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Cultural differences really make waves. For instance, while the United States and the majority of Europe belong to the Western world, the two are still an ocean apart.

Redditor Comfortable-Use6239 asked everyone on the platform to name the things they believe are normal on the Old Continent but horrifying in America.

In less than a week, they have received nearly seven thousand replies. From tipping to the size of parking spaces, continue scrolling to see which have gotten the most attention.

#1

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Female nipples on TV and social media? We can’t grasp why the USA is so fixated on censoring them. Violence and death are shown without issue, yet the female nipple is taboo. It seems the influence of fear-mongering religious groups still holds sway. It’s absurd.

digibeta , cottonbro studio Report

#2

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Being able to vote even if never registered to vote - you are registered automatically, so that's not even a term. Your voting rights cannot be removed ever. Even if convinced of crime.

Capital punishment is forbidden in the EU countries.

You cannot give up your right to trial, unlike in the US where you are easily forced to give up the right to sue the companies that provide you the services.

Chemical_Refuse_1030 , Edmond Dantès Report

#3

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Buildings that are over 300 years old being used instead of building new ones.

Late_Baker_6728 , Abene Sebei Report

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#4

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Not tipping.

West_Reindeer_5421 , Tim Samuel Report

#5

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Walking to the store.

dyslexicassf**k: My mom traveled to the US for the first time recently, she was shocked at how unwalkable it was and how people went everywhere with the car

Sohn_Jalston_Raul , Kevin Malik Report

#6

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird The German Foreign Ministry has a travel advisory that you should not photograph your own children naked when you are in the USA at the beach.
In Germany it is quite normal for small children to bathe naked on public beaches or in swimming pools.

No-Comedian4090 , Ashley K Bowen Report

#7

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Drinking alcohol in public spaces. In many European cities, it’s perfectly acceptable to enjoy a drink in parks or on the streets, while in the U.S., it can lead to fines or legal issues.

Fuzzy_Bus458 , Ketut Subiyanto Report

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#8

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Children walking or cycling to school and outside of school activities such as sport or theater, all by themselves.

CrystalRedCynthia , Tuấn Kiệt Jr. Report

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#9

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Suggesting a medical visit for a mild injury.

ajbdbds , Antoni Shkraba Report

#10

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Calling an ambulance.

NiceGuysFinishLast: I drove myself to the emergency room for a coral snake bite. They didn't have the antivenin, I had to go to the hospital. They called me an ambulance despite the fact that I had already driven there and I said I didn't want one. Total hospital bill was 94K and the ambulance was a separate 3K that dropped to like 1K after I gave them my insurance.

insubordinate74 , Pavel Danilyuk Report

#11

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Minimal air conditioning.. Europeans tend to rely less on air conditioning even in warmer weather.. many Americans, used to blasting AC, might find it uncomfortable or surprising.

cutiereddgal , Max Vakhtbovycn Report

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#12

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Walking for ten minutes ina city instead of getting a taxi.

Wiedegeburt , Meruyert Gonullu Report

#13

Cops without guns.

Major_Honey_4461 Report

#14

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Nudity in TV and print media.

santaclaws_ , Lisa Fotios Report

#15

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Directness in communication.. Europeans specially in places like Germany or Netherlands are often more straightforward in conversation which might come off as blunt or rude to Americans used to more indirect communication.

qtpetalsxo , Armin Rimoldi Report

#16

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird I know this one.

The size of parking spaces. Parking spaces in the US are 1.5x bigger than those of Europe, almost double at Costco. European vehicles are on average very very small and their parking spaces reflect that. I rented as Mazda 3 and it was a pretty tight squeeze in 99% of parkades.

Consider that before you decide to rent an SUV or bigger.

garlicroastedpotato , Swapnil Sharma Report

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#17

Letting kids play outside by themselves, or going to the local playground.

Kaalveythur Report

#18

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Mass gathering without x-ray and bag checks.

Beachhouse15 , NIC LAW Report

#19

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Having a bidet.

unspeakabledelights , Berna Ekinci Report

#20

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Not refrigerating eggs.

optoph , Estudio Gourmet Report

#21

The Socialist Party winning a national election.

A coronation.

A restaurant that served fries smothered in mayonnaise.

A public restroom with squat toilets.

Seeing people under 21 drink alcohol in public. Legally.

Going into McDonald's and looking at the menu and seeing McFalafel, Croque McDo, and even beer.

Bo_Jim Report

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#22

Having to pay a fairly significant sum of money to become a licensed driver. Getting a regular license in Europe is way more expensive than in the US.

NlghtmanCometh Report

#23

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Shutting down markets at sundays are perfectly normal in europe

it may cause public outrage at US.

WilhelmTheDoge , Erik Mclean Report

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Matthew Savestheworld
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Probably would not cause public outrage, but would make some corporate overloards angry

David Morgan
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Which would be stupid, because the stores are open for just as long as in the US, just split up so workers have a chance to be human beings. Customers wouldn't suffer at all.

