8 AMERICAN things BRITISH people find WEIRD
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- The America and Scottish / British cultural exchange series continues with: 8 American things British people find weird. SUBSCRIBE to find out more: / @shaunvlog
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In today's episode, I look at a few things Americans do that British people find weird. It's awesome to see so many people from America who celebrate their Scottish and Irish ancestry so keenly, and come on to CZcams to seek out people celebrating these cultural nuances. You only have to look at the success of the Try channel or Facts channel to see how people love seeing Irish People trying American things for example.
I feel sad that, for our part, so few in Scotland celebrate this amazing connection between Scotland and America, and I want to change that. So to start, here are 10 of my first impressions of America, and then i'll go on to talk about other aspects of us culture from a Scottish perspective.
Follow me across social media by searching for @shaunvlog.
#scottish #american #british - Zábava
Even Americans think the bathroom gap isn't cool!!!
The social art of LOOKING AWAY.
Similar to avoiding eye contact walking the streets of a big city full of loons & crackheads
@@rwbimbie5854 🤣🤣🤣🤣 very true!!!
It doesn't bother me. I never look in and I think most people don't either. It's just the occasional little kid that looks in. Meh.. there are worse things in the world.
In my elementary school it was a heavy black plastic curtian.
I've always hated it. Some enterprising young go-getter should design a thing that covers that space,, something easily portable so you could have one in your purse or backpack and use it whenever you're in one of those awful toilets. Maybe something with Velcro.
When I was stationed in the Middle East, one of our Catholic chaplains was from Ireland, the other one from Scotland. Some of us Americans were talking about the upcoming St Patrick's Day. The Scot said, "I don't understand why you celebrate that holiday." The Irishman said, "You're just jealous because they like us more than you..."
We just wrapped up the local Irish Festival this past weekend. We have as many Scots as Irish participate in the festival. A lot of the other festivals have changed the name to Celtic festival to include everyone.
😂🤣😂🤣😂
Concerning the outlets. The reason you have a switch to turn off your outlets is because your electricity is 240 volts. Our electricity is normally 120 volts. That is a huge difference when it comes to getting electrocuted. We have some 240 volt outlets for heavy appliances such as stoves and window air conditioners but usually the plugs remain in those all of the time, so no need to turn them off.
As a child I was shocked many times from sticking my finger, and even tongue, into outlets. If they had been 240 volts I probably would be dead. As it is I became an Electronics Technician!
@Colin Deal
Thank you for sayin'.
We have on and off switches. They're just on the appliances themselves rather than the outlet.
And newer installations have GFI so you can't get fried by sticking your fingers into places they don't belong
Their appliances have on and off switches also.
@@susanparilis7756 So you have to turn on 2 switches to use an appliance??
As for the "How are you doing?" thing.. Yeah, that is a greeting. But if an American asks you "Are you ok?" that is genuine concern.
I will say this about Americans..When they ask "How are you"?..It is a genuine sentiment.
Xoxxo Bob That is great. I have lived in US for six decades and never noticed that, do tell.
@@alsacrime4806 what rock have you been living under?!
Robert Settle What you are implying is that when Americans ask how are you they are sincere and they listen to the answer. And I wondered, wow, can anybody be that naïve, or are people really that stupid?
Or if you're in Albuquerque it's an insult disguised as genuine concern. Watch for it.
The bathroom thing is hated by all, it ain’t weird, we’re just cheap
No, it really isn't. Only insecure twats like you care. Nobody is going around peeping on others taking a shit. We all do it. Grow a pair, Nancy.
@@dner75-xh9le If you read the experiences of others on here, yes some people DO stare, AND there are twerpy kids who photobomb on people, it's becoming a fad.
If you want to take a nice private dump, do it at home. When you're pooping on someone else's turf, don't complain. In some countries, I have seen toilet paper sold in vending machines that are easy to miss if you go into the public bathroom quickly. Oops! And those squat "appliances" can be tricky for Westerners who are used to being able to sit. As a general rule, it's good to keep your wits about you and to be flexible if you're looking to take a dump in a public bathroom.
-- By the way, the nicest public bathroom I ever saw in the U.S. is at the Mother Church of The Church of Christ, Scientist (The Christian Scientists) in Boston, and they have a 30' diameter glass globe of the earth that you can walk through and experience some acoustics that you won't find elsewhere.
Everyone's different, I know people who can NEVER take a shit in public. Myself, I can handle it when I need to, I have however been walked in on sometimes when the lock on the door is shit and doesn't work.
Mr. Zadir I’m right there with ya
Putting a switch on the wall outlets is redundant for us, since our devices already have switches.
Their devices also have switches.
Ok so saying “how are you” it’s like the equivalent of British people saying “you alright?” as a greeting. When I first met someone from the UK I was so annoyed at her asking me that because I thought she think I must look miserable if she’s constantly trying to make sure I’m alright. I finally asked her and then we had a laugh about cultural differences lol
@Judge Dredd unless you are with super close friends then you go and melt and bawl
I agree! "You all right?" seems very common!
In South Africa they kept asking us "How'd you sleep?" and at first we would actually answer them in detail, til we figured out it was their way to say "good morning".
In America, we're told not to stick a fork in an outlet, otherwise it's open season
And if we've got toddlers crawling around we've got cheap covers to throw on outlets to make sure little Jimmy can't shove something in there. Otherwise it's not really a problem except for stupid teenagers that do something for a dare, and at that point no safety measures you put in place are going to stop them.
Problem is we have so many people eventually someone is gonna do something stupid
LOL exactly!
We're told, but we do it anyway. This explains a great deal about Americans.
It's never a problem after the first time. Even a stupid dog would learn from it.
