Tell me the bad things about living in the UK

[alwayscrashinginthesamecar1]

In the interests of equality, as we have had other threads for other countries, I thought I'd start this thread.

I'll start it off with

Bloody awful weather
Obsessed with class
Racist and in some places sectarian too
Filthy cities.

Low rise blocks I should say. Mlada Boleslav for example.

The weather. We get a few weeks of sun and then the miserable grey sets in.

The amount of alcohol people consume and if you don’t drink you are considered the weird one.

The way in a car you are public enemy No 1 and everything is designed to catch you out.
Whether it be yellow lines or the constant changing of the speed limit or bus lanes that suddenly seem to spring up if you are behind a bus or a big truck.

The police. We had a police visit for something that wasn’t anything to do with us and was pretty non consequential (2 people with the same name) although what this other guy had done wasn’t against the law or anything But when there is something serious they are no where to be found

Sorry but those central European countries are NOT the 'former USSR'.
Well I don't know if I will say satellite states people will know... Let's face it. Most of this nation still thinks Czechoslovakia exists...

Hm I can't argue with that..

That does touch on another point and that is how disparate education levels aRe here.

But don't assume we are all at the lowest educational level of people you have met please

Huge inequality.
The lack of any ability to tell the truth about the situation and lives of poor people to middle class people. They either claim nothing bad happens, or they deserve it. Disenfranchisement of anyone who is not born rich or support the middle class blinkered existences.
The limited scope of law and order, which barely exists in many poor areas, cities or small towns and villages: either in the sense of policing or redress by law except for those who are born rich.
Decreasing employment rights, decreasing wages and the increasing expectation of unpaid work for everything.
The misogyny.
The aggression and violence, far higher than normal across Europe - in part because of the stresses caused by all the above, in part just a toxic male culture.

I don't think they are depressing. They are being massively renovated over the past decade. They are actually nice. They are making them colourful😁

I suppose we all have different opinions.....some people maybe find a thatched cottage with small windows and low ceilings depressing, or dislike ornate Victorian buildings.
Omgthere - are the post war high rise flats where you are popular and in demand by people buying homes?
Are they generally preferred to pre war buildings?

@OmgThereAreNoPlanesAboveMeNow...I mean I have met people who are not even clear about the difference between a nation and a state but I wouldn't hold it against them or assume that all their compatriots were equally ignorant.

The weather.

The class obsession.

The way people look down on others is fucking dreadful. I saw it on MN this week when people were so vicious about benefit claimants. Why do people think they are so morally superior for never needing to claim benefits?

Too many negative people.
Too many dark, drizzly days.
Too overcrowded.
Expensive and unreliable public transport.

Despite that, I think the UK is a good place to live. Varied scenery, green landscapes, historic buildings. Decent weather generally during the summer half of the year.

As for racism, I work with a couple of BAME colleagues, both of whom have worked in other European countries. They both separately admitted to me they have experienced some low-level racism here (big city in S England), but apparently it's not nearly as bad as elsewhere in Europe.

Oh the benefits thing does annoy me. You get these old married women on fb going

''string the lazy feckers up!! It boils my piss!! I have never claimed benefits in my life!'

But if you ask them what their hubby does for a living they get really cross....

But don't assume we are all at the lowest educational level of people you have met please
I don't.

are the post war high rise flats where you are popular and in demand by people buying homes?
Are they generally preferred to pre war buildings?
They are decent size so they are quite popular. Especially since massive number of them were insulated and renovated.
Obviously people would like a house, but if nothing, these will do. Better and bigger than the new builds I've seen. They also usually have greenery and playgrounds around with other amenities, or at least used to.
When I was young I used to help my nan to clean and mop the communal hallway on her weeks😁 Fond memories.

I apologise i have moved the thread onto a different topic! Back to UK now

The UK is not a 'nation' btw. And you did suggest we were pretty ignorant.

The people are a nation. Or I have been taught that word wrong. Who knows🤷🏻

The aggression and violence, far higher than normal across Europe - in part because of the stresses caused by all the above, in part just a toxic male culture
Also I think alcohol plays a big part in aggression and violence.

Well perhaps you should find out before going on about how ignorant we all are, eh?

I apologise i have moved the thread onto a different topic! Back to UK nowblush

Omgthere - it was my fault we went off topic - I was interested by what you said about the high rise flats.

Well perhaps you should find out before going on about how ignorant we all are, eh?
www.google.com/amp/s/dictionary.cambridge.org/amp/english/nation
Turns out I used it right. Well. Even I have some luck sometimes it seems.
I wasn't "going on" about how ignorant you all are. I have merely pointed out that there appears to be some lack of knowledge about geography. Which is truth. Sorry.

Anyway. Again. Off topic. Sorry. That's me done.

Bad things:
Gap between rich and poor
Insularity
Lack of respect for education
Popular culture - Love Island etc
Traffic
Lack of investment in infrastructure and public services
House prices

Good things:
The right to roam - a blessing during lockdown
Beautiful countryside
Preservation of history
Safe roads, when you compare them to a lot of other countries
Cheap food - although some mass produced stuff is tasteless
Generally temperate climate - no extremes
Lack of wildlife that will kill you
Most people are willing to help others if needed

The weather
The traffic (although currently quite civilised)
The overcrowding (esp London / south-east)
Going to mainland Europe always involves ticketed travel
Because we are a relatively small island our geography is fairly uniform - so none of the extreme variations you might find in larger countries
General unfriendliness and judgemental attitude

The UK is not 'England' educate yourself

I've lived in several countries and am in process of moving back to UK. Nowhere is perfect- everywhere has trade offs. The UK has so many positives despite the negatives - I feel sorry that such a proportion of people feel so negative about life here. Yes there are challenges and things could always be better, but the UK is a very open society with many benefits that offers a great quality of life to many people.

Bleepbloopblarp

Well said we are so lucky to live in the country.

Negative people?