Forum menu
Why does the UK have stupidly designed plugs? You know the type, the ones where all three pins can be pointing up just waiting for you to stand on them barefooted.
UK plugs are wonderfully safe compared to many others. The design is far from stupid.
But you do need to learn not to stand on them with bare feet.
waiting for you to stand on them barefooted
could be worse....
[img] 
[/img]
[sarcasm] Of course you cant possibly wire the plug back to front..
And you really really do need the earth in there
and the rccd in the fuse box doesnt actually do anything [/sarcasm]
The earth pin does sod all on pretty much every modern appliance.
Unless you've still got an old fuse box with wire fuses then thats about the only reason to have them.
Ever bought a tv and it comes with two leads?
Or a euro lead and you stick an adaptor on the end? Which way round did you do it? Hint - it makes no difference.
Even on a Schuko socket which has an earth - it makes no difference which way round you put it in.
The only reason we still have them is because we've always had them - no one will shoulder the cost of the entire UK having to change every faceplate in every house.
They aren't better - they're just more cost effective right now.
Simplez
UK plugs are wonderfully safe compared to many others. The design is far from stupid.
But it would be just little bit better if it didn't land with the pins pointing up. Can't be that difficult to design. It does seem to be a major flaw in an otherwise good design.
Why people go to the shops.
I see people in queues to get into a local retail park on a weekend, surely there is more to a weekend than walking around a packed retail park trying to buy something that is more expensive than if you click a few buttons on your computer and let somebody do all the work until your doorbell goes?
But it would be just little bit better if it didn't land with the pins pointing up. Can't be that difficult to design.
Not at all difficult to design - you just have to buy them if you want them
[img] 
[/img]
And why did UK plugs used to have a hole next to the earth pin? Or was that my imagination
in the same way ex-wives turn into patios ? 😯my dad turned into an interesting interpretation of a fish pond
And why did UK plugs used to have a hole next to the earth pin? Or was that my imagination
Some have a little hole in the base of the plug so that you can see what rating of fuse is inside without having to open it - some have a little hole in the seam between the two pieces of the plug - this is so that you can see that the earth wire is connected to the pin without opening it up
[img] 
[/img]
I think thats a bit of a throw back to the earlier 15amp round pin plugs (which are still used in theatre electrics) - that hole is compulsory on the round pin plugs and its part of the BS standard for them (but not part of the standard for 13amp).
Why does the UK have stupidly designed plugs?
Tom Scott again:
In other countries you can pull a lead and you'll pull the plug out the socket. Or worse, pull it partially out and cause some sparking. Bit of a design flaw that.
Yank hard enough on a lead with a UK plug and you're more likely to rip the entire socket out of your plasterboard. Much safer 😀
Call that crap GrahamS - rather the lead come clean out rather than leaving a plug in the wall with potentially loose wires arcing.
Unlike this country - other countries have been using trips for years and years while we were still using fuse wire in our main boards.
RCCD's were a rarity let alone a full board of electronic fuses and only fitted on the odd rewire if a shower was there - otherwise they weren't.
The insistence that brown MUST be live and the blue MUST be neutral is another load of crap too. Doesn't matter which way round they go. Go check all your figure 8 leads on the tv, radio, xbox, sky box, etc - just which one os the live again?....
I was abroad for a long, long time working in Spain, Germany, Belgium and others and wired hundreds of boards (inc theme park mains), houses, apartments over the years.
Only the UK uses an odd standard due to the antiquated BS standard and the fact no one will pay to go euro.
Its a billion pound industry - no way is anyone going to let it get changed
Why is the bottom of the yellow flashing lights on Zebra crossings not white , so as to illuminate anyone standing waiting to cross?
Why are all bedroom tables made with 90' corners and not radius ones, so as you roll over to smash the alarm clock into peices there is a chance of blindness?
Why cant car fog lights engage a 40mph speed restricter ? If its foogy enough for fog lights 40mph is plenty.
excellent info maccruiskeen. That's bugged me foreverthis is so that you can see that the earth wire is connected to the pin without opening it up
Doors on public toilets that are always push on the way in, and then pull on the way out.I'd much rather not have to grab a manky door handle after just washing my hands.
