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I'm guessing everybody who's been to the US outside NYC, then. Legolas Send a noteboard - 07/11/2011 09:42:10 PM
I haven't seen anyone use a check to pay for anything (unless we're talking about bills to obscure state and Federal agencies that go into envelopes and get mailed because the place is too archaic to take electronic checking) since...1989, I think.

Because I've spent, hm, about a total of two to two and a half months of my life in the US, and I've indeed witnessed quite a lot of check use in that time.

In fairness to the US, though, France is just as backwards in that regard. One of the many similarities... ;)
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America's Quirks noticed by Non-Americans - 07/11/2011 06:55:22 PM 2908 Views
Wait, in Europe they leave soap on dishes to dry? - 07/11/2011 08:25:33 PM 1972 Views
I had to ask one of the Brits I worked with about that one - 08/11/2011 04:48:11 PM 1639 Views
Yeah it's weird isn't it. *NM* - 08/11/2011 06:00:11 PM 959 Views
That's gross *NM* - 08/11/2011 07:56:48 PM 940 Views
Depends on how much soap was in the water - 08/11/2011 10:54:28 PM 1559 Views
Ah ha! Perhaps this explains my mother-in-law's behavior! - 08/11/2011 11:11:12 PM 1732 Views
Not that I ever heard of... *NM* - 08/11/2011 11:13:05 PM 988 Views
Re: Wait, in Europe they leave soap on dishes to dry? - 09/11/2011 02:52:14 AM 2193 Views
Depends on how much washing-up liquid you put in the water. - 09/11/2011 08:13:51 AM 1374 Views
I don't think it's different. - 09/11/2011 04:30:58 PM 1598 Views
It isn't. I was going to say exactly the same thing about the laziness and "soap." - 09/11/2011 05:42:44 PM 1700 Views
Thanks both. *NM* - 09/11/2011 07:08:58 PM 984 Views
We are talking about washing dishes by hand, right? - 09/11/2011 06:50:09 PM 1506 Views
Yes. And here's the difference between what you do and what I do: - 09/11/2011 07:08:06 PM 1460 Views
Yes - 09/11/2011 07:13:54 PM 1784 Views
Who are these weirdos who say Americans write checks to pay for things? - 07/11/2011 08:27:24 PM 1670 Views
I'm guessing everybody who's been to the US outside NYC, then. - 07/11/2011 09:42:10 PM 1483 Views
No pretty much everywhere in the US people use plastic 99% of the time *NM* - 08/11/2011 12:31:49 AM 1005 Views
This totally depends where you are. - 08/11/2011 12:57:11 AM 1752 Views
Once again, that isn't what they were talking about - 08/11/2011 01:29:19 PM 1729 Views
You know I worked in a store, right? - 08/11/2011 01:49:36 PM 1557 Views
I repeat: I have NEVER seen someone pay by check in a store since 1989. *NM* - 08/11/2011 01:56:59 PM 914 Views
I know you travel quite frequently, but I'll refer you to Paul's comment above re: New York. *NM* - 08/11/2011 02:10:36 PM 1044 Views
I spent 1990-1999 in the South, you know. *NM* - 08/11/2011 02:46:19 PM 896 Views
I knew you'd gotten around. - 08/11/2011 03:06:20 PM 1701 Views
I would call one to two checks a week pretty rare - 08/11/2011 06:28:59 PM 1555 Views
Which is still more often than places that never use them. - 08/11/2011 06:58:30 PM 1686 Views
Oops. This is Jen. Don't start attacking! Eep. *NM* - 08/11/2011 06:59:09 PM 960 Views
yes *NM* - 08/11/2011 08:12:45 PM 829 Views
Yeah but I think I've seen maybe two in my LIFE - 08/11/2011 07:44:10 PM 1620 Views
I guess it is all relative - 09/11/2011 06:27:17 PM 1479 Views
It still depends on where you are. Like she said... - 08/11/2011 02:02:09 PM 1714 Views
*I* at least was mostly thinking about rent checks. But yes, I've seen it in stores too. - 08/11/2011 09:47:58 PM 1537 Views
so paper checks are history in ??? - 08/11/2011 10:51:01 PM 1474 Views
Belgium. *NM* - 08/11/2011 11:13:22 PM 918 Views
That is part of France right? - 09/11/2011 06:24:24 PM 1423 Views
They wish. *NM* - 09/11/2011 08:01:22 PM 994 Views
that is true - 08/11/2011 06:27:13 PM 1416 Views
Rent checks. Utility checks. *NM* - 07/11/2011 10:47:58 PM 1169 Views
Exactly - instead of automated bank transfers. *NM* - 07/11/2011 10:50:39 PM 897 Views
They still do this in Britain too. - 08/11/2011 01:13:52 AM 1529 Views
What's weirdest about British rent... - 08/11/2011 09:48:43 PM 1695 Views
Well... - 08/11/2011 09:53:56 PM 1522 Views
Fair enough, I've only seen it on sites with rent rates. *NM* - 08/11/2011 09:57:31 PM 815 Views
That wasn't what they were talking about on that website. - 08/11/2011 01:28:28 PM 1608 Views
