American Reacts 10 Things We Didn't Expect When Moving to England - Americans in England

[@michaelayling8855]

Have you ever thought if you feel hungry there is an option of cooking something for yourself.

[@scottythedawg]

The taps are separate because they dont get along. It was a messy divorce, but they share custody of the plug.

[@duncanheron-brown4810]

Fun fact - Electricity and water don’t play well together, so it’s all about safety - bathrooms don’t have light switch or plug sockets inside the room due to increased risk of electric shock. The pull string light switch has the electrical box on the ceiling as it’s as far away from water as possible, or even safer outside. Shaving sockets are allowed because they have a transformer reducing the power, again for safety reasons, they typically only have enough juice to power a shaver or toothbrush.

[@kopynd1]

yer safety first standing in a wet shower cubicle pressing a 10 kilo watt button to switch the shower on, and off when your soaked, yes very safe

[@davenwin1973]

Then why has much of mainland Europe started allowing traditional switches and outlets in their bathrooms? Their voltage system is the same. In some cases, even the washing machine is in the bathroom. Mainland Europe used to be that cautious as well. In recent years, it's been loosened.

[@streaky81]

There's this global myth that we overcook it. Death by electrocution stats from other countries would suggest otherwise. Actually there has been a bit of a loosening - AFDDs, MCBOs etc have improved the risks over the years, particularly recently, but sometimes safety devices fail, nobody ever has them tested, best to just not put them in bathrooms - there's no reason to do it, so why bother?

[@jillstedtenfeldt6799]

@@davenwin1973 washing machines in bathrooms are always connected with closed circuit by licensed electrician , never ever removable plugs in the wall. I don't know about outlets in "mainland Europe" but it's a definite no in EU. However, switches for the light is on the inside of the bathroom.

[@jeffjefferson7384]

Yup. UK electrical safety standards are really good.

[@MrBulky992]

In the UK, we don't ever say "20 o'clock"!
It's "20 hundred hours" but you would only use that form of words if engaged in a military operation, having synchronised watches most probably; in normal speech, you would say "eight o'clock [in the evening]".
"o'clock" is only used for the 12 hour clock and is limited to the exact hour. So 16:20 is "20 past 4 [in the afternoon]": "13:40" is "20 to 2"; "15:30" is "half past 3"; "17:45 is "[a] quarter to 6 [in the evening]" etc.
In my experience, the 12 hour clock is sometimes used in writing though less so than a few decades ago so you will see, for example, "10.30 pm".

[@Varksterable]

Do you know why "O'clock?"
It's from the time that both sundials and mechanical clocks were used.
Depending on where you are in the year, the two could become mis-aligned. A sundial daytime was not always 12 hours, but a mechanical clock time could be defined as that.
So "of the clock" is to clarify which you are referring to.

[@LaPOLEA]

I don't know why most Americans who move to England say that coffee makers are relatively unheard of, loads of people have them in their homes and work places and they are in every cafe and pub and restaurant going .

[@mark1282]

I guess it's like saying the UK doens't have air con. What they mean is it's less common than the US.

[@Varksterable]

​​@@mark1282Or that they are judging by out-of-date stereotypes with little or no supporting evidence.
Or even that they are making comparisons that simply don't make sense.
Here in the UK we don't have as many mosquito zapping light things either. Or bear traps. Or snow chains on cars. Or bullet-proof jackets. Or fast food outlets.
Care to hazard a guess why that is?

[@emmafrench7219]

@Varksterable Yes, good reply. Saved me time.✌

[@kevinshort3943]

I think Americans refer to those cheap filter coffee machines as "coffee makers".
Whereas the UK refers to the poncy (like my dad has) machines that make it from pod or grind it and make it fresh.

[@kevinshort3943]

@@Varksterable
There does seem to be a not insignificant minority or US visitors, who are surprised that the UK isn't just the US but with a better accent.

[@Mau533y]

Our electricity is twice as powerful at the outlets as America, so not having them in the bathroom is partly a safety thing as it is more likely to jump especially when there is moisture in the air or on your fingers.

[@mlee6050]

We do have them in bathrooms, often limited to 12v I believe or something and 2 metres from like shower and bath but as most toilets are so small regulations won't let you

[@Mau533y]

@mlee6050 Yeah, true, but they tend to be American/European style plugs 🔌

[@James-wp3jq]

Yes , as other people have said we do have 24 hour supermarkets in the UK , I even know a 25 hour supermarket, they go the extra mile.

[@stewartmackay]

When I was a kid, Wednesdays were "half day", where all shops etc would close at lunchtime for the rest of the day. It was in return for being open on a Saturday, but its died out now.

[@Joanna-il2ur]

It depended on when market day was. Sometimes half day closing was on Tuesday or Thursday.

[@peterbiggin7193]

I'd totally forgotten about half day closing I'm really getting old the memory is shot

[@Steve-gc5nt]

I'm old enough to recall when stores didn't open at all on a Sunday. Life was nicer.

[@Varksterable]

We have made so many 'advancements' in the last few decades. Some of them are genuinely improvements to our lives and the lives of others.
But your comment is beautiful.

[@gillfox9899]

My first house had forced air. It was absolutely awful. Part of the room was very hot when it was on but the other side of the room never heated up. As soon as it turned itself off the temperature dropped drastically.
I far prefer our radiators. Nothing to do with the age of the house.

[@mikdavies5027]

gillfox9899. Forced air heating also creates a lot more dust, not good for people with allergies!

[@thostaylor]

We had it in our house. Very noisy and a large range between off and on: you'd start to feel cold, then in would switch on until you were sweltering, then turn itself off. One thermostat for the whole house and the only way to adjust the flow to a room was to turn reduce the flow from the cellar.

[@DruncanUK]

There is a very good reason for having separate taps in UK. Hot water would come from water tanks where the water was heated, warm water is an excellent breeding ground, especially if your are breeding killer bacteria. The cold water is considered safe to drink so the taps were kept separate to avoid the chance of poisoning.

[@neuralwarp]

Yes. Boilers and valves have both improved over the last 25 years.

[@pem...]

Imagine all the pigeon and or rat dna people have to bath in 🤢
I saw a fresh pigeon and many tiny bones in a tank back in the 90s, never went into the loft again!

