# Stuff that's surprisingly hard to google **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 1, 2022, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919 "2022-08-01T13:35:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/21 "2022-08-01T15:32:13Z")
My last 2 rental cars, a Mazda CX9 and a Jeep Wrangler, had the system that turned the engine off when stopped. I did find that does not mean you can take your foot off the brake, as soon as the brake pedal is released, the engine restarts. But I did notice I didn’t have to put as much pressure on the brake pedal. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/22 "2022-08-01T15:34:36Z")
I think I figured out what may be a key difference between you and me. Whether i am using the gas or the brake, the heel of my foot is resting on the floor. I just roll my foot from one pedal to the other. There is very little movement of my foot and I’m not supporting the weight of it at every stop. Perhaps you are lifting your foot from the floor to go to the brake (regardless of how you might use the accelerator), which might be a lot more tiring than I am acknowledging. I am bad at heel-and-toe downshifting. Perhaps if I braked more like I suspect you do, I would get better. > [@bordelond](#): > > Was thinking about this the other way around – stressing the engine itself by sustained running in Park, not stressing the parking pawl. Probably not a big deal, all in all – just something I got in my brain sometime back and incorporated into my driving habits. It’s trivial. There is almost no appreciable load on the engine from the drag of the torque converter, and it’s going to be the same whether the car is in park or drive. The loads on the engine are highest when accelerating the hardest. The load at idle just doesn’t rate as a factor in comparison. ---
**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 1, 2022, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/23 "2022-08-01T15:43:53Z")
Getting back on topic, anything that has a general-ish name is hard to Google, because it will bring up mostly chaff instead of wheat. For me, it’s American airlines - as in, air carriers of the United States, **not** the airline American Airlines itself. Or U.S. airlines, which may bring up US Airways, United, or other such things. Specific names like Lufthansa or Ryanair are far easier. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/24 "2022-08-01T15:46:42Z")
Thanks Velocity. The original intention had been to get examples of stuff that’s hard to google, but my initial example was unusual enough to become a conversation topic in itself 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/25 "2022-08-01T15:50:20Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > I think I figured out what may be a key difference between you and me. Whether i am using the gas or the brake, the heel of my foot is resting on the floor. I just roll my foot from one pedal to the other. There is very little movement of my foot and I’m not supporting the weight of it at every stop. Perhaps you are lifting your foot from the floor to go to the brake (regardless of how you might use the accelerator), which might be a lot more tiring than I am acknowledging. My feet are actually too short heel-to-toe to both have my heel on the mat AND use the pedals. Nonetheless, I don’t find this particularly tiring in normal driving. Most likely I’m just used to it. It does get tiring on long trips, but if “long trips” involve highway driving at a steady speed there’s cruise control. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/26 "2022-08-01T15:53:59Z")
I guess another recent example (of hard to google) was when I was trying to find how many sikhs in the US had _committed_ crimes. Putting aside for a moment which police departments even gather (or estimate) data on race or religion of perps, hate crimes _against_ sikhs is the much bigger issue, and it’s all google could find. (FYI, it wasn’t to support some kind of racist or bigoted argument, the exact opposite in fact). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/27 "2022-08-01T16:37:57Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > For me, it’s American airlines - as in, air carriers of the United States, **not** the airline American Airlines itself. Try searching list of american airlines. The first return for me is [List of airlines of the United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_airlines_of_the_United_States). ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/28 "2022-08-01T18:49:31Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > The original intention had been to get examples of stuff that’s hard to google, but my initial example was unusual enough to become a conversation topic in itself 🙂 This reminds me of [the time](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bodybuilding-nutrition-advice-advice/791790) I asked **where I should look** for advice on a subject that’s full of opinions and contradictions, hinting that I **did not want people to give me any specific advice here** because of the obvious discussions and controversies that would follow, I just wanted references to browse. This being the SDMB, it didn’t work. I just googled `waiting traffic light foot pedal drive or park` and got a few relevant hits, including [this Car Talk discussion](https://community.cartalk.com/t/putting-a-car-in-park-at-stop-lights/117962/10). ---
