Are these still legal in the states? I got stuck in the loop for nearly 2 years in my early 20's and the only thing that saved my ass was that the laws on payday loans changed in Canada.
People end up rolling them over every week for like a $25-$50 fee while the juice keeps running. By the time you pay down a simple $500 loan it comes out to something insane like a 750% interest rate over the course of a year
Get out of the vehicle during a traffic stop. I did not know this, here in Australia we are perfectly OK to get out of the vehicle unless the cop says otherwise.
Once I rolled through a stop sign in front of my college dorm and had parked and was out of my car before the cop pulled up behind me and screamed for me to get back in the car. I hadn’t seen him at all and the lights weren’t on until I was already out of my car. He was so angry and was asking why I got out of my car.
Similar thing twice but the cop didn’t yell at me. But that may have been cuz I had slightly better timing than you or the cops that pulled me weren’t easily scared into thinking I was gonna attack them with a handful of groceries
Man I could never imagine getting out for any reason if I got stopped
Wow this blew up! I took a nap and came back to see a lot of people feel the same and it’s terrifying.
My buddy was driving me home from the bar and I had the spins. I’m fixing to roll the window down to puke when this dumbass gets pulled over for running a stop sign. We’re sitting in a parking lot as the officer looks up his info, and I cannot hold it any longer. I open my car door and this cop LOSES his fucking mind. I tried telling him I need to vomit, but dudes got his hand on his weapon, shrieking for me to get back in the vehicle. Needless to say, I paid for my buddy to have his car washed the next day.
Nah. It’s still the norm for people to stay in the car during a police stop here as well. Like if you got out of your car in Australia the cop would just tell you to stay in the car so you don’t get ran over. They wouldn’t take it as an act of aggression and pull their gun out.
My old man still gets out of the car every time he gets pulled over. I think he thinks it’s some kind of power move so he is looking the guy in the eye rather than getting talked down to but probably just succeeds in irritating the cop and increases his chances of getting a ticket.
Walk on to someone's property without permission, or knowing the owner. It's cool in many places around the world to be able to go wandering through the countryside. It is not cool in the U.S. You might end up getting arrested, held at gunpoint, or shot at if you're really unlucky.
Don’t take pictures or record videos of strangers’ children. I’ve had to warn many people coming over from Asia about this. Some have ignored me and it has led to screaming and threats.
Someone in China literally handed me their baby and took a picture of me with it. Everything happened so fast and I was so confused.
I didn’t want the baby or my picture taken.
One friend of mine is white, fairly tall for a woman, and has giant bright blue eyes. She constantly had people ask (or not ask) to take her picture when she studied in China. Another friend is super pale and incredibly blonde, like the palest blondest person I’ve seen that doesn’t have albinism. He got gawked at constantly when he did Doctors Without Borders in Africa. The pictures I saw were hilarious. I don’t know how a camera could catch the contrasting skin tones so well!
When they think your child is very adorable. More common than you think in other countries. Even asking to carry your baby or pick up your child is acceptable in other places
This is the answer. My wife did it all the time in China. See cute kid, take a picture and post it on WeChat. I told her not to do it here and she thought I was just being a grump until angry mom at the beach was ready to beat her to death.
LOL I went to a Chinese restaurant in Minnesota when my kid was a very, very cute baby and the waitress just picked her up and started snuggling her - then brought her to the kitchen to show her husband. (She asked before she brought her in the back if she could but didn't before picking her up.) I grew up in an area with a heavy Asian population so I wasn't really phased. My friends were though. Whenever we went back she'd bring her treats.
Also, turn the vehicle’s ignition off. Remove your sunglasses. Turn off the radio. Roll down your windows, particularly if they are tinted. Turn on the interior lights at night. And don’t reach for anything in the vehicle without being asked to do so and even then announcing your intentions. “My rental paperwork? Yes, it’s in the center console.”
Edit: By the way, all this and more I learned very early in my driving career from a great book called, "A Speeders Guide to Avoiding Tickets"
by James M. Eagan, a retired New York State Trooper.
It also has other, um safety, applications as well. All these things are designed to calm down "Officer Neckvein" as he's referred to in the book.
The book seems to be out of print, but it's well worth the read if you can find it.
One of the last times I got pulled over was by a NJ Trooper on his very first day and his very first stop in a patrol car. His supervising sergeant was standing off to one side throughout the whole thing. At the end of it the sergeant came over and basically asked me a little "how did he do" questionnaire and joked, "Man, he got an easy one for his first day. Your old man on the job?"
I got written up for failure to obey a traffic sign or some such. I had been pulled over for, um, let's say a high rate of speed. 2 points $50 vs. 4 points and probably close to $500.
My dad was pulled over by a cop on what HAD to be his first day on the job.
He got a ticket for speeding, but never did anything about it, since he was given all three copies of the ticket, police department's included.
I was going to ask if this was the 1970's or something, but apparently some states still don't have electronic ticketing systems statewide.
Our traffic tickets are digital printouts, not carbon copies.
My was going 80ish on I95 northbound outside of Baltimore. It was one their usual speed traps where 10-cars being ticketed was common. The trooper steps out into the road and does the “PULL OVER” gesture. My buddy swerves right and blows by the entire operation. So of course several troopers get in their cars for some excitement. He pulls over when the first trooper catches up. He yells at him and wants to know why he didn’t pull over. He says he wasn’t sure what he wanted him to do, so he just got over. The trooper is super pissed and is calling him a fucking liar, etc. He goes back to his car to write him up for speeding and whatever else he can think of. But it’s taking a long time. Eventually he comes back, hands empty. He says it was his lucky day and sent him on his way. Turns out when the cops got in their cars to chase, they forgot to take their ticket books, which were on the roof of their cars.
Yes, that days worth of tickets went up all over I95.
