I am old enough that for the majority of my life checks have been the normal way to pay for things.
America's Quirks noticed by Non-Americans
- 07/11/2011 06:55:22 PM
2581 Views
Wait, in Europe they leave soap on dishes to dry?
- 07/11/2011 08:25:33 PM
1688 Views
It's very regional. They always do that in that other country where they are insane. Like denmark. *NM*
- 07/11/2011 09:18:26 PM
818 Views
I had to ask one of the Brits I worked with about that one
- 08/11/2011 04:48:11 PM
1494 Views
I can't even imagine not rinsing them. Like you, I didn't realize anyone did that? *NM*
- 08/11/2011 04:55:33 PM
805 Views
Depends on how much washing-up liquid you put in the water.
- 09/11/2011 08:13:51 AM
1220 Views
I don't think it's different.
- 09/11/2011 04:30:58 PM
1383 Views
It isn't. I was going to say exactly the same thing about the laziness and "soap."
- 09/11/2011 05:42:44 PM
1470 Views
*NM*
We are talking about washing dishes by hand, right?
- 09/11/2011 06:50:09 PM
1295 Views
Yes. And here's the difference between what you do and what I do:
- 09/11/2011 07:08:06 PM
1305 Views
EWIE!!! I can't imagine eating soap with every meal... That can't be good for you. *NM*
- 10/11/2011 01:48:16 AM
824 Views
Who are these weirdos who say Americans write checks to pay for things?
- 07/11/2011 08:27:24 PM
1516 Views
The problem with these things is that you always get the entire US answering them
- 07/11/2011 09:32:07 PM
1394 Views
I'm guessing everybody who's been to the US outside NYC, then. 
- 07/11/2011 09:42:10 PM
1334 Views
- 07/11/2011 09:42:10 PM
1334 Views
No pretty much everywhere in the US people use plastic 99% of the time *NM*
- 08/11/2011 12:31:49 AM
863 Views
This totally depends where you are.
- 08/11/2011 12:57:11 AM
1542 Views
Once again, that isn't what they were talking about
- 08/11/2011 01:29:19 PM
1513 Views
You know I worked in a store, right?
- 08/11/2011 01:49:36 PM
1402 Views
I repeat: I have NEVER seen someone pay by check in a store since 1989. *NM*
- 08/11/2011 01:56:59 PM
833 Views
I know you travel quite frequently, but I'll refer you to Paul's comment above re: New York. *NM*
- 08/11/2011 02:10:36 PM
903 Views
I spent 1990-1999 in the South, you know. *NM*
- 08/11/2011 02:46:19 PM
759 Views
I knew you'd gotten around.
- 08/11/2011 03:06:20 PM
1483 Views
I would call one to two checks a week pretty rare
- 08/11/2011 06:28:59 PM
1334 Views
Which is still more often than places that never use them.
- 08/11/2011 06:58:30 PM
1483 Views
- 08/11/2011 06:58:30 PM
1483 Views
Oops. This is Jen. Don't start attacking! Eep. *NM*
- 08/11/2011 06:59:09 PM
825 Views
Always good to see couples know each other's passwords 
- 08/11/2011 07:19:18 PM
1415 Views
- 08/11/2011 07:19:18 PM
1415 Views
I think I know it, but I actually was accidentally in his account. He put the computer down.
- 08/11/2011 08:08:45 PM
1379 Views
Yeah but I think I've seen maybe two in my LIFE
- 08/11/2011 07:44:10 PM
1402 Views
I guess it is all relative
- 09/11/2011 06:27:17 PM
1297 Views
*I* at least was mostly thinking about rent checks. But yes, I've seen it in stores too.
- 08/11/2011 09:47:58 PM
1382 Views
so paper checks are history in ???
- 08/11/2011 10:51:01 PM
1320 Views
Belgium. *NM*
- 08/11/2011 11:13:22 PM
774 Views
Rent checks. Utility checks. *NM*
- 07/11/2011 10:47:58 PM
1008 Views
Exactly - instead of automated bank transfers. *NM*
- 07/11/2011 10:50:39 PM
809 Views
They still do this in Britain too.
- 08/11/2011 01:13:52 AM
1386 Views
What's weirdest about British rent...
- 08/11/2011 09:48:43 PM
1539 Views
Re: Who are these weirdos who say Americans write checks to pay for things?
- 08/11/2011 05:52:19 PM
1323 Views
I pay the chiropractor with a check. He doesn't have a card reader and I never have cash.
- 08/11/2011 10:56:47 PM
1270 Views
Can you buy alcohol in the US at any time?
