UK and America are two countries separated by a common language, UK and US Q&A

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Continuation of the previous thread where posters from the UK ask questions like 'what the hell is going on with the gaps in US toilet doors'; and posters fro the US ask things like 'what is with wearing stripes'

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a2149133-to-think-there-is-something-wrong-with-Americans?msgid=48969042#48969042

I think you have nailed it CheerfulYank. Honest effort and an industrious spirit no matter what the area you labour in is what counts in the US. There is plenty of judging of anyone who doesn't seem to put in an honest day's work but snobbery attached to the sort of work isn't really a thing. Middle class identification really means holding a set of work-oriented values.

In the UK I think the concept of class is associated with finding and maintaining your place in a society that is assumed to be structured. There is a good deal of insecurity associated with that.

no, taco bell really ISN'T proper mexican food. But it's good 2am having had a few drinks, need sustenance food.

I miss all the little "hole in the wall" authentic Mexican food places that we went to in Phoenix. Yum yum! (and my BIL's sister, as they are both from Mexico, and she could cook the most lovely food ever!!)

I have never had a Taco Bell

Go to a little Mexican cafe they sell these delicious chewy tortilla chips the food is amazing not texmex it's real Mexican food it's delicious

I find things very orderly here even cars have to be parked all facing the same way and driving is too (here in la) and people are so polite waiting at junctions far more so than in London

Middle class identification really means holding a set of work-oriented values.

I think this sums it up really well.

To quote a cheesy country song which I secretly love "ain't no shame in a blue collar 40.". Meaning that there's nothing wrong with putting in an average, hard working 40 hour week. No one would think less of you for it.

That is actually a big thing in our movie plots...rich snob looks down on hard working hero, gets comeuppance :D

Passing drivers' ed is a requirement for high school graduation where I live. The DCs do their driving course instead of one semester of daily gym class beginning the semester they turn 16, while they are still 15. They start with passing the theory test and move on to the rest of the week in the driving simulator, and then the following week they start with in-car lessons, three students and one instructor per car. In the DCs' HS they drive every sixth lesson and do rules of the road or simulator for the five days between driving experiences. At home they are supposed to get in plenty of practice on the skills they cover in the car. Lessons cover all the basics including a short trip on the interstate highway with merging and lane changes. At the end of the course they take a theory test and a driving test with the school instructor, and then after logging 50 further hours day and night and in varied conditions with a qualified driver they can take all their paperwork and get their licence in the DMV. You can be failed in the DCs' HS for having a persistently disrespectful attitude towards your instructor, and you can't miss more than two classes. Sometimes they do spotchecks in the DMV. DS's birthday fell on one of the dates they were checking (three random numbers between 1 and 28/31) so he had to take a roadtest.

Your licence can be revoked for certain driving infractions until you are 21 in my state. From 16 to 21 it is pretty much a provisional licence, with many conditions attached.

When people say they work 2 or 3 jobs in the US and they often do say this do they mean lots of part time jobs? Is it harder to get unskilled full fine work?

I would like to see how a 3 way stop or a 4 way stop would work in the UK - I can't imagine people especially German car drivers being polite and taking their turn. Guess that's why we tend to have roundabouts (rotaries). The right turn on red is a good idea too, obviously it would have to be left turn on red in the UK otherwise it wouldn't be pretty. And the no overtaking a stopped schoolbus rule is very sensible.

You have to wait your turn at a 4 way, otherwise you'll get hit! :)

itsbetter it can be hard to get full time work, yes, of you don't have a degree or a good skill set. I also know people who work a few jobs to work around child care. I had two jobs for a couple of years...mornings as a 1:1 aide in school, then 3 or 4 evenings a week in a movie theater.

4 way stop?

Everyone takes their turn at a four way stop, in the same order of who arrives at the junction. You have to come to a full halt and take your turn. It's very civilised. They have them in South Africa too.

" As in many places, the majority of the population are "working class""

Actually over 4/5 of the UK population is middle class. And the middle class here is likewise divided into lower-middle, middle-middle and upper-middle, but each of those could easily be further subdivided into at least 2 more categories.

A crossroads then?

I had to take a theory test and a practical test to get my Texas driving license. It didn't help having a busy toddler messing at my feet whilst I was doing the online theory test, mainly due to the very unhelpful DMV lady booking DH and I into the theory test at the same time, despite us having explained why that wouldn't be a good idea.

We also have a system that means it's much easier to lose your licence in the first 3 years of driving (counted from when you first get it, not by age). Offences such as speeding are given 'points' as well as fines; when you first pass your test your licence it taken away after (I think) 6 points, once you've had it longer you can rack up 12 points before they confiscate it.

Yes, four way stop is essentially a crossroads, but in the UK it would require traffic lights or a roundabout to control the traffic.

That's the system we have in place now Punk.

For two years, points and fines for speading and other offences. Over so many points and you loose your licence.

Yes, the driving test is done in school.

You see a lot of very grim faces heading out to school the week of testing, and you take your life in your hands if you venture out in the week before the test dates because the driving students are all out getting in as much practice as they can.

You also see students crying on the way home because they have failed.

www.learnerdriving.com/ld-system/driving-lessons/crossroads.htm

The only reason why I've linked this is in case it may help to explain some driving differences.

(it's only come up with cross roads because I was looking at it and other things after my driving lesson earlier)

UK calling America here. Not sure if it has been covered but I have a few questions...

1. Are yard /garage sales popular in the States?

2. in the movies, when it's Christmas or Halloween, everybody puts in a lot of effort in decorations in the house. In fact, the whole street does!
   Is it really like this?

1- garage sales, yep. Used to go to loads of them.

2- yep. We did. House was covered in lights at Christmas and cobwebs and halloween decorations at Halloween. But then everyone on our street did.

Alice, I'm so jealous.

It never feels like Christmas where I am anymore

'Passing drivers' ed is a requirement for high school graduation where I live.'

I've never heard of that, where do you live? IME, you got a half-credit (maybe one credit) for drivers ed, but most students took the school-based class for convenience. Only the very least academic students actually need that credit to graduate!

Having said that, there are huge swathes of the country without public transit, where a car is an absolute necessity - much more than in the UK.

Which I think reflects a more fundamental US/UK dichotomy - in the UK, public sector provision is better and more widespread - the famous 'safety net'. In the US, the private sector rules - anything public sector is often crumbling and frequently looked down on.