[@kevinshort3943]

There is also some sort of issue with pressure in the water that needs to be high enough for a mixer tap.
Old style systems wouldn't be able to provide that.
Remember, there are probable water system in UK houses that are older than the US.

[@dzzope]

@@kevinshort3943 The US was around when internal plumbing as we know it became a thing.. It wasn't even that long ago.

[@StephenButlerOne]

​@@kevinshort3943this was the main reason, as the headset tank (cold water for pressure of up stirs taps) was in the attic, and these tanks could get mice, birds etc in. That's why historically you never swallowed water from the upstairs taps.
They are now a thing of the past, as mains pressure is very strong and houses don't use header tanks. Iirc they are now illegal as they can cause legioners and other stuf

[@danielferguson3784]

We in the UK have managed for years to get enough food & stuff we need during the working day, & to have days of rest at the weekend. 50 years & more ago shops & pubs were not open at all on Sundays. It was like the Sabbath, Sunday was the day of rest.
The bathroom pull switch, & lack of power outlets is to do with the higher power of British
electricity, at 240 volts. It's a safety thing. The separate taps is so the cold, drinking, water is not contaminated by any pathogins from the warm water, again a safety thing.
The sink is below the taps in which it is meant to mix the water to the required temp.
Is it so difficult to figure out?
You can be direct to people you know really well, like friends & family, but must be more diplomatic with those you know less well. A bathroom has to have a bath!
Toilets are not for resting in!
Most bathroom pull switches are in the room, very few will be outside. The 24 hour clock is simple, & it's easy to mix that with the twelve hour system, no problem. We mix temperatures, measurement etc. With 24 HR clock it is always clear what part of the day is meant.

[@maximus1868]

We have 24 hour superstores in the uk everywhere

[@SeeDaRipper...]

Yeah, but close early on a Saturday because of the bloody stupid Sunday licensing laws.🙄

[@seldom_bucket]

Not in rural areas.

[@beverleyringe7014]

Asda tried 24 hour opening, but found out it wasent worth it..

[@101steel4]

​@@seldom_bucketall depends where you live I suppose. I have a little 24 hour shop in my village.

[@djlads]

​@SeeDaRipper... big supermarkets aren't but small ones can all the Spars in Manchester city centre are truely 24hrs including Easter and Christmas Day

[@elbee1845]

The use of the 24 hour clock possibly came from wartime. It being very important to know exactly which part of the day is being referred to from a military point of view.

[@dommyd4]

The fact your explaining am and pm completely makes 24 hour clock legit

[@mark1282]

I liked the bit where he said he couldn't think a reason there would be any confusion. What about supermarket opening times?

[@britblue]

also , with the time thing! - here in UK we will usually say "half two" or "half three" instead of two thirty or three thirty

[@keithorbell8946]

Sunday opening - I can remember when the only shops open on a Sunday were the local newsagents, and they closed at 12 pm! We now have Sunday opening laws, which restricts the hours larger stores can open. Personally I alike the idea of a “day of rest”, there is nothing that will not wait for a day (till Monday) if you plan your shopping.

[@Varksterable]

These days, people can't even wait more than a minute before checking email or being able to say something utterly lame to the entire world.
A whole _day_ with no shopping?????!!? The horror!
(This despite most shopping is via that little back-lit window you hold in front of you all the time anyway..)
Such progress we seem to be making. 🤨

[@Varksterable]

Another interesting thing about Sunday opening laws.
Way back, they decided that some shops should open on a Sunday. But only essential ones. Ones selling perishable goods, for example. Or feed for livestock.
And here it got really wonky. Because you couldn't buy pet food. But you _could_ buy food for horses. So if you told the shop owner that you had a horse who only ate dog food; totally allowed.
Eventually someone saw how stupid the whole thing was, and hence we can now shop "as normal" on a Sunday. (It depends on the individual shop as to how this works, I think?)

[@trevorlsheppard7906]

The 24 hour clock does rule out misunderstandings ,bus ,train, airline, ferry timetables will be in 24 hour time ,the army ,navy and air force will normally use 24 hour clock and they don't use 12 o clock ,it as it could be misunderstood as to which day/date is meant, delivery drivers may at work any time in a 24 hr period,that's a few few that come to mind ❤

[@reinhard8053]

In personal contacts you mostly say we meet at 8 (without pm or am) as long as it is clear (so most of the times). But a note for an appointment or any time you note in some document will always be in 24h.

[@corringhamdepot4434]

Crypt is an underground room or vault beneath a church, used as a chapel or burial place. Well know to my generation who grew up reading "Tales from The Crypt" comics.

[@QueeferSutherland1]

Yeah I've no idea what he's talking about.

[@pem...]

It means the same in both countries so the fella obviously told a pretty pants joke ,lol

[@seamuspack]

I thought maybe they mistook crypt for crib??

[@omegasue]

On Sundays we close at 4pm. Talk about speaking your truth without sugar coating - what about calling a toilet, a restroom or a bathroom (its neither). In most of the houses I've lived in, and presently live in, there have always been outlets for shavers/toothbrushes etc. The separate taps of old is one that seems to constantly come up, surely by now Americans must know the separate taps was installed as a safety precaution. Yes, if you want warm water, put the plug in, and turn both taps on til you have the desired temperature. A lot of what he's saying is out of date eg more and more people are drinking coffee over tea, and many people have coffee making facilities. No it isn't 14 o'clock, its 1400 hrs then we know instantly you're referring to the afternoon, same with 8pm is 2000 hrs (twenty hundred hours). I hope I haven't sounded too bossy but it's helpful to know what's what.
Thank you Connor

[@Vinterfrid]

Excellent explanation!

[@etherealbolweevil6268]

Counting up to 24 seems to be sooooooo difficult. Combined with remembering that 18:00 might be 06:00 PM. I suppose a lifetime of never having to be bothered with unambiguous train or bus timetables has impacted this dimension.

[@Vinterfrid]

@@etherealbolweevil6268 Since a day contains of 24 hours it's obviously the only logical thing counting up to 24.

[@etherealbolweevil6268]

Probably. @@Vinterfrid

[@omegasue]

Thank you@@Vinterfrid

[@Oddballkane]

I used to work in a shop that was 24 hours. We sold coffee machines. Had to refill the boxes of pods enough. we also have tea machines. Those can be alarm clocks they make the tea a few mins before the alarm so you wake up to a nice warm cup of tea.

