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30 British People Share “Totally Normal” Things That Are “Nonexistent” In America

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The United States detached from the British Empire in 1776 and although they've been intertwined in some ways, the two nations have been forging unique identities ever since.

So when Reddit user Appalachian_Hatachi made a post on the platform asking "What does Britain have that America doesn't have?", people who have been to both places had plenty of observations to share.

From differences in their health systems to contrasts in weather, here are some of the most popular entries to the now-viral discussion.

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America We don't have assault rifles because they are too dangerous.

America doesn't have kinder eggs, because, apparently, they are dangerous.

almacoby , Aaron Gustafson Report

Final score:

186points

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#2

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Dry British humor

fck_this_fck_that Report

Final score:

161points

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#3

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America NHS

My dad spent some time in A&E yesterday after a bad fall, and we won't be getting a bill

LuinAelin , George Morina Report

Final score:

152points

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#4

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Pubs.

There was a documentary about a US aircraft carrier meeting up with the new British aircraft carrier.

In the US navy they are not allowed to drink on ship.

The British aircraft carrier has a pub.

The look on those American sailor's faces. Lol.

ciderlout , Amie Johnson Report

Final score:

142points

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#5

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Maternity leave that doesn’t result in an 8 week old at daycare.

Healthcare that doesn’t result in bankruptcy should you develop diabetes or need life saving surgery.

Most importantly, Tesco.

thesevenleafclover , Sarah Chai Report

Final score:

134points

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#6

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America People that take down a terrorist with a narwhal tusk, spear and fire extinguisher.

Royal_Visit3419 Report

Final score:

123points

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#7

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Scotland

unwantedaccount56 , v2osk Report

Final score:

118points

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#8

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Top quality Panel Shows (8 out of 10 cats, Countdown, Would I Lie To You?, Taskmaster, QI, Big Fat Quiz, etc).

American comedians are just too competitive to do it proper (Whose Line is it Anyways? is the closest)

mywerkaccount , Channel 4 Entertainment Report

Final score:

115points

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#9

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Black currant. Oh the fruit pastilles, ribena, lord I’m sorry but I love black currant jam and yoghurt so so much

LeskoLesko , kahvikisu Report

Final score:

114points

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#10

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Paths (sidewalks) everywhere.

I don't understand living in a place where you can't walk down the street to the shops.

dokidokipanic , Dávid Ďurčo Report

Final score:

113points

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#11

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Philomena Cunk

Strikhedonia_1697 , netflix Report

Final score:

109points

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#12

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Medieval castles

mpchooligan , King's Church International Report

Final score:

102points

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#13

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Clean and efficient public transportation. I know Londoners aren't always happy with the Underground, but as an American it was the cleanest, safest and most efficient rail system I have ever seen, especially for the scale of the operation. Of course I'm from Boston so there is a very low bar with ours, but still.

doctor-rumack , Yelena Odintsova Report

Final score:

102points

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#14

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Most salaried jobs in Britain give you 25 days of holiday, plus the extra 8 (or more depending on royal shenanigans) bank holidays. So 33 days off a year.

snoee , Dan Burton Report

Final score:

100points

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#15

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Clotted cream...it's so good.

jar0fair , Malcolm Manners Report

Final score:

94points

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#16

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America hedgehogs

hoosierhiver , Pixabay Report

Final score:

93points

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#17

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Safety in schools, the ability to laugh at ourselves, public transport, time off work, kinder eggs

Edit: it’s always odd to me how Americans trawl these posts just to get angry and complain about the answers lmao

early_onset_villainy , Taylor Flowe Report

Final score:

93points

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#18

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Full English Breakfast,with proper bacon and Heinz beans..my nan would make fried bread to go with this..heaven

Impossible-Toe-7761 , Valeria Boltneva Report

Final score:

89points

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#19

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogoch.

na_ro_jo , Rob Koster Report

Final score:

88points

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#20

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Walkable cities

IdleBonobo , Bence Szemerey Report

Final score:

84points

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#21

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America History. There are hundreds of pubs older than the US. My mediocre city’s cathedral just celebrated its 900th anniversary. We’ve been doing s**t a *long* time.

ellasfella68 , Arthur Franklin Report

Final score:

77points

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#22

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America crumpets

WafflerTO , Mike Finn Report

Final score:

68points

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#23

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America proper Cadbury chocolate

Jaybetav2 , alleksana Report

Final score:

67points

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#24

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America As a sparky I’m proud to say we have the Type G plug. The best standardised plug anywhere in the world. British wiring standards in general. 230v FTW. Boiling water in microwaves you heathens.