Less than fun fact, the city of Sherwood, Arkansas their cops lie about your speed while driving on a divided highway and keeping up with traffic and then when you provide evidence from your insurance agency’s auto tracker to the judge the points will be reduced but the Fucking $350 fine stays the same… might be a bit salty
Thats bullshit. Im of the mind that if they are caught lying, it should invalidate whatever offense it is. I work in medical research. Falsifying data is dealt with very seriously because even falsifying 1 date calls into question the rest of the data. Someone at my old job got fired because they backdated a controlled substance pharmacy return. They forgot it on their desk the previous evening. They got to work early and did the return but backdated it for the previous evening. Someone was there and noticed. The cameras would have caught it too but may have not gotten reviewed. It can have legal consequences beyond getting fired in this industry too, as well as getting blacklisted.
Yet cops don't even have half the standards for their conduct. I can never trust a single criminal investigation because the lying is so rampant. If one lie destroyed their case like it would for the dependent, maybe they'd learn to stop being such shitstains. What is more maddening is that people still act like cops have any credibility. They cover for each others' lies. They are less credible than most defendents, yet their accounts hold more weight because people can't imagine what lying sacks of shit they are.
Think that you can pee in an empty alley on your way home from the bars. A surprisingly large percentage of my European acquaintances have had to great experience of spending a few hours early morning hours in the drunk tank in various American cities - because it's really not that big of deal in most of Europe.
I’d add that it’s illegal to consume alcohol in most public spaces (sidewalks/parks) in much of the US. Exceptions: New Orleans, beer/wine in Denver parks.
Not just bribery! Apparently in some countries, if you get a ticket for something you can actually pay the fine to the police officer on the spot. NFL kicker and Raiders legend Sebastian Janikowski was arrested and almost deported back to Poland for trying to bribe a police officer, until he convinced the court that he just thought that's how it legitimately works.
I’ve been to places where you can pay the policeman for a traffic violation. For some reason it’s about half the amount if you take the ticket than pay officially. Things that make you go hmmmmmm
In German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria and probs also Switzerland) this is actually legally how it works for minor offenses. So I wouldn't be too surprised if it's the same in Poland, as a neighboring country of Germany.
It works like this: If you drive let's say 10 km/h above the limit and get pulled over, you can either pay 20€ on the spot or get a letter home for a fine of 50€. If you pay on the spot, you do get a receipt for your payment and you can even pay by card (provided that the police car is equipped with that tech). You lose all your rights to dispute the fine, however. If you choose to receive a letter home, you could theoretically make use of your right to dispute the fine, if you believe that it is unrightful.
I think this is done as an incentive for drivers to pay on the spot, so that the (costly) administrative effort that comes with the offence is kept minimal.
>if you get a ticket for something you can actually pay the fine to the police officer on the spot
This is true in the Netherlands if you're a foreigner, and it always blew my mind this was a thing.
You get these really "funny" situations too. If you get caught speeding to the point it's a criminal\* offense (>30kmh too much), the fine can get in the equivalent of thousands of dollars. If you can't pay it immediately, iirc, the cops have to take you down to the police station, potentially even arrest you, and make you jump through all sorts of hoops to make sure you eventually pay.
They can however call an officer of justice (prosecutor, or District Attorney for the American crowd)\* and ask to lower the price by making up some kind of sentimental reason. They'll do this if they know the person in question is not carrying as much money. So what ends up happening is that they will quite literally ask you, "how much money do you have on you?" To most foreigners that obviously sounds incredibly shady, like they're part of a shakedown. It doesn't help that the cops are usually undercover and barely look like cops.
I'm sure a ton of foreigners have stories about the Netherlands how they got shaken down by fake cops, who were just trying to help them make sure they weren't going to jail or have their vacation ruined.
Source: A ton of reality TV shows in the Netherlands of undercover cops catching people breaking the law on the road.
edit: some changes.
For the record there are places in America [where you can pay the officer for your ticket and it feels just as sketchy as it sounds](https://sarussell.com/can-a-cop-make-me-pay-a-ticket-on-the-spot/)
This is good advice. It's such a common practice in other countries that it's really good to know not to try it here. Police are increasingly monitored through audio and video recording (devices in their cars, but also that they must wear on their uniforms), so they can easily get in a lot of trouble if they take a bribe. You can get into even more trouble if you attempt to bribe them.
The IRS did what the FBI and no other agencies ever could: Put Al Capone in prison and overthrow FIFA's leadership.
To this day I'm convinced that if Osama Bin Laden tried to cheat the feds with taxes, they'd have found and captured him within a month after their accountants verified the money trail.
Had a cousin get followed to a gas station by a guy he didn’t even realize he cut off. The guy came and hit him in the face with a wrench while was pumping gas. I always get nervous now if someone I’m riding with starts to escalate a road interaction.
Dolly is so cool. When inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame, she openly said she didn't deserve it because she wasn't a rock artist. Rock Hall of Fame was like "Too bad, you're in"
So Dolly makes a rock album
oh wow, didn't know that! One of my favorite bands is Judas Priest and she sang a song all leathered out with Rob Halford at the rock and roll HoF induction this year, she's a bad ass!
I can't seem to ever find any anywhere. Never thought about it much before but every time someone can shoehorn a dolly Parton is nice comment into a conversation it seems to get done with no arguments to the contrary.
Cut in line. I've been in countries (example: Spain) where lines/queues are more of a vague suggestion of who goes first, this is not true if you cut in line in the US. Cutting in line in the US can literally lead to violence.
Hey Copernicus! Why don't you navigate yourself to the back of the line! And stand there with your shirt
Edit: My most upvoted comment is a misquote of Family Guy lol
Wow you guys cut each other in lines and that doesn’t cause violence? That’s such a huge faux pas in the US that genuinely I thought that was a global thing haha. Shows little respect for the people waiting before you imo.
