# Things you notice that others don't. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 4, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439 "2009-02-04T17:47:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/41 "2009-02-05T00:05:01Z")
‘Pedestrian crossing’ (Brit.) does not equate with anything at an intersection, American-style. If we have a lighted crossing at a junction (intersection), it will be fully linked into the light phases so that pedestrians and cars never encounter one another. Anything unsignalled is just a convenient place for pedestrians to wait for a gap in traffic. [Zebra crossings](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_crossing) and their ilk are placed free of other such complications, so that there’s clear sight of them for all involved, and yes, I fully expect a driver to give way - although I use the advice I’ve picked up in Italy, which is making eye contact with drivers as you move into their path. It really does work! (No, I’m not playing chicken, I’m talking about at stopping distances where I could step back again!) > [@Fish](#): > > I usually notice when an instrument or a recording isn’t tuned to A = 440 Hz. It bugs me. I cannot listen to Billy Joel’s album “Cold Spring Harbor,” or watch the “Stayin’ Alive” disco scene in _Airplane!_, or watch “Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl” because the taped sound is off-tune. ‘Off-tune’ isn’t really a fair way of describing it. It’s just tuned to a different standard pitch. A440 is a very recent innovation, and I’m intrigued if there’s a particular reason why you notice these differences - an early familiarity or exposure to a particular tuning, i.e. specific music, for example? ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/42 "2009-02-05T00:27:23Z")
I notice when the guy across the street doesn’t put out his trash cans in time. I notice when the slugs are slower than usual. “Things you notice that others don’t” has got to be on the top of the meaningless lists. It’s like the "Things you like that other people don’t like list."It will go on and on and nobody will care what other people post. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/43 "2009-02-05T01:24:29Z")
Thank you for your _fascinating_ post. I will treasure it always. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/44 "2009-02-05T01:28:41Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > ‘Off-tune’ isn’t really a fair way of describing it. It’s just tuned to a different standard pitch. A440 is a very recent innovation, and I’m intrigued if there’s a particular reason why you notice these differences - an early familiarity or exposure to a particular tuning, i.e. specific music, for example? I have owned a digital piano for the past … oh, 20 years, since I was 17. I also play guitar and (at one time, though I don’t own one now) bass guitar. I’ve always had a very good ear for pitch; I can often name a played pitch, and as often sing a named pitch. When listening to a CD, I can start humming or singing the song in tune before hearing the first note of it. I don’t know, I’ve just always had a good ear for it. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/45 "2009-02-05T16:13:22Z")
> [@maladroit](#): > > how about the obligatory pa squeal in every movie where someone speaks into a mic at a podium? my husband’s a sound engineer too, this drives him nuts That causes much tooth grinding. The worst part is that squeal has to be added in post-production by a sound engineer following the instructions of the director. But not as much as every single employee in a store preceding every announcement on the PA by **blowing into the microphone**! Just fucking talk! There is no need to “test” it by transferring your spit onto the microphone diaphragm! **Santo Rugger** , actually it’s from the Kate Bush song _Suspended in Gaffa_. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/46 "2009-02-06T01:39:23Z")
Musically, I can barely tell that the bass is turned up on the Song Remains the Same version of Stairway. But I did notice when no one else did that the theme to the 90s Last of the Mohicans soundtrack sounds similar to one throwaway phrase in Pink Floyd’s _Shine on You Crazy Diamond_ ---
**Author:** ![imfloating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bc79bd/32.png) [@imfloating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imfloating)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/47 "2009-02-06T03:29:53Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Being left handed I always notice left handedness in others. > > Left handed girls are the hottest girls alive. I prefer females with both left and right hands. ---
**Author:** ![imfloating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bc79bd/32.png) [@imfloating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imfloating)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/48 "2009-02-06T03:31:26Z")
I notice when the slugs are slower than usual. you too ? ---
**Author:** ![imfloating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bc79bd/32.png) [@imfloating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imfloating)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/49 "2009-02-06T03:35:24Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Musically, I can barely tell that the bass is turned up on the Song Remains the Same version of Stairway. But I did notice when no one else did that the theme to the 90s Last of the Mohicans soundtrack sounds similar to one throwaway phrase in Pink Floyd’s _Shine on You Crazy Diamond_ Have you noticed the similarity of the Cash Cab theme with Brown Sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/50 "2009-02-06T17:10:35Z")
> [@imfloating](#): > > Have you noticed the similarity of the Cash Cab theme with Brown Sugar. I watch that every day! I’ll have to pay attention. ---
**Author:** ![TheFaerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/51 "2009-02-06T19:13:10Z")
I notice signs on the side of the road. If it has words on it I’ll most likely have read it before the other people in the car noticed there was even a sign. ---
**Author:** ![imfloating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bc79bd/32.png) [@imfloating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imfloating)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/52 "2009-02-06T20:21:47Z")
Lately, I haven’t been able to tell the difference between gravy and sauce. Any suggestions ? ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/53 "2009-02-06T20:29:04Z")
Move away from New Orleans. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/54 "2009-02-06T22:01:19Z")
> [@imfloating](#): > > Have you noticed the similarity of the Cash Cab theme with Brown Sugar. I do notice the similarity between the “Gracie Films” tune after each Simpsons episode and the early-1990’s song “King of Wishful Thinking.” ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/55 "2009-02-07T01:07:38Z")
I read water. Always spotting routes down rapids or noting lake conditions. ---
**Author:** ![imfloating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bc79bd/32.png) [@imfloating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imfloating)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/56 "2009-02-07T23:54:11Z")
I’ll be thinking about something from Seinfeld, and that episode will come on in about 3 or 4 days. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/57 "2009-02-08T00:05:10Z")
I’m left handed too. I never notice it, but when I was a kid and my family would go out to dinner my mom would immediately notice if the waiter or waitress was a leftie or if the person at a hotel desk was or whatever… She’d bring it up. It was odd. I for one never notice it myself. ---
**Author:** ![imfloating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bc79bd/32.png) [@imfloating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imfloating)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/58 "2009-02-08T00:28:35Z")
> [@clayton\_e](#): > > I’m left handed too. I never notice it, but when I was a kid and my family would go out to dinner my mom would immediately notice if the waiter or waitress was a leftie or if the person at a hotel desk was or whatever… She’d bring it up. It was odd. > > I for one never notice it myself. You never noticed you were left handed ? ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/59 "2009-02-08T00:34:14Z")
I notice if people are conceal carrying weapons, and I can usually tell what the contents of peoples pockets are. ---
**Author:** ![KnitWit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@KnitWit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KnitWit)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/60 "2009-02-08T00:35:27Z")
> [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > After a full year, I just noticed what your user name comes from. I bet some people didn’t. 😛 And **gaffa** must be a New Englander as well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439.md?page=4)