Check your ignorance before commenting

[BelleCanzuto]

OK, I just got one which qualifies. I will give credit to Anonymous however; he or she did it via an email comment, presumably so as not to publicly embarrass me. So, points and kudos to him/her for that much at least.

Anyway, a character in my entry in the Pastiches de Oggbashan event, The Magdalene, was a solider who had earned both the Military Medal and Military Cross. To avoid confusion, I included in the introduction a short explanation of what the postnomials "MC' and 'MM' meant and, given the large US readership, said that they were the rough equivalent of the Silver Star.

Anon's very polite email said this:

Annotations on your latest story intro:

The MC/MM award is equivalent to the US Bronze Star.

The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross is equivalent to the US Silver Star.

The George Cross is a civil award and non-combat award for similar acts of courage. The US Legion of Merit may be roughly equivalent, though Military-only.

The "VC" or Victoria Cross, is the UK version of a Medal of Honor, often depicted after a name as "VC, OBE" which denoted Knighting as an additional honor.​

There are only a couple of problems with that.

First off, the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross was not instituted until 1993, on the order of 80 years after the WW 1 period the story was set in.

Secondly, without trying to get pedantic

I think a pedantic response would be warranted when someone "corrects" an error that isn't there and inserts their own error.

Nice explanation, btw.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Could be worse...

Kindle readers can report "errors" in Amazon e-books. When this happens, the book gets flagged as "low-quality" and possibly taken down altogether, until the author responds, which hurts sales and means authors have to keep an eye on their work constantly.

You will be shocked, shocked, to hear that many of these reports are mistaken and some are outright malicious.

https://twitter.com/cstross/status/1209553772424253440

 

[oggbashan]

Another one: I had my hero injured, and his wife killed, in a freak truck accident when the brakes on a heavy loaded truck didn't work properly. Anon didn't like that because truck air brakes fail on.

1. I said it was a freak.

2. Even if the brakes fail on, a heavy-loaded truck doesn't stop instantly.

3. I based on a real accident 15 years ago when a properly maintained truck hit a bollard which damaged the braking system and two children and their mother were killed.

Another where anon is criticising without full knowledge.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Another one: I had my hero injured, and his wife killed, in a freak truck accident when the brakes on a heavy loaded truck didn't work properly. Anon didn't like that because truck air brakes fail on.

1. I said it was a freak.

2. Even if the brakes fail on, a heavy-loaded truck doesn't stop instantly.

3. I based on a real accident 15 years ago when a properly maintained truck hit a bollard which damaged the braking system and two children and their mother were killed.

Another where anon is criticising without full knowledge.

That's an optimistic anon, thinking runaway trucks have fail-safe brake systems.

The fool has clearly never been to Australia, where highways with steep hills have multiple safety ramps, slow speed and low gear warning signs - and still trucks run away and slam into cars at the bottom of the hill, with multiple lives lost. Unfortunately they're not freak truck accidents here, but quite regular events.

 

[NotWise]

That's an optimistic anon, thinking runaway trucks have fail-safe brake systems.

The fool has clearly never been to Australia, where highways with steep hills have multiple safety ramps, slow speed and low gear warning signs - and still trucks run away and slam into cars at the bottom of the hill, with multiple lives lost. Unfortunately they're not freak truck accidents here, but quite regular events.

Truck brake failures used to be a thing. In a town where I once lived, a main highway entered down a steep incline (about 10%, if I recall correctly) and became a busy street. There was a safety ramp near the top of it, but it was rarely used. I think that in the eleven years I lived there, there was one instance of a truck using the ramp and one instance of someone losing breaks on that hill. It wasn't a truck, but just the same, people died.

There are plenty of steep roads around here, but I haven't seen any safety ramps, and I've not heard of any accidents from brake failures. Safety ramps were fairly common when I was young, but the need for pullouts seems to have passed.

 

[BelleCanzuto]

There are plenty of steep roads around here, but I haven't seen any safety ramps, and I've not heard of any accidents from brake failures. Safety ramps were fairly common when I was young, but the need for pullouts seems to have passed.

Maybe it's just that the grade of downhill before they're recommended is steeper now than previously. There are a few runaway truck ramps off the interstates here. I remember one of the first times I drove down I77 and saw one, I didn't see the sign at first. And I couldnt' figure out what that little road that went halfway up the hill to nowhere was.

 

[yukonnights]

Semi-Truck brakes are very tricky. Here in the PNW, both brake check pull-outs and runaway emergency ramps are a fixture — not a rarity. The biggest risk is not the actual failure of the air braking system, it is improper down shifting which alows a heavily loaded truck to pick up speed due to gravity. The brakes are not what is used to keep the truck at a safe speed, it's the proper low enough gear the truck is in before it starts down a grade. The big risk is that once the truck begins to go too fast, the only recourse is to try the brakes (because it's not possible to shift down at that point) — but the brake components get extremely hot and glaze over quickly and loose the capacity to brake.