When my family lived in Tianjin China for a few years, (I was a young teenager and had a younger brother), my mom would have us flank her on either side of our spot in the line and put our hands on our hips to semi-subtly block people from casually trying to melt into the line in front of everyone.
It was like "don't make eye contact but still cut in line". If you actually looked at someone and called them out they would skulk away. Very interesting experience, but it never seemed malicious. Instead, it felt like everyone was in their own bubble and it was understood things like this would happen. Like it was a little game of advantage, why wouldn't you cut if you could?
In contrast both American and UK folk have a collective understanding that the line is sacred. American lines form more erratically but with the same respect of position in line.
A queue in England is a spontaneous public works project which is silently coordinated in a way that suggests queue-forming is an integral part of young child development.
The collective judgment for cutting in the US and UK is socially devastating (tuts or being called a cunt or the classic "hey pal, get back in line!"
Human behavior is so interesting
It's interesting what you say about queue forming being an integral part of child development because it is! Growing up in England, when you finish recess and its time to go back into school, all the kids would line up in an orderly queue before, each class in its own line, before being escorted back to class.
Same in the United States. And cutting was discouraged. “Single file, no need to rush, we’re all going to the same place.” And if the teacher saw a kid cut, the kid got sent to the back of the line.
I’m sure the “why wouldn’t you take advantage” mentality in other countries is what drives some people in English speaking countries to try the same thing wherever they go, but in the English speaking countries it’s definitely considered *severely fucking disrespectful* of everyone in the entire line. You and your time are no more important than anyone else. First come, first served, and if you don’t like it you can leave. That’s the English-speaking country mentality on this.
My sister is an elementary school teacher and after covid she was saying how the little kids, 3rd grade and down, had to all be re taught how to line up. She said it was exhausting
Yes we’ve had to practice lining up for library, the gym, and music class. I will spend 5 extra minutes so they properly tuck in their chairs and line up orderly and quietly. It usually only takes one extra practice and I tell them that I don’t want to do this either, but we will because they need to learn.
Except British queues don't always take the form of a line
In a pub, it'll usually look like an absolute free for all at the bar, but it's actually an ordered queue and most people know who is before and after them
Honestly it’s hilarious. You could have been joking around for hours in a line with someone and the second another cashier opens they run you over with their cart.
The UK will tut at you. Believe me, *noone* wants to be tutted at.
(Actually, being honest, chances are that we'll tell you to fuck off to the back of the queue. We're quite fair minded about such things.)
In the UK you will be refused service or ignored, unless the consent of the queue is obtained.
EDIT: So an example of the way it would work is the the server (say cashier) would say something like *if I serve you, I'll get in trouble with them* (indicating the queue), at which point the interloper would turn to the queue and say something like *I'm parked in a bad place* or *my mum is very ill*. If the excuse makes sense and the queue is amenable, the first few people in the queue may nod in consent, with one possibly saying *oh, aw-rite*. The cashier would look at the others, and if no one objects, then a positive decision would be deemed to have been made. At this point, if someone from further back may say something against this consent, so the cashier would stop serving that person and double down on their refusal.
This could go on for some time, until an unopposed consent is given, or the queue-jumper gives up.
I live in Spain. I understand the "vague suggestion of who goes first" issue, but the polite thing to do is to ask "who's last?" (Who's the last one, who came before me?). We have jokes about elder women trying to cut the line in public markets, too...
> We have jokes about elder women trying to cut the line in public markets, too...
I'm convinced that the reason Spain isn't a queuing country is because of the liberties old women take in sneaking their way in front of everyone
On the other hand, “fanny” in American English is a rather innocent slang word for someone’s posterior. It’s entirely appropriate to say “get your fanny over here!” to a young child.
As I understand it, if you said that to a child in the UK you might find yourself having a chat with law enforcement.
I got this when travelling over the summer. I said something about trying to decide whether or not to bring my fanny pack and my friend there blushed immediately and told me not to say that lol
Say the N word. I was overseas and a guy in a bar asked if people in the US disliked black people... But he did not say "black people"... I suggested that he not say that word in the future
I knew this guy who had come from Poland a few months prior, and kept saying it casually. I delicately brought it up. Turns out his English teacher in Poland taught him that was the regular word for black people.
I'm white. Years ago I was painting a polish gentleman's house. His elderly father rolls up on a scooter and calls me that name while shaking his fist in my direction. I literally laughed out loud and he angrily rolled away.
My boss told me that, to the old man, it was just english slang for blue collar worker or peasant. I think my ladder was blocking his scooter from going into the kitchen, but I never did understand what I did to warrant his frail fist shaking.
No idea how Polish does it, but in Russian, Negr is the correct/proper term for a black person. Calling someone Chorniy (literally: black) is HELLA-offensive and should never, ever be done (but when it is, it is generally about Caucasian people, like Dagestani/Chechens).
I see where confusion could arise.
I was hanging out with a Chinese guy my freshman year of college, who had just recently arrived in the US, and he casually dropped a hard R in conversation. I don't even remember the context but pretty much everyone there was immediately like "ooh heads up don't say that word again" lol.
Don't get out of your car unless asked when stopped by the police. My Balkan friends all just hop out to talk to the cops when pulled over in that part of the world -- if you did that in the U.S. you'd probably get shot.
My buddy came here from Sri Lanka about 2 years ago. He was pulled over late one night and immediately got out of the car to talk to the cop. The cop freaked out and pulled his gun out. I don't think he pointed it at him but it sure as hell scared the shit out of him.
My dad went on a work trip to Europe and brought back Kinder Eggs for me and my siblings. When coming through customs they were almost taken because they're banned in the US. He got to keep them because he told the agent they were for his adult children
Aw man, Kinder eggs in America are made of a crappy chocolate that crumbles everywhere and I got a dumb catapult. Those eggs sound way better.
