The United States attracts many visitors. For example, in 2019, over 79 million international tourists came to the country, making it the number-three most popular choice, behind only France and Spain.
But whether we're talking about natural parks or busy cities, there are some "unwritten rules" that everyone should know. And that includes travelers, not just locals. So it pays to do your homework.
For our first assignment, let's go through the comments under a post on the subreddit r/AskAnAmerican, where a now-deleted user asked people to share these customs.
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Do not cut in line. We are not British, we won't just shake our heads and mutter under our breath. Americans will absolutely start a fight over line cutting. It will become a whole big thing, people will film it on their phones, and boom! There you are all over [internet], getting beat up because you couldn't just wait your turn in line for a few minutes
Internet? The original says "Reddit". At least acknowledge when taking content from other sites. Edit: For those confused, I am talking about this specific image where they replaced the word "Reddit" with the word "Internet".
Don't wear the red hats.
Actually we prefer they wear them. It helps us identify who the easily duped morons are.
The word c*nt is lot more offensive in the US (and Canada) than in other English-speaking nations. Don’t use it casually
Also calling someone a pedo. I see that a lot in British tv and movies and of course it’s an insult, but here it has serious implications. If you call someone that, you truly mean it and it can get someone beat up or attract the attention of law enforcement. It’s never said as an offhand comment here.
That whole trespassers will be shot thing is not a joke
Since someone commented: What, nobody ignores fences? LOL. Yeah, no. They do. They also ignore no-jaywalking signs in other places.
The price marked on the shelf does not include taxes. What you see is not what you pay.
Except in Oregon! I just moved here a few months ago and was pleasantly surprised to find that there is NO sales tax on anything! The price on the shelf/sticker/menu etc. is what you actually pay. It's pretty sweet
21 is the Legal Drinking Age. Don't try to reason convince the bartender that it's 18 back "home". It's not that they're being difficult just to be difficult. Their jobs and possibly the liquor license of the establishment (which is super extremely incredibly crazily difficult to get in some places) could be revoked over something as small as this.
I visited the US at the age of 18 and saw a girl my age take a sip of beer from her older friend at a concert. She was led outside. I turned to my bf and said, "This feels crazy to me. Back home I would be legally allowed to buy alcohol and drink myself to coma at the age of 16 and here I couldn't even take a sip if I wanted to." Not that I think it's a great idea to sell alcohol to 16-year-old. It just felt crazy.
Don't dine at a sit down/table service restaurant and not tip just to make a point.
Not the way things are done in your country? Great! Part of the fun of travel is experiencing other cultures. You should embrace the opportunity to experience our primitive way of life first hand.
The fact is that it's not just the 'culture' but it's also (mostly?) the fact that servers and waitstaff SURVIVE on those tips because of screwed up laws allowing food service businesses to pay them super-low wages (like $2.00/hour).
Back in my MMO days a scottish friend of mine went to Atlanta once and called a black guy 'boy'. I guess you just call people boy in Scotland?
Yeah but do not call black people boy. Its perceived as racist / talking down to them and its a good way to get in a fight. Especially in the South
Yeah, as a black American, I can tell you that calling a black man "boy", however innocent it may seem, can cause some problems. Best to avoid it.
Don't take selfies at memorials honoring the dead.
I just about threw up from all the selfie sticks at the world trade center memorial in NY.
NEVER pass an unloading school bus. When those stop signs flap out, you've got to wait until those little crotch goblins get off the bus until you even think of moving again. Whether it's hitting a pedestrian child, getting a nasty ticket, or just the absolute looks of disgust you'll warrant, it won't be worth it.
Yes! Many tourists may not realize this, but it's very important. Traffic on both sides of the street must stop when a school bus flashes its lights and the stop sign on the side of the bus pops out. This is to ensure children's safety.
In the UK, people just get on an off buses (children included) without needing any fanfare and it's all quite safe. Don't get me wrong, I'd stop for the idiots who clearly lack any road sense, it just amazes me that a country can have this on one hand, and shooting guns as soon as you're old enough to hold it on the other.
Load More Replies...Seems like a particularly good idea. Traffic stopping for students. 👍
There are also "School zones" where the speed limit goes down to 20 mph when the light is blinking.
