# Discussion thread for the "Polls only" thread (Part 3) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 29, 2026, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157 "2026-01-29T18:21:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 39
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/761 "2026-03-16T22:30:35Z")
Are you sure Google translated this correctly? I would translate that as _hoc dabo cuicumque qui cantat_ ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/762 "2026-03-16T23:31:13Z")
No, not sure. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2026, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/763 "2026-03-17T01:35:37Z")
Is it awful if my answer to the “witness a car being damaged” poll depends on how busy i am? Because if I’m running late, there’s no way I’m hanging around to see what the guy does. And if I’m not, i might. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/764 "2026-03-17T01:49:53Z")
I think of my past in years of time passed. For example, “I was in college over twenty years ago.” “I moved here ten years ago.” I think I’m just bewildered at how much time has passed. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2026, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/765 "2026-03-17T02:08:10Z")
That’s a very good point about personal needs sometimes coming ahead of being a good citizen. Considering the context of the poll, I think the assumption is that you do have the time (considering most of the scenarios) but it’s not explicit. FTR, I assumed “enough” time and voted I’d take down the info and see if they left their information, and otherwise provide it myself. Buuuuuuuttttt… I know better. Because there’s a non-zero chance that the information they left is … falsified. It came up about every 2-3 months when I was an adjuster. That they left a note on the car but the number was unreachable (or wrong, or didn’t acknowledge the party was in the household), the insurance information wasn’t included (Just “state farm” and no policy number) or otherwise unusable for a good faith claim. Lots of simple polls with more complicated real world considerations, just as you mention. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2026, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/766 "2026-03-17T05:14:09Z")
I got married in 1997. I got married at 33 years of age. I got married 29 years ago. These are all true statements, and I don’t really think of any particular one of them above the others. How I refer to the event is very dependent on the context. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2026, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/767 "2026-03-17T12:40:33Z")
Yeah, same, ---
**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:** [March 17, 2026, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/768 "2026-03-17T12:41:59Z")
I skipped that poll for the same reason. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/769 "2026-03-17T13:41:26Z")
Same here. I went with “some other method,” because I think I do each in about equal proportions. Often, what comes to MIND first is the year (e.g, “1994”), but I do a quick calculation, and what comes out of my MOUTH is the number of years that have passed (e.g. “about thirty years ago.”) And yes, I then feel a pang of astonished depression (or is it depressed astonishment?). For saying the actual year, I do that a lot when a song comes on the radio and I’m driving with my teen kid, and I want him to learn a little about where it fits in musical history. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2026, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/770 "2026-03-17T14:27:47Z")
I went with some other method. Sometimes I think of the year first, sometimes I think of my age first, and sometimes I think of the time passed first. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/771 "2026-03-17T15:23:22Z")
I took the poll, but the answer isn’t simple. While I voted to play the blue 4, the reality is that going into that decision takes evaluating the recent plays in mind. Did someone just change it to red who’s low on cards? Then I’m changing it to blue. But maybe someone’s low on cards and had to draw to play that red 4. Then I’m leaving it red. There’s strategy to Uno, darn 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:** [March 17, 2026, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/772 "2026-03-17T17:45:27Z")
I dunno about pinching people, but one year in high school (or maybe junior high) i forgot it was St Patrick’s Day, and wore a shirt that was vaguely kinda arguably orange. I got a huge amount of flack for that. Enough that I changed my shirt this morning, 50 years later, after i realized that St Patrick’s Day is today. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2026, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/773 "2026-03-17T17:48:40Z")
The pinching part is _all_ I knew about St. Patrick’s Day when I was a kid. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2026, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/774 "2026-03-17T17:53:17Z")
I wonder if there’s a US/non-US split on pinching knowledge answers. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/775 "2026-03-17T18:08:14Z")
I have never heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/776 "2026-03-17T18:09:08Z")
I answered no because the first time in my life I ever heard of it was on a South Park episode a few years ago. That’s still the only reference to it I’ve ever heard. ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/777 "2026-03-17T18:10:00Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I wonder if there’s a US/non-US split on pinching knowledge answers. I suspect it is a regional thing even in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/778 "2026-03-17T18:10:35Z")
Woe be unto the child who did not wear green on March 17 at my elementary school. mmm ETA: Now that I think about it, I believe there was a period where, as a boy, if you _did_ wear green you were at risk for being kissed by a girl (which, then, was a fate worse than a pinching). ---
**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:** [March 17, 2026, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/779 "2026-03-17T18:14:38Z")
> [@Thumper668](#): > > I suspect it is a regional thing even in the US. Well, people pinched like hell in Texas, let me tell you. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2026, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157/780 "2026-03-17T18:14:49Z")
> [@Thumper668](#): > > I suspect it is a regional thing even in the US. I had the same thought. I grew up in the South (North Carolina, specifically), and pinching people who didn’t wear green was well known at my elementary school. I have a Jeopardy calendar on my desk at work, and today’s clue is “Tradition says you do this to people who don’t wear green on St. Patrick’s day, because it’s what a Leprechaun does.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157.md?page=38) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-3/1027157.md?page=40)