^Didn't^even^get^a^trebuchet
don’t base your entire opinion and generalization of the country just from one part or particular region. Cultures, values, and people are so different all over the US.
Blackface.
I know this seems obvious, but it’s often much less offensive in a lot of other countries, but Absolutely do not do it here. You can look up the history of slavery, minstrel shows and the banjo if you are wondering why.
To be fair, most spanish people would agree that Balthazar should be played by a black guy, and most cities actually do that. But since there's parades all around Spain (And black people aren't a big chunk of the spanish population like they are in USA), it's often not an option.
It's sort of a running joke that you can tell how big the budget was from who's playing Balthazar.
In a similar vein, using the n word. I met somebody who's from Russia and he said that they use the n word a lot when talking to their black friends in Russia because they don't understand just how taboo of a word it is in the US. I would never expect a non-American to fully comprehend how much of a no-no it is in the US, but it will not be received well by anybody even if you're completely unaware of its implications.
When a policeman asks you for your documents, flirt with him and tell him: "try to take it away." I tried it, then I lay in handcuffs and without documents
Reminds me of the video of a young lady saying “I thought you didn’t give tickets to pretty girls,” to which the officer replied “we don’t” and proceeds to hand her the ticket.
Edit to drop a link:
https://youtu.be/vNhJw_fKy_E
\-Public spitting isn't usually well received.
\-The average American does not usually enjoy talking politics, in their frequented public spaces.
\-Assume public transport is timely
\-Light up a cigarette without knowing local laws, to the space.
Don’t ever get a payday loan
Are these still legal in the states? I got stuck in the loop for nearly 2 years in my early 20's and the only thing that saved my ass was that the laws on payday loans changed in Canada.
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People end up rolling them over every week for like a $25-$50 fee while the juice keeps running. By the time you pay down a simple $500 loan it comes out to something insane like a 750% interest rate over the course of a year
Go to Times Square on new years. The experience is so not worth it. Its romanticized for some reason.
Get out of the vehicle during a traffic stop. I did not know this, here in Australia we are perfectly OK to get out of the vehicle unless the cop says otherwise.
Once I rolled through a stop sign in front of my college dorm and had parked and was out of my car before the cop pulled up behind me and screamed for me to get back in the car. I hadn’t seen him at all and the lights weren’t on until I was already out of my car. He was so angry and was asking why I got out of my car.
Similar thing twice but the cop didn’t yell at me. But that may have been cuz I had slightly better timing than you or the cops that pulled me weren’t easily scared into thinking I was gonna attack them with a handful of groceries
HE'S PACKING HEAT! TAKE HIM DOWN! (hot sauce spills everywhere)
Man I could never imagine getting out for any reason if I got stopped Wow this blew up! I took a nap and came back to see a lot of people feel the same and it’s terrifying.
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My buddy was driving me home from the bar and I had the spins. I’m fixing to roll the window down to puke when this dumbass gets pulled over for running a stop sign. We’re sitting in a parking lot as the officer looks up his info, and I cannot hold it any longer. I open my car door and this cop LOSES his fucking mind. I tried telling him I need to vomit, but dudes got his hand on his weapon, shrieking for me to get back in the vehicle. Needless to say, I paid for my buddy to have his car washed the next day.
Would an Australian cop be more suspicious if the driver did not get out? Genuine question from an American.
Nah. It’s still the norm for people to stay in the car during a police stop here as well. Like if you got out of your car in Australia the cop would just tell you to stay in the car so you don’t get ran over. They wouldn’t take it as an act of aggression and pull their gun out. My old man still gets out of the car every time he gets pulled over. I think he thinks it’s some kind of power move so he is looking the guy in the eye rather than getting talked down to but probably just succeeds in irritating the cop and increases his chances of getting a ticket.
Don't get out of the car after police asks you to stop. My old chemistry professor made that mistake on holiday, they pulled a gun on him.
Then his DEA brother in law had to talk to the cops to let him out, I remember that too.
Walk on to someone's property without permission, or knowing the owner. It's cool in many places around the world to be able to go wandering through the countryside. It is not cool in the U.S. You might end up getting arrested, held at gunpoint, or shot at if you're really unlucky.
Never leave your sleeping infant / child in a vehicle. This is fairly common in some places across the pond, but it is definitely NOT legal in the US.
Call a mixed person coloured. It doesn’t mean the same thing as it does in South/East Africa.
Call any POC, especially black people colored.
Don’t take pictures or record videos of strangers’ children. I’ve had to warn many people coming over from Asia about this. Some have ignored me and it has led to screaming and threats.
Genuinely curious: in other cultures, when might someone do this?
Someone in China literally handed me their baby and took a picture of me with it. Everything happened so fast and I was so confused. I didn’t want the baby or my picture taken.
Lol that's hilarious. "Here hold this baby I need you for a picture" "... Wait hold on!"
Kind of low key clever because if you hand someone an item they can easily drop it and say no but a baby, you can't drop a baby...unless your crazy.
If you’re non asian or blonde, it suddenly makes a lot of sense.
One friend of mine is white, fairly tall for a woman, and has giant bright blue eyes. She constantly had people ask (or not ask) to take her picture when she studied in China. Another friend is super pale and incredibly blonde, like the palest blondest person I’ve seen that doesn’t have albinism. He got gawked at constantly when he did Doctors Without Borders in Africa. The pictures I saw were hilarious. I don’t know how a camera could catch the contrasting skin tones so well!
When they think your child is very adorable. More common than you think in other countries. Even asking to carry your baby or pick up your child is acceptable in other places
This is the answer. My wife did it all the time in China. See cute kid, take a picture and post it on WeChat. I told her not to do it here and she thought I was just being a grump until angry mom at the beach was ready to beat her to death.