I avoid door handles and treat them as if they are contaminated by the plague/cat aids, antibacterial hand spray or alcohol wipes for me and if i absolutely have to grab a handle i remove the offending digit with a scalpel and use a red hot iron to seal the incision and kill any bacteria.
Why do the sleeves and bottom of my t-shirts keep folding up at the hems, not just once, but sometimes twice? Is my partner doing it to wind me up? Puts them out to dry without unfolding them. So annoying.
Only the UK uses an odd standard
and Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Bhutan, Channel Islands, China, Cyprus, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Macau, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Tanzania, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe 🙂
Most terrifying children's television character has to go to Ragetty surely?
I'll raise that to Noseybonk
Anyway, back on topic...
Scissors that come in packets that you need scissors to open. Surely you are buying scissors because you don't have any
Why do people(mainly women and old folks)stop at the top of escalators then look outraged when you have to excuse yourself to get past.
Same happens in the aisle behind supermarket checkouts ,strange world.
Why take a pair of leather boots and line them with nylon and foam?
If I wanted hot ,sweaty feet I'd wear wellies.
Leave them be, surely it's cheaper and better for everyone involved.
[quote=Stoatsbrother ]Most older houses did not - I believe - originally have mains supply to the cold taps.
I always thought that was the case in the house I grew up in - until I wanted to drain the tank in the loft and found the tap in the bathroom didn't do anything (literally, had already turned off the mains supply) - the only thing I could find it supplied was the toilet, so had to drain it through that.
People who stand next to zebra crossings waiting for a car to come along and stop before crossing. If there is no traffic, JUST CROSS YOU FOOL. We have a lollipop man near us, he does exactly this.
I'd forgotten all about "Animal Kwackers" until this thread. Terrifying.
15 amp plugs have no hole at the earth. Have used 1960's ones and modern ones for over 30 years now. never seen a hole.
People who stand next to zebra crossings waiting for a car to come along and stop before crossing. If there is no traffic, JUST CROSS YOU FOOL. We have a lollipop man near us, he does exactly this.
I can understand that actually - it's much safer. If a driver comes bombing along the road whilst reading facebook and they eating their breakfast cereal then having a stationary car between them and a group of schoolchildren makes a lot of sense.
Arse hair. What possible selective advantage is given by a hairy crack? It's like our primate cousins in reverse, basically chimps got arse design more right than us. Is it a vengeful gaia?
15 amp plugs have no hole at the earth. Have used 1960's ones and modern ones for over 30 years now. never seen a hole.
never seen or never noticed?
first few hits on google (where it would be in view) all have them[img]
[/img][img]
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
even one with a clear body has one
[img] 
[/img]
GrahamS, Yes, but if the car approaching is not bombing along and is 200m away, then just cross the road.
I do agree, when kids are involved, better safe than sorry.
Hole in plug is to let water out.
Why do so many people with such a distorted/blinkered/ignorant view of the world seem to be the most prolific on any political threads on here?
Why do magazines chose to score things out of 5 but then give half points? Why not just score out of 10?
Arse hair. What possible selective advantage is given by a hairy crack?
The best answer for this, and pubes, seems to be "lubricant" imagine if you will a sweaty arse without hair, rubbing together....
imagined? No need to thank me.
Sausage sarnies don't last long enough, whats that all about.
hooli - MemberWhy people go to the shops.
I see people in queues to get into a local retail park on a weekend, surely there is more to a weekend than walking around a packed retail park trying to buy something that is more expensive than if you click a few buttons on your computer and let somebody do all the work until your doorbell goes?
I do buy a lot of things online, in fact it's part of my job usually we have 4-5 couriers a day coming to the office with stuff for the Tech Guys to install and I buy a lot of my personal shopping online.
Some stuff it's just easier to get yourself though, if it has to come to home rather than the office I don't have the time or inclination to spend a whole or even half a day waiting for courier not to come. I tried home food shopping a few times, oh I hate that shit.
