# Discussion thread for the "Polls only" thread (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 16, 2024, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636 "2024-02-16T02:56:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 409
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2025, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8162 "2025-08-25T04:07:43Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I rarely include Other because it dilutes the outcome. If you don’t eat cheese, why would you vote in a cheese poll? Because some people like to participate just because. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2025, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8163 "2025-08-25T14:16:51Z")
A common choice in such situations used to be “I hate all kinds of cheese but still wanted to vote in the poll!” but that has fallen out of favor lately. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2025, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8164 "2025-08-25T16:16:58Z")
That’s a good choice, and i appreciate it, but it doesn’t detract from the usefulness of “other”, since the poll-maker often neglects a cromulent option. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2025, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8165 "2025-08-25T16:24:38Z")
Huh. I didn’t even know cromulent was a variety of cheese. Learn something new every day! ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2025, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8166 "2025-08-25T16:30:04Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Huh. I didn’t even know cromulent was a variety of cheese. “Well, we don’t get much call for Cromulent around here, sir.” ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2025, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8167 "2025-08-25T16:31:23Z")
FYI [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/IvCxg6J07Ws/hqdefault.jpg "Jamie Oliver - cow udder") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvCxg6J07Ws) ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2025, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8168 "2025-08-25T21:52:36Z")
I’m an outlier, for other, or in addition to other, I miss the Bacon Hindu Atheist answer. Even though it’s almost never appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2025, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8169 "2025-08-26T02:16:15Z")
No, not every poll should contain the option “Other.” Sometimes, the whole point of a poll is to force people to choose between two options to see which they’d prefer. An “other” would make it meaningless. If a Doper makes a poll asking “Would you rather Trump be president or Vance?” and it has an “other” option, then 90% of people would vote Other, imagining some hypothetical Kamala, Walz or Buttigieg presidency. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2025, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8170 "2025-08-26T02:44:50Z")
The maps poll could have used an ‘other’ option as my answer, “I just memorize the route and drive there”, was not available. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2025, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8171 "2025-08-26T03:55:10Z")
Not to mention “You think my car is new enough to have a nav system? Cute!” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2025, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8172 "2025-08-26T04:40:33Z")
When I was taught to navigate in a scout helicopter we were told to orient the map (before GPS was a thing). Always held the map so the direction we were traveling was to the top of the map. I don’t know how else you could effectively navigate. Now I primarily use Waze and it’s the same. The map is oriented to the direction of travel. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2025, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8173 "2025-08-26T06:41:10Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Not to mention “You think my car is new enough to have a nav system? Cute!” Cars have had nav systems in them for 30 years – the earliest ones were not built into the car but mounted on the dash or something of the kind. You could have an Edsel with a nav system in it, if you felt so inclined. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2025, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8174 "2025-08-26T10:29:46Z")
Other, because I don’t know who By-Tor is, other than somebody who made a recent post. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2025, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8175 "2025-08-26T13:18:30Z")
By-Tor (Biter) is a dog’s name from a Rush song, right? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2025, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8176 "2025-08-26T13:33:22Z")
Voted “other” on the pain question because the option “I’m not in daily pain, so a pill which reduces 95% of nothing is meaningless” was not available. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2025, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8177 "2025-08-26T13:35:25Z")
Ask me again when I’m in pain. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8178 "2025-08-26T13:53:40Z")
That’s why i answered i would take it when i needed it. I’ve been in pain. I’d take that pill in a heartbeat. But I’m not in pain now, so i wouldn’t take it today, i don’t need it. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2025, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8179 "2025-08-26T13:56:04Z")
I struggled with the nav question. I use my phone for navigation. But it, too, gives a choice of “forwards up” or “north up”. And i couldn’t pick more than one answer. (My car doesn’t have its own navigation system, so currently, my phone is the only option. But still, i choose a car that didn’t have it’s own navigation in part because I’m happy with Google maps.) Oh, i usually orient with forwards up. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2025, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8180 "2025-08-26T14:14:52Z")
```auto ``` > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > By-Tor (Biter) is a dog’s name from a Rush song, right? Yes. By-Tor fought with Snowdog ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2025, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8181 "2025-08-26T14:32:03Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > > [@susan](#): > > > > Not to mention “You think my car is new enough to have a nav system? Cute!” > > Cars have had nav systems in them for 30 years – the earliest ones were not built into the car but mounted on the dash or something of the kind. You could have an Edsel with a nav system in it, if you felt so inclined. That’s an add-on, not part of the car, a Garmin Nuvi, Tom-tom Go or something similar…& they were not dedicated to the car as Garmin used to make a handlebar mount for the Nuvi so you could take it on bicycle rides; of course for only as long as the battery would hold out. I still have one in my cars because I end up lots of rural places that don’t have cell service & don’t _keep_ lots of offline maps stored on my phone. If you’re on a route, your phone will keep you going thru those cellless zones but if you do anything, including accidentally, to stop your trip good luck getting it to start up again w/o service. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636.md?page=408) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636.md?page=410)