# Misconceptions about USA **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 19, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510 "2003-09-19T00:33:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/41 "2003-09-19T17:10:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spogga \* > \*\* > The grub is fantastic but you get far too much, the beer is crap especially Sam Adams, the coffee is great, the bread tastes wonderful, baseball is just about the second boring game on earth, the first being cricket, most of your women have rather large breasts (nice!!) the streets are relatively clean and the hot dogs in Chicago are out of this world, Al Capone IS dead, O’Neills bar on N. Lincoln Ave is the best bar in Chicago followed closely by Timothy O’Tooles,my baseball cap and shirt are still at Wrigley Field where I left them having stumbled out numbed,breakfast at Cracker Barrel or Wendy’s is a delight but rather strange to get pancakes with bacon,The Red Lobster serve a fantastic…er Lobster,the ice cream is great and so is the popcorn from that shop on Michigan Ave (forget the name) cab drivers are pleasant, bagels (hot) Mmmm bagels. > I could go on, I won’t. \*\* Next time you’re there, don’t _drink_ the beer, ask for beer-batter fish, straight from the lake. Oh GHOD! How I loved that when I was a boy. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/42 "2003-09-19T17:26:44Z")
Maybe we don’t much time off for Christmas, but we sure go to overkill on the commercial end of it. One of the shopping malls here already has started with Xmas decorations. Look at the date. It’s still Summer! Many retail businesses live or die on their Xmas season sales. So… Christmas is _extremely_ important here. Just for different reasons. * * * Being American myself (actually TEXAS born and bred! 🙂 ), I have the conception, possibly misconception, that the majority of Americans have no true World Picture™ (except for Dopers, of course). ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/43 "2003-09-19T17:30:46Z")
Climate is on misconception I hear often. I was playing golf in mid-November at a state park in Georgia. The high temperature that day was in the 50’s (F). A British tourist dressed in shorts and a tee shirt asked us about the unusually cold weather and how we were managing. He was shocked to find that the temperature was about average for that time of year. He was further astonished to learn that temperatures below freezing were common in the winter and that we do occasionally have snow. His travel agent had told him that our climate was sub-tropical and to dress accordingly! ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/44 "2003-09-19T17:36:48Z")
Floater said, “I wouldn’t say that USans are mostly obese, but I have never seen such an assemblage of grossly fat people as when I spent a couple of hours at O’Hare airport.” Okay, now there’s American Fat and there’s CHICAGO FAT . Chicago comprises a multitude of European immigrants who knew their way around a kitchen. This city really…and I mean REALLY…likes to eat. We are, indeed, fatter than a lot of other American cities. (That loud belch you just heard was Chicago’s Official Sound.)😉 ---
**Author:** ![Nichol\_storm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Nichol\_storm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nichol_storm)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/45 "2003-09-19T18:04:27Z")
Some foreigners, bless their hearts, call all Americans “Yankees” or “Yanks”. I understand that they’re latching onto a playful nickname that seems harmless enough, but greeting rednecks in certain places in Mississippi with “Hello, yanks!” might get you stabbed. Or at the very least disinvited to the tea party. Mind you, we don’t _hate_ Yankees. We just have a healthy disrespect for them. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/46 "2003-09-19T18:53:00Z")
> [@](#): > > …the beer is crap… OK, this is the one misconception about the US that drives me nuts. Do you have any _idea_ how many different American beers there are (bearing in mind that most of the good ones are produced by small, local breweries, of which Sam Adams is NOT one)? How many of them have you actually tried? Judging all American beer by the “big names” is like judging all British beer by Bass, Newcastle, and Boddington’s. Next time you’re in the US, stop by a specialty store that allows you to mix and match your own sixpack, and pick up a dozen or so beers you’ve never heard of. You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/47 "2003-09-19T19:08:37Z")
