# Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 25, 2024, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785 "2024-07-25T15:06:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**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:** [September 12, 2024, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/401 "2024-09-12T14:37:28Z")
From _Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World_ by Henry Grabar: Drivers take 21% longer to leave a parking space if someone is waiting for it and 33% longer if the arriving driver honks. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/402 "2024-09-12T18:12:03Z")
I see I’m not the only one ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/403 "2024-09-12T18:26:14Z")
If someone is waiting for me to leave, I might take longer because I want to make sure that car behind me isn’t doing something stupid like zipping past to snap up a newly opened spot. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/404 "2024-09-12T18:28:27Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > if the arriving driver honks. If the arriving driver honks, ima whip out a sandwich and take my time. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/405 "2024-09-12T18:38:44Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > If someone is waiting for me to leave, I might take longer because I want to make sure that car behind me isn’t doing something stupid like zipping past to snap up a newly opened spot. Yes, this. If I can see a car directly or in my mirrors not in a parking space, or someone in the car in front or behind me, I’m going to leave that spot very slowly and carefully. Everyone should stop and proceed slowly if someone honks because a car horn is to warn people about a potential accident, not complaining. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/406 "2024-09-12T18:51:51Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Everyone should stop and proceed slowly if someone honks because a car horn is to warn people about a potential accident, not complaining. That should be the normal intention, but if someone honks at me for not leaving a sparking space fast enough in their view, I’ll take extra time and care just to fuck that rude person off. ---
**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:** [September 12, 2024, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/407 "2024-09-12T19:00:32Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I’ll take extra time and care just to fuck that rude person off. This is a common and natural attitude, but does it actually work? Does the rude person learn? Does moving them from “annoyed” to “more annoyed” make a material difference? I mean, I do the same thing, but I don’t know that my spite actually affects them. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/408 "2024-09-12T19:06:42Z")
If they honk, I’m turning the car off and heading back to the store. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/409 "2024-09-12T19:18:59Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > but if someone honks at me for not leaving a sparking space fast enough in their view, I’ll take extra time and care just to fuck that rude person off. That is extremely rude. You should presume the best, that they tried to warn you about a potential accident. If you don’t see an accident about to occur then you should take your time and look longer because they’re not always easy to see. If they honk again then obviously you’re missing something and you need to spend even more time looking for the imminent danger. It’s not hard to be polite. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/410 "2024-09-12T19:31:08Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > That is extremely rude. You should presume the best, that they tried to warn you about a potential accident. If you don’t see an accident about to occur then you should take your time and look longer because they’re not always easy to see. If they honk again then obviously you’re missing something and you need to spend even more time looking for the imminent danger. It’s not hard to be polite. See, if someone is honking at me when I’m backing out of a parking space, they are the impatient asshole, and I take my time however I want. The horn should only be applied in situations of emergency, at least according to German traffic rules I try to operate in. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/411 "2024-09-12T19:40:14Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It’s not hard to be polite. Have you even ever met an American driver? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/412 "2024-09-12T19:57:18Z")
You don’t even know why they honked. Calm down. They may have honked to let a different person know that they were using that space or to warn someone that they were about to back into something. Maybe it was someone else. I had one dude red in the face yell at me because he thought I honked at him when it was someone else locking their car. It’s not all about you. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/413 "2024-09-12T20:08:19Z")
Is this really a thing in America, honking at a car that’s backing out of a parking space to “warn” that they want to take that space afterwards? Because in my 38 years of driving in Germany I’ve never encountered this, and if I did I’d assume they were impatiently telling me to go faster. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/414 "2024-09-12T20:10:50Z")
No. You are waiting for a space and someone else coming from the other direction doesn’t see you and goes to take it. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/415 "2024-09-12T20:14:04Z")
Ah, I see now, that’s all been a matter of my lacking reading comprehension, I didn’t comprehend that the honking situation described happens when two drivers fight for one space. Sorry, never mind, sometimes it shows that I’m not a native speaker. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/416 "2024-09-12T20:17:10Z")
Not really a fight. Just, “hey, I was here first.” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/417 "2024-09-12T20:31:01Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Is this really a thing in America, honking at a car that’s backing out of a parking space to “warn” that they want to take that space afterwards? I was just joking about that. They do honk because they want to get in the space you’re in. Occasionally it is really a warning when two cars are trying to park or leave at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2024, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/418 "2024-09-13T01:55:20Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Wife’s aunt would give us Government cheese. Tasted like common American cheese. > [@kayaker](#): > > “melty cheese”. Dammit. Yup, government cheese is American cheese, and American cheese is a melty cheese. More specifically, it’s a blend of cheeses, melted and alloyed together and then re-solidified. Legally, this makes it “cheese food”, but “cheese food” is still 100% cheese. And cheese that’s already been melted and resolidified melts more smoothly than never-before-melted cheese. Meanwhile, the Kraft singles stuff isn’t “cheese food”; it’s “cheese food product”, which is a different thing. It’s still required to be some percentage cheese (IIRC, over half), but that leaves room for a lot of fillers (mostly vegetable oil). ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2024, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/419 "2024-09-17T01:13:43Z")
If you say, “Fuck off!”, backwards, it’s exactly the same statement, but with an Irish accent. “Ffok uf!” ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2024, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/420 "2024-09-17T01:17:08Z")
Chief Red Cloud owned a katana. Everything I could find online on how he acquired it relies mostly on speculation [![](https://truewestmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1-2.jpg) ](https://truewestmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1-2.jpg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=22)