That's good to know. We have had school zones in Australia (or at least Victoria) around every school for about 10 years, where the limit changes to either 60km on a highway or 40km on all other roads. We have also had to make areas where there is a shopping strip on a busy road that gets a lot of foot traffic the speed goes down to 40kms. It can be annoying, when you know it is because people have been hit when walking across the road wherever they want, even though there is a crossing less than 10m away. Even after fences/barriers have been installed along the median strip to discourage this! Better safe than sorry, but it is annoying that it would not have had this change if people did the right thing.
Load More Replies...When a *school* bus stops and displays its stop sign, it is creating a temporary crosswalk for those children. The children have right of way. No one can see around a 13 foot high bus or predict what a six year old will do, no matter how many times that child has been taught to properly cross. So we wait. For everyone mentioning divided highways, in New York State, you have to stop even if there's a median and you're on the opposite side of it. Local regulations vary.
I think most people are trying to avoid "Crotch Goblins". Sounds like a f*cking venereal disease.
I was in a car with someone who "forgot because she doesn't drive a lot." People were yelling at her from all directions.
If there is no median between lanes, both lanes must stop. If there is a median, the other side isn't required to stop but most do. Some kids have to cross. When my kids were riding the bus, I would wait for all the kids, then block the traffic so the kids crossed safely. Most drivers were fine with it
You have no idea how many people just ignore our flashing red lights and stop sign, or honk at people who do stop, it makes me so angry. I load and unload as fast as I can but so many selfish A-holes just don't care.
It's a good idea. No matter how much children are taught how to safely cross the road it's easy to be distracted especially when they're excited to get home from school 😊
This is the only entry that makes sense. The rest are silly and common knowledge.
We have this for trams in Melbourne, where you have to stop a certain distance behind a stopped one and can be fined if you don't. Weirdly this isn't a law for busses, there is just a warning to look for passengers before overtaking. Maybe because tram stops are in the middle of the road whereas busses often have a bay in front of the stop and even if not, the stop is on the footpath?
Having lost a relative on such reckless pass, I wish this were done in other countries as well…
Even though I think your response was a joke, it doesn't always work. Hence the reason for flashing lights, bars that swing out (some school buses have them) and stop signs that flip out. My husband drove a bus and had a few stops on a busy road. He'd angle the bus so cars would have to at least slow down to get around him. He was always hyper intent on watching for cars. One day he had a car speed past the bus on the right side, into the yard where the little boy and his grandmother were standing. She saw it coming and got them out of the path. The driver never stopped, didn't slow down, just kept going. So, no, the lights, signs etc. don't always work.
Load More Replies...The one exception to this is if you are on a divided road (i.e. one with a raised median). Then, you are not required to stop (the bus actually has to stop on both sides if necessary). Sadly, a lot of drivers in Texas didn't get the memo, and I have often been stuck behind cars on the other side of a median, or (even worse) had a bus driver lose their s**t on me when NOT stopping because I was on the other side of a raised median.
and thank GOD that is the rule! i have to cross a very busy road when i get off the bus and there are always at least 10 cars on each sidde that i would have to walk through while they were moving if they didnt stop
some americans have trouble with this actually. thats why the rule is so strict.
??? You mean in other countries people just drive around the buses??
Yes. In NSW, school buses have flashing lights on the back indicating you have to slow down to 40kph to pass by.
Load More Replies...They taped people passing stopped busses and shamed them on the local news. Made a young schoolteacher cry. Imagine how she'd react if she smooshed a kid.
When did crotch goblin become an unironic synonym for child. We don’t refer to dogs as fleabags, why insult children
Because they ARE crotch goblins and semen demons. Get over it.
Load More Replies...It is a stop sign that shows up in a strange location that people from other countries wouldn't think of looking in the fist place. It is not common for a stop sign to pop out on the side of a vehicle.
Load More Replies...Wait, do people in other countries just blow by stopped school buses and run over the kids?
