# Your geographical misconceptions **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 30, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294 "2020-12-30T20:58:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 38
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/743 "2021-03-22T18:46:17Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Another thing that is interesting is prescriptive rights. If you have been openly using a property for a certain number of years say for an access for a driveway, and there are no complaints, that access can’t be just cut off. This is settled in the courts. I have a neighbor in that situation. His house has had a clear boundary for years, but a new couple (soulless yuppies from Chicago) moved in behind him, brought in a surveyor and now claim that all his gardens (maybe 15’ x 65’) now belong to them. He’s got lawyers involved, might go to court, but it’s looking like those prescriptive rights will win out and he’ll get to keep his gardens. Hmmm, maybe he can put up a Property Line Monument… ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/744 "2021-03-23T11:52:30Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > > [@Civil\_Guy](#): > > > > How would the border between the US and Canada have been figured? > > I would recon the US/Canada border along natural features would follow the St Lawrence River… It would be inconvenient having to clear Customs every time I took the Metro from Montreal to the “South Shore” (actually more east than south) of the St. Lawrence. I guess New England would become officially bilingual after absorbing several hundred thousand French speakers.l ---
**Author:** ![YamatoTwinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/cc9497/32.png) [@YamatoTwinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YamatoTwinkie)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/745 "2021-03-23T17:46:36Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I’m always surprised how far south the equator is (or I guess more accurately, how many countries are north of it). It seems like all of Africa should be south of the equator, and India should be straddling it. But New Delhi is north of Miami and Orlando. Similarly, Baghdad and Atlanta are both located at the same latitude. ---
**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/746 "2021-03-23T18:48:26Z")
I was surprised to learn that Chicago is further north than New York City. Also, before I actually checked on Google Maps, I’ve long been under the assumption that Toronto was right across the other side of the St. Clair River from Detroit. I’ve also thought that Australia was located halfway in the Pacific Ocean between Indonesia and South America. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/747 "2021-03-23T20:47:34Z")
Interestingly, although everyone knows Australia has a large agricultural sector, the only native plant that was commercially grown, developed and cropped on a large scale was the macadami nut. All other commercial crops - grains, fruits vegetables - are based on imported stock. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/748 "2021-03-23T21:32:16Z")
Supreme Court case related to 4 corners: > **[New Mexico v. Colorado, 267 U.S. 30 (1925)](https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/267/30/)** > > New Mexico v. Colorado Brian ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/749 "2021-03-24T15:34:32Z")
Yes, all of continental Asia is north of the equator. Singapore barely. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/750 "2021-03-24T15:44:17Z")
What other native plant would be suitable? Finger lime, maybe, but? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/751 "2021-03-28T05:23:21Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Yes, all of continental Asia is north of the equator. Singapore barely. I have a picture of myself in Singapore by a sign marking the southernmost point of mainland Asia (despite Singapore being an island). I can never get used to Alaska, the main central portion, being straight north from Hawaii. Especially since Alaska time is 1-2 hours ahead of us, depending on the time of year. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/752 "2021-03-28T10:35:53Z")
And I’ve visited Ka Lae, the southernmost point in Hawaii. I was amazed that there’s virtually no land south of there, until Antarctica. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/753 "2021-03-28T13:25:19Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I can never get used to Alaska, the main central portion, being straight north from Hawaii. Especially since Alaska time is 1-2 hours ahead of us, depending on the time of year. It didn’t used to be that way. They remodelled the timezones in Alaska a few years back. Before that, Alaska had 4 time zones and the biggest one was the same as Hawaiian. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/754 "2021-03-28T13:52:50Z")
Strictly speaking, that’s also true for most of the California coast (for exactly due south), as well as Alaska’s south-facing coast. ---
**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:** [March 28, 2021, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/755 "2021-03-28T15:00:32Z")
The Pacific is really, _really_ big. And the very few islands are very small and mostly concentrated along the western shore. Even the big islands like Luzon, NZ, and Oz (mostly kidding) are tucked along the western edge. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2021, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/756 "2021-03-30T04:10:41Z")
Maybe the Quandong or the Billy Goat plum? Have a look [here](http://www.bushfoodshop.com.au/aniseed-myrtle/). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2021, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/757 "2021-03-30T15:03:34Z")
Interesting, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2021, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/758 "2021-03-30T20:12:53Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > And I’ve visited Ka Lae, the southernmost point in Hawaii. I was amazed that there’s virtually no land south of there, until Antarctica. Is this also called “South Point?” I pulled over at a park there, and sat at a picnic bench and while lunching, fed a bit of cheese to a stray cat. Pleasant place, and interesting. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/759 "2021-04-03T23:18:51Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Dateline 204? “Religious figures placed and detonated explosive charges bringing the stone carvings down. Leaders said graven images are not allowed per the constitution Bible.These stone figures were believed to have advocated for elevating individual rights over collective religion and were considered blasphemous.” If only the **Handmaid’s Tale** played the Gileadean TV news in the background. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2021, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/760 "2021-04-11T18:12:49Z")
It only just occurred to me now, but for the longest of times, regarding the Lehigh mountains/valley of Pennsylvania, from a younger age I never payed that close attention to the actual spelling and somehow transposed some letters ( I’m not from around there ). I was pronouncing Lehigh as “Lay” ( as in a girl’s name ) and not the correct “Lee-High”. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2021, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/761 "2021-04-22T12:11:04Z")
Because of highly symbolic maps of NYC, I always thought that Staten Island was way out in NY harbor and could only be reached by the Staten Island Ferry. Finally looked on google earth and Staten Island is right next to the NJ shore, with just a river for separation. And there’s plenty of road access. Now I’m wondering why SI isn’t part of NJ, given the geography of the area. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2021, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/762 "2021-04-22T13:09:21Z")
I’m surprised how far north Europe is. Madrid, which is clearly in Southern Europe, is the same latitude as Boston, which is not Southern anything. And Edinburgh Scotland is north of parts of Alaska [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294.md?page=37) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294.md?page=39)