Trainspotting Live - three part documentary on BBC4, 11 - 13 July 2016

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

Nonetheless, if you say 23:45, it is completely superfluous to add PM to it. Much in the same way as stating prices in the format £1.99p or the dreaded grocers apostrophes! Don't try to spoil the fun for us pedants!   

The Pedants' Revolt!* When spending your £1.99p, don't forget to enter your PIN number, unless you got cash from the ATM^‡(resolve) machine.


(* Instigated by Which Tyler)

[patch38]

And don't forget that a preposition is a word never to end a sentence with.

[PhilWakely]

They are addressing the Great British Public, some of whom own clocks that only go up to 12.

Nonetheless, if you say 23:45, it is completely superfluous to add PM to it. Much in the same way as stating prices in the format £1.99p or the dreaded grocers apostrophes! Don't try to spoil the fun for us pedants!   

For those pedants amongst us, what is the difference between the times 12am and 12pm?
One states 12 hours before midday and the other states 12 hours after midday, so both strictly relate to midnight.
If used properly, neither time actually exists, being correctly stated as 12midnight and 12noon!

[stuving]

For those pedants amongst us, what is the difference between the times 12am and 12pm?
One states 12 hours before midday and the other states 12 hours after midday, so both strictly relate to midnight.
If used properly, neither time actually exists, being correctly stated as 12midnight and 12noon!

Of course that is right. But people who make clocks and timetables often find it impractical to put in the "noon" and "midnight" labels. I used to think the consensus solution (that 12:00 PM is just before 12:01 PM) was wrong, but on reflection it does make sense - for two reasons.

Firstly, it is easier to code. And if you expect the change in the AM/PM flag to be linked to the hours number, that will look natural.

Secondly, and more subtly, numerical clocks don't round the time, they truncate it. The display clicks over from 11:59 to 12:00 at 12:00, not at 11:59:30 (where the seconds are not displayed). So if you imagine the very first time that is after noon, it would be something like 12:00:00.0000000000000001 (stop when you get bored). Truncate that and you get 12:00 PM.

[bobm]

Is it me, or has this thread become more interesting than the programme it was originally talking about? 

[Chris from Nailsea]

For those pedants amongst us ... both strictly relate to midnight.

Do they actually 'strictly relate', or do they 'relate strictly'?  Rather like that question as to whether Star Trek characters 'boldly go' where no man has gone before, or 'go baldly' where no man has ...

 

[TonyK]

For those pedants amongst us, what is the difference between the times 12am and 12pm?
One states 12 hours before midday and the other states 12 hours after midday, so both strictly relate to midnight.
If used properly, neither time actually exists, being correctly stated as 12midnight and 12noon!

At RAF^▸ (Royal Air Force) Brize Norton, flight departure times are given in rounded figures to the nearest 10 minutes - except for the 23.59 departures. Thus is ambiguity avoided by the military.

[Tim]

I watched the start of Trainspotting Live on Monday.  This show, together with Peter Snow’s presentation style, was clearly aimed at people (or the children of people) who watch The One Show.

I turned off after 30 minutes and cancelled the planned recordings.

Watched episode 1 last night and it really was rubbish wasn't it!  Some of the recorded items were fine, but the contrived "live" element was just embarrassingly bad.  Neither of the presenters were experts.  Peter Snow kept talking about "freightliners"  which weren't and Hannah Fry seemed to be there solely to add some glamour and irrelevant equations.   I did enjoy the guy from NRM^» (National Railway Museum, at York and Shildon - about) because he knew a bit about the trains and had a constant grin which suggested he thought that the presenters were clueless.   

[didcotdean]

Last Saturday was the first time I can recall anyone pointing out the Class 66s at Didcot.

[TaplowGreen]

I watched the start of Trainspotting Live on Monday.  This show, together with Peter Snow’s presentation style, was clearly aimed at people (or the children of people) who watch The One Show.

I turned off after 30 minutes and cancelled the planned recordings.

Watched episode 1 last night and it really was rubbish wasn't it!  Some of the recorded items were fine, but the contrived "live" element was just embarrassingly bad.  Neither of the presenters were experts.  Peter Snow kept talking about "freightliners"  which weren't and Hannah Fry seemed to be there solely to add some glamour and irrelevant equations.   I did enjoy the guy from NRM^» (National Railway Museum, at York and Shildon - about) because he knew a bit about the trains and had a constant grin which suggested he thought that the presenters were clueless.   

I agree, I would never in a million years describe myself as a trainspotter/rail enthusiast however as I have been a LTV^▸ (London [and] Thames Valley) commuter for 17+ years as well as making reasonably frequent trips to the Westcountry by rail I tuned in as an interested party, but found it all rather pointless and puerile, although some of the historical items were quite interesting.

[Billhere]

At RAF^▸ (Royal Air Force) Brize Norton, flight departure times are given in rounded figures to the nearest 10 minutes - except for the 23.59 departures. Thus is ambiguity avoided by the military.

And by the railways, 2359 or 0001 hrs, although they do try to be on time it seems like the nearest ten minutes as well sometimes.