

I don't disagree, but I'll usually heat the oven a bit beyond my desired temperature when pre-heating is required, so when I open the door to insert dinner, the temperature won't drop quite as far below the desired temperature.

Once the food is in and the door closed, I will drop the dial back to the desired temperature, unless I have to open it often, say to baste or rotate the food. It's akin to setting an often-opened refrigerator a bit colder than you want it.

So you are the one................................

 

[Rampage_Rick]

In some areas by me with a lot of kids they put radar guns tied int the stop lights in all directions. As soon as someone hits 33 mph it trips all phases to red and then starts back to normal after everyone gets to reflect a few minutes on how bad they want to get where they are going. It is pure genius as there is no way to defeat this safety feature.

That is one of the most creative ideas I've seen in some time... I wonder what the range / coverage of the radar is (2 blocks? one unit every 2 blocks?)

That is until some smart alec kid figures out he can make traffic grind to a halt perpetually by pitching baseballs past the radar gun.

 

[quogueelectric]

That is one of the most creative ideas I've seen in some time... I wonder what the range / coverage of the radar is (2 blocks? one unit every 2 blocks?)

That is until some smart alec kid figures out he can make traffic grind to a halt perpetually by pitching baseballs past the radar gun.

They are installed at every light through this residential area probably 1/2 mile and light every 2/3 streets It is pure genius.

 

[infinity]

They are installed at every light through this residential area probably 1/2 mile and light every 2/3 streets It is pure genius.

In England they have speed cameras everywhere. Go 10% over the speed limit and you get a costly surprise in the mail a few days later. Not only that but these cameras record the license plates every time a car passes them so at any given time the authorities can know where you are. Very scary. Orwell warned us about these things.....

 

[ceknight]

And some cooks will turn their ovens on to 500? to preheat it to 400. Sorry, but it'll get to 400 just the same.

The cooks might have a leg up on you there. There are times when you want the oven to be 400 immediately after you've opened the door, put the dish in, and closed it again. You accomplish that by preheating to a high enough temp to overcome the heat loss of opening the oven door.

(and now that I posted that, I see Larry beat me to the draw. That'll learn me to read an entire thread before responding. )

 

[weressl]

Does mashing the button at the crosswalk, repeatedly, cause the lights to change faster?

It's genetic I'm sure of it. When I see it I feel like shouting out the window of the truck, "Stop that!"

Every so often a real cool customer will walk up and press it just once....an act of faith. Encouraging.

:smile:

Some circuit configurations did use counters and activated faster if there were multiple hits AND if there were light vehicular cross trafic. I don't know if they still use this.