What surprised him was something that surprised me when I heard about it, and that I think most Americans do not know: Assuming you are in a state where right on red is legal, LEFT on red is legal onto a one way street (because no traffic can (legally) come from the left.)
There was an intersection near my house that had a "No Left Turn on Red" sign and I wondered a) why you'd need a sign to tell people that and b) why there weren't signs everywhere else then

There it was only legal from a one-way street onto another one-way street though (unless otherwise posted). Dunno if that's the standard or not.
Funny the things we take for granted but, though I have not checked, I am 95% certain making a left on red across oncoming traffic is illegal in TX, even onto a one way street. Most places I have been in the US it only comes up downtown, where one way streets in alternating directions are common, so, except on main thoroughfares, people will generally be turning from one way streets to other one way streets. Next time I am in Austin maybe I will try a left on red from Guadalupe or Congress onto a one way street and see.

Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!

LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
America's Quirks noticed by Non-Americans
07/11/2011 06:55:22 PM
- 2507 Views
Wait, in Europe they leave soap on dishes to dry?
07/11/2011 08:25:33 PM
- 1581 Views
It's very regional. They always do that in that other country where they are insane. Like denmark. *NM*
07/11/2011 09:18:26 PM
- 777 Views
I had to ask one of the Brits I worked with about that one
08/11/2011 04:48:11 PM
- 1453 Views
I can't even imagine not rinsing them. Like you, I didn't realize anyone did that? *NM*
08/11/2011 04:55:33 PM
- 761 Views
Depends on how much washing-up liquid you put in the water.
09/11/2011 08:13:51 AM
- 1163 Views
I don't think it's different.
09/11/2011 04:30:58 PM
- 1308 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
- 1394 Views
We are talking about washing dishes by hand, right?
09/11/2011 06:50:09 PM
- 1242 Views
Yes. And here's the difference between what you do and what I do:
09/11/2011 07:08:06 PM
- 1245 Views
EWIE!!! I can't imagine eating soap with every meal... That can't be good for you. *NM*
10/11/2011 01:48:16 AM
- 799 Views
Who are these weirdos who say Americans write checks to pay for things?
07/11/2011 08:27:24 PM
- 1472 Views
The problem with these things is that you always get the entire US answering them
07/11/2011 09:32:07 PM
- 1327 Views
I'm guessing everybody who's been to the US outside NYC, then.
07/11/2011 09:42:10 PM
- 1281 Views

No pretty much everywhere in the US people use plastic 99% of the time *NM*
08/11/2011 12:31:49 AM
- 817 Views
This totally depends where you are.
08/11/2011 12:57:11 AM
- 1476 Views
Once again, that isn't what they were talking about
08/11/2011 01:29:19 PM
- 1433 Views
You know I worked in a store, right?
08/11/2011 01:49:36 PM
- 1352 Views
I repeat: I have NEVER seen someone pay by check in a store since 1989. *NM*
08/11/2011 01:56:59 PM
- 800 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
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I spent 1990-1999 in the South, you know. *NM*
08/11/2011 02:46:19 PM
- 720 Views
I knew you'd gotten around.
08/11/2011 03:06:20 PM
- 1411 Views
I would call one to two checks a week pretty rare
08/11/2011 06:28:59 PM
- 1260 Views
Which is still more often than places that never use them.
08/11/2011 06:58:30 PM
- 1412 Views

Oops. This is Jen. Don't start attacking! Eep. *NM*
08/11/2011 06:59:09 PM
- 781 Views
Always good to see couples know each other's passwords
08/11/2011 07:19:18 PM
- 1365 Views