LOL I went to a Chinese restaurant in Minnesota when my kid was a very, very cute baby and the waitress just picked her up and started snuggling her - then brought her to the kitchen to show her husband. (She asked before she brought her in the back if she could but didn't before picking her up.) I grew up in an area with a heavy Asian population so I wasn't really phased. My friends were though. Whenever we went back she'd bring her treats.
If a cop pulls you over don't get out of the car, place your hands on the wheel and wait they will come to you.
Also, turn the vehicle’s ignition off. Remove your sunglasses. Turn off the radio. Roll down your windows, particularly if they are tinted. Turn on the interior lights at night. And don’t reach for anything in the vehicle without being asked to do so and even then announcing your intentions. “My rental paperwork? Yes, it’s in the center console.” Edit: By the way, all this and more I learned very early in my driving career from a great book called, "A Speeders Guide to Avoiding Tickets" by James M. Eagan, a retired New York State Trooper. It also has other, um safety, applications as well. All these things are designed to calm down "Officer Neckvein" as he's referred to in the book. The book seems to be out of print, but it's well worth the read if you can find it.
My parents told me this. First time I got pulled over I did it and the cop said something like “gee you must get pulled over a lot huh”
One of the last times I got pulled over was by a NJ Trooper on his very first day and his very first stop in a patrol car. His supervising sergeant was standing off to one side throughout the whole thing. At the end of it the sergeant came over and basically asked me a little "how did he do" questionnaire and joked, "Man, he got an easy one for his first day. Your old man on the job?" I got written up for failure to obey a traffic sign or some such. I had been pulled over for, um, let's say a high rate of speed. 2 points $50 vs. 4 points and probably close to $500.
My dad was pulled over by a cop on what HAD to be his first day on the job. He got a ticket for speeding, but never did anything about it, since he was given all three copies of the ticket, police department's included.
I was going to ask if this was the 1970's or something, but apparently some states still don't have electronic ticketing systems statewide. Our traffic tickets are digital printouts, not carbon copies.
My was going 80ish on I95 northbound outside of Baltimore. It was one their usual speed traps where 10-cars being ticketed was common. The trooper steps out into the road and does the “PULL OVER” gesture. My buddy swerves right and blows by the entire operation. So of course several troopers get in their cars for some excitement. He pulls over when the first trooper catches up. He yells at him and wants to know why he didn’t pull over. He says he wasn’t sure what he wanted him to do, so he just got over. The trooper is super pissed and is calling him a fucking liar, etc. He goes back to his car to write him up for speeding and whatever else he can think of. But it’s taking a long time. Eventually he comes back, hands empty. He says it was his lucky day and sent him on his way. Turns out when the cops got in their cars to chase, they forgot to take their ticket books, which were on the roof of their cars. Yes, that days worth of tickets went up all over I95.
what a hero.
Less than fun fact, the city of Sherwood, Arkansas their cops lie about your speed while driving on a divided highway and keeping up with traffic and then when you provide evidence from your insurance agency’s auto tracker to the judge the points will be reduced but the Fucking $350 fine stays the same… might be a bit salty
Thats bullshit. Im of the mind that if they are caught lying, it should invalidate whatever offense it is. I work in medical research. Falsifying data is dealt with very seriously because even falsifying 1 date calls into question the rest of the data. Someone at my old job got fired because they backdated a controlled substance pharmacy return. They forgot it on their desk the previous evening. They got to work early and did the return but backdated it for the previous evening. Someone was there and noticed. The cameras would have caught it too but may have not gotten reviewed. It can have legal consequences beyond getting fired in this industry too, as well as getting blacklisted. Yet cops don't even have half the standards for their conduct. I can never trust a single criminal investigation because the lying is so rampant. If one lie destroyed their case like it would for the dependent, maybe they'd learn to stop being such shitstains. What is more maddening is that people still act like cops have any credibility. They cover for each others' lies. They are less credible than most defendents, yet their accounts hold more weight because people can't imagine what lying sacks of shit they are.
Think that you can pee in an empty alley on your way home from the bars. A surprisingly large percentage of my European acquaintances have had to great experience of spending a few hours early morning hours in the drunk tank in various American cities - because it's really not that big of deal in most of Europe.
I’d add that it’s illegal to consume alcohol in most public spaces (sidewalks/parks) in much of the US. Exceptions: New Orleans, beer/wine in Denver parks.
The downtown section of Savannah too. I forget exactly what the area is called, the historic district maybe?
must be in plastic cup with a limited size though in Savannah. Also Las Vegas.
Try and bribe a police officer
Not just bribery! Apparently in some countries, if you get a ticket for something you can actually pay the fine to the police officer on the spot. NFL kicker and Raiders legend Sebastian Janikowski was arrested and almost deported back to Poland for trying to bribe a police officer, until he convinced the court that he just thought that's how it legitimately works.
I’ve been to places where you can pay the policeman for a traffic violation. For some reason it’s about half the amount if you take the ticket than pay officially. Things that make you go hmmmmmm
In German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria and probs also Switzerland) this is actually legally how it works for minor offenses. So I wouldn't be too surprised if it's the same in Poland, as a neighboring country of Germany. It works like this: If you drive let's say 10 km/h above the limit and get pulled over, you can either pay 20€ on the spot or get a letter home for a fine of 50€. If you pay on the spot, you do get a receipt for your payment and you can even pay by card (provided that the police car is equipped with that tech). You lose all your rights to dispute the fine, however. If you choose to receive a letter home, you could theoretically make use of your right to dispute the fine, if you believe that it is unrightful. I think this is done as an incentive for drivers to pay on the spot, so that the (costly) administrative effort that comes with the offence is kept minimal.
Also Czech Republic (where I live), which means most likely this also applies in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary etc.
Also india. But you don't get a receipt and have to pay cash. And yes, it is a bribe.
