WTF in America
Mar 4th 2014, 6:30 pm
#16
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: CT
Posts: 32,074
Re: WTF in America
Originally Posted by dunroving
Similar thing - I was always surprised that private mail was delivered to an unlocked box at the end of the drive. In Britain, that would never work!
Mar 4th 2014, 6:33 pm
#17
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 49,521
Re: WTF in America
Originally Posted by dunroving
Similar thing - I was always surprised that private mail was delivered to an unlocked box at the end of the drive. In Britain, that would never work!
Originally Posted by Nutek
I STILL don't understand this.
Last edited by Pulaski; Mar 4th 2014 at 6:44 pm.
Mar 4th 2014, 6:38 pm
#18
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: CT
Posts: 32,074
Re: WTF in America
Originally Posted by Pulaski
Similarly, pick-up trucks would never catch on in the UK the way they did here. There is a reason why tradesmen in the UK all drive transit vans not pick-ups. I have left tools and equipment in my truck while shopping at Lowes and for groceries, but would never have dreamt of being able to do that in the UK.
The Royal Mail doesn't have its own police force with powers of arrest though.
The Royal Mail doesn't have its own police force with powers of arrest though.
Mar 4th 2014, 6:39 pm
#19
Ping-ponger
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Dreich Alba
Posts: 11,964
Re: WTF in America
Originally Posted by Pulaski
Similarly, pick-up trucks would never catch on in the UK the way they did here. There is a reason why tradesmen in the UK all drive transit vans not pick-ups. I have left tools and equipment in my truck while shopping at Lowes and for groceries, but would never have dreamt of being able to do that in the UK.
Weird - over there you are much more likely to get shot dead but there is much less petty pilfering, vandalism, and discourtesy. Here, you are more likely to get vandalised, told to f*** off or have your car badge nicked, but highly unlikely to get shot dead.
Can't remember what all that has to do with the thread title ...
Mar 4th 2014, 6:40 pm
#20
Ping-ponger
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Dreich Alba
Posts: 11,964
Re: WTF in America
Originally Posted by Nutek
It's actually pretty interesting. Petty crime (around here) seems considerably lower than I was used to in the UK (theft from yard, pickup bed, mailbox type stuff), whilst more serious crime seems more prevalent.
Originally Posted by dunroving
I knew there was something similar I was trying to think of - diminishing grey matter and 8 years since I lived there mean I couldn't remember. But yes, I remember going on shopping trips to Lowe's, Sam's Club, and just leaving stuff in the back while I popped from one to the other.
Weird - over there you are much more likely to get shot dead but there is much less petty pilfering, vandalism, and discourtesy. Here, you are more likely to get vandalised, told to f*** off or have your car badge nicked, but highly unlikely to get shot dead.
Can't remember what all that has to do with the thread title ...
Weird - over there you are much more likely to get shot dead but there is much less petty pilfering, vandalism, and discourtesy. Here, you are more likely to get vandalised, told to f*** off or have your car badge nicked, but highly unlikely to get shot dead.
Can't remember what all that has to do with the thread title ...
Mar 4th 2014, 6:48 pm
#21
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 49,521
Re: WTF in America
Originally Posted by dunroving
..... Weird - over there you are much more likely to get shot dead but there is much less petty pilfering, vandalism, and discourtesy. ....
Mar 4th 2014, 6:54 pm
#22
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Midlands - MA - CO-CA
Posts: 2,580
Re: WTF in America
Originally Posted by dunroving
I knew there was something similar I was trying to think of - diminishing grey matter and 8 years since I lived there mean I couldn't remember. But yes, I remember going on shopping trips to Lowe's, Sam's Club, and just leaving stuff in the back while I popped from one to the other.
Weird - over there you are much more likely to get shot dead but there is much less petty pilfering, vandalism, and discourtesy. Here, you are more likely to get vandalised, told to f*** off or have your car badge nicked, but highly unlikely to get shot dead.
Can't remember what all that has to do with the thread title ...
Weird - over there you are much more likely to get shot dead but there is much less petty pilfering, vandalism, and discourtesy. Here, you are more likely to get vandalised, told to f*** off or have your car badge nicked, but highly unlikely to get shot dead.
Can't remember what all that has to do with the thread title ...
Mar 4th 2014, 6:59 pm
#23
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Monterey, CA
Posts: 2,521
Re: WTF in America
Originally Posted by Nutek
It's actually pretty interesting. Petty crime (around here) seems considerably lower than I was used to in the UK (theft from yard, pickup bed, mailbox type stuff), whilst more serious crime seems more prevalent.
I am a bit slow sometimes.
Mar 4th 2014, 7:24 pm
#25
.
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Where bad things rarely happen in movies
Posts: 8,933
Re: WTF in America
Originally Posted by CelticRover
Have you checked your bargain mattress lately?
http://www.furniturenews.net/news/ar...tress-van-scam
http://www.furniturenews.net/news/ar...tress-van-scam
"Don't buy supposedly 'cheap' mattresses from the back of a van" ....no shit, Sherlock....
Nor will I buy a tv from the guy cruising the HEB car park, nor allow the other guys cruising the same car park to repair that minor dent in the back of my wife's car, even if they do work for the Mazda dealer and will do a great job for me.....
Mar 4th 2014, 8:25 pm
#27
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 91,985
Re: WTF in America
Originally Posted by rpjs
Leaving money on the table at a restaurant to pay for thr meal and/or tip the server in cash. I know they usually bring the check in a cover you can put the cash in but whenever we leave I always half-expect them to come running after us because someone has swiped it between us leaving and the server/busser picking it up. I'd never leave money on a table in the UK.
Though I did see someone going around the bar picking up peoples tips to buy drinks with at the bar which put me off a bit.
One weird one is our kids school doing a candle sale fund raiser and I've also seen a flower/plant seed sale.
Mar 4th 2014, 11:48 pm
#28
Account Closed
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,570
Re: WTF in America
Originally Posted by rpjs
Leaving money on the table at a restaurant to pay for thr meal and/or tip the server in cash. I know they usually bring the check in a cover you can put the cash in but whenever we leave I always half-expect them to come running after us because someone has swiped it between us leaving and the server/busser picking it up. I'd never leave money on a table in the UK.
Mar 5th 2014, 12:20 am
#29
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: St Ives to So. Cal.
Posts: 252
Re: WTF in America
Originally Posted by hotscot
I don't know if it's specifically a Southern California thing but I've often noticed an unusually frequent occurrence of old beat up trucks, about 30 years old, traveling up and down on the freeway piled wobbly high with mattresses.
Of course said mattresses commonly end up on the shoulder at some point.
Of course said mattresses commonly end up on the shoulder at some point.
