Can someone explain the reasons behind these differences between Americans and Brits?

[kurstytemple]

I've noticed that Americans greet people often with, 'hey, what are you doing?' even when it's completely clear what the person is doing, ie, picking them up from the airport, bumping into them shopping. As opposed to the British greeting, 'hi how are you?'

Also Americans can say bye ONCE on the telephone yet us British folk seem to say bye about 1 million times repeatedly whilst hanging up the phone. For example, Americans - 'it was good speaking to you, bye'. Brits - 'it was good speaking to you, okay, you too, okay, bye, bye, bye, bye, byeeeee, bye, bu-bye, byeeeee'. What is that all about?

Additionally, I've been watching a lot of teen mom 2 and the court system over there just seems so much more straightforward and fair. Not sure if that's an accurate representation. But for instance, a person can go directly to the court for custody arrangements instead of all the faffing about before getting to that point, seems to be easier to get protection orders from someone and seems to be a bit more lenient with young people, making deals with them to ensure that certain convictions don't go on their record hence not making them unemployable. I still have to declare a breach of the peace I got at 18 pissed as a fart.

Anyway there's my ramblings. Anyone else noticed this or care to explain why the differences? Or point out any of their own for me to ponder

This thread would be stunning for any Psychologist. Anyway I have 8 minutes to get down the road to get dinner, so, I'm out.

(feel like I need a good scrub first. )

The court system is NOT straightforward and fair. I take huge issue with that comment op. It is racist, biased against the poor and seems to have absolutely no concept of rehabilitation. It's all "lock them up and throw away the key", but only if you are black or poor or both. You've obviously no knowledge of their police and court systems at all.

and the court system over there just seems so much more straightforward and fair

Hmm, really? Im sure there are a lot of Black Americans who would vehemently disagree with this statement. Except for Bill Cosby perhaps.

I was really enjoying this thread, and how good humoured and tolerant it was.

And then just three people went and ruined it. Such a shame.

I like Americans. And I enjoy learning about the cultural differences between us. It would be lovely if this thread could get back on track.

But it IS a health hazard!
No it isn't! This is the funniest thing I've read in ages! Would love to see evidence of your utterly ridiculous claim.

PS: my mum is not British 😁

@LibertyMole

I have had a quick google and the advice in Australia is that you shouldn’t shower every day as it is bad for your skin.

Yep there are lots of Australian news articles on this.

British standards seem to be anyone speaking of non-British experiences are 'rude' and 'defensive' because that is how you see anything non-British. Your attitude is a perfect example of the insular defensiveness and rudeness. You really take anything non-British as a personal affront, don't you. wink confused

I am perfectly willing to see that things are done differently in other countries but you are insistent that you know better than us how things are done in the UK.

@knittingaddict racist? nothing I said was racist and I take huge issue with that comment.

@NeonDreams

If someone saying that something would be a health hazard elsewhere is enough to get you so indignant and upset, then your issues extend beyond

I'm perfectly open to agreeing with you if you can provide evidence that not showering daily is a health hazard. I'll wait.

Btw. I'm neither indignant nor upset. Mostly just bemused that someone can hold such absolutely entrenched and yet entirely baseless opinions. It's a marvellous example of self-belief

Does that allay your concern about my 'issues' I'd hate for you to continue to 'project'

@saraclara

I was really enjoying this thread, and how good humoured and tolerant it was.

And then just three people went and ruined it. Such a shame.

I like Americans. And I enjoy learning about the cultural differences between us. It would be lovely if this thread could get back on track.

Agreed, this thread has taken a turn for the worst.

I’m surprised you think the American justice system is fair. Police are permitted to lie to suspects in order to obtain a confession. Ie, “your fingerprints were found at the scene”. They also interview children and people with learning disabilities without an appropriate adult present. The system is completely unjust. I don’t think a tv programme gives an accurate picture of the criminal justice system over there.

[quote kurstytemple]@knittingaddict racist? nothing I said was racist and I take huge issue with that comment. [/quote]
I didn't mean you were racist, of course I didn't. I obviously meant the court system is racist and all the other things I mentioned.

@Albien

I often don’t say bye on the phone at all. The conversation comes to a natural end and I hang up. If I do say bye it’s short and I don’t wait for a reply before hanging up.

Ha, what the hell?

This is even weirder than saying bye loads.

Do you actually do this? Do you know other people who also do it? Or just you?

Yank here...

Are you sure you don't mean "What's up?" for "What are you doing?" I'm American, and have to say I don't know anyone who asks that.

Same could be said for the British greeting of "You alright?" It took me awhile to figure out the correct response to that one when I moved to the UK. I still greet British friends with a "How are you?" but they certainly know what I mean by now.

And yy to the poster questioning your assumption that the American legal system is fair. Brutality and/or murder of people of colour by police, the recent Cosby case overturning, people locked up in prison for decades in minor drug charges (again, often minorities) and so on...

Fair? Really?

I often don’t say bye on the phone at all. The conversation comes to a natural end and I hang up. If I do say bye it’s short and I don’t wait for a reply before hanging up.

@Albien, do you walk away from people that you've been talking to in person, without saying goodbye?

I have an auntie who does the 'not saying bye at the end of a phone call' thing. It bewilders us all. We're left hanging in mid air, as it were, and it's quite disconcerting. It shows that socially and psychologically, leave taking is important. I don't understand how some people don't recognise the need for it. It's pretty rude in our society to walk away from a conversation, be it in person or on the phone, without saying goodbye.

