Cycling UK Forum

Seeing my neighbour’s young son have difficulty telling the time on an analogue clock earlier today reminded me of a story in early December where it said over 20% of young adults have difficulty telling time on a clock with hands.

The vast majority of the clocks in my home, as well as all 29 of my wrist watches, have ‘hands’ (including my Garmin and Apple watches) as I prefer that way.

What is your preference and how do youngsters you know cope with traditional time pieces?

Syd wrote:Seeing my neighbour’s young son have difficulty telling the time on an analogue clock earlier today reminded me of a story in early December where it said over 20% of young adults have difficulty telling time on a clock with hands.

The vast majority of the clocks in my home, as well as all 29 of my wrist watches, have ‘hands’ (including my Garmin and Apple watches) as I prefer that way.

What is your preference and how do youngsters you know cope with traditional time pieces?

You mean you don't have a sun dial?

I’d love one but its of limited use at this time of year and a bit less portable.

Syd wrote:Seeing my neighbour’s young son have difficulty telling the time on an analogue clock earlier today reminded me of a story in early December where it said over 20% of young adults have difficulty telling time on a clock with hands.

The vast majority of the clocks in my home, as well as all 29 of my wrist watches, have ‘hands’ (including my Garmin and Apple watches) as I prefer that way.

What is your preference and how do youngsters you know cope with traditional time pieces?

In 2003 I stooped wearing a watch or wanting to know the exact time. It's surprising what a difference it makes to spend most of your day only vaguely aware of the approximate time. Many activities become less frantic but more intense - done with a greater concentration on the activity with no desire to keep it to some arbitrary timetsble only possible when time is divided up into precise and tiny increments, which is what a watch does.

There are occasions when knowledge of exact time is important - catching a train or bus, going to a pre-arranged meeting. But for 99% of the day, a vague knowledge of just the approximate time of day is enough.

Of course I yam a retired ole scrote who can do what he likes all day. You lads & lasses still tied with yer noses to a grindstone may find yourself entirely governed by gizmo now - not just the wrist watch but the portable pratley box, the fitness monitor, the Garmin, the .......

Cugel

PS 29 wristwatches? Does this not make it difficult to lift the arm to see the time? And what if the rascals disagree!?

The late great Dave Allen explains it all!!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NIXSnEyvtzg

Cugel wrote:
PS 29 wristwatches? Does this not make it difficult to lift the arm to see the time? And what if the rascals disagree!?

Can be difficult fitting them all along my arm [emoji23]

What is the fascination, use, purpose of collecting so many watches?
(Or books, or cycles)

Cyril Haearn wrote:What is the fascination, use, purpose of collecting so many watches?
(Or books, or cycles)

Different watches, like bikes, for different purposes. Eg a causal GMT watch for daily wear whilst on holiday and a dress version for evenings. Then there are different strap / bracelet: dial colours to coordinate. Simples [emoji12]

As for books. Really??!

Syd wrote:
The vast majority of the clocks in my home, as well as all 29 of my wrist watches, have ‘hands’ (including my Garmin and Apple watches) as I prefer that way.

What is your preference ...

I by far prefer analogue watches and clocks (ie those with hands) to digital. To me it gives a more useful feel for time and places the minutes in a more useful context relative to the more important hour divisions of the day.

Sundials are great too in my estimation. I don’t want to be a slave to time and the Sundial just gives me an indication of roughly where I am in the day’s passage. Of course sometimes I do need to know the time accurately and a analogue display works well for that. Five to eleven gives a visual representation and means that I’ve five more minutes to go before I meet someone at eleven whereas the 10:55 digital display characters require unnecessary additional thought.

I think digital is good, clockface too, I remember trying to learn to tell the time, the Big Hand is for the little minutes, the Small Hand is for the big hours

Syd wrote:

Cyril Haearn wrote:What is the fascination, use, purpose of collecting so many watches?
(Or books, or cycles)

Different watches, like bikes, for different purposes. Eg a causal GMT watch for daily wear whilst on holiday and a dress version for evenings. Then there are different strap / bracelet: dial colours to coordinate. Simples [emoji12]

As for books. Really??!

Right again, 29 watches fit in a suitcase, 29 books do not

Are watches becoming less popular? Most people have a PSO phone-shaped object now, no need for a watch
Whatabout wearing a watch on the right? Looks wrong somehow

Cyril Haearn wrote:I think digital is good, clockface too, I remember trying to learn to tell the time, the Big Hand is for the little minutes, the Small Hand is for the big hours

Syd wrote:

Cyril Haearn wrote:What is the fascination, use, purpose of collecting so many watches?
(Or books, or cycles)

Different watches, like bikes, for different purposes. Eg a causal GMT watch for daily wear whilst on holiday and a dress version for evenings. Then there are different strap / bracelet: dial colours to coordinate. Simples [emoji12]

As for books. Really??!

Right again, 29 watches fit in a suitcase, 29 books do not

Are watches becoming less popular? Most people have a PSO phone-shaped object now, no need for a watch
Whatabout wearing a watch on the right? Looks wrong somehow

I wear my watches on the right (even have one with a crown on the left to make it more comfortable). Nothing to do with being left handed as I used to wear them on the left as a youngster.

Suffered an injury many years ago that resulted in a long scar in the left wrist making wearing watches uncomfortable on that side.

One watch, digital from Decathlon 8 years ago, still on the original battery. Not bad for 7€
Apart from woodworking tools I rarely buy anything until the old one is worn out. My wife say's I should draw the line with clothes!

Syd wrote:

Cugel wrote:
PS 29 wristwatches? Does this not make it difficult to lift the arm to see the time? And what if the rascals disagree!?

Can be difficult fitting them all along my arm

You're an Octopus and a I claim the £5

Shoelaces.
Loads of kids don't know how to do it because they have no need for them.

Velcro.

Syd wrote:

Cyril Haearn wrote:What is the fascination, use, purpose of collecting so many watches?
(Or books, or cycles)

Different watches, like bikes, for different purposes. Eg a causal GMT watch for daily wear whilst on holiday and a dress version for evenings. Then there are different strap / bracelet: dial colours to coordinate. Simples [emoji12]

As for books. Really??!

There was a rumour that Bryn only has one book and also one 45 of the best tune. This is entirely untrue as he is in fact a book-addict in denial. Me too but without the denial. I don't even have one 45, though. I did keep a Beatles EP for quite a while, despite having nothing to play it on. It was the one with "Twist & Shout" on it.

Cugel, in the morning-time (I think).