Urban myths that somehow, people still believe
Discussion
Rick101 said:
Ki3r said:
If you are being asked to stop by a unmarked police vehicle you should get your phone out and dial 112. This was put you through to the Police as 999 does, but at the same time pinpoint your position to the phone op. Katie phoned 112 when a unmarked vehicle wanted her to stop. Because she phoned 112 they were able to pinpoint her location and stop her being attacked. Or something along those lines.
I was recently told 112 allows them to find your location by a serving Police officer. Some (all?) Fire control rooms can see on the screen where you are from a mobile, doesn't matter what number you called on, I assume police/ambulance have the same set up. They can't see the exact location, it's an ellipse based on triangulation from masts so in a city it can be very accurate but in the country can be inaccurate, or useless if there's only 1 mast in range.
jurbie said:
Anyone got any industry specific urban myths? There are lots of mobile phone masts on top of some pretty grotty blocks of flats and one of the first things I learned when I entered the industry many years ago was to never press the buttons in the lift when visiting one of these sites.
One my Dad told me, when he joined the Navy (early 50's) during the basic training recruits were told that if someone shouted "duck" they should do so, without question, the story behind it was that a young Matelot once heard someone shout it and looked around, there was a loud "snap", a rope under high tension had broken which whipped back and cut him in half, but he was still standing there wondering what all the fuss was about for a few seconds.Not sure if it's still told to Sailors on their basic training, but it serves as part of an interesting yarn (one which I've heard about 300 times over the last 47 years).
Oh, the other one is that if you have a w
k in the bath and your mum has a bath later that evening you can make her pregnant, one I believed at school.HTP99 said:
There must be a reason for that rule though.
Makes me laugh, my local Shell garage has those "don't use your mobile" stickers plastered everywhere and yet you can now pay at the pump by scanning a QR code into a specific app, using your mobile!
I'm sure this stems from the station's owner's worry that the pump will be affected by the radio signal and might (horror of horrors) give away a drop too much fuel. Older pumps were probably a lot more susceptible.Makes me laugh, my local Shell garage has those "don't use your mobile" stickers plastered everywhere and yet you can now pay at the pump by scanning a QR code into a specific app, using your mobile!
("Radio Frequency Interference" - cocking up things accidentally, like phones on aeroplanes...)
It's surprising what a few watts of RF will do in the right place (giggle).
Wiccan of Darkness said:
I was always under the impression it was to do with the way mobile phones actually work. They don't use radio waves, they use micro waves. Put one in your microwave at home and phone the number, occasionally they'll ring but on the whole, a mobile in a microwave oven can't get a signal.
Those microwaves, bouncing about a petrol station can and do create static charges to build up on the pumps and the building. That theoretically can create the spark. Since petrol vapour is the highly flammable part, those vapours wafting around can, theoretically, catch fire in the theoretical event a spark is created due to all those microwaves bouncing around. But that was how I understood it - microwaves from the mobile and nothing to do with batteries or dropping phones.
Oh dear. 2+2 = 1000.Those microwaves, bouncing about a petrol station can and do create static charges to build up on the pumps and the building. That theoretically can create the spark. Since petrol vapour is the highly flammable part, those vapours wafting around can, theoretically, catch fire in the theoretical event a spark is created due to all those microwaves bouncing around. But that was how I understood it - microwaves from the mobile and nothing to do with batteries or dropping phones.
Yes, mobile phones operate at the low end of the Microwave frequency.
Yes, RF transmissions can cause sparks by inducing currents in metal structures. (up to 30km away from the transmitter in some cases!)
BUT microwaves are just a particular section of the radio spectrum - Bluetooth and DECT phones use frequencies at the bottom end of the "microwave" bands (2-3GHz). No need to switch your Fitbit or Apple watch off when refuelling...
Your phone doesn't work in a microwave for the same reason it won't work in a steel box: Shielding. Ovens are unsurprisingly designed to heat the contents, not the surrounding furniture, so will prevent almost all RF energy escaping.
Basically phone transmitters just aren't powerful enough to cause the effects you're proposing. Any risk is negligible.
http://www.amta.org.au/pages/Exploding.petrol.stat...
http://www.ukpia.com/industry_issues/health-and-sa...
https://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/vid...
But mobiles (like most cars - https://www.alke.com/explosion-proof-vehicles ) are simply not certified for use in explosive atmospheres so it seems there's a legal requirement for warnings.
texaxile said:
One my Dad told me, when he joined the Navy (early 50's) during the basic training recruits were told that if someone shouted "duck" they should do so, without question, the story behind it was that a young Matelot once heard someone shout it and looked around, there was a loud "snap", a rope under high tension had broken which whipped back and cut him in half, but he was still standing there wondering what all the fuss was about for a few seconds.