It's more that in Europe people can drive competently and kids aren't completely simple for the most part. They're generally capable of performing tasks like getting off a bus whilst cars pass on the otherside with no fanfare
Load More Replies...well, I could not find any statistics on school bus accidents, but found numbers of kids using firearms,
Maybe also don't call random children just going about their day 'crotch goblins'. It gets frowned upon
Is this for real? Am I missing something? does it not stop at the side of the road so the kids can get down on the damn sidewalk? then why stop? do you expect kids to just run across the street where there is no crossing sign? So you just have to sit in your car for how long? the buss leaves but the kids will still be on the sidewalk... the apparently brain dead crotch goblins can run in the middle of traffic at any point and anywhere. Do you have to stop at any moment you see a kid on the sidewalk? or it's ok to run them over when they go insane and jump in traffic if the is no buss around...
There are no sidewalks in most places in the US. The US has more acreage per capita than Africa, and I assume you wouldn't expect there to be sidewalks in the Serengeti. Most of the US is out in the country. Yes, children are just let out onto the side of the road. Yes, sometimes the children have to cross the road to get to their house once the bus stops, and there are no cross walks out in the country, either. The bus doesn't move until the children are across, letting cars know that it's not safe to drive yet. I think you're being a bit quarrelsome when you ask if people have to stop whenever they see a child walking next to the road. Nowhere does the post say that, it specifically talks about what happens when a bus is stopped. Yes, cars stop and wait behind the bus. It only takes a couple of seconds, and it means not running over a child
Load More Replies...Where would you like them to cross the road, David, If not in front of or behind the bus?
Load More Replies...Definitely not in the EU nor UK, overtake buses at will. They have however priority when re-joining traffic (when indicating left in EU, or right in UK, you cannot overtake), that may be what you thought of?
Load More Replies...I'm so sorry our endeavors to protect chlidren offend. (EDITED: I am really sorry for being a bit*h. That was uncalled for. I apologize. I'm leaving it up as a proof I'm owning it. And I'm really embarrassed by it.) Kids do not always obey what they're taught, for one, and for two, who said they're jaywalking? You get dropped at intersections.
Load More Replies...Don't complain that taxes aren't included in the price. I know it's annoying, but the poor souls who have to work retail didn't set U.S. tax policy.
If you're driving and get pulled over, DO NOT get out of the car. Roll down your window and wait for the police officer to walk up to your car. Keep your hands visible (resting on the steering wheel).
Absolutely. They will think you are coming after them with a weapon or something (which of course does happen). I made the mistake of getting out once and got his gun drawn on me pretty quickly.
Don’t f**king use racial slurs. Good lord, I work in the service industry with lots of people from China and they’ll just say the N-word with the hard R (or just s**tty racist stuff in general) and will be confused as to why people get pissed off.
While America’s race relations are strained at best, it’s completely unacceptable to voice your racist opinions in public. If you choose to do it anyway, you will be completely ostracized - and any people who are accepting of it are probably s**tty racists themselves. Yikes.
The Chinese guys may have been using the Chinese word “那个” instead of the N word It sounds similar but there’s absolutely no connection
Treat wildlife with respect, you will see it everywhere and it is generally dangerous or can kill you.
Dont try a selfie with a Bear or Buffalo
There's 330 million of us. Saying something like "I heard Americans like/dislike," is almost always going to be met with a grain of salt/resentment
Don't talk down to people in service industries. They work for the company and not for you. They are not servants, and they deserve respect and decency
Don't go to dangerous neighborhoods because you saw them on TV.
Not a foreign visitor, but a naive friend from Colorado came to visit in California and wanted to see the gangs on Crenshaw in South Central L.A. because he'd seen it on some cop show.
Yeah, no, we're not driving through the 'hood so you can take pictures of the thugs and poor people. He's a Latino guy, too, so the last thing I needed was someone thinking he was cruising and looking for a fight.
Smell bad. It sounds like a joke, but Americans are really unaccepting of any type of BO. We (probably) won’t actually say anything to you, but we will automatically dislike you.
I spent a bit of time abroad with people foreign to the US
Pointing is VERY rude! My one friend (from Thailand) would always point to people when speaking about them. It was just very uncomfortable and I didn’t realize it was part of the social structure here until she was doing it everywhere lol. Don’t point at complete strangers and talk about them, you may end up starting a fight
The American South, while known probably to some for being racist, is VERY VERY big into politeness and manners.
