# Misconceptions about your country **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 3, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791 "2004-11-03T17:20:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/41 "2004-11-04T13:37:56Z")
> [@Odinoneeye](#): > > I thought Gibraltar was a rock It is, but it’s not completely surrounded by sea, as some seem to think. Even people who have been there sometimes insist on referring to it as an island. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/42 "2004-11-04T13:39:39Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > Then let an [Asian doper](http://www.geocities.com/hkhemlock/mus-sin.html) assist you. Hamsters ate my post. ☹ Short answer: Pension scheme, pays for mortgage. Tax free. Looks like 401k. Wafer fabrication, worth about USD$3bn in one major investment alone. Plus R&D. Don’t care about democracy, public services (all) very good. Bush v Kerry style mudslinging, resulting in (civil) libel suit. Grassroots people (MPs) very accessable, has office in the (generally small) area he/she represents, and had weekly meet the MP sessions. Generally responsive. Tell guy handing out stuff in subway station to feck off, please. Noone pays any attention to him, anyway. True that democracy not quite featured. New PM promises to change that, we’ll see. As long as unemployment low, taxes low, public services good, education good, I don’t really care. Don’t really see how things can get better. After coming to UK, can see how they can get worse. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/43 "2004-11-04T13:47:50Z")
Although I don’t live there, I’ve got enough knowledge to do Bermuda: It’s in the Caribbean It’s an independent country It has no independence from Britain The currency is pounds sterling The currency is the US dollar It frequently gets hit by hurricanes It’s predominantly black It’s a tax-dodge money-laundering heaven It’s an unspoilt paradise It’s a single island It’s predominantly white It’s an active volcano It’s a cheap place to visit It has or had a native population Everyone there is rich It has no crime or drug problems ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/44 "2004-11-04T13:49:43Z")
Oh, nearly forgot: It’s the Bahamas It’s Barbados :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![coop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/87869e/32.png) [@coop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coop)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/45 "2004-11-04T14:07:19Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > Aussies don’t ALWAYS beat us at everything 😃 You keep thinking that. 😉 One day in the far distant future, it still won’t come true 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/46 "2004-11-04T14:14:13Z")
One of the biggest misconceptions about the U.S. is that we’re a violent, unsafe, gun-toting society where people are routinely engaged in shootouts in the streets. The truth is that U.S. is quite safe; for the most part, “violent” areas are isolated to certain urban areas. And I can’t even recall the last time I saw someone walking around with a gun strapped to his waist. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/47 "2004-11-04T14:17:02Z")
> [@coop](#): > > You keep thinking that. 😉 > > One day in the far distant future, it still won’t come true 😃 We still have the netball 😃 Bloody Aussies! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/48 "2004-11-04T14:30:15Z")
> [@](#): > > **Crafter\_Man** said: > I can’t even recall the last time I saw someone walking around with a gun strapped to his waist. Course not. Ohio has legal concealed carry now. 😉 Seriously though, people do have the misconception that this vast number of Americans is constantly packing heat at all times and will shoot someone to death to get one parking space closer at Wal-Mart because there’s a sale on doughnuts. Another misconception that a lot of people seem to have about the US (except for Canadians) is about its size. I’ve met many Europeans, Asians and Australians who were absolutely shocked when they heard that it would take me _four days_ to drive from Pittsburgh to San Francisco. One I can remember asking me, after we had driven about 2 hours west from Pittsburgh ‘Are we past the Great Lakes now?’ ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/49 "2004-11-04T14:31:56Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > This one really grates with me. Americans tend to get the message when you tell them the population of Britain equals that of California, New England and New Jersey combined 😃 I’ve got a US one: New England is not a state. It’s actually an area of the country consist of six of the US states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. (Not saying you believe that; just that others do.) ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/50 "2004-11-04T14:57:31Z")
Heh, in It’s a Small World all the residents are little mechanical puppets and all the singing is recorded… Oh, wait! Nevermind… ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/51 "2004-11-04T15:06:37Z")