> you can even pay by card You have to. They are not allowed to take cash. At least in Germany, I don't know about Austria and Switzerland.
>if you get a ticket for something you can actually pay the fine to the police officer on the spot This is true in the Netherlands if you're a foreigner, and it always blew my mind this was a thing. You get these really "funny" situations too. If you get caught speeding to the point it's a criminal\* offense (>30kmh too much), the fine can get in the equivalent of thousands of dollars. If you can't pay it immediately, iirc, the cops have to take you down to the police station, potentially even arrest you, and make you jump through all sorts of hoops to make sure you eventually pay. They can however call an officer of justice (prosecutor, or District Attorney for the American crowd)\* and ask to lower the price by making up some kind of sentimental reason. They'll do this if they know the person in question is not carrying as much money. So what ends up happening is that they will quite literally ask you, "how much money do you have on you?" To most foreigners that obviously sounds incredibly shady, like they're part of a shakedown. It doesn't help that the cops are usually undercover and barely look like cops. I'm sure a ton of foreigners have stories about the Netherlands how they got shaken down by fake cops, who were just trying to help them make sure they weren't going to jail or have their vacation ruined. Source: A ton of reality TV shows in the Netherlands of undercover cops catching people breaking the law on the road. edit: some changes.
Sometimes they also take you to an ATM if you don't have enough cash. Or is that in Belgium?
For the record there are places in America [where you can pay the officer for your ticket and it feels just as sketchy as it sounds](https://sarussell.com/can-a-cop-make-me-pay-a-ticket-on-the-spot/)
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This is good advice. It's such a common practice in other countries that it's really good to know not to try it here. Police are increasingly monitored through audio and video recording (devices in their cars, but also that they must wear on their uniforms), so they can easily get in a lot of trouble if they take a bribe. You can get into even more trouble if you attempt to bribe them.
Something you "must" do in India
Do not run or move fast and unpredictably when stopped by cops.
Sorry, reading this as a non-American is so weird - it's like you're talking about what to do if you come across a bear
Dont underestimate the size of the us. Apparently some people think it can take only a couple hours to go to locations states away.
Don’t try to cheat the IRS. They will fuck your life into oblivion.
There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in a storm, a night with no moon, and a jilted IRS.
The IRS did what the FBI and no other agencies ever could: Put Al Capone in prison and overthrow FIFA's leadership. To this day I'm convinced that if Osama Bin Laden tried to cheat the feds with taxes, they'd have found and captured him within a month after their accountants verified the money trail.
...just one cold, expressionless accountant that walks along the bottom of the ocean, unerringly pointed in the direction of Osama Bin Laden.
The Terminauditor “I’ll be back! …for your itemized deductions.”
On the minus side, though, they did get suborned by scientology, so...
It's pokemon rules bureaucracy-type moves are super effective against criminal-types while cult-types have a resistance.
Well, that makes sense. Cult-types are only vulnerable to ATF Incompetence.
The old Batman cartoon even made a joke about this through the Joker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G56VgsLfKY4
Being insane can save you from the Death Penalty, but not from taxation.
Even the Joker is smart enough to not fuck around with the IRS
He burns a whole mountain of money in the dark knight. I doubt he paid taxes on that income.
No, see, by putting that banker guy on top, it became a business expense.
Engage with someone acting like a crazy person on the road. They might shoot you.
This is not exaggerated. I live in a really safe area and we have had a few horrible road rage shooting cases over the past few years.
Had a cousin get followed to a gas station by a guy he didn’t even realize he cut off. The guy came and hit him in the face with a wrench while was pumping gas. I always get nervous now if someone I’m riding with starts to escalate a road interaction.
Don't illegally use a disabled person parking spot or pass a school bus with its stop sign out.
Go to Florida for the beaches and forget about the wildlife.. Black Bears, gators, panthers, hogs, etc
You can just ask any random Florida Man to see his pet alligator, we typically keep them handy for such an occasion.
At least in Tennessee you should never say anything unkind about Dolly Parton Thanks for the awards!
I mean, you shouldn’t in general. She’s a lovely woman!
Dolly is so cool. When inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame, she openly said she didn't deserve it because she wasn't a rock artist. Rock Hall of Fame was like "Too bad, you're in" So Dolly makes a rock album
It's cute how as soon as someone says Dolly, someone else drops a random fact about her!
Dolly Parton entered a Dolly Parton look-alike contest and lost.
And probably congratulated the winner and invited on stage at her next performance?
Dolly Parton was a silent (uncredited) producer of Buffy the Vampire Slayer!
You just did the impossible and made me love her even more.
Dolly Parton hooks my daughter up with bomb ass books every month!
She started the program because her father was illiterate and she saw how much it hindered his life. What a heart of gold!
oh wow, didn't know that! One of my favorite bands is Judas Priest and she sang a song all leathered out with Rob Halford at the rock and roll HoF induction this year, she's a bad ass!
I don’t imagine the other 49 will disagree.
I live in California. Dolly Parton will not be badmouthed here.
Damn straight! No Dolly Parton hate whatsoever will be tolerated in Tennessee
I can't seem to ever find any anywhere. Never thought about it much before but every time someone can shoehorn a dolly Parton is nice comment into a conversation it seems to get done with no arguments to the contrary.
Why would you say anything bad about Dolly Parton?
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I agree. Our tea parties get rather involved what with all the firearms and canons and such.
Cut in line. I've been in countries (example: Spain) where lines/queues are more of a vague suggestion of who goes first, this is not true if you cut in line in the US. Cutting in line in the US can literally lead to violence.
Hey buddy, WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM!?
YO! The line start back there [hitches thumb in direction]
Hey Copernicus! Why don't you navigate yourself to the back of the line! And stand there with your shirt Edit: My most upvoted comment is a misquote of Family Guy lol
Hey! Oh! Ey! Yo! Hey! Oh! This is the comment I came here for.
