# Do you have a "law" (like Murphy's Law)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 19, 2013, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210 "2013-09-19T04:56:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/101 "2013-09-24T18:37:22Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I’m reposting this from a previous thread: > > Seriously, don’t play stupid games. Baa haa haa! I think you need to continue playing stupid game, but instead follow the rule of Close the lid on the toilet! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/102 "2013-09-24T18:38:27Z")
> [@Stana\_Claus](#): > > Bud’s Law (named for my father): Anyone who believes they have made something foolproof has failed to account for the ingenuity of fools. I always heard this one as: Build an idiot proof system, and the world will make a bigger idiot. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/103 "2013-09-24T20:01:21Z")
Rothman’s Rule: The hardest thing for people to understand about history is that people _thought_ differently in the past. Corollary: People are blind to their inability in this area, and get incensed if you point it out. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/104 "2013-09-24T23:55:41Z")
No matter what your height, the streak in the windshield will ALWAYS be exactly at eye level. ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/105 "2013-09-25T00:24:05Z")
In baseball & softball, if you back up the base 9 out of 10 times, that one time you don’t back up is the time the ball will get by. ---
**Author:** ![boozilu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@boozilu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boozilu)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/106 "2013-09-25T01:01:33Z")
Courtesy of Mr. Boozilu: When hiring someone to do a job, the maximum you can get is two of these three: good, fast, or cheap. Also, nothing is simple (corrollary: everything takes longer than you think) ---
**Author:** ![mumma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@mumma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mumma)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/107 "2013-09-25T21:14:53Z")
> [@jsquire](#): > > “the shortest checkout line always moves the slowest”. I’d like to add - given a choice of more than one checkout line, the one I choose will end up taking the most amount of time to finish. ---
**Author:** ![cuniculus\_albuquercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/97f17d/32.png) [@cuniculus\_albuquercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuniculus_albuquercus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/108 "2013-09-26T02:48:57Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > Dendarii Dame’s Rule: (Specific to me) > > I prefer fiction to non-fiction. However, if an author writes both fiction and non-fiction, I will prefer their non-fiction. Applies to fantasy and SF authors in particular: Le Guin, Bradbury, Asimov… Ellison. Big time. His essays are always more enjoyable. Good law. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/109 "2013-09-26T14:41:24Z")
> [@Flywheel](#): > > In a pinch, you can substitute a confident wave for the hard hat. Also walking in backwards or carrying some sort of instrument. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/110 "2013-09-26T14:43:27Z")
> [@ataraxy22](#): > > Any work email with an attachment will tend to have at least two attachments. Any really important attachment will not be attached at all, especially if sent at the end of the day at the end of the week. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/111 "2013-09-26T14:46:58Z")
Boo’s Law of Parking: If they can block me in - they will. ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/112 "2013-09-26T19:53:47Z")
> [@mumma](#): > > I’d like to add - given a choice of more than one checkout line, the one I choose will end up taking the most amount of time to finish. And no matter how lone the line was, when you reach the checkout, there will be nobody behind you. (except if you forgot your wallet) ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/113 "2013-09-27T10:16:54Z")
One of my rules: “There are some people who can’t get off unless they’re getting over.” ---
**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:** [September 27, 2013, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/114 "2013-09-27T12:36:14Z")
Is anyone else reading some of these rules in Dr Steve Bruhle’s voice and mentally adding a _“For your health!”_ sign-off after each one? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/115 "2013-09-27T16:34:20Z")
Gringo time: Making a great effort to be prompt, often arriving 5 minutes early. Mexican time: Leisurely arriving an hour late. However, operating under Mexican time will invariably get you to the house right when all the food is ready 😛 Gringo time gets you roped into helping to set up, since you’re the first one there and the (Mexican) host assumed everybody would be an hour late :smack: ---
**Author:** ![OtisCampbellWasRight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d78d45/32.png) [@OtisCampbellWasRight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtisCampbellWasRight)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/116 "2013-09-27T17:43:05Z")
My 5th law: “It’s easier to ask for foregiveness than for permission.” My 3rd law: “marriage licenses cost a few bucks while divorces cost thousands of dollars - but they are worth every penny.” My first law: “Laws are made to be broken.” ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/117 "2013-09-27T18:21:46Z")
Snickers’ Law of Frustration: In the construction “could \ \ any \?” the answer is always “Yes.” Witness: Could he go any slower? Yes. Could this project be any more FUBAR? Yes. Could this line be any longer? Yes. Snickers’ Myth of Technical Writing: Once we have this written up, then we’ll just be able to edit/change/maintain it. Right. SDMB’s Law of Relationships: Don’t stick your dick in the crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/118 "2013-09-27T18:39:06Z")
Spiif’s law: It’s either waterproof or breathable, but not both. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210/119 "2013-09-27T18:48:00Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > Do you have a “law” (like Murphy’s Law)? Murphy was an optimist. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-law-like-murphys-law/669210.md?page=5)