Can you buy alcohol in the US at any time? - 07/11/2011 08:41:41 PM 1549 Views
Oh, I can explain beer pong to you. - 07/11/2011 09:19:46 PM 1503 Views
- 07/11/2011 09:52:48 PM 1544 Views
Like Button. *NM* - 10/11/2011 11:29:12 PM 929 Views
In my experience, if the store is open, you can buy it - 07/11/2011 09:33:22 PM 1522 Views
it depends on the state - 07/11/2011 11:16:40 PM 1480 Views
I t varies ste to state or even county to county and city to city - 08/11/2011 12:35:27 AM 1555 Views
The variety of the "blue laws" is a bit nuts. - 08/11/2011 02:39:55 PM 1645 Views
We can turn right on a red light too - 07/11/2011 09:48:38 PM 1733 Views
Really? I thought that was unique to the US. - 08/11/2011 12:34:14 PM 1807 Views
The French can do it too. - 08/11/2011 03:34:39 PM 1476 Views
The French are shameless; first they stole our national colors, now this. - 09/11/2011 01:19:47 PM 1678 Views
That's mostly Italy, France is not so bad. - 09/11/2011 08:02:51 PM 1526 Views
That makes sense, but I have heard horrible tales about French farmers in trucks. - 09/11/2011 10:24:01 PM 1346 Views
Hm. Never noticed that. - 09/11/2011 10:31:23 PM 1463 Views
Sounds like you did, actually. - 11/11/2011 01:23:16 PM 1860 Views
Heh, I was so confused by this when I moved to western NY. - 08/11/2011 03:59:43 PM 1589 Views
Ah, yes, good point. - 09/11/2011 01:24:03 PM 1489 Views
Cops - 08/11/2011 06:31:08 PM 1471 Views
If there's a green right-turn filter light, then you aren't turning right on a red at all . *NM* - 08/11/2011 03:33:36 PM 936 Views
It's not a light. It's a sign of a green arrow - 08/11/2011 03:47:22 PM 1525 Views
But it's a light that goes on and off. - 08/11/2011 06:02:48 PM 1486 Views
Yes, a permanent sign. - 08/11/2011 06:18:26 PM 1473 Views
For me, the strangest thing is the phrase "could care less" - 07/11/2011 10:43:54 PM 1594 Views
In fairness... - 07/11/2011 10:50:13 PM 1772 Views
It's true. - 07/11/2011 11:06:42 PM 1462 Views
Exactly - 07/11/2011 11:08:53 PM 1582 Views
I've had one person get angry, and another thank me. - 08/11/2011 01:01:05 AM 1547 Views
Well, - 08/11/2011 04:43:31 AM 1583 Views
I think that's just a case of it being said too quickly and slurred too much - 08/11/2011 02:14:14 AM 1538 Views
that is really what stood out to you the most going from Australia to the US? - 08/11/2011 04:45:21 PM 1446 Views
It didn't stand out the most, I said it was the strangest thing - 08/11/2011 10:33:48 PM 1568 Views
you have a good point I guess - 09/11/2011 06:31:41 PM 1343 Views
It's "couldn't care less" in America, or at least it is in the part where I live. *NM* - 08/11/2011 06:01:50 PM 804 Views
It's couldn't care less everywhere- some people just say it incorrectly. *NM* - 08/11/2011 06:09:08 PM 921 Views
*NM* - 08/11/2011 06:26:54 PM 966 Views
Interesting about the flag. - 08/11/2011 04:16:12 AM 1512 Views
More like "we tend to equate respecting a flag with liking a country" - 08/11/2011 01:57:26 PM 1599 Views
Because my husband lived in England and has family there, I knew some of these. BUT... - 08/11/2011 12:42:07 PM 1595 Views
I can't say I really noticed a difference but I wonder if - 08/11/2011 04:52:05 PM 1427 Views
It varies here, it's certainly not unusual to have a space between. - 08/11/2011 10:00:38 PM 1710 Views
I've heard stories. *NM* - 08/11/2011 10:51:03 PM 924 Views
Huh. Only ever saw those holes in the ground in Belgium. and had to pay to use them. - 09/11/2011 03:28:35 PM 1513 Views
I've never seen them in Belgium - nor in France outside highway parkings, to be fair. - 09/11/2011 08:05:09 PM 1498 Views
OK now you are being redundant *NM* - 09/11/2011 11:47:52 PM 976 Views
When I was in England we saw way more flags than we typically see in the US. - 08/11/2011 01:32:47 PM 1580 Views
Ooh... - 09/11/2011 12:50:02 AM 1739 Views
So many fat people. - 09/11/2011 01:19:24 AM 1704 Views
We do have high calorie intake and low inclination to exercise. *NM* - 09/11/2011 01:26:40 AM 864 Views
That's half-true - 09/11/2011 02:09:48 AM 1497 Views
I think there was a Family Guy episode about this. - 09/11/2011 02:27:07 PM 1575 Views
Re: I think there was a Family Guy episode about this. - 09/11/2011 02:33:18 PM 1639 Views
Ah, that makes a difference. - 09/11/2011 03:05:44 PM 1484 Views
You would find it much different at Gruene Hall - 09/11/2011 11:46:53 PM 1370 Views
Perhaps; never been, nor am I likey to ever go. - 11/11/2011 01:00:13 PM 2020 Views

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