In Belfast the greeting is 'What about you!' Often said with great gusto and enthusiasm. And frequently shortened to 'Bout ye'.
I didn't know that. That's lovely

@mathanxiety

Passing the driving test is a high school graduation requirement in my state. You can do the course in most public schools, either during your sophomore year or during summer school.

Students at private schools which do not own a fleet of Driver Ed cars or a driving simulator lab do private lessons at driving schools or they enroll on their local public high school for summer school driver's ed.

Drivers ed is a semester long class round here, and it's done five times a week when a student would ordinarily be doing PE. Students have to first pass the written portion of the driving test, then do simulation, in-car and classroom study. They are supposed to do as much practice with a qualified driver as possible alongside the classes.

After you pass the school test you take your certificate and DMV permit, along with your log showing 50 hours of driving practice in varied conditions with a qualified driver to the DMV where you can be spot checked - asked to do a road test. My DS had to do one and passed. Your licence must be renewed at 21.

I can rememeber Drivers Ed being spoken about on American teen programmes like Saved by the Bell etc.

I always thought they were saying Driver Zed

Had no idea why it was called that, but I got the gist of it 😂

Well we don't drive everywhere because using public transport, whilst often infrequent in rural areas isn't seen as an indication of poverty or laziness. In London particularly, the tube is the most normal way to whizz around for just about everyone. Anyway, it's a tiny place! We don't have v far to go!
Tumble driers are expensive to run and are shit for the environment. They also take up valuable space in often perfectly lovely but relatively tiny houses.
Air conditioning also expensive. Wouldn't really retro-fit in a mainly victorian housing stock. Also expensive to run, bad for the environment and not required in our more temperate climate.
Fly screens, again, not required, not many flies!
Bins, varies between local authority. Emptied weekly here (North London).
The comparison between Americans and the British doesn't really work. It's a shared language, not a shared culture.

I'm American (though lived in the UK a long time now). The greeting thing is sort of similar to 'hey, what are you up to?' (how's it going? what's up?). Personally, I don't say that and I don't really know any American friends who do, but I suspect it's a regional thing. It's a big country. There are lots of odd regional sayings. Like 'innit?' - that to me doesn't make any sense when people tack in on to the end of every sentence, but it's a regional and probably class based saying that makes sense in context here.

The saying bye a million times thing is because Brits aren't direct. No one wants to be the one to actually say bye and end the conversation because it's awkward to do it first. So hence, bye, bye, okay, see you soon, bye-bye...bye! Americans would just say bye and hang up because no one would feel awkward ending a conversation and no one would take offence. I do have to be conscious not to put xxx on the end of messages to American friends. x's to us make us think about 'xxx' like triple xxx, like porn and explicit sexual stuff. It would seem really odd out of the British context.

The court system thing I think you are just watching creatively edited rubbish on tv. It's definitely not more quick or direct or fair than here. My dad was court ordered to pay maintenance when my parents divorced. Never paid a penny. And no one made him. My mum had to re-claim it as a lump sum from his estate when he died.

@GeorgiaGirl52

I wonder why British people don't have the basics - central air conditioning, hot-air dryers and window screens? (Totally do not understand healthy able-bodied adults not driving!) In most subdivisions here it is against the rules to have an outdoor drying line, even in your own yard. It is considered trashy to hang your undies, etc. in public view. Screens provide privacy and protection. No cats, foxes, owls or bats flying in for a visit. With central air you close your windows and don't hear your neighbors all-night BBQ sing-a-long. Seems like even if you dislike America, you might want to adopt some of our conveniences?

Disagree with this.

I hate using a drier to dry clothes in the summer. It's far more eco to dry them on the line, and they smell lovely and fresh.

Also, I like to sleep with windows open and having fresh air circulating. Closing windows and sleeping in your house with artificially cooled air circulating just seems stifling and strange to me.

Likewise the way some Americans will often jump in their air conditioned car and drive everywhere. A) I would prefer to walk if possible and b) again, I like fresh air, so would rather have the window down.

I get that the US typically has much hotter temps so these things aren't so much of an issue in the UK.....but that's kind of my point. No, we don't particularly want these US conveniences because we don't really need them.

Ditto screen doors. There's not really that much trying to fly into our houses. A few wasps in summer probably, that's about it. Doesn't merit having screen doors etc fitted all year round.

Arrrrgh it really grates when people say "bye bye bye bye....." so rude.

Air con so bad for the environment. And your health.

Fresh air all the way here for me & my clothes!

Also, yes, to the poster who brought up how Brits say 'you alright?' as a greeting. I worked abroad with mostly British colleagues before I moved to the UK. I completely didn't understand what this meant. I truly thought that every time I saw my colleagues they were asking me if I was alright/okay. It made me really self-conscious that I looked like I wasn't alright - I thought I must seem like I was about to burst into tears at all times because everyone was always asking me if I was alright. I thought I seemed like I was behaving like I was alright, but was freaked out that people seemed so concerned that I was (and had to keep asking about it constantly!).

I’m always surprised by people who think brits and Americans are the same. We’re not. We have a pretty different culture, we’re different countries after all. Speaking the same language doesn’t automatically put you on the same page. It actually annoys me just how much American culture leaks into the rest of the world, it’s not surprising based on movies and social media, but it’s irritating!