So, in Ogg's situation; if the air lines were broken, the brakes would engage — but if the grade is steep and the gear set too high they would quickly become ineffective and result in a runaway.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Truck brake failures used to be a thing. In a town where I once lived, a main highway entered down a steep incline (about 10%, if I recall correctly) and became a busy street. There was a safety ramp near the top of it, but it was rarely used. I think that in the eleven years I lived there, there was one instance of a truck using the ramp and one instance of someone losing breaks on that hill. It wasn't a truck, but just the same, people died.

There are plenty of steep roads around here, but I haven't seen any safety ramps, and I've not heard of any accidents from brake failures. Safety ramps were fairly common when I was young, but the need for pullouts seems to have passed.

Trust me, they're a thing:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12...-for-adelaide-se-freeway-fatal-crash/11755364

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news...s/news-story/e5f5a62ab95afaf9e147221a2d118a30

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news...d/news-story/52c306d186c03883421275753e9e4ef7

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11...cdonalds-carpark-north-of-wollongong/10466550

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-09/freeway-intersection-cleared-during-truck-emergency/5730788

 

[NotWise]

Trust me, they're a thing:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12...-for-adelaide-se-freeway-fatal-crash/11755364

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news...s/news-story/e5f5a62ab95afaf9e147221a2d118a30

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news...d/news-story/52c306d186c03883421275753e9e4ef7

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11...cdonalds-carpark-north-of-wollongong/10466550

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-09/freeway-intersection-cleared-during-truck-emergency/5730788

Golly, from what I see, you guys have some serious safety issues to fix, with driver training, road construction, and with vehicle safety standards. Turnouts probably aren't the solution.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Golly, from what I see, you guys have some serious safety issues to fix, with driver training, road construction, and with vehicle safety standards. Turnouts probably aren't the solution.

Speed kills. That's the other side of the problem - drivers fueled up on god knows what, doing long distances against unforgiving time tables. It's a dangerous industry, by all accounts.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Speed kills.

Both kinds, where truckies are concerned.

 

[jehoram]

I based on a real accident 15 years ago when a properly maintained truck hit a bollard which damaged the braking system and two children and their mother were killed.

Another where anon is criticising without full knowledge.

Anon obviously hasn't heard Harry Chapin's classic song "30,000 Pounds of Bananas" about a truck whose brakes failed on a downhill run into Scranton, Pennsylvania.

 

[yukonnights]

Golly, from what I see, you guys have some serious safety issues to fix, with driver training, road construction, and with vehicle safety standards. Turnouts probably aren't the solution.

Good point. You may be interested in my non-profit; Bring Back The Wagons. I long for a safer and saner world of slower speeds and calmer nerves

 

[YDB95]

Anon obviously hasn't heard Harry Chapin's classic song "30,000 Pounds of Bananas" about a truck whose brakes failed on a downhill run into Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Also a true story, and there's even a theory that the driver sacrificed himself to avoid an even bigger disaster. The truck landed on its driver's side, which just about guaranteed the driver would be killed. Chances are he knew that, but if he'd steered the other way, he'd have plowed into a gas station, which likely would have blown up the entire block.



My latest comment was on my story After the Party at Christmas:

Quit part way through

Sorry I just didn’t understand where you were going with this, if these people are pissed off with this woman treats them why not just cut her out of their lives? It’s the first one of your stories I’ve tried to read so perhaps there’s more background information in a different story?.

There is a twist at the end of the story that explains exactly why they don't do that. All she had to do was finish reading - it's only two pages!

 

[jehoram]

Good point. You may be interested in my non-profit; Bring Back The Wagons. I long for a safer and saner world of slower speeds and calmer nerves

Many years ago, I saw a proposal for a group to promote slower speeds on city streets as a way of reducing pedestrian accidents. The name of the proposed group was "Californians To Restore Our Pedestrian's Safety." And, of course, the acronym would be CALTROPS.

 

[Javahead]

Many years ago, I saw a proposal for a group to promote slower speeds on city streets as a way of reducing pedestrian accidents. The name of the proposed group was "Californians To Restore Our Pedestrian's Safety." And, of course, the acronym would be CALTROPS.

On a somewhat related note, when California passed a mandatory helmet law for motorcyclists (over their vociferous objections) the justification given by advocates wasn’t saving lives (which it did) but reducing long term healthcare costs.

Oops. It turned out that although more people avoid head injuries or make a complete recovery, significantly more also survive with severe and permanent injuries. Overall, state spending to care for them went up. While organ donations went down, slightly.

(Years later, one of the proponents admitted they’d expected this result, but that “health care savings” was easier to sell to the voters)

 

[oggbashan]

Good point. You may be interested in my non-profit; Bring Back The Wagons. I long for a safer and saner world of slower speeds and calmer nerves

I don't think so:

In 1890 London had 5,728 street accidents, resulting in 144 deaths. if you extrapolate that for the whole of the UK, the number of deaths is higher than now.

Early London Traffic:

https://youtu.be/dtRiMS34KxQ

 

[yukonnights]

I don't think so:

In 1890 London had 5,728 street accidents, resulting in 144 deaths. if you extrapolate that for the whole of the UK, the number of deaths is higher than now.