[@rayg4360]

U K had Coffee houses in the 17 th century

[@paulknox999]

by instant coffee he is talking about freeze dried coffee. so you just put a spoonful of dried coffee in your cup add hot water add milk sugar if you want and its done. no coffee grounds, no filters no dripping hot water through pods etc

[@mark1282]

I drink instant coffee if I just quickly want a cup of coffee. It's fast and easy. But I prefer either filter coffee or freshly ground. Gotta remember though the US don't really have kettles so instant coffee probably doesn't exist as a result. Interesting fact, even if an American did buy a kettle it would take twice as long to boil due to their voltage being lower.

[@mlee6050]

​@@mark1282it does, just they probably microwave the water which is unsafe as can explode
I wish had plenty of money as love to have a coffee or espresso machine that hard plumb in and roast my own coffee beans

[@johnt8998]

There are usually no power outlets in the bathroom for safety reasons. Water and electricity don't mix. The pull switch is for safety too. If you have wet hands and touch a faulty switch, you might not enjoy the experience (need I say more?)

[@kanefindlay2549]

Yeah sadly you cant enjoy some nice hot toast in the bath 😂

[@johnt8998]

Yeah don't try balancing the toaster on the end of the bath.@@kanefindlay2549

[@RebeccaOre]

UK has 240 current. US is 110. 110 can't kill you. 240 can.

[@johnt8998]

You are correct in stating that we have 220 to 240 volts compared to the USA which is roughly half of ours. But 110 to 120 volts could kill you with enough current (amps) and under the right conditions.@@RebeccaOre

[@reinhard8053]

@@RebeccaOre So there are no electric deaths in the US ? The limit accepted to be safe is around 40-60V. It needs only very low currents along the body to kill you. That's why we have RCDs which switch at 30mA. And even in the US you have 240V for high power appliances and on some sockets.

[@joshcrawford4076]

With the politeness part I think we're like that to Americans mainly cos they get offended too easily and most of the time don't get our humour. But that's just a theory. Me myself I'm extremely blunt.

[@kevanwillis4571]

Shops closing on Sunday, much more prevalent in Europe than the U.K., has much to do with workers' rights. Something sadly missing in the U.S.

[@test-201]

shops close earlier on Sunday a lot aren't open on Sundays but what would i know i just live here you're a continental european you know much more about that kind of stuff than i do.
on your big eu high horse

[@Joanna-il2ur]

In the West End, when I was a girl, most shops closed on Saturday afternoons, the time when people had free time.

[@grahvis]

Shops closing on a Sunday was mostly to do with religion. Even when places and events were beginning to open on Sundays, the Lord's Day Observance Society fought tooth and nail to try and stop them.

[@Joanna-il2ur]

@@grahvis A number o stall holders registered as Seventh Day Adventists, who mark Saturday as their holy day, enabling them legally to open on Sunday.

[@Joanna-il2ur]

@@grahvis A number o stall holders registered as Seventh Day Adventists, who mark Saturday as their holy day, enabling them legally to open on Sunday.

[@Robhalifax]

I disagree about the manners and politeness issue. I think Americans are more superficial. Working class British people are very straight talking in general.

[@lawrenceglaister4364]

Definitely in Yorkshire and it's spreading, people are totally fed up of woke stuff etc

[@eloiseaspinall9897]

I have to agree, in the north we r reasonably polite but truthful. If u ask my opinion I will give it, I will try to not be offensive- but people r very easily offended today!!

[@magnolia7277]

I never understand why nobody seems to notice there is a plug to put in the sink 'plughole', you then run the hot and cold taps until the water is the temperature you require...like a bath.

[@reinhard8053]

But that is very cumbersome for a short washing of the hands. And you always would need to fiddle with the taps to get the right temperature. That might be OK for a longer wash but otherwise you would probably just use cold water.

[@applecider7307]

The reason for the pull cords and no outlets is safety, don't forget in the UK and Europe we have 240v (Approx) wet hands and electricity at that voltage can possibly kill.

[@iainansell5930]

not the voltage that normally kiills, its the current... 30mA is enough to cause serious harm, 70mA is enough to kill you instantly... and the smallest fuse you can put in a plug top is 1amp(1000mA).... fuses in plugs and the old breakers on the fuse board, were only intended to protect the cabling of the house and/or appliance, nothing to do with personal safety... Only when the RCD, and now RCBO's were introduced, were they intended to protect your life... RCD's/RCBO's trip when there is a leakage of about 30mA...

[@michaelschuckart2217]

@@iainansell5930 Also very important is the frequenz: 50 Hz is easily able to stop your heartbeat.

[@kerraptregolls4929]

Sunday closure is to give staff time off - shops of over a certain size can only open on a Sunday for 6 hours say 1000-1600 for instance. Some Tesco stores open 24/7 excluding 1700 on a Sunday to 0800 on a Monday.

[@frankmitchell3594]

In the UK most people prefer radiator heating because it is cheaper to run and more comfortable to live with. Complete central A/C and warm air systems are very rare in houses and not common in smaller office buildings. The weather in the UK and Ireland is different from the US, most of which is much further south than anywhere in Britain.

[@JarlGrimmToys]

Radiators are also better at keeping the damp away as well.
In our climate of cold wet winters, and either mild rainy summers or hot and humid summers. Damp can be a problem.
Which is why our houses are designed to keep the heat in.
Abandoned houses in the UK deteriorate pretty fast once the damp and elements get in. Plaster rots and falls off the walls, roofs collapse as the wood starts to rot from damp, and the brick walls start to split.
But if they’re lived in and kept warm brick built houses have lasted 100’s of years.

[@mariacurtis9247]

There are air heating systems in high rised flats in the uk

[@bluesrocker91]

The thing about taps is all to do with older water heating systems... The cold came direct from the mains, so it was always fresh and drinkable, but to get hot water you'd usually have a galvanised metal tank in the attic, which would feed a hot water cylinder. What's called a gravity fed system.
Basically, by the time it gets used, the hot water has usually been standing for some time, and may have picked up an unpleasant taste, nasty chemicals, bacteria or rust. It's perfectly fine for washing with, but you probably wouldn't want to drink it. Having separate taps means there's no possible cross contamination of the drinking water supply.

