The "This Might Be A Stupid Question, But...." Thread

[RingTailedLemur]

My son will be 15 in May and we are going to take him to get his learner's permit.

In his public high school, they sign up for a six week virtual driver's education class. Once they complete that, there is a manual they have to study and a written test to take before they can get their learner's permit. Once he has his permit, he will drive with adult supervision (must be over 21) until he is 16, when he can take the driving test and get his license. Florida calls it a graduated license. You go from a learner, to having a limited license (no driving from 11pm - 6 am without an adult over 21 in the car). The restrictions lessen until they are 18 and are unrestricted.

Does it matter how long the adult has had a licence for?  I think it's 3 years here.

I like the idea of a graduated licence very much.

[marcel]

Interesting.  In the UK, learner drivers are not allowed on motorways.  You have to pass your test first.

In much of the US, it's a lot harder to get anywhere without being on a highway than it is in the UK. It would be very hard to get in enough driving practice if you weren't allowed on highways.

And honestly, highways are a lot easier in terms of sheer driving skills. Smaller roads with intersections and lights and traffic coming at you from everywhere are really a lot more challenging. Highways are just high speed.

There is more to highways then just the high speed. allthough that does depend on where you live off course.

Over here we have (one of the) highest traffic densities in the world, and only profesionals are allowed to teach people to drive here. You take driving lessons, until you are ready to do the exam. If you pass you get your license and can drive independently, and if you fail you take more lessons again.

Personaly, I find the idea of non-pofesionals teaching driving ridiculous, and it is the reason why I will always be more suspect of other traffic in the US then I am over here, becaus i know that there is a good chance that the other driver did not receive good driving lessons.

My ex, a Washingtonian with a Washingtonian drivers license refuses to drive a car under any circumstances here, and she will only ever start doing it after she has received some Dutch driving lessons to help here dealing with the traffic intensity here.

About the UK. How are you going to learn driving on motorways if you are not allowed to drive on them?

[camlan]

In the UK, you have to pass a written exam on driving and road rules before you're allowed to take the actual driving test - does this happen in the US too? Where do you go to take the test, the DMV, or in school during Drivers Ed class? What about people learning to drive who aren't taking Drivers Ed?

I was always fascinated hearing about Drivers Ed. In the UK we don't have anything like that in schools; people hire an instructor via an independent driving school and all the instruction is one-on-one in the car. People are expected to buy the Highway Code and learn the theory stuff in their own time. Do you have independent driving schools, where you can phone and an instructor brings a car to your house for a lesson, or is learning to drive mostly done via Drivers Ed and relatives? I think we should have Drivers Ed, it sounds like a much more sensible idea.

There are a variety of ways to learn how to drive in the US.

Many high schools have driver's ed classes, where the theory and rules of the road are taught in a classroom setting, and driving practice is provided on the road, usually in a special car with dual controls.

There are separate, private driving schools that offer both classroom and on-the-road instruction.

You can also, if you want, take just the on-the-road instruction from a driving school, and learn the rules/read the manual on your own. The driving school with send a car and instructor to your house. The car will have dual controls. (This is an expensive option.) There are insurance discounts for teenagers to take a formal class, but for adults, those discounts usually don't exist, so they may opt for just the on-the-road instruction.

Your parents/other responsible adult can teach you how to drive. This involves getting your learner's permit. Once you have that, you can drive as long as there is a licensed driving sitting next to you (there may be other conditions that need to be met, but those are state-by-state). You then read the manual on your own.

The tests are usually given by the state Department/Registry of Motor Vehicles. There's a "written" test, which for me was 15 multiple choice questions on a touch screen computer. If you pass the written part of the test, you then get in your car with someone from the DMV, who tells you where to drive and what to do. My driving test was very simple. I drove around the neighborhood of the DMV office, stopped at a few stop signs, had to make a turn from a one lane street onto a two lane street, had to parallel park, had to back into a parking space. Never got on the highway or even into heavy traffic.

