To ask overseas folk what British quirks they think are weird/funny?

[Burntmybiscuits]

Us Brits are always on our high horse, making light humour over the habits of other countries (particularly the U.S!), so I thought it would be funny to see what people overseas find 'unique' about us!

I thought that the reason why we don't have electric sockets in the bathroom as they do in other countries is that we have a much higher voltage which can deliver a fatal shock. Countries using lower voltages don't have this issue. I am prepared to be corrected on this however

Australia, 230V, 50Hz, electrical outlets in bathrooms.

Switzerland, 230V, 50Hz, electrical outlets in every bathroom I’ve been in.

UK, 230V, 50Hz, NO DON’T DO IT YOU’LL DIE.

SimonJT
Many older houses are in conservation areas and, even those that aren't could be subject to planning rules. I would be sad to see lovely Historic houses with random modern windows

When my mum first came to visit I found her standing all confused in the bathroom with her hairstyler on one hand and the cable end in the other in ready to plug in position 😂

Buy-to-let and appalling private rental system. 'I have to move because my landlord wants to move his daughter into the flat.' Shocking. Also the idea many have that renting means it's not your real home so willing to up with all manner of atrocious behaviour from a landlord or letting agent. You see on here a lot, 'Well, it's not your house.'

renegadeoffunk Thu 09-Apr-20 12:05:25
The Victorian houses I've lived in all had sash windows so they slid up or down rather than opening in or out. There's a lot of sash windows in the UK but sadly some people replace them with horrid UPVC ones.

Should SASH WINDOWS be on this list of 'British quirks' ?
I may be wrong, but I've never seen them in any other country

In regards to cake in a bag, how do you put a cake in a bag

In regards to cake in a bag, how do you put a cake in a bag

Sideways of course! (By the slice, not the whole thing ...)

... but actually I think the "taking cake home from children's parties" thing mayalso be generational rather than dyed-in-the-wool British (except that they don't do it in other countries. Party bags themselves are a more recent innovation; I learnt to do it when my children (now in late 20s) were young, but we didn't do it when I was a child in the 60s/70s and we had the cake at the party too.

I'm beginning to think that maybe I'm not British after all; I hate greetings cards, think they're a waste of money and paper, I don't use a washing bowl, I always rinse dishes - I can't remember all the other non-British things I do, but there are many 😳

@kateybeth79 welcome to the "who am I😭" club😂

Voltage in US and Mexico only about 110 I think

When my mum first came to visit I found her standing all confused in the bathroom with her hairstyler on one hand and the cable end in the other in ready to plug in position 😂

My mum did the same thing! I use an extension cord. I hate having to do my hair in our bedroom, but used to it now.

I hate greetings cards, think they're a waste of money and paper

Same here. I don’t understand giving them to people you see several times a week. Isn’t a simple “Happy whatever” in person enough.

@phoenixrosehere foreign mums in British bathrooms😂
(Gif attached)

Growing up with an electrician father, my bathroom plugs give me the fear! I use them anyway...

My tuppence worth:

• only naked or overdressed salad. You never get salad with just a bit of oil, salt and pepper. Plain salad is the most boring food stuff in existence, but I'm not super keen on mayo.
• very age specific clothing. Everything is in rough ten year brackets, so you could age someone just from their wardrobe. Where I'm from everyone wears quite similar clothes (although teenagers still wear arse-skimming shorts. It would be sad if they didn't!) and there's no very old lady option like Viyella.

The cake thing could be because cake here is different to where I'm from. Like it's much dryer here and has fondant on top often. A moist cake with buttercream like I'd have back home wouldn't survive in a napkin. I've seen this cake here a bit but British cakes are just much more...solid than I'm used to.

Should SASH WINDOWS be on this list of 'British quirks' ?
I may be wrong, but I've never seen them in any other country
I'm from the US and always had sash windows as did my friends, but none of us lived in new houses. My house there was Edwardian, just like my house here, which unfortunately has modern windows.

Most of the ones I can think of are already on here. There are lots of British things I love which would be less ok back homeday drinking in a pub garden etc. I do find it strange that Christmas cards here seem to all be store bought and just sent to everyone. Back home I always thought it was great getting cards with photos of the family that sent them etc. (A quirk to add to the American list perhapsi have religious cousins who do this for Easter and finish every paragraph good or bad with PRAISE JESUS.)

Pub carpets stinking of bear, well there is some character in it 🤷🏻‍♀️

*beer

Should SASH WINDOWS be on this list of 'British quirks' ?

If it is it’s a lovely one! Though I do understand why some will be tempted to replace them. We had huge, original mid-Victorian sash windows in our last flat. They were lovely in summer but my god they were cold in winter. We got quotes to have them refurbished/replaced with wooden double glazed ones and the cost for either was eye-watering.

We are now in a 1920s semi which had double glazing installed in the last ten years. I appreciate the reduction in our heating bills even though the house is 3 times the size.

I'm not British but find different things they do cute, of course things evolve and perhaps modernise and are no longer in use. All nations have odd things they do but there is always a reason behind.

francienolan Thu 09-Apr-20 13:43:21
Thanks for answer (sash windows). Now I know !

Brits drinking at the airport before flights (even on red eyes) and on flights and at every opportunity on holiday.
Beer for breakfast...bleruuuggggh.

Sash windows isn't unique to the British - we had them in New Zealand. I lived in a pub that was built late 1800's, early 1900's, and narrowly avoided having my head separated from my body when the sash gave out and I was poking my head out the window! (My sister was even unluckier, her window came down on her when she was sneaking out to a party, and Dad caught her, it wasn't pretty. . .)

No kissing on both cheeks when you meet up with a friend, they do it where I am as a matter of course when meeting aquantances male or female, young or old. In the presence of English friends who have come to stay, they often look surprised and very awkward when they see us doing it

I love the continental kissing thing but after all this I expect I'll be back to being surprised and awkward

House chains - how are things different in other countries if they don't have chains? Or is it that the commitment comes earlier on in the transaction (as in Scotland I believe)?

Why is "alright?" any weirder than "ca va?"?

I have another one. The washing lines which are at first floor level.