Why the different date formats?

[Paul_B]

Nothing bushcraft related but does anyone know why different countries have different short date formats?

For example USA has month then day UK had day then month. USA being a significantly English speaking origin so I'd have thought things like short date format might have developed along the same lines as the UK.

Not important but it just hit me that there might be a reason for it. Curious and you never know what others might nlknow about such trivialities on this forum.

 

[John Fenna]

Same as US spelling - a conscious decision to differ from GB English after the War of Independence ...

 

[Herman30]

Our country has the best system: Date - Month - Year.

 

[Scottieoutdoors]

Because most countries know what year and month we're in, it's the date that's important... those in the US....Well.... you get the idea...

 

[ESpy]

Our country has the best system: Date - Month - Year.

Nah. Year/Month/Day makes sorting far easier

 

[Mesquite]

Here's one reason why

 

[TinkyPete]

The internationally recognised system for official timings is the date time group system it is mainly used by the military. So an example would be:

251330A Aug 22 which means is is the 25th August 2022 and the time is 1:30 p.m. BST or Alpha zone.

Admittedly it is a British system but as we invented time and told every one else how to use it (GMT or as the rest of the world like to call it UTC ).

 

[Toddy]

9/11 always muddles me up.
I think it means the 9th of November.

Time, Day, Month, Year, or it's total reverse is fine. But mixed up is a bit like the confusion of metric and imperial in the same set of plans.

M

 

[leanrascal]

Nah. Year/Month/Day makes sorting far easier

Of course, as anyone who takes photos will know, well, at least those who rename the files as part of their post-processing workflow

 

[billycoen]

You say tomato....

 

[Fadcode]

very interesting how these little things evolve, as an ardent western movie fan, it always amazed me that when you see the stagecoaches, and horse and carts etc, the driver sat on the right , yet when they changed to cars they drove them from the left hand side.

 

[MartinK9]

Americans: month day year..... except 4th of July

 

[Toddy]

Americans: month day year..... except 4th of July

Oh good point

 

[Paul_B]

July the 4th? Makes it sound like just another, ordinary day doesn't it!

 

[Paul_B]

I did see a map showing how they do the date format around the world. The day month year looks half the world. Most of Africa was grey as in no format listed though. There are a few options and some countries use more than one too. However they're mostly day month year or the complete reverse option only. Only one or two seem to mix the days and months in their format options.

 

[Mesquite]

I did see a map showing how they do the date format around the world. The day month year looks half the world. Most of Africa was grey as in no format listed though. There are a few options and some countries use more than one too. However they're mostly day month year or the complete reverse option only. Only one or two seem to mix the days and months in their format options.

This one?

 

[Great egret]

As an IT guy, multiple "dateformats" is a subject that has caused mismatches, errors, bugs etc...

 

[Paul_B]

This one?
View attachment 76109

Similar but a flatter projection. I also think missing a bit more of Africa.

 

[saxonaxe]

very interesting how these little things evolve, as an ardent western movie fan, it always amazed me that when you see the stagecoaches, and horse and carts etc, the driver sat on the right , yet when they changed to cars they drove them from the left hand side.

The USA came rather late to wheeled traffic of any kind, for Centuries in Europe and elsewhere, horse drawn vehicle Drivers had sat on the right as all traffic tended to keep to the left side of the road which meant the Driver did not get whacked by roadside overhanging tree branches etc: and also gave a better view of the road ahead.

The same reasoning meant Gypsy wagons always had their stove chimneys on the right (offside) to avoid getting knocked off in the narrow lanes.
If you ever see a Gypsy wagon with a nearside chimney, it's some Gorgie built thing and they're pretending to be Rom...

With the coming of the Automobile and the decision to drive on the right in the USA the Driver's position simply moved to the left of the vehicle, which meant he/she sat to the offside or road centre as in other countries.

Just to add, I did read somewhere long ago, that in early times horse riders and other traffic traditionally passed each other right side to right side ( so they used the left side of the road) because the majority of people are right handed and carried a sword on their left side. Any threat could be met by drawing the sword with the right hand, and so be ready to defend the threat side.

Facts taken from the Sax book of knowledge which is nearly two pages thick..

 

[Fadcode]

makes sense, I thought it odd that no matter which side of the road you drive on, if two cars hit each other head on or side swiped the chances were both drivers would be killed as they were so close to one and other, on the other hand it made it easy to transfer goods or messages as they passed, the other thing of course is that passengers could get in from the sidewalk. Not too sure about the sword explanation, sitting on the left would be an advantage, as the sword could hang in free space, sitting on the right as we do, the sword would have to cope with the seat and would no doubt cause problems, sword bearers would no doubt benefit from riding a bike.......lol