[@MrBulky992]

I didn't understand his reference to "crypt" either. In the UK as, I presume in the US also, a "crypt" (which presumably derives from the Greek word meaning "hidden") means the undercroft beneath a church which would often be used as an additional chapel for worship, a place where a saint's relics or shrine might be located and, most commonly, for burials either under the floor, free-standing tombs or niches in the walls. For example, the tomb of Benedict Arnold, the notorious general in the American Revolutionary War, can be found in the crypt of St Mary's Parish Church in Battersea, London.
Perhaps his joke about bodies in a crypt didn't register because they misheard him or did not think the joke was funny?

[@speleokeir]

A few things to be aware of:
- Britain is further North than the US, on the same latitude as Canada. We have short amounts of daylight in winter and long summer nights. However our winters are relatively mild for our latitude due to the Gulf stream, a current of warm water from the Mexican gulf.
Without thisthe British Isles would be ice locked in winter. Four weather systems meet over the UK, which is why the weather is so variable here. Winters are fairly cold and damp so our houses are built to keep heat in with central heating and double glazing common.
We rarely have air-con partly because many of our homes were built before it was widely available and because we rarely need it, apart from a few days in summer.
- UK Building regulations don't allow electrical outlets (except 5v ones for electric razors) in bathrooms for safety reasons since we use 240v, not 110v. Drop an appliance such as a phone, hair dryer, etc into a bath connected to 240v and you'll die.
Pull cords are used for lights for the same reason. Our electric plugs, etc are the best designed and safest in the world, They're also huge so don't stand on one!😆. We also use ring circuits which use less copper. This came in during WWII when resources were scarce.
- Separate hot & cold taps: Again this historical. Many British homes were built before hot & cold running water, electricity and other mod cons were widely available. This means many of our homes weren't designed for them and they were added later. This is also why washing machines are often in the kitchen, especially in small houses/flats which don't have a utility room.
Early water systems had cold water from the mains and which was drinkable, but hot water came from a tank in the loft which could be contaminated and was unsafe to drink, hence the need for separate taps.
These days this is no longer true and the hot water is also connected to the mains, but many homes still use separate taps because that's what we're used to, though mixer taps are common too. It's easy to use separate taps just put the plug in the sink then add hot water and enough cold to get the temperature you want. Saves water too.😀

[@JarlGrimmToys]

We also have a temperate rainforest climate. With 1% of the landmass in Britain being officially classified as rainforests. Obviously we don’t have as much forests as we did thousands of years ago. But we still have the climate.
Which is why when it does get hot, it gets super humid.

[@JarlGrimmToys]

Our houses need to be built to keep the warmth in. Not just because of cold winters. But to keep them dry and damp free.
Abandoned houses in the UK crumble pretty quickly. Once the damp gets in. We have cold damp winters, either mild rainy summers or hot humid summers. Also salt carries inland for up to 60 miles from the sea. We’re a relatively small island and no place is more than 75 miles from the sea.
If you built an American style home in the UK it would deteriorate a lot faster than in the US.
Even in the US a well built and well maintained house will only last 50-70 years, while cheaply made houses or badly maintained houses can only last 20 years.
Older houses in Britain are built to last multiple generations. I’ve lived in 3 Victorian houses that were built in the 1800’s, and my current house is getting on for 100. But a friend of mine’s house is nearly 500 years old.
I don’t think modern houses will last as long as they use cheaper resources and techniques.

[@wessexdruid7598]

I keep reminding Americans that the UK is in the same latitudes as the lower half of Alaska. That's why we build houses to stay warm and don't fit air conditioning.

[@mark1282]

No supermarkets open after midnight in the UK? Bro has never experienced 24 hour Tesco.

[@davidkeenan5642]

Not large supermarkets (over 3,000 square feet) on Sunday, they're all restricted to opening for 6 hours on a Sunday.

[@gchecosse]

​@davidkeenan5642 in England yes (and I realise that was the video title, but the OP says uk), in Scotland they genuinely open 24/7, even on Sunday.

[@jacquelinepearson2288]

We were just used to having separate hot and cold water taps. If we wanted warm water, we just put in the plug, turned on both taps and filled the bowl with as little or as much water needed. Easy.

[@beverleyringe7014]

Common sense to us, just put the plug in..

[@wobaguk]

I had a discussion about the taps thing on another thread. A supplier of fittings replied, saying that personally he had sold only 2 sets of split taps in the last several years. Basically, other than a few older people who dont want to change, if you see split taps, its because its an old setup that hasnt been replaced.

[@christineharding4190]

Trust me, most UK people couldn't care less about Trump etc or US politics in general.
Where was this bloke living? There are plenty of places open all night but I would say most people in the UK are in bed getting some kip before going to work the next day. If you feel hungry late at night, don't Americans keep food in the house? What do you use your fridges for? We don't have electricity points in the bathrooms because we have a powerful electricity supply - twice the strength of US supply. Electricity and water don't mix. A lot of this sounds daft.

[@corringhamdepot4434]

Warm air central heating systems were often fitted in the UK until the 1970s. Then they were mostly replaced because the wet systems became much more efficient and cheaper to run. I lived in a street of council rented houses built in the 1970s with hot air systems. They were all later replaced with wet systems.

[@101steel4]

It's crap even today. They fit it in some new builds and it feels like you're suffocating 😂

[@nicolad8822]

We had one in the late 60s. The house was always freezing.

[@corringhamdepot4434]

Back in the 1970s it was normal not to have heated bedrooms. So we only had a couple of hot air vents downstairs. We moved a soon as my parents saw the size of the bills. @@nicolad8822

[@johnp8131]

My house, built in '67, had warm air from a central shaft beneath the upstairs immersion heater. The system was warm enough when we bought it in the mid eighties but we have never had so many colds etc...... Got rid of it for a wet system ASAP.
Must be said that the previous owners liked it when we spoke to them. They were American from the local USAF base.

[@kevanwillis4571]

Working with Americans giving airline arrivals in Luxembourg several times pickups were screwed by being told
9 o'clock or 10 o'clock
only to find they meant 21.00 or 22.00. The 24 hour clock is more precise. Although in spoken English no one says 20 o'clock.

[@user-TonyUK]

Some Brits follow a single party, but I think most of us follow their Policies with more interest that the Party itself.

