Which word do you typically use for carbonated soft drinks?

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Pop (Great Lakes/Upper Midwesterner), unless I'm in formal conversation.  In that case, I'd probably use "soft drink" or "carbonated drink/beverage."  I only use Coke if I'm referring to the Coca-Cola brand--I don't genericize it (and believe me, I hear it a lot; it's not just a Southern thing.)

[Oldiesfreak1854]

the idea of having my mtn. dew referred to as coke

Now that is a bizarre idea, but I've never heard any one do that.  I've yet to order a coca-cola and hear the waitress ask, "is Mountain Dew okay?"  It seems that Pepsi is mainly what they're pushing.  Someone earlier in the thread said that any cola might be called "coke."  I think that's what I've heard as well, but I've not heard the term applied to Fanta, Mountain Dew, Mellow Yellow, etc. 

Same here.  A lot of folks where I live genericize Coke to mean any sort of cola (like Pepsi, RC, or a generic brand).  I rarely hear it used as a generic name for any other type of soft drink.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

the idea of having my mtn. dew referred to as coke

Now that is a bizarre idea, but I've never heard any one do that.  I've yet to order a coca-cola and hear the waitress ask, "is Mountain Dew okay?"  It seems that Pepsi is mainly what they're pushing.  Someone earlier in the thread said that any cola might be called "coke."  I think that's what I've heard as well, but I've not heard the term applied to Fanta, Mountain Dew, Mellow Yellow, etc. 

Same here.  A lot of folks where I live genericize Coke to mean any sort of cola (like Pepsi, RC, or a generic brand).  I rarely hear it used as a generic name for any other type of soft drink.

That has to do with a lot of places really only having Coke or Pepsi and not both from the Cola Wars. Usually in Wisconsin you get asked "is Pepsi ok" if they don't have it.

That's what typically happens in Michigan, too.  Someone will order a Coke at a Pepsi outlet and the waiter/waitress/cashier, etc. will ask, "Is Pepsi all right?"  That really irritates me for some strange reason.  I try to know beforehand whether I'm going somewhere that has Coke or Pepsi products so I can phrase my order accordingly. 

BTW: Did a lot of places have both Coke and Pepsi before the cola wars?