# Non-US Dopers: What Do You Wish You'd Been Warned About Before You Came Here? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 20, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302 "2014-01-20T20:20:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/81 "2014-01-22T20:06:35Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > [https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151829038497603&l=ed3600a6f9](https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151829038497603&l=ed3600a6f9) > > Hope that works! ☹ I got a “content unavailable” screen. Maybe because it’s on Facebook? I don’t suppose you’d have a picture on photobucket or something…? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/82 "2014-01-22T20:24:05Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking. > > So the sales tax is broken down, but you’re informed after the purchase is made? You already know how much it is in advance, although for some items it is itemized separatedly in advance (for example hotel stays) and for others there is simply a reminder of what the current % is (for example restaurant menus). And neither of those examples are situations where we’d be expected to leave a tip, since service is always included. And in case you haven’t noticed, the thread is about “stuff you wish you’d known before going to the US,” not about whether the American way is The Right Way. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/83 "2014-01-22T20:42:59Z")
I didn’t say it was the right way (feel free to cite where I did, **Nava**.) I was, however, responding to a remark about “chicanery” and “baffled why they would defend this practice” explaining _why_ it is done this way - with thousands of differing governments all imposing varying tax rules, there’s no way to generate “all inclusive pricing.” ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/84 "2014-01-22T21:40:36Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > For a person who grew up here (like most of the 330 million Americans), there are no “nasty surprises at the checkout” as it’s assumed that the price doesn’t include sales tax. If stores widely displayed how much sales tax is, I’d agree with you. But when I shop out of state, I generally have no idea how much the sales tax will be. 5%? 8%? I don’t know, the only sales tax here is on meals. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/85 "2014-01-22T21:58:32Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It’s not only “OK” but in many cases it’s the law, and it’s a Good law. The issue is rounding. If the tax is 7%, and you have multiple items under $1USD, and they round up on each one, the retailer can make a bundle. I’ve never seen items taxed individually (unless they were purchased in separate transactions): the sales tax is always calculated just once, as a percentage of the taxable subtotal. The rounding on a single transaction involving multiple line items won’t amount to more than 0.5 cents. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/86 "2014-01-22T22:01:20Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > I’ve never seen items taxed individually (unless they were purchased in separate transactions): the sales tax is always calculated just once, as a percentage of the taxable subtotal. The rounding on a single transaction involving multiple line items won’t amount to more than 0.5 cents. That’s exactly my point. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/87 "2014-01-22T23:54:07Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I met a woman from Canada who was so used to color-coded bills that she wasn’t used to looking at the numbers on them and had tipped $5 when she meant to tip $1, several times… On the flip side, the first time I went to the UK, I gave a panhandler my spare change, only realizing later that the handful of change included five or six one pound coins. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/88 "2014-01-23T00:05:46Z")
I apparently don’t travel in particularly godly circles. Not once–ONCE–have I ever been asked what church I went to, and I’ve never heard anyone else being asked that question. Maybe I’ve heard when two people were actually talking about church, but never as an introductory question. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/89 "2014-01-23T00:19:27Z")
> [@Grey\_area](#): > > … > The above was mostly during undergrad in Central PA. Sadly, I will back this up about central PA. An American professor friend of mine finished her doctorate work elsewhere because she could not stand the bigoted narrowness of the locals. She is white and bears her ex-husband’s Russian name and she got crap for that. Then she got crap from students and a fellow lecturer for her Jewish maiden name even though she is Presbyterian. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/90 "2014-01-23T03:01:33Z")
> [@Uniqueorn](#): > > That it’s so bloody vast and that a “short trip” can take hours. > That people take their religious views seriously. > That people take their political views seriously. I once took a bus trip from Mid Ohio to LA. On it was a beautiful young lady who spent hours on her knees looking out the window. I thought she might have been mentally handicapped. It turned out she was a German student who couldn’t get over the sight of driving through multiple states of continuous corn fields followed by wheat fields. She spoke perfect English. Not sure how somebody learns another language with such perfection. I’m surprised that anyone would ask what church someone goes to. I’d honestly start laughing and tell them I’m a faithful follower of brother John Birch. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/91 "2014-01-23T03:16:26Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’m surprised that anyone would ask what church someone goes to. I grew up and went to school in Sydney, Australia. In 4th Form we had a new girl start. She was from Texas and the first thing she asked everyone was what church they went to. This was considered seriously weird in heathen Sydney. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/92 "2014-01-23T03:18:07Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’m surprised that anyone would ask what church someone goes to. I’d honestly start laughing and tell them I’m a faithful follower of brother John Birch. But do you have a garage? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/93 "2014-01-23T10:52:06Z")