Shaun, I appreciate how respectful you are to the US. Many non-Americans like to hate on us because all they see is negative things about the US on the news. Keep up the great work man.
A great many Americans are also extremely bad at being able to accept any sort of criticism whatsoever, sad to say.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it :)
Pure class in the best way. Rock on.
I agree with you ZMC. Shaun is very kind to the USA.
@@alisgray people are like that everywhere. i done a fair bit of traveling in my time and no one wants to hear their country or people criticized.
Two Americans meet, one says "How's it going?", the second responds "Hey, what's up?"...they both keep walking without another word.
This is normal and expected behavior, it's like being deeply tongue kissed by everyone you meet in France, or being slapped by everyone you meet in Italy...or so I've heard.
I've always wondered why we bother with words at all. We should just make honking noises at our acquaintences as we pass. 🤣
Same thing here in the South but we pass each other with "Whoowee!" And "Godamighty" and "You like this?"
Duke Dixon 🤣😂🤣 you’re full of shit.... but I like it!
Nice Monster Girl a buddy and I started meowing at each other as a greeting in college.
I was in Germany and ordered lemonade and it was a sprite
That's what Australia is known for. If you want REAL lemonade, you have to get it in the USA.
I did the same in Russia and they brought me a Coke
@@Tapajara
That Minute Made crap that comes out of the fountain, isn't even close to the real thing.
But it's not Sprite.
Limonada means pop or soda in German.
I asked for sweet tea in Canada at a Starbucks. Was not sweet tea.
The bathroom thing is for safety. If someone is in trouble, you'll know immediately.
Also, if there's no toilet paper, you can ask the person next to you to hand you a roll.
Also a handy way for gay guys to proposition each other between stalls (not a joke).
@@ChickensAndGardening True, glory holes are a thing here in America.
Is that what you think?
Idk if it’s accepted here that we let people see you poop for safety. It’s not like they wouldn’t hear some sort of scuffle and you can still see underneath with no gap in the doors.
Yeah no I'm also an American an I'd say thats kinda weird saying hey you i need some toilet paper can you hand it over. Like no i don't think any of us sane guys would do something like that.
Brits: electricity is super dangerous
Americans: hold my beer
More like "hold my ice cold beer"
@@epicgrass12 LOL! true!
Well done! LOL ! " Thats not dangeroud, let me show you dangerous!"
No actual American would let go of a beer just to preform electrical exhibitions.
@@MorrisonScotch excellent point. Now excuse me while I pick my "cold one" up
My husband and I were overseas and needed someone to take our picture. There was an English speaking group nearby and we asked if someone would take our picture. A man came forward and took our picture. My husband said “I appreciate it.” As the group departed, we heard the man mumble to his group, “The least he could have done is say thank you.” My husband was perplexed. In our corner of the world, telling someone that you appreciate their kindness is the same as saying thank you.
Yes! The lemonade is totally different. I spent a lot of time in NZ a few years back and they insisted “this is lemonade” ummm no that is Sprite or 7-Up not lemonade lol
The Chinese greeting of "nee-hau" literally breaks down to "you good?" Essentially "how are you?" So, it ain't just us 'muricans.
Love the shirt. The Tennessee Volunteers got their name from Texas. When Texas was fighting for its independence from Mexico, Texas ask Tennessee for 2500 volunteers. Tennessee sent 30, 000. We have been the Tennessee Volunteers ever since.
@Aleta Harrington Not the name Tennessee. The name Volunteers.
@Aleta Harrington I was also born & rsised in Tennessee. When I was in school, the state they taught me was the name came from the war for Texas independence.
Who cares? He would look better in a UGA shirt....GO DAWGS!!!!
And Texas still appreciates the hell out of Tennessee!
Aleta Harrington Thanks! That was a great read.
I'm an immigrant and I remember whenever someone asked my mom How are you?, she'd go right in and tell you all the ills she was experiencing =)
So, about that “how are you?” business. Just the other day I went to the store and I slipped on ice. I tweaked out my knee, I was limping, it hurt, etc.
I ran across a man in the aisles of the store, he asked “How are you?”. Literally, without any thought, I said “Aw, I’m fine thanks, you?”.
I had just injured myself! I had to hobble home and take the day off of work and everything! But my answer was “Yeah I’m fine 🙂 “. 🤣 🤣 🤣
as an American, WAS EXPECTING TO BE LAMPOONED, refreshing change. enjoyed it.
the Scotts that i have known are very nice
I couldn't live without ice in my drinks. 😂
I'm so addicted to ice I bought a portable ice maker. Now, my dog won't drink his water without ice. He waits.😀
amen
Yeah I’m pretty much the same thanks to you guys 🤣
Me either
I think cold drinks and ice comes from it being very hot at times in the USA. I live in Kentucky which is sort of central and in summer it’s regularly 30-35 degrees Celsius and sometimes much higher. When it’s like that you just gotta have something cold.
The public bathroom stalls here in the USA may be odd/weird, BUT we usually don’t have to pay to use public restrooms! The pay thing was so odd to have to pay to get into and out of the restrooms in the UK when we were there in 1996.
The tax thing is sales tax. It's not displayed because the % of sales tax changes per state. Some states, like the one I live in of Oregon, don't have sales tax at all. For me, that issue doesn't exist.
Yeah but in Oregon they make up for in many other taxes. Like the art tax in Portland.
Not only is there a state tax there can be a city and /or a county sales tax. That is why it is not added or ahead of purchase
Also some items are taxed at different levels. Where I live the tax on alcohol is different from food.
No tax on food in supermarkets in Massachusetts (unless it’s prepared and served to you). But we have lots of other taxes.😊
well, it bothers the hell outta me!! i have to constantly figure out how much something is truthfully going to cost!! 😼
We do the 'how are you' as a greeting here in Australia, too, and it's pretty funny when you're meeting up with a friend and the conversation goes something like this:
A: Hey, lovely to see you, how are you?
