"Thinking American" vs. "Thinking British"
Dec 14th 2004, 4:48 pm
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
"Thinking American" vs. "Thinking British"
Opps - excuse me I'm British ...
What major or irritating minor things have you done (that you can safely share without embarrassment) that sprung from you "thinking British" instead of "thinking American"?
Me? Took me a while to get out of the habit of competing with vehicle drivers - meeting f2f the actual driver of a vehicle at the driver's side – and getting that look of surprise and confusion. I kept on doing it until I learnt to look into the car to check where the steering was before walking to the front passenger side of the vehicle. I was “thinking British�.
I finally started to "think American" and don't have to do a steering wheel pre-check.
What major or irritating minor things have you done (that you can safely share without embarrassment) that sprung from you "thinking British" instead of "thinking American"?
Me? Took me a while to get out of the habit of competing with vehicle drivers - meeting f2f the actual driver of a vehicle at the driver's side – and getting that look of surprise and confusion. I kept on doing it until I learnt to look into the car to check where the steering was before walking to the front passenger side of the vehicle. I was “thinking British�.
I finally started to "think American" and don't have to do a steering wheel pre-check.
Dec 14th 2004, 4:55 pm
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Mid West >> UK
Posts: 1,239
Re: "Thinking American" vs. "Thinking British"
Originally Posted by Patent Attorney
Opps - excuse me I'm British ...
What major or irritating minor things have you done (that you can safely share without embarrassment) that sprung from you "thinking British" instead of "thinking American"?
Me? Took me a while to get out of the habit of competing with vehicle drivers - meeting f2f the actual driver of a vehicle at the driver's side – and getting that look of surprise and confusion. I kept on doing it until I learnt to look into the car to check where the steering was before walking to the front passenger side of the vehicle. I was “thinking British�.
I finally started to "think American" and don't have to do a steering wheel pre-check.
What major or irritating minor things have you done (that you can safely share without embarrassment) that sprung from you "thinking British" instead of "thinking American"?
Me? Took me a while to get out of the habit of competing with vehicle drivers - meeting f2f the actual driver of a vehicle at the driver's side – and getting that look of surprise and confusion. I kept on doing it until I learnt to look into the car to check where the steering was before walking to the front passenger side of the vehicle. I was “thinking British�.
I finally started to "think American" and don't have to do a steering wheel pre-check.
Dec 14th 2004, 5:24 pm
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Harbor Springs, Michigan *again*
Posts: 2,340
Re: "Thinking American" vs. "Thinking British"
After being here for 2 and half years now I've finally got over the converting $$ to GBP thing. My kids are visiting for Christmas so they still do it, for them it makes everything seem much cheaper (if you could ever call $200 worth of clothes cheap).
I dont do the wrong side of the car thing anymore ... and i drive diagonally across parking lots just like a true American !
Still call blighty home tho
I dont do the wrong side of the car thing anymore ... and i drive diagonally across parking lots just like a true American !
Still call blighty home tho
Dec 14th 2004, 8:53 pm
#4
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: "Thinking American" vs. "Thinking British"
Originally Posted by Patent Attorney
Me? Took me a while to get out of the habit of competing with vehicle drivers - meeting f2f the actual driver of a vehicle at the driver's side – and getting that look of surprise and confusion. I kept on doing it until I learnt to look into the car to check where the steering was before walking to the front passenger side of the vehicle. I was “thinking British�.
Other thing, saying "2 fish and chips please" and then getting two bits of fish and one portion of chips at the local fish stand bloke jobby last summer....hmmm...
Dec 14th 2004, 10:09 pm
#5
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: VA
Posts: 1,260
Re: "Thinking American" vs. "Thinking British"
Oh my gosh, I did this in the summer and was so embarressed..
The area we live in is very multi racial and we have many lovely black neighbours, my youngest daughter (she's 4) went out to play with another little girl (who is black) after finishing a fudge lolly, I went out after her to wipe her face and the childs mother was outside, in my usual british way, I run out saying "ooh I must just wipe her face, she as black as the ace of spades" As soon as the words left my mouth I just wanted to die and started babbling on about how it's an English saying and I wasn't trying to be rude etc etc..... she was very good and had a giggle about it!!
The area we live in is very multi racial and we have many lovely black neighbours, my youngest daughter (she's 4) went out to play with another little girl (who is black) after finishing a fudge lolly, I went out after her to wipe her face and the childs mother was outside, in my usual british way, I run out saying "ooh I must just wipe her face, she as black as the ace of spades"
As soon as the words left my mouth I just wanted to die and started babbling on about how it's an English saying and I wasn't trying to be rude etc etc..... she was very good and had a giggle about it!!
Dec 14th 2004, 11:16 pm
#6
You Are All Diseased
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Farnham, UK
Posts: 4,511
Re: "Thinking American" vs. "Thinking British"
Originally Posted by robskatie
Oh my gosh, I did this in the summer and was so embarressed..
The area we live in is very multi racial and we have many lovely black neighbours, my youngest daughter (she's 4) went out to play with another little girl (who is black) after finishing a fudge lolly, I went out after her to wipe her face and the childs mother was outside, in my usual british way, I run out saying "ooh I must just wipe her face, she as black as the ace of spades" As soon as the words left my mouth I just wanted to die and started babbling on about how it's an English saying and I wasn't trying to be rude etc etc..... she was very good and had a giggle about it!!
The area we live in is very multi racial and we have many lovely black neighbours, my youngest daughter (she's 4) went out to play with another little girl (who is black) after finishing a fudge lolly, I went out after her to wipe her face and the childs mother was outside, in my usual british way, I run out saying "ooh I must just wipe her face, she as black as the ace of spades"
As soon as the words left my mouth I just wanted to die and started babbling on about how it's an English saying and I wasn't trying to be rude etc etc..... she was very good and had a giggle about it!!
Dec 15th 2004, 8:21 pm
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2002
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 92
Re: "Thinking American" vs. "Thinking British"
Spent the first few years converting fahrenheit back to degrees c....got quite nifty at it. Now I'm thinking American and 24 degrees F tonight means I need to bring the plants in 
I still say things cost me 50p, 10p... rather than cents. And when people say nickel and dime and all that, I still have to take a couple of seconds to figure out which stupid coin they're talking about.
I still say things cost me 50p, 10p... rather than cents. And when people say nickel and dime and all that, I still have to take a couple of seconds to figure out which stupid coin they're talking about.
Dec 15th 2004, 9:12 pm
#8
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: "Thinking American" vs. "Thinking British"
Originally Posted by smartiegirl88
I still say things cost me 50p, 10p... rather than cents. And when people say nickel and dime and all that, I still have to take a couple of seconds to figure out which stupid coin they're talking about.