Generally do things like hold the door open for others, a cashier may ask you “hi how are you” just answer “good, how are you?” Or “I’m okay, how are you” but whatever you answer remember to return the ask. Always say please and thank you. If you make eye contact with a stranger give a smile and a nod. Unless they say hi, then say hi back. I also tend to end conversations with people by saying “have a good one” if meeting somebody (more of a professional thing) when shaking hands, let the person who initiated the handshake introduce themselves first.
Also Americans tend to be very friendly and will strike up conversations with people, don’t be afraid to chat, just don’t bring up politics
I am so damn tired of ya'll bashing the American south about racism. We can be talking about fried chicken and you all can still somehow manage to bring up racism. We are talking about manners and the first thing yall bring up is racism. We are not all racist and we are tired of being labeled as such. We do have some racist people down here, but so does every place on the planet.
Don't sit around for hours in a restaurant after eating. The wait staff get fussy
Americans are about personal bubbles. If you're a stranger, keep an arms distance when conversing with an American. If you are familiar with them, keep an elbows distance. And lastly, unless you are extremely familiar with them, do not touch except for a handshake. We're like the Swedish, but louder.
Goes double for braids/dreadlocks/spikes. DO NOT EVER feel someone's hair. Don't even ask. It's crazy rude here.
Don’t try to make it cross country in a day. Especially during extreme weather
"Especially during extreme weather"? As if it's some remote possibility otherwise but the weather makes it a 0%? It's more 2700 miles. Even driving for literally every single second, "cross country in a day" would require an *average* speed of around 115 miles per hour - that number goes up with stops for gas, food, toilet breaks, etc. The Cannonball run record - i.e., the stupidly illegal trip undertaken by people pouring significant resources into it (at least in the modern attempts) is 25 hours 39 minutes. Literally no one has ever done that in a 'single day.'
You can buy alcohol in any store in town but you will get the long d*ck of the law if you open that puppy up in public
If you are driving, don't forget that you can make a right turn on a red light, and if you get pulled over by a cop, being friendly/respectful can go a looooooong way
When pulled over by a cop, roll the window down and keep your hands on the wheel where they can see them. Be polite. I would go as far as saying “my license/registration/insurance” or whatever they are asking for are “in my wallet/glove compartment” etc, “may I reach out and get those?”
Restaurants and stores will take your cards. I know, it is weird. You lose sight of it. If you do not want that to happen have cash prepared.
We Americans love foreign visitors and we will pepper you with questions, ask about your language, culture, almost really intrusive questions. Some might even try to relate to you on some level because we Americans are taught that the United States is a melting pot and we all have distant relatives in other countries. For the Irish, English, Scottish, and German; do not be shocked or offended if an American says "Oh! I'm insert heritage too!"
If you said 'I have Irish heritage too!' there wouldn't be an issue. The fact that you mostly say it as 'Hey, I'm Irish too!' is the offensive part. You're not Irish. You're American. Your great-great-granddaddy was Irish. (Edit: Changed 'English heritage' to 'Irish heritage' as people really seem to be misunderstanding what I'm saying and this is the only thing I can think might be tripping them up)
For the love of god please just go the speed limit, and NEVER stop in the middle of the road no matter where you are
In America is best to think of the speed limit as the slowest you can go without being a nuisance.
A few from personal accounts of people I know.
Do not think it's acceptable to bribe someone in authority. It's not even a joking matter in the U.S. I grew up in a country where it was an unwritten rule that these things could be "negotiated" and there were tell-tale signs to know whether said authority was open to it.
Coworker of mine knows a guy (comes from a European country where this is common place) that was in the U.S and had to be escorted out of a shopping mall because he cat-called a group of girls... who also happened to be underage. Yeah, that's a no go here. Maybe it will be tolerated at a night club, but in public? You'll likely face repercussions. It's just not culturally acceptable. (Note: that's not to say it doesn't happen in the U.S - as I know it's a problem in a lot of major cities).
Note: this post originally had 76 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
So, to summarize this entire thing: be a nice person, don’t get hurt/sick, and always be polite to cops. That’s really all you need to know bout Murica. (We’re not all horrible people; there’s just a lot of idiots)
Basically, and given what I've seen when I travel outside the US, that sums up humanity. Not all horrible, but a lot of idiots!