**Author:** ![WhyKickAMooCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc29f/32.png) [@WhyKickAMooCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyKickAMooCow)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/29 "2022-08-02T15:43:41Z")
FWIW I have an automatic Mazda 6 and live in the UK. At traffic lights I push the stick forward into Neutral and pull the handbrake. That way the engine isn’t straining against the transmission and I’m ready for a quick get-away as I can cover the accelerator while waiting. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/30 "2022-08-02T15:52:27Z")
Regarding the OP, I find googling for events that happened a day ago is difficult. You have to use a date but finding yesterday’s box scores (not just the score) or yesterday’s Wordle is frustrating, since everyone uses different date formats. Some don’t get things up for a day or two. Asking for yesterday’s Wordle gives me a bunch of sites that want to give me clues to the answer. Sometimes the responses just have a different date, as though I didn’t specify a date in my search; can’t you READ, Google? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/31 "2022-08-02T15:54:44Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The only reason I’d hesitate to put the car in park while in traffic is that you have to pass through reverse to get back to drive, and the flash of the brake lights might slightly confuse or concern the driver behind you. I assume you really mean "a flash or the white reversing lights (AKA backup lights). Were I behind you that wouldn’t bother me … provided I had seen the same flash when you shifted into Park. In fact, I’d be expecting the second flash and anticipate you holding up traffic if that didn’t happen as the light went green, with the concomitant risk that the person behind me would accelerate into me before you started moving so I could start moving. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/32 "2022-08-02T17:35:25Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > You have to use a date but finding yesterday’s box scores (not just the score) I find the easiest way to do this is to go to [MLB.COM](http://MLB.COM). Box scores are available for all games. Highlights as well. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/33 "2022-08-02T18:05:07Z")
Sorry. Yes, I meant reverse lights. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/34 "2022-08-02T21:07:39Z")
I use [MLB.com](http://MLB.com) a lot but some days they don’t want to show me the box scores for previous games, just some stupid videos of “high points”. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2022, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/35 "2022-08-16T01:45:10Z")
Books with titles that are common words or phrases. After several years of searching, I did finally manage to find out who wrote a YA novel called _Hot Rod_ back in the '50s or '60s, and get a copy. I’m still trying to find a novel called _Rhubarb_, which is about a cat with that name. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2022, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/36 "2022-08-16T01:48:51Z")
The one by H. Allen Smith? ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2022, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/37 "2022-08-16T02:04:43Z")
Yeah. Having posted that, I tried another search and got multiple hits, not only on the book but also on the movie that was made from it. (Never knew there was a movie.) And the web is now also full of info on _Hot Rod_, by Henry Gregor Felsen – a new edition was just printed this year. ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2022, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/38 "2022-08-16T04:26:09Z")
Hotels in Paris are far harder to search for than one might think. If you type “Paris Hilton” you get results for a certain celebrity. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2022, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/39 "2022-08-16T11:45:43Z")
Just include “-drugs -loser” in your search and you’ll find out more about hotels than spoiled rich women. Actually I just tried out my theory. Didn’t work. At all. Instead of refs to Hilton’s drug problems I got refs to all the ways she’s trying to make money off her celebrity. And still no sign of a hotel. ---
**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 16, 2022, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919/40 "2022-08-16T12:16:10Z")
The band, “the who” is hard to Google. Quotes help. I’m surprised it was difficult to hold the brake pedal, and wonder if the idle speed was too high. Once my car is stopped, it takes it a while to move if i only release the brake pedal. It requires almost no pressure to keep it stopped. I only shift to park (instead of just leaving my foot on the brake) of I’m going to do something distracting, like fish a map out of my glove box. And if I’m going to be stopped for any length of time (my passenger is running into a shop to pick something up) i put it in park and turn off the car. I only use the handbrake parking on hills, and once when my brakes died as i was driving on a major highway. That was fun. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-thats-surprisingly-hard-to-google/968919.md?page=3)