• GiveOver@feddit.uk
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    3 months ago

    This is meaningless if it drives back on the same roads. “You can drive for 30 hours on a roundabout in Blackburn, Lancashire without ever leaving the roundabout in Blackburn, Lancashire”

  • Justin@lemmy.jlh.name
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    3 months ago

    It takes 23 hours and 2000 km to drive from the southernmost point in sweden to Abisko in the north.

    A full loop through Malmö-Kalmar-Stockholm-Luleå-Abisko-Östersund-Göteborg-Malmö takes over 2 days and over 4000 km.

    Europe is not small.

    • slaacaa@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Sweden is definitely the exception in EU, that country is crazy “long”, and the geography also makes travel more difficult. You can drive north-south all across Germany in under 10 hours

      • AggressivelyPassive@feddit.de
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        3 months ago

        The equivalent to what this guy did would be more like driving along the border, which would easily take 30h.

        • Justin@lemmy.jlh.name
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          3 months ago

          Yeah, I don’t think there are any roads on the western border of Sweden, north of Oslo. It would take weeks the cover the actual border, I think.

        • slaacaa@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          “It takes 23 hours and 2000 km to drive from the southernmost point in sweden to Abisko in the north.”

    • LittleTarsier@lemmy.ca
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      3 months ago

      I think OPs point is that this is only in 1 state as opposed to an entire country.

    • Aux@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Google says it will take over SIX days to drive from St. Petersburg to Magadan. Easternmost towns cannot be reached by a land vehicle at all.

    • WoahWoah@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Lol. Responds to a post about a state by comparing it to a continent.

      A full loop around Jupiter is 70,000 km.

      Jupiter is not small.

      • Justin@lemmy.jlh.name
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        3 months ago

        The post says “The European mind cannot comprehend this”. The US is barely twice as big as Europe. We have states that are bigger than Michigan.

      • oktoberpaard@feddit.nl
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        3 months ago

        He’s comparing one state to one country (Sweden) and then adds that Europe is not small, which is fair, because the caption says that the “European” mind can’t comprehend this. Europe as a continent is about as big as the US, the European Union is less than half of the size of the US and the individual countries are of course way smaller than the US. Since the EU has open borders, I’d say that comparing the US to the EU is fair and EU member states can be compared to US states. For example: France is about as large as Texas, Germany about as large as Montana and Italy is comparable to New Mexico. There’s a lot of movement between EU countries and some people cross borders every day to go to work or do groceries. The highway/road just continues without interruption.

        Europe as a continent is meaningless, though, and then you might as well include Asia, as Europe isn’t an actual continent (Eurasia is the worlds largest continent). You could drive all the way to Eastern China if you’d like, but you’d be crossing multiple borders with border control and visa requirements, so that makes it incomparable to driving within the US.

        • SkippingRelax@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          Europe as a continent is meaningless, though, and then you might as well include Asia, as Europe isn’t an actual continent

          Is that what they teach you in school over there?

          • oktoberpaard@feddit.nl
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            3 months ago

            I’ve always grown up with the idea that Europe is a continent, but if I’m not mistaken there is no geographical basis for that. See for example Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasia. But yeah, we all call Europe a continent because of historical reasons and I guess that’s still taught in schools and it makes sense in that context. It’s a matter of definition. In the context of driving long distances this made up border has no meaning of course, which is why brought it up.

            • redfellow@sopuli.xyz
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              3 months ago

              Most English-speaking countries recognize seven regions as continents. In order from largest to smallest in area, these seven regions are Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.

              Now as to how anyone detailed the discussion this far, successfully, is beyond me. Actually everything in your comment after the link is nonsense too.

              • oktoberpaard@feddit.nl
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                3 months ago

                If you don’t mind, can you then tell me why Europe should be considered its own continent separate from Asia, apart from the fact that we’ve all agreed on that a long time ago? If you check here, they actually agree with it being for historical reasons (check the “Asia and Europe” section): https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundaries_between_the_continents. We’ve all agreed that it’s a continent, so it’s a continent, that’s not something I’m refuting. I’m also aware that calling Eurasia a continent is in that sense false. But you seem to be confident that my statement that it’s for historical reasons rather than geographical ones is nonsense. I’m open to learning something new today.

