Games track nuts play

[gh]

Oh no, do we have to go through that explanation again?! You're talking about pure mathematical conversion; we're talking about the kind of conversions one uses in track, which require the introduction of some probablility, and becaues of teh different measuring methods in horizontal and vertical jumps, the probability alogorithms are slightly different.

[Pego]

The ultimate expression of geekdom is when you do an underpass that's marked in both metric and english and you take issue with the conversion factor they've used. "Hey, that 5.00m sign says 16'5"---that's a long jump conversion, they should be using the PV conversion of 16'4 3/4" !"

Why is it? My calculation indicates 16' 4.85''. Why not 16'4' 3/4 in both cases?

[dukehjsteve]

I can't ever go under an overpass that has its height marked without thinking a pole vault mark.

repeating a comment from a few years ago, I do the same thing with suspended "clearance" signs going into parking garages, thinking of the HJ of course ! Do other HJ geeks do the same ? I bet they do.

[tafnut]

"Hey, that 5.00m sign says 16'5"---that's a long jump conversion, they should be using the PV conversion of 16'4 3/4" !"

oh good lord :shock: maybe we WERE separated at birth - I've seen imprecise equivalencies and questioned the breeding of the sign maker! I was hoping to take that little eccentricity to the grave, but your admission has outed me!

[gh]

The ultimate expression of geekdom is when you do an underpass that's marked in both metric and english and you take issue with the conversion factor they've used. "Hey, that 5.00m sign says 16'5"---that's a long jump conversion, they should be using the PV conversion of 16'4 3/4" !"

[tafnut]

I can't ever go under an overpass that has its height marked without thinking a pole vault mark.

[gh]

Along the lines of the subconscious is one that I think I also mentioned on the earlier tharead, and that's when I roll over in the middle of the night and look at the clock and see 2:00 my reactoin (is 6'6 3/4), etc., etc.

Strangely enough, 7:07, 7:17, 7:27, 7:37, 7:47 and 7:57 are exempt, because for those I say "Boeing!" (but then, I'm never in bed that late anyway)

[tandfman]

We have a Derrick Adkins Lane here on Long Island (NY). Gee, I wonder who grew up there??

mjr, where is that exactly ? I'm an old LI guy ( Huntington) myself. I know Derrick is from LI but cannot remember exactly where.

Malverne.

[marknhj]

I saw a "Webb for Mayor" poster here last year ...flashed back to Steve's game and realised I'd been doing it subconciously for years too...

[gh]

Had an interesting drive back in '81 with GH. We were going from the New Orleans airport to Baton Rouge.

At some point we noticed that neither of us had said a word for ten minutes or so, only to discover that we'd each been playing the same game in our minds.

Each overpass listed the clearance height in feet and inches, most of them in the 16- and 17-foot area. The trick was to name the WR setter and the site of his record.

That was one of two games! The other was that each time you passed an exit sign you had to name somebody who went to HS there, or at least the name of a HS in the town. Like leaving the NO airport the answer for Metairie was "East Jefferson, Harold Porter!" The answer for Houma was "Terrebonne" but after all these years I'm blanking on an athlete.

[dukehjsteve]

We have a Derrick Adkins Lane here on Long Island (NY). Gee, I wonder who grew up there??

mjr, where is that exactly ? I'm an old LI guy ( Huntington) myself. I know Derrick is from LI but cannot remember exactly where.

[dj]

Had an interesting drive back in '81 with GH. We were going from the New Orleans airport to Baton Rouge.

At some point we noticed that neither of us had said a word for ten minutes or so, only to discover that we'd each been playing the same game in our minds.

Each overpass listed the clearance height in feet and inches, most of them in the 16- and 17-foot area. The trick was to name the WR setter and the site of his record.

[dukehjsteve]

As you drive down the highway, look for any and all billboards, street signs, etc. that have a name that has a Track connection, such as " Lewis Car Rental", or Stones Real Estate", and on and on. Then yell out " Carl Lewis !" and " Dwight Stones ! ", etc. etc. It gets quite addictive but is indeed a lot of fun. And it is hard to go more than a minute without having a hit, considering all the hundreds, maybe thousands of Track names you know. Just don't get killed by forgetting to watch the traffic. I enjoy it the most of course when travelling in new territory.

Does your auto insurance company know about this?

Shhhh ! Even my wife doesn't know I do this !!!

[tandfman]

As you drive down the highway, look for any and all billboards, street signs, etc. that have a name that has a Track connection, such as " Lewis Car Rental", or Stones Real Estate", and on and on. Then yell out " Carl Lewis !" and " Dwight Stones ! ", etc. etc. It gets quite addictive but is indeed a lot of fun. And it is hard to go more than a minute without having a hit, considering all the hundreds, maybe thousands of Track names you know. Just don't get killed by forgetting to watch the traffic. I enjoy it the most of course when travelling in new territory.

Does your auto insurance company know about this?

[MJR]

We have a Derrick Adkins Lane here on Long Island (NY). Gee, I wonder who grew up there??