Questions for our American friends
 

When viewing numerous American shows and films there are sometimes two scenarios that occur that I don't understand how they work, they are not life changing events or that important really I guess, just that it bugs the hell out of me.

What does it mean when you ask a shop assistant to 'validate your parking'?

When someone gets onto a bus they just sit down and the bus continues on with it journey. When and who do you actually pay the fare to?

Cheers :confused: from England.

I think "Validate your parking" means to stamp the ticket you picked up from the customer car park, to make sure you don't get fined for illegally parking - pretty much the same as happens in Sainsbury's here. (Though I don't drive, so I'm not sure how it works exactly.)

I have no idea about the bus thing. Maybe they have passes, like Oyster cards in London?

Answers
 

As far as the parking ... in large cities, especially, some stores contract with parking structures so if a customer buys something at the store, they are not charged for their time in the parking garage (we're still a quite car-centered society, if you couldn't tell). When you park in the structure, you are given a receipt or ticket, which you don't pay until you leave (the charge is usually based on how many hours you're parked). So if you buy something, the store "validates your parking." Why the word "validate" came to be used, I don't know.

As far as the bus, I think that's probably more of a film-making shortcut, although some cities do have certain zones where bus travel is free.

In regards to the american buses you swipe your fare card at the meter by the bus driver. you can also deposit cash in it. maybe in the movies you have seen they left out that part.

When the ex and I visited San Francisco in 1990 we decided to catch a bus to Fisherman's Wharf. We were severely lambasted by the driver for not having the correct change and he didn't have change. He begrudgingly let as on for free but luckily a passenger came to our rescue and paid for us with his spare change :)
(Another pointer if you are visiting the US, if the taxi fare is going to be say $20 make sure you have more than the $20 on you!!)

no actually not, most do but it is not a requirement in most places. they have prepaid for so many spots a year and just use them up.

FWIW, I've been here my whole life and never come across parking validation, or fare free busing.Unless it's a free shuttle, or like someone pointed out, a trip that requires a ticket, these things probably aren't as common as the movies would lead you to believe.

Hi edward :confused:,

I have a few answers for North America in general (but not the U.S.A).

Shops and shopping malls that have gated parking lots or paid parking of any kind do not want you to go elsewhere because you parked your vehicle in their lot. So they provide significant discounts to parking costs to customers who purchase something from them--you get your receipt stamped by the teller or get a special ticket from the teller that you present to the parking attendants/computer and your parking fees are discounted when you pay.

Also, many corporations, schools, hospitals, etc. monitor their parking lots and watch out for non-employees parking and taking up expensive spaces. They will also "validate your parking" by providing special stickers or dash cards, or registering your license plates with security personnel, etc. so you do not get fined or towed because you are parking illegally.


This depends on the civil jurisdiction you are in. In many cities one pays money/prepaid tickets/tokens into a container beside the driver, or you simple show the driver a purchased bus pass that is good for a set amout of time. Also, in some very large centres where some extended-length buses have more than one entry, it is assumed that anyone entering the area of the bus that does not contain the driver has a valid, purchased pass. (Occasionally, officials board these sections to check passengers for valid passes.)

I have noticed that movies and TV shows rarely show the characters presenting any sort of fare or pass--it is not just you who noticed this lack in N.A. buses ... ;)

I hope this helps,
e.d.

I have a question and it`s been bugging me ever since i saw a movie (So our American friends know what i`m talking about) where this dude (Once again) said he had to hurry up and put on a pair of pants .
But he was already wearing pants and instead put on trousers ???


Hey like what gives you know :confused:



Also i saw another movie where this chick asked for some soda , but wasn`t given any bread simply a carbonated beverage ???


Hey like what gives you know :confused:




Just thought i`d ask a couple of blindingly obvious questions , to fit in with the theme.


Blame peer pressure ok ;):thumbsup:

Hardee har, GreenSkull, you're so full of it!

What Christmas spirit ?, oh you`re so right ;)

Here's a question about American sport.

Why does the NFL only have a very short regular season (September to December), when all the other American sports such as MLB, NHL and NBA have a season which goes on for many many months?

I think it is because of the physical toll of such a violent sport.

Actually (though I can't accuse myself of ever having thought about it before) I confess I am now mildly curious about the relative brevity of the NFL season, especially given how commercial the sport is. British and other national soccer authorities are perpetually looking for ways to milk the cash cow a bit harder, so why not NFL?

There is a thriving college league in American football, professional in all but name, which draws very big crowds. Is the narrowness of the season window in part to allow the college players to study?

