British Expats

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-   -   Old habits (https://britishexpats.com/forum/trailer-park-96/old-habits-773645/)

Nutek Oct 4th 2012 11:47 am

Re: Old habits
 

Originally Posted by N1cky (Post 10314007)
I still find dates incredibly difficult, it doesn't help that both me and hubby were born before the 12th day of the month.

Yes!

HarryTheSpider Oct 4th 2012 4:35 pm

Re: Old habits
 

Originally Posted by paddingtongreen (Post 10314064)
Old habits belong to old monks.

And smell...

lansbury Oct 4th 2012 5:18 pm

Re: Old habits
 

Originally Posted by Sally Redux (Post 10313942)
also light switches for me.

Just take them off and put them back on the right way up :rofl:

Nutek Oct 4th 2012 10:48 pm

Re: Old habits
 

Originally Posted by lansbury (Post 10314393)
Just take them off and put them back on the right way up :rofl:

I have actually considered that. :p

robin1234 Oct 5th 2012 12:43 am

Re: Old habits
 
I've been here 22 years and, when I approach the car in a parking lot, I still have to squint in through the back window to figure out which is the driver side and which the passenger. Once driving, I usually drive on the correct side of the road.

helwardman Oct 5th 2012 2:20 am

Re: Old habits
 

Originally Posted by robin1234 (Post 10314973)
I've been here 22 years and, when I approach the car in a parking lot, I still have to squint in through the back window to figure out which is the driver side and which the passenger.

Should you really still be permitted to be in control of a motor vehicle?! :rofl:

Nutek Oct 5th 2012 2:26 am

Re: Old habits
 

Originally Posted by helwardman (Post 10315169)
Should you really still be permitted to be in control of a motor vehicle?! :rofl:

It's ok, if he gets in the wrong side, its quite safe. :D

robin1234 Oct 5th 2012 2:36 am

Re: Old habits
 

Originally Posted by helwardman (Post 10315169)
Should you really still be permitted to be in control of a motor vehicle?! :rofl:


Originally Posted by Nutek (Post 10315180)
It's ok, if he gets in the wrong side, its quite safe. :D

I reckon I'm safer than the average Buick Regal or decrepit pickup truck (max speed = 35 mph) around here..

Nutek Oct 5th 2012 2:42 am

Re: Old habits
 

Originally Posted by robin1234 (Post 10315196)
I reckon I'm safer than the average Buick Regal or decrepit pickup truck (max speed = 35 mph) around here..

LOL I don't doubt that. :lol:

GeoffM Oct 5th 2012 3:40 am

Re: Old habits
 

Originally Posted by Nutek (Post 10315180)
It's ok, if he gets in the wrong side, its quite safe. :D

A work colleague was approaching his car when he saw a gaggle of pretty ladies, who happened to be looking his way. Winking at them he smoothly slid into his sleek 4x4, shut the door... opened the door again, walked forward to the front doors and meekly and quickly jumped into the driver's seat. :rofl:

Nutek Oct 5th 2012 3:44 am

Re: Old habits
 

Originally Posted by GeoffM (Post 10315330)
A work colleague was approaching his car when he saw a gaggle of pretty ladies, who happened to be looking his way. Winking at them he smoothly slid into his sleek 4x4, shut the door... opened the door again, walked forward to the front doors and meekly and quickly jumped into the driver's seat. :rofl:

:hysterical:

Ash UK/US Oct 6th 2012 7:27 pm

Re: Old habits
 
LOL glad to hear that I am not the only one with the date issue... 10 years in and I still have to think about it whenever I write it.

dunroving Oct 7th 2012 12:10 am

Re: Old habits
 
As Bink said, if/when you go back to the UK, your head will feel like it's screwed on backwards.

I always have to think before:

Getting in the car
Writing the date
Writing, period (sorry, full stop)

Especially as I do a lot of writing for both UK and US outlets, I'm constantly having to switch heads from UK to US spelling. My MS Word spellchecker gets dizzy from being switched back and forth depending on what document I'm working on.

I do find though, that a lot of people in the UK use or understand many Americanisms (period, 24-7, math, etc.) - but thank God they don't say "That's so cute! Say something else American!".

They seem to have a problem with me driving on the right (i.e., wrong) side of the road, for some reason.

Being middle-aged and prematurely absent-minded doesn't help, either.

robin1234 Oct 7th 2012 12:35 am

Re: Old habits
 
Hmm I guess the driving on the left or right is the only thing that is non-negotiable. Plus, not nuanced; there are only two sides of the road after all.

The other things are confusing because not black and white. Date, for instance; I'm sure twenty or thirty years ago, it was simple. UK do it this way, US the other. Now, with so many things globalised, the UK date format is getting more common over here I think. Spelling too. If you read technical or academic publications, you have to be used to British or international spellings because a high proportion of publications come from UK or Western Europe.

Cardienscarf Oct 7th 2012 5:45 am

Re: Old habits
 

Originally Posted by dunroving (Post 10318102)
- but thank God they don't say "That's so cute! Say something else American!".

:rofl:

After I'd been here for about 15 years and I realized I writing out the date in full so I got it right, I made myself learn to do it the American way. But since then, every time I write the date, a little voice in my head says "Are you sure that's right? What if they think you were born on the 4th of March and not the 3rd of April? Why do they do it this way? Why do they have to be so contrary? Bl..dy Americans." It happens in less than a second but seems to cause me grief every time. I should have just stuck to my original way.

The thing I've never been able to get used to ..... only one door between the Ladies and the restaurant.


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