> [@catsix](#): > > Another misconception that a lot of people seem to have about the US (except for Canadians) is about its size. I’ve met many Europeans, Asians and Australians who were absolutely shocked when they heard that it would take me _four days_ to drive from Pittsburgh to San Francisco. One I can remember asking me, after we had driven about 2 hours west from Pittsburgh ‘Are we past the Great Lakes now?’ Just out of curiosity, an Australian was shocked at the distance? Australia is almost as wide as the continental US. Most of the good Australian ones are taken, but I’ll add: - The distance between Perth and Sydney is about 25% more than London to Moscow. You can’t see them both in week. - Fosters is not Australian for beer. It’s not even sold widely. - The Queen has no power over Australia. - Yes, people are killed by sharks. It’s about one every decade, so we take our chances. - I have never watched Crocodile Hunter. If you ask me who Steve Irwin is, I’ll feign ignorance and pretend to listen politely while you explain. ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/52 "2004-11-04T16:13:30Z")
**Jervoise** said: Just out of curiosity, an Australian was shocked at the distance? Australia is almost as wide as the continental US. [/quote] No, actually that came from a guy from Ireland. He seemed pretty flabbergasted that it took more than 2 hours of driving west from Pittsburgh to go over the Rockies and hit another ocean. ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/53 "2004-11-04T16:16:42Z")
The distance between Australia and New Zealand is another thing people always underestimate. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/54 "2004-11-04T22:15:50Z")
> [@catsix](#): > > No, actually that came from a guy from Ireland. He seemed pretty flabbergasted that it took more than 2 hours of driving west from Pittsburgh to go over the Rockies and hit another ocean. Heh. When I went to Florida for four days last year for my brother’s wedding, lots of people here in Ireland didn’t understand why I didn’t just drop by my hometown in Maryland while I was there. When I explained to them that it would be like dropping by Dublin during a four-day visit to Munich, it became a bit clearer … ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/55 "2004-11-05T00:12:55Z")
> [@ruadh](#): > > Heh. When I went to Florida for four days last year for my brother’s wedding, lots of people here in Ireland didn’t understand why I didn’t just drop by my hometown in Maryland while I was there. > > When I explained to them that it would be like dropping by Dublin during a four-day visit to Munich, it became a bit clearer … Bit of a hijack - my company’s headquarters is in LA and a lot of us have been out there for training. When I went out there last January, I had coworkers asking me if I was going to stay with my parents instead of at the hotel, or whether I’d be dropping by my mom or something. When I explained that my parents live near San Francisco, I got some amusing (to me) responses. Illinois is not small, but California is _much_ larger. It was hardly feasible to stop by my parents’ house 500 miles away while on a three day training trip. Just recently, a coworker and I were talking about hockey - he told me he was a huge fan and had almost gone to a San Jose Sharks game while in California for training. Me: Oh, were they playing the [LA] Kings? Him: No, I was going to drive to San Jose. Me: Did you take off the weekend then? Him: No, I was going to go and drive back that night. Me: Whaaaaaa? That’s a six hour drive. Him: Are you sure? I thought it was about 45 minutes. Me: If you fly, yeah. ---
**Author:** ![wnorthr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecccb3/32.png) [@wnorthr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wnorthr)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/56 "2004-11-05T00:48:11Z")
Just so the foreigners don’t feel so bad: My mother (who lives in Connecticut) asks me why I don’t drop by and visit my brother very often. He lives between LA and San Diego. I live north of San Jose. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/57 "2004-11-05T01:09:58Z")
All of California is a warm, sunny beach, and it is a good idea to wear tank tops and shorts here all year round You can swim in the ocean here (yeah, if you can deal with it being COLD) We have earthquakes all the time (yes, but not big ones that you can feel) Anything south of San Francisco is near LA (I got this one a lot when I lived near Santa Cruz) You can take a day trip from the Bay Area to San Diego ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/58 "2004-11-05T02:52:17Z")
Once when talking with an American, I mentioned that Canada has a very uneven population distribution, compared to our huge land mass. He asked what I meant. I said that one stat I’d seen was something like 80% of all Canadians live within 100 miles of the U.S. border. He said, “Oh, so you all live pretty close together, then.” I gave up. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/59 "2004-11-05T14:41:36Z")
> [@DeadlyAccurate](#): > > I’ve got a US one: New England is not a state. It’s actually an area of the country consist of six of the US states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. > > (Not saying you believe that; just that others do.) Maybe **GorillaMan** meant the Patriots. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791/60 "2004-11-05T14:57:13Z")
One big one: Sweden is _not_ a Socialist country. We’ve got a market economy and everything. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-your-country/272791.md?page=4)