[@kevanwillis4571]

I bought a house in the U.K. in the eighties. The first thing I did was to have the hot-air heating system removed and replaced by gas fired radiator system.

[@alrafter1593]

There is always a bath or shower in a bathroom. I would expect something to sleep on in a rest room. There are no electricity sockets and just a pull switch for the light in the UK type of bathroom because we have a higher voltage, usually about 230 volts. If you were to touch those things with a lot of steam and water around you could could get a shock big enough to kill.

[@maxrander0101]

ok really 230 volts the standard where im from is at min 240volts upto 280 depending on the area of the house and unless your sockets are fully messed up as in exposed then how the hell is water even getting into contact with anything we have fully sealed sockets that unless your a complete dumb tool and stick something into the socket the chance of anything happening if about 10billion to 1 oh and before you ask im an Aussie

[@davenwin1973]

​@maxrander0101 mainland Europe in recent years has started to allow regular Wall outlets and light switches in the bathroom. Most of Europe uses 230V, including in the bathroom. In some homes, even the washing machine is in the bathroom. So I also wonder why the UK is behind mainland Europe for this.

[@maxrander0101]

@@davenwin1973 because they are pommy gits that still think they are the greatest people in the world and one of the greatest world powers lol

[@peterbiggin7193]

@@davenwin1973 the UK does allow wall outlets as long as they comply with the IET regulations

[@etherealbolweevil6268]

Come over here and say that. @@maxrander0101

[@Phiyedough]

It's funny, only yesterday I heard someone describe that situation of needing a bank account before you can get somewhere to live but needing an address before you can get a bank account. It was a Russian girl who had gone to New York as a university student!

[@stephendisraeli1143]

"Instant" coffee dissolves into the water. There is no "drip through".

[@corringhamdepot4434]

Never had to make rounds of tea and coffee at work. Instant coffee is coffee that is made at the factory, then freeze dried to a powder. Then sold in jars. Coffee was not a popular drink in the UK up until after the 1970s. I remember it being much more expensive than tea when I was a kid.

[@Joanna-il2ur]

Ever heard of the many coffee houses in England from the 1600s? Coffee was cheaper than tea, which is why tea caddies used to have locks on them. Telling an American about instant coffee is funny - they invented it. Nescafé? I hate to tell you that coffee, proper coffee, has always been popular. As a little girl in the late fifties, I drank coffee. Ever heard of coffee bars, the sort that mods and rockers fought in in the early sixties? Seemingly not. You seem unfamiliar with the cafe, very popular in Britain. The seventies made no difference whatsoever, and tea and coffee were usually priced the same.

[@corringhamdepot4434]

@@Joanna-il2ur Wrong. An online grocery list from 1973 says that a 1/4lb of loose Typhoo tea cost 8p. While a 4oz jar of Maxwell House instant coffee cost 32.5p. Which is why my mother used to buy herself a tiny tin of Nescafe for a Sunday treat. If they had been priced the same, my mother would have drunk coffee at home all the time.

[@Joanna-il2ur]

@@corringhamdepot4434 Gosh, what a nice guy you are. As a grocers daughter, I disagree. Not even sure what an online grocery list from 1973 means, decades before you could shop online. Maxwell House was heavily advertised (it needed to be, as it was vile). So you need to compare things that are actually comparable. My dad was high up in the local coop, and we not only got 18p in the pound divi, we also got a 20% staff discount. Our coffee was no more expensive than tea, and Coop 99 tea wasn’t pricey. So the experience of other people may not match your recollections. Politeness costs nothing.

[@paulbradbury4174]

Nobody has to make rounds of tea and coffee at work. You just do it cos these are your mates and they will do the same for you.
I'm 60 years old, my mum drank tea, my aunty drank coffee.

[@corringhamdepot4434]

I am quoting the prices from 1973 listed on the website Retrowow. After you apparently questioned if I was even there. Well I was, and my memory is still pretty good. Also the RPI Index reports that the average price of 100g of instant coffee went from 24p in 1971 to 120p in 1977 because of the snow and frost in Brazil. Then never really went down much again. @@Joanna-il2ur

[@reinhard8053]

Here (Austria) banking is more difficult if you are an US citizen because of the tax laws in you country which are not limited to your home country. Most banks don't like the hassle with not only the local administration but the American, too. Most of the times there is a question for US or not when doing banking stuff. And one colleague who is American and German had immense problems finding a bank. In the end they told him not to say that he is American, to get an account.

[@mariacurtis9247]

Same for Americans in the UK, US tax men want your money no matter where in the world you live and they will want your wife / husbands and children's money even if they have never stepped foot in the US before

[@philippugh2133]

Hi Connor, electrical design engineer here. When it comes to bathrooms, we have quite strict regulations for the electrics. The reason the light switch is outside; bathrooms can get quite humid, it can cause a short-circuit or even electric shock to the user if the switch isn't IP rated. You can have a 110V shaver socket for electric toothbrushes / shavers. You can also have a normal socket but it has to be 3 meters (10ft) away from the Bath/Shower (Zone 1), this can be quite hard as a lot of bathrooms are too small for this.

[@positivelyacademical1519]

Instant coffee is freeze dried crystals that you put in a mug/cup and add boiling water to, stir, and it’s ready to drink. It’s the most common type of coffee you’d see in ‘normal’ workplaces or in the homes of people who don’t really drink coffee (but keep some in for guests). I think you were confusing it for a French drip coffee pot.
Stove-top moka pots and French presses are somewhat common in the home; but you’re far more likely to see (automatic or manual) espresso machines in shops, restaurants, high-end offices, and even the homes of coffee drinkers than you are to see a drip coffee machine.

[@stephenlee5929]

Hi Connor, He was shoeing filter coffee, not instant.
instant is, coffee that has been brewed in a factory, it is then freeze dried to make a powder or crystals and put in a jar, you can then rehydrate this to make a warm drink, in the UK this drink maybe referred to as coffee.

[@AA-yc8yr]

Because it is coffee.

[@OGSinisterPotato]

@@AA-yc8yr - They're probably one of those who claim it's only coffee if you drink it from a cup that has a picture of a mermaid and their name spelled wrong on the side.