Load More Replies...Gotta love how BP loves to s**t on America for being ignorant/backwards/selfish/whatever, yet complain about our customs and will insist on using their own even if it's rude.
Only overly sensitive people think that BP loves to s**t on America. BP does have a habit of repeatedly posting articles about hos America is "different"... but that isn't s**ting on.
Load More Replies...Don't abuse animals, be kind to other people, don't vandalize monuments, don't fight the cops? Do Americans think other people have a habit of doing those things in other countries? This article is pure b******t.
It’s a Reddit thing. There are certain comments people always post because they know they’ll get upvotes. It’s irritating and part of the reason I don’t go on Reddit anymore.
Load More Replies...As an American, I have to point out that none of the things mentioned here are universally true in every part of the country. The US is bloody huge, and we tend to identify with the part we live in: New England, Mid-Atlantic, the South, the Midwest, and so on. In New England, we tend to move and speak quickly. In the South, they're exactly the opposite; they stroll and drawl. Different areas have different values as well, and different cultural norms. Think of the US more like the EU, that is to say, a group of somewhat disparate, but somewhat similar countries and cultures.
To be honest, I don't want to visit the US that much. A wild country with too many civilian firearms for my taste.
The thing about the South... South means Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, South and North Carolina, Mississippi. We do love people. But there are still parts segregated. My best advice is ask a local where not to go. They will tell you. We want you to get back home safe. I can tell you now.. too keep your car gased up. Don't travel alone if you can help it in big cities. Stay away from cherry st area in knoxville tn. Not all are bad there but it's not friendly unless you know someone who lives there personally. Don't f*****g touch wild life or try to capture a picture of a bear. Admire it from an distance. In Codes Cave loop in the smokies....keep driving. Don't stop. It's 11 miles of a loop rd. If you want to take pictures park in the designated areas and go walk. Please for the love of God pull over and allow faster traffic to pass you when you can if on a two way highway. Don't litter. No matter where you are in the world don't litter. Th
I lived in Florida a general rule is if you see it Confederate flag maybe not the place to be. One thing they didn't mention about the south is a lot of people prefer to be called Sir or ma'am it's just considered polite. When I moved up North with this habit people thought it was rude they said I'm not that old.
Load More Replies...Tbh, I'm surprised bribing police isn't a huge thing in the US. Everything is about money, politicians accept huge bribes (but call them donations or lobbying), but police won't accept it. It's quite amazing.
Ordinary people (including police) aren't that shady. It's the people in power who love bribes.
Load More Replies...So, as far as I understand, US people are.... people, but I don't really understand why they think in other parts of the world we don't use common sense like chewing with the mouth shut, don't bribe, respect flora and fauna and everything else apart from including taxes to the final price.
You're triggered by things like "don't litter." Sit tf down.
Load More Replies...I'd like to edit #74. Do NOT try to crush a woman's had if you happen to shake hands with her. I've dealt with that macho BS all my life and now that I'm old AND have arthritis in my fingers, I'll let out a rebel yell and possibly deck you if you squeeze my hand too hard. Just sayin'...
These fall into two categories: 1) Be a decent f*****g human being (animals, racism etc.). 2) Be prepared to be confronted with our moronic laws re: healthcare, firearms etc. I have yet to feel any inclination to visit the US at all.
Then don't. Shockingly, foreign countries are different; if you want things to be exactly as they are where you live, why leave? :/
Load More Replies...Funny how much I learned from this. I've lived in the inland west of the US for my whole life. I've traveled a lot, but never been east of Wyoming. As far as I'm concerned, the Eastern or Southern US is just as foreign as Timbuktu. Those people are weird.
Yes a lot of these people tend to generalize America as one big place but someone from the south can get culture shock going to the north same East versus West.
Load More Replies...This list should have been cut in half lol most of them are repeated and the others are common sense.
no. 1: glad my health ensurance has warrancies that cover for me if I get sick abroad
"Don't litter." Great idea, but we can't even get our fellow Americans to stop littering.
Do you guys know that America is a whole continet, don't you? From what I read you are probably talking about the US and Canada that are only one part of America.
Maybe it's my imagination but lately most of the topics or articles come straight from Reddit.