> [@Lazlo Hapsburg](#): > > I don’t understand. To which US citizen are you referring? Are you referring to yourself? It’s very difficult for me to answer your question because: > > 1. I do not know to whom you are referring when you say, “some Americans have a sense of entitlement different from elsewhere”. If you don’t explain how that American was treated or if you don’t post a link to the example to which you refer, then I don’t know how to answer you. > > 2. I don’t understand what you mean when you refer to the “E.G.”… “This citizen” referred to me, septimus. I didn’t mind when U.S. Customs took my suitcase for X-ray, and took me for rectum search – I felt they were just doing their job. However, I _was_ annoyed on another occasion when a Customs inspector arrogantly abused and destroyed my property for no reason – though not as badly as your experience. There is an American rudeness or sense of entitlement that is much rarer in other countries. (Let’s be clear: it’s a small minority; most Americans are very decent people.) This “sense of entitlement” (or whatever the best word for it is) isn’t limited to law enforcement personnel. [Here’s a recent YouTube of an American who felt entitled to McNuggets despite that they were unavailable.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g-xB_n1RHw) I made the mistake of responding to two completely unrelated topics in one post. My comment about “E.G.” was directed to another poster. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/94 "2014-01-23T10:55:09Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I think hiding the tax into the overall price is the greater chicanery. Hi, **JohnT**. I asked you about this and got no answer. Net prices are obviously more convenient. (Receipts usually contain a break-down showing tax, though very few care.) I remain curious. Will you deign to elucidate? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/95 "2014-01-23T11:34:07Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > “This citizen” referred to me, septimus. I didn’t mind when U.S. Customs took my suitcase for X-ray, and took me for rectum search – I felt they were just doing their job. However, I _was_ annoyed on another occasion when a Customs inspector arrogantly abused and destroyed my property for no reason – though not as badly as your experience. > > There is an American rudeness or sense of entitlement that is much rarer in other countries. (Let’s be clear: it’s a small minority; most Americans are very decent people.) This “sense of entitlement” (or whatever the best word for it is) isn’t limited to law enforcement personnel. [Here’s a recent YouTube of an American who felt entitled to McNuggets despite that they were unavailable.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g-xB_n1RHw) > > I made the mistake of responding to two completely unrelated topics in one post. My comment about “E.G.” was directed to another poster. Rectum search??? Are you joking? That’s horrible. I know what you’re saying about the entitlement thing. We have this “the customer is always right” saying, and some people really take it to extremes and turn into spoiled vindictive princesses. If I don’t get what I want right now heads will roll! You’ll be hearing from my lawyer! Most Americans don’t have a lawyer of course. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/96 "2014-01-23T13:23:34Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Rectum search??? Are you joking? That’s horrible. > > I know what you’re saying about the entitlement thing. We have this “the customer is always right” saying, and some people really take it to extremes and turn into spoiled vindictive princesses. If I don’t get what I want right now heads will roll! You’ll be hearing from my lawyer! Most Americans don’t have a lawyer of course. They made some inference I might be a drug-carrying mule, I guess, and did their job. They were professional. I support law enforcement when done properly. It was the Customs jerk who stood with a smirk while pointlessly destroying my property that was more annoying. I have other personal examples of semi-official Americans acting abusively. I’d just watched that astounding YouTube of a McDonald’s customer (on drugs?) so linked to it, but it might be a poor example of my point. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/97 "2014-01-23T13:34:39Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Hi, **JohnT**. I asked you about this and got no answer. Net prices are obviously more convenient. (Receipts usually contain a break-down showing tax, though very few care.) > > I remain curious. Will you deign to elucidate? Not really. This isn’t the thread. All that’s needed to be said has _been_ said, and a new thread won’t provide any more illumination either. If you can’t understand why a country with over 4,000 differing sales tax rates would tend to a cost-plus pricing system rather than an all-inclusive, there’s little more I can say. Our system is _not_ better. But it’s better for _us_. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/98 "2014-01-23T13:58:19Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Not really. This isn’t the thread. All that’s needed to be said has _been_ said, and a new thread won’t provide any more illumination either. If you can’t understand why a country with over 4,000 differing sales tax rates would tend to a cost-plus pricing system rather than an all-inclusive, there’s little more I can say. > > Our system is _not_ better. But it’s better for _us_. I live in DC. Both Maryland and Virginia are about 10 to 15 minutes from my house. I like to see the sales tax listed separately because each of them has different tax rates, and that way I can figure where I should go for certain big ticket items. Plus custom is king. We’ve always done it this way and it makes sense for us. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/99 "2014-01-23T14:01:53Z")
The difference is that I see sales tax as something the \*business \*has to pay, not the consumer. They give me a product, I give them money, and they pay a portion of that money as taxes. What portion isn’t my problem - let them figure it out. I just want to pay the listed price. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302/100 "2014-01-23T14:07:42Z")
They don’t get the “sales tax” money from any other source than the consumer, so I’m confused as to why it would be considered a “business tax.” As there are no business inputs that affect the tax collected (as opposed to say income tax) and it’s a pure transfer from the purchaser to the government (this transfer handled by the business), it’s obviously a consumer tax. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-what-do-you-wish-youd-been-warned-about-before-you-came-here/679302.md?page=6)