B: I'm great, it's great to see you too, how're you?
A: Yeah, good!
[Greeting over - actual conversation starts]
A: So, how _are_ you?
B: Yeah, you know, it's been a tough few weeks at work... etc.
Javiera Scarratt lol the best answer to how are you at least in the Southern US is fair to midlin'. The full blown convo states with how's yer mama'n'em
I thought Australians said "how you going?" instead of "how are you?"
saltyfrog75 Yeah we say a variety of things that mean basically the same thing - 'how ya doin', 'how're ya going', how's it goin'
Try - how’s it hangin?
How are you is a terrible greeting. It's super annoying when you aren't doing well because you know nobody wants to hear that and now you're expected to lie.
In the US there is no Federal Sales tax. The state, county, and city can all put their own taxes on something. That means that there is a lot of variance and that makes it difficult for chain stores to price things.
not all states have tax. Oregon has no Sales tax
@@glasserbuds There is nothing preventing Oregon towns from implementing their own sales tax. Ashland and Yachats have 5% tax on prepared food and drink.
@John Ashtone The city I live in has 12 counties, each county has a different tax rate that ranges from 6% to 18%, that is why I do my grocery shopping in the next state which has no sales tax on anything
#4 When I lived in Ireland, I would often think I was cooking something on the stovetop, only to find I forgot to flip the switch on the wall as well. Aghhhh! 😫
Woah I could never even imagine having to drink a beer that wasn’t ice cold.
Many dark beers like Guinness and other beers from Europe are ment to be drank room temp.
@@ChrisCaldwellO66 Call me a red neck but nothing is better than an ice cold PBR after work.
@@devinreese7704 Interesting info. Yeah I could see your point. I used to be into IPA's but my beer now is really cheap and refreshing so I don't care much about em.
It is just what you get used to. I'm from UK and if I have a can of beer it is not from the fridge as I prefer warm beer. Many people in UK would feel like a load of ice cubes were diluting their drink. I would like the free refills idea though.
@@Phiyedough Woah I think you are wrong about a few things in America. We never put ice cubes in our beer. We keep the cans or bottles in the fridge normally and at bars sometimes they will put their pint glasses in a freezer. The beer on tap is kept cold though too. But beer will never have free refills. Soda will though. Sometimes at bars there is a happy hour at like 5pm and then you can get beers around half price.
We Tennesseans have lots of Scottish heritage. Go Vols!
Joel Collins their is also a story (not sure if it’s true or not) here in Kentucky, where the Shawnee and Chickasaw found the red hair of the Scots and Irish attractive and bred with them.
8Bit Latina very true. It seems like the blended frontier people were always part Scottish or Irish. Where are you in KY?
Most Americans greet someone with "Hi, how are you?" knowing full well that there's a 0.1% chance that the person you ask will lay their problems on you. Yes, most of the time people say, "Fine, thank you", and move on with the conversation. But occasionally someone will pour out their troubles to you, and because you asked, you have to be cool about it. American women handle those anomalous responses the way all women do, with a hug and words of sympathy. American men, respond the way men around the world do to hearing about a problem, we offer advice on how to fix it. Just saying...
Ah. The casual sexism.
@@JenIsHungry I guess that saying males have penis's is sexism to you. Noting typical gender associated behavior is not sexism. Denying a person a job based on their sex is sexism if the job could be done by either a male or a female.
@@JenIsHungry It's the way of the world...always has been, always will be.
When I ask someone how they're doing I genuinely mean it. Am I the only American that genuinely wants to know how random people are doing and want to help if they need or want help?
@@menwithven8114 No, I think most of us care enough that if someone tells us how they are actually doing we will listen.
So the tax thing. In Europe y'all have a VAT tax. This is technically a tax on the seller of the item. We have a sales tax, which is a tax on the buyer. That's why it's displayed differently.
I smiled when you talked about us asking "How are you?" On our first trip to the UK, I had the same reaction when I was asked "You're all right?" It took me aback. I wondered if I looked off in some way, just smiled and replied "Yes thanks, and you?" Then our friends from Devon explained that it's just how folks greet one another. P.S. - I absolutely love the British version of public restrooms, much nicer than here! I was a little taken aback by them being called public toilets and had to force myself NOT to whisper the word "toilet" at first. But after a week, it was old hat. My husband and I love the U.K., particularly the northern counties, and Scotland. We were there on our honeymoon last year and both fell in love. We want to retire there! The natural beauty and the people and all the history are all awesome! Your videos are great, Shaun! Thank you.
The reason why we don’t display the final price is because taxes vary from city to city, county by county and then the state tax. Franchise business would have to print thousands of different price labels for the same item because items cost different because of the taxes. What your asking to have done will be impossible.
Illinois state rate (6.25%)
county rate (1.75%)
Chicago tax rate (1% to 1.25%), and in some case, special rate (1%)
10.25%
@@rwbimbie5854 Not to mention the five states that have no sales tax! Shaun, tell everyone to visit Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon! ;-)
Different cities. Different tax rates.
I didn't know that! Wow, what a rip off for those businesses!
@@bekind6763 How is it a rip off?
You bought a drone in one of the highest taxed states.
Ah he was saying drone I thought he said gun got some reason
He should have bought it in Texas.
Diana Williams nah should’ve gone to NH, no sales tax🙃
Should have bought it in Montana no sales tax
Yep plus it's NY where things tend to be more expensive.
It's great to see how respectful and enthusiastic you are about American quirks. I have great respect for Scotland, specially for her people. While I was stationed in Europe I didn't get a chance to visit Scotland but me and my wife are looking forward to seeing everything y'all have to offer. I'm very interested in your food and historical markers.