I understand that the MLB regular season consists of each team playing a staggering 166 matches! - whilst in contrast the NFL has a regular season that only has 16 matches. :confused:

I believe it was former NFL great Mike Ditka who said, "Professional football isn't a contact sport, it's a collision sport. Ballroom dancing is a contact sport." Sounds like something he would say, and very accurate too. Given the size, strength, and speed of the modern-day player, the many months of violent hitting, in practice and during games, takes its' toll on the body, and a lengthy off-season is well deserved. The off-season isn't as long as you might think, though. Most pro teams start working during the first week of May. One team, the Chicago Bears, had their first mini-camp on March 16th, a mere 78 days after the previous season ended. So, using May to January, the pro's are going at it for 8 months plus.


http://moondogsports.com/2009/05/01/...amp-schedules/

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2...-chicago-mar15

With respect to American busses, another point is that most fares in city busses are flat rate no matter how far you are travelling, so there is no need for a conductor, they just drop the flat fee in the machine by the driver or insert a pass.

I first encountered validated parking in hawaii, when I went for a show

The UK has a few validated parking locations now, I encountered some in central london, where parking in a car park is free if you get your ticket validated in a local restuarant (having eaten there first of course)

The American NFL season is 16 weeks, but there's also playoffs.An additional 4 weeks including the championship game (Super Bowl), and three preseason games.
23 games, or half the year.I think compared to other sports, the season is just as long, but as someone said, it's low number of games is due to the brutality of the sport, and the healing time needed between games.

College is an even shorter season, but it's mainly due to academics.There are a few rules placed by college athletics governing body, the NCAA, restricting the amount of time teams and players can practice, play, or spend physically doing the game.
Some school conferences are extremely stubborn about changes, such as a playoff system, which would lengthen the season.This is mainly due to the revenue they would lose by "spreading the wealth" gained by our current bowl system, or end of year championships.

As others have already explained, "validated parking" means that the shop or business "validates" your parking in some Pay By The Minute/Hour facility so you park for free. In the small city I live in the parking garages (multi-story parking structures) are owned and run by the city. When you enter you collect a ticket with a mag strip on it. If you patronize one of the businesses they will give you a ticket sized card. When you leave the parking structure you feed the toll gate your parking ticket and instead of feeding money into the toll gate you feed the business' card in and leave for free.

Prior to the widespread use of mag strips and computerized pay stations, the businesses would stamp your parking ticket and you would show that to the human attendant when you left.

As for the No Fare Bus scenes, some companies and transit authorities are experimenting with or installing RFD systems. (Like the FastTrak or other bridge/highway toll pre-pay setups that you can get for your car in many places.) As long as you have the credit card-sized, um, card, on you when you board, the bus' reader will automatically deduct the fare from your balance. But most likely it was just the director being lazy and saving some screen time by not showing the character dropping coins in the box. :p

I use the bus quite a lot in the UK and it's actually rare to see money changing hands.People over 60 get free local travel and there's any manner of commuted and student tickets.

Oyster Cards
 

In London we now have the Oyster Card system.

http://img252.imagevenue.com/loc587/..._122_587lo.jpg

Its a swipe card you simply wipe it across the reader and Bob's your uncle.

http://img23.imagevenue.com/loc450/t..._122_450lo.jpg

I resisted buying an Oyster Card for years mainly because it was so heavily promoted (to the point of fascist co-ercion) by Ken Livingston: I dislike Ken Livingston a lot.

http://img133.imagevenue.com/loc352/..._122_352lo.jpg
:mad::mad::mad:

However I confess that, heavy handed though his tactics were, he was totally right about Oyster. It vastly speeds up the process of getting on a driver-operated ticket system bus, which is helpful to both passengers and driver and minimises the traffic jam when the bus stops to pick people up. I don't need to carry so much schrapnel in my pocket.

http://img188.imagevenue.com/loc23/t...e_122_23lo.jpg

Ken, you're still an obnoxious, supercillious little dog turd, but I am man enough to admit this. You were quite right about Oyster and I was quite wrong.

My God: but it really hurt me like Hell to say that.:mad: The horror, the horror...

I thought the NHL was also a violent collison/contact sport - but their season runs from September to the final of the Stanley Cup in April.

Also, am I correct in thinking that for one, or possibly two years, the NHL was suspended? Finance was the concern I believe.

In hockey your not supposed to tackle the other players and slam them into the ground. Just some friendly bumping. :D NFL players have been known to continue playing after breaking bones.

As for the "suspension", the NHL players went on strike for a while some years ago.

I have seen some NFL - but I'm a bit confused. How many players from each team are on the field at any one time?

Why is the ball so small (it's much smaller than a rugby ball) and brown in colour?

More answers
 

It's 11 players per side ... free substitution (any number of players going in or out between plays).
The size of the ball has actually evolved over the years. It used to be fatter in the middle and rounder at the ends. It's become more streamlined over the years to aid in forward passing. I think the main changes in those respects came in the late 1940s or the 1950s.
As far as the color, I think that just came from being made of leather. Although I have seen pictures of the early night games (again, back in the 1940s-1950s) when the ball was white, to make it more visible.