MrDundee666 , Castorly Stock Report

Final score:

63points

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#25

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Walls that aren't made out of paper

questgamer2021 , Benjamin Elliott Report

Final score:

62points

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#26

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America British Indian Restaurants

davus_maximus , Pille R. Priske Report

Final score:

60points

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#27

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Immaculate weather and nuanced sarcasm

RelaxedDetermination , tabitha turner Report

Final score:

58points

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#28

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Christmas crackers & the little paper hats and bad jokes that go along with them.

mitten2787 , nualaimages Report

Final score:

57points

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#29

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Roman ruins

Agreeable_Text_36 , iSAW Company Report

Final score:

54points

The Nessie 1 year ago

That's not Roman

94points

NapQueen 1 year ago

Genuinely interested, what kind of ruins would they be and how do they differ to roman ruins?

6points

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Lauren Caswell 1 year ago

Early english Gothic architecture (the pointed windows were my clue). Looked it up, it's called 'Whitby Abbey' https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/whitby-abbey/history-and-stories/history/significance/

3points

Jo Davies 1 year ago

True, 7th century Anglo-Saxon. There is a theory that there was a Roman settlement there, but no proof

2points

Roan The Demon Kitty 1 year ago (edited)

I can confidently say that this ruin dates from the 7th century. It was completed in 657 AD, though had many changes over the years iirc. it was "destroyed" in 1539, after Henry VIII's supression of the monasteries. I live near it. It's Whitby Abbey. xD (or at least it is atm, they might change it to an actual roman ruin. Perhaps somewhere like Vindolanda, along Hadrians wall, would be a good image choice? )

2points

Dr Robert Neville 1 year ago

It might have been built by medieval Italians????

1point

Christopher Dunne 1 year ago

Nobody said the photo showed Roman ruins.

0points

David Sussex 1 year ago

No, it's staying where it is!

0points

Glynn Reid 1 year ago

Wheesht! Americans don't know that!

-2points

Me. 1 year ago

I think that's Whitby abbey.

8points

SquirrelEnthusiast 1 year ago

Yep 👍 I’ve been a couple of weeks ago it’s gorgeous

2points

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Michael None 1 year ago

You can't blame Americans because Roman's never crossed the Atlantic. England doesn't have any Navaho ruins or pre-Columbian Native American mound cities so there take that. What a strange thing to try and shame us for.

6points

Vermonta 1 year ago

Even Vikings took their stuff home when they left

1point

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Weasel Wise 1 year ago

No fùcking shìt, America doesn't have Roman ruins. Just as England doesn't have the cliff pueblos of Mesa Verde or the Navajo Nation. England doesn't have the ancient temples of China. England has never had Pharoahs nor pyramids. 🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️ Stop drinking and maybe these very basic things will make sense.

2points

Jods 1 year ago

Henry VIII and the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Not one of our finest hours.

1point

Hugh Cookson 1 year ago

We do have quite a few Roman ruins, however, if you want to see how far and how prolific the Romans were, head off to Turkey - the Roman ruins are just everywhere and are still used as working buildings.

1point

That Goth Demon (zey/zem) 1 year ago

Is that Whitby?

1point

ProbablyNotBehindYou (he/him) 1 year ago

Yep

1point

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Audrey Martin 9 months ago (edited)

Who digs up these photos? That's Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire.... The Abbey is 1360 years old ( give or take)

0points

MarsFKA 1 year ago

That's one of the monasteries that Henry VIII dissolved. The Romans hadn't been seen in Britain for more than a thousand years.