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Crissy Newbury
Community Member
Premium
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Which is so ironic considering the amount of religious zealots in the us. Isn’t it supposed to be the Lord’s Day? Blasphemy!

StrangeOne
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I recall a lot of stores weren't open on Sundays in Canada. It was like a law, or bylaw in some regions, that unless it was a vital service, or something like a convenient store. Either not open on Sundays or not open in the mornings. Then the laws loosened up when immigrant store owners complained about potential loss in sales and complaints from customers. Now, it's the business owner's choice.

Tom Brincefield
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most states had Blue laws here in the US for decades. No stores open on Sunday, because it was the sabbath. Virginia ended theirs in the 90s, they were some of the last.

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Ace
Community Member
2 weeks ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It varies. Sunday opening became legal in the UK back in the 1980s (edit: for some sorts of shops, like furniture and DIY stores, supermarkets were later), whereas some parts of France/Germany and Switzerland even close earlier on Saturdays than the rest of the week. Exceptions are allowed in tourist areas.

Robert T
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is not that long ago that we used to have half-day closing in some places in the UK. Was usually a Tuesday or Wednesday. Even when supermarkets started opening on a Sunday, they still had different licencing hours, so the alcohol aisle was closed off for part of the time. At least it is fairly consistent now.

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Felicia
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wish the bars in utah were open on sundays... not everyone goes to church.

Ionescu Popa
Community Member
2 weeks ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

and some people who don't have room in the church because of the hypocrites are honestly looking for Him in the bars. churches should be an open space, not a religious hoa.

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Mark Karol-Chik
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here is my thought. Shut down 24 hour convenient stores. They are a magnet for crime after dark anyways. AND 24 hour super stores. As for the f*****g big box stores, a complete revamp on the store hours, hear me out . No one needs to be buying 2 x 4's at 9 PM on a week night. Calm down Paul. Lowe's, Depot, Menard's should operate at hours of 6 AM to 8PM, Monday to Friday. Saturday hours would be 8 AM to 5 PM. Sunday, and man this will p**s off the corporate types, 10 AM til 2PM.

Tom Brincefield
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And they're going to do this how? The politicians who write the laws have removed the Blue laws because the voters wanted them removed.

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JD
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the 1980s in the USA, most places were closed on Sundays. There were products you just couldn't buy on Sunday. When that started to change there were people who would refuse to shop in stores that are open on Sunday "They're making people work on the LORD'S DAY!!!!" We got over that because capitalism is the real religion in the USA.

JessieJ&LilyLovebug
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live is Western NC, and we have been under curfew since Hurricane Helene...you should see the way some people react when they learn we have to close earlier, so our staff can get home...absolutely obnoxious, despicable behavior.

S Bow
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is appalling, considering what you folks have been through and are still dealing with.

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Seedy Vine
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is why we need four-day work weeks. Saturdays and Sundays are currently the only time I'm not chained to my work desk and can go get groceries or run any kind of errand. If I had Fridays off I could do it then, and everyone could rest on Sunday. Let's make this happen.

Debby Keir
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

England and Wales only open supermarket type shops between 10am and 4pm on a Sunday, but you can buy anything. Scotland's stores are open anytime on Sunday, but you cannot buy alcohol, so there's a lot of variation.

Geoffrey Scott
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OOOHHHH the drama, family run grocer sold out to another family run grocer that refuses to operate on Sunday. Yes.. until you remember that, it is inconvenient, but I kinda like it. Workers KNOW they have 1 solid day they can plan on and don't have to wait on a work schedule.

Alexandra
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why? It's just lazy planniing if that's a problem. There used to be a time when the shops were closed 3 days in a row if Christmas and Boxing day were on a Monday and Tuesday. No problem: just make a list and shop accordingly.

Heather Talma
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

???There are tons of places in the US that are closed on Sundays though????

Mary Kelly
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

most businesses were closed on sundays in the u.s., untl the early 1980s...then it was the greed-is-good era of ronald reagan and it fell by the wayside...

Joe Methuen
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Massachusetts, USA, it used to be that stores weren't allowed to open on Sundays andholidays. In 1983 laws changed and some businesses were allowed to open. I remember just prior to that, some businesses broke the law and opened on Sundays and holidays. I supported those law breakers back then.

Kelly Scott
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still remember when we had "blue laws" in the US. Not being open on Sundays was a religious thing and people were really wound up about changing it at the time. Now, of course, everything (except Chick Fil-A and who needs them anyhow) is open on Sunday.

Kraneia The Dancing Dryad
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some places in the US still close on Sunday. Chick-fil-A is a fairly well known example.

Craig Reynolds
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Almost all Asian restaurants have hours like that in the US, but they are open on weekends.