Great content 🙌🏾 Shaun!
Shaun: "It's 21 degrees today." Me: tries to remember what that is in Fahrenheit for a second, then gives up and believes him that it's hot.
Roughly 70f so a perfect temp
Omg I did the same thing😂😂😂😂😂😂
Lmao right !!!
For future reference, a quick estimate from C to F is to multiply by 2 and add 30.
70 degrees is hot? I need a light jacket for the two or three days we get of that temperature. Try 105 with high humidity, then you will understand what “hot” is.
I don't think I would consider drinking a room temperature beer
In Germany, back in the day, they would actually put a hot poker in beer to warm it.
a beer's a beer
now, or not ever? when i was in my early 20s I'd drink "cheerleadered" beers without thought. ya know, the ones that were half finished and left on a table. i was pitiful.
Because after prohibition the remaining breweries began to brew a substandard beer made mostly with rice. A great way to cover up flavor is to serve it cold. Our great grandfathers would call, what most Americans consider beer, shite. Thank god for the micro beer resurgence.
@Leonard Chornomaz the malt is made from rice not wheat, barley or rye is all. I assume you buy syrup malt to begin your wort. If not you could cook it down yourself obviously doing that is a lot more time consuming. So most of us home brewers buy the malt syrup it saves time and it is made in a more precise manner. Regardless rice is a lot cheaper than the grains I mentioned above. You have had it if you ever had Budweiser, Coors, Miller or pretty much every beer sold nationally by a major brewer
We don’t know wtf is going on with the bathroom stalls! I’ve wondered the same thing!!
F. Jones With all the nuts running around these days (especially here in So California) the gaps need to be bigger. We've been overrun with homeless, vagrants, drug addicts. I avoid public restrooms as much as possible.
Have kids it will change your outlook on it. You won’t care after that. Lol
I remember hating it and being embarrassed as a kid. Now, it honestly doesn't bother me. It is strange though
I remember back in the 1970s as a kid, I heard stories about kids going into the stall when a guy was using it. In fact, I accidentally did that myself when I was about 7. It might have something to do with that.
@Brenda Chown That's just stupid
There used to be more products with the price printed on the package (way back, before barcodes). Sales tax varies state to state, and some cities have their own additional sales tax. Calculating sales tax at checkout was simpler than each manufacturer creating and keeping track of multiple wrappers for each product.
On point #2, as an American, I can say that I actually hate ice in my drinks, unless it is water.
About the toilet stalls - unfortunately, they got less private because there was an issue with people doing drugs/having sex/doing criminal activities in stalls. It's a precaution. Most people here tolerate the gaps by ignoring the stalls and not looking as they walk past. Looking into a stall would be like a man checking out another man's privates at the urinal. It's not cool.
That's simply inaccurate ... they were never more private than they are today, they didn't suddenly get "less private" because of drug use! what a laughable fiction!!
Well the gaps just aren't that big either. Every channel I watch say its like 6 inches of gap between the doors, NO ITS NOT!
That simply is not true at all. The gap at the top and bottom have been around since before the depression and serves multiple uses chiefly for ventilation and the ability to see if the stall is in use from a distance.
@@dimesonhiseyes9134ell, Im 6 foot 2 inches and have never seen over the top of a stall while walking past. The botton, it barely shows feet and also it helps us to know if the door is closed that someone is actually in there, or its empty with a closed door.
@@justreallybored6014 yup that's pretty much what I was stating, I agree.
1) Bathrooms, you can legit recognize your co-workers and discuss the days event. 2) Ice is life. The US gets extremely hot, even in the north. The colder the the drink, the better. Iced coffee during the winter months is a staple, even in negative temps. 3) Not every states has a sales tax; because each states governs themselves, like a mini country, they are able to dictate their own state taxes. 4) We are work-aholics, not by choice, so people work around the clock. Food and drinks are essential at 3 am, or if you have the munchies...... 6) Sports....will get you killed. You ride or die for your teams. Its personal.... GO PATRIOTS! 7) Lemonade with ice.... OMG! SOOO GOOOOD. We grow so many lemons here. Thank you Florida! 8) "How are you?" Is more so like saying, "Hi, I don't really care about your life, but I'm gonna pretend so you don't think I'm an a$$hole... But most people who do ask, do generally care and want to know.
Agreed!
Overall agree but an especial AMEN! to point #8.
you pretty much nailed it. the people dont like sales tax, and some states go overboard. i moved from california to oregon and after a year im almost used to no sales tax . as to the sports, we really are entertainment motivated. that why we have so many sports, and movies and theme parks.
kevin wallis I hear ya!!!! I legit drive to NH to buy EVERYTHING!!! Taxachusetts sux!
Yeah New York has some of the highest state taxes in the country and if you bought it in New York City the city taxes are added onto that and are high compared to the rest of the country as well
About the "How are you?" normal response is "Good! How are you?" If things aren't good sometimes I will
respond with "Not too bad" or "It could be better" but even then I'm not looking for a conversation, I'm just being honest and brief.
As far as the outlets, it depends on the wiring of the structure. Some outlets are "hot" all the time, while others have independent switches wired to them from a given distance.
After a 2 year study, the National Science Foundation announced the following results on America's ball-related recreational preferences:
1. The sport of choice for unemployed or incarcerated people is basketball.
2. The sport of choice for maintenance level employees is bowling.
3. The sport of choice for blue-collar workers is football.
4. The sport of choice for supervisors is baseball.
5. The sport of choice for middle management is tennis.
6. The sport of choice for corporate officers is golf.
Conclusion: The higher you rise in the corporate structure, the smaller your balls become.