I agree - but please, people, can we just stop this "y'all" sh!t?
Load More Replies...Here is a DO: You can pretty much ask any stranger for help and they will be glad to help you. Need directions? Can't find something in a store? Want to know how much to tip? Need the nearest public bathroom? Literally ask anyone above the age of 12 and not only will you get a straight answer, but they'll be delighted that you asked.
They could have cut out the nearly identical/ repetitive posts on several topics and shortened the entire post. The redundant posts were ridiculous. It's sad that there wasn't better options given for the posts. Like maybe, don't wash your feet in public toilets here, they're far too disgusting and don't be afraid to ask some people to take pictures of you and your family or friends, you can usually tell who may be polite enough to do this. Common sense plays the biggest role as it does anywhere you go.
I have always wanted to visit America in the future when money is available but the more I read on BP I do not think I will, no, never.
There are also the non fiction programs on TV, but many on BP do not like facts or peoples personal feelings, they can not cope if they do not agree. Think I will start marking down everyone I do not agree with
Load More Replies...So, when I travel, I'm meant to, as an American, be seamlessly integrated into whatever nation, but nobody visiting the US should... be polite? Use common sense? Someone at BP make up their minds what the standard is, or just admit to the double standard.
You have some reading comprehension skills to work on. This article is specifically saying that people visiting America SHOULD change their behavior to properly fit in.
Load More Replies...yeah, the stopping behind a school bus that is unloading children... what a horrible country we live in!!!
in my country we do not have school buses. everyone lives in a walking distance of a school or else they use normal public transport. so there is no need to have specific rules for school buses. the whole traffic does not stop for one bus staying at a bus stop. We only have a rule that if you see a bus is giving a turn signal saying it is leaving the bus stop you should give a precedence so that it is not stuck there, but I feel like this is more a courtesy than a low, but I am not sure
Load More Replies...Why is your skin so thin? How do you see this as an attack? Do you spend your whole life being defensive? That must be tiring.
Load More Replies...So, to summarize this entire thing: be a nice person, don’t get hurt/sick, and always be polite to cops. That’s really all you need to know bout Murica. (We’re not all horrible people; there’s just a lot of idiots)
Basically, and given what I've seen when I travel outside the US, that sums up humanity. Not all horrible, but a lot of idiots!
Load More Replies...Gotta love how BP loves to s**t on America for being ignorant/backwards/selfish/whatever, yet complain about our customs and will insist on using their own even if it's rude.
Only overly sensitive people think that BP loves to s**t on America. BP does have a habit of repeatedly posting articles about hos America is "different"... but that isn't s**ting on.
Load More Replies...Don't abuse animals, be kind to other people, don't vandalize monuments, don't fight the cops? Do Americans think other people have a habit of doing those things in other countries? This article is pure b******t.
It’s a Reddit thing. There are certain comments people always post because they know they’ll get upvotes. It’s irritating and part of the reason I don’t go on Reddit anymore.
Load More Replies...As an American, I have to point out that none of the things mentioned here are universally true in every part of the country. The US is bloody huge, and we tend to identify with the part we live in: New England, Mid-Atlantic, the South, the Midwest, and so on. In New England, we tend to move and speak quickly. In the South, they're exactly the opposite; they stroll and drawl. Different areas have different values as well, and different cultural norms. Think of the US more like the EU, that is to say, a group of somewhat disparate, but somewhat similar countries and cultures.
To be honest, I don't want to visit the US that much. A wild country with too many civilian firearms for my taste.
The thing about the South... South means Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, South and North Carolina, Mississippi. We do love people. But there are still parts segregated. My best advice is ask a local where not to go. They will tell you. We want you to get back home safe. I can tell you now.. too keep your car gased up. Don't travel alone if you can help it in big cities. Stay away from cherry st area in knoxville tn. Not all are bad there but it's not friendly unless you know someone who lives there personally. Don't f*****g touch wild life or try to capture a picture of a bear. Admire it from an distance. In Codes Cave loop in the smokies....keep driving. Don't stop. It's 11 miles of a loop rd. If you want to take pictures park in the designated areas and go walk. Please for the love of God pull over and allow faster traffic to pass you when you can if on a two way highway. Don't litter. No matter where you are in the world don't litter. Th
I lived in Florida a general rule is if you see it Confederate flag maybe not the place to be. One thing they didn't mention about the south is a lot of people prefer to be called Sir or ma'am it's just considered polite. When I moved up North with this habit people thought it was rude they said I'm not that old.
