Only in America

Zombie_Babies · Mar 7, 2014

goldomark said:
Did they have taximeters? I was confused and afraid to get swindle as in the Netherlands you negociate your the fee before you get into the cab.

I think there was but I can't remember. All I know was that it cost about 45 to 50 euro to get anywhere we wanted to go.

Honestly, though, when we traveled by cab we typically went pretty far. Anywhere from where we were on Corfu to anywhere else was a hike and on the mainland we only took a cab from Athens airport to the Athens Gate hotel - a decent distance.

Zombie_Babies · Mar 7, 2014

nerfherder said:
Yes, that stood out to me when I first went to Gencon.

Just a note: Gen Con is hardly a representative sample.

Dioltach · Mar 7, 2014

Only in the US is a polo shirt considered acceptable business wear.

Tonguez · Mar 7, 2014

"Y'all" - remember meeting a girl who used the word "Y'all" in a natural way and exclaimed "wow thats the first time I've heard that from a real person

Amish - I've visited Pennsylvania

Cheerleaders - yes they stand out as very American

Commercialism - lots of advertising, billboards and signage

Canned food - the variety of things that came in cans suprised me (eg canned cheese only went on sale here 2 years ago)

Drive by shootings - yes saw one whilst visiting in Compton

.

Homicidal_Squirrel · Mar 7, 2014

Tonguez said:
"Y'all" - remember meeting a girl who used the word "Y'all" in a natural way and exclaimed "wow thats the first time I've heard that from a real person

To be fair, its pretty strange in parts of the U.S. to hear that. I live in Miami, and I have rarely heard anyone say "Ya'll." When I have, it's usually from out of state people.
Years ago when I worked at a movie theater, I had some guy who was going to watch a movie ask me where he could get some "tars." I had no idea. He kept on telling me he needed four new tars. Finally I realized he was asking about tires. Why he would ask someone working in a movie theater where to get tires I have no idea.

Cheerleaders - yes they stand out as very American

It must suck to watch sports outside of the U.S.

Canned food - the variety of things that came in cans suprised me (eg canned cheese only went on sale here 2 years ago)

What's canned cheese?

Drive by shootings - yes saw one whilst visiting in Compton.

You were in Compton, and you only witnessed one? Consider yourself lucky.

nerfherder · Mar 7, 2014

Zombie_Babies said:
Just a note: Gen Con is hardly a representative sample.

True, but I never saw so many obese people at Gen Con in the UK.

nerfherder · Mar 7, 2014

Bullgrit said:
What other things -- *things*, not actions, thoughts, beliefs, etc. -- do you non-Americans commonly see in American TV/movies/photos that aren't common (or existant) in your own country?

Soup & Salad restaurants.

I thought it was weird, until I ate in one and enjoyed it.

sabrinathecat · Mar 7, 2014

nerfherder said:
Yes, that stood out to me when I first went to Gencon.

Yeah, but that was a con. There's a thing with typical sci-fi fans around here... And people who eat "Farm-sized" breakfasts even when they don't work like old-time farmers.

Anyway, Con-goers aren't typical US citizens.
On the other hand, yeah, it's become a lot more noticeable in the last 25 years

Kramodlog · Mar 7, 2014

Dioltach said:
No you don't, there's a taximeter in each cab.

(That's not to say that there haven't been problems with taxi drivers swindling or threatening their fares, but that isn't the norm.)

Was I that high or did it change since I was last there?

Zombie_Babies · Mar 7, 2014

Tonguez said:
"Y'all" - remember meeting a girl who used the word "Y'all" in a natural way and exclaimed "wow thats the first time I've heard that from a real person

We say it 'round these parts to poke fun at those what actually say it in them other parts.