U S A 'Blocks'

[barry1010]

There are lots of things American that I don't understand and 'blocks' is one of them.
If a book says, 'he ran 8 blocks' it means nothing to me - roughly how far is 8 blocks?

[Spicerack]

I've always presumed a block is the buildings between 2 roads. So, if that's right, it'd vary.

[calmck]

A block is the length of one street. Example 34street from 1st to 2nd Avenue. If streets are in a grid pattern they are usually the same length. A block running up town between 34 and 35 street might not be the same length as one running crosstown between tow Avenues. This is using NYC as an example

[dannyk13]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_block

[royfromaus]

A block is the length of one street.
___________________________
?
Surely it is the length of a building.

[ToraToraTora]

there is no set length, if you are walking down a street then a block is between the side roads. When you cross a side road then that's a new "block". It originates from cities like New York that are laid out in a grid and that is generally where there term is most used.

[barry1010]

Thanks all, so it's a vague term rather than a set distance.

[bhg481]

That's it barry - like quoting area in terms of football pitches.

[Zacs-Master]

Or Wales.

[barry1010]

I must stop reading books set in the USA, I can't relate to them at all

[ToraToraTora]

barry: "Thanks all, so it's a vague term rather than a set distance." - well yes but it tends to infer local knowledge so "it's 3 blocks from here" said to someone who knows where they are would be accurate for them. It's a bit like when we say it's just past the Dog and Duck, if you know where that is then it's a useful measure.

[ToraToraTora]

It's a bit like something I found out visiting Ireland. No one will ever give you the distance to anywhere. If you ask: "how far is X" - invariably the answer will be given as the time they think it will take you to get there!

[barry1010]

TTT, I once asked a chap for directions and he told me to 'carry on for a mile past where the Blue Ball used to be'. There's useful

[ToraToraTora]

Round here over the years most of the pub names have changed but people of my age remember and still use the old names. They had a phase of naming pubs silly things so the Royal Oak became the Werewolf and snotrag etc. So if you get directions involving pubs you'll have to remember their original name! ..of course some of them have also gone so there's a real chance that it could also include a "where it used to be" option!

[barry1010]

I despair at modernity, sometimes.

[ToraToraTora]

"Werewolf and snotrag" - I made that up but I reckon it's a good name for a modern battle cruiser!

[Zacs-Master]

Don't ask this bloke for dierections:

[Spicerack]

A clearly hot and bothered stranger went up to 'cockney john' outside our pub and asked him the quickest way to Varteg. 'Let me see now' drawled John 'Have you got a car or are you on foot'
'Yes' the poor man blustered 'my car's parked around the corner'.
'Yes, That's definitely the quickest way' said John as he sauntered away, quite pleased that he was able to help, and into the pub.

[Barsel]

Since when has block been American?
Surely we use it in the country too.
I might say to someone 'How far are you walking today' and they might say ' oh I'm only going round the block'
or 'Where is such and such a place?' 'oh it's on the next block.'
Don't you ever say that?

[Barsel]

If I come out of my house and turn left to the end of the street , then left again and again and again then I've walked round the block.

[bednobs]

I suppose it depends where you live. My parents live in Portsmouth where terraced streets are common. We would say round the block if you not going to cross any roads but you were going to set off on your bike in one direction and come back from the opposite direction without turning round. Where I live now is nothing like that though