As for others, some people don't trust it, some people just don't have the internet at home (crazy I know) and some people like to prod and touch stuff before they make their choice
Worst of all though, some people actually consider 'shopping' as a activity to be enjoyed and not a chore to be endured. They're mental of course.
I see people in queues to get into a local retail park on a weekend, surely there is more to a weekend than walking around a packed retail park trying to buy something that is more expensive than if you click a few buttons on your computer and let somebody do all the work until your doorbell goes?
If there is no one home during the day to receive a parcel then on-line shopping is not always that practical. On-line shopping only really works for me if I can 'click and collect' or if the retailer uses Collect+ (or similar) or Parcelforce (where I can go and pick it up at the local sorting office).
I see people in queues to get into a local retail park on a weekend, surely there is more to a weekend than walking around a packed retail park trying to buy something that is more expensive than if you click a few buttons on your computer and let somebody do all the work until your doorbell goes?
Some people still enjoy interacting with other human beings?
Some people understand that employing people is good for the economy as a whole (and not just Jeff Bezos)?
Why do people borrow close to or more than their yearly income to buy a depreciating asset vehicle that spends most of its life sat in traffic? And why are these vehicles capable of up to 155mph when the speed limit is half that?
I fail to grasp the car/ego thing and often wonder what it replaces in people's lives? Hundreds of years ago people possibly coveted a stout horse or natty suit of of armour or a nice herd of cattle? Either way the car has far too much significance for people.
I fail to grasp the car/ego thing and often wonder what it replaces in people's lives? Hundreds of years ago people possibly coveted a stout horse or natty suit of of armour or a nice herd of cattle?
Yes they did (the horse more than the herd of cattle) - after your house, your means of transport would be the next most expensive and most aspirational thing you'd buy - a fine horse, a fancy carriage. Travel/transport has always been a status symbol.
Why do 4x4's slow down for speed bumps?
Even now, the 'helmets' worn in modern fighters are mostly for attaching oxygen masks and other equipment, because they don't really go for 'crash landings' that's why they've got ejector seats and even if you're wearing a helmet and you eject into the canopy you'll die*
Glad that was qualified. In fact, many aircraft have frangible canopies, sometimes with explosives to help the pilot through when (s)he ejects, but in some cases not.
Interesting example - Eurofighter Typhoon initially couldn't be flown by wimmin as in order to achieve the best possible visibility, it had been designed without any exploding bits. Making one that didn't snap a typical woman's neck on ejection but that also could take the wind loads during flight was a tricky exercise, apparently. You'd be needing a helmet to eject through that.
I see people in queues to get into a local retail park on a weekend, surely there is more to a weekend than walking around a packed retail park trying to buy something that is more expensive than if you click a few buttons on your computer and let somebody do all the work until your doorbell goes?
Keeps all the idiots in one place at the weekends though.
Why do retired people still go grocery shopping at the weekends?
[i]I fail to grasp the car/ego thing and often wonder what it replaces in people's lives?[/i]
I'd imagine it's the same thing that coffee gives you in yours. When folk realise that they're not really the special snowflake their parents always told them they were and they are in fact (as part of a western industrialised society at least) going to live an uninteresting unremarkable life that will be largely (given the history of humanity) long lived and luxurious, they'll get a bit depressed, and in a bid to overcome that, they'll grab at something that they think will sooth it.
For a lot of folk that try not to think too hard that will be materialistic goods, hoping, against evidence, that it will make them happy.
Or they'll get existential angst...
Why do we have the word "demolish" to knock things down, but don't have the word "molish" for building them back up again?
Why do we have the word "demolish" to knock things down, but don't have the word "molish" for building them back up again?
Theres a difference between demolition and deconstruction, the latter is take apart as an opposite of put together, but demolish isn't an antonym - its related to words like defeat and destroy.
but don't have the word "molish" for building them back up again?
why I am doing this...
Comes from Latin I think; Moliri (to construct) so there sort of is...