Debate

[maggiebee]

Interesting debate on another site. Some very funny responses (including Monty Python of course) as well as some serious ones.

"What have you been taught about the levels of civilisation in Britain before the Romans brought the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health?"

Thoughts?

[bookbinder]

Well, what went wrong?

[Mamyalynne]

I was off that day but did bring a note in.

[Voltage]

Sorry..I was Roamin' In The Gloamin'

[rowanwitch]

Watching various documentaries I have learned we had a far more sophisticated society than I thought. We were certainly more advanced in goldsmithing

[Togo]

Did you know that the width of railway tracks(the gauge) is based on the width of two horses ***(rear ends) ?

[Baldric]

Neigh, I didn't know that,

[Togo]

The English built the first railroads ( including exporting to America) and they used a certain width. Why did they use that width? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that's the gauge they used. Why did "they" use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that were used for building wagons which used that wheel spacing. Why did wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing? Because older wagon ruts throughout England used that spacing, and if they changed it, wagon wheels would break by either falling into or being forced out of the old ruts, which were 56.5" wide. The old ruts were that size because the roads were built by the Romans, who arrived in England in 54 BC and left about 400 AD. Their wagons, and their chariots before their wagons, used that spacing, and that spacing was used all over Europe and wherever Rome conquered, because their wagons used the identical wheel base everywhere. So the modern railroad track width derives from the Roman chariot. Why was the Roman chariot track width 56.5"? Because that was the width of a chariot that would equal the width of two "standard" Roman horses. Thus, wagon and horses would fit through the same narrow street. Specifications and bureaucracies live forever!

The railways of the world are based on two horses Arisses.

[10ClarionSt]

From the small amount of history that I've read about pre Roman Britain, it would seem that the natives of these islands were thoughtful, clever and placid people that were brutalised by the Romans.

[Canary42]

Sorry, I wasn't taught anything before the Romans arrived, I wasn't around at the time :-)

[10ClarionSt]

Lots of the streets round here are still the same width as when they were built for horse drawn transport, which I suspect is the case in lots of places. And they wonder why the roads are choked up.

[Ken4155]

And i hope the rest of the runners on Saturday have a fine old view of my horses arisses, Togo:-)

[Togo]

Lol Ken. Another thing this metric lark is not designed to make things easy. The old imperial system based in 12 rather than 10 is far superior. Try working out a 1/6, 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 of 12 and 10 and you don't get a whole number for some with 10. Decimals are a con.

[10ClarionSt]

I once worked in a betting shop. A pensioner came in one afternoon (1967 btw) and placed a bet of 6d each way, all favourites at a Doncaster night meeting. They all went in at odds on. Try working that out! I think he won about £3!

[10ClarionSt]

^^^ I think it was about £2:18s:10d. LOL!

[Togo]

See what I mean Clarion...…...poor old pensioner couldn't get a tanner each way nowadays. :))