[Snooks]

About the UK. How are you going to learn driving on motorways if you are not allowed to drive on them?

You can take a course called Pass Plus which sometimes helps with insurance too.  It mainly covers motorway driving but it includes night driving and other advanced techniques too.  I honestly can't remember the first time I went on the motorway but I know it was before I did my Pass Plus.

[guihong]

In the UK, you have to pass a written exam on driving and road rules before you're allowed to take the actual driving test - does this happen in the US too? Where do you go to take the test, the DMV, or in school during Drivers Ed class? What about people learning to drive who aren't taking Drivers Ed?

I was always fascinated hearing about Drivers Ed. In the UK we don't have anything like that in schools; people hire an instructor via an independent driving school and all the instruction is one-on-one in the car. People are expected to buy the Highway Code and learn the theory stuff in their own time. Do you have independent driving schools, where you can phone and an instructor brings a car to your house for a lesson, or is learning to drive mostly done via Drivers Ed and relatives? I think we should have Drivers Ed, it sounds like a much more sensible idea.

I can't say for every state, though I am assuming it is similar.  In Arkansas, you have to take said test on the rules before you get a learner's permit.  DD14 has to go to the State Police office and pick up the rule book, but other states may do this at the DMV.  She studies this on her own, then she'll take the written test at the police.  Then she has to take lessons, and show proof of passing this at the police to take her driving test.

We do have independent driving schools (one is next door to the DMV  ), but to my knowledge you do the driving in your own car.  I've never known of an instructor who brought a car (presumably double-control, like an airplane), but it could happen. 

I took driver's ed in school, then private lessons, supplemented by my very nervous father 

[Outdoor Girl]

When I got my license in Ontario back in the late 80's, early 90's, anytime after you turned 16, you wrote a written test and got the learner's permit, also known as a 365 because it was good for one year.  This allowed you to drive with a licensed driver in the front seat, next to you.  That driver must be capable of driving so couldn't be over the legal limit for alcohol.  Within that year, you did your road test to get your full license, no restrictions.

Now, we have what is known as graduated licensing.  At 16, you can write a written test and get your G1.  You are then permitted to drive with a licensed driver in the front seat with you.  I think that driver has to be over the age of 21.  You can have absolutely no alcohol in your system, you can't drive on 400 series highways (freeways in the States), you can't drive between certain hours, etc.  Once you've had your G1 for a while - at least 6 months but not more than a year, I think - you take your road test to get your G2.  Which is still somewhat restricted.  You don't need a licensed driver but you still need a BAC of 0; I think there might be other restrictions, too.  Within 5 years, you have to do your road test for your full license or G.  If you are still under 21, you can't have any BAC until after 21 but that is the only restriction.

We discovered another little wrinkle.  My nephew had a small accident with his G2 license.  Until he gets his G license, he doesn't start recording accident free time.  Which is significant because you don't get an insurance break until you've been accident free for 6 years.  He's doing his G road test next week.  Hopefully, he'll pass and will start the clock ticking.  My brother pays the insurance, my nephew has to pay the increase in insurance and had to pay the deductible from the accident repairs.  Which everyone thought was reasonable.

[mmswm]

I learned how to drive from my father, however, my father is an excellent driver.  In addition to that, I had been piloting a small plane for several years before I could legally learn to drive, so that experience put me light years ahead of most people when it comes to operating a large, complex vehicle.  I remember being 9 years old and "helping" my father land the plane for the first time and being absolutely positive that it was impossible to do so many things at one time. After learning to manage all that, driving a puny little car seemed easy.

[AfleetAlex]

I've always wanted to know this - how do container ships keep the shipping containers from sliding off the deck during rough seas? I know the containers themselves are really heavy and big (they only look small compared to the rest of the ship!) but I would think one rogue wave and all those containers would be at the bottom of the ocean.

It is an old question, but since I inerned a year on containerships I should answer it.

The shor answer is twistlocks and lashings.