Early London Traffic:

https://youtu.be/dtRiMS34KxQ

Ogg, you must be one of those youthful "influencers" on social media — almost 90% of my contributors have contacted me asking for their donations back...bad thing is, I spent them on Christmas gifts...oops

 

[yukonnights]

Many years ago, I saw a proposal for a group to promote slower speeds on city streets as a way of reducing pedestrian accidents. The name of the proposed group was "Californians To Restore Our Pedestrian's Safety." And, of course, the acronym would be CALTROPS.

Yea! I learned a new word today

A caltrop is an area denial weapon made up of two or more sharp nails or spines arranged in such a manner that one of them always points upward from a stable base. Historically, caltrops were part of defenses that served to slow the advance of troops, especially horses, chariots, and war elephants, and were particularly effective against the soft feet of camels. In modern times, caltrops are effective when used against wheeled vehicles with pneumatic tires.

 

[UsuallyPresent]

Good point. You may be interested in my non-profit; Bring Back The Wagons. I long for a safer and saner world of slower speeds and calmer nerves

You're just looking for another market for the bullwhip factory.

 

[yukonnights]

You're just looking for another market for the bullwhip factory.

Not so loud! I gotta make some quick $ here. So what if I got a little carried away in the Adult Store before Christmas...know anyone in the market for some whips?

 

[oggbashan]

Yea! I learned a new word today

A caltrop is an area denial weapon made up of two or more sharp nails or spines arranged in such a manner that one of them always points upward from a stable base. Historically, caltrops were part of defenses that served to slow the advance of troops, especially horses, chariots, and war elephants, and were particularly effective against the soft feet of camels. In modern times, caltrops are effective when used against wheeled vehicles with pneumatic tires.

Caltrops were a significant plot device in one of Ellis Peters' early Cadfael novels - One Corpse Too Many.

They were extensively used in the first weeks of the First World War, Bicycle-mounted light infantry, supposed to be fast-moving, were brought to a walk with shredded tyres.

 

[jehoram]

Yea! I learned a new word today

I'm glad somebody got the joke. We are a literate bunch here.

 

[TriadWriter]

I have been irritated recently by commentators who criticize my stories for factual errors that don't exist. Apart from the fact that I write FICTION and often start with a 'what if' idea I try to be accurate for a historical setting.

Examples:

Apple Pickers was slammed because 'you don't harvest apples in June'. I had said they were an early variety. I know they exist because I have eaten ripe apples in June from the UK's national apple collection a few miles away. I wasn't impressed by the taste or texture but they are possible. They are an unlikely commercial crop because they are very vulnerable to a late frost and need a mild spring, but if they fruit they are valuable because they are available long before other varieties. An apple farmer could have a few of those varieties because if they crop they would be a very profitable crop.

The story was also criticised because the EU would take a decade, not a couple of years, to approve a dam in Southern Spain. Local authorities in Spain, particularly rural Spain, don't take any notice of the EU, and not much of their national government. There are several law suits a year about local authorities busting 'the rules' so my story timescale is probable.

Walking for Christmas (set in the 1960s) was criticised because I had a 1940s Bedford OB coach needing lubrication every 500 miles. Sorry - it did. The manufacturers insisted on daily checks and produced a comprehensive lubrication schedule including greasing the steering joints every 500 miles. With modern oils and greases that might not be so essential now but it was in the 1960s.

Christmas Rite was criticised because I referred to the Catholic church in the 600s. 'Catholic' as in the sense of world wide was used as far back as AD100 and was in official church use from AD400. 'Roman' as opposed to 'Celtic' also existed at the time. 'Roman Catholic' dates from Luther - much later.

Rural Station was criticised because I referred to a USAAF base in 1948. It had been USAAF during WW2 and changed in July 1947. But local references and the signs probably wouldn't change for some years. Even years after the date of my story local people would still call it the USAAF base.

If people checked their facts before posting a comment? But that assumes them knowing they don't know.

I learned a long time ago that the people who make the biggest stink are the most ignorant of the bunch.
People are stupid. The loudest individuals have nothing of value to say, they only want to be heard, and have their ignorance validated by other ignorant people. This is true, even for right here on this site, in this section; Author's Hangout.

Ignore them.

They want a sounding board, don't give them one. Their opinions are about as worthless as sand in a desert, and shouldn't have any effect on your life whatsoever.

 

[yukonnights]

I learned a long time ago that the people who make the biggest stink are the most ignorant of the bunch.
People are stupid. The loudest individuals have nothing of value to say, they only want to be heard, and have their ignorance validated by other ignorant people. This is true, even for right here on this site, in this section; Author's Hangout.

Ignore them.

They want a sounding board, don't give them one. Their opinions are about as worthless as sand in a desert, and shouldn't have any effect on your life whatsoever.

I might can agree with you in a general way, but over the years I have not experienced loudness or a lot of ignorance here in the AH. Quite the opposite actually, most who 'hangout' here are quite intelligent and well spoken...and usually eager to help others with questions or doubts, etc.