7:00 A lot of the tax stuff is more for transparency so we know how much we're actually getting taxed, rather than having it hidden in the cost of the item. Tax also varies by area, as there can be national, state, county, and/or city taxes on an item, depending on the item of course.
Yep, and if would cost a lot more if McDonald's or wherever had to print different signs for every city instead of just saying "$1 menu" because it could be the $1.05, $1.09, $1.11 menu. It also would mean they would have to change computer registers, when I worked retail we sometimes had to send items to other locations that requested them and that would be harder to do if it were priced differently at the other location.
In the U.S.,there is no national or federal sales tax.they regulate income tax.Sales tax is a different percent per State,and not all things are taxed as food is not taxed in markets but taxes on non food products.
At my work, they actually installed covers over the gaps along both sides of the stall doors. That was definitely our favorite building upgrade ever!
I'm from Tennessee in the USA and I was so delighted to see you wearing a shirt from my home state..all the way in Scotland. TY for posting. Have a great day
We don't think about the bathroom thing. We are in such a hurry. We do our business and move on.
True
I’ve heard British & Australians are shocked we heat water for tea in the microwave- is that true? Guess I don’t see why making tea in the microwave is shocking lol. We do it every morning. 😂
Public restroom gaps are the least of my worries. Clean? Paper? Door latch work? I've worked in some industrial situations where there's 6 toilets and 500 guys using them. What's privacy?
About the electrical outlet. 110v doesn't arc very much. 220v arcs quite a bit and the arc can burn you and burn up the prongs on the plug.
Dang it now I have to calculate Celsius to Fahrenheit? 21 x 1.8 + 32 = 69.8 a little warm.
Sports? I'm a New Orleans Saints fan why wait for the season to open lets start hating the Atlanta Falcons now.
I'm a Texans fan...see you in week 1 of the regular season my friend
#gotexans
I think our sockets have built in safety's. You could literally spray some of them with water and it's fine. But maybe that's not his concern. Might be the device was accidentally left on, and it might be fatal if pluggins it in with the power on? Depending on what it is.
For us females it can be worse. We have more stalls than you guys and imagine walking past and accidentally seeing a blood filled tampon coming out of a vagina. That is very gross and will scar you for a lifetime.
I live in Tennessee! Thank you for your kind words and criticisms about the US. Very insightful perspective! :D
I love that in the UK you guys will genuinely answer the question "how are you?" I agree that sometimes it's nice when you don't want to say how you're really doing or to speed the conversation up. However, I think that it enables us to be superficial and unable to communicate our emotions.
I also found it interesting to know that the light switches in the UK to turn on the electricity are for safety. Anytime I've visited a European country, I've just assumed that the purpose was to conserve energy. As a kid though, I don't recall the importance of safety with electricity being stressed. The only safety lesson I still remember is stop, drop, and roll.
Hi, Shaun. About the taxes...in America because each state has its own state tax, but each state is further broken down by counties and each county has its own taxes, then there is also every city has its own city tax as well...now the reason they don't include tax in advertised prices is because you might have two retail stores both selling the same product but are separated by a few miles and a county line but the cost of that product may be less in one store because the taxes are less in that area, well the federal government has said that taxes will not be included in advertised prices as a way to give all retail stores a chance to compete equally in the retail market. Its all about promoting a capitalist market.
Yeah but this is a weak excuse. The person selling the item knows the final price after taxes and could just as easily post that price. We should switch.
jayteegamble Because companies might launch a nationwide or statewide advertisement for a product to cost a certain amount - $1, $99, etc. That’s what people expect to see in stores. It would be weird to walk into one store and that $99 item costs $110 and a few miles away it costs $105. It’s probably less to do with being able to calculate it than it is marketing. It’s not rocket science to estimate what the final cost will be. I can do it in my head in about 5 seconds.
@@trylikeafool not just that but it would be a nightmare to try and do any sort of promotion... Like... 2 for $3 coupon? That would be impossible to do as you would need to make a separate coupon for literally every city, county, ect and those coupons could only work there... And it would be a logistic nightmare for signage and such...
Its neither week nor is an excuse. Its a fact. If companies couldn't match or beat a competing company's price they would start losing customers to their competition in the next county so how long would it take them to decide to pull out of their communities that their in order to stay in business and when the community loses those businesses then they lose revenue from those lost taxes and they lose jobs for local people who then have to struggle to provide for themselves and their families. Everyone is effected by those lost taxes. No its better that taxes are not included on the advertised price. What is not being said here is that in the U.K. and Europe is that they have a flat sales tax and do not have all the different taxes for various states, counties, and cities that we Americans have to pay. @@jayteegamble
Sales tax can also be different in a certain PART of a city. There can be an additional ‘entertainment district’ (or similar) tax of say, .01%, at restaurants or stores only in that area. Also, often times a city may increase sales tax for a specific number of years to help pay for a stadium or something like that after residents have voted on it.
I would love more privacy in our public bathrooms!!! 😭
@Keith Meehan hahahaha
Now imagine if you were a guy and had to pee next to somebody with no walls, barriers, etc? Privacy is nonexistent in that situation.
Keith Meehan sad that I didn’t think it was sarcasm cause I’ve heard stupider 100% real comments like this lol
Last one about “how are you”...explains a lot! I said hi, how are you to a British family at Disney and they talked for a long time. It was nice but I was like *awkward
Yes! The bathrooms! When we traveled to Iceland and London I could not get over how amazing the toilet doors were!
Note to self: Do not ask people in Britain "How are you doing?" They will tell you.
Ya, doesn't go over well going deeper than "good or fine".
I like living the dream. But I see that both. Good dream or nightmare lol
If I ever get to go to Britain that is first thing I'm gonna ask, how interesting the conversation will become.