Load More Replies...Tbh, I'm surprised bribing police isn't a huge thing in the US. Everything is about money, politicians accept huge bribes (but call them donations or lobbying), but police won't accept it. It's quite amazing.
Ordinary people (including police) aren't that shady. It's the people in power who love bribes.
Load More Replies...So, as far as I understand, US people are.... people, but I don't really understand why they think in other parts of the world we don't use common sense like chewing with the mouth shut, don't bribe, respect flora and fauna and everything else apart from including taxes to the final price.
You're triggered by things like "don't litter." Sit tf down.
Load More Replies...I'd like to edit #74. Do NOT try to crush a woman's had if you happen to shake hands with her. I've dealt with that macho BS all my life and now that I'm old AND have arthritis in my fingers, I'll let out a rebel yell and possibly deck you if you squeeze my hand too hard. Just sayin'...
These fall into two categories: 1) Be a decent f*****g human being (animals, racism etc.). 2) Be prepared to be confronted with our moronic laws re: healthcare, firearms etc. I have yet to feel any inclination to visit the US at all.
Then don't. Shockingly, foreign countries are different; if you want things to be exactly as they are where you live, why leave? :/
Load More Replies...Funny how much I learned from this. I've lived in the inland west of the US for my whole life. I've traveled a lot, but never been east of Wyoming. As far as I'm concerned, the Eastern or Southern US is just as foreign as Timbuktu. Those people are weird.
Yes a lot of these people tend to generalize America as one big place but someone from the south can get culture shock going to the north same East versus West.
Load More Replies...This list should have been cut in half lol most of them are repeated and the others are common sense.
no. 1: glad my health ensurance has warrancies that cover for me if I get sick abroad
"Don't litter." Great idea, but we can't even get our fellow Americans to stop littering.
Do you guys know that America is a whole continet, don't you? From what I read you are probably talking about the US and Canada that are only one part of America.
Maybe it's my imagination but lately most of the topics or articles come straight from Reddit.
I agree - but please, people, can we just stop this "y'all" sh!t?
Load More Replies...Here is a DO: You can pretty much ask any stranger for help and they will be glad to help you. Need directions? Can't find something in a store? Want to know how much to tip? Need the nearest public bathroom? Literally ask anyone above the age of 12 and not only will you get a straight answer, but they'll be delighted that you asked.
They could have cut out the nearly identical/ repetitive posts on several topics and shortened the entire post. The redundant posts were ridiculous. It's sad that there wasn't better options given for the posts. Like maybe, don't wash your feet in public toilets here, they're far too disgusting and don't be afraid to ask some people to take pictures of you and your family or friends, you can usually tell who may be polite enough to do this. Common sense plays the biggest role as it does anywhere you go.
I have always wanted to visit America in the future when money is available but the more I read on BP I do not think I will, no, never.
There are also the non fiction programs on TV, but many on BP do not like facts or peoples personal feelings, they can not cope if they do not agree. Think I will start marking down everyone I do not agree with
Load More Replies...So, when I travel, I'm meant to, as an American, be seamlessly integrated into whatever nation, but nobody visiting the US should... be polite? Use common sense? Someone at BP make up their minds what the standard is, or just admit to the double standard.
You have some reading comprehension skills to work on. This article is specifically saying that people visiting America SHOULD change their behavior to properly fit in.
Load More Replies...yeah, the stopping behind a school bus that is unloading children... what a horrible country we live in!!!
in my country we do not have school buses. everyone lives in a walking distance of a school or else they use normal public transport. so there is no need to have specific rules for school buses. the whole traffic does not stop for one bus staying at a bus stop. We only have a rule that if you see a bus is giving a turn signal saying it is leaving the bus stop you should give a precedence so that it is not stuck there, but I feel like this is more a courtesy than a low, but I am not sure
Load More Replies...Why is your skin so thin? How do you see this as an attack? Do you spend your whole life being defensive? That must be tiring.
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