# What I learned on The Straight Dope... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 1, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098 "2014-04-01T16:47:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/41 "2014-04-04T10:35:05Z")
> [@Anomie](#): > > [Yesterday](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=719953), I learnt that Americans still use cheques. We do nothing of the sort. Oh, you mean “checks”! Those, yes. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/42 "2014-04-04T10:36:29Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > 1. When I drove, I changed 2 habits the the dope showed me were irratating to other drivers. I’d love to hear what they were. Do tell! ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/43 "2014-04-04T10:43:09Z")
I learned that some traffic lights only activate when an induction loop embedded in the roadway recognizes that there’s a car waiting. There is an intersection a few miles from where I live that I always used to dread turning left at. It seem like half the time the left green arrow would not activate no matter how long I waited. Now thanks to the SDMB I know that I have to pull all the way up to the stop line if I want the system to know I’m there. ---
**Author:** ![bahimes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@bahimes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bahimes)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/44 "2014-04-04T14:32:20Z")
I learned how to tie my shoelaces. (I’m 63).:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/45 "2014-04-04T15:05:26Z")
I didn’t know why some Flamingo’s are pink and some are white till I read it on SD last year. As the story goes seems that pink Flamingo’s are pink due to eating shrimp, no lie … ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/46 "2014-04-04T15:10:43Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > 1. Question all sources. This by a ways. Also, look something up before you ask questions. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/47 "2014-04-04T15:21:27Z")
And of course the whole pineapple thing. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/48 "2014-04-04T15:34:54Z")
> [@Anomie](#): > > [Yesterday](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=719953), I learnt that Americans still use cheques. Not too often. I probably average two a month. ---
**Author:** ![Nauplius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nauplius/32/51_2.png) [@Nauplius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nauplius)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/49 "2014-04-04T15:52:50Z")
I learned more than I ever wanted to know about uses for paper towel tubes. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/50 "2014-04-04T16:29:53Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > This by a ways. Also, look something up before you ask questions. Also, look something up before you state it as a fact, even if it’s something you’ve “known” all your life. And don’t mistake opinions for facts - even your own. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/51 "2014-04-04T18:58:43Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > I’d love to hear what they were. Do tell! 1. Going the speed limit in the passing lane, as if it was my job to slow traffic down 2. Get _all_ the snow off the roof of my car, so as not to imperil the folks driving behind me. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/52 "2014-04-04T19:16:55Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > \ > 2. Get _all_ the snow off the roof of my car, so as not to imperil the folks driving behind me. I have to give up on this one - no one here seems to know that they’re supposed to do that. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/53 "2014-04-04T19:35:21Z")
Avoid, if at all possible, being struck by a dildo wielded as a bat (thanks _Zebra_) That a list must be at least three-items long in order to be considered such (thanks _Opal_ R.I.P.) ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/54 "2014-04-04T20:08:32Z")
Male pigs really do have corkscrew shaped penises. > **[Does a pig have a corkscrew-shaped penis?](https://www.straightdope.com/21341237/does-a-pig-have-a-corkscrew-shaped-penis)** ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/55 "2014-04-04T20:20:24Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > And lots of people in the UK, Australia and NZ have no idea the “Z” is pronounced “ZEE” in the US, so that balances out. Absolute rubbish. When kids in the UK/Aus/NZ grow up on a diet of Sesame Street, you have to re-program them (the kids) to sing the Alphabet Song with a ZED rather than the rhyming ZEE. It’s a royal pain in the arse to keep correcting them, but we have to keep the integrity of the Queen’s English, right? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/56 "2014-04-04T20:41:49Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > We do nothing of the sort. > > Oh, you mean “checks”! Those, yes. 😉 Please note, however, that an “exchecker” is a person who was formerly a cashier. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/57 "2014-04-04T20:45:52Z")
As of today, [I know what “Honeymoon Cystitis” is.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=17258113#post17258113) ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/58 "2014-04-04T20:48:40Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > You know that little doohickey that holds the vacuum cleaner power cord? You can just turn it 180 degrees to release the cord all at once, instead of having to unwind and unwind and unwind and unwind it. > > Haven’t found a way to save time putting the chord back, though… You can buy one with a [cord reel](http://www.homedepot.com/p/Panasonic-12-Amp-Upright-Vacuum-Cleaner-with-Cord-Reel-MCUG471/100672599). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/59 "2014-04-04T21:04:12Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > I didn’t know raisins came from dried grapes … I wonder why they don’t have raisin wine? Oh you can make raisin wine. Just add water … :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098/60 "2014-04-04T23:06:25Z")
Giraffes have a prehensile tongue. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-the-straight-dope/685098.md?page=4)