› added 10 years ago

496

TIL: As late as 1985 there was still 26 states with no drunk driving laws. You could map a 3,700 mile drive from Key West in Florida to the Idaho - Canada border. That would allow you to legally drink the whole drive.

Read more articles.latimes.com

via reddit.com

W1jd TIL: That the phrase “Can’t hold a candle next to (insert name here).” Stems from the fact that apprentices used to be expected to hold the candle so that more experienced workmen were able to see what they were doing. Someone unable even to do that would be of low status indeed.
bZr9 TIL that Lolita author Vladimir Nabokov had grapheme-color synesthesia, which is when people see specific letters in specific colors.
5YeoP TIL in 1896 the coroner who over saw the death of the first person by automobile stated in court "I hope that this never happens again." It's estimated that over 7 million automobile deaths have happened since then.
KO5RE TIL female gladiators or "gladiatrices" existed in ancient Rome, but were rare because it was considered unwomanly. One gladiatrix of note was a woman who fought wild boars with a spear while topless, and who would squat to urinate in front of a stunned crowd.
N7ajP TIL Sturgis tourism dept measures the number of Bike Week visitors not by counting bikes or people, but by weighing the TRASH after the event