Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2014 February 10

= February 10 =

What font was used for the title of BBC's The Planets?
Picture here: File:ThePlanetsBBCTVSeries.jpg 75.75.42.89 (talk) 02:51, 10 February 2014 (UTC)


 * Looks like Albertus to me.--Shantavira|feed me 09:40, 10 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Fair use image changed to a link.&#32;~HueSatLum 01:54, 12 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Commentary here counts as scholarly fair use, the rationale should have been changed to include this page. μηδείς (talk) 02:23, 12 February 2014 (UTC)

Who has right of way?
This question is just directed to those living in the UK. As you might be aware Britain is a little damp at the moment. Many roads are now under water. The fact that the emergency services and other vessels are now sailing up and down them, means that they are now navigatable water ways. My question is: When I find one of these boats approaching me or approach a cross road, do I still observer The Highway Code, or do I observer Port and starboard. British insurance companies love to find any excuse not to pay out for any collision and I want to avoid not only a collision but future arguments about who was in the right. The emergency services are working very hard right now but how do you predict what they are going to do in front of you, when you don't know what rules of the road (or waterways) they are following. Things like double yellow lines and parking meters are not an issue at present; since I haven spotted any Lovely Rita's; ( maybe they have all gone on winter vacation to drought stricken California). I'm not asking for legal advice but some references to work it out for myself. Can anyone put in their oar or paddle to keep me on an even-keel?--Aspro (talk) 19:40, 10 February 2014 (UTC)


 * You clearly are asking for legal advice, so you won't get an answer. But the question is academic; there are very few boats on the roads, and they are only travelling at a few knots, so a collision is very unlikely.--Shantavira|feed me 20:05, 10 February 2014 (UTC)
 * It is not legal in that sense. It is no more like asking about Right- and left-hand traffic. As for only traveling at a few knots – the emergency services (without time on their side)  do not  move about at a snails place. Some have Zodiacs  Rigid-hulled_inflatable_boat.  As you can see by that  article, they can travel at more than a few knots - when they want to get to somewhere fast to save life . I want to know how I can move out of   the way quickly. On dry land (terraferma) I the steer the vehicle to the curb  at the sight of blue lights in my rear view mirror – but where is the curb  when it is several feet below muddy waters? If one of those boats hits me, I need to be able to state on my insurance claim that was   I sailing/driving with 'due care and attention' with out the expense of getting solicitors/lawyers  involved. I'm not now an American citizen, so I don't have insurance that would sort out such a confused mess out for me. Heard of : When in Rome, do as the Romans do.  I'm simply asking 'what do the romans do' in order not to end up in the colosseum to be get eaten by lions..because I the didn't understand the rules.--Aspro (talk) 00:52, 11 February 2014 (UTC)
 * If you are driving around in water deep enough for a Zodiac to be going 'more than a few knots', possible insurance claims are the least of your worries, though I'd suspect that an insurer could quite legitimately argue that 'due care and attention' would begin and end with not getting into such a situation in the first place. AndyTheGrump (talk) 01:07, 11 February 2014 (UTC)
 * But which party should not have gotten themselves “ into such a situation in the first place”?--Aspro (talk) 20:18, 11 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Sensible advice regarding driving and floods: "32% of flood-related deaths are by drowning in a vehicle" AndyTheGrump (talk) 01:13, 11 February 2014 (UTC)


 * This very question was fictionally litigated by Albert Haddock. —Tamfang (talk) 01:53, 11 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Thanks Tamfang for the link. It was a little bit (very) obscure (so you get three Brownie points) but from asking about, I get the message that in A. P. Herbert's "Wedderburn on Water Courses" he won the case against the other fellow,  who  was still blindly obeying the highway code for the road -whilst following  what obviously was now a waterway. And A. P. Herbert should know as he was in the Royal Navy.  Perhaps I should erect a pole with a bed sheet attached; then I could holler out: Sail before steam. As the water is chest deep in human sewage, I don't want a collision to happen in the first place. --Aspro (talk) 20:18, 11 February 2014 (UTC)
 * So as you say; A. P. Herbert has surly pre-empted me. And his (fictitious) court case  parallels my query. As An aside: As I understand it now, this   Albert Haddock episode was something that was shown on UK television many (many) decades ago. How in the Dickens did you ever ferrite this out? Now, I know a bit more about Albert Haddock please accept four Brownie points for having a brain like a sponge that soaks everything up. Just wish I had a sponge that could  soak up all this water.  Calling California... are you suffering a drought just now, I have some water (lots of it), how much do you want?  --Aspro (talk) 23:50, 11 February 2014 (UTC)
 * A. P. Herbert's Misleading Cases were well known long before they were adapted for Television. Had Tamfang not mentioned them, I should have done so. --ColinFine (talk) 00:14, 12 February 2014 (UTC)


