--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: he made a mental list: they would have to…" description: "\"“he made a mental list: they would have to drive on the right, they would call it gas and not petrol, the letter ‘u’ would be deleted wholesale from wo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/mark-speed-39305_quote_he-made-a-mental-list-they-would-have-to_1434103.jpg" --- # he made a mental list: they would have to drive on the… ![“he made a mental list: they would have to drive on the right, they would call it gas and not petrol, the letter ‘u’ would be deleted wholesale from words. Just think of the number of saved keystrokes! And there would be no beating around the bush – people would talk straight and say what they…” quote by Mark Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/mark-speed-39305_quote_he-made-a-mental-list-they-would-have-to_1434103.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/mark-speed-39305_quote_he-made-a-mental-list-they-would-have-to_1434103.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/mark-speed-39305_quote_he-made-a-mental-list-they-would-have-to_1434103.jpg) > ““he made a mental list: they would have to drive on the right, they would call it gas and not petrol, the letter ‘u’ would be deleted wholesale from words. Just think of the number of saved keystrokes! And there would be no beating around the bush – people would talk straight and say what they meant instead of saying they liked something that they secretly hated.”” [Mark Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-speed/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote satirically imagines a world where language and conventions are altered to save effort, highlighting how small changes can reshape communication. **In simple terms:** Imagining language changes to save effort. Key Takeaway Consider how conventions shape thought. Themes language communication efficiency Mood playful critical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - writing - software design - branding - policy drafting Key Concepts cultural adaptation linguistic relativity Questions to Reflect On - What conventions do we take for granted? - How would altered language affect clarity? A Different Perspective Changing conventions may cause confusion and loss of nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drive Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drive-right-1354803/) [Gas Petrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gas-petrol-5113610/) [Keystrokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keystrokes-416234/) [Petrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/petrol/) [Petrol Letter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/petrol-letter-5113609/) ## Related quotes > [The difference between theft and destruction is often a few keystrokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-alperovitch/the-difference-between-theft-and-destruction-is-often-a-few-keystrokes/) [Dmitri Alperovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-alperovitch/) > [“Damn it!” I rubbed my eyes. My head hurt from staring at the laptop screen the whole day. “I’ve got to put this down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-webster/damn-it-i-rubbed-my-eyes-my-head-hurt-from-staring-at-the-laptop/) [Chase Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chase-webster/) > [ The capacity to create \[visual\] effects in the computer has made the job easier, but it has also introduced the complexity that you can… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/the-capacity-to-create-visual-effects-in-the-computer-has-made-the/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [If you drive right, and your big is standing to the right, dish and keep going to their big - you grab an arm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/if-you-drive-right-and-your-big-is-standing-to-the-right-dish-and/) [Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/) > [Go to work and be a Hollywood stud, drive your four wheel drive right into the mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/go-to-work-and-be-a-hollywood-stud-drive-your-four-wheel-drive-right/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm turnin' off a real life drive and that's right I'm hittin' easy street on mud tires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-aldean/i-m-turnin-off-a-real-life-drive-and-that-s-right-i-m-hittin-easy/) [Jason Aldean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-aldean/) > [Europeans, like some Americans, drive on the right side of the road, except in England, where they drive on both sides of the road;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/europeans-like-some-americans-drive-on-the-right-side-of-the-road/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [I'm naturally quite conformist, really. If I go to a country and they say, "You've got to drive on the right," I'm not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wyatt/i-m-naturally-quite-conformist-really-if-i-go-to-a-country-and-they/) [Robert Wyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wyatt/) > [In Japan people drive on the left. In China people drive on the right. In Vietnam it doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-japan-people-drive-on-the-left-in-china-people-drive-on-the-right/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I was recently looking at what they can actually do to reduce consumption of petrol. It would be quite possible to build automobiles out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/i-was-recently-looking-at-what-they-can-actually-do-to-reduce/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [In a war you have to take up arms and people will get killed, and I can support that kind of action by petrol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-daly/in-a-war-you-have-to-take-up-arms-and-people-will-get-killed-and-i/) [Tim Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-daly/) > [I drove to Oxford with my van full of petrol and tin cans, as I didn't know there were service stations on the motorway.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-drove-to-oxford-with-my-van-full-of-petrol-and-tin-cans-as-i-didn-t/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Water and petrol both come from the earth, and though they seem to be alike and even the same, they are in nature and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadhu-sundar-singh/water-and-petrol-both-come-from-the-earth-and-though-they-seem-to-be/) [Sadhu Sundar Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadhu-sundar-singh/) > [Petrol price is a deregulated commodity, price of which is decided by our oil marketing companies based on input cost and other parameters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veerappa-moily/petrol-price-is-a-deregulated-commodity-price-of-which-is-decided-by/) [Veerappa Moily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veerappa-moily/) > [What a country calls its vital economic interests are not the things which enable its citizens to live, but the things which enable it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/what-a-country-calls-its-vital-economic-interests-are-not-the-things/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) ## More by Mark Speed > [“You said these guys are your cousins? Is that, like, for real? It's, like, not a turn of phrase?" "What on earth do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-speed/you-said-these-guys-are-your-cousins-is-that-like-for-real-it-s-like/) [Mark Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-speed/) > [“Tackled some giant, burrowing beetles the other week, if you can believe that…. At that stage I didn’t know about it either – only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-speed/tackled-some-giant-burrowing-beetles-the-other-week-if-you-can/) [Mark Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-speed/) > [“Never quote a rule at a bipolar person. They turn them over in their head looking for the holes, and they find them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-speed/never-quote-a-rule-at-a-bipolar-person-they-turn-them-over-in-their/) [Mark Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-speed/) > [“Hughes wondered if Norton had deliberately withheld the information from him. “And being a man of the cloth is how you’d know your griffins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-speed/hughes-wondered-if-norton-had-deliberately-withheld-the-information/) [Mark Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-speed/) > [“Let me do the talking, but follow my lead," said the Doctor. "You're my assistant. Your area of expertise is car mechanics." "But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-speed/let-me-do-the-talking-but-follow-my-lead-said-the-doctor-you-re-my/) [Mark Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-speed/) > [“Don't tell me he's one of them illegal immigrants. I shall have the police round to arrest him if anything goes missing from my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-speed/don-t-tell-me-he-s-one-of-them-illegal-immigrants-i-shall-have-the/) [Mark Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-speed/) > [“Cobblers. I want to know why you won’t come and greet me. Are you still angry about ’sixty-three and me helping your brother get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-speed/cobblers-i-want-to-know-why-you-won-t-come-and-greet-me-are-you-still/) [Mark Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-speed/) > [“If this is what the future’s like, I can’t say I’m keen on it. These metal locomotives with cannons on top must chew soldiers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-speed/if-this-is-what-the-future-s-like-i-can-t-say-i-m-keen-on-it-these/) [Mark Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-speed/) > [“It would distort markets. Besides, if I bought a load of gold when I thought the price was going up, then it would drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-speed/it-would-distort-markets-besides-if-i-bought-a-load-of-gold-when-i/) [Mark Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-speed/) > [“But Time Lords always travel in the T – in their Spectrels, don't they?" "Only if absolutely necessary." "You what?" "It's another myth put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-speed/but-time-lords-always-travel-in-the-t-in-their-spectrels-don-t-they/) [Mark Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-speed/) [Explore all 11 Mark Speed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-speed/) ## More Petrol quotes > [What a country calls its vital economic interests are not the things which enable its citizens to live, but the things which enable it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/what-a-country-calls-its-vital-economic-interests-are-not-the-things/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Petrol price is a deregulated commodity, price of which is decided by our oil marketing companies based on input cost and other parameters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veerappa-moily/petrol-price-is-a-deregulated-commodity-price-of-which-is-decided-by/) [Veerappa Moily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veerappa-moily/) > [Water and petrol both come from the earth, and though they seem to be alike and even the same, they are in nature and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadhu-sundar-singh/water-and-petrol-both-come-from-the-earth-and-though-they-seem-to-be/) [Sadhu Sundar Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadhu-sundar-singh/) > [I drove to Oxford with my van full of petrol and tin cans, as I didn't know there were service stations on the motorway.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-drove-to-oxford-with-my-van-full-of-petrol-and-tin-cans-as-i-didn-t/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [In a war you have to take up arms and people will get killed, and I can support that kind of action by petrol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-daly/in-a-war-you-have-to-take-up-arms-and-people-will-get-killed-and-i/) [Tim Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-daly/) > [I was recently looking at what they can actually do to reduce consumption of petrol. It would be quite possible to build automobiles out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/i-was-recently-looking-at-what-they-can-actually-do-to-reduce/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [I can live without you but that life would be like a car without petrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akashdeep-singh-kailay/i-can-live-without-you-but-that-life-would-be-like-a-car-without/) [Akashdeep Singh Kailay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akashdeep-singh-kailay/) > [Regulation of petrol companies and the major retailers must demonstrate commitment to the motorist and the U.K.'s hard-pressed transport industries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-hoyle/regulation-of-petrol-companies-and-the-major-retailers-must/) [Lindsay Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-hoyle/) > [When you buy me, you are buying a Ferrari. If you drive a Ferrari, you put premium petrol in the tank, you hit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zlatan-ibrahimovic/when-you-buy-me-you-are-buying-a-ferrari-if-you-drive-a-ferrari-you-2/) [Zlatan Ibrahimovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zlatan-ibrahimovic/) > [\*petrol tank full\* one of the best feelings ever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/petrol-tank-full-one-of-the-best-feelings-ever/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [The descendants of those who crucified Christ... have taken ownership of the riches of the world, a minority has taken ownership of the gold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-chavez/the-descendants-of-those-who-crucified-christ-have-taken-ownership-of/) [Hugo Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-chavez/) > [The town I grew up in, there were no musicians to play with; it was just me. The town I grew up in, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walker/the-town-i-grew-up-in-there-were-no-musicians-to-play-with-it-was/) [Tom Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walker/) > [Third World War will be the mainstay of petrol and inflation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/third-world-war-will-be-the-mainstay-of-petrol-and-inflation/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [You are a wicked motorcar, and I shall not give you any more petrol until you go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/you-are-a-wicked-motorcar-and-i-shall-not-give-you-any-more-petrol/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It really comes down to parsimony, economy of explanation. It is possible that your car engine is driven by psychokinetic energy, but if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-really-comes-down-to-parsimony-economy-of-explanation-it-is/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) [Browse all 68 Petrol quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/petrol/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“he made a mental list: they would have to drive on the right, they would call it gas and not petrol, the letter ‘u’ would be deleted wholesale from words. Just think of the number of saved keystrokes! 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