@@LyraKeltica61 I used to work at world market and we had this British dude come in and I said that to him and he unloaded his whole day on me. Kinda weird but he was a cool dude.
Tennessee girl here! Love the shirt. Just got back from my first trip to Scotland and loved every minute of it. Highlands were beautiful! Loved Edinburgh as well! I hate the bathroom gaps as well.
We go out of our way to not go around looking through the cracks. My favorite store is Fred Meyer because the have completely closed stalls.
Leticia Barnes that’s right. NEVER look through the gaps, you are a creeper if you do.
in winter we drink warm coffee in summer we drink iced coffee its almost like we adjust to our seasons!
Yes, we have "sales" tax added by the state to the cost of items and the amount of tax varies from state to state. However, here is a tip... Don't by anything you don't have to in big cities, especially New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, etc... It always very expensive. Try and find smaller cities and do your shopping there if you can.
Much of it goes by state, so to avoid high state sales taxes, avoid states run by Democrats.
I couldn't imagine not having ice cold drinks, i even take the lid off of my fountain drinks so i can sip from the top where the icy goodness is lol
When I was in Asia, a British woman told me she found it odd when Americans say "What's up?" Apparently it's not a thing in Britain.
A French friend saw me and said "How do you do?" I laughed. She said "What should I say?" I told her we usually say "How's it going?" or "How are you?" or something like that. "How do you do?" would have been from some textbook fifty years ago or more.
Great video. When i was little I was taught that asking how someone is doing is part of polite conversation , that normally people will just say that they are "well" or "good" so if anyone ever does say things aren't going good to at least give them some encouragement.
First: Love the UT jersey,
-GO VOLS!!!-
Second: Next time you’re in America, get away from NY,
drive thru our heartland, like TN., youll love it!!!
And God help you if you believe ANYTHING a New Yorker has to say about Tennessee because all we are to them is a fly over state. You want to know about Tennessee, come to Tennessee. And whatever you do, don't ask us about New Yorkers. We might tell you.
Maryann Anderson nothin but suit wearin’ yankee snobs, New Yorkers. (Spoken in the most southern accent you can think of) **spits tobacco juice**
@@maryannanderson7517 Bless their hearts ;) LOL
Nah he has to stay away from NYC. Come to upstate in the Adirondacks. You’d swear it was a different state 😀
Come tah New Yawk! FUGGADABOUDIT!!!! Gotta ride the subway, though. Compare it to the Tubes!
Everyone is here talking about taxes, bathrooms and electricity while I'm just thinking "carbonated lemonade sounds gross."
It's kind of like Sprite, but without the lime-ness.
It's 7-Up, not what you would consider lemonade. Americans make the best lemonade. The French have citron presse, but home-made American lemonade can't be beat. In California where I grew up we had a Meyer lemon tree and lime tree in the backyard. I made tons of strong, fresh lemonade - when I was a kid I put tons of sugar in, now less. With lots of juicy lemon bits and add a little lemon zest...nothing is more refreshing.
@@KD-vb9hh Emm your lemon aide sounds almost like mine except I mix the zest with just a little sugar and twist the ice cold glass in it, Kinda like the salt on a margarita glass
Jesus Zamora Carbonated lemonade is delicious, especially with a shit of frozen Stohli! 🍸
Check out Boylan's Sparkling Lemonade sometime here in the US. It's pretty good, IMO. :)
Regarding the electrical plugs: US wall plugs have only half the voltage of UK plugs. It will shock you, but it won't kill you, unless you are in the bath. US plugs in bathrooms have fuses to mitigate the whole shocking death thing, though that may vary by state. Building codes are very much a local thing. In Texas, electrocution is probably common, maybe even mandatory. No so much in New York.
You left out baseball, the national pastime.
Absolutely love your perspective, so fresh and enlightening, also amusing and entertaining.
Just found you and watched several videos. And subscribed! It's fascinating to hear comparisons of cultures from someone who has experienced both. I'm from Dallas, Texas, and I'm not sure you've visited here, but I'll be looking out for any mentions. This was indeed a great find this morning!
1. Bathrooms - we are used to it and intentionally avert your eyes.
2. Cold drink is important, because of heat and ice is optional if cold enough.
3. Tax - you must have never been to Canada! LoL their VAT tax is like 15+% on top.
4. Electric plugs - we often hide the locations where stuff is plugged in because it's unsightly to us. Sometimes we have wall switches.
...And, on the plugs, a very important part of child-proofing your house is plugging plastic caps into sockets that are not being used.
Summers much warmer in US. Wall Drugs 100 miles - free ice water!
Do these Brits have no idea there are on/off switches on the appliance themselves?
Children don't avert their eyes. I can't tell you how many times a child has stared me down from the crack in the door!
Idk about the north bc I don’t travel too much but most restaurants in the south iced water is always free. U can go into anywhere and just ask for an ice water.
In America, if you serve your beer any warmer than 29° F, you're gonna get a bad review.
One time I asked for a Guinness in the famous Oak Room at the Plaza Hotel, NYC. The bar man poured it in a frosted glass! He was annoyed when I complained.
Robert Ewalt I’m American and love warm dark you can’t see through beer.
@@davidallan6250 I love Guinness too, but it's gotta be cold. My ex-son-in-law is a brewmaster, and he brews his own beer and he brewed a porter that is mouth watering delicious.
As well you should.
*if you serve domestic yellow beer any warmer than 29º*
porters and stouts are better at around 45º and barleywine at around 55º
Love this! Great insight and a very nice forum. I think I would very much like to visit Scotland one day, such nice people and a beautiful land.
