People from the USA fail at reading a clock

[milotic2]

We put young people on the street to the ultimate test - can they tell time? #CanYouDoIt pic.twitter.com/6BmyEP04b6
- Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) 29 de mayo de 2019

People on the street were asked to tell time using an analogue clock, with disappointing but not surprising results

Can you use a clock, ONTD? Alternatively, what watch do you have?

Comments

[timothyjames86]

[euraylie]

Lol my friend has a very specific regional application of ‘quarter 6’ which is actually 5.15pm....the first quarter of the sixth hour

[archersangel]

When I was a kid & asked my parents what time it was & they'd say something like "a quarter past" I'd say; "a quarter past what?" Because if you're not sure if it's after 2 or 3, stuff like "a quarter past" doesn't help. I say stuff like "quarter past 4" though.

[elderpricely]

In the Midwest I've only heard "quarter to" and "quarter after." "Quarter past" is obvious but "quarter of" would confuse me if I just heard it on its own.

[euraylie]

This is so weird to me. Yes, we all learned a long time ago, but how do you forget. Analogue locks are still everywhere...train stations etc.

[urfave]

Mte some of these comments are wild ngl

[stewie_e]

These things are always overly exaggerated for laughs. They film so many people throughout the day but just keep the dumber ones for obvious reasons. Still funny tho.

[aaronnyc89]

[backwardsjoker]

Yup, that's why I never enjoy these anymore - we're supposed to think every person that came up can't read a clock?

I get that America's education system failed most of us (and, in its self-indulgent way, this is supposed to highlight that) but all it does is make people feel morally superior and I ain't for it

[senshicalico]

also see: not even these librarians could name a book!

[queer_bee]

I can read analogue clock, I think I’m from the last generation that got used to reading it.

The 24-hour / military format still confuses me though after all these years. I grew up reading either analogue or the 12-hour format.

[sunshinefun27]

My new job I have to use military time and I'm hoping eventually it becomes second nature because right now I have to do the math everytime

[winter_lace]

You get used to it eventually!

[babbss]

I set my phone clock to display military time to “train” me and it worked like a charm tbh!

[xdaisyxlovesxbb]

i always get confused with the quarter to or half past the quarter of. i dont get it.

[aaronnyc89]

[invisiblegirlx]

quarter past means 15 minutes after the hour. Quarter to is 15 minutes before the hour. Half past means 30 minutes after the hour.

ex: Quarter past 12 = 12:15
Quarter to 12 = 11:45
Half past 12 = 12:30

[meadowphoenix]

quarter to/of = 15min before the next hour
quarter after = 15 min into this hour
half-past= the half-hour