Things you've always wondered about but couldn't be bothered to find out

[tian447]

When did traffic lights in Edinburgh stop speaking to you, or do any still do this? 

 

From when I was wee, I remember traffic lights at pedestrian crossings would announce "Traffic coming from *Street name* has been signalled to stop" 

 

I remember it happening outside the St James Centre and in Musselburgh, but can't find any evidence to support it did actually happen! 

[Lemongrab]

6 hours ago, tian447 said:

When did traffic lights in Edinburgh stop speaking to you, or do any still do this? 

 

From when I was wee, I remember traffic lights at pedestrian crossings would announce "Traffic coming from *Street name* has been signalled to stop" 

 

I remember it happening outside the St James Centre and in Musselburgh, but can't find any evidence to support it did actually happen! 

There was definitely one on Shandwick Place too, and I think there was another on Home Street near The Kings.  Others used to beep.

 

A lot of the boxes for pedestrian crossings used to have a wee plastic cone on the underside, which spun when the green man was on, also to help the sight impaired. I'm now wondering if newer crossings still have this.

[been here before]

1 hour ago, Lemongrab said:

There was definitely one on Shandwick Place too, and I think there was another on Home Street near The Kings.  Others used to beep.

 

A lot of the boxes for pedestrian crossings used to have a wee plastic cone on the underside, which spun when the green man was on, also to help the sight impaired. I'm now wondering if newer crossings still have this.

 

They do.

[tian447]

3 hours ago, Lemongrab said:

There was definitely one on Shandwick Place too, and I think there was another on Home Street near The Kings.  Others used to beep.

 

A lot of the boxes for pedestrian crossings used to have a wee plastic cone on the underside, which spun when the green man was on, also to help the sight impaired. I'm now wondering if newer crossings still have this.

 

That's the ones!  I take it they've all been phased out, in favour of the spinning cone (which as you say, is exactly for the visually impaired - the red tactile path area lets you know you're at a crossing, and the spinning thing tells you when it's safe to cross, aside from the crossing beeps - which is no help to someone with a hearing impairment). 

 

Are there any left in Edinburgh at all? Or any videos showing them in action?

 

This definitely isn't off the back of an argument and needing to be proved right... 

 

[Normthebarman]

2 hours ago, tian447 said:

 

That's the ones!  I take it they've all been phased out, in favour of the spinning cone (which as you say, is exactly for the visually impaired - the red tactile path area lets you know you're at a crossing, and the spinning thing tells you when it's safe to cross, aside from the crossing beeps - which is no help to someone with a hearing impairment). 

 

Are there any left in Edinburgh at all? Or any videos showing them in action?

 

This definitely isn't off the back of an argument and needing to be proved right... 

 

 

Definitely used to be one on Shandwick Place. My mates old man drove a taxi and was once asked by tourists why the lights spoke. He told them it was to let blind people know the lights have changed. 

 

"Gee, really!?! We don't let blind people drive back home..." 

[JimKongUno]

Havnt always wondered but for some time iv looked at this and thought what the **** does it mean ?

 

 

[Justin Z]

I lived in Roseburn and the crossing on Roseburn Terrace right next to Roseburn Gardens still talked as of a year ago. I didn't realise it was something that had been put in place ages ago.

[hughesie27]

1 hour ago, JimKongUno said:

Havnt always wondered but for some time iv looked at this and thought what the **** does it mean ?

 

 

Interesting

 

At least that Is what I assumed it meant. No idea of its origins.

[Tazio]

Do european golfers think in yard or metres when they are playing?

[Justin Z]

10 minutes ago, Tazio said:

Do european golfers think in yard or metres when they are playing?

 

Yeah! Good question. I actually found the European version of Wii Sports for my flatmates ages ago so that the game would measure the wind in kilometres per hour instead of miles, but the other effect was making the holes be listed in metres, including on the putting green!

[A Boy Named Crow]

2 hours ago, hughesie27 said:

Interesting

 

At least that Is what I assumed it meant. No idea of its origins.

I assumed the same, would be interehjrlested to know how it came about though 

[I P Knightley]

On 18/08/2019 at 13:28, Normthebarman said:

Definitely used to be one on Shandwick Place. My mates old man drove a taxi and was once asked by tourists why the lights spoke. He told them it was to let blind people know the lights have changed. 

 

"Gee, really!?! We don't let blind people drive back home..." 

"The traffic coming from Princes Street has been signalled to stop." All fine if you know what direction it is to Princes Street.

 

On 26/08/2019 at 13:55, Tazio said:

Do european golfers think in yard or metres when they are playing?

I played with a French lad in France and he talked the golf course in metres. However, he's mad keen on watching the sport and, of course, most of the coverage is American so he's kind of bilingual and was able to give me guidance in yards.

[Cal_]

Why do the reporters at the matches on sky sports news soccer Saturday face away from the action. Why not put the camera in front so they can provide the update without looking away?

[Thommo414]

2 hours ago, Cal_ said:

Why do the reporters at the matches on sky sports news soccer Saturday face away from the action. Why not put the camera in front so they can provide the update without looking away?

Because we would never have gotten this gem otherwise 

 

 

[Locky]

Why are ales usually much cheaper than lagers? I know they're a bit weaker, but I've seen pubs sell things like Belhaven and John Smiths for about £1.50 a pint cheaper than say Tennents.

[hughesie27]

1 hour ago, Locky said:

Why are ales usually much cheaper than lagers? I know they're a bit weaker, but I've seen pubs sell things like Belhaven and John Smiths for about £1.50 a pint cheaper than say Tennents.

Because only pensioners drink them.

[DETTY29]

Didn't want to start a new thread but I didn't know this is how you could lay concrete blocks / bricks on roads / pavements.

 

Better and cheaper option?

 

Would they last?

 

How to have fixed the Rose Street in a quicker and cheaper fashion?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 14:04 by DETTY29

[been here before]

2 hours ago, DETTY29 said:

Didn't want to start a new thread but I didn't know this is how you could lay concrete blocks / bricks on roads / pavements.

 

Better and cheaper option?

 

Would they last?

 

How to have fixed the Rose Street in a quicker and cheaper fashion?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They done thst with the red cloured 'tar' at the end of the roads in Dalry when I stayed there 20 odd years ago. Used a frame as opposed to a roller but the same effect.

[FWJ]

Bits of the M90 in Kinross-Shire were huge prefabricated concrete slabs laid on site.  They’ve all been replaced by tarmac now - so must have some disadvantages?

[FWJ]

When you order a cheese course in a restaurant why is it always an odd number of cheeses (3, 5, 7)?

[Smithee]

10 hours ago, DETTY29 said:

Didn't want to start a new thread but I didn't know this is how you could lay concrete blocks / bricks on roads / pavements.

 

Better and cheaper option?

 

Would they last?

 

How to have fixed the Rose Street in a quicker and cheaper fashion?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not as good as this

 

 

[bobsharp]

On 26/08/2019 at 05:55, Tazio said:

Do european golfers think in yard or metres when they are playing?

Canada went metric some time ago, but I just realised reading this post that as far as I am aware the golf courses I played in still use yards.