Date System

[Karoshi]

Can somebody tell me when the US date system came into common usage, month/day/year. Its so confusing for us Europeans, across the pond.

Or to ask the same qustion the other way, is DoD 11-9-42, September or November !!!!!

Thanks

Karoshi

[joel gopan]

Month/Day/Year. I have noticed in Europe it is Day/Month/Year
Joel

[Karoshi]

Joel so when did that convention start. Was it established before WW2?

Karoshi

[joel gopan]

You ask good questions, now I'll ask you one.


When did they decide to drive on the wrong side of the road in the UK? That must have been one hell of a Convention, because they are aparantly still celebrating it.

MB/GPW Jeeps used in the UK in WWII had a warning on back "Caution Left Hand Drive". Were we really all that bad?

Here is another mystery lost in time. Did you ever notice that no matter what country a vehicle comes from, that all of the valve stems on their inner tubes have cores that interchange? when did they agree to that?

Getting back to your original question, I haven't the foggiest idea.
Joel

[Karoshi]

Well it all stems from the days of Coach and Horses, robbers, thiefs and Highwaymen.

As most people are right handed, we sensibly rode (horses) on the left, to keep our right hand, the Sword hand, free.

This allowed a horseman to defend himself against an oncoming attack.

Interestingly horses then didn't carry any CAUTION L.H. DRIVE signs at all!

Its the same reason that civilised people when greeting, shake hands with the right hand, you are offering an open sword hand, and therefore show no malace.

Have you also noticed that vehicle light bulb fittings are international as well.

So why do you drive on the RIGHT ?

Karoshi

[joel gopan]

I drive on the right so that I do not get a citation for driving on the wrong side of the road.

It must be tough owning an American GI Army Vehicle, and driving on the left, how do you give hand signals for turns? I used to drive an Army tank, and that was a difficult vehicle to signal from.

I am waiting for someone to tell us why we write the date in a different order over here. Maybe it started in Europe during the great war in order to confuse the cryptographer.
Joel

[Karoshi]

What are these "Hand Signals" to which you refer? Is that what you call 'The Bird'. Please explain. lol.

I ask about the date format, because a local "US Expert" tells me that the MM/DD/YY format was adopted by the US Military in or around the early WW2 period. Like so many experts to be found supporting the bar at one of our MVT meets, he couldn't remember where or by whom or how or why this came about, but he KNEW it was so.

I checked in the new english dictionary: EX SPERT:

Ex : a has been

SPERT : a drip under pressure.

As Bob Newhart said; "..........just checking the facts mam"

[joel gopan]

You mean to tell me that drivers overseas have something in common with those in the US? The Bird? What a brotherhood the world is. I have not met any Military Vehicle Collectors that I could imagine would resort to that signal, as they are a happy bunch when their vehicle is up and running.

Hand Signals have been a part of US Army Wheeled Vehicle Driver training since the start. It must have been difficult for a Right Hand Drive Vehicle following a Left Hand Drive US Army Vehicle, the hand signals would not be visible.
Joel

[armydriver]

I use the standard hand signals all the time when driving my CCKW and most American drivers don't know or understand the old hand signals today. They get mad and use the Bird signal a lot. It must be their IQ.