[@AA-yc8yr]

@@OGSinisterPotato The kind that tastes like milky piss, you mean? Yes. 🙂

[@OGSinisterPotato]

@@AA-yc8yr - Knew it lol
Instant, beans.. all tastes like ass.

[@Varksterable]

​@@AA-yc8yrI've recently mostly switched back to filtered, rather than instant coffee.
And I like it.
But just listen to this. They are certainly different drinks, in terms of preparation and taste.
But did you pick up on the key point there? They are _different_ drinks.
There are a multitude of different varieties of each. And I'm sure an average filtered or even fresh-roasted coffee would be unfavourably compared to the best instant by many Brits.
You aren't even comparing apples with oranges. You are comparing grandmas with shotguns. (Which is a genuine expression, although I forget from whic language.)

[@louisekullar6629]

You should try France .. even more businesses shut in the middle of the day!

[@nadeansimmons226]

I think the politeness is dependent on the part of the country people are from. Yorkshire people are very blunt and open .

[@gillcawthorn7572]

If you want to experience people not wanting to give a straight answer ,try South East Asia.

[@OGSinisterPotato]

7:55 - Uh what was the crypt thing? I have literally only ever heard it used to describe underground tombs.
16:21 - Only old taps had two tap heads. In which case you had to pick ice cold water, or scolding hot to wash your hands :) Most of them would play dubstep when used which was pretty cool.

[@dcoughla681]

Tea. You’re right. We use electric kettles & we have an extraordinary number of teas available in supermarkets & it’s usually made in rounds. “Stick the kettle on” is a request to make tea (a brew).
For coffee, I buy it at one of the many coffee shops or cafes nearby. If meeting friends, we’ll have a coffee outside the home/office.
I don’t discuss politics or religion at work or home, unless it’s a major event.
Yes, opening a bank account is tricky for someone new to the UK because the banks need to check your identity & address so you’re not a fake person or a money launderer. With the GP same thing so you’re not a health care tourist.
Crypt is an underground vault beneath a church used as a burial plot.
Business closing times depend on where you live. In big cities, they are open 24/7. Most stuff can be delivered to your home at any time.
English manners. Yes, British people are reserved & they are not direct so you’re not sure if they’re happy or not. One thing British people don’t like is to make an angry scene & tend to avoid confrontation. We’re very much like the Japanese like that. What I like about Americans and Australians is that they are direct so you can clear the air & move on quickly.
Radiators. Agreed. They’re great for heat & drying clothes.
Bathrooms. Agreed. Toilet paper (loo roll) does tend to be stronger. 2 ply minimum but at least 3 ply for preference. Most people have mixer taps in the basin unless you have old fashioned Victorian style taps or older taps. If you’re having a bath there will probably be separate taps. We do love a bath.
We use either time clocks. Eg, we do tend to say quarter to 1, but write 12.45pm.

[@DylanSargesson]

Sunday Trading Laws were originally a religious/cultural thing - but these days they are defended as Worker's Rights issue.
Originally them being open on Sunday was completely banned, but since 1994 they've been allowed to open under certain exemptions and restrictions. The main one being that large shops can only open for any six consecutive hours - supermarkets tend to choose to open between 10am and 4pm.
In 2015 the government did announce plans to get rid of these laws, but they were defeated in a vote in Parliament so backed down.

[@kingstumble]

Instant coffee comes in either powder or granules usually in a glass jar. You put a spoonful--or two--into a cup or mug and simply pour boiling water on to it, and drink as soon as it has cooled enough to do so. Quick and simple. Most of us can't be bothered with the rigmarole of messing around with all manner of contraptions just to have a hot drink.

[@101steel4]

All tastes the same anyway lol. Although the people spending a fortune will tell you differently.

[@MrBulky992]

Unlike coffee made from ground coffee, the instant coffee granules dissolve completely, leaving no sediment, so no filtering is required: you can just make it in the cup and drink it dry.

[@MrBulky992]

When I make coffee properly using ground coffee, I use a cafetiere rather than a machine. The filter inside the cafetiere, once depressed, separates the grounds from the drinkable coffee. Apart from having to wash it out and dispose of the grounds, it is no more effort than making a cup of instant and tastes a lot better.

[@iainansell5930]

tip, put your milk(or cold water with black coffee) in with the granules, dissolve granules, then add the hot water.... coffee- even instant, burns at over 85c...

[@iainansell5930]

@@MrBulky992 yah those coffee perculators tend to burn the coffee, if left long enough

[@davidgrainger5378]

We are ultra cautious about electricity in the UK. There are no normal switches in bathrooms because of steam condensing on the switches or people might not have dried their hands properly and a short circuit could be caused. So light switches have to be either a pull cord or on the wall outside the bathroom. Likewise no power points are allowed in bathrooms except those specially designed for shavers.

[@contessa.adella]

Forced air heating is dreadfully inefficient and since UK power charges are high we don’t use it…However, equally important concerning radiators is we usually install them under windows to counter the convection currents and reduce convective draughts in a room.

[@luvstellauk]

Coffee making machines are a very common kitchen appliance, mostly the filter coffee machines but the proper barista machines are also popular though expensive, the difference is we drink a lot of tea so coffee machines don't get as much use as they would in the USA, instant coffee is vile by the way. As for separate taps for hot and cold, they are not that common, most modern houses have mixer taps, separate taps are only generally a thing where people are going for a retro look though there are valid reasons for separating hot and cold water and that is in the UK tap water is perfectly safe to drink, however hot water, which although comes from the same source is stored in a header tank which in turn supplies your hot water tank if you have a traditional gas boiler or electric hot water heating system.

[@barriehull7076]

30 years ago the first thing a mate did when moving into a house was to yank out the forced air system.
Forced air heating is the most common form of central heating in North American homes. This is contrast to the hydronic or “wet” systems that are typically found in European homes, where a boiler heats water for radiators.

[@larswillems9886]

12:00 As a person from the Netherlands, where being direct is the norm, I too find it rude to not mention important things or to sugarcoat. To me, being honest, especially when ask for, is way less insulting than sugarcoating/ not telling the whole story. Sugarcoating and the like to me are indistinguishable from lying.