Bret Sander
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would support a day like this in the US . I'm not Christian, but the majority of the country is, so I'd be happy for it to be Sundays. Plan your weekend and let everyone rest one day a week

Kelly Scott
Community Member
2 weeks ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That would require ALL businesses to close on Sunday and no corporate business is going to close if it loses them any money. They're too greedy. I even worked for a bank that was open on Sunday. If businesses didn't all close on Sundays, then the ones that remained open would still expect people to work for them on Sunday and that defeats the whole thing.

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Sue Mullen Andersen
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It used to be that way here in the USA. Then larger stores decided to take advantage and open on Sunday. The smaller shops followed suit as they were missing the money that the larger stores were bringing in.

Brandie Litchfield
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Many restaurants are closed on Sundays and Monday's. Even our local Walmart closes early on Sunday's

Bloobee bloobee bloo bloo bloo
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It wasn’t too long ago that the US did the same. Sometimes I wish we would go back to that

keyboardtek
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What is so special about Sundays that it is considered an outrage for a business to remain open? I thought religion in Europe was becoming a thing of the past?

Ellinor
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's the only day where people working in field like restaurants, retail or big stores have their day off. It happens to be Sunday as a religious heritage but it doesn't have that meaning now. It's just the day no one really do anything but rest.

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Carl Roberts
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The city I grew up in California was like that until the late 90's. Everything was closed on Sundays, except grocery stores (which closed at 5pm), gas stations/convenience stores, and restaurants,

Ace
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's specifically the grocery stores that are not allowed to open on Sundays. I mean, other shops too, but that's the one that is most obvious and notable.

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LuisSD stuff
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For most people, the weekends are the only time to get anything done. If the costco closed on weekends, people will riot.

Ellinor
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And our workers deserve to have their weekends too, why would they be expected to work 7/7 ?

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Pernille
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Where I live shops are mostly closed on Sunday, Monday morning, and Wednesday afternoon, and whenever it suits the owner. Rural France is a fun place to go shopping, the only thing that is sure is the Saturday morning market.

Lenore Jean Jones
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It used to be more common in the U.S., and there are still "blue laws" in some places. In our case, they were religiously inspired. Even without them, smaller businesses will often shut down on Sundays and sometimes one other day of the week. They're often family-run, and the family needs some time off.

Travelling Stranger
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

in Poland certain politicians make it a point of honour to support and bring back open stores on Sundays citing some "statistics" - there's even one, most famous for a pink sweater, that called a special session on trade Sundays, yet - ironically - it wasn't to be held on a Sunday to fully support the idea..

Ionescu Popa
Community Member
2 weeks ago

This comment has been deleted.

Ellinor
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Our workers deserve to have at least one day off, no one wants to works 7/7 days a week.

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#24

I would say is more a mediterranean thing but eat your lunch with a glass of wine or beer. When I do this in the US, I look almost as an alcoholic. Same about smoke on the workplace (not inside the office but on the terrace or outside the office with the colleagues).

Calbot Report

#25

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Leaving your baby in the stroller while you have dinner.

Normal in denmark(and a few other european countries), gets you arrested for child endangerment in USA

Freecraghack_ , Yan Krukau Report

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#26

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Charging for water at a restaurant. Charging to use the restrooms.

shadowsog95 , Pixabay Report

#27

Paying 8$ for a gallon of gasoline.

pattyG80 Report

#28

Those tiny streets.

Guntztuffer Report

#29

The size of a european cup of coffee.

cmvm1990 Report

#30

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Not owning a car.

geographicfox , Olga Vunder Report

#31

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Going out on "THE SESH!", Americans dont comprehend how much we actually drink as Europeans, and we dont drink water down swill, its proper beer, larger and ale... we go big and then have no idea how we got home, and i think in america they would call that alcoholism but in the UK we call it Saturday night.

Empty-Refrigerator , ELEVATE Report

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#32

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Salaries. At least in my field, they appear to be 1/3 to 1/2 what an equivalent job would pay in the US.

geographicfox , Yan Krukau Report

#33

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Speedos in a non-sporting context.

stellacampus , Kindel Media Report

#34

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Eating dinner at 10 PM! In Europe, it’s just a normal night out but in the U.S., you’d be met with confused looks and a few “Are you planning to party with the vampires?”.

Missmaudedoll , Los Muertos Crew Report

#35

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Beans on toast.

SakkaSouffle , Beck Report

#36

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Kids being left alone in homes for more than 15 minutes.

thecursedredditor , Julia M Cameron Report

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#37

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Having to pay to pee.

InspectorNoName , Chelsea Cook Report

#38

People Shared 41 Things About Europe That Americans Could Find Extremely Weird Throwing dirty toilet paper in the trash can instead of flushing it down the toilet....

Jen120ha , Max Vakhtbovycn Report

#39

Letting your cat out to enjoy the garden.

farraigemeansthesea Report

#40

I might be showing my age, but drowning unwanted pups was pretty common in Ireland back in the 80s. Horrible when you think about it.

robotbike2 Report

#41

Blowing your nose at the dinner table, especially when it's really snotty, and then putting the handkerchief or better yet paper tissue back in your pocket.

degobrah Report

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