                In the context of the original post, it’s completely irrelevant. Comparing Europe or Eurasia as a continent to the US as a country is not a valid comparison and I’ve said so in my first comment. I could’ve left out that part completely without changing my point.

                • redfellow@sopuli.xyz
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                  3 months ago

                  Well, definitions are typically things people agreed upon, at one time or another. So what we have now, generally started from what everyone agreed upon during the antique times. Then, during the Renaissance times the definition expanded to cover all “four corners” of Earth. Australia was also included later, as time went by.

                  Physically Europe and Asia are a single continent, sure, and when discussing that, we use the name Eurasia. Funnily enough, Africa used to be considered a part of the Asian continent. In any case, definitions shift as the humanity learned more and we needed terms to discuss certain areas.

                  My point is: we aren’t keeping definitions for historical reasons, even though there is history behind the terms. If we were to divide the globe in to continents for the first time ever, it would stand to reason the areas would be split similarly as they were, because geographically it still makes the most sense.

                  If we went just by tectonic plates or some similar way to determine continents, I guess we could get more specific easily. But in the context of language and understanding, combining south and north america to a single thing, or europe and asia, makes little sense.

          • oktoberpaard@feddit.nl
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            3 months ago

            The Netherlands is tiny indeed! If you had asked me I would’ve guessed higher than that. You can drive from Groningen in the north to Maastricht in the south in 3.5 hours. Add 30 minutes and you can drive from Groningen to Maastricht spending most of your journey in Germany.

            • WoahWoah@lemmy.world
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              3 months ago

              Yeah I didn’t mean any insult by it, I just didn’t realize how small it is. Much love to the Dutch!

            • WoahWoah@lemmy.world
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              3 months ago

              What is a rode island?

              Edit: oh is that part of Boston?

              Sweden is cool! Huge fan. A whole nation that has half as many people as the NYC metro area. That’s crazy! It also fits into Texas almost twice. Bonkers!

  • Willie@kbin.social
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    3 months ago

    I don’t really think this counts, since he doubles back around at a point, I mean, if you’re allowed to do that, you can drive for 30 hours almost anywhere, and still be in the same area.

    • ADTJ@feddit.uk
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      3 months ago

      On these kinds of roads that go across Australia, are they well maintained? I’m guessing it’s not like a highway the whole way. Are there frequent enough towns, petrol stations etc.? How easily can you end up stranded in the middle of nowhere?

      • Da_Boom@iusearchlinux.fyi
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        3 months ago

        Going through some of those parts, chances are some of them are probably unsealed - though I suspect google maps will always generally try to pick the sealed roads.

        As for petrol stations… Yeah keep a few Jerrys with you, just in case, as well as a spare full size tire or two (space savers are a bad idea in the outback) as well as a toolbox, with basic tools, hose clamps, etc. and plenty of drinking water/snacks. Maybe even a few packed lunches.

        The nullaboar (Latin for “no tree”) plains along the coast of south/western Australia are well known for having the one long, straight, featureless Eyre highway with a whole lot of space Between petrol stations. The most dangerous thing about those roads is fatigue from looking at the constant unchanging scenery for hours at a time. The second is running out of fuel or breaking down - where you gotta hope you’ve got the shit to fix stuff, because it’s highly unlikely you’ll see a friend on the road for at least an hour or two, if not longer.

        It’s so long that there are three designated airstrips on the highway designed for emergency landings and air ambulances (royal flying doctor service FTW - seriously, those guys deserve all the praise, true heros)

        • JeyNessuno@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          3 months ago

          I would think there’s no speed cameras in the midst of nothing, which leads to the question… How fast can you safely go on those roads?

      • Obi@sopuli.xyz
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        3 months ago

        Yep I heard some parts will be like 1000km without stations and stuff like that so you need to be well prepared with extra gas etc.

      • cynar@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        I believe a tourist once managed that on the M25. Apparently the idea of a looping motorway can be a bit beyond some.

        While London traffic can be frustrating, it’s not actually that bad. At least compared to a lot of American cities, let alone somewhere like Mexico city.