- 07/11/2011 08:41:41 PM
1400 Views
Oh, I can explain beer pong to you.
- 07/11/2011 09:19:46 PM
1342 Views
- 07/11/2011 09:52:48 PM
1407 Views
- 07/11/2011 09:52:48 PM
1407 Views
In most countries of Europe you can too, to my knowledge... as long as the store is open.
- 07/11/2011 09:43:47 PM
1367 Views
I t varies ste to state or even county to county and city to city
- 08/11/2011 12:35:27 AM
1412 Views
We can turn right on a red light too
- 07/11/2011 09:48:38 PM
1545 Views
Really? I thought that was unique to the US.
- 08/11/2011 12:34:14 PM
1642 Views
The French can do it too.
- 08/11/2011 03:34:39 PM
1328 Views
The French are shameless; first they stole our national colors, now this. 
- 09/11/2011 01:19:47 PM
1394 Views
- 09/11/2011 01:19:47 PM
1394 Views
That's mostly Italy, France is not so bad.
- 09/11/2011 08:02:51 PM
1251 Views
That makes sense, but I have heard horrible tales about French farmers in trucks.
- 09/11/2011 10:24:01 PM
1188 Views
Cops
- 08/11/2011 06:31:08 PM
1312 Views
It is important to distinguish between cautious and combative attitudes.
- 09/11/2011 02:24:43 PM
1530 Views
If there's a green right-turn filter light, then you aren't turning right on a red at all . *NM*
- 08/11/2011 03:33:36 PM
793 Views
. *NM*
- 08/11/2011 03:33:36 PM
793 Views
It's not a light. It's a sign of a green arrow
- 08/11/2011 03:47:22 PM
1311 Views
But it's a light that goes on and off.
- 08/11/2011 06:02:48 PM
1272 Views
Yes, a permanent sign.
- 08/11/2011 06:18:26 PM
1287 Views
Ah, I see. We don't have those, so I thought you meant something different.
- 08/11/2011 06:47:23 PM
1277 Views
For me, the strangest thing is the phrase "could care less"
- 07/11/2011 10:43:54 PM
1468 Views
In fairness...
- 07/11/2011 10:50:13 PM
1531 Views
I think that's just a case of it being said too quickly and slurred too much
- 08/11/2011 02:14:14 AM
1331 Views
"you have another thing coming" and "it all goes well" grrrrrrrrrrr
- 08/11/2011 10:19:27 AM
1478 Views
Your last question, and a variation of it, was my recurrent thought while reading the list.
- 08/11/2011 12:38:53 PM
1399 Views
that is really what stood out to you the most going from Australia to the US?
- 08/11/2011 04:45:21 PM
1309 Views
It's "couldn't care less" in America, or at least it is in the part where I live. *NM*
- 08/11/2011 06:01:50 PM
716 Views
It's couldn't care less everywhere- some people just say it incorrectly. *NM*
- 08/11/2011 06:09:08 PM
765 Views
*NM*
Interesting about the flag.
- 08/11/2011 04:16:12 AM
1347 Views
I wonder how much of that is American and how much is European culture.
- 08/11/2011 12:53:15 PM
1361 Views
More like "we tend to equate respecting a flag with liking a country"
- 08/11/2011 01:57:26 PM
1454 Views
Part of it is, as Joel notes, a general European trauma that isn't shared by some.
- 08/11/2011 09:56:22 PM
1480 Views
Because my husband lived in England and has family there, I knew some of these. BUT...
- 08/11/2011 12:42:07 PM
1451 Views
It varies here, it's certainly not unusual to have a space between.
- 08/11/2011 10:00:38 PM
1509 Views
Huh. Only ever saw those holes in the ground in Belgium. and had to pay to use them.
- 09/11/2011 03:28:35 PM
1383 Views
I've never seen them in Belgium - nor in France outside highway parkings, to be fair.
- 09/11/2011 08:05:09 PM
1354 Views
When I was in England we saw way more flags than we typically see in the US.
- 08/11/2011 01:32:47 PM
1432 Views
So many fat people.
- 09/11/2011 01:19:24 AM
1536 Views
We do have high calorie intake and low inclination to exercise. *NM*
- 09/11/2011 01:26:40 AM
776 Views
That's half-true
- 09/11/2011 02:09:48 AM
1343 Views
I think there was a Family Guy episode about this.
- 09/11/2011 02:27:07 PM
1428 Views
Re: I think there was a Family Guy episode about this.
- 09/11/2011 02:33:18 PM
1438 Views
Ah, that makes a difference.
- 09/11/2011 03:05:44 PM
1327 Views