AARoads Forum

Non-Road Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: US71 on April 20, 2019, 09:52:59 AM

Title: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: US71 on April 20, 2019, 09:52:59 AM
I receive a daily Article of the Day from Wikipedia. Often a historic figure or historic event. sometimes other topics.
For April 20 (4/20) the daily article is Ontario Highway 420 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario_Highway_420) aka Niagara Veterans Memorial Highway.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: Max Rockatansky on April 20, 2019, 10:01:52 AM
Recently drove ON 420 earlier in the month.  The thought did occur to wonder if Canadians had the same obsession with pot smoking that leads to all signage with "420"  being stolen in the US?   Given that all the expected signage on ON 420 seemed to be in place eastbound it seems the answer is "no."
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: AsphaltPlanet on April 20, 2019, 11:05:53 AM
The 420 is notorious for sign theft. I don't think there are even any ground mounted signs left for the highway. If there are, they've been recently re-installed because they had all previously been stolen.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: Max Rockatansky on April 20, 2019, 11:24:38 AM
I could have sworn there was one stand alone reassurance shield on the transition from limited access to surface street in Niagara Falls, but I could be wrong.  Orange County Florida definitely removed their County Route 420 shields when I revisited the Orlando Area in January.  There was a stray shield or two out on Lake Pickett Road as late as 2015. 
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: rschen7754 on April 20, 2019, 01:04:34 PM
I can say that the primary author of the article (a Canadian) was the one who suggested it for this day.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: formulanone on April 20, 2019, 01:31:12 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 20, 2019, 11:24:38 AM
I could have sworn there was one stand alone reassurance shield on the transition from limited access to surface street in Niagara Falls, but I could be wrong.  Orange County Florida definitely removed their County Route 420 shields when I revisited the Orlando Area in January.  There was a stray shield or two out on Lake Pickett Road as late as 2015. 

I found this one back in 2016 near Stanley Avenue:

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/ToQEWToON420Signs-RoadsideNiagara_%2833680937975%29.jpg/1024px-ToQEWToON420Signs-RoadsideNiagara_%2833680937975%29.jpg)
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: Max Rockatansky on April 20, 2019, 01:43:05 PM
Quote from: formulanone on April 20, 2019, 01:31:12 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 20, 2019, 11:24:38 AM
I could have sworn there was one stand alone reassurance shield on the transition from limited access to surface street in Niagara Falls, but I could be wrong.  Orange County Florida definitely removed their County Route 420 shields when I revisited the Orlando Area in January.  There was a stray shield or two out on Lake Pickett Road as late as 2015. 

I found this one back in 2016 near Stanley Avenue:

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/ToQEWToON420Signs-RoadsideNiagara_%2833680937975%29.jpg/1024px-ToQEWToON420Signs-RoadsideNiagara_%2833680937975%29.jpg)

I took an album headed eastbound towards the falls, I'm not seeing one in my pictures.  I want to say I saw one approaching Stanley, maybe it was on the westbound return trip?  I want to say it was an actual cut-out 420 and not a square blank. 
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: Takumi on April 20, 2019, 04:13:43 PM
VA 420 has only had its number posted on a couple of temporary construction signs, to my knowledge. Given the relatively sparse posting of other routes in Alexandria, that might not solely be due to its number.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: GCrites on April 20, 2019, 09:30:27 PM
The whole 420 for weed thing definitely originated in the U.S. and actually spread quite slowly to the rest of the world. Until the past 10-15 years the rest of the world wondered why we were so big on Hitler's birthday.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: US71 on April 20, 2019, 09:55:25 PM
Quote from: GCrites80s on April 20, 2019, 09:30:27 PM
The whole 420 for weed thing definitely originated in the U.S. and actually spread quite slowly to the rest of the world. Until the past 10-15 years the rest of the world wondered why we were so big on Hitler's birthday.

Or George Takei's birthday? ;)
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: Chris on April 21, 2019, 12:58:07 PM
Quote from: GCrites80s on April 20, 2019, 09:30:27 PM
The whole 420 for weed thing definitely originated in the U.S. and actually spread quite slowly to the rest of the world. Until the past 10-15 years the rest of the world wondered why we were so big on Hitler's birthday.

I think it's still relatively uncommon. Numerous countries have a different date format, for example 20-4 instead of 4-20 in Germany, France and I think a fairly large part of Europe.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: Beltway on April 21, 2019, 11:31:30 PM
Quote from: US71 on April 20, 2019, 09:52:59 AM
I receive a daily Article of the Day from Wikipedia. Often a historic figure or historic event. sometimes other topics.
For April 20 (4/20) the daily article is Ontario Highway 420 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario_Highway_420) aka Niagara Veterans Memorial Highway.

Is that one of the places people go to take pot?
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: MNHighwayMan on April 22, 2019, 04:03:03 AM
Quote from: Beltway on April 21, 2019, 11:31:30 PM
Is that one of the places people go to take pot?

I boofed three marijuanas once and overdosed. Don't do what I did, kids.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: Takumi on April 22, 2019, 05:51:43 AM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on April 22, 2019, 04:03:03 AM
Quote from: Beltway on April 21, 2019, 11:31:30 PM
Is that one of the places people go to take pot?

I boofed three marijuanas once and overdosed. Don't do what I did, kids.

(https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/277/025/986.png)

(https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/277/051/336.jpg)

(https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/277/764/4a3.png)

(https://pics.ballmemes.com/n0-thisis-patrick-is-this-loss-me-irl-39476904.png)
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: kphoger on April 22, 2019, 02:11:26 PM
Quote from: Chris on April 21, 2019, 12:58:07 PM
Numerous countries have a different date format, for example 20-4 instead of 4-20 in Germany, France and I think a fairly large part of Europe.