0points

Roger Eriksen 1 year ago

Wasn't Berlusconi a Roman ruin?? ;-)

0points

Steve Bone 1 year ago

The poster searched google for roman ruins and found this. This is obviously not roman ruins, but the building style is called roman. So the poster has absolutely no knowledge about anything that is older than 200 years.

0points

Marc Wilson 1 year ago

We do have Roman ruins (and even some fairly intact walls) - but that's not one of them.

0points

Ghost Ofuserspast 1 year ago

Errr, that's Whitby Abby

0points

Jeremy Bolanos 1 year ago

Wrong picture, I think. Doesn't look like Roman architecture or Roman concrete.

0points

Leslie Mays 1 year ago

You win

0points

ProbablyNotBehindYou (he/him) 1 year ago

That's Whitby abbey

0points

Mama Penguin 1 year ago

What an odd thing to brag about. The Romans never made it to our shores. And? Different places, different history.

-1point

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#30

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America A self-deprecating sense of humour.

UsefulSolution3700 , Jonathon Burton Report

Final score:

42points

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#31

The landscape of the Scottish Highlands.

Girhinomofe Report

Final score:

22points

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#32

Using the word "c**t" as an endearing term.

Silly_Randy Report

Final score:

19points

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#33

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Actual football where you kick the ball with your foot, but I'll admit that some American football fans give footie fans a run for their money. Love England and really all of the UK though, hope to live there before I die.

AVBforPrez , Jannik Skorna Report

Final score:

19points

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#34

Beans on toast

ParkingVanilla3202 Report

Final score:

15points

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#35

Irn Bru

GoodTato Report

Final score:

14points

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#36

Better rail systems

cloudydays2021 Report

Final score:

14points

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#37

30 British People Share "Totally Normal" Things That Are "Nonexistent" In America Inside voices

BR41N_F4R7 , Antoni Shkraba Report

Final score:

14points

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#38

Malt vinegar on the table

Odd_Impact8987 Report

Final score:

14points

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#39

Lorne sausage, haggis, black pudding, chocolate biscuits, decent public transport, Public Health Service, classism, VAT, royalty, buildings older than 200 years old.

randomlyme Report

Final score:

12points

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#40

A huge selection of frozen Yorkshire pudding options. I was BEDAZZLED. Loved it.

eleanor61 Report

Final score:

11points

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#41

Every other countries antiquities

Ok-Job7213 Report

Final score:

10points

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#42

Smokey Bacon crisps

pug_fugly_moe Report

Final score:

10points

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#43

Banter

JacobMT05 Report

Final score:

10points

#44

Safe power sockets and plugs

saigon2010 Report

Final score:

9points

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#45

Its own Language

Final score:

9points

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#46

A royal family

Neat_Big_6991 Report

Final score:

-1point

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Rokas Laurinavičius

Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

Kotryna Br

Kotryna is a Photo Editor at Bored Panda with a BA in Graphic Design. Before Bored Panda, she worked as a freelance graphic designer and illiustrator. When not editing, she enjoys working with clay, drawing, playing board games and drinking good tea.

Kotryna is a Photo Editor at Bored Panda with a BA in Graphic Design. Before Bored Panda, she worked as a freelance graphic designer and illiustrator. When not editing, she enjoys working with clay, drawing, playing board games and drinking good tea.

What do you think ?

Multa Nocte 1 year ago

I do not live in either the US or the UK. I am absolutely sick of these articles where the authors thinly disguise their supposed superiority over the US. I don't even like the US that much, but this is getting insufferable. Just stop. If you want an article where a country brags about the things it thinks are remarkable about itself, you can do that without jabbing at another country. It makes me feel as if the Bored Panda panel of authors has some inferiority complex about the US. You're like a little child who has a crush on someone who doesn't like them back and then attacks them to save their pride, and then the Bored Panda readers who also have this same shame pile on like bullies.

28points

Me. 1 year ago

I sometimes go on things like this because it looks like it's going to be an actual comparison. It is not

15points

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Exotic Butters 1 year ago

100% correct. They hate us cuz they ain't us.

0points

Agron54 1 year ago

BP Staff have an obvious bent against the US. It’s exhausting

0points

maswartz 1 year ago

One week, can we PLEASE go ONE WEEK without taking potshots at countries?