I've gone back and forth across the US a couple of times and it seems to depend on the state, how public bathrooms are made. Some states are much more private than others. It can also depend on the company or franchise. Don't buy anything from NY - LOL! The taxes are crap! I've lived here since I was 5 - lots of us are leaving! Where I live here in central NY - we have so many different types of jobs that are 24 hours, it's wonderful to be able to jump to the store 7 miles away at 2am for whatever might be needed!
"How are you?" Is basically a polite "hi' - an acknowledgement of the person.
Go to the doctor, he says, “how are you?” Do you answer, “Fine, thanks. And you?” Or do you answer, “My blood pressure is still too high,” or whatever the issue is?
@@robertewalt7789 Depends on if you are passing your Dr. on the street or are paying him to tell him what's wrong with you You might want to stick around and tell him more if you are paying him for a service.
@@robertewalt7789 I would say "fine, thanks and you?" Normally when I go to the doctors it's for a check up on my blood work and that's about it. If I feel like I have a serious problem I'll go straight to the hospital.
I recently, here on CZcams, made a comment that said something along the lines of me saying "How are you" is just emphatic. I hate it when people actually tell me how they are.
A girl got so upset and called me cold and callus lol
Dental Tech to me: how are you
Me: not so good.
Dental Tech: awesome!
Yup- really a conversation I had.
We don't add the tax because we want to know how much tax we're paying. We believe in transparency on taxation. We don't really like doing the math in our heads, but we want to know the portion of our purchases that the government is keeping.
In the states it's common knowledge to know and calculate the tax in our head, so we don't really feel taken advantage of. Different states have different taxes. NYC is super high.
You can just Google it lol.
Times I've been inconvenienced by not knowing post tax price are infinite, times I've been inconvenienced by not being able to see our tax rate at a moment's notice are probably in the negatives.
I think in canada they show the taxes and the price of the item on the shelf tag. Pretty useful. Although the fact that taxes vary by states, and all states are receiving the same product might make it difficult. Not sure on this one. That being said. I would love to know the full price for the item I'm paying for upfront.
Yet, our USA fuel prices are all lumped together so we don't know how much the gas vs tax really is.
Sorry but ...in Canada the tax is NOT lumped in with the price of your purchase! We have gst (federal) and pst (provincial) there are plenty of lump ins tho..eg beer and cigs and gasoline are taxed up the wazoo
As a man from Knoxville Tennessee (home of of the University of Tennessee Volunteers) I really love that a Scottish man in England is wearing that shirt. Thanks for the support.
The first "How are you?" is rhetorical. If we ask again in the same conversation, then we want to know how you are actually feeling.
Definitely refreshing to hear a European give an honest take on the US and isn't just totally trashing us. Nice
I thought the same thing. A very positive video.
He's not European he is better. He is SCOTTISH!!
By GOD!!!
Scots are the nicest most polite people I've ever met.
@@lionhartd138 I would have to agree with that. I had a little trouble in Ireland and even in London with some of the locals being pretty vocal about their dislike of Americans. But, to be fair, I was there because of the military, and I kind of understand the feeling of a lot of Europeans when it comes to our country's foreign policy. But still man, don't shoot the messenger lol. I was really surprised at how nice the Germans were too. Don't really know why I thought they wouldn't be, but they were incredibly nice and helpful too.
Most people that make the videos never really bash Americans in my opinion.
Add raspberries and Strawberries to your lemonade or lavender or vanilla. Dude I am a lemonade fiend.
Sherilyn Lum-Alarcon yes lavender 🌸 mint is lovely, too. Or rose syrup
@@user-re4kc9on6f ever sweetend your lemonade with maple syrup? Try it.
@@alisgray Ooh never tried that, I'll have to give it a go.
Vanilla or strawberries for me. Yum.
Pomergranate here, or raspberries.
I have just recently found your blogs!! I love them!!
Yes I would rather have more privacy in the bathroom.
I noticed that I had to pay to use every bathroom in the uk...
Dylan Lorenço and they literally set up operations catching people pee
Actually, that was pretty common when I was a kid..right here in America..
@@timinla64 Must be a regional thing. I've never come across it here in the midwest.
Bullpucky never had to pay in in New England
Dylan Lorenço The ones I remember were at interstate truck stops in the early to mid 70’s. Specifically, Union 76 and Gulf truck stops in the mid-west. I remember putting a dime in the mechanism, or crawling underneath if I had no change..pretty nasty
You might be interested in the "Arnie Palmer" drink. A %50 / %50 mix of Lemonade and Tea.
Cory Smith That's big in South Carolina.
Tea and sprite is good too.
Our family loves that drink
Cory Smith You forgot to mention how awful it is. At least it is here in Southern CA. 🌴
In texas we just call it half and half
Agree with your comments on lack of bathroom privacy. I also thinks it's weird when other people select a stall right next to me----as opposed to an empty one farther away! About the American "how are you?", I think people mean it as a "friendlier hello". :) I am probably more British on this point! I tend to use it as deeper than just a greeting.
“Hey how ya doin” is basically my default nonchalant greeting.
Our outlets run at half the voltage of yours. Safety isn't as big a concern. For the few things that do run at 220, safety precautions and special outlets are in use. From our perspective, it seems odd to use 240 volts to charge a cell phone.
I used to wonder why we didn't just use a higher current in the US, but I've come to realize the lower one is actually enough, and it's considerably safer too. In the UK the government enforces more electric safety precautions - special plugs required, no outlets or wall switches allowed in bathrooms, etc - but per capita there are a lot more accidental electrocutions in the UK than there are in the US. Higher voltage is simply more dangerous.
@@bentleyr00d Exactly. It takes effort to die at 110 volts. Not so much at 240 volts, because they run the same 15 amps on household lines.
And for _years_ lamps were sold without a plug, because they had competing outlets! Death by electrocution used to be a major cause of death in the UK.
