Do you write 7 with a line through it?

[IcanHearUClemFandango]

I do. I don't know why.

I've just hand written a returns note for a parcel and thought 'why do I do that?'

I know it's used to differentiate between a 1 and 7 but my handwriting allows a good visual difference between the two numbers without the slash.

Yes, I do! I definitely wasn’t taught to, but maybe became aware of it through learning French/visiting France. I do remember it being called a ‘continental’ 7, and think I adopted it as an affectation when I was a teenager, and it stuck!

Yes, differentiates it from a 1

I do.

And will now use the line through a 0 for clarity which is a good idea.

Yep. Have done since childhood. I spent a large chunk of said childhood living in various European countries though.

I used to until I worked a casual job and had to fill in timesheets. The system that "read" them couldn't tell they were a 7 if it had a line through. Learned that the hard way when my wages were a week short that month.

Yes, I think I started when I began working as an accountant with paper spreadsheets (ages me somewhat!) It helped to distinguish 7s from 1s in a big mass of numbers. I remember feeling quite continental doing it at first - not a feeling usually associated working in an industrial estate off the Hangar Lane gyratory!

Same here. I pick and choose, same with the line through a zero. Only do it if I want to make absolutely sure there's no room for misunderstanding.

BTW does anyone know is the 0 in National insurance numbers are letters or numbers? I never know which to say

Format of NI number is - LL NN NN NN L

Haha yes I think this was why I started too! now can't imagine writing a 7 any other way.

I do, it's something I picked in my late teens - probably being pretentious as you were then - but I've kept it as my writing is so terrible and it's clearer.

I believe NI numbers are always in the format of two letters, three pairs or numbers and one letter, so if the 0 is character 3 to 8, it's a zero not an O (if that makes sense).

Cross post

Yes I do, not entirely sure why. The only reason I can think is that I did German GCSE and A Level and we always had to do it in that class.

Always

No, I don't as I'm old and I don't think that way of forming numbers was even known about in the village school I attended. We had handwriting lessons which were very strict, we all had to write in cursive and in a uniform way - writing 1s with flicks or rogue lines through numbers would have earned you a smack on the hand with the teacher's ruler!

I may have gone through a teen phase of dotting my 'i's with little hearts though

Do you have your sleeves over your hands too? Whilst holding said mug?😁

I think a poster once referred to this sleeve thing as ‘vulnurable sleeves’

Never did it until I lived in France as a youngish adult. Picked up the habit and never dropped it.

Now also have to put a line through zeros because of bloody passwords.

Yes, to differentiate between a seven and a two because they look similar.

Yes, and a line through 0. Was taught to do it as a trainee programmer in the 80s.

I spent time in Germany as a child and do lines on sevens, there's no downside and it removes a chance of misunderstanding.

I don't put lines through zeros if I'm doing sums because there's no ambiguity, but I will if I'm writing an alphanumeric reference, which I used to do a lot at work - not so much now, I can go weeks without putting pen to paper.

I do, and I cross through my zeroes. I started when I lived in France and then saw the benefit of it when I became a programmer.

My mum says I'm being pretentious. I don't care, I think it's a good habit to be in.

Banquosbanquet · Today 08:25

I don't because there's no need. The countries where it's standard write 1 with a long flick on the top so it could easily be mistaken for a 7.

I do because my mother taught me to - and I got told off at infant school. I refused to compromise, because obviously, my mother was right!

I do the line through the 7 and the diagonal through the zero

Yes I do.

I was taught to by my mother. She had a British education in India in the 1950s and was taught to do it that way.

I used to get told off at school for it in the 80s/90s but it was so ingrained, I never stopped.

Yes, have always done so since I was a teenager, although I was taught 7 without a line. Lived overseas for a while and a 7 without a line was often confused with a 1 as they put a "tail" on the 1 rather than just write it as a straight vertical line.