# Stuff obvious to you, not so obvious to others **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 22, 2014, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099 "2014-10-22T02:19:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/101 "2014-10-25T19:03:29Z")
> [@Stormcrow](#): > > I work in a high rise, and every day I see people start to get on the elevator as soon as the door opens, surprised every time that _other people might need to get out first_. I always want to go up to those oblivious people and tell them, “other people exist, you know.” Same thing with the subway. A big difference between DC and NY is that in DC people wait for the people leaving the car to get out. Of course the NY subway runs all night, but I’m too old to care that the DC Metro stops running at 3 on the weekends. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2014, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/102 "2014-10-25T23:56:28Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > Selective hearing, selective reading, any kind of slectiveness when it comes to accepting input. I like to make sure I understand a statement or question before I respond. I feel like I run into this more and more in all aspects of my life and my patience has been growing thinner on the issue. I’m only half deaf. Unless I can see your lips moving (and my eyesight is getting worse too), _I have to guess what you are saying._ Well, I don’t have to guess. I can cross-examine you \*every time \* instead. No matter how thin your patience is with my guessing, experience teaches me that your patience with being cross-examined every time is even thinner. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/103 "2014-10-26T00:41:17Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > This was my mom when I was a kid. She eventually figured it out, and I figured it out soon after I learned to drive. > [@SpeedwayRyan](#): > > I guess I must practice this every single day, since I drive a car with a manual transmission and always have the clutch in by the time I am coming to a complete stop, thus decoupling the engine from the rest of the drivetrain. I’ve never really noticed the difference when occasionally driving an automatic and leaving it in drive, although making the switch the other way (learning to drive a stick when one normally drives automatic) might be tricky. Whenever I drive an automatic, like if I have a rental car, it take me about ten minutes to get used to the brakes. You can’t downshift the damn thing, and put it in neutral. Here’s mine: do not put hot food in a container, _especially_ one with a screw-on lid, and then put it in the fridge. You will create a vacuum seal, and it will be very hard to open the next day. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/104 "2014-10-26T01:54:32Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > Selective hearing, selective reading, any kind of slectiveness when it comes to accepting input. I like to make sure I understand a statement or question before I respond. I feel like I run into this more and more in all aspects of my life and my patience has been growing thinner on the issue. I do not really understand what you mean by this (since your second sentence reads as a non-sequitur, to me) but all human perception - acceptance of input - is necessarily selective. Are you saying it shouldn’t be. Sorry, there is no way that can happen. Are you saying that people often don’t seem to understand you, to have failed to take in something you thought you said? That is probably your fault more than theirs. (Certainly the only thing you can do about it is to try to express yourself more clearly, and to make fewer unwarranted assumptions about what they ought to understand.) ---
**Author:** ![Chicago\_Faucet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chicago_faucet/32/13910_2.png) [@Chicago\_Faucet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicago_Faucet)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/105 "2014-10-26T02:32:22Z")
RTFM. “Read The F-ing Manual”. I’m not in IT, but my family and in-laws both apparently think that I am. “How did you become so good at technical stuff?”. I tell them the truth, “I just pound on the keys until I get the desired result.” So, inevitably, whenever a relative gets a new piece of technology, I get a phone call. “What does it mean when it does this thing?” “Well, what does the manual say?” “Don’t patronize me. I’m asking for help.” “I’m not patronizing you. I have never held the piece of technology that you are talking about. Undoubtedly, it came with a manual. What does the manual say?” Also, about carrying heavy objects, this comes from my ex-father-in-law. I have absolutely no scientific expertise to prove or disprove this, but he always claimed that carrying heavy objects was easier if the arms were the closest to their full extended ranges. For example, one time, him and I had to carry a clothes dryer over several different sections. Clothes dryers are not that heavy. They are mostly hollow aluminum. But, they are bulky. We carried it a couple times, and I swear to god that the easiest carries were when we were either carrying it over our heads with our arms extended, or way down with our arms hanging at our sides. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/106 "2014-10-26T05:09:45Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > I do not really understand what you mean by this (since your second sentence reads as a non-sequitur, to me) but all human perception - acceptance of input - is necessarily selective. Are you saying it shouldn’t be. Sorry, there is no way that can happen. Are you saying that people often don’t seem to understand you, to have failed to take in something you thought you said? That is probably your fault more than theirs. (Certainly the only thing you can do about it is to try to express yourself more clearly, and to make fewer unwarranted assumptions about what they ought to understand.) When It comes to me I would say you are right. I have no doubt I don’t clearly epress myself. I was reffering to replies to threads I read where I felt the poster was pretty clear about a question and the first 10 responses do not address the post at all. Suddenly someone will come along and address the post exactly as the poster requested. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/107 "2014-10-26T08:20:48Z")
> [@Wednesday\_Evening](#): > > It 's obvious to me to use a computer mouse with my non-dominant hand, but IRL I have never seen anyone else do this. My non-dominant hand handles mouse duties just fine, and it leaves my dominant hand free to take notes or do simple hunt-and-peck typing. Or pick up the coffee mug. Me too, but I’m right-handed, so I can mouse and use the keypad at the same time. I originally started doing this to offload my right hand and minimize the chance of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/108 "2014-10-26T08:40:02Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > When It comes to me I would say you are right. I have no doubt I don’t clearly epress myself. I was reffering to replies to threads I read where I felt the poster was pretty clear about a question and the first 10 responses do not address the post at all. Suddenly someone will come along and address the post exactly as the poster requested. That’s not a matter of a lack of understanding. That’s a matter of people not having an answer that fits wanting to say something anyways. ---