And da-yam! Do we know how to make a sammich! (That’s sandwich, y’all) My uncle used to tell a story (probably a lie) about when he was visiting Venezuela on a business (petro/chem) trip in the 60s. As the driver took them to their destination, they passed some grafitti which read: “Yankee Go Home!” The local businessman apologised for the political statement, saying not all of his countrymen feel that way. My uncle says, “Don’t bother me none. I’m from Texas.” ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/48 "2003-09-19T19:20:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sirtonyh \* > \*\*US cities are far more dangerous than cities anywhere else in the world. Some years back a few tourists in Miami were car-jacked. A group of people were targeting rental cars by looking for the sticker on the back. Now people in the UK seem to think Miami is the US equivalent of Baghdad. South Central LA has a worse reputation in the UK than Afghanistan, Iraq and Noth Korea combined. People seem to think you have at least a 50/50 chance of getting shot. > \*\* When you have to compare yourself to the likes of Baghdad to look good, there may be a problem. LA is much more dangerous in terms of violent crime than most cities in the industrialized world. However, most of the violence is gang and drug-related, so unless you are in a gang or buying drugs, you probably don’t need to worry about it, except for ducking the occasional stray bullet on New Year’s Eve. ---
**Author:** ![Ironikinit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Ironikinit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ironikinit)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/49 "2003-09-19T20:26:01Z")
I moved to Australia from the US last year. When the Gulf War started, a guy opined that I was lucky to get out of the states in time. You know, before I got drafted. At the age of 35. It’s probably more a case of dealing with a loony than dealing with a common misconception, but there you are. A woman asked me if it was true that Americans enjoy eating deep-fried candy bars. Since then I saw a travel show where they actually found a place where you can buy them. It was in Scotland. They eat them with ketchup. Australians also seem to think Americans are excruciatingly polite. I think it stems from how cashiers in America are trained to say things like “have a nice day” and because waiters get tips so they kiss butt a lot more than here. I’ve noticed that Americans actually seem a bit rude sometimes because we say “Give me a pack of Marlboros” or “I’ll have a beer” instead of “Could you give me…” or “I’d like…” when making purchases. Plus we’re less likely to thank waiters. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/50 "2003-09-19T20:42:18Z")
The size thing again. A friend of mine from Ireland was talking about how cool it would be to drive across country. I had to explain to him that there was a lot of country and most of it was relatively empty (it helped explaining in terms of “Irelands” between various cities). ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/51 "2003-09-19T21:12:40Z")
Americans are politically naive: largely true Americans care nothing for anyone outside their borders: largely true Americans are sexually naive and prudish: largely true Americans are boorish and rude to others: largely untrue ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/52 "2003-09-19T21:30:12Z")
A rather poingnant moment when I was in Spain was when an acquaintance asked if there were poor people in America. As far as driving everywhere, that is very accurate in some places. As an example of legendary extremism, my college roommate’s mom would drive her Buick Riviera (large grandma-type luxury car) to the end of the driveway to get the mail in South Florida. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/53 "2003-09-19T21:45:13Z")
Puts it in a nutshell- in America- we think a building a100 years old is OLD. In Europe- the think 100 miles is FAR. ---
**Author:** ![Boldface\_Type](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@Boldface\_Type](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boldface_Type)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/54 "2003-09-19T21:59:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fretful Porpentine \* > \*\*OK, this is the one misconception about the US that drives me nuts. Do you have any _idea_ how many different American beers there are (bearing in mind that most of the good ones are produced by small, local breweries, of which Sam Adams is NOT one)? \*\* Well, as a bleedin’ foreign type in the USA, I’d like to announce that USA IPA beers are generally better than those from the UK. So there. Plus, **Porpentine** ’s Chapel Hill does jolly well for microbrews, too. I know this 'cause I’m there. Or here, even. Mind you, I like Sam Adams, so there y’go. Well, I like his beer. Never met the guy. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/55 "2003-09-19T22:01:05Z")
I had a freind visiting from Wales and I asked her what she would remember most about her trip to the U.S. and Los Angeles and she replied “How big everything is.” I thought she was talking about how big in terms of size as is being discussed here and she said, 'Well that and like, look at this glass of Coke, it’s huge!" Granted it was an above-average sized Coke, but it wouldn’t really raise eyeborws. She was really impressed when I informed her she would get free refills. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/56 "2003-09-19T22:02:09Z")