Not sure if it's still told to Sailors on their basic training, but it serves as part of an interesting yarn (one which I've heard about 300 times over the last 47 years).
Oh, the other one is that if you have a wk in the bath and your mum has a bath later that evening you can make her pregnant, one I believed at school.
It is definately true that mooring lines parting under tension can snap back and kill sailors, sadly there are plenty of MAIB reports of this sort of thing happening.Not sure if it's still told to Sailors on their basic training, but it serves as part of an interesting yarn (one which I've heard about 300 times over the last 47 years).
Oh, the other one is that if you have a w
k in the bath and your mum has a bath later that evening you can make her pregnant, one I believed at school.I think the Navy now tend to use non-stretch ropes for mooring, and these don't tend to cause as much damage when they part. Most large cargo ships still tend to use the old style lines though, and the training for civilian sailors contains a fair bit about the dangers of snap back
gord115 said:
Car insurance isn't valid on a car park, or on private land.
Also here in Sheffield there is a myth that Meadowhall shopping centre has received body bags in advance of a terror attack.
This myth has been going for years.
There was also one that Stan Laurel was Clint Eastwoods dad
There is also the story doing the rounds that it was commissioned to be built as a prison, but following its build plans changed, so it was bought by Meadowhalls owners and made into a shopping centre. Again, complete codsAlso here in Sheffield there is a myth that Meadowhall shopping centre has received body bags in advance of a terror attack.
This myth has been going for years.
There was also one that Stan Laurel was Clint Eastwoods dad
t. 
Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery in Glasgow was accidentally built back-to-front and the architect committed suicide when he saw it.
I've lost count of the number of ships where a shipyard worker was accidentally welded/rivetted inside a double hull and only realised when his skeleton was found while breaking it up.
1 in 10 condoms leak thanks to pressure on the manufacturers from the Catholic Church.
I've lost count of the number of ships where a shipyard worker was accidentally welded/rivetted inside a double hull and only realised when his skeleton was found while breaking it up.
1 in 10 condoms leak thanks to pressure on the manufacturers from the Catholic Church.
schmunk said:
PorkInsider said:
Fastchas said:
R8Steve said:
swerni said:
essIII said:
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
droopsnoot said:
Ari said:
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
Chalk marks on your house means you're about to be burgled by the local diddycoys.
Even got released as a warning by one particularly dopey police force! 
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
If we leave Europe we will all be rich beyond our wildest dreams, the NHS will work perfectly and we will get to choose nice foreigners to come to our country.
If we vote labour we will all be rich beyond our wildest dreams, the NHS will work perfectly and all this will be paid for by three nasty wealthy Russians who will definitely voluntarily remain here and pay all their money to the government
If we vote labour we will all be rich beyond our wildest dreams, the NHS will work perfectly and all this will be paid for by three nasty wealthy Russians who will definitely voluntarily remain here and pay all their money to the government
Fastchas said:
schmunk said:
PorkInsider said:
Fastchas said:
R8Steve said:
swerni said:
essIII said:
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
droopsnoot said:
Ari said:
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
Chalk marks on your house means you're about to be burgled by the local diddycoys.
Even got released as a warning by one particularly dopey police force! https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Fastchas said:
Lord Marylebone said:
Teaspoon in champagne bottle.
Have we had that myth yet?
My girlfriend did this Saturday!Have we had that myth yet?
I can't take it.
Last time someone did that I politely asked them to explain the physics/chemistry of this to me as I was interested.
Waste of time. They just looked at me blankly and said they had read it somewhere so started doing it on bottles of sparkling wine, champagne etc.
Drives me nuts, and so many people do it.
Lord Marylebone said:
Fastchas said:
Lord Marylebone said:
Teaspoon in champagne bottle.
Have we had that myth yet?
My girlfriend did this Saturday!Have we had that myth yet?
I can't take it.
Last time someone did that I politely asked them to explain the physics/chemistry of this to me as I was interested.
Waste of time. They just looked at me blankly and said they had read it somewhere so started doing it on bottles of sparkling wine, champagne etc.
Drives me nuts, and so many people do it.
Lord Marylebone said:
Fastchas said:
Lord Marylebone said:
Teaspoon in champagne bottle.
Have we had that myth yet?
My girlfriend did this Saturday!Have we had that myth yet?
I can't take it.
Last time someone did that I politely asked them to explain the physics/chemistry of this to me as I was interested.
Waste of time. They just looked at me blankly and said they had read it somewhere so started doing it on bottles of sparkling wine, champagne etc.
Drives me nuts, and so many people do it.
Bizarre.
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