You can have your finger in between the prongs of a US plug as you're inserting it into the socket. It'll shock you, and you'll move that finger. But it won't kill you.
WIN: USA!
Especially now that we're moving towards LED lights and flatscreen TVs. The only thing that need that much power are stoves and dryers, and they have special plugs. That you don't move or change very often.
In Argentina I got electrocuted with a 220 v. The bathroom floor was wet, I was barefoot and plugged in the hair drier - no safety switch there, but a piece of the wire was bared - stupid, I was a teenager - and my hand happen to be on that bared wire. Thankfully my grandma heard me scream and she pulled me away with a wooden broom. That was scary crap right there!
I think 50Hz would be slightly more dangerous than 60hz too. The closer you get to DC the more dangerous it is. From what I studied in school, I believe 400hz is the safest. I was told DC current will travel straight through the center of your body and the higher the frequency, the more it will travel on the surface like on the skin or outer part of the body so not to affect nerves and organs as much.
I got zapped by a 240 volt once and I felt it in my heart. It was quite painful!
You like cold drinks and lemonade?
Make some lemonade, take some ice, put it in a blender and make it a slushy. Your welcome
add tequila/triple sec = Margarita !!!!
@@KindCountsDeb3773 You are such a lush.😂
you mean "you're welcome". And - you're welcome ( sorry. ( not sorry ) ).
VeRONica Secret
That’s what I meant. We all got to suck at something, for me it’s keep my yours & you’re straight
Great video! I feel like you've earned the right to point these things out because you've said so many really nice things about us!
I enjoyed hearing your opinion on the different things. Specially about the ice and also the lemonade.
Tax differs by state. And in some cases by county and city. Your mistake was buying it in NYC. In Delaware, there’s no sales tax. In West Virginia, there’s no sales tax on most food items. I live where there’s about a 6% sales tax. We don’t like it, but hey we are used to it. Just a part of life!
I understand having the tax but why can't the tax be calculated and added TO the price tag before putting the tag onto shelf/item? I'm quite sure the tax does not vary from day to day/month/quarter. As a tourist it gets very difficult when traveling your country and wanting to purchase things. For us Aussie's the tax, GST, is added BEFORE it goes on the shelf. When you're counting pennies when shopping at least you'll know how much you've spent before hitting the check out and no surprises.
Carol, I think it is important to know how much the state, county, city, etc. is hitting you with. Election Day ...you remember.
We wouldn’t mind if the tax was already calculated into the price on the shelf, but it’s something we are so used to that I don’t think there’s anyone pushing for it to change.
As other people have said, sales taxes vary depending upon which state, county, and city you happen to be in. Different levels of government get different amounts, so the amount the buyer pays can vary even in cities that are right next to each other. If the sales tax was added onto the price tag, companies would have to make separate tags for the same product that they sell in different locations rather than just tag them all the same and let the individual store add the appropriate amount of sales tax at the cash register.
@@grandmasmagic3858 I prefer to see the product cost before the tax in order to make certain the tax is calculated correctly and they aren't jacking up the cost. Also, look on many products and there is a MSRP that does not include tax. Since each state (and even cities) calculate sales tax at different rates the MSRP can remain the same without having to adjust for sales tax.
69° is hot!? 😂 come to the south in July! Over 100° will feel 115° with humidity!
I know, right? People freak out here in Miami if it gets below 70.
Perfect weather!
Sacramento and throughout the central valley be 100+ degrees on the regular in the summer. Some days might get over 110 but its a dry heat feels like your getting fried by the sun, they say it beats humidity lol
I agree completely with the weird bathroom gap! I live in the midwest and I got to spend two weeks in Scotland in 2016 and the first thing that stood out to me after landing in Glasgow were the bathroom stalls! 🤣 Why don’t we that here!? Our only option is to awkwardly avert our eyes every time a public restroom is used. Super weird.
WOW!!!!! Just came across your channel and I’m LOVING IT! I think you make really good and professional videos that have really interesting topics keep up the work man I’ll be catching up on your videos
Howdy is the rhetorical version of 'How do you do?'...an explanation isn't required.
Howdy do
Rhetorical no it's common in Texas (outside the cities) ESPECIALLY in College Station Texas
@@heimerblaster976
Even in the cities... Born and raised in Houston.
@@AtomicSquirrelHunter I live in Houston as well it's meee 70/30 it depends on the circles you hang out with. MOST people without a Texas(southern) accent tend NOT to say Howdy.
The gap is there but for me, in 30 years, nobodys ever cared to peek thru. Its mostly a mind thing.
I don't mind the gap tbh. Makes it easier to tell if a stall is empty or not if the door is closed.
The gap is off-set as far as the position of a person sitting on the toilet providing enough privacy for the short time people are actually using the facility most want just get in do their business and get out. If the door is locked or you see shoes at the bottom of the stall it's occupied, no big deal.
Woot Tennessee shirt! my home state!
Hey, I see quilting paraphernalia in the background! Love your videos. Now I want to see your quilts, LOL.
3 minutes and 17 second before he gets to the first item on his list.
Americans are also impatient
@@southwestxnorthwest I completely agree
Brits babble. They're impressed with themselves.
Why are you trying to fuck up the dudes watch time?
@@southwestxnorthwest ikr, and they complain a lot!
Quick, polite, efficient (and surface). That is American. We will be more deep and open, but that is reserved for family and close friends.
That may vary regionally, mind you, like so many things. :)
@Duke Of Prunes I've never actually been to either place.
When I went to London in 1984, I tasted what was labelled in the British shop as lemonade. It tasted like a carbonated lemon lime beverage sold in the U S under the name of 7 UP
My ancestors came to the US from Scotland. Definitely have a special place in my heart and I hope to visit one day.