[@kevanwillis4571]

20 o'clock, said no one ever!😅

[@qman2261]

British people typically wouldn't ask an American (or anyone) what they thought about their president or opposition leader. What's different with Trump is that most British people are completely bewildered that anyone so grossly unsuitable for the post could even be considered as a credible candidate for president. Even if you were to ignore every policy position and character flaw, just the fact that he appears to have the vocabulary of a five-year-old would rule him out as a candidate in the eyes of most of the British electorate. We'd be embarrassed to present him as an example of a British person on the world stage. The fact that he has any chance at all of being elected is what British people find curious and will be the main reason behind that line of questioning.
(British people tend to avoid conversations about religion and politics so it takes some quite extreme circumstances for people to introduce such topics into social conversations).

[@richmorris2870]

In my experience, people who say 'I'm not interested in politics' and then make a big thing about how they have no interest and no opinion, turn out to be pretty conservative in their political opinions.

[@JarlGrimmToys]

Yeah you’re right. I’ve noticed that people who say they have no interest in politics. Generally are people who don’t want to defend or admit their conservative views.

[@101steel4]

Moronic American moves to England and is amazed there's differences. Including they drink a lot of tea and speak English 😂
Next week he visits France and is shocked they speak French!

[@k.u9275]

And he will find us rude 🤭

[@AmberPanda]

I think this man should go back to USA....he seems very unhappy here, I mean omg two taps on a sink, terrible.😢

[@JohnSmith-do3ek]

I dont know where this dude was living, but the large supermarkets, asda and tesco wer open 24 hours up until after covid. Since then supermarkets open until midnight, but there are plenty of places open 24 hours a day. They mainly sell booze, but also sell household items , cigarettes, bread, milk, potatoes, pasta and such like.. There are many 24 hour shops in Liverpool.

[@davidkeenan5642]

Maybe the Tesco Extra small stores, under 3,000 square feet, that are exempt from the Sunday Trading opening restriction, but the larger stores have been limited to opening for 6 hours on Sunday since 1994.
All stores over 3,000 square feet are similarly restricted, even in Liverpool.

[@richardscales9560]

Coffee pots were more of a thing back in the 80s really. A lot of homes will probably still have one stuffed up in the attic.

[@ladygwarth]

Sunday trading laws were changed to allow certain shops to open like food/ diy shops for example. They have to close by 4pm on a Sunday and open later in the mornings. All Sunday closing in the past was based on it being ‘the day or rest’.

[@user-fq8rs7rz3i]

This sounds so weird to me and mostly wrong. Where was he living, under a bridge?

[@nicolad8822]

Think he was a minister?? So yes.

[@patriciabailey1937]

In this country, the UK, life isn’t all about business! If people can’t get their shopping done within the hours allocated, then they should organise themselves better! Here in the UK we don’t live to work, but work to live. There is value in both.

[@kevanwillis4571]

You saying that you could pop out at 04.00 and get snacks reminded me of an American, the father in law of a Hollywood actor telling a group of us. ' Sure in the States we are robbing, raping and shooting each other, but at least you can get a loaf of bread at 10.30 at night!'
Well, that won us over!
It was Luxembourg, not U.K. but very similar rules.

[@cheryla7480]

There is a very valid reason for no electric outlets in UK bathrooms. It is against the building code. The UK tends to be a high humidity country, also the close proximity to water in a bathroom. The voltage there is twice that of the voltage in North America. In Canada and the U.S. if you get shocked at an outlet you will usually survive……not so in the UK you are much more likely to die from the jolt your body would receive. It is also the reason other outlets have ON/OFF switches to cut off the power when not in use.

[@grahamlaidlaw6783]

You can have an electrical socket in a bathroom as long as it's 30cm away from a water source. We just tend not to have them at home unless specifically wanted or is in a hotel or something similar. It would also be on its own circuit for safety normally.

[@nicolad8822]

I had a filter coffee machine at college in the 1980s! I haven’t drunk instant coffee in years. Wasn’t this guy a “missionary”? Church halls and such still churn out that stuff.

[@digidol52]

Missionary! Of course, that's why he seems so odd. Mormon do you think?

[@chrisellis3797]

Freeze dried coffee is what you call it in the States

[@davenwin1973]

It's also called instant coffee in the US as well. It might be a regional difference, but to be, freeze dried sounds scientific.

[@stephenlee5929]

Hi Connor,
The 2 taps is to do with protecting the water supply and drinking water, hot water used to be heated and stored in a tank, this would make the water unsuitable for drinking.
Its not a convenience thing its a safety thing, much less of an issue if you don't store the hot water.

[@lizcallaghan9136]

This is true especially when the first introduced plumbing into the home in the 19th century, pipes were made of lead. So if you wanted hot water for a cup of tea you would have to boil the water than have hot water from the tap and risk lead poisoning

[@brigidsingleton1596]

Coffeemakers are popular here and definitely not as rare or uncommon as Matthew states here. Yes, he said it was his experience but he made it sound like generally we don't have coffeemakers here.. and we do.

[@michaelayling8855]

I don't know anyone who doesn't have a coffee maker or bean grinder.

[@cheryla7480]

The difference between drip coffee and instant is that ……Drip coffee, the coffee grounds remain intact, that is you can make a whole pot of coffee from a few scoops. You get your coffee and are left with the pot and a filter full of grounds. Instant is made one cup at a time ( one spoon of instant in your cup, add water ) the instant crystals completely dissolve ( no grounds ).

[@keithalderson100]

The main reason for the taps is just that we have far more old houses - before mixer taps were thought of and the bathrooms have not been updated!

[@adriandurrant6025]

British are the world's biggest equivocators, we call it being tactful. But you will find a regional difference: People from the north are more blunt. As a southerner I find it refreshing and endearing.

[@fionagregory9376]

If you want warm water just mix hot and cold using the sink using a plug to stop water falling down the sink.

[@alexandermills9965]

To give you an idea of an old building and an old building is in the U.K a new building would be 100 - 150 years old. An old building would be considered 500 years old but if it was 700 years old that would be old for U.K standers.
Think 200 miles in the U.K to be a long journey but is the U.S would be considered as a short one

[@arwelp]

Sunday opening laws mean that large shops and supermarkets can only open between 10 and 4, except Christmas Day and Easter Sunday when they can’t open, smaller shops can open longer. Until 1960 you couldn’t find an open pub in Wales on a Sunday, then they had about 20+ years when there were local referendums every 7 years on whether or not pubs could open (some areas swapped several times), but by the 1990s they were open everywhere. I think some areas of the western Highlands of Scotland, and the Hebrides, are still rather Sabbatarian.