According to the almighty Wikipedia, the only countries that use numeric month-day-year are as follows:

Cayman Islands (along with day-month-year)
Ghana (along with day-month-year & year-month-day)
Kenya (along with day-month-year & year-month-day)
Malaysia (along with day-month-year)
Panama (along with day-month-year)
Philippines (along with day-month-year)
South Africa (along with day-month-year & year-month-day)
Togo (along with day-month-year)
USA & territories (along with year-month-day)

Note that many of these are language-specific in a particular country.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: webny99 on April 22, 2019, 03:06:15 PM
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on April 20, 2019, 11:05:53 AM
The 420 is notorious for sign theft. I don't think there are even any ground mounted signs left for the highway. If there are, they've been recently re-installed because they had all previously been stolen.

I have driven ON 420 more times than I can count, and I have also been to the city of Niagara Falls more times than I can count. Take those two facts in conjunction with each other, and this does not surprise me at all.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: Max Rockatansky on April 22, 2019, 03:20:33 PM
Quote from: webny99 on April 22, 2019, 03:06:15 PM
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on April 20, 2019, 11:05:53 AM
The 420 is notorious for sign theft. I don't think there are even any ground mounted signs left for the highway. If there are, they've been recently re-installed because they had all previously been stolen.

I have driven ON 420 more times than I can count, and I have also been to the city of Niagara Falls more times than I can count. Take those two facts in conjunction with each other, and this does not surprise me at all.

So you're saying that your the one stealing the ON 420 shields?  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: kphoger on April 22, 2019, 03:27:14 PM
Quote from: webny99 on April 22, 2019, 03:06:15 PM
I have driven ON 420 more times than I can count, and I have also been to the city of Niagara Falls more times than I can count.

I bet I could count to a thousand.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: Bruce on April 22, 2019, 03:28:39 PM
Quote from: kphoger on April 22, 2019, 02:11:26 PM
Quote from: Chris on April 21, 2019, 12:58:07 PM
Numerous countries have a different date format, for example 20-4 instead of 4-20 in Germany, France and I think a fairly large part of Europe.

According to the almighty Wikipedia, the only countries that use numeric month-day-year are as follows:

Cayman Islands (along with day-month-year)
Ghana (along with day-month-year & year-month-day)
Kenya (along with day-month-year & year-month-day)
Malaysia (along with day-month-year)
Panama (along with day-month-year)
Philippines (along with day-month-year)
South Africa (along with day-month-year & year-month-day)
Togo (along with day-month-year)
USA & territories (along with year-month-day)

Note that many of these are language-specific in a particular country.

Canada seems to switch between DMY and MDY depending on who you ask.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: kphoger on April 22, 2019, 03:31:53 PM
Quote from: Bruce on April 22, 2019, 03:28:39 PM
Canada seems to switch between DMY and MDY depending on who you ask.

I was under the impression that Canadians only put the month first if using the name, not as an all-numeric rendering.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: webny99 on April 22, 2019, 03:49:29 PM
Quote from: kphoger on April 22, 2019, 03:27:14 PM
Quote from: webny99 on April 22, 2019, 03:06:15 PM
I have driven ON 420 more times than I can count, and I have also been to the city of Niagara Falls more times than I can count.
I bet I could count to a thousand.

OK, OK,  so I could make an attempt. Approximately 15 to 25 times per year - say an average of 20, multiplied by 19.5 years is 390.

But that's a pretty simplified equation; remembering exactly which dates I went to Canada plus which crossing I used on which date plus whether I used ON-420 to access the Whirlpool Bridge is more than a little challenging. And figuring it out would require those latter pieces of info, as there are two routes to the Whirlpool Bridge, one that uses ON-420 and one that doesn't, and the Peace and Lewiston Bridges don't require passing through Niagara Falls at all.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: Verlanka on April 23, 2019, 09:32:57 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 22, 2019, 03:20:33 PM
Quote from: webny99 on April 22, 2019, 03:06:15 PM
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on April 20, 2019, 11:05:53 AM
The 420 is notorious for sign theft. I don't think there are even any ground mounted signs left for the highway. If there are, they've been recently re-installed because they had all previously been stolen.

I have driven ON 420 more times than I can count, and I have also been to the city of Niagara Falls more times than I can count. Take those two facts in conjunction with each other, and this does not surprise me at all.

So you're saying that your the one stealing the ON 420 shields?  :rolleyes:
Let's hope not.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: GCrites on April 25, 2019, 08:56:14 AM
They're all getting smuggled to the U.S. Meanwhile OH-204 signs from Pickerington find themselves hanging up in living rooms in the rest of the world as Americans scratch their heads.
Title: Re: Wikipedia Article of the Day 4-20-19
Post by: formulanone on April 25, 2019, 10:28:42 AM
Quote from: Bruce on April 22, 2019, 03:28:39 PM
Quote from: kphoger on April 22, 2019, 02:11:26 PM
Quote from: Chris on April 21, 2019, 12:58:07 PM
Numerous countries have a different date format, for example 20-4 instead of 4-20 in Germany, France and I think a fairly large part of Europe.
Note that many of these are language-specific in a particular country.

Canada seems to switch between DMY and MDY depending on who you ask.

I sometimes train Canadian associates and staff on typing the date for software training, and they do seem to type dates in various ways. (Or software handles either method; MM-DD-[YY]YY or DD-mmm-[YY]YY, where the little m's are the three-letter month abbreviations.)