Re: the colour of the ball
 

In rugby it's been the other way around. The ball was originally dark brown, then in the late 1970s it changed to white - to aid television coverage.

Is there any other countries that take part in the "world series?" If not why is it called this??

Canada :)

Oh, I've a question I always wanted to ask an U.S. American:

Recently Iwatched a video on YT, Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama (Live)
and they had a rebel flag (see below) on stage.

Some guys in the comments were discussing and complaining about the flag.

So what is the meaning (nowadays) of this old flag, what does it stand for
in everyday life, e.g. when someone has a sticker with it on his car ?


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...deracy.svg.png

Time for a general comment from your friendly neighbourhood moderator.

Do you like this thread?

If so, please do not be rude to each other here.:mad:

The American Major League Baseball championship playoffs between two rival leagues have been called The World Series since Adam was a lad (well since the late 1880s anyway). The name arose because except for a few in Canada, there were no baseball clubs outside the USA who were worthy to stand on the same diamond as a typical pro-baseball club from the USA. This is still true today as far as I know. It is a fact, not a boast, that the best team in the USA and Canada is going to be the best baseball team in the world, hence ''The World Series.''

Useful article in wikipedia on the history of the World Series:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Series

Personally I like this thread. If I didn't, I would have deleted it now. I ask British/European/Australian/Other members not to think this thread is there so they can be rude to our American members. In return I ask our American members not to talk down to non-Americans who are asking what might seem like a silly question.

Who knows, our little cultural exchange here might even be a force for peace, understanding, repproachment and good in the world. Now wouldn't that be cool?:cool:

Though I'm not from the States, I have spent some time there, and in the southern states, so I know the confederate flag also quite well.
From Wikipedia:
I hope this helps...

Thanks koo,
well, I know the article, that's where the picture in my post is from ;-)

The problem with Wiki is, it's not a reliable source.
I'd prefer a first-hand knowledge, if you know what i mean.

wikipedia is useful as a general knowledge tool, but it can be tampered with. If you really need to be certain of your facts, say for research, it is only useful as a preliminary source: all facts must be traced to source and verified. Its also impersonal, and this is where a first hand answer from an American member, however biased, is worth a lot more.:)

This is an outstanding thread. I think all of the serious questions which have been asked are reasonable and eye opening, actually. The growth of the US and its society has been an organic and somewhat chaotic process. The expansion from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the inclusion/subjugation of multiple ethnic groups and other factors have led to the development of an often confusing and somewhat bewildering culture which seems to change haphazardly based on geographical location. Although we do have a strong centralized national government, each state has its own independently elected and partially autonomous government as well. Within each state, there are also counties, cities and townships which have independent elected governments. This naturally leads to a state of mild schizophrenia amongst most Americans, myself included. It is absolutely of no surprise to me at all that everyday things I take for granted are perplexing and maddening to those who visit here.

For instance, with a few exceptions, there is no national regulation of public transport. (buses, subway/light rail, commuter trains, etc.) These systems are developed and operated largely by the states, counties and cities. This means that the way the systems are operated may vary between locations. Taxi services are owned and operated by the private sector with little overview or regulation by the government.

This is the Stars and Bars also known as the Rebel Flag and was the banner used by the Confederate States (Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, Louisiana, etc.) which seceded from the US during the Civil War in 1860's. The flag is an iconic and somewhat contentious symbol of the southern states and their continued feeling of separation and independence from the rest of the country. It is often displayed by people as a sign of their independence from society and as an announcement of their 'rebel spirit'. It is also used by many separatist, militia and hate groups. Most notably, it is displayed prominently during Ku Klux Klan rallies.

This reply is more long winded than I had planned. My apologies.

Perhaps there should be an 'Ask an American a question' thread. On second thought...

I didn't do it!:rolleyes:At least I don't remember doing it.:confused:

Another question , you know how our special relations say things different ,such as we say Tomato and they say Beer ,well that`s the same for most words right ?.

See i was having special relations of my own with a girl who must have been one of those cousins (Well she was chewing gum ) , only she kept saying "No, No, No, Stop , No, And certainly NO not in there ! "

She really meant "Yes, Yes, Yes, Quick, Yes, Oh and are you in yet ?"

Right ?

I only ask as my court case is coming up on the 25th and i need to prepare my defense ;):thumbsup:

There was a Michael Douglas film where he got made redundant, didn't tell anyone, and cracked-up under the strain and ran amok with gun etc. He got a can of Coke out of a fridge in a shop, and he too called it a can of soda. I thought it could have been something to do with not wanting to promote Coke, but in light of GS's question perhaps there's more?

I think soda is just a generic name for fizzy soft drinks, where the English would say "Pop." There is a Seinfeld episode about George wanting to call his (non-existant) child Soda, because he likes the sound of it, and he likes drinking it as well.

I also thought the World Series was called that because it was originally sponsored by a newspaper called The World.