[@gchecosse]

True about the Hebrides, but the law in Scotland allows Sunday trading, so in big cities there are big supermarkets which are genuinely 24/7, even on Sundays.

[@duncanheron-brown4810]

Good reaction as always, keep it up...still lots to learn about British culture and our subtle differences...look forward to more

[@jameslewis2635]

When the guy in the video said 'instant coffee' you described something completely different. The instant coffee you get in the UK is pretty much a concentrated coffee flavouring in an almost powdered form that can then be diluted with hot water. Going by how obsessed Americans seem to be with coffee you guys will probably see this kind of product as part of an MRE (Meal Ready To Eat - battlefield food).

[@AA-yc8yr]

Americans drink filter coffee, which tastes like piss. Instant coffee is coffee, not just flavoured as coffee, and tastes much better.

[@davenwin1973]

I'm an American, and know what instant coffee is. As my mom got older, she switched to instant, rather than heating a tea kettle, then pour water through a filter. My grandma hated instant, and always preferred percolated coffee. For those who don't know what percolate coffee is. It's a kettle, similar to the electric tea kettle, except that the boiling water is forced through a small pipe upward, and the boiling water is forced upward, and filters through the coffee filter, until it reaches the desired temperature, then shuts off. My mom preferred drip, which filters the coffee through the filter, without the original drops returning to the filter. The drip method continues until the reservoir tank is drained, and the pot stays warm on a heat plate.

[@jeffjefferson7384]

BATTLE COFFEE

[@AA-yc8yr]

@@davenwin1973 Yes, thank you. I am all too aware of what passes for coffee in the US. There's no escaping it given as all hotels offer exclusively the coffee coloured water emanating from pods purporting to provide varieties of ground coffee, only to disappoint by spewing a rather washed out semblance of coffee in one's mug.

[@AA-yc8yr]

@@jeffjefferson7384 Battle? Nah. There's no competition that filter (aka drip) coffee can offer to instant.

[@helenwood8482]

We don't hide our opinions and we don't sugar coat. Americans just don't understand sarcasm and euphemism.

[@lj8302]

We have 24 hour supermarkets but we also realise that staff need time off work and people can survive for a few hours without buying shite.i use instant coffee because im not a coffee drinker, my warm drink is tea or hot choc but i will drink coffee if I'm hungover and need a pick-me-up... does the job 😂

[@mark1282]

I thought 24 hour shops were fairly common in the UK. I find it strange the OP didn't see these. Obviously most shops are closed at night. But most towns and cities have 24 hour shops close by?

[@jamesdevlin1793]

So many people bring up the taps. Haven’t seen the older two separate taps for quite a while in any public place or anyone’s house. I wonder when when he made the video 🤔 if registering with a GP was hard work maybe he hasn’t tried to get an appointment yet 😅💀

[@rogerlidster6184]

World wide the military use the 24 hour clock
Avoids confusion

[@DavidSmith-cx8dg]

Instant coffee is granulated and soluble , Nescafe is a major brand but there are many different types , a teaspoon full in the mug - boil kettle , milk , sugar - just like stronger tea only slightly quicker as it doesn't need to brew and the two are easily interchangeable depending on which you fancy at the time .

[@Chris_GY1]

Coffee is sold in beans, ground (either put into a cafetière or into a filter coffee machine) and instant put into a mug). We use central heating in Britain.

[@helenwood8482]

Instant coffee is made from granules. You pour boiling water onto the granules and they dissolve instantly, creating coffee. It has a much smoother flavour than non-instant coffee. I do drink "real" coffee occasionally, but I need a lot more milk and sugar with it because the flavour is so rough.

[@helenwood8482]

Mixer taps are useless. The water never gets hot enough. I have one in my kitchen and have to boil the kettle to wash dishes. With two taps, you can mix whatever temperature you like in the sink. This also saves water.

[@drziggyabdelmalak1439]

I think the tap issue is that on the older building and in housing there is a tank on the roof or in a cupboard in the house that heats up the water to become hot. The cold water comes from a supply of pipes under the ground.

[@fionagregory9376]

A bathroom has to contain a bath. Otherwise it is a lavatory or toilet. Restroom means a room where one rests not have a pee.

[@Puckoon2002]

The coffee "maker" shown in the video is actually a filter coffee machine, the upper section has the ground coffee and filter paper in a funnel, the jug underneath is for catching the brewed coffee, on the back is a water tank and heater system. The heated water evaporates, turns into steam, and the cover catches the water vapor and directs it to the funnel to pass through the ground coffee, through the paper and it drips into the jug below. They are slow but the coffee is good.
Instant coffee comes in a jar, it was "brewed" in by the manufactures the resultant liquid is rapidly freeze dried and the resultant "powder" is poured into jars, to make a coffee one teaspoon of the instant powder is put in a cup and hot water poured into the cup, this dissolves the powder and produces a quick cup of coffee, some say it's not as good as fresh coffee, but that can vary from blend to blend, as with fresh coffee.

[@Drobium77]

the weirdness in temperatures in the UK is as follows 'if it's cold, people will say it's minus 10'c or minus 20'c, but if it's hot, people will say "it's going to be 85'f today or 95'f today" especially people over 40 years old like me.

[@gchecosse]

Over 80 surely?

[@Drobium77]

Maybe? i'm very old fashioned, plus I am heavily into meteorology as i've been since a kid, and most of the books in the library were in Fahrenheit @@gchecosse

[@marythomson8537]

We work to live not live to work.Bathrooms do not have electrical sockets for safety reasons.Drinking water from the cold tap is the reason for the separation as hot water is not drinkable.We also put the plug in and fill the sink/bath with water from both taps to wash at the temperature that suits the individual, saves on water usage more economical and environmentally friendly, we do not waste water by running taps unessaceraly.

[@tibouzankor1997]

Is using the 24hr clock not a universal thing? I don’t understand many Americans’ perplexity and some even getting confused by it😂 It’s so commonplace it’s not even a thing anymore . We were taught it in primary school when we first learnt time. And this is from somewhere in Africa. We refer to time in 12hr style in speech and then write using 24hr notation especially formally.

[@johnloony68]

7:42 UK: different from
7:42 USA: different than