The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office is apparently quite concerned about our hurricanes and forest fires.
The whole southern USA??? My brother lives about 30 miles from the Gulf in the Florida panhandle and he doesn’t worry about them.
What warnings would you give? Serious or otherwise.
The main warning would be that (apart from Canadians, Russians or Australians) foreign tourists come from countries on an entirely smaller scale so that the things to see are much further apart than you would ever anticipate having never visited before.
Some American highways, I’m specifically thinking of ones I’ve encountered in NYC and Chicago might be seriously daunting for drivers from Ireland, and other countries where even motorways are only just becoming the norm. Our motorways usually have two lanes or at most three lanes.
There are many parts of the country (New England for example) where deer are a hazard to driving also.
Around here, the warning would have to be about the hundreds, if not thousands of beggars that they will encounter. Be particularly wary of any beggars with hand-lettered signs written on scraps of cardboard stating that their wife/kids/son/neighbor has been kidnapped and they need ransom money. It has been proven that these individuals do not have any family members in any sort of danger.
Related to the beggars are another category of individual to avoid - neatly dressed young adults with binders or clipboards on the streets. They appear on the surface to be taking surveys, but in truth, once they’ve reeled you in, they will try to sign you up to donate money to their group.
Yeah, a set of cautions about visiting the Bay Area would be incomplete without something like
Driving
As the Bay Area does not have a properly functioning regional transit system, it is necessary to drive to nearly all locations. Please note that the posted speed limits are MINIMUMS. If the idea of driving on a highway at 75 miles per hour and being on the wrong side of seven lanes filled with traffic to make your exit in one-quarter mile concerns you, it is advisable that you consider hiring a taxi or car service.
Bring you own gun.
Especially in the Midwest - take severe weather warnings seriously. Yes, we know you have weather where you came from, but some things, such as Kansas tornadoes, tend to be both much more intense and more frequent than anywhere else in the world.
Everything is much farther apart that you think it is, and most locations have little or no mass transit. If you don’t drive your ability to travel will be severely hampered.
Do not get into discussions of politics, religion or money. Although you will frequently hear citizens referring to their government and its officials in very negatives terms the wisest course is to bow out of such discussions. Even if other participants appear to be foreign to you, abstain.
Do not give money to people begging for it on the streets.
For people from Europe: We have more and different types of wildlife than you do. For example, where my in-laws live it is not too unusual for bears to walk through peoples’ backyards. There are crocodiles in Florida and along the Guld Coast big enough to kill adults. Bison in Yellowstone are dangerous. Do not mess with the Moose in Maine. These are wild animals so keep your distance. Even a big city like Chicago has been known to have coyotes roaming the downtown area. The South and Southwest have a variety of poisonous things like snakes and scorpions. Please consult the locals regarding local hazards, some of which I’m sure are unfamiliar to you, especially if you’re planning on hiking/camping in our more wild areas. Incidents are rare, but they can ruin your vacation and we don’t want that. We want you to have a good time so you’ll come back next year and spend some more of your money with us.
Depending on where the tourist comes from and when and where they go in America I’d have to warn them about the weather. A Dane heading for Arizona in June? A Bengali staying in the Twin Cities all January?
Tax is not included on most items. The price you see on the shelf will be anywhere from 6-8% more, depending on the sales tax in your area.
Tips are customary when dining in restaurants.
Especially in bigger cities, it’s possible to go from the “tourist-y, beautiful, nominally safe” parts of town, to the “really awful, get panhandled for crack money or stabbed for your purse” parts of town, within a street or two. If you like to wander, pay close attention as you do. This was very true in Washington DC, where I grew up; The Mall, where the monuments as well as the Smithsonian were located, was a mere two or three blocks from some pretty scary neighborhoods. Get a Fodor’s or Lonely Planet guidebook, and/or travel with a knowledgeable local.
More explicitly: that really earnest guy who seems so nice, and needs just a little bit more cash for a bus ticket to get back to his family in [City Name]?
Don’t give him money. He was there yesterday, he’ll be there tomorrow, and the next time you talk to him he likely won’t be as nice or earnest.
Also from the link in the OP.
:eek:
Really?? The speed limit around here (SW Oklahoma) is also 75mph which is about 120kph. Do Brits really drive that fast?
When you go to Yellowstone and they tell you to stay on the boardwalks and to stay away from buffalo, do as they say, unless you like the smell of burning flesh or enjoy being two-dimensional.
Oh, and if you’re visiting the forested/swampy states in the summer, bring DEET. No, not that wussy organic stuff–DEET.
Finally, when you approach a highway exit and it says “Next Services 109 Miles,” stop and fuel up.
Enjoy!
…but the tip you should give is humungously bigger than you’d expect. This is because you don’t understand the vagaries of the US catering industry. Just shut up and pay it. For further information see: boards.straightdope.com.
Corrected. 
Many crimes like hooliganism, petty theft, and burglary are probably more rare in the U.S. than they are at home especially if you are from western Europe. You don’t need to feel especially unsafe in most areas and most Americans are friendly to foreigners and happy to help. However, there are some areas that are tourist hotspots and contain dangerous areas. New Orleans, Washington D.C. and Miami for example always hold the possibility of violent crime if you let down your situational awareness. New Orleans had a big problem with Europeans not taking the situation seriously when young males pulled a gun to mug them. I am not sure what they were thinking but a few got killed for being so skeptical. Even the Kinks singer, Ray Davies, was shot in the leg for that type of behavior.
Many parts of the U.S. especially the South and Southwest are hot, hot, hot, hot in mid-summer. It even gets very hot in New England sometimes. It isn’t so bad because the really hot places are air conditioned everywhere but you need sunscreen and lightweight clothes if you plan to be outside for any length of time.
So no different to many parts of Europe, Ireland included!
Southern California will most likely be cooler and grayer for at least part of the day than you’d expect in June and July and warmer than you’d think in late August and through September. Also, the Pacific ocean is pretty cold most of the time.
Here in San Diego in the summer, the temperature difference between coast and not very far inland can vary by 20 degrees. Bring layers.
Yes. 70mph limit for motorways and dual carriageways, i.e. all major roads, and in practice it’s more like 80-90 in the fast lane.
The drink-drive limit is actually lower in most of Europe, too - 0.05% BAC compared to 0.08% in the US. The UK and Ireland are exceptions, having stuck to 0.08%.
Edit: I suppose the FCO advice is looking at a majority of states having a maximum speed limit under 70mph, perhaps?
sales tax…
you are not being scammed when the cashier asks for 6% more than the price tag.
Our speed limit signs that just say “Speed Limit 55” are always in miles per hour unless otherwise indicated. Road signs that say something like “Boston 12” are in miles. Gas prices are in dollars per gallon. Things that are sold by weight are generally sold by the pound.
Sales taxes vary between states, and are generally not included in the posted price. Some cities and counties have additional sales taxes as well. Just assume that anything you buy will cost more than the sticker price by a small random amount.