by Even as an American there are things that I come across every day in the US that just surprise me. So when Redditor Spiritual-Vorth6348 asked people to share the generally accepted “American standards” that the rest of the world strangely, I was curious how other countries view our standard practices. This is what they shared.
1.“Remove your credit card when you pay a restaurant account. My European colleagues thought they were being scammed when they first came across this practice! In most countries they bring the card reader to the table.”
Person who places a card on a restaurant account, next to a phone on a table
—Jessieay
“I am Canadian, and my mother and I went to Vegas. The day we arrived there we went to eat in the hard rock cafe and the waitress took my mother’s card from her; my mother thought we were being robbed and my sister, who traveled a lot to America, reassured her.
However, it is so strange. In Canada we simply use our bank card, choose our tip percentage on the machines and we pay there. None of that writing of your tip about the reception sun. “
—Kittyquts
2.“The age of the responsibilities of adults is 18, but mature privileges are 21.”
—Svalue-risico-5918
“I can hire myself, have sex, buy a car, buy a house, get insurance, get married, work, travel everywhere, wishes, legally buying and possessing long guns, plastic surgery of my choice, piercings, getting tattoos, adopting animals, voting and being drawn up. But I forbid a damn cigarette.”
—Frostingtop1146
3.“Unpaid maternity leave.”
Person in a ribbed pregnancy dress that gently cradles with their belly and stands by a window
—Uwnowncouple
“The maternity leave that is super short, such as six to eight weeks.”
—Charlotteraedrake
4.“Cancer bankruptcy.”
—Dinkanddrunk
“Our finances are fucked. I have had cancer for two decades and our oldest daughter had about four years of cancer. We are only paid once a month, and that is another week away. I just undergone surgery a few weeks ago and I fear the bill for our deductible/copay.
Cancer sucks life from you, because it also sucks away every dime. I just can’t believe that after all wise financial decisions we have made consistently, we are about ruin. And I can’t work, so I feel that I am just a parasite about the means of my family. “
—Snobananas7856
5.“Do your own taxes.”
Calculator, Pen and the 2023 US Income Tax return form with financial documents and a paper clip
– Stateofyou
“Doing your own taxes, then getting a bill months later because you missed something. If damn, if you know the amount, send me an invoice and I pay it.”
—Pimpfriedrice
6.“Insurance denies medical treatments.”
-POT POSSIBLE-MIJ
“I needed a jaw operation, and various insurance claims were refused because they had the feeling that I only did it for cosmetic reasons. An agent suggested that I wanted a symmetrical jaw line to be more attractive for men, because I was in terrible pain, lived by my face, lived in a liquid det and strangled.
The hospital came in to help, and everything ran out, but that fight lasted six months. “
—Coolart61
7.“Three of the four TV commercials are prescription drugs.”
A group of people perform in a comic skit on a farmer’s market environment. One person holds out a block with the “Velvredred.”
—Eiffel-Tower777
“I am American, and I think it’s strange as a fuck. I always smile when they say there is a possibility of death while she shows the happiest family. I know they have to do it legally, but it’s still funny.”
—Bit_in_The_ass
8.“To work while you go sick and the possibility to be fired for taking a sick day.”
—Whichrhiannonami
“While I am fever in bed, hoping that tomorrow I will be better for my service because nobody can cover me.”
-MaximumView3828
9.“The price on the shelf differs from the price at the point of sale.”
Price tag on red leather bag shows color as “600 red”, style number “HBR9683,” Group “Sunday drive” and selling price $ 67.00. Barcode included
—Feel-the-avocado
10.“Go in massive debts for education.”
– Nomadicalally Sedentary
“And then the wild interest rates associated with study loans!”
—Awaymethrew4
11.“Associations of homeowners.”
Street view of houses with neat lawns and driveways under a clear sky
—SouLloftheuniverse
“Ah, yes, let me pay a membership costs for Debbie to bully me at the peak of my grass.”
—Birdo3129
12.“American standard measurements.”
– All modern
“Feet and inches are archaic. The metric system is all base 10. Americans share something by 12 or 3,000 something. As a construction worker, I see the failure of this daily. I also think we use much more fractions than necessary. Give me a nice decimal or a smaller unit than an inch.”
— Lethargicbanana2467
13.“I am American, but I wanted to add that saying the promise of faithfulness with our hands over our hearts and looking at the flag was weird afterwards. Every school morning I had to do that.”
Children in a classroom stand with hands over hearts and look up. An American flag is visible in the background
—Otoguynofoelya
14.“Primary schools regularly do active shooting exercises.”
—Adventurous-depth 984
“I will never forget the day that I picked up my (then) kindergarten, and she told us that they have learned how they could hide from the very bad men. She is now in high school and has a legitimate fear of a shooting at school. My heart breaks.”
—LNC_5103
15.“Strange, what I am most fascinated about are the big drinks they get to take with you?
Four people with big drinks in a supermarket, with a focus on the central person in an informal T-shirt with a yellow drink
—Wonderful_corgi5500
“Most people don’t do shopping often, so you get the biggest juice that you can do so it takes. It takes me at least 20 minutes to drive to the nearest supermarket, 30 minutes to the actually good, so I don’t want to pick up more milk every three days.”
–Ererditsuperman
16.“Writing month/day/year for dates. Although I have lived here for more than two decades, I still have to find out what a date in the US is.”
– Speeding Pullet
17.“Storage units. We have some of the largest houses on earth, but still need room for things.”
Open storage unit with boxes, a bicycle and tools visibly inside. Closed units with orange doors are on both sides
—False-Impression8102
18.“I always thought it was strange that Americans faint with the thought of nakedness or a curse word, but still not an eyelid on images of extreme violence.”
– yellower
19.“Heartily, ice cream in drinks. Why, Europe, why do you hate cold drinks?”
Person in glasses drank ice coffee from a plastic cup with a straw, with an informal white outfit
– Storeboughtebutter
“I recently had a work trip to the Netherlands. I had to get ice from the bartender in the hotel bar. They thought I was kidding when I said American hotels had ice makers on every floor.”
—Bravehamster
20.And finally: “One of the biggest problems is that it is legal to buy politicians.”
—Southern-effect-6499
Which generally accepted American standard do you find strange? Let us know in the comments or fill in this anonymous form.
NOTE: Some reactions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