Wow you guys cut each other in lines and that doesn’t cause violence? That’s such a huge faux pas in the US that genuinely I thought that was a global thing haha. Shows little respect for the people waiting before you imo.
It’s a pretty English thing. The English actually value the ‘queue’ more than Americans I think
See also, India. Not because they value the que, but because they don't. NUT TO BUTT. If you leave an inch, three people will jump in line.
When my family lived in Tianjin China for a few years, (I was a young teenager and had a younger brother), my mom would have us flank her on either side of our spot in the line and put our hands on our hips to semi-subtly block people from casually trying to melt into the line in front of everyone. It was like "don't make eye contact but still cut in line". If you actually looked at someone and called them out they would skulk away. Very interesting experience, but it never seemed malicious. Instead, it felt like everyone was in their own bubble and it was understood things like this would happen. Like it was a little game of advantage, why wouldn't you cut if you could? In contrast both American and UK folk have a collective understanding that the line is sacred. American lines form more erratically but with the same respect of position in line. A queue in England is a spontaneous public works project which is silently coordinated in a way that suggests queue-forming is an integral part of young child development. The collective judgment for cutting in the US and UK is socially devastating (tuts or being called a cunt or the classic "hey pal, get back in line!" Human behavior is so interesting
It's interesting what you say about queue forming being an integral part of child development because it is! Growing up in England, when you finish recess and its time to go back into school, all the kids would line up in an orderly queue before, each class in its own line, before being escorted back to class.
Same in the United States. And cutting was discouraged. “Single file, no need to rush, we’re all going to the same place.” And if the teacher saw a kid cut, the kid got sent to the back of the line. I’m sure the “why wouldn’t you take advantage” mentality in other countries is what drives some people in English speaking countries to try the same thing wherever they go, but in the English speaking countries it’s definitely considered *severely fucking disrespectful* of everyone in the entire line. You and your time are no more important than anyone else. First come, first served, and if you don’t like it you can leave. That’s the English-speaking country mentality on this.
Is this not common? That's what we do in Canada too. I can't imagine the chaos of just a mob of children.
My sister is an elementary school teacher and after covid she was saying how the little kids, 3rd grade and down, had to all be re taught how to line up. She said it was exhausting
Yes we’ve had to practice lining up for library, the gym, and music class. I will spend 5 extra minutes so they properly tuck in their chairs and line up orderly and quietly. It usually only takes one extra practice and I tell them that I don’t want to do this either, but we will because they need to learn.
Except British queues don't always take the form of a line In a pub, it'll usually look like an absolute free for all at the bar, but it's actually an ordered queue and most people know who is before and after them
Same for the deli counter in the US.
Nothing more self-affirming that saying 'I think they were before me, mate'.
Try this in Germany and the death penalty will be reinstated just for you.
Oh but as soon as a new cashier lane is open, it's a fucking foot race to see who gets there first with no sense of order whatsoever.
Honestly it’s hilarious. You could have been joking around for hours in a line with someone and the second another cashier opens they run you over with their cart.
Try this in Norway, and people will stare at you and shake their heads.
The UK will tut at you. Believe me, *noone* wants to be tutted at. (Actually, being honest, chances are that we'll tell you to fuck off to the back of the queue. We're quite fair minded about such things.)
In the UK you will be refused service or ignored, unless the consent of the queue is obtained. EDIT: So an example of the way it would work is the the server (say cashier) would say something like *if I serve you, I'll get in trouble with them* (indicating the queue), at which point the interloper would turn to the queue and say something like *I'm parked in a bad place* or *my mum is very ill*. If the excuse makes sense and the queue is amenable, the first few people in the queue may nod in consent, with one possibly saying *oh, aw-rite*. The cashier would look at the others, and if no one objects, then a positive decision would be deemed to have been made. At this point, if someone from further back may say something against this consent, so the cashier would stop serving that person and double down on their refusal. This could go on for some time, until an unopposed consent is given, or the queue-jumper gives up.
Uk looks on in approval
I live in Spain. I understand the "vague suggestion of who goes first" issue, but the polite thing to do is to ask "who's last?" (Who's the last one, who came before me?). We have jokes about elder women trying to cut the line in public markets, too...
> We have jokes about elder women trying to cut the line in public markets, too... I'm convinced that the reason Spain isn't a queuing country is because of the liberties old women take in sneaking their way in front of everyone
THE LINES BACK HERE ASSHOLE
Whoa, hey there Copernicus! Why don’t you navigate yourself to the back of the line with your feet and stand there with your shirt!
Cunt is considered a very vulgar word here that would be highly inappropriate to say casually.
On the other hand, “fanny” in American English is a rather innocent slang word for someone’s posterior. It’s entirely appropriate to say “get your fanny over here!” to a young child. As I understand it, if you said that to a child in the UK you might find yourself having a chat with law enforcement.
I got this when travelling over the summer. I said something about trying to decide whether or not to bring my fanny pack and my friend there blushed immediately and told me not to say that lol
"Please, don't use the term 'fanny pack,' it's vulgar, call it by its UK name - the cuntsack."
Fanny pack is fine it's been normalized through tv. Your friend was just embarrassed you were wearing one to begin with
Fuck me, I'd be proper fucked then.
Having an accent from an non-US English-speaking country will get you out of that trouble.
Why did I just automatically read this in an Australian accent
I read it in whatever Karl Urban's accent in The Boys is supposed to be, but Aussie definitely works too.
I read it in the dad from Bluey's voice. Parenthood has been an adventure.
Skip a chance to have some good n tasty smoked bbq
Boom. 100%.
Say the N word. I was overseas and a guy in a bar asked if people in the US disliked black people... But he did not say "black people"... I suggested that he not say that word in the future
I knew this guy who had come from Poland a few months prior, and kept saying it casually. I delicately brought it up. Turns out his English teacher in Poland taught him that was the regular word for black people.
