Ridiculous things you've only recently realised you've been wrong about your entire life

[Seasidedolly]

I genuinely thought if you pulled the reverse cord on ceiling fans, it would circulate warm air.

My friend thought the yellow average speed cameras on motorways were there to look for missing children.

I had another recent revelation but I can't remember it now

I am still convinced that Maidstone is on the coast (sounds like Folkstone), and so is Maidenhead (sounds like Beachy Head and Maidstone (see above)).

And yes yes to asbestos as a naturally occurring mineral (ore? element?).

It was only while doing my PGCE that I twigged that fractions could be solved by dividing the top by the bottom - ie 1/2 is the same as 1 divided by 2.

Dolls for women. I totally knew about dolls for men but I honestly thought the women's one was for giggles

Also thought asbestos was man made!

I used to live in Gibraltar and had a blast!

I can confirm it is attached to Spain, with some very mean Spanish border guards

Alot of people live in Spain and work in Gibraltar so they commute over the border every day. It is also London prices to rent in Gib and getting a mortgage is near-on impossible!

People did used to 'read the Riot Act' - the Act allowed local authorities to call an assembly of 12 or more people illegal. To do so, the read the act to them and ordered them to disperse of face the consequences.

on youtube

Up until last week I thought asbestos was a man made product. Had no idea it was naturally occurring and mined....

I knew this but only because I had relatives who worked in the mines. They died from Mesothilioma.

However, I didn't know that Gibraltar wasn't an island. I always thought it joined to mainland Spain by a bridge (a bit like Portsmouth).

I alos used to think that Gaol was pronounced like goal and I've worked in prisons. Durrrrrr.......

I thought a spendthrift was someone who was tight with their money for years.

And DP thought a fine-toothed comb was a fine tooth-comb. For combing your teeth, I think.

I thought Tanzania was pronounce Tan - zay - nea . I'd only ever seen it written down.

Not really the point, RealHuman, but this reminded me so much of my dd. Raised on a diet of fairy stories, she massively overuses the word 'fine', as in 'He's a fine young man!' I can now imagine your dp saying 'What a fine tooth-comb this is!'

Well that video was a genuine education carol I have learned things today! I am amazed!

Good god I thought it was 'hand gliding' too!! Maybe we are the correct ones?!!

I have only recently discovered that 'uncle' Arthur in Dads Army was not in fact Pikes uncle. (51 yrs of missing the joke) ..on the upside, I can now watch the reruns and have a laugh...

Only the VERY best tooth-combs for DP.

That video is great! I mean, I thought I was relatively ok at geography and I have ALWAYS used 'Great Britain' to mean 'everything in the UK except Northern Island'; it never even occured to me that it didn't include the Isle of Wight etc.!

Also, I have NEVER heard of Akrotiri and Dhekelia. Although I just looked them up and they turn out to be just the military bases on Cyprus which the UK governs, which I did know about, so I feel slightly less thick.

That guy also voiced a great video about enclaves I saw a couple of years ago. Very informative.

Ok this thread is blowing my mind. And I thought I was fairly intelligent!

Gibraltar isn't an island??

Pissing myself st Bognor Regis being in the Caribbean!

Makes sense. Like a dressing-table set. Mirror, toothbrush, toothcomb.

Yeah, Northern Ireland not Island, obvs. I'm not half-Irish or anything.

Why doesn't MN have an edit button for idiots multitasking who can't be arsed to read their own posts until after posting?!

Isle of Wight is a county of England so it is a part of Great Britain. You may be thinking of the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands which are British islands (ie dependant on the UK), but not GB.

Absolutely howling at the Irish singer Pat O Banton!!!
I also until the age of 33 thought water polo was played on horse back. I always used to wonder how they managed to get the horses in the pool on holiday

I thought 'reading the riot act' was reading an emotive legal document.

Well it sort of is . . .

Dad3, I knew about the other islands, but the video specifically name checks the Isle of Wight and Anglesey as being not part of Great Britain, although part of England and Wales respectively.

I alos used to think that Gaol was pronounced like goal and I've worked in prisons. Durrrrrr.......

If it helps, that R4 continuity bloke with the dark brown voice pronounced it gayol LIVE ON AIR recently

Oh yes, Neil Nunes isn't it? He mispronounces a lot of stuff though, especially on the Shipping Forecast. It makes me think he doesn't actually listen to a lot of R4, but I'll forgive him because he does have a lovely voice and actually manages to inject some personality (occasionally) into continuity announcing.

I found out only in June of this year (and I'm 36) that Atilla the Hun was a man. I really felt like my world was turned upside down...I'd thought she was another Boudica. Think it's to do with me speaking Latin languages and the name ending with an 'a'.