I also had a **friend** visiting from Wales… ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/57 "2003-09-19T22:34:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AHunter3 \* > \*\* > > **Dogface** : > > Interesting! I’ve run into the opposite reaction – international visitors (Swiss and German) we showed around when I lived in New Mexico expressed astonishment when we left the outskirts of town and weren’t in rural farm country, suburbia, or cityscape, just unused land looking like wilderness (except for the road and an occasional power line) as far as the eye could see in every direction. I pointed and said “If you crossed that fence and started walking, you would not run into humans or signs of the existence of humans before nightfall. Eventually, on your second or third day if you hike 10 miles or more per day, you’d cross a major hiking trail, and you’d be well advised to stay on it because otherwise you could end up so lost they might never even find your bones. Out that way is the Pecos Wilderness, which is uninhabited except by a couple hundred hikers and campers, and its about half the size of Luxembourg.” \*\* You know, I never thought of New Mexico that way, but you’re right. And I know the Pecos is big, but I never thought of it like that before. Along those lines, I’ve never had to explain Philmont to a tourist, but it’ll be interesting if I ever have to. Heck, people living in America have a hard time grasping its size sometimes. I go to school in Pennsylvania, but I live in Albuquerque. I was working in a gas station last summer when I had a family come in, asking how to get to either Phoenix or Tucson (I honestly don’t remember which) because they need to get their son to college. Well, I told them that it’d probably take at least six hours, just based on about the last time I made the trip to one of those cities, and got out the maps we keep behind the counter to help customers out. I showed them what would probably be the best route, got another estimate of travel time based on the actual milage (I was close), and was asked by the mother “It’s so far? It looks so close on the map.” Yeah, that tends to happen in these big empty Western states. To be fair, though, I still have the same sort of problem out here. I’m used to I-25 and I-40 and US 84/285 and so on, where the speed is high, the traffic fairly light, and the road pretty straight. I’m not used to thinking of it taking nearly 9 hours for some friends of mine who live near Annapolis to go to Columbia and USC and the lower speed limits back East trip me up when I’m used to seeing milage and calculating rough trip times assuming you’ll be doing at least a legal 75. Or for example going from my school to Philly takes nearly four hours, when I can do Albuquerque to the Arizona border in about 2 and a half. Of course, my school is harder to get to, but still, that’s a big difference. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/58 "2003-09-19T22:39:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jennyrosity \* > \*\*Is it true that no-one walks anywhere over there, and that even if you want to you can’t as there are no pedestrain facilities? \*\* In my experience, this is true almost everywhere in the U.S. except for New York City and select parts of other cities. (NYC really is a stark exception – _everyone_ walks and/or uses public transit.) Moreover, it’s becoming more and more common as pedestrian-friendly downtown areas are being supplanted by big superstores like Walmart, Target, etc. which are surrounded by enormous parking lots and busy multi-lane streets often with no sidewalks. ---
**Author:** ![CaptBushido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@CaptBushido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptBushido)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/59 "2003-09-19T22:44:33Z")
My dad was amused when some German visitors he took on a trip around the West Texas/Eastern New Mexico area asked to stop the car so they could take a picture. They were, of course, in the middle of a desert and there was absolutely nothing to take a picture of. Surprised he asked them what they wanted a picture of. The answer: Nothing! Perfectly flat with absolutely nothing visible in any direction except for the road and dirt; not a rock or anything. Apparently an amazing natural feature for a Western European! ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/60 "2003-09-19T22:45:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DrDeth \* > \*\*Puts it in a nutshell- in America- we think a building a100 years old is OLD. > > In Europe- the think 100 miles is FAR. \*\* Paraphrasing Eddie Izzard: In the states, they have a big ceremony and everything: “We have renovated this building to make it look just like it did FIFTY YEARS AGO!” "No! No! It can’t be! People weren’t even ALIVE then! " Ok - I just killed that joke, but I laugh like mad every time I hear it (in his Dressed to Kill show). 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510.md?page=4)