Twistlocks have an oblong part that fits in the blong holes in the corners of containers, and that can be turned 90 degrees to fix them into place. There are twistlocks connected to the ships deck, and the lowest container is put on these, after which they are locked.

Since the containers also have connection fo twistlocks on their roof, you can put a second container on the the bottom container, with twistlocks between them, and so secure them together.

For extra security lashings are also being used. These are metal chains that have a method to really tighten them so far that there is no stretch in them at all. These chains are used for diagonal connections between containers or between containers and the deck. Lashing are used in combination with twistlocks, not as a replacement.

Containerships that need these method are often general cargo ships that are being used as container ships, but can be used for other cargo as well. Ships that are build only for the transport of containers are ususaly cellular containerships.

Cellulars containerships have open holds, with a frame that goes from the bottom of the ship to higher then the deck, in which containers fit exactly. On a cellular ship, you do not need twistlocks for the containers that are placed in the frame (you can not even use twistlocks, because the fram is in the way) but they are often being loaded up to 6 containers over the edge of the frame (depending on ship size) and the higher containers do need twistlock.

Thanks for the links and explanations, Marcel - that makes it a lot clearer for me.  I guess I never thought about them locking in together like that, but it makes perfect sense!   

[marcel]

I learned how to drive from my father, however, my father is an excellent driver.  In addition to that, I had been piloting a small plane for several years before I could legally learn to drive, so that experience put me light years ahead of most people when it comes to operating a large, complex vehicle.  I remember being 9 years old and "helping" my father land the plane for the first time and being absolutely positive that it was impossible to do so many things at one time. After learning to manage all that, driving a puny little car seemed easy.

Considering the fact that at least 90% of learning to drive a car is about learning to look around you and be aware of other traffic in the vicinity etc. I am not sure how much the experience with piloting a small plane help with this.

What I have always learned though is that people who somehow do have experience with driving cars before going for their drivers license here, often have a lot of problems, because they think they know what they are doing, because they know the technical part, but they are much worse at learning to look around when driving.

[ladyknight1]

My son will be 15 in May and we are going to take him to get his learner's permit.

In his public high school, they sign up for a six week virtual driver's education class. Once they complete that, there is a manual they have to study and a written test to take before they can get their learner's permit. Once he has his permit, he will drive with adult supervision (must be over 21) until he is 16, when he can take the driving test and get his license. Florida calls it a graduated license. You go from a learner, to having a limited license (no driving from 11pm - 6 am without an adult over 21 in the car). The restrictions lessen until they are 18 and are unrestricted.

Does it matter how long the adult has had a licence for?  I think it's 3 years here.

I like the idea of a graduated licence very much.

The website is below for more information.

http://www.flhsmv.gov/teens/parent_gdl.html

[Morrigan]

New question -- Nook & Libraries

Stupid because I've had my Nook for almost a year and I should know the answer (but I prefer to buy instead of borrow.) I've looked at the B&N website and can't find out how to do this.

How do you borrow books from the library on your Nook?

Does it have to be a local library?

I'm thinking about getting a Nook for my mother for Xmas and she lives in very-small-town-USA. Does her town library need to have this function available (unlikely) or can she borrow books from any library?

Overdrive is the "big" e-book lending library.  If your mom's library is smaller, it might belong to a co-op that does Overdrive or another e-book lender.

If you want to PM me her library, I can look it up using a couple different sources.

(Reference librarian here, so I deal with e-books on a regular basis.)

I could never get Overdrive to work on my PC, but it worked like a charm on my iPad.  It is so awesome to have books freely and magically appear on your ipad to read!

I started reading the first quote on this reply and thought "Oh. Good. More info. I posted something like that a while ago . . . Oh. Wait! That's ME! 

Just thought I'd give an update: My mother is sooo tickled pink with her nook. It seems that there was a bit of a problem loading the Overdrive on her PC, but working with her library they got the problem solved (I don't know the details.)

