# 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:** 88
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1742 "2024-06-13T19:42:01Z")
There’s an old joke about this – How do you identify a Californian in an East Coast city? They’re the only one standing at the crosswalk waiting patiently for the walk signal. (Apparently California used to enforce jaywalking laws more strictly than other states. But they also enforced the rule that cars must yield to pedestrians just as strictly). ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1743 "2024-06-13T20:50:13Z")
Couldn’t answer the question, it depends a lot on the size and danger of the intersection. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1744 "2024-06-13T20:53:29Z")
There so much blankety blank traffic here, that I almost never get a chance to cross without waiting for the WALK sign, but I’ll cross without it if I can see it’s clear. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1745 "2024-06-13T21:02:16Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > How do you identify a Californian in an East Coast city? They’re the only one standing at the crosswalk waiting patiently for the walk signal. Seattle is the same way. Or it least it was when I first moved there. I got stopped for jaywalking my first week in town. Everyone (except tourists) waits for the walk sign. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1746 "2024-06-13T22:27:55Z")
Solutions to the [phone number poll](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polls-only-no-discussion/953642/5003): - 1-800-273-8255 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, as featured in the song of the same name by Logic - 1-800-876-5353 The _Unsolved Mysteries_ tip line - 202-456-1414 The White House switchboard - 234–5789 From the song “Beechwood 4-5789” recorded by the Marvelettes and later the Carpenters - 489-4608 Alicia Keys’s phone number, as featured in her song “Diary” - 634-5789 From the song “634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)” recorded by Wilson pickett and later Tina Turner - 733-9969 The [Mojave phone booth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojave_phone_booth) - 736-5000 The Hotel Pennsylvania, as featured in “Pennsylvania 6-5000” recorded by the Glenn Miller Orchestra - 777-9311 From the song of the same name by The Time - 867-5309 From the song “867-5309/Jenny” by Tommy Tutone - 944 1212 Whitehall 1212, the number for Scotland Yard ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1747 "2024-06-13T22:31:17Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Seattle is the same way. Or it least it was when I first moved there. I got stopped for jaywalking my first week in town. Everyone (except tourists) waits for the walk sign. I was warned so many times about this, I think the ticket was $60, that on my many work visits I often found myself at 5:30 in the morning on the way to the office waiting at an intersection in what felt like a completely empty city. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2024, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1748 "2024-06-13T23:06:10Z")
I have had multiple “favorite” cats, who had different characteristics. Should I select everything that applied to any of them? ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1749 "2024-06-13T23:35:18Z")
I checked only two on the list: 867-5309, and 634-5789, two songs I’m very familiar with. I probably _should_ have known 736-5000, but didn’t think to translate the prefix. All of the others, I had no clue at all. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1750 "2024-06-14T01:10:49Z")
The cat question was interesting for me, because I had “my” cat, and I’m not sure how I’d describe anything about her, except we were very attached to one another. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1751 "2024-06-14T08:57:44Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Seattle is the same way. As a native Seattleite, I’ve had to learn to jaywalk when I’m with certain friends. Otherwise I’ll be left behind. Regarding the phone numbers, I started singing “8 6 7 5 3 0 9” as soon as I read the question, then it took me a while to find it. It’s the only one I know. ---
**Author:** ![Jegpeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jegpeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jegpeg)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1752 "2024-06-14T09:33:20Z")
Jaywalking is not illegal here. What we do have is dummy buttons. On many crossings (usually when traffic is only in one direction possibly due to an island splitting the crossing in two). The green man light comes on as part of the natural cycle of the lights, there are buttons on these crossings because people expect a button but it does nothing. On those I do not press the button I just wait until it is clearly safe to cross, (no traffic coming or it stopped with man on green) For phone numbers only one I had a clue about was the one ending 65000 made me think of the song but did not know what it referred to or what the Pennsillvania code was. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1753 "2024-06-14T12:04:40Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I was warned so many times about this, I think the ticket was $60 How do tickets for non-driving infractions work? I jaywalk. If a cop approached me and asked for ID, I’d tell him I don’t have any; indeed I’m not required to carry any on me, as I’m not driving a vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1754 "2024-06-14T12:49:12Z")
PEnnsylvania = 73 Looking at a phone keypad, you will see: P = 7 E = 3 So Pennsylvania 6-5000 is 736-5000 🌠 “The more you know…” ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1755 "2024-06-14T14:31:15Z")
Likewise with Beechwood 4-5789 and Whitehall 1212. The first two or three letters refer to numbers on the telephone dial/keypad. ---
**Author:** ![Jegpeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jegpeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jegpeg)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1756 "2024-06-14T14:35:34Z")
At least in the UK it is an offence to refuse to give your name and address to an “authorised person”. You could try giving a fake one but that is a much more serious offence. With things like body cam footage if the police want to persue it they will probably ID you. They might even be able to do it on the spot, I do not know if the police have access to driver’s licence or passport photos. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1757 "2024-06-14T14:41:39Z")
> [@Jegpeg](#): > > They might even be able to do it on the spot, I do not know if the police have access to driver’s licence or passport photos. So, a 14 year old kid is ticketed for not wearing a bike helmet. He is asked his name and happily tells the cop he is Abner Doubleday. (My son did something similar. The town cop thought it was hilarious and pulled me over later that day to share the story with me) ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1758 "2024-06-14T15:05:24Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > How do tickets for non-driving infractions work? I jaywalk. If a cop approached me and asked for ID, I’d tell him I don’t have any; indeed I’m not required to carry any on me, as I’m not driving a vehicle. It’s okay to walk without an ID on you. Depending on the cop, your attitude, and perhaps your skin color, things go go smoothly, or not. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1759 "2024-06-14T15:12:51Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > It’s okay to walk without an ID on you. Okay? You mean perfectly legal, right? Sorry, I’ll drop this hijack. Hot button issue with me, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1760 "2024-06-14T15:17:26Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Okay? You mean perfectly legal, right? Yes, perfectly legal. When I was stopped in Seattle for jaywalking, I was a rookie public defender and thought I should assert my rights along the lines you suggest. The cop was actually pretty cool about it, and deescalated the situation. I don’t think I even got a ticket. Hence my comment about the cop, your attitude, and your race. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/1761 "2024-06-14T18:18:17Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > It’s okay to walk without an ID on you. Depends on the jurisdiction. In some places, if you’re caught jaywalking without ID, you might rack up an additional fine for failing to identify yourself. In some other places, you’re not strictly required to have ID on your person, but need to be able to produce it on request, which, if you’re stopped by police, could mean having them escort you back home to get it, or having them detain you until someone can bring it to you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636.md?page=87) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636.md?page=89)