# Bus Driver: Sorry, I Don't Understand MilitaryTime **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 18, 2007, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496 "2007-01-18T19:52:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/41 "2007-01-19T02:20:32Z")
[QUOTE=Giraffe] Then wink and give them the double finger guns. Smooth! [/QUOTE] **Giraffe** , you so cool. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/42 "2007-01-19T02:48:27Z")
A tour bus with a random assortment of military personnel and civilians pulls up to let out the passengers for an extended tour of one site. The driver announces: "Soldiers and airmen, we will be pulling out at 1730, For you civilians, that’s 5:30 p.m. Seamen, that will be three bells in the first dogwatch. Marines, the big hand will be on the 5 and. . . " ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/43 "2007-01-19T03:22:15Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] A tour bus with a random assortment of military personnel and civilians pulls up to let out the passengers for an extended tour of one site. The driver announces: "Soldiers and airmen, we will be pulling out at 1730, For you civilians, that’s 5:30 p.m. Seamen, that will be three bells in the first dogwatch. Marines, the big hand will be on the 5 and. . . " [/QUOTE] Surely the big hand will be on the 6? The metric system must be getting to you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/44 "2007-01-19T04:00:16Z")
When I was in high school, one of the teachers had a clock that ran counterclockwise. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/45 "2007-01-19T04:37:23Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] Prepare a card, and the next time you hear this, hand it to the person: **IF H\>12 THEN H=H-12** (Helps pick up chicks, too!) [/QUOTE] It helps me to remember that 24:00 is Midnight, and 12:00 is Noon. So, going by that, 21:04 is 3 hours away from Midnight, which would be 9:04 PM. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/46 "2007-01-19T04:43:28Z")
[QUOTE=dwc1970] When people ask me, “Do you know what time it is?” I just tell them “yes” and leave it at that. They didn’t ask me what the time was, based on how they phrased their question, they just wanted to know if I happen to know what the time is. [/QUOTE] I prefer Yogi Berra’s favorite response to “What time is it?” “You mean now?” ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/47 "2007-01-19T08:22:26Z")
Almost all of the equipment that calculates time at the radio station where I work uses the 24-hour clock. On the air, however, the time is read in 12-hour format The only time outsiders ever see 24-hour clocks is when they come in to work on the pledge drives. Then, most of them lose all concept of time, numbers, mathematics, you name it. They haven’t got any idea what that box with the numbers is, what it’s for or how to read it. I’ve even had people ask me if the unit was broken, because it couldn’t possibly be 15 o’clock. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/48 "2007-01-19T09:30:42Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] Wouldn’t it have been 0504 Zulu? [/QUOTE] “The Sentries are back from the hill, Sir. They report Zulus- 0504 of them.” “Very well then- take B company and establish positions behind the mealie bags on the south wall. C company will reinforce the mission building, and the Engineers will defend the Mission Station.” “Very good, Sir…” ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/49 "2007-01-19T11:17:39Z")
[QUOTE=zamboniracer] Hogwash was making a little joke about October 43rd. Everyone on this board knows that there is no such thing as “October.” [/QUOTE] I’m relieved; I thought it was just another thing I had never heard of. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/50 "2007-01-19T14:38:04Z")
[QUOTE=sturmhauke] When I was in high school, one of the teachers had a clock that ran counterclockwise. [/QUOTE] I have one of those. Now I can’t read standard analog clocks. I’m going to have to get one of those binary clocks. I’ll have an excuse to be late for everything! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/51 "2007-01-19T18:28:29Z")
In a different profession (say, office worker) I could understand not knowing 24 hour time, but in professions that run around the clock (or well into the evening, like transit), any that I’ve ever worked for or seen run on 24 hour time, so they only have to say 9:00 and 21:00, without adding am and pm to everything. I guess Portland transit doesn’t run on 24 hour time, but that seems so strange to me. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2007, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/52 "2007-01-20T15:57:23Z")
[QUOTE=Cunctator] So clearly drivers who don’t know/don’t care about the 24 hour clock can do their jobs efficiently and their lack of knowledge isn’t an “inability in the job”. [/QUOTE] Zombie bus drivers. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/53 "2007-01-20T18:23:43Z")
[QUOTE=Cunctator] Well, all the bus timetables here are am/pm style. Presumably that’s how the bus system is managed overall. So clearly drivers who don’t know/don’t care about the 24 hour clock can do their jobs efficiently and their lack of knowledge isn’t an “inability in the job”. Perhaps it’s the same in Portland. [/QUOTE] The OP says that they were using a transfer ticket which is clearly part of Portland’s system. So although it may admittedly be initially a staff-training issue, it’s also part of the driver’s job. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2007, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/54 "2007-01-20T20:06:52Z")
[QUOTE=DanBlather] I’m pretty sure she just moved here from CA. You can tell the transplants: they keep trying to pump their own gas and they ask how much things cost “with tax”. 🙂 [/QUOTE] So let me understand … the State of Oregon will let you (legally) [voluntarily and legally terminate your own life](http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/faqs.shtml#whatis), but will not let you pump your own gas? ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2007, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/55 "2007-01-20T21:33:21Z")
Of course, all us old Farts and Fartresses know: “It’s Time for Beany!” And, of course, “It’s Howdy Doody Time!” Time for me to go now… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2007, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/56 "2007-01-20T22:05:38Z")
[QUOTE=astro] So let me understand … the State of Oregon will let you (legally) [voluntarily and legally terminate your own life](http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/faqs.shtml#whatis), but will not let you pump your own gas? [/QUOTE] Nope. If you pump your own gas, you might hurt someone, or spill Evil Petrochemicals on a spotted owl or something. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2007, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/57 "2007-01-21T07:06:14Z")
[QUOTE=Hogwash] If you really want to screw with people using time-telling devices, get one of [these bad boys](http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/59e0/). [/QUOTE] I hate those things. I know it’s just 5.2 digits of BCD, but they’re a PITA to read. I think [this one](http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/7437/) might be better all round. [QUOTE=silenus] Nope. If you pump your own gas, you might hurt someone, or spill Evil Petrochemicals on a spotted owl or something. [/QUOTE] Yeah, or [get cancer or lose a limb](http://www.comedycentral.com/sitewide/media_player/play.jhtml?itemId=70225). ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2007, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/58 "2007-01-21T16:27:31Z")
[QUOTE=astro] So let me understand … the State of Oregon will let you (legally) [voluntarily and legally terminate your own life](http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/faqs.shtml#whatis), but will not let you pump your own gas? [/QUOTE] I actually like it. No getting wet or cold or having your hands smell of gasoline. My gas station even cleans my windows. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2007, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/59 "2007-01-21T17:08:38Z")
[QUOTE=Cunctator] It’s not hard to do if you know that’s all that has to be done. Some people are simply not familiar with the 24 hour clock concept. [/QUOTE] Exactly. -Kris ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2007, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496/60 "2007-01-21T17:25:51Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] Exactly. -Kris [/QUOTE] But how does one get to be an adult and not know about 24 hour time? Besides, she said she didn’t understand “military time” which means she is at least aware it exists. It’s not like three bells or something. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-driver-sorry-i-dont-understand-militarytime/388496.md?page=4)