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People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
CuriositiesOCT 27, 2024

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird

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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

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
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.
150points

#2

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
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.
113points

#3

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
Buildings that are over 300 years old being used instead of building new ones.
103points

#4

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
Not tipping.
99points

#5

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
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
71points

#6

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
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.
69points

#7

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
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.
64points

#8

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
Children walking or cycling to school and outside of school activities such as sport or theater, all by themselves.
58points

#9

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
Suggesting a medical visit for a mild injury.
57points

#10

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
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.
56points

#11

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
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.
54points

#12

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
Walking for ten minutes ina city instead of getting a taxi.
54points

#13

Cops without guns.
53points

#14

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
Nudity in TV and print media.
47points

#15

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
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.
45points

#16

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
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.
40points

#17

Letting kids play outside by themselves, or going to the local playground.
37points

#18

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
Mass gathering without x-ray and bag checks.
36points

#19

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
Having a bidet.
35points

#20

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird
Not refrigerating eggs.
35points
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