An (old) U.S. insult question.

[Soulrender]

First of all: This topic is not to insult to anyone and it's not to suposed to violate this community rules!
But I have a question regarding a sentece that might be potentialy an insult.

Lets assume that two persons are arguing about something. Let's call them... Mike and Joe.
Mike says something to Joe, wich made him angry and Joe responds to him with this sentence:

"Why don't you cross a road!?"

What's the meaning of this, because direct translation according to my english skills
means get to the other side of road? What's that offencive in this term?

All I came up is that irrensposible road crossing might end up with accident and in the worst scenario a death to pedestrian?
So it means a death wish?

 

[mlogan]

As a US citizen, this is not an insult I have ever heard. I can only deduce the same meaning as you - that it is expressing a desire that the person will get run over.

 

[spec3]

I'm no US citizen, but I've talking to people from there for about 10+ years. Never heard of it. I believe you are correct, the same as saying the acronym "KYS"

 

[Shaz]

I have never heard of that phrase, though I'm not a US citizen. It does sound similar to our "why don't you take a hike" which is simply an expression that you want the person to go away and leave you alone.

 

[Marquise*]

As a Quebecer, we have this translated saying "Go play in the traffic!" but it is more catchy.

So @Soulrender , your version is the polite euphemism of it. You might had talked to a Canadian. It is still common kids gets their goals in the streets and play hockey in the street and when a car comes, they just walk back with their puck, stick and goals get the car passing and get back in the street. You can't do that in the city and absolutely not in the traffic. It kinda is truely funny image in our head. You are not in our team? Go play in the traffic! Really mature LOL

Also, this is so common that this indie parody of godzilla made many years ago got an alternative of that;

 

[Soulrender]

@Marquise* Just offtopic - did they made more episodes? I totally died from laugh! Where I can watch more of it if they're more episodes

 

[Philosophus Vagus]

As an American who has traveled most of the country and been insulted his fair share I have to say I've never been told to "cross a road" before. Heard take a hike, or hit the road which basically means to go away. Been told to go play in traffic, which is pretty self-explanatory as denoting a desire to see one hit by a moving vehicle. I've been asked why the chicken crossed the road which is always a lead up to a really corny joke, the standard cliche sadly being the best of them but never once have I been insulted or heard someone else be insulted by being told to cross the road...though If I had to guess its just a variation of or perhaps a mistranslation of hit the road more likely than not, which would leave the meaning as you being told to go away or leave them alone, not really an insult in and of itself but potentially insulting dependent on the context it's used in.

 

[Marquise*]

@Soulrender just click on their channel I think they got Mooseman, The Fedex Files and one with dinausaurs also. I also love Caution May Contain Nuts from the APTN too (leaving the off-topic^^.)