 * Well, you have done so now, so many thanks. BUT back to my question. Which rules apply? Road Highway or Water Way?--Aspro (talk) 00:26, 12 February 2014 (UTC)


 * Do you really think that laws are constructed to cover every possible hypothetical situation in advance? AndyTheGrump (talk) 00:47, 12 February 2014 (UTC)


 * The general principle of the raod and the water is that the less easily piloted vehicle, the wide load vehicle on the road, or the sail boat on the water, has the right of way. It seems rather obvious boats would have the right of way, since they can't break.  That's OR, of course, but I doubt you'd hear differently in a common law court. μηδείς (talk) 01:14, 12 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Seems to me I've heard of boat-breaking businesses. —Tamfang (talk) 03:59, 12 February 2014 (UTC)
 * So, ewe have fallen for the ploy of the prophet-seeking dictionary makers, with there arbitrary spelling rules? μηδείς (talk) 16:40, 12 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Well that is an excellent question my friend, I am glad that you asked. First we must remove all of the distractions from your scenario and concentrate on the basic question of right of way.  Aside of legalistic and practical considerations, this can easily be solved by the substitution of "Right of Way" for "momentum", which will always take precedence in a real life encounter.  So now, Given the instinctive nature for self preservation in the human species and the basic laws of motion Isaac Newton was good enough to bring us, we have:  Right or way = (Mass)*(Velocity).  This is easily realized with a 3DBB or even your imagination:
 * when a dingy operator coming to bear on a diesel truck will invariably yield his boat.
 * a moped operator crossing paths with a cruise ship will not hesitate to make a coarse correction to avoid an underhull encounter.
 * Now when the maths are not that obvious there may be times when an operator who should yield doesn't, but that is all in good fun I suppose. I advise to always keep a calculator handy during your travels and good luck to you with your amphibious adventure! Phineas J. Whoopee (talk) 20:00, 12 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Thanks for input Phineas J. Whoopee because this is my point. On dry roads a 40 ton  truck driver will often pull his vehicle in to the curb on seeing a blue flashing light ahead or behind  him, to allow that vehicle to pass unimpeded.  But on the water way you can't  put your prop  in to revers to come to a stop because the current could drift you into its path. So the rules of the waterway should prevail over the high way-code. Although Albert Haddock case was fictitious, the author's logic  appears to me to be correct. I'm not sure 'amphibious adventure' is the appropriate term. It is only at time like this when the drains disgorge their load that you become aware what some people put down them. If anyone out there has  never really learnt how to swim,  come over here and I'll show you how to go through all the 'motions'. --Aspro (talk) 19:37, 13 February 2014 (UTC)

How to get this?
Hello there, I am looking for portable squat stand which I could use in my home gym. In my country, squat rack is not available. So I have chosen this Squat Stand from amazon.com. But the problem is, this item can only be shipped within U.S. But I want it anyway. Can anyone tell me when the manufacturer make it available in outside of U.S. ? There's another version of this squat stand BD-8. But I opt for BD-9. How much time does manufacturer usually take to make it available worldwide? Please help. Thanks in advance.--180.234.84.54 (talk) 20:33, 10 February 2014 (UTC)
 * If you look on the page you linked, it says "9 new from $175.99" - that means that there are nine Amazon partner stores selling the item. If you click on "9 new" - you'll see prices, etc for all nine of them - and one of them, ("online sports") says that they offer International shipping - sadly, they aren't the cheapest - but it is one way to get it.  For something as bulky and heavy as that, you may well end up paying more in postage than the thing itself is worth.  SteveBaker (talk) 21:35, 10 February 2014 (UTC)


 * Thank You. But I buy it anyway. --180.234.206.203 (talk) 20:23, 11 February 2014 (UTC)


 * The manufacturer might never make it available worldwide. However, you might be able to find an importer.  Why not contact them directly using the form on their contact page or call them, and ask if they know if importers who might make their products available in your country.  An alternative strategy might be to look for a similar product from somewhere in your country or from a company that will ship it there.  Astronaut (talk) 11:11, 12 February 2014 (UTC)