9points

Phil Ramsey 1 year ago

Remember, it works both ways.. Go ahead, Give us hell..

0points

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Stuart Smith 1 year ago

I reckon the best thing that UK has over the USA is that they don't have Donald Trump!

9points

censorshipsucks 1 year ago

They do have BoJo but he's not as much of a Bozo.

8points

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Skp2MyLou 1 year ago

It's always this same "writer" ( and as a professional writer, I use the term loosely when referencing the person who posted this) who does the US bashing posts and it's gotten real old real fast But, BO supports the IS-bashing, so they continue.

8points

Anony Mouse 1 year ago

They're like the buzzfeed "writers". The only keys on their keyboards are Ctl-C and Ctl-V.

8points

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Lady Miss Pie Premium 1 year ago

This made me miss England. I loved it so much. If I could afford it, I would move back in a heartbeat.

4points

Robert Brozowski 1 year ago

They should move the UN to London, you know Instead of clogging up traffic in America's largest city.

2points

Ruth F 1 year ago

You forgot to mention plumbing that works. Bathroom sinks (basins) you can use for years and they never get clogged, overflow pipes from everything that takes extra water directly to outdoors, not to the usual waste pipe (because that may be blocked) (some fixtures have NO overflow!!!), toilets that actually clean themselves when they flush. I've lived in the US for 20 years, and somehow they just can't get it right!

0points

Gregory 1 year ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Lily Braunekatze 1 year ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Lydsylou 1 year ago

We're bored. Says it in the name 'bored panda'

4points

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Multa Nocte 1 year ago

I do not live in either the US or the UK. I am absolutely sick of these articles where the authors thinly disguise their supposed superiority over the US. I don't even like the US that much, but this is getting insufferable. Just stop. If you want an article where a country brags about the things it thinks are remarkable about itself, you can do that without jabbing at another country. It makes me feel as if the Bored Panda panel of authors has some inferiority complex about the US. You're like a little child who has a crush on someone who doesn't like them back and then attacks them to save their pride, and then the Bored Panda readers who also have this same shame pile on like bullies.

28points

Me. 1 year ago

I sometimes go on things like this because it looks like it's going to be an actual comparison. It is not

15points

Load More Replies...

Exotic Butters 1 year ago

100% correct. They hate us cuz they ain't us.

0points

Agron54 1 year ago

BP Staff have an obvious bent against the US. It’s exhausting

0points

maswartz 1 year ago

One week, can we PLEASE go ONE WEEK without taking potshots at countries?

9points

Phil Ramsey 1 year ago

Remember, it works both ways.. Go ahead, Give us hell..

0points

Load More Replies...

Stuart Smith 1 year ago

I reckon the best thing that UK has over the USA is that they don't have Donald Trump!

9points

censorshipsucks 1 year ago

They do have BoJo but he's not as much of a Bozo.

8points

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Skp2MyLou 1 year ago

It's always this same "writer" ( and as a professional writer, I use the term loosely when referencing the person who posted this) who does the US bashing posts and it's gotten real old real fast But, BO supports the IS-bashing, so they continue.

8points

Anony Mouse 1 year ago

They're like the buzzfeed "writers". The only keys on their keyboards are Ctl-C and Ctl-V.

8points

Load More Replies...

Lady Miss Pie Premium 1 year ago

This made me miss England. I loved it so much. If I could afford it, I would move back in a heartbeat.

4points

Robert Brozowski 1 year ago

They should move the UN to London, you know Instead of clogging up traffic in America's largest city.

2points

Ruth F 1 year ago

You forgot to mention plumbing that works. Bathroom sinks (basins) you can use for years and they never get clogged, overflow pipes from everything that takes extra water directly to outdoors, not to the usual waste pipe (because that may be blocked) (some fixtures have NO overflow!!!), toilets that actually clean themselves when they flush. I've lived in the US for 20 years, and somehow they just can't get it right!

0points

Gregory 1 year ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Lily Braunekatze 1 year ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Lydsylou 1 year ago

We're bored. Says it in the name 'bored panda'

4points

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