I think I know it, but I actually was accidentally in his account. He put the computer down.
08/11/2011 08:08:45 PM
- 1311 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
- 1332 Views
so paper checks are history in ???
08/11/2011 10:51:01 PM
- 1257 Views
Belgium. *NM*
08/11/2011 11:13:22 PM
- 720 Views
Rent checks. Utility checks. *NM*
07/11/2011 10:47:58 PM
- 959 Views
Exactly - instead of automated bank transfers. *NM*
07/11/2011 10:50:39 PM
- 780 Views
They still do this in Britain too.
08/11/2011 01:13:52 AM
- 1340 Views
What's weirdest about British rent...
08/11/2011 09:48:43 PM
- 1482 Views
Re: Who are these weirdos who say Americans write checks to pay for things?
08/11/2011 05:52:19 PM
- 1272 Views
I pay the chiropractor with a check. He doesn't have a card reader and I never have cash.
08/11/2011 10:56:47 PM
- 1209 Views
Can you buy alcohol in the US at any time?
07/11/2011 08:41:41 PM
- 1350 Views
In most countries of Europe you can too, to my knowledge... as long as the store is open.
07/11/2011 09:43:47 PM
- 1320 Views
I t varies ste to state or even county to county and city to city
08/11/2011 12:35:27 AM
- 1356 Views
We can turn right on a red light too
07/11/2011 09:48:38 PM
- 1490 Views
Really? I thought that was unique to the US.
08/11/2011 12:34:14 PM
- 1602 Views
The French can do it too.
08/11/2011 03:34:39 PM
- 1265 Views
The French are shameless; first they stole our national colors, now this.
09/11/2011 01:19:47 PM
- 1313 Views

That's mostly Italy, France is not so bad.
09/11/2011 08:02:51 PM
- 1179 Views
That makes sense, but I have heard horrible tales about French farmers in trucks.
09/11/2011 10:24:01 PM
- 1145 Views
Heh, I was so confused by this when I moved to western NY.
08/11/2011 03:59:43 PM
- 1305 Views
Ah, yes, good point.
09/11/2011 01:24:03 PM
- 1181 Views
Cops
08/11/2011 06:31:08 PM
- 1265 Views
It is important to distinguish between cautious and combative attitudes.
09/11/2011 02:24:43 PM
- 1472 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
- 736 Views

It's not a light. It's a sign of a green arrow
08/11/2011 03:47:22 PM
- 1253 Views
But it's a light that goes on and off.
08/11/2011 06:02:48 PM
- 1220 Views
Yes, a permanent sign.
08/11/2011 06:18:26 PM
- 1221 Views
Ah, I see. We don't have those, so I thought you meant something different.
08/11/2011 06:47:23 PM
- 1188 Views
For me, the strangest thing is the phrase "could care less"
07/11/2011 10:43:54 PM
- 1411 Views
In fairness...
07/11/2011 10:50:13 PM
- 1440 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
- 1263 Views
"you have another thing coming" and "it all goes well" grrrrrrrrrrr
08/11/2011 10:19:27 AM
- 1421 Views
Your last question, and a variation of it, was my recurrent thought while reading the list.
08/11/2011 12:38:53 PM
- 1327 Views
that is really what stood out to you the most going from Australia to the US?
08/11/2011 04:45:21 PM
- 1265 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
- 685 Views
It's couldn't care less everywhere- some people just say it incorrectly. *NM*
08/11/2011 06:09:08 PM
- 730 Views
Interesting about the flag.
08/11/2011 04:16:12 AM
- 1301 Views
I wonder how much of that is American and how much is European culture.
08/11/2011 12:53:15 PM
- 1281 Views
More like "we tend to equate respecting a flag with liking a country"
08/11/2011 01:57:26 PM
- 1400 Views
Part of it is, as Joel notes, a general European trauma that isn't shared by some.
08/11/2011 09:56:22 PM
- 1426 Views
Because my husband lived in England and has family there, I knew some of these. BUT...
08/11/2011 12:42:07 PM
- 1406 Views
It varies here, it's certainly not unusual to have a space between.
08/11/2011 10:00:38 PM
- 1412 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
- 1339 Views
I've never seen them in Belgium - nor in France outside highway parkings, to be fair.
09/11/2011 08:05:09 PM
- 1297 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
- 1391 Views
So many fat people.
09/11/2011 01:19:24 AM
- 1464 Views
We do have high calorie intake and low inclination to exercise. *NM*
09/11/2011 01:26:40 AM
- 756 Views
That's half-true
09/11/2011 02:09:48 AM
- 1297 Views
I think there was a Family Guy episode about this.
09/11/2011 02:27:07 PM
- 1369 Views
Re: I think there was a Family Guy episode about this.
09/11/2011 02:33:18 PM
- 1367 Views
Ah, that makes a difference.
09/11/2011 03:05:44 PM
- 1287 Views