So you use an ipad instead of a nook tablet to borrow books from the library?

Not nooks, but overdrive info:

The new Microsoft Tablet (the Surface) has two different operating systems. One which is tablet based and one is Microsoft 8 based.  With the tablet based, you use the Overdrive app.  With the MS 8 based, you treat it like a desktop.  We had a Female Dog of a time figuring that out when a patron came in with his new Surface.  So just thought I'd share the info!

[Redsoil]

Stupid question that wandered into my mind earlier today.  The saying "You mother wears Army Boots" is obviously an insult, but how did it come about, and what exactly is it supposed to convey?

[Anniissa]

Interesting.  In the UK, learner drivers are not allowed on motorways.  You have to pass your test first.

In much of the US, it's a lot harder to get anywhere without being on a highway than it is in the UK. It would be very hard to get in enough driving practice if you weren't allowed on highways.

And honestly, highways are a lot easier in terms of sheer driving skills. Smaller roads with intersections and lights and traffic coming at you from everywhere are really a lot more challenging. Highways are just high speed.

There is more to highways then just the high speed. allthough that does depend on where you live off course.

Over here we have (one of the) highest traffic densities in the world, and only profesionals are allowed to teach people to drive here. You take driving lessons, until you are ready to do the exam. If you pass you get your license and can drive independently, and if you fail you take more lessons again.

Personaly, I find the idea of non-pofesionals teaching driving ridiculous, and it is the reason why I will always be more suspect of other traffic in the US then I am over here, becaus i know that there is a good chance that the other driver did not receive good driving lessons.

My ex, a Washingtonian with a Washingtonian drivers license refuses to drive a car under any circumstances here, and she will only ever start doing it after she has received some Dutch driving lessons to help here dealing with the traffic intensity here.

About the UK. How are you going to learn driving on motorways if you are not allowed to drive on them?

You are not allowed to drive on motorways as a learner but you can drive on dual carriageways which, unless otherwise stated by speed limit signage, have the same speed limit as a motorway and so can be very similar to motorway driving. I believe that a plan to allow learner drivers to learn on motorways, if with a qualified instructor in a dual control car, has been proposed by the government and is likely to come into force in the near future.

[WolfWay]

Stupid question that wandered into my mind earlier today.  The saying "You mother wears Army Boots" is obviously an insult, but how did it come about, and what exactly is it supposed to convey?

Google is my friend:

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=438346

There's a number of possible suggestions, most of them involving ladies of negotiable affection who are attached to mobile army encampents.  It seems to be a silly phrase that has no clear meaning attatched to it but it just sounds kinda funny as an insult, so it stuck around?

[Virg]

Redsoil wrote:

"Stupid question that wandered into my mind earlier today.  The saying "You mother wears Army Boots" is obviously an insult, but how did it come about, and what exactly is it supposed to convey?"

My impression was that it was accusing your target's mother of being manly.  With the growing number of women in the armed forces, it's getting pretty dated, though.

Iris wrote:

"I'm explaining it badly, but maths not physics is my area sorry. I once heard a physicist break down the number of actual impacts in a car crash..."

This is true, but our discussion was about a particular collision and a particular injury, and that's where the description doesn't add up.

Mental Magpie wrote:

"Re: being independent from the car. I was using very general terms and wasn't clear. What I meant was that your body will eventually move from the crash. You won't just sit there while the car moves around you without ever moving you. For a split second while everything impacts everything else, sure, but in the end you'll move, too."

See above.  There's no doubt that your body is going to get moved around by the collision, but I was questioning the concept of pressing the brake causing additional hip injuries, since perpetua argued that pressing the brake while stopped was going to do that.  You're not going to suffer any more or any different injuries from a rear-end hit by pressing the brake than you would putting the car in neutral and putting your feet flat on the floor or holding them up, and if your foot is on the brake then post-collision your car is less likely to drift roll, so it's a good idea to press the brake firmly while you're sitting still.

Virg