Cultural differences really make waves. For instance, while the United States and the majority of Europe belong to the Western world, the two are still an ocean apart.
Redditor Comfortable-Use6239 asked everyone on the platform to name the things they believe are normal on the Old Continent but horrifying in America.
In less than a week, they have received nearly seven thousand replies. From tipping to the size of parking spaces, continue scrolling to see which have gotten the most attention.
#1
Female nipples on TV and social media? We can’t grasp why the USA is so fixated on censoring them. Violence and death are shown without issue, yet the female nipple is taboo. It seems the influence of fear-mongering religious groups still holds sway. It’s absurd.
Image credits: digibeta
#2
Not tipping.
Image credits: West_Reindeer_5421
#3
Drinking alcohol in public spaces. In many European cities, it’s perfectly acceptable to enjoy a drink in parks or on the streets, while in the U.S., it can lead to fines or legal issues.
Image credits: Fuzzy_Bus458
#4
Minimal air conditioning.. Europeans tend to rely less on air conditioning even in warmer weather.. many Americans, used to blasting AC, might find it uncomfortable or surprising.
Image credits: cutiereddgal
#5
Eating dinner at 10 PM! In Europe, it’s just a normal night out but in the U.S., you’d be met with confused looks and a few “Are you planning to party with the vampires?”.
Image credits: Missmaudedoll
#6
Buildings that are over 300 years old being used instead of building new ones.
Image credits: Late_Baker_6728
#7
Nudity in TV and print media.
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#8
Suggesting a medical visit for a mild injury.
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#9
Leaving your baby in the stroller while you have dinner.
Normal in denmark(and a few other european countries), gets you arrested for child endangerment in USA
Image credits: Freecraghack_
#10
Charging for water at a restaurant. Charging to use the restrooms.
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#11
Not refrigerating eggs.
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#12
Going out on “THE SESH!”, Americans dont comprehend how much we actually drink as Europeans, and we dont drink water down swill, its proper beer, larger and ale… we go big and then have no idea how we got home, and i think in america they would call that alcoholism but in the UK we call it Saturday night.
Image credits: Empty-Refrigerator
#13
Children walking or cycling to school and outside of school activities such as sport or theater, all by themselves.
Image credits: CrystalRedCynthia
#14
Salaries. At least in my field, they appear to be 1/3 to 1/2 what an equivalent job would pay in the US.
Image credits: geographicfox
#15
The German Foreign Ministry has a travel advisory that you should not photograph your own children naked when you are in the USA at the beach.
In Germany it is quite normal for small children to bathe naked on public beaches or in swimming pools.
Image credits: No-Comedian4090
#16
I know this one.
The size of parking spaces. Parking spaces in the US are 1.5x bigger than those of Europe, almost double at Costco. European vehicles are on average very very small and their parking spaces reflect that. I rented as Mazda 3 and it was a pretty tight squeeze in 99% of parkades.
Consider that before you decide to rent an SUV or bigger.
Image credits: garlicroastedpotato
#17
Directness in communication.. Europeans specially in places like Germany or Netherlands are often more straightforward in conversation which might come off as blunt or rude to Americans used to more indirect communication.
Image credits: qtpetalsxo
#18
Beans on toast.
Image credits: SakkaSouffle
#19
Being able to vote even if never registered to vote – you are registered automatically, so that's not even a term. Your voting rights cannot be removed ever. Even if convinced of crime.
Capital punishment is forbidden in the EU countries.
You cannot give up your right to trial, unlike in the US where you are easily forced to give up the right to sue the companies that provide you the services.
Image credits: Chemical_Refuse_1030
#20
Throwing dirty toilet paper in the trash can instead of flushing it down the toilet….
Image credits: Jen120ha
#21
Cops without guns.
#22
Kids being left alone in homes for more than 15 minutes.
Image credits: thecursedredditor
#23
The Socialist Party winning a national election.
A coronation.
A restaurant that served fries smothered in mayonnaise.
A public restroom with squat toilets.
Seeing people under 21 drink alcohol in public. Legally.
Going into McDonald’s and looking at the menu and seeing McFalafel, Croque McDo, and even beer.
#24
Speedos in a non-sporting context.
Image credits: stellacampus
#25
Walking to the store.
dyslexicassf**k: My mom traveled to the US for the first time recently, she was shocked at how unwalkable it was and how people went everywhere with the car
Image credits: Sohn_Jalston_Raul
#26
Calling an ambulance.
NiceGuysFinishLast: I drove myself to the emergency room for a coral snake bite. They didn't have the antivenin, I had to go to the hospital. They called me an ambulance despite the fact that I had already driven there and I said I didn't want one. Total hospital bill was 94K and the ambulance was a separate 3K that dropped to like 1K after I gave them my insurance.
Image credits: insubordinate74
#27
Mass gathering without x-ray and bag checks.
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#28
Having a bidet.
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#29
Not owning a car.
Image credits: geographicfox
#30
Walking for ten minutes ina city instead of getting a taxi.
Image credits: Wiedegeburt
#31
Letting kids play outside by themselves, or going to the local playground.
#32
Shutting down markets at sundays are perfectly normal in europe
it may cause public outrage at US.
Image credits: WilhelmTheDoge
#33
Having to pay to pee.
Image credits: InspectorNoName
#34
Letting your cat out to enjoy the garden.
#35
I might be showing my age, but drowning unwanted pups was pretty common in Ireland back in the 80s. Horrible when you think about it.
#36
The size of a european cup of coffee.
#37
Paying 8$ for a gallon of gasoline.
#38
Having to pay a fairly significant sum of money to become a licensed driver. Getting a regular license in Europe is way more expensive than in the US.
#39
Those tiny streets.
#40
I would say is more a mediterranean thing but eat your lunch with a glass of wine or beer. When I do this in the US, I look almost as an alcoholic. Same about smoke on the workplace (not inside the office but on the terrace or outside the office with the colleagues).
#41
Blowing your nose at the dinner table, especially when it’s really snotty, and then putting the handkerchief or better yet paper tissue back in your pocket.