**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:** [October 26, 2014, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/109 "2014-10-26T12:11:54Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > I don’t think servers are doing anything special today that they didn’t do thirty years ago. Hmmm, maybe not for _you_.😉 We tend to frequent the same local spots, and I probably over-tip. But in exchange we do tend to get treated very well. Last night my gf was debating ordering a special dessert, but she was too full and just verbally complemented the offering. As we headed to the car, our waitress came up with a to-go wrapped dessert. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/110 "2014-10-26T15:02:39Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Here’s mine: do not put hot food in a container, _especially_ one with a screw-on lid, and then put it in the fridge. You will create a vacuum seal, and it will be very hard to open the next day. It’s also recommended that you cool foods uncovered for safety reasons. Covered food will not cool as quickly, increasing the risk of bacterial growth. Though I will admit that, with personal quantities of food at home, the amount is small enough that it’s probably going to cool quickly either way. But in foodservice we’re specifically required to cool foods uncovered. The vacuum-seal thing, though … I remember finally figuring that out when I was a dishwasher. Most places use empty mayonnaise buckets for storing other things, and when not in use the buckets are stacked/nested together. Now then, they’d get stuck together so tightly that it would take two people to get them apart. Everybody assumed it was because they were stacked wet. I eventually figured out that the real problem was stacking them together while they were still _hot_, fresh out of the dish machine. I started letting them cool before I stacked them, and the “stuck” problem went away. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/111 "2014-10-26T21:06:08Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > I’m only half deaf. Unless I can see your lips moving (and my eyesight is getting worse too), _I have to guess what you are saying._ If you can’t understand unless you lip-read, yes, you’re deaf. > [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Here’s mine: do not put hot food in a container, _especially_ one with a screw-on lid, and then put it in the fridge. You will create a vacuum seal, and it will be very hard to open the next day. Works beautifully if what you’re doing is make preserves, though (start the heating with the lids off, put them on when the pots are hot, continue boiling long enough to sterilize). If you go to open a preserve and it isn’t difficult… don’t come ask if you should eat it, throw it away with extreme prejudice. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/112 "2014-10-26T23:45:44Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Works beautifully if what you’re doing is make preserves, though (start the heating with the lids off, put them on when the pots are hot, continue boiling long enough to sterilize). If you go to open a preserve and it isn’t difficult… don’t come ask if you should eat it, throw it away with extreme prejudice. That’s why you use the special jars with the two-piece lids, or you’d never get them off. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/113 "2014-10-27T02:01:17Z")
When I use a laptop, I hardly ever use the vertical scroll bars. Here on the Dope, for example, when I reach the end of my viewing area, I tap on my spacebar and the next section scrolls up for me. Shift + spacebar goes up an area for when I go “Wait, what did that say?” I don’t have to search for the page up/down buttons (which don’t work on this one when the NUM lock is on anyway). Nice and simple, no constant fiddling to make sure the mouse is in the right spot. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/114 "2014-10-27T02:16:10Z")
> [@bump](#): > > When I pointed out to her that so many people coming to work sick was a direct consequence of putting our sick time and vacation time in one big “Personal Time Off” bucket, and that when you do that, people think of this bucket as vacation time, not as “personal time off”, and they guard those days very jealously, coming in to work only if they’re so sick that they can’t function, so as to not give up a vacation day, or if they have children, so that they can save them to nurse sick kids. When you pointed this out to her, she did… What? You never say! ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/115 "2014-10-27T02:25:46Z")
> [@Fair\_Rarity](#): > > Shift + spacebar goes up an area It’s rare that I actually do a :smack:, or find out something new in shortcuts. You have astounded me. Thank you very much. I had to check, and I might be wrong, but [that isn’t listed on Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_keyboard_shortcuts#Comparison_of_keyboard_shortcuts). ---
**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:** [October 27, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/116 "2014-10-27T02:32:56Z")
And CTRL-spacebar goes _down_ an area. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/117 "2014-10-27T02:39:09Z")
CTRL +Tab cycles through your tabs in Chrome. And Firefox. Shift + CTRL +Tab reverse the order. IMNSHE most people do not know this. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/118 "2014-10-27T02:41:44Z")
Alt +Tab cycles through open windows/programs, using Windows. NALOPKT ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/119 "2014-10-27T03:35:53Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Works beautifully if what you’re doing is make preserves, though (start the heating with the lids off, put them on when the pots are hot, continue boiling long enough to sterilize). If you go to open a preserve and it isn’t difficult… don’t come ask if you should eat it, throw it away with extreme prejudice. > **[Preserves](https://pbfcomics.com/comics/preserves/)** > > The Perry Bible Fellowship ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099/120 "2014-10-27T04:01:54Z")
> [@Chicago\_Faucet](#): > > RTFM. “Read The F-ing Manual”. > > I’m not in IT, but my family and in-laws both apparently think that I am. “How did you become so good at technical stuff?”. I tell them the truth, “I just pound on the keys until I get the desired result.” I had a friend who worked for a customer service hotline (back when those people lived in the US). She said 4 out of 5 calls involved reading the manual out loud, verbatim, to the customer. Half of the other 1/5 calls were people who had not read the specs, and bought something their computer could not run. The rest were mainly people who needed to have terms like “USB port” explained to them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-obvious-to-you-not-so-obvious-to-others/702099.md?page=7)