        • Skullgrid@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          Or you know, Rome.

          When I went there I discovered that Mario Kart was a documentary. I have never been carsick until I flew South America to rome, then got into a shuttle to my hotel.

        • NOT_RICK@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          Well that’s wild, we have looping highways in the states too. No cure for stupid, I guess

          • ____@infosec.pub
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            3 months ago

            And most anywhere else in the world that they’re geographically practical.

            Even Charlotte merits one. And Pittsburgh. And basically the entire country of Afghanistan, which is kind of interesting in and of itself.

            Not all are “highway” standard, but the concept is kind of universal.

            • Justin@lemmy.jlh.name
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              3 months ago

              To be fair, smaller cities only have them because they never invested in public transportation. Stockholm doesn’t have a complete ring yet, and probably never will.

        • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          Saw an old episode of Top Gear where they raced from one side of London to the other. 1 user by car, 1 bike, 1 public transit, and finally a boat. Bicycle arrived first, then the boat, 3rd the public transit and lastly the car. That’s a bit telling haha

  • Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca
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    3 months ago

    I can drive in my neighbourhood for 40 hours and still be in my neighbourhood. The street forms a loop.

      • stockRot@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        If you look real close at the map, and you might miss this, you’ll notice that OP’s “circle”, as you describe it, hasn’t overlapped at all. That in a singular state is impressive. I challenge you to do that with a European country

        • HeavyDogFeet@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          Sure it does, it doubles back on itself at Ironwood, Copper Harbor, Sault Ste. Marie, and passes through Mackinaw twice. I don’t care whether you can drive a similar distance in a European country or not, but you can’t just blatantly lie about this route not overlapping when it clearly does multiple times.

  • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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    3 months ago

    Driving around Germany is probanly a similar distance, it just doesn’t take as long.

  • neo2478@sh.itjust.works
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    3 months ago

    I live in a 274 year old building with original stained glass windows. The US mind cannot comprehend this.

    • RGB3x3@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      I live on land 200 million years old. The human mind cannot comprehend that.

      • nyctre@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Above*. Pretty sure the land from 200 million years ago has been buried quite deep by now

    • AnalogyAddict@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      When I lived in Germany, I lived in a building that was built before Columbus sailed on a canal built by the Romans.

    • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Yeah, we would have replaced them with at least double pane windows to keep heating and cooling costs down by now. Central AC is standard most places here. Especially because I grew up in what could be considered the northern part of a swamp.

      • vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works
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        3 months ago

        Yeah, 200+ years old houses arent too alien. Especially since mexico has ones that are even older. Hell if I looked around the east coast enough I could probably find some built by my ancestors.

    • books@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      What blows mind is that you leave London drive three hours in any direction and everyone has a unique accent.

      • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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        3 months ago

        Not really because if you drive 3 hours away from London you’re only about half a mile from London.

      • nyctre@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        According to google it takes you 3 hrs to get to Calais, France, so… Yeah , quite the English accent there xD

      • blackn1ght@feddit.uk
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        3 months ago

        You could drive 3 miles to the next village from where I grew up and hear a totally different accent.

    • figjam@midwest.social
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      3 months ago

      Look, its Michigan. This is almost all they have going for them. Let them have their dream.

          • invisiblegorilla@sh.itjust.works
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            3 months ago

            Maybe get yourself a passport and see some of the world.

            Schools absolutely do exist in places that have sharia law. A very small percentage of Muslims are extremists if that’s what you are getting at… Its probably a larger percentage of americans who are racist radicals with tin foil hats and a bad attitude to humanity. All your terrorism is domestic. But yeah Islam is bad eh?!

  • xantoxis@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    If you just drive back and forth and in circles you can do this in Luxembourg, too, I ain’t impressed

    • zaphod@feddit.de
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      3 months ago

      Luxembourg is a country that’s barely larger than a city, the american mind cannot comprehend this.

      • KevonLooney@lemm.ee
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        3 months ago

        Why? DC isn’t even as large as it’s own metro area. Do you have any countries that are smaller than the city they’re in? (The Vatican doesn’t count because I said so)