Questions for our American friends

[edward126]

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 from England.

[Aubrey]

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?

[Navvet]

Originally Posted by Aubrey

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?

In American cities, local bus transportation is paid for as you get on the bus. There is a meter next to the driver, into which you drop coins, or bills. Some people have passes (like credit cards), that are paid for at the end of the month.

[karlafong]

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.

[army1959]

Originally Posted by karlafong

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.

The term applies to parking garages. Often the garages are run by a merchant or group of merchants who own and operate the garage. While they will allow anyone to park there, they want random people to pay for parking unless they are patrons of the owner's business(es), who will get free parking. The term "Validate" means to signify or certify or verify that a customer is indeed a patron of the owner's business and is therefore entitled to free parking. "Validate" is the verb form of the adjective "valid" which means that the person is in fact a (valid) true customer of the owner's business and therefore does indeed get free parking.

[surfpunk]

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.

[eelcat]

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!!)

[Oswald]

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?

[leroy6337]

Originally Posted by Oswald

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?

nfl football is very punishing to the body, more than 16 regular season games would result in many more injuries and require alot more players

[SanteeFats]

Originally Posted by Oswald

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?

The NFL season is not as short as you think, with preseason and the regular season it goes on for 5-6 months including the playoffs. Most NFLers work (?) one game a week and they usually take 2-3 days just to recover from the physicality of the game. This game requires every one of the linemen, offensive and defensive, plus most everyone else playing defense to go against some one just as big or bigger in a pushing, shoving, wrestling match every play they are in for. Imagine trying to push 300 pounds plus around for 30, 40, 50, even more plays a game. If the NHL wore as much protective gear as the NFL players they would probably not be able to skate. The NBA seems rough but it is not really that tough. Yes it does get physical but they really don't play that many games for such a long season (seems forever to me). Baseball has a long season because they need that many games to get to a consensus of who has spent the most money on their team. From what little I have seen Rugby may be the most demanding of the sports that involve physical contact bewteen teams. I leave out the MMA garbage and wrestling since I think they are pretty much fixed.