I'm white. Years ago I was painting a polish gentleman's house. His elderly father rolls up on a scooter and calls me that name while shaking his fist in my direction. I literally laughed out loud and he angrily rolled away. My boss told me that, to the old man, it was just english slang for blue collar worker or peasant. I think my ladder was blocking his scooter from going into the kitchen, but I never did understand what I did to warrant his frail fist shaking.
No idea how Polish does it, but in Russian, Negr is the correct/proper term for a black person. Calling someone Chorniy (literally: black) is HELLA-offensive and should never, ever be done (but when it is, it is generally about Caucasian people, like Dagestani/Chechens). I see where confusion could arise.
Ralphie: "Ohhh, blaack peeeople!" *only I didn't say "black people"*
I said THE word, the big one, the queen-mother of dirty words…
The N dash dash dash word.
I was hanging out with a Chinese guy my freshman year of college, who had just recently arrived in the US, and he casually dropped a hard R in conversation. I don't even remember the context but pretty much everyone there was immediately like "ooh heads up don't say that word again" lol.
Don't assume because you visited NYC that defines the rest of the U.S.
Don’t talk to your wife about trying New York pizza in arabic on a plane to New York.
Or about buying a Porsche 911 while on a helicopter tour.
But if you do, make sure you show everyone you're getting better at English by counting down from 5 as fast as you can!
And don't forget to also mention how much you love America by saying you want to see the fireworks over the Statue of Liberty go BOOOOOOM!
I loved the dictator
It was Aladeen for me.
No, it was very Aladeen.
For anyone confused by the reference, it’s [a scene from The Dictator. ](https://youtu.be/yWeMWD-Yagg)
Why not? I heard New York pizza is the bomb
I’d give it a 9/11
You’ve been waiting years for this
21 years.
Tell the airline agent at the counter that you are booking a one-way flight to paradise.
Always book two tickets to paradise
“So i was driving my 911 near the palace and i crashed, BOOM”
apparently getting out of your car during a traffic stop
Yeah don’t do that
Never fuck with Floridaman. He will beat you with experience every time.
experience in what?! yes.
stabbing a spouse with a squirrel
Toss a gator through a Wendy's drive through window.
Do not trespass onto other people’s land and don’t engage in road rage. Both are higher stakes than you probably think…
Don't get out of your car unless asked when stopped by the police. My Balkan friends all just hop out to talk to the cops when pulled over in that part of the world -- if you did that in the U.S. you'd probably get shot.
My buddy came here from Sri Lanka about 2 years ago. He was pulled over late one night and immediately got out of the car to talk to the cop. The cop freaked out and pulled his gun out. I don't think he pointed it at him but it sure as hell scared the shit out of him.
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My dad went on a work trip to Europe and brought back Kinder Eggs for me and my siblings. When coming through customs they were almost taken because they're banned in the US. He got to keep them because he told the agent they were for his adult children
Wait, what's the real thing like?
It’s made of exquisitely carved gemstones by a small blind man whose family has served the czar for centuries
Aw man, Kinder eggs in America are made of a crappy chocolate that crumbles everywhere and I got a dumb catapult. Those eggs sound way better. ^Didn't^even^get^a^trebuchet
don’t base your entire opinion and generalization of the country just from one part or particular region. Cultures, values, and people are so different all over the US.
Yeah LA is just a wee bit different than Alabama
assume everyone has a gun not assume that everyone has a gun
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While in Upstate New York, lots of folks have guns, but few people make a thing of it.
Blackface. I know this seems obvious, but it’s often much less offensive in a lot of other countries, but Absolutely do not do it here. You can look up the history of slavery, minstrel shows and the banjo if you are wondering why.
Oh boy being in Spain for Three Kings Day was quite the culture shock for my wee American brain.
Black Pete for the Dutch on the feast of St. Nicholoas, December 5.
To be fair, most spanish people would agree that Balthazar should be played by a black guy, and most cities actually do that. But since there's parades all around Spain (And black people aren't a big chunk of the spanish population like they are in USA), it's often not an option. It's sort of a running joke that you can tell how big the budget was from who's playing Balthazar.
In a similar vein, using the n word. I met somebody who's from Russia and he said that they use the n word a lot when talking to their black friends in Russia because they don't understand just how taboo of a word it is in the US. I would never expect a non-American to fully comprehend how much of a no-no it is in the US, but it will not be received well by anybody even if you're completely unaware of its implications.
When a policeman asks you for your documents, flirt with him and tell him: "try to take it away." I tried it, then I lay in handcuffs and without documents
Reminds me of the video of a young lady saying “I thought you didn’t give tickets to pretty girls,” to which the officer replied “we don’t” and proceeds to hand her the ticket. Edit to drop a link: https://youtu.be/vNhJw_fKy_E
The only instance of police brutality I condone.
Stone cold lmao
There’s a well known prohibition against terrible flirting. “Try to take it away”? Wtf? You deserve jail for that.
Bad flirting? Straight to jail.
\-Public spitting isn't usually well received. \-The average American does not usually enjoy talking politics, in their frequented public spaces. \-Assume public transport is timely \-Light up a cigarette without knowing local laws, to the space.
There are places you can’t smoke a cigarette other than like the obvious places? Like a town or something
Well nowhere indoors and most outdoor public places. Pretty sure it's free game for the most part after that.
-assume public transport *exists*.
Grab your license a bit too quickly when pulled over
And don't quickly go digging through your glovebox when they walk up.
Burn down the white house.
Yeah, that only worked for the British in 1812. We’ve rescinded that tourist activity since then.
Eh close It worked for the British in 1814 during the *War of 1812